Thinking Styles of University Teachers: A Gender Based Difference

Abstract

Thinking styles play very important roles in our lives. They are multidimensional in nature. Sternberg had given a theory of mental self-government. This theory provided a complete framework of thinking styles. This study was comparative in nature and based on thinking styles of private sector universities teachers of capital territory. The main focus of the current study was, to explore the thinking styles of instructors working in higher educational institutions in the private sector. This comparison was based on gender. The theoretical background of the study based on Sternberg theory of self-government (2007). The population of current study consisted of two hundred seventy-one teachers. Random sampling technique was used. One hundred and sixty teachers were selected as sample for this study. Sternberg had designed a research tool for his theory, that tool was used for data collection with his permission. Statistical technique t-test was used for data analysis. The results of the study pointed out that there was no significant difference in the opinion of male and female university teachers. As Sternberg had explained in his theory that thinking styles are not categorized as good or bad, they are discussed on the matter of differences only. These thinking styles played a significant role in the teaching-learning environment. When teachers acknowledge all students on the basis of their thinking styles, it will help to enhance the teaching-learning process.