The purpose of this study is to explore how learning styles and the applications of learning strategies can explain for college students’ academic achievements.  In a previous study, the researchers found that the fit of learning styles and the abilities of applying the cognitive monitoring strategies and how one could manage his/her study time could discriminate the low achievers from the high achievers (Lu & Chuang, 2010).  In this study, the researchers would like to explore what kinds of learning styles and what aspects of learning strategies applied could explain for the college students’ learning achievements.

Learning Styles and Learning Achievements

        Learning styles refers to the tendencies and preferences of processing the information in learning (Grimley & Banner, 2008). 

There have been disputes about the relationships between learning styles and learning achievements.  Some researchers argued that the fits between students’ learning styles and learning materials or teaching styles could predict academic achievements (Dunn, 1980；Dunn & Griggs, 1995；Felder, 1996; Graf, Lin, & Kinshuk, 2008；Hlawaty, 2008；Lin & Graf, 2009；Lu & Lin, 2010; Lumsdaine & Lumsdaine, 1995; Peterson, Rayner, & Armstrong, 2009).  In this study, the researchers would try to explore the better learning styles for different disciplines, based on the results of the Index of Learning Styles which was designed on Felder- Silverman Learning Style Models (Felder & Soloman, 2004).

Learning Strategies and Learning Achievements

        In the United States of America, the open admission and special admission policies of college entrances in 1960s triggered the research in learning strategies, since some of the students didn’t equipped with sufficient learning skills rather than cognitive abilities(Weinstein & Underwood, 1985).   Similarly, due to the increasing college entrance rates, more and more college students failed academically in Taiwan.  However, due to the screening effects of the Joined-College Entrance Exam, students of the same department did not differ much in their academic achievements before they enter the colleges.  Therefore, the differences in the academic achievements at college could be the results of learning strategies rather than cognitive abilities.  Learning strategies refers to any behaviors that could enhance the acquisitions and retrievals of knowledge (Weinstein & Underwood, 1985).  Studies have shown that training in learning strategies could promote academic performances, especially for low achievers (Atkinson & Rough, 1975; Shimmerlick & Nolan, 1976).  According to Weinstein & Underwood (1985), there are four aspects of learning strategies, namely the information processing strategies, the support strategies, the active study strategies, and the meta-cognitive strategies.  In a previous study, Lu & Chuang (2010) found that the support strategies could differ the low achievers from high achievers much more significantly that the other types of learning strategies.  However, the low achievers reported that that don’t apply good strategies in learning in all of the four aspects of learning strategies.  In the current study, the researchers would like to explore how the applications of various aspects of learning strategies, as well as learning styles, predict college students’ learning achievements in different disciplines.

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