Brain dominance and learning style preference of quantity surveying students in South Africa and Malaysia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the brain dominance of quantity surveying students in South Africa and Malaysia to determine the learning style preference to which they best relate. It further aims to establish if there is any correlation in brain dominance of quantity surveying students in different countries. A quantitative research methodology was applied, making use of a questionnaire consisting of short questions. The research respondents were third-year undergraduate quantity surveying students at the University of Pretoria and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Data collection and analysis was undertaken at the University of Pretoria. The most dominant brain quadrant for South African quantity surveying students was the lower left quadrant B (organised, sequential, controlled, planned structured, detailed, and scheduled). For the Malaysian students, it was the upper left quadrant A (analytical, technical, logical, rational, and precise). A comparative analysis between the two student groups indicated that there was a difference in brain dominance, although not significant. Adapting teaching techniques according to these findings may help students to better process and engage with module content at a higher educational level.