Abstract




Validity and Reliability Issues of Two Learning Style Inventories in a Greek Sample: Kolb's Learning Style Inventory and Felder & Soloman's Index of Learning Styles

Maria Platsidou
University of Macedonia
(platsidu@uom.gr)

Panayiota Metallidou
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
(pmetall@psy.auth.gr)


Abstract:
This study aimed at investigating the psychometric properties of two inventories for the measurement of learning style preferences in a Greek sample: Kolb’s (1985) Learning Style Inventory (LSI) and the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) by Felder & Soloman (1999). The inventories were administered in a total of 340 Greek university undergraduate students of different disciplines (education, psychology, and polytechnics) and primary school teachers. Regarding the LSI, our sample was found to strongly prefer the accommodative and the divergent learning style. Results indicated that in the Greek sample the LSI had a satisfactory reliability but its construct validity was weakly supported. No significant differences were found in relation to discipline, a finding that calls the discriminant validity of the inventory into question. Regarding the ILS, our sample showed a preference for the visual and the sensing learning style; its reliability was barely acceptable but the construct and the discriminant validity were well-supported. In conclusion, this study revealed psychometric weaknesses in both inventories suggesting that they could be used as a tool to encourage self-development of an individual within a discipline group, but not as a tool for grouping them according to given learning styles.






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