Professional Learning Styles and Workplace Performance: An Exploratory Descriptive Study in Higher Education

Abstract

Higher education is no longer seen as optional in today’s society due to the rapid changes experienced in our global economy. Lifelong learning is expected if one is to keep up with the times. Because of this, schools need to change their focus from teaching to learning, and teaching students how to learn on their own. Professionals have been categorized as either Self-directed learners, or Directed learners. This study describes both learning styles and analyzes data on a large group of graduate students to reveal typical patterns of learning styles among a group of graduate students in northern Mexico. Self-directed learners are found to do better in the workplace, which brings up questions for higher education as to how to produce students who will be more self-directed.