Learning and personal attributes of university students in predicting and classifying the learning styles: Kolb's nine-region versus four-region learning styles

Abstract

Developing effective study skills and learning habits is very important for university students, not only for getting a university degree but also for preparing themselves for their career. Students and their instructors should be aware of what attributes related to students' perceptions and habits influence their learning styles. Studies in literature have mainly used Kolb's four-region styles, and this study is one of the few that investigate Kolb's nine-region styles and the only study that compares the two with data from the field. This is the first study in literature that investigates the research question of how important the various learning and personal attributes of university students are in predicting and classifying the learning styles. The main contribution of this study is showing that the Kolb's four-region and the nine-region learning style can be explained through different attributes. This study is also valuable for discovering the relations of the students' personal attributes, the students' learning styles and perceptions about studying and learning. Study planning, active participation, and group studies are listed as the most desired learning activities. Making learners aware of their learning styles and how to accommodate this in the learning environment obtains significant benefits to learning outcomes. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.