Ability of mathematical problem solving on junior high school students with field dependent cognitive learning style

Tujuan penelitian untuk mendeskripsikan kemampuan pemecahan masalah siswa dengan gaya kognitif field dependent, dan faktor yang mempengaruhi kemampuan belajar siswa pada materi Pythagoras. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian deskriptif kualitatif. Instrumen utama dalam penelitian ini adalah peneliti sendiri dan didukung oleh instrumen tes, instrumen tes gaya kognitif dan pedoman wawancara. Subjek dalam penelitian ini adalah siswa yang berkemampuan matematika tinggi, sedang dan rendah yang masing-masing berjumlah dua orang. Data yang diperoleh dari penelitian dianalisis dengan menggunakan langkah reduksi data, penyajian data serta penarikan kesimpulan. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah: kemampuan pemecahan masalah siswa bergaya kognitif field dependent kelompok tinggi berkategori baik, siswa bergaya kognitif field dependent kelompok sedang dan kelompok rendah berkategori kurang baik pada tahap-tahap indikator kemampuan pemecahan masalah, faktor internal yang mempengaruhi kemampuan belajar siswa meliputi ketidakmampuan menemukan konsep, strategi yang tidak tepat, tidak mampu melakukan proses perhitungan dan menyelesaikan masalah, tidak memahami materi dengan baik, kurang paham terhadap konsep pythagoras, malas, serta tidak teliti, sedangkan faktor eksternal meliputi, alokasi waktu, kondisi kelas yang ribut, tidak sungguh-sungguh, bermain-main, dan mengobrol, sehingga hasil yang diperoleh kurang maksimal.

The Influence of Cognitive Learning Style and Learning Independence on the Students’ Learning Outcomes

Students of Open University are strongly required to be able to study independently. They rely heavily on the cognitive learning styles that they have in attempt to get maximum scores in every final exam. The participants of this research were students in the Physics Education program taking Thermodynamic subject course. The research analysis employed a two-way ANOVA statistical analysis with the following findings. First, the significance value of the students’ cognitive learning styles variable equals to 0,000 < α =5%, so it was concluded that the students’ cognitive learning styles strongly influenced their learning outcomes in Thermodynamic Science course manifested in the form of either dependent or independent cognitive styles. Second, the students’ learning independence variable turned out to be not having any significant relationship with the students’ learning outcomes in Thermodynamic. The learning independence variable had no significant influence on the students’ learning outcomes with the level of significance of dependent cognitive style 0.007 < α =5%, so it was concluded that the dependent cognitive learning style influenced the learning outcomes, and the learning independence as well as cognitive learning styles, especially the dependent type, altogether influenced the students’ learning outcomes in Thermodynamic. The learning independence variable significantly had no influence on the learning outcomes, with 0.007 < α =5% meaning that the dependent cognitive learning style strongly influenced the learning outcomes.

The Effects of Cognitive Learning Style and Prior Computer Experience on Taiwanese College Students' Computer Self-Efficacy in Computer Literacy Courses

This study examines the influences of learners' characteristics on the development of computer self-efficacy using the GOMS (goal, operators, methods, and selection rules) model. Students' learning style, prior computer course experience, and computer self-efficacy were measured in the pretest, and computer self-efficacy was measured in the posttest to examine the development of computer self-efficacy during the fall of 2001 in a computer introductory course in a non-traditional Taiwanese University. Results indicate that there were statistically significant effects of learning style and prior computer course experiences on computer self-efficacy. The follow-up analysis revealed that the Converger learning style students (abstract learners) outperformed other learning style students (concrete learners). Furthermore, a positive linear relationship was found between computer self-efficacy and the number of prior computer courses taken, which indicates that the more courses students had taken, the higher the level of computer self-efficacy the students developed. The result did support the GOMS model as a useful theoretical model to improve the computer literacy instruction.