RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COGNITIVE LEARNING STYLES AND STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN ALGEBRA FOR SCIENCE IN FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC DAURA, KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between cognitive learning styles and students’ academic performance in Algebra for science in federal polytechnic Daura, Katsina State, Nigeria. The study was guided with four objectives, four (4), and four (4) research questions. Co-relational Survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised one hundred and nineteen (119) ND 11 students that offered Algebra for science in the department of Science Laboratory Technology in Federal polytechnic Daura, Katsina State, Nigeria in 2022/2023 academic session. The entire population was purposely selected as sample of the study. The instruments used to generate data for the study are Group Embedded Figures Test (Witkin, Oltman, Raskin, & Karp, (1971) cognitive Learning Styles Questionnaire was adopted and 2022/2023 first semester student’s examination results in Algebra for science. Frequency and percentages was used to answer the research question, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used to test hypotheses one, two, three, and T-test was used to test objective four, all the null hypotheses was tested at 0.05 level of significance. It found among other thing that field independent students perform significantly better in Algebra for science than field dependent students at Federal Polytechnics in North-West Zone, Nigeria. It concluded that cognitive learning styles significant roles in shaping academic outcomes in science laboratory technology Algebra for science that both factors play.