Learning Style Preferences of Native American and African-American Secondary Students as Measured by the MBTI.

The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was used to identify simililarities and significant differences in the, learning style preferences of secondary students from two cultures. A second purpose of the study was to identify gender differences in learning style within and across these two cultures. A total of 103 African Americans from a high school in Birmingham (Alabama) and 175 Native Americans from Cherokee (North Carolina) participated. Type tables were created using the Selection Ratio Type Table procedure developed . by the Center for the Application of Psychological Type. Chi square tests were used to assess significant differences, with Fisher's exact test substituted when cell sizes were too small. There were significant differences in the learning style preferences of African American and Native American students. African American males and females demonstrated a strong preference for the sensing and judging dimensions, while Native American males and females indicated a preference for intuition and perception. In both populations, females indicated a much stronger preference for feeling. It appears that culture is a major determinant of learning style, with gender also a factor. However, each cultural group demonstrated a variety of learning style characteristics, suggesting that not all members of the culture could be characterized the same way. Attachments provide summaries of the different learning preferences. (Contains 7 tables and 25 references.) (SLD) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. * *********************************************************************** U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of ducational Research and Improvement EDUC TONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) his document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Jf}CO. EL/ AJE F1)0.6 y TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES OF NATIVE AMERICAN AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN SECONDARY STUDENTS AS MEASURED