Synchronous and Asynchronous e-learning Styles and Academic Performance of e-learners

Abstract

It is important to keep in mind that every individual is a unique learner. Educators have, for many years, realized that some learners prefer certain methods of learning. These methods, referred as learning preferences or learning styles. This study was aimed to ascertain the learning styles of students in mode of synchronous and asynchronous e-learning and to compare the learning styles of e-learners with their academic performance. Synchronous or asynchronies e-learner determiner test and the Kolb's Learning Styles Inventory (KLSI 3.1) were conducted to identify differences in the learning styles among 731 e-learners from six virtual universities which were confined in Tehran and categorized in three different academic performance groups including low, mediocre and high. The sample was selected by multi-stage sampling based on Cochran formula and researchers conducted Kruskal-Wallis test to assess whether there is any significant difference within synchronous and asynchronous e-learners’ learning styles based on their academic performance groups. The results revealed that in synchronous e-learners while, synchronous e-learners in low, mediocre and high academic performance groups preferred Assimilating and Diverging styles. In contrast, the results demonstrated that asynchronous e-learners in low, mediocre and high academic performance groups preferred Assimilating and Converging styles. Researchers conducted Mann-Whitney U as Post Hoc and their effect size value was calculated for significant Post hoc tests.