A Match or Mismatch between Learning and Teaching Styles in Science Education

Mixed research method was used in this study to investigate and compare the learning styles of science students and the lecturer’s teaching styles in Yemen. Quantitative data were collected from 179 students using a survey questionnaire while qualitative data were collected from 50 lecturers using observation checklist and videotaped classroom sessions. The quantitative data were coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics via SPSS software while observation and videotaped classroom sessions were used to triangulate the results. Research findings showed that the auditory and visual styles were more prevalent among the lecturers who adopted mainly lecturer-fronted, chalk-and-talk teaching approach while the students preferred kinesthetic and tactile learning styles which were supported by previous literature to be more suited for science classes. The result explicitly highlighted the implications of teaching science in tertiary institutions in Yemen.