Identifying distance learners’ learning styles

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the learning styles of distance learners studying for an associate’s
degree in computer programming and child development and to determine whether there is a difference
between the departments. Accordingly the survey model was used in this study. The sample consisted of
261 associate’s degree students enrolled in two distance education programs. The data were collected
using the E-Learning Styles Scale. In the data analysis, categories were formed using the mean scores on
the E-Learning Styles Scale to identify the dominant -e-learning styles of the students and the
nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test was used because the data were not normally distributed. The
analysis results showed that the most preferred learning style of computer programming and child
development students was the independent e-learning style. The preferred learning styles of computer
programming and child development students differed in active learning, social learning, and logical
learning styles.