The learning styles of first year university students

Abstract

There has been a shift in the South African education system from a purely grade-oriented system to that of a learner-centred outcome-based system of education which challenges higher educational institutions and their faculties to adjust their goals to this system. In South Africa there is evidence of poor academic performance at higher education institutions. Among other things, noncognitive factors may be important mediators of academic success. With the expansion of higher education and the increased emphasis on access, retention and life-long learning, it is a good reason to explore the nature of different learning styles (Healey & Jenkins, 2000). Learning styles and personality types has been identified as significant predictors of academic performance. The present study aimed to contribute to this body of research in general and to Kolb’s (1981) theory of experiential learning and his conceptualisation of learning styles in particular. The aims of the study were to explore and describe the learning styles of first year university students (Aim 1), to explore and describe the learning styles of first year university students per faculty (Aim 2), and to explore the relationship between learning styles and academic performance for students in the various faculties (Aim 3). The study used an explorative descriptive and correlational research method and was conducted within a quantitative framework. Participants were selected using a non-probability convenience sampling technique. The sample was comprised of 391 first year university students to whom Kolb’s Learning Style Indicator was administered as part of the Explore programme during orientation week. Descriptive statistics were used in order to explore and describe the learning style of the learners for the sample as a whole and per faculty. Data for the learning styles and academic performance categories were cross tabulated so as to comment on the relationship between learning styles and academic performance per faculty. Small cell sizes made it impossible to analyse the latter data statistically. Across the six faculties the Accommodator learning style was the most represented, followed by the Diverger learning style. No significant relationship was found between learning styles and academic performance. The implications of the findings for counselling and teaching students are highlighted and suggestions to expand the research through using larger samples are also made