DIVERSITY AND IMPACT OF NATIONAL CULTURE ON UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ LEARNING STYLES

Abstract

With the rapid process of globalisation since the beginning of the 21st century, education and businesses face the challenge of intensifying multiculturalism. Higher education institutions in Europe are expected to play a particularly important role in facilitating this process. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between national culture and the preferred learning styles in the context of Higher Education as well as to find out specific patterns of cultural influence on individual learning preferences. It aims to identify practical implications for teachers and trainers in a culturally diverse environment. The empirical investigation was based on D. Kolb’s Experiential learning theory (ELT, Kolb 1984) and G. Hofstede’s (1980) work on National and Organisational dimensions of culture.

Keywords

• kolb
• learning styles
• hofstede
• cultural dimensions
• cultural impact
• higher education