E-ISSN 2281-4612 Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies Vol 5 No 3 ISSN 2281-3993 MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy November 2016 34 E-ISSN 2281-4612 Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies Vol 5 No 3 ISSN 2281-3993 MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy November 2016 Construction, Validity and Reliability of Learning Style Inventory Dunn and Dunn (IGPDD) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohammad Aziz Shah Mohamed Arip Kalaiarasi Subarayan Thenmalar Balasundram Mohd Razin Abd. Rahman Faculty of Education and Human Development, Sultan Idris Education University, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia Email: [email protected] Doi:10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3p35 Abstract This study seeks to develop and acquire content validity and reliability of the Inventory of Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles (IGPDD). IGPDD questionnaire aimed to measure the learning styles of Form 2 students. Fundamental theoretical construction covers five aspects. IGPDD is produced by Model Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles. IGPDD contains 60 positive items which is divided into five sub-scale of the sub- scale 1: Environment (12 items), subscale 2: Emotions (12 items), subscale 3: Sociology (12 items), subscale 4: Physiology (12 items) subscale 5: Psychology (12 items). IGPDD content validity evaluated by nine experts comprising academics of lecturers from the Faculty of Guidance and Counseling, Sultan Idris Education University, Tanjung Malim, Perak, school counselors and school teachers . IGPDD gained high validity for overall which is 8.35 (83.5%) and for sub scale of Environment (80.1 %) , Emotion :8.16 (81.6 %) , Sociology :7.91 (79.1 %) , Physiology :8.55 (85.5 %) and Psychology 9.18 (91.8 %). Reliability analysis also showed high level of reliability which is .750, while subscale analysis showed moderate and low moderate where Environment subscale was .552, Emotion: .605, Sociology: .579, Physiology: .628 and Psychology: .625. By this result, it shows that this research was successful generate IGPDD questionnaire with good value of reliability and validity for use in schools. The findings are important to know the information related to the learning styles of the most sought after by every student in order to enhance the quality of learning and teaching process. Keywords: Validity , Reliability, Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Inventory. 1. Introduction Every human being is born with a variety of skills and unique potential. Some of the skills, abilities and the potential grow throughout life through the process of learning and experience. Student responses on learning styles also vary depending on the personalities, the environment, classrooms, and teaching practices (Nor Junainah and Mohammad Aziz Shah, 2011). Students learn to read, see, feel, hear, and reflect, think logically and intuitively as well as memorizing, remembering, and reflecting by many different ways. Students will be learning when they are faced with conflict do not have the learning style that suits the character or personality of themselves. Consequently, students will become bored, cannot concentrate, fail to perform well in exams and raise the impact of the lack of interest towards the subject and cause them to give up (Baharin, 2000, Felder and Silverman, 1988, and Godleski, 1984). Possessing learning styles can help a person to identify the learning environment and improve their learning performance (Dunn and Stevenson, 1997). Nor Rafidah, Hasnah, and Azielina (2012) it is important to adjust a student's learning style with teaching and learning situations. In Malaysia, teaching and lectures have become the norm and is most applicable in the study of schools and universities. Dunn and Dunn learning styles is a module that is used to identify the preferred learning style of each student in the class. Model of Dunn and Dunn Learning Style states that a student has a learning style that depends on the elements that they like under five aspects of the environment (sound, light, temperature, and patterns), emotional (motivation, persistence, responsibility, and structure), sociology (self, spouse, friends, team, and teachers), physiology (perception, food, time, and movement) and psychological (global or analytic, left-brain or right brain, and impulsive or reflective) (Dunn and Burke, 2006). In Malaysia, several studies have been conducted on learning styles. Asiah (1999) conducted a study in relation to 35 E-ISSN 2281-4612 Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies Vol 5 No 3 ISSN 2281-3993 MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy November 2016 a student's learning style and academic achievement among students of inventory flow technique using the Dunn and Dunn learning styles, and Prince (1978) showed that conclusive learning style is influenced by four stimulus factors consisting of environmental, emotional, sociological, physiological and psychological. Previous studies found that, very little research has been done based on the study of the Dunn and Dunn Learning Style. Thus, this study should be setup based on module Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles. A mastery study skill for an individual is a very important aspect in order to achieve excellent results while adaptive learning style characteristics of an individual. 2. Background of Learning Styles Dunn and Dunn Learning styles are important to a student so that it gives a positive effect on their academic achievement. Inventory of Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles (IPGDD) uses the term based on the concept of learning styles. Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Model (1978) have been used in preparing these inventories and conducted research. According to Dunn and Dunn (1978), learning style can be defined as the way people began to focus attention, processing and recalling something new and difficult information. Dunn and Dunn (1978), refers to the learning style of the individual as a way to focus on understanding and recall of new information or skills. Prolonged studies (longitudinal) by Dunn and Dunn (1978) able to produce a model of learning styles and identify five categories of learning styles adopted by each individual. Therefore, an adjustment to the nature of individual learning styles and mastery of skills learned by an individual is very important to achieve good results. Performance or achievements of a student depends on the role of a lecturer / teacher and the student's own role. Roles or responsibilities of teachers are not only as educators, but they also serve as mentors, managers, planners, administrators, and an evaluator. However, the achievement of a student depends mostly on the efforts taken by the students before the exam. Students themselves should strive to get excellent achievement or performance in examinations (Nor Rafidah, Hasnah, and Azielina, 2012). Dunn and Dunn (1978) states that there is a difference or variation of an individual against the norms of the group, whether it is cognitive, emotional, physical, moral, behavioral, social, or talent in a group. This difference is related to aspects of identified physical, mental, emotional, and social. Consequently, there is a difference in the diversity of learning styles and preferences, learning strategies and different rate of learning for each student. There are individuals who have a dominant learning style, and there is also the use of different learning styles, which are adapted to the environment (Baharin, 2003). Diversity of learning styles and need to be identified by the instructor prior to or during the process of learning and teaching so that teachers can prepare and make a thorough preparation with a view to the different backgrounds and knowledge of existing students. 3. Literature Review According to Ibrahim and Assaadah (2011), Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles Model consist of four principles, namely Environmental Learning Styles, Emotional, Sociology, and Physical. This model emphasizes each individual has a particular learning style. Individual learning styles can also react with the climate, resources and approaches to teaching and learning. Among the causes of the decline in academic achievement among students is that they failed to adapt to the way of teaching and learning in schools. In addition, they do not have a good learning style (Baharin, 2003). As a result, many students who fail to achieve excellent results themselves admit that the lack of knowledge in learning skills. They are difficult to find appropriate study skills for themselves. This suggests that the need for a student to know the learning styles and learning skills that is appropriate to themselves and their attitudes. According to Mohd. Khairi, Suzana, and Sharifah Nurul (2011) findings showed that male and female students are stimulated by physical and environmental factors in their learning. Furthermore in terms of gender differences and learning styles and learning styles of boys show less auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile as compared to girls. Moreover, in terms of individual learning styles and visual, boys are higher than girls. In addition, to identify students' learning styles, two instruments of Learning Styles (Dunn and Dunn, and Price, 1978) and Perception Questionnaire Learning Style Selection (Reid, 1984) has been modified to suit the student. Thus, according to Kamsani (2012), found that students who obtain high achievement in the subjects of Arabic Communication have mastered the auditory learning style better than the group that obtained low performance. However, 36 E-ISSN 2281-4612 Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies Vol 5 No 3 ISSN 2281-3993 MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy