Using Learning Style Information to Improve the Core Financial Management Course

This study presents learning styles as a technique that can help teachers of the core financial management course see how students learn and, simultaneously, improve their teaching performance and enhance student learning. A brief overview of the learning style literature is presented with a focus on Gregorc's learning styles. The empirical segment of the study is based on the learning styles of 483 undergraduate students in core financial management courses at three universities. A hierarchical loglinear model is used to test various hypotheses concerning the relationship among students' sex, race, academic major and learning styles. The analysis shows that within the sample there is no difference in the leaning styles of African American and Caucasian students. Also the learning styles of female student s in the sample are significantly different from male students. A user-friendly example provides suggested strategies for teaching present value to the four learning styles. Finally, specific recommendations and strategies are presented show how learning style information can improve teaching performance and student learning.