Analysis of Learning Style Profiles to Optimize Student Achievement

Abstract

Student achievement is an indicator of learning success that indicates the extent to which a student has acquired the skills and knowledge set forth by their educational program. Understanding students' learning styles plays a significant role in determining learning success. One of the efforts to optimize student achievement is facilitating learning activities that align with students' learning styles. Students are no longer preoccupied with understanding their learning styles but are focused on deepening the material. This study aims to describe the learning style profiles of students, and students and lecturers in the learning process can follow up on the results. This study uses a survey research method with a questionnaire instrument containing 54 statements. A learning styles questionnaire prepared based on the opinion of De Poter & Hernacki is used as a data collection tool. Learning styles are identified as visual learning style, auditorial learning style, and kinesthetic learning style. The questionnaire was distributed to students in semesters 2, 4, 6, and 8, totaling 51 students. The data analysis technique used is a descriptive analysis of the questionnaire results. The questionnaire results show that 36% of students have visual and kinesthetic learning styles, 14% have auditory, and 14% are inconsistent. This inconsistency may suggest a balanced learning style, where students do not rely heavily on one learning mode but rather integrate multiple styles depending on the context. Therefore, the Science Education Study Program lecturers should implement a learning model that can facilitate visual and kinesthetic styles, even though the subjects taught are theoretical. Incorporating a variety of teaching methods, such as visual aids, hands-on activities, and auditory discussions, can accommodate the diverse learning preferences of students, leading to a more inclusive and effective learning environment.