Learning Styles and Learning Strategies of Geology Technology and Exploration Information Technology Students in Petroleum and Natural Gas Higher Institute of Technology and Training in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Abstract The study is aimed to determine the relationship between the learning styles and strategies of 321 students in Petroleum and Natural Gas Higher Institute of Technology and Training in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It sought to assess the extent of practice of the students' learning styles along Visual, Auditory and Tactile learning styles. Further, the level of students' preference in the following learning strategies: Memorization, Problem Solving, Experimentation, Group Study and Immersion was assessed by institute and year levels and to determine if there exists a relationship between the extent of practice of the above mentioned learning styles and the level of preferences of the learning strategies. The investigation made used the descriptive method. The stratified sampling is utilized the sample size of the study. Data gathered were tabulated and interpreted using statistical tools such as weighted mean to assess the various learning styles and on the level of students' preference on the different learning strategies, correlation analysis for the significant relationship and analysis of variance (ANOVA) for the identifying the significant differences in learning styles and learning strategies according to levels. It is revealed that the results showed a homogeneous type of students in spite of differences in institutes where they belong. For each of the learning styles, students practice much of them. Learning styles are not determined by inherited characteristics, but develop through experience. By comparing the computed weighted means, it could be observed that Tactile is consistently in number one slot having weighted means of 3.85 for Level 1, 3.80 for Level 2 and 3.78 for Level 3 while Visual followed at weighted means of 3.70, 3.65, and 3.59 as rated by Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3, respectively. Auditory learning style is also much practiced by the students in the three levels where Level 1 students rated this style a weighted mean of 3.66, Level 2 students rated this style also with a weighted mean of 3.64 and for Level 3, a weighted mean of 3.48. Level 1 to Level 3 highly preferred experimentation, problem solving, immersion and group study are highly preferred while the memorization is moderately preferred. This corroborated with the conclusion that students in order to have a better grasp on the topics or lesson, involving other senses not just the eyes (normally utilized in memorization). A proposed developmental plan embedded with importance of context to further enhance and develop the students learning styles and learning strategies will be given ample importance which encourages the students/learners to understand the technical communication of teaching-learning process as a necessarily tool for development and to become a globally competitive Saudi Nationals.