Influence of contextual variables on the teaching approach: Relationship between teaching approach and learning style

Abstract

Teachers are often unaware that the learning process is affected by different factors. Consequently, the study aims to observe how contextual variables influence the teaching approach (TA) used by teachers and to see if there is a relationship between the students's learning style and the teacher's approach to teaching. Two questionnaires have been used: The B-ASSIST Approaches to studying the section and an ad-hoc questionnaire to learning approaches. 1,252 students from the University of Girona answered both questionnaires. The results show that the study type, the type of subject and course affect the TA. Similarly, the TA affects the student's learning style. In Humanity and Social Science studies, as well as in the lower courses (1st and 2nd) and the more practical subjects (they have classes of problems and/or laboratory practices), the teachers tend to use a student-centered approach. Finally, it is concluded that a teacher does not always use the same type of approach, because he can adapt to contextual variables and the TA used by the teacher influences the adoption of the student's learning style. In general students who have a deep learning style indicate that the teacher has a student-centered approach.