Learning Styles, Academic Achievement, Confidence, and Educational Environment in Sports Science Students

Relationship Between Learning Styles, Academic Achievement, Academic Confidence, and Educational Environment Perception Among Undergraduate Sports Science Students

This observational, cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationships between learning styles, academic achievement, academic confidence, and perceptions of the educational environment among undergraduate sports science students. The study also examined whether academic achievement, academic confidence, and perceptions of the educational environment differed according to students' learning style preferences.

Undergraduate students enrolled in sports science programs at multiple higher education institutions in Turkey participated in the study. Participants completed a one-time online survey including demographic and academic information, the Kolb Learning Style Inventory III, an academic confidence questionnaire, and the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). Academic achievement was assessed using self-reported grade point average categories.

No intervention, treatment, laboratory procedure, biological sampling, or invasive assessment was performed. The collected data were analyzed to examine associations among learning styles, academic achievement, academic confidence, and perceptions of the educational environment. Statistical and machine-learning methods were also used to explore predictors of academic achievement.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged 18 years or older.
• Currently enrolled as an undergraduate student in a sports science-related program.
• Able to read and understand Turkish.
• Willing to participate voluntarily and provide electronic informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Failure to provide electronic informed consent.
• Incomplete or internally inconsistent questionnaire responses.
• Duplicate survey submissions.
• Missing or invalid information regarding the participant's institution.