Investigation of the effect of learning styles on physics success and retention in cooperative groups

In this research, it was aimed to determine the effects of cooperative learning groups, formed according to learning styles, on to students? physics achievement and retention of their learning. In this context, cooperative learning groups formed according to students? academic achievements were compared with cooperative learning groups formed according to students? learning styles. The data were collected by using Perceptional Learning Style Inventory (PLSI), Mechanics Unit Achievement Test (MUAT) and rubrics.In this research, PLSI was used in order to determine students? learning style. PLSI was developed by applying undergraduate students from Education Faculty of Buca at Dokuz Eylul University. PLSI divides students according to their learning styles into three groups as visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners. PLSI has 15 items and its construct validity was determined by implementing explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis. MUAT having 25 multiple choice items was used in order to determine students? physics course achievement. It is benefited from scoring rubrics in order to collect the qualitative data of the research.The research was conducted with 48 Primary Mathematics Education students in Education Faculty of Buca at Dokuz Eylul University. There were two groups in the research; an experimental and a control group. In the experimental group, students were divided into the cooperative groups according to their learning styles and then they matched with the appropriative roles with their learning styles. In the control group, students were divided into cooperative groups according to their academic achievement and then they matched with the inappropriate roles with their learning styles.At the end of the research, it was seen that the students in the experimental group had higher physics achievement than the students in the control group. There was not a significant difference between the students in the experimental group according to their learning styles but in the control group, the auditory students had significantly higher achievement than the visual and the kinesthetic learners. And also it was found that in the control group there was a positive correlation between students? auditory scores and MUAT scores. In the experiment group, there was no significant correlation between students? PLSI scores and MUAT scores.One month after the end of the application MUAT was conducted in order to determine the effect of the study on the retention. At the end of the analysis, it was determined that there was not a significant differences between the retention scores and the post test scores of the students both in experimental and control group.