Strategies for adapting online teaching to different learning styles: An analysis through the Community of Inquiry model

Due to the changes caused by the intensification of online teaching during the pandemic, the aim of this research was to examine the differences in students' perceptions of university online teaching in relation to their learning styles. Online university teaching is investigated in this paper based on the theoretical model known as the Community of Inquiry (CoI), developed in 2000 by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer. As the theoretical framework for learning styles, the paper used Honey and Mumford's model, which identifies four learning styles: Activist, Reflector, Theorist, and Pragmatist. This paper presents the results of an international study carried out in the academic year 2022/2023 among students (N = 808) from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, and Russia. A modified version of the Community of Inquiry survey instrument was applied and tested, demonstrating high reliability (α = 0.94). The results showed that students with different learning styles perceive the Community of Inquiry framework in online learning differently. Across all CoI elements (Teaching, Social, and Cognitive Presence), students with a reflector learning style gave the highest evaluations, followed by theorists, then activists, while pragmatists gave the lowest evaluations. These findings indicate that it is necessary to improve the application of educational technology in a way that suits all students' learning styles and preferences.