Relationship between learning style and learning context: an integrative review

Abstract

Background: Higher education in recent years has been marked by significant changes and has impacted on the educational process, requiring pedagogical and professional actions capable of translating performances that efficiently meet the challenges faced by professional practice in different contexts of the teaching-learning process.

Methods: In order to investigate the relationship between students' learning style and learning context, a systematic review was performed according to both the available literature and the guiding question: what is the relationship between the student learning style and the learning context? Then, the descriptors were defined: learning style and learning context. The search was processed using the Education Resources Information Center database, which provided eleven articles selected by a defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. All items were organized and analyzed according to whether or not they have influence on the learning style and on the learning context.

Results: Based on the guiding question, all articles were grouped into only one category: the relationship between the student learning style and the learning context. Thus, it was found that 73% (n = 8) showed a positive relationship between the student learning style and the learning context.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that there is a relevance between the student learning style andt he learning context, and this relationship helps teachers to provide satisfaction, autonomy and effectiveness regarding the student learning process. Moreover, it is important that teachers recognize this relationship so that they can propose new methods of teaching, learning and assessment that are appropriate to the identified styles.