Analysis about the correlation between the learning styles and problem solving skills of high school students

The purpose of this study is to determine the learning styles and problem solving skills of high school students and analyze the correlation between their learning styles and problem solving skills with regard to multiple variables. A descriptive model was utilized as the research model of this study. The study group consisted of overall 205 high school students (thereof 172 girls and 33 boys) attending high schools in the provinces of Bolu and Bayburt during 2011-2012 academic year. The Kolb Learning Styles Inventory Version III, developed by Kolb (1999) and translated into Turkish by Gencel (2006), the Problem Solving Inventory, developed by Heppner and Petersen (1982) and translated into Turkish by Şahin, Şahin and Heppner (1993), and an individual information form prepared by the researcher were employed to gather relevant data. In the analysis of the data acquired by the research, apart from the frequency and percentage distributions, Sampling T Tests, Chi-Square Tests, Kruskal Wallis-H tests, and Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficients were applied. The study revealed that 36.10%of all high school students had a Converger learning style, followed by 32.68%with an Accommodator learning style, 16.10%a Diverger learning style, and 15.12%Assimilator learning style. No significant difference (p>.05) was detected among the students? learning styles and the city they live in, their age, gender, mothers? educational background, fathers? educational background, and number of siblings. The results confirmed high problem solving skills among high school students. No significant correlation (p>.05) was found between the students? problem solving skills and independent variables including the city they live in, their age, mothers? educational background, and fathers? educational background. A significant correlation (p<.05) was seen in favor of girl students between the students? gender and their problem solving skills and total score values in terms of approach and avoidance, self-confidence in solving problems, A significant difference (p<.05) was observed between the students? total score values of problem solving skills and their number of siblings. The study revealed a very slight positive correlation between the subjects? active experience learning style and their self-confidence in solving problems (p<.01) as well as their total score values of problem solving skills (p<.05). Keywords: Learning Styles, Problem Solving Skills, High School Students.