LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES AND THEIR IMPACT ON STUDENT SUCCESS IN BIOLOGY EDUCATION IN PLATEAU STATE UNIVERSITY, BOKKOS, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68653/x3j90a90Keywords:
Learning styles, biology education, kinesthetic learning, academic performance, differentiated instructionAbstract
This study examined the influence of learning styles on academic success in biology among 258 SSII students in Jos North, Plateau State. Findings revealed that kinesthetic learning was the predominant style (34.11%), followed by visual (26.74%), auditory (21.32%), and read/write (17.83%). Analysis of academic performance showed kinesthetic learners achieved the highest mean score (18.0), followed by visual (17.1), auditory (16.0), and read/write learners (15.3), indicating a strong link between learning preferences and achievement. Students strongly supported tailoring instruction to individual styles (mean = 9.9) and using multisensory teaching methods (mean = 7.6) as effective strategies for improving biology learning. The results suggest that aligning teaching approaches with students’ learning styles enhances understanding and performance. It is recommended that biology instruction incorporates differentiated, hands-on, and learner-centered strategies to accommodate diverse preferences and improve educational outcomes. This study underscores the importance of recognizing individual learning differences in science education.
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