Does Student–Teacher Thinking Style Match/Mismatch Matter in Students’ Achievement?

Abstract

This study concerns the contingent nature of the relationships of student–teacher style match (or mismatch) to students’ academic achievement. Participants were 135 (59 male and 76 female) students (average age of 21.5 years) from three academic disciplines (mathematics, physics, and public administration) who responded to the Thinking Styles Inventory and rated their own abilities (analytical, creative, and practical). The academic achievement scores in two subject matters for each student were also used. The students’ subject matter teachers responded to the Thinking Styles in Teaching Inventory. Three major findings were obtained. First, the effects of style match/mismatch upon students’ achievement vary as a function of academic discipline and subject matter. Second, the statistical procedures used to analyse the data play an important role in the relationships under investigation. Third, students’ self‐rated abilities make a difference in the tested relationships. Findings have implications for both researchers and teachers.