Multiple Regression Analysis of Student's Learning Style, Student's Characteristics and Learning Environment to Predict Student's Performance in an Introductory Accounting Course

• Main Author: Arredondo, Richard
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2018
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Accounting; Adult education; Age; Cognitive style; Collaboration; Competition; Computer Assisted Instruction; Data analysis; Data collection; Designers; Distance learning; Education; Educational Environment; Educational Strategies; Electronic Learning; Experiential Learning; Foreign students; Gender; Grade Point Average; Higher education; Hypotheses; Instructional Design; Instructional Improvement; Knowledge; Learning Processes; Learning Theories; Literature Reviews; Multiple Regression Analysis; Online instruction; Outcomes of Education; Peers; Preferences; Qualitative research; Regression analysis; School environment; Statistical methods; Student retention; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Technological change; Variables
• ISBN: 9780355937657; 0355937654

A student's learning effectiveness in both course performance and retention may be improved by examining the instructional design components of a course. In creating and designing a course, an essential issue is to what extent should students' learning styles be taken into consideration? Yet, the concept of individual learning styles is subject to debate among instructional design professionals. To the extent that learning styles differ, there may be implications for different learning environments and how programs should be designed to take advantage of these differences. This study will assist in filling this gap. A quantitative, nonexperimental, causal-comparative study was conducted to examine the relationship between a student's performance in an introductory financial accounting course and a student's learning style, student characteristics, and learning environment. Ninety undergraduate student volunteers at a public university in the Midwestern United States provided data in person over three weeks. Learning style was determined using Kolb Learning Style Inventory. Student performance, characteristics, and environment were collected by survey. Multivariate analysis of variance reflected only one independent variable, student GPA, was significantly associated (F(10, 79) = 7.052, p < .05) with predicting student performance and that learning styles had no statistically significant predictive relationship to student performance in an introductory financial accounting course. The findings in this study suggest that students through many years of schooling might have developed learning skills which allow them to be successful regardless of subject matter. As such, aptitude, prior knowledge, and cultural assumptions may affect learning success. It is recommended that instructors provide a wider set of teaching styles to meet more students learning needs based on subject matter presented. Recommendations for further research include studying: (a) larger more diverse populations, (b) different content areas, instructors, and success, and (c) reasoning behind students who have dropped their course.