A Comparative Study of Learning Styles Based on the VARK Model Among High School Students Aged 16–18 in Thailand, the United States, and Canada

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate and compare learning styles (Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, Kinesthetic: VARK) among high school students aged 16–18 years in Thailand, the United States, and Canada—an age group that continues to undergo developmental changes and has received limited attention in international comparative studies. The study employed the VARK Learning Questionnaire to collect data from 141 students: 49 from Thailand, 46 from the United States, and 46 from Canada. Data were analyzed using Pearson's chi-square and one-way ANOVA to compare differences in learning styles across countries. The findings revealed that primary learning styles did not differ significantly among the three countries. However, component-level analysis showed that Thai students had significantly higher mean scores in auditory learning (x̄±SD; 4.29±1.43) compared to students from the other two countries (USA: 2.73±1.92; Canada: 2.82±1.70) with statistical significance (p=.000). In contrast, students from the United States (4.38±1.41) and Canada (3.93±1.71) demonstrated a greater tendency toward kinesthetic learning compared to Thai students (3.42±1.80) (p=.019). Additionally, the study collected supplementary data by having students assess the proportion of lecture-based versus hands-on learning in their actual coursework to examine the relationship between instructional context and learning styles. Results indicated that Thailand had a significantly higher proportion of lecture-based instruction at 71.8%, compared to the United States (43.3%) and Canada (60.0%). This comparative data revealed a systemic relationship between instructional approaches and students' learning style tendencies in each country, suggesting new directions for developing learning environments tailored to learners' characteristics within different cultural contexts.