DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2013.v01i02.004

Pages: 69-80

The current study aimed to determine the preferred learning styles of Al Ain University of Science and Technology students and the differences in their learning styles according to gender, academic performance and field of study. The sample consisted of 210 students (91 males and 119 females). Reid’s (1987) Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ) was used to collect data. Results showed that the major learning style preferences of AU students include, Auditory, Visual and Group. Kinesthetic, Tactile and Individual as a minor learning styles and these students did not disfavour any style. Results further showed that there were significant differences in learning styles according to gender. Males were more auditory and tactile learners, whereas female students were more group learners. In addition, student learning style preferences did not vary by academic performance, but not for group learning style preference. With respect to the field of study, the education students were found to be more tactile learners than the students in the other fields of study, whereas the law students were more group learners and the pharmacy students were more individual preferences than the students of business, education, engineering and law students. The study suggested that understanding how university students learn would, hopefully, help improve the quality of instruction in higher education.