A Mismatch between Learning Styles and Teaching Styles its Influence: An Empirical Study

Researchers in science and engineering education have found that conceptual learning of students is influenced by their learning styles. There are number of ways in which learning process can take place- by hearing and seeing; reflecting and acting; thinking logically and intuitively; memorizing and visualizing. Since students understanding and perception completely depend upon their learning styles therefore, they perceive information in different ways and achieve understanding at different rates [1]. In the same way the teachers give instructions in classrooms in different ways. Some teachers prefer just the lecture method and some uses both demonstration and discussion method along with traditional lecture method. Research has also established that if there occurs a serious mismatch between learning styles of students and teaching styles of teachers, students tend to get bored and inattentive in the class and also loose interest in the subject. If in the classrooms instructions are given keeping majority of students’ learning styles in mind, a gain in learning, performance, and motivation of students can be achieved. In this paper we have analyzed the data using Felder- Solomon's "The Index of Learning Style (ILS) instrument" and explored which learning style is significant in students of undergraduate classes studying physics at four different colleges of the Shimla city of Himachal Pradesh. We found there is a mismatch between learning styles of most of undergraduate students and traditional teaching styles in physics education. and suggest which teaching style can bring significant improvement in removing this mismatch