A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Study Skills and Learning Strategies Between Saudi and American Students

Abstract

Study skills and learning strategies are essential in organizing and facilitating learning for academic purposes. Meanwhile, differences in the use of these skills among students coming from distinct cultures are usually based on stereotypes and prejudices.

This paper examined the study skills and learning strategies of 236 university students coming from two universities in Saudi Arabia and in the USA by means of the Study and Learning Strategies Inventory (LASSI), a follow up interview and a study diary. To investigate differences in study skills and learning strategies’ use among university students, origin, as Saudi or American, was taken as the independent variable in this study. Results revealed that American students employ study skills and learning strategies other than those used by Saudi students when it comes to the cognitive skills. However, as far as the affective skills are concerned, both groups had difficulties. Such a finding suggests the possibility that study skills’ use varies across cultures. The results of this study could be implemented, first, in raising the awareness of students, teachers, policy makers and counselors about the role of culture in study skills and learning strategies’ use and second in offering training and counseling for incoming foreign university students.