University Students’ Learning Styles and Their Ability to Solve Mathematical Problems
Nahil M. Aljaberi
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to determine the learning styles of pre-service elementary school teachers at the
University of Petra, and to assess their ability to solve mathematical problems according to Polya's strategy. This
research was administered to85 students who had completed a course on basic concepts in mathematics during
the second semester of 2013-2014 academic years. To collect the data, the researcher employed two types of
instruments: the Learning Style Inventory (LSQ), which was prepared by Honey & Mumford(1992), and the
Mathematical Problems Solving Test (MPST) according to Polya's strategy, which was prepared by the
researcher. The study concluded that students lack the ability to solve mathematical problems and that the level of
students' ability to solve mathematical problems varies depending on the school year. In addition, the study
concluded that students' ability to solve mathematical problems varies depending on their learning style. The
most frequently preferred learning style was Activist-Reflector style, which showed better performance in solving
math problems than other styles.
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