INSIGHTS INTO LEARNING STYLES PREFERENCE OF ENGINEERING UNDERGRADUATES: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

Nadia Nur Afiqah  Ismail; Tina  Abdullah; Abdul Halim  Abdul Raof

doi:10.24200/jonus.vol7iss1pp390-409

Nadia Nur Afiqah Ismail Department of English Language and Linguistic, Centre for Language Studies, University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7287-9179
Tina Abdullah Language Academy, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4551-6580
Abdul Halim Abdul Raof Language Academy, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2913-2061

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol7iss1pp390-409

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Education at higher institutions prepares graduates for the real world. To develop and maintain quality, the focus must not only be on what institutions can offer but also on the learning needs and styles of learners. Despite many studies on engineering learners’ learning styles, limited research has been conducted to compare the learning styles of Engineering and Engineering Education learners. This study was conducted to ascertain the learning style preferences of first-year undergraduates from both groups in a science and technology-driven university in Malaysia.

Methodology: This descriptive study consisted of 40 Engineering and 40 Engineering Education learners who attended an English language course at the university. Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire was adopted as the survey instrument. The data were analysed using self-scoring sheet and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.

Findings: While both groups chose Kinaesthetic as a major learning style preference, the Engineering Education learners also chose Group, Tactile, and Auditory learning styles as their other major preferences. Both groups chose Visual and Individual as their minor preferences.

Contributions: The findings extend research demonstrating the significant role of specific disciplines in Engineering to determine the learning style preferences of learners. The findings also provide useful insights that suggest implications for practice and policy.

Keywords: Engineering, engineering education, English language, learning styles, teaching and learning.

Cite as: Ismail, N. N. A., Abdullah, T., & Abdul Raof, A. H. (2022). Insights into learning styles preference of engineering undergraduates: Implications for teaching and learning. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 7(1) 390-409. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol7iss1pp390-409

Author Biographies

Nadia Nur Afiqah Ismail, Department of English Language and Linguistic, Centre for Language Studies, University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia.

A language teacher at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia with more than 9 years of teaching experience in various English courses for diploma and undergraduate levels. Her areas of interests are Language and Communication, Motivation in Language Learning and Materials Development for Language Classrooms.

Tina Abdullah, Language Academy, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia.

A senior lecturer at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia with more than 25 years of teaching experience in communication courses for undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Actively involved as a teacher trainer for the Teaching English as a Second Language program. Her areas of interests are in Literature in ELT, Generative Thinking, Meaning Making and Materials Development for Classroom Practice.

Abdul Halim Abdul Raof, Language Academy, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia.

An Associate Professor at the Language Academy, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He obtained his Ph.D. in Language Testing and Evaluation from the University of Reading, UK. One of his most notable accomplishments is winning the British Council Innovation in Assessment Prize, 2016.

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