From career personality types to preferences for teachers’ teaching styles: A new perspective on style match

Abstract

This research examines the issue of teacher–student style match from a new perspective. Two hundred and fifty-four students from a large university in Shanghai responded to the Preferred Thinking Styles in Teaching Tnventory, the Short-Version Self-Directed Search, and to the Self-rated Ability Scale. Results suggested that although students preferred teaching styles that matched their career personality types precisely, they were also open to teaching styles that complemented their career personality types. It was proposed that the concept of “style match” be redefined. Implications of the finding are discussed in relation to both research and education.