Are the Learning Styles of Asian International Students Culturally or Contextually Based

One of the issues that relates to Asian international students’ perceptions about the quality of higher education is with regards to the difficulties and problems they face while studying in an Australian university. A survey was conducted with 78 First Year to Fourth Year Asian international undergraduate students undergoing a range of programs and courses at a South Australian University to determine their perspective of quality in higher education. Further interviews were carried out with nine Asian international students to gain insights into their difficulties and learning experiences. Based on these interviews, the three main difficulties highlighted by Asian international students are: different learning styles, cultural barriers and language problems. This paper seeks to highlight the initial problems faced by Asian international students in terms of learning styles and how they strive to overcome these difficulties through discussions and practice. These findings present implications for the use of appropriate teaching strategies with Asian international students. Learning styles, culture, Asian international undergraduates, learning difficulties, higher education