Learning orientations of IT higher education students in UAE University

Abstract

This research examines the learning preferences of students in UAE University (UAEU). The uniqueness of this research emanates from the fact that no prior research examined this area from the UAE’s perspective. Thus, this research embarks on the fact that student learning strategies vary from one country to another due to many factors. This research utilizes six learning strategies extended from the literature and attempts to examine their importance on UAEU students using survey research. The selected learning strategies were students” motivation, time-poorness, mastery effort, assessment focus, competitiveness, and listening. This research provided interesting insights and contrasts pertaining to the learning strategies of UAEU students. Implications are discussed highlighting different theoretical as well as professional contributions and contentions and portrayed a path where pending issues could be addressed by future research.

Appendix 1 The survey questions

Motivation  1. make university work enjoyable by focusing on something about it that is fun  2. try to find ways that the material relates to my life  3. remind myself about how important it is to get good grades  4. push myself to see if I can do better than I have done before  5. persuade myself to work hard just for the sake of learning  6. challenge myself to complete the work and learn as much as possible  7. think about trying to become good at what we are learning or doing  8. try to study at a time when I can be more focused  9. try to get rid of any distractions that are around me

Time-poorness 1. don”t have enough time to do as much study as I need to for my course 2. Other things such as work and family do not leave me enough time to think about the ideas from my studies 3. Often I don”t have enough time to really understand the ideas I read about Assessment focus 1. pay close attention to information the lecturer gives about exams 2. Lecturers sometimes indicate what is likely to be in the exams, so I look out for hints 3. take care to find as much information as possible on what will be in an exam 4. When working on an assignment, I try to keep in mind exactly what the particular lecturer seems to want

Mastery effort  1. try to be strict with myself in my study habits, so that I can do the very best I can  2. look at most of the additional readings suggested by the lecturer  3. limit my studying to the slides only  4. use the prescribed textbook in my study  5. make sure I clearly understand the assessment requirements early in the course  6. usually set out to understand thoroughly the meaning of what I am asked to read  7. usually put a lot of effort into trying to understand things that at first seem difficult

Competitiveness 1. want top grades in my studies so that I will be able to select from among the best jobs available 2. see myself as an ambitious person 3. The main benefit of a university education is that it will enable me to earn more money Listening 1. remember best things that are spoken 2. remember best what I hear 3. prefer listening to the lecturer than reading textbooks 4. prefer listening to reading 5. understand better if the lecturer explains things rather than reading about them