Perceptual learning style preferences of undergraduates in english for academic purpose courses in the online distance learning mode

• Auteur principal: Nadira, M. Jahaya
• Format: Thèse
• Langue: anglais; anglais
• Publié: 2022
• Sujets: L Education (General); PE English
• Accès en ligne: https://etd.uum.edu.my/10286/1/depositpermission_s826903.pdf; https://etd.uum.edu.my/10286/2/s826903_01.pdf; https://etd.uum.edu.my/10286/

Malaysian higher education institution has stated that to achieve greater global peaks, it is essential to focus on the fundamentals of quality education. The world is facing a dire pandemic outbreak at the beginning of 2020. Instructors and students were compelled to carry on their teaching and learning processes through online learning and the adjustment from traditional learning to open and online distance learning (ODL) has been challenging. This study is mixed-method research which comprises Perceptual Learning Styles Preferences Questionnaires (PLSPQ) and semi-structured interview as the instruments. The purpose of this study was to investigate what are the preferred learning styles of female undergraduate students in learning EAP course during ODL, identify what are the preferred learning styles of male undergraduate students in learning English for Academic Purpose (EAP) course during ODL mode and further discover to what extent students’ gender affects their learning styles preferences in learning EAP courses during ODL. Three research questions were developed to guide the course of this study. In order to identify undergraduates’ learning style preferences during online distance learning (ODL), six aspects of perceptual learning style proposed by Reid (1984) were adapted to look into the various ways people acquire and process knowledge specifically in learning a second language. The undergraduate students in one of the public universities in Malaysia were required to respond to the items in the questionnaires to examine their preferences in learning English during ODL. Their learning styles were determined based on their percentage of votes in the questionnaires. The result of this study indicates every student had a preferred learning style, and it is possible that some individuals used more than one learning style. Males had more continuous positive attitudes toward online learning, whereas female online learners are more persistent and engaged. Each gender exhibits almost similar learning preferences in six aspects of perceptual learning styles in learning EAP courses during ODL mode.