International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Learning Styles and Gender Differences among Undergraduate Students of Gauhati University: A Study using the VARK Model

Learning styles refer to the characteristics of the ways individuals perceive, process, and retain information. Learning styles are a kind of learning method that students adopt in order to learn, acquire, and understand information or knowledge. In this study, the VARK model has been used to understand the types of learning styles among undergraduate students. This study aims to find the types of learning styles used and the gender difference in learning styles among undergraduate students. The investigators adopted the descriptive survey method, and 120 undergraduate students were selected as a sample using a simple random sampling technique for the study. The descriptive statistics, such as mean, standard deviation, and percentages, were used to find the types of learning styles used, and inferential statistics, such as a t-test, were calculated to find the gender differences in the learning styles between male and female undergraduate students. The findings of the study revealed that most of the students scored highest on visual learning styles and lowest on auditory learning styles. The mean difference shows that females scored higher than males and shows a p-value< 0.05, which indicates that there is a statistically significant difference in learning styles between male and female undergraduate students. These findings show the importance of adopting a balanced instructional approach that meets the diverse learning needs of the students within the classroom.