Thinking style preferences and academic performance of students in International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the thinking style preferences and academic performance of students at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and its relationship to gender, Kulliyyah/faculty, nationalities and place of origin. The study used a quantitative approach to investigate the thinking style preferences of 360 (137 male, 223 female) IIUM students selected via a stratified random sampling from a total population of 4620 students from three different Kulliyyah/faculty in IIUM. Data were collected using the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) developed by Herrmann (2000). Descriptive analysis (mean, percentage and standard deviation), independent sample t-test, and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were utilized in analysing the data. The general findings of this study revealed that there are no significant differences between the level of academic performance, gender, nationalities and place of origin with regard to the thinking style preferences of IIUM students in all quadrants. However, with regard to student’s Kulliyyah or their faculty, there are statistically significant differences found in Quadrant A, B, C and D of their thinking style preferences. Accordingly, both internal and external factors are predominant in affecting the thinking style preferences of IIUM students.