Unraveling the nexus between learning styles and academic performance: the mediating effect of pre-service teachers’ satisfaction

Effective teaching is shaped not only by what pre-service teachers know, but also by how they learn during their training and the attitudes they develop towards their own learning. This study examined the mediating effect of pre-service teachers’ satisfaction in the relationship between Grasha-Reichmann learning styles and academic performance. Participants for the study were selected from Colleges of Education located in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Employing a descriptive research design, 291 pre-service teachers were sampled through multistage sampling. However, 287 (98.6%) participant responses were deemed accurate and used for the analysis. The analysis revealed direct significant effects of five learning styles (collaborative, dependent, independent, avoidant, and participant) on academic performance, while the competitive style showed no direct effect. However, when mediated by students’ satisfaction, all six learning styles, including competitive, exhibited significant indirect effects on academic performance. These findings highlight the critical role of addressing diverse learning preferences and nurturing students’ satisfaction to enhance pre-service teachers’ preparedness. Educators at the Colleges of Education should prioritise strategies that integrate these insights, fostering holistic development for future teaching professionals.