The relationship between cognitive styles and learning strategies of secondary school students in Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Cognitive styles and learning strategies are widely assumed to be closely linked, and this assumption underpins advice that teachers should match instruction to students' styles. This study examined whether such a link exists among secondary school students in Pakistan. A descriptive correlational survey design was used. Data were collected from 152 students in public and private secondary schools in District Lahore, selected through simple random sampling (250 questionnaires distributed; 60.8% usable return). Students completed a 15-item paired-statement Cognitive Style Questionnaire and a 40-item adapted version of the Learning Style Survey covering ten strategy dimensions. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and standard multiple regression. Students reported frequent use of all ten strategy dimensions (M = 3.54 to 3.92 on a 0–4 scale). However, the overall correlation between cognitive style and learning strategies was negligible and non-significant (r = .025, p = .763). Only two dimensions showed weak significant correlations with cognitive style: use of physical senses (r = −.166, p = .041) and dealing with multiple inputs (r = .177, p = .029). Together, the ten dimensions explained 13% of the variance in cognitive style (R² = .13, adjusted R² = .07, F(10, 141) = 2.09, p = .029). The findings suggest that, for these learners, strategy use is largely independent of cognitive style. Strategy instruction may therefore benefit all students, regardless of style.