MODEL KONSEPTUAL HUBUNGAN ANTARA GAYA PEMBELAJARAN, MOTIVASI DAN PENCAPAIAN AKADEMIK PELAJAR TINGKATAN ENAM DALAM PENGAJIAN PERNIAGAAN DI MALAYSIA

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEARNING STYLES, MOTIVATION, AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SIXTH FORM BUSINESS STUDIES STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

Pencapaian akademik pelajar merupakan indikator utama keberkesanan sistem pendidikan dan kualiti kurikulum kebangsaan. Namun, perbezaan individu dari segi gaya pembelajaran dan tahap motivasi sering menimbulkan variasi dalam prestasi pelajar, khususnya dalam konteks Pengajian Perniagaan di peringkat Tingkatan Enam. Artikel konseptual ini membangunkan satu model konseptual baharu yang menghubungkan gaya pembelajaran VARK (Visual, Auditori, Bacaan/Tulisan, dan Kinestetik), motivasi intrinsik dan ekstrinsik, serta pencapaian akademik. Kajian ini menggunakan kaedah kajian literatur naratif yang mensintesis hasil penyelidikan terkini (2020–2025) daripada pangkalan data berindeks Scopus dan jurnal berwasit. Model ini berasaskan Teori Gaya Pembelajaran Fleming dan Mills (1992) serta Teori Penentuan Kendiri (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000, 2020) yang menerangkan interaksi antara faktor kognitif (cara pelajar belajar) dan faktor afektif (mengapa pelajar belajar). Dapatan literatur menunjukkan bahawa motivasi berperanan sebagai mekanisme mediasi dalam hubungan antara gaya pembelajaran dan pencapaian akademik, dengan motivasi intrinsik memperkukuh kesan langsung gaya pembelajaran, manakala motivasi ekstrinsik menyediakan sokongan tambahan. Berdasarkan sintesis ini, kajian mencadangkan model mediasi separa di mana gaya pembelajaran mempengaruhi pencapaian akademik secara langsung dan tidak langsung melalui motivasi. Integrasi VARK dan SDT menyediakan asas teoritikal bagi strategi pengajaran berpusatkan pelajar yang berkesan, yang mampu meningkatkan motivasi dan prestasi akademik dalam konteks prauniversiti di Malaysia. Model konseptual ini bukan sahaja memperkukuh asas teori, tetapi juga berpotensi dijadikan panduan pedagogi dan asas bagi kajian empirikal masa hadapan.

Student academic achievement is a key indicator of the effectiveness of the education system and the quality of the national curriculum. However, individual differences in learning styles and levels of motivation often lead to variations in student performance, particularly in the context of Business Studies at the Form Six level. This conceptual article develops a new conceptual model that links the VARK learning styles (Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing, and Kinesthetic), intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and academic achievement. The study employs a narrative literature review method, synthesizing recent research findings (2020–2025) from Scopus-indexed databases and peer-reviewed journals. The model is grounded in Fleming and Mills’ Learning Styles Theory (1992) and Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000, 2020), which explain the interaction between cognitive factors (how students learn) and affective factors (why students learn). Literature findings indicate that motivation acts as a mediating mechanism in the relationship between learning styles and academic achievement, with intrinsic motivation reinforcing the direct effect of learning styles, while extrinsic motivation provides additional support. Based on this synthesis, the study proposes a partial mediation model in which learning styles influence academic achievement both directly and indirectly through motivation. The integration of VARK and SDT provides a theoretical foundation for effective student-centered teaching strategies that can enhance motivation and academic performance in the Malaysian pre-university context. This conceptual model not only strengthens theoretical foundations but also has the potential to serve as a pedagogical guide and a basis for future empirical research.