Angela Priska, Maya Duita Saragih, Shidiq Fathanah, Senin Apdi Serep Jeremiah Tampubolon, Jusmanromualdiharion Sinaga, Dionisius Sihombing

The Influence of Learning Style on Learning Outcomes of Students of The Economics Department Faculty of Economics State University of Medan

Introduction

The influence of learning style on learning outcomes of students of the economics department faculty of economics state university of medan. Explore the influence of learning styles on Economics students' outcomes at State University of Medan. This study reveals no significant impact, suggesting other factors are more decisive.

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effect of learning styles on the learning outcomes of students of the Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics, State University of Medan. The study used a quantitative method with a causal associative approach. The sample of the study was 30 students selected purposively. Data were obtained through a questionnaire to measure learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) and documentation of the Cumulative Achievement Index (IPK) as a learning outcome. Simple linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between variables. The results showed that learning styles did not have a significant effect on student learning outcomes. The F test produced F count 0.390 < F table 3.93 with a significance of 0.538 > ( 0.05), and the coefficient of determination (R-square) value of 0.014 indicated that learning styles only explained 1.4% of learning outcomes, while 98.6% was influenced by other factors. This study confirms that although learning styles are important, learning outcomes are more determined by other factors that need to be explored further.

Review

The study, "The Influence of Learning Style on Learning Outcomes of Students of The Economics Department Faculty of Economics State University of Medan," addresses a perennially relevant topic in educational psychology and pedagogy: the relationship between how students prefer to learn and their academic achievement. The stated aim to determine the effect of learning styles on learning outcomes using a quantitative, causal associative approach is clear and directly tackles a pertinent question within the specific institutional context. While the abstract presents a straightforward objective, it sets the stage for investigating a widely debated concept, particularly regarding its practical implications in higher education. A primary concern arises regarding the methodological robustness, particularly the sample selection and size. A sample of just 30 students, selected purposively from an entire department, is notably small for a quantitative study employing simple linear regression and aiming for findings that might suggest a generalizable absence of effect. This limited sample size raises significant questions about statistical power, making it difficult to confidently conclude that learning styles *do not* have a significant effect, rather than the study simply lacking the power to detect one if it exists. Furthermore, while the use of IPK (Cumulative Achievement Index) as a measure of learning outcomes is standard, the abstract does not detail the specific questionnaire used for learning styles, which is crucial for assessing the validity and reliability of the independent variable's measurement. The reported F-test result and extremely low R-square (0.014) strongly indicate a lack of relationship, but the methodological limitations compel a cautious interpretation of this definitive null finding. Despite the clear articulation of a null finding – that learning styles did not significantly affect learning outcomes for this specific sample – the study's ability to definitively "confirm" this conclusion is hampered by the aforementioned methodological constraints. The statement that "learning outcomes are more determined by other factors" is a reasonable deduction from the low R-square, but the study design itself offers no insight into what these other factors might be. Future research would significantly benefit from a substantially larger and more representative sample, perhaps across multiple departments or institutions, to enhance generalizability and statistical power. Incorporating qualitative methods could also provide richer insights into students' learning experiences and the actual mechanisms influencing their IPK, moving beyond a sole focus on pre-defined learning styles to explore a broader spectrum of academic determinants. As presented, the study serves as a preliminary exploration, highlighting the complexities and the need for more comprehensive research designs when investigating such intricate educational phenomena.

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