| The principle purpose of this study was to investigate learning styles of undergraduate students from a small university who are taking courses in the online and face-to-face learning environments. There is a wealth of literature surrounding learning styles especially in the face-to-face learning environments. However, there is a limited amount of research regarding learning styles in the online learning environment.;This study examined the most frequently used learning styles in the online learning environment compared to the face-to-face learning environment at a small private university. The study did not reveal a significant difference between learning styles in the online learning environment compared to the face-to-face learning environment. However, online learners exhibited assimilating learning style more than face-to-face learners and face-to-face learners exhibited converging and diverging learning styles more than online learners. Additionally, this study found both female and male learners in the online learning environment who exhibited a preferred assimilating learning style held an overall higher GPA compared to learners with converging, diverging, and accommodating style. In addition, both female and male learners in the face-to-face learning environment who demonstrated a preferred converging learning style had an overall higher GPA compared to learners with diverging, assimilating, and accommodating learning styles. These findings support previous literature. Finally, the results from this study can assist educators, career counselors, colleges, and universities in understanding the differences in learning styles in students in the online learning environment compared to the face-to-face learning environment. |
