Abstract
Globally, universities have been seeking to increase their appeal as an educational destination to international students in both traditional and online environments. Beyond the pedagogical raison d’etre, many universities financial models have become dependent on the money these students provide. However, are University offerings relevant to a culturally diverse and global student market, particularly in the online environment? Given the increase in online tertiary education, exacerbated by the necessary adoption of online methods due to Covid-19, it seems timely to evaluate online content offerings and determine how it aligns with the preferred learning styles of the international student market. Utilising Kolb’s model of learning styles as a frame, the content of 29 online courses across multiple disciplines at an Australian university were audited and assessed against their learning approach. A meta-analysis of prior research investigating preferred learning styles based on the cultural background of individuals was also conducted. Findings suggested that whilst there was a high level of diversity in learning style preferences at the cultural level, the dominant approach to online teaching content offered by an Australian university generally fit within the Converging quadrant of Kolb’s model. The study is notable as it is one of the first to audit teaching content against preferred cultural learning styles. At the practical level, it suggests that universities need to consider a “whole of program” approach to delivery to better match its offerings with students’ preferred learning styles.
Presenters
Duncan MurraySenior Lecturer, UniSA Business, University of South Australia, South Australia, Australia Michelle Zacharko
Student, PhD Candidate, University of South Australia, South Australia, Australia Karen Williams
University of South Australia
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2022 Special Focus: Intercultural Learning in Plurilingual Contexts
KEYWORDS
Kolb, Learning, Styles, Online, Teaching, Content, Culture
