Learning Styles and Learning Strategies in Distance Education: conceptual differences and similarities

Abstract

Distance learning is a teaching strategy in higher education institutions (HEIs) as well as organizations and work (O&W). In this modality of instruction, the learning styles provide information for the improvement of instructional methods. Learning strategies are employed in virtual learning environments (VLEs) as a set of indispensable skills and abilities for student success. The objective of this study was to investigate the conceptual differences and similarities between strategies and learning styles through the convergent validation between instruments that evaluate such constructs. One hundred and thirty five students enrolled in a distance learning higher education course from a public university, taking part in this research online. The results indicated that the concept of learning strategies sometimes converges with the concept of learning styles, presenting low correlation indexes in the most part. Future researche should review the instruments from the discussions put forward in this study

Keywords

• distance education
• higher education institutions
• learning styles
• learning strategies
• student characteristics