Relationship between learning styles and academic achievement of university students

Inquiry about learning styles and their relationship with academic improvement cause movement toward desired learning. The purpose of the present research was to examine the relationship between learning styles and age، gender، and academic status of the students. This descriptive-correlation research was conducted in Khalkhaal Branch of PNU on all boys and girls university students studying in educational semester of 2011-12. One hundred and fifty subjects were chosen using stratified sampling. The Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) of Witkin was used as data collection tool. The mean of the first semester scores of students was considered as academic status index. Pierson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression analysis were used in order to evaluate the relationship between learning styles and their components with age، gender، and academic achievement. The mean group of 16. 00-16. 99 had the highest learning style numerical value (17. 2±1. 62) and the mean group of 14. 00-14. 99 had the lowest learning style numerical value (11. 6±1. 54). Furthermore، the effect of age on the FI learning style was significant and on the FD learning style was not significant. The correlation between FI learning style، FD learning style and the learning style as a whole with academic status was significant، all predicting the academic status. Age and gender affect the learning style. Younger students and girls have more tendencies toward learning style which is dependent to the educational environment.