ABSTRACT

This study assesses the learning styles of law students at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill (UWICH) Faculty of Law (FOL) in the Caribbean, based on age, gender and academic performance, using the Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Style Scale. The study also compared the learning styles of UWICH FOL students with the learning styles of UWICH management students, using a comparator study by Corbin (2017). In our study, using the Grasha-Riechmann rating norms, there was no dominant preferred learning style for law students with all results falling within the moderate range. Within this moderate range, the Collaborative learning style was “first among equals”, as the strongest within the moderate range. Contrastingly, in Corbin’s study, the Collaborative learning style was preferred for management students. In our study, Independent and Collaborative learning styles were significant predictors of academic performance, with the Independent learning style resulting in higher grade point averages (GPAs), and the Collaborative learning style being a predictor of lower GPAs. Contrastingly, Independent and Avoidant learning styles were predictors of academic performance in Corbin’s study. A further longitudinal study into learning styles of UWICH law students and the teaching styles of lecturers is recommended.

摘要

本研究使用 Grasha-Riechmann 学生学习风格量表，根据年龄、性别和学业成绩评估加勒比地区西印度群岛大学凯夫希尔 (UWICH) 法学院 (FOL) 法学院学生的学习风格. 该研究还使用 Corbin (2017) 的比较研究比较了 UWICH FOL 学生的学习风格与 UWICH 管理学生的学习风格。在我们的研究中，使用 Grasha-Riechmann 评分规范，法学院学生没有占主导地位的首选学习方式，所有结果都在中等范围内。在这个中等范围内，协作学习方式是“同类中第一”，是中等范围内最强的。相比之下，在 Corbin 的研究中，管理专业的学生更喜欢协作学习方式。在我们的研究中，独立和协作学习风格是学习成绩的重要预测因素，独立学习风格导致更高的平均绩点 (GPA)，协作学习风格是较低 GPA 的预测因素。相比之下，在 Corbin 的研究中，独立和回避学习风格是学习成绩的预测指标。建议对 UWICH 法学院学生的学习方式和讲师的教学方式进行进一步的纵向研究。