Exploring the relationship between students’ learning styles and learning outcome in engineering laboratory education

Abstract

It is a commonly accepted notion that people take different approaches in learning. Although attention has been given to learning styles as one of the determinants of learning performance, there is are limitations to the inferential approach to understanding the impact of learning styles on learning outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of learning preference on student learning outcome in engineering labs. The findings of this paper contribute to the existing literature in two ways. This study describes the typology of participants’ learning styles, confirming some results from similar research. Additionally, it examines the impact of learning styles, using the Visual, Aural, Read/Write and Kinesthetic (VARK) inventory as indicators of students’ learning outcomes, and how the findings confirm or contradict prior research results in important ways. Further, this study includes demographic information to investigate the influence on learning outcome. Discussions of the results from both analyses will contribute to an academic understanding of the critical success factors of the learning process and their practical application in laboratory learning.     

Developing an empirically based typology of attitudes of entering students toward participation in learning communities

Learning communities (LC) seek to strengthen and enrich students’ connections to each other, their teachers, and the subject matter they are studying. Their success depends on the nature of the learning community program, the learning styles of the students who participate and the reasons why students entered the program. This study uses a combination of factor and cluster analysis to develop a typology of student experiences that is used to examine the efficacy of the Learning Community program at Temple University, Philadelphia. The findings identify distinctive types of learning community experience and show that not all types match well with all students. The study questions the common assumption that learning communities are always helpful to student learning and development, and cautions against the belief that benefits will inevitably accrue. The variation in the value and impact on students of this long‐standing learning community program suggests that the evaluative burden of proof is for administrators to clearly demonstrate and not assume a uniformly positive impact of learning communities.     

Enhancing Eighth Grade Students' Learning of Buoyancy: The Interaction of Teachers' Instructional Approach and Students' Learning Preference Styles

This study investigates the potential of enhancing students' learning of difficult science concepts by exploring the interaction between teachers' four different instructional approaches and students' four different learning preference styles. Students' immediate performance and their retention for learning of buoyancy concepts serve to examine the effects, using the concept of “buoyancy,” which has been classified as a difficult concept because it is at a higher hierarchical level and involves the understanding of both matter and process. Results indicate that students' post-test scores were significantly affected by both the types of instruction and students' learning preference styles; while students' retention test scores were significantly affected by the types of instructions. Moreover, this study does not support that matching teaching style with students' learning preference would make students' learning more effective. Nevertheless, because procedural learning preference styles (QB-learning preference) students performed better on the retention test than other learning preference styles students, it indicates the possibility that procedural learners are more efficient than others for learning such higher hierarchical and difficult concepts, regardless of the types of instruction students receive.     

Action research and reflection on student approaches to learning in large first year university classes

This paper presents an action research approach to exploring methods of improving the learning styles and outcomes of first year university students within large class environments. The genesis of this project stemmed from an observation that entire tutorial groups were often lethargic in their approach to learning. Following a survey of learning styles, students were exposed to more student-centric teaching styles within tutorial groups, with a view to encouraging deeper student learning and self-regulated learning behaviours. Although the project was successful in motivating students' participation in class activities, no noticeable change to a sustained deeper learning style became evident. The findings suggest that simply motivating students to participate in class does not necessarily alter overall learning styles, at least in the short term. This suggests that the process of “unlearning” previous learning styles may pose a significant problem for instructors and it appears likely that the process of changing from surface to deep learning may require more than a single course intervention. However, there is some evidence that student-centred and self-regulated learning results in a more positive learning experience for both students and teachers. The article concludes with a model of proposed relationships uncovered by the research which deserve further exploration in the quest to provide greater levels of student satisfaction with their higher education experiences.     

Using learning styles theory in engineering education

Studies have shown that, while learning different concepts, people sometimes take different approaches (learning styles). Accordingly, their performance reflected differently in their academic studies. With the effect of globalisation to the educational environments, the influence of individual learning styles on educational performance is getting more significant. In this study, a learning style assessment tool was used to examine the relationship between students’ learning styles and their performance in engineering education programmes. At the beginning of the programme, 285 students’ learning styles were measured using a learning style assessment tool. Four years after the engineering education, their performance in the programme was compared with their individual learning styles. This study shows that most of the students are assimilators. Divergers and convergers follow the assimilators. The number of accommodators is very limited. The relationship between engineering students’ learning styles and their performance is found: assimilators and convergers performed better than the divergers and accommodators. The performance difference between assimilators and divergers is statistically significant. The results of this study show that the learning style theory is a potential tool for guiding the design and improvement of courses and helping students to improve their individual performance.     

Thinking styles: teaching and learning styles in graduate education students

This study investigated the relationship between two intellectual styles approaches: Sternberg’s thinking styles of teachers and Felder and Silverman’s learning styles. Ninety‐five graduate students majoring in special education, reading, educational leadership and curriculum, and elementary education completed the Thinking Styles in Teaching Inventory (TSTI) and the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire (ILS). Several thinking styles from Sternberg’s theory of self‐government were highly to moderately correlated with Felder’s learning styles. The TSTI did not differentiate between master’s and doctoral students, but the ILS did so. Participants differed in their thinking styles in teaching and in their learning styles, based on their educational major.     

Developmental Students: The Challenge of Peer Relationships

Despite increased program offerings at many community colleges, the retention and success of developmental students are often extremely low. Research has indicated that a complex set of challenges complicates developmental student success, but students' experiences with these variables are not well understood. In this paper, I report findings from a qualitative study that was conducted at a community college in New York City to explore the ways in which developmental students describe and understand their experiences with education. Findings indicated that students viewed their decision to attend college as a separation from high school peers whom they associated with academic failure; they continued to differentiate themselves from their peers when they entered college and were wary of developing college friendships because they viewed peers as a hindrance to educational success. However, relationships with like-minded college peers might prove to be a necessary source of support that is essential to their retention and success. These results indicate that students may need great assistance to develop the peer support networks that could assist them in pursuit of their educational goals. I offer recommendations for future research as well as specific suggestions to address developmental students' possible resistance to peer interaction including tutoring and learning community designs and collaborative/cooperative learning approaches.     

因材施教,灵活多变——英语教学方法与学习风格初探

因材施教是每一位教师必须遵守的教学原则。在英语教学中,教师往往会面临这样一个问题:如何使自己的教学方法适应学生不同的学习风格和学习目的?本文通过对比,论述了两种不同的教学方法,即“以教师为中心”的教学方法和“以学习者为中心”的教学方法所各自拥有的优势和不足。由于学习者之间的差异,本文认为:作为一位专业的英语教师,我们必须充分考虑学生不同的英语学习风格和方法,并采取灵活多变的教学方法来使自己的教学风格与学生的学习风格尽可能地协调和统一,只有这样才能提高教学质量,提高学习者的语言学习效率。     

A study of the relationship between learning styles and cognitive abilities in engineering students

Learning preferences have been indirectly linked to student success in engineering programmes, without a significant body of research to connect learning preferences with cognitive abilities. A better understanding of the relationship between learning styles and cognitive abilities will allow educators to optimise the classroom experience for students. The goal of this study was to determine whether relationships exist between student learning styles, as determined by the Felder-Soloman Inventory of Learning Styles (FSILS), and their cognitive performance. Three tests were used to assess student's cognitive abilities: a matrix reasoning task, a Tower of London task, and a mental rotation task. Statistical t-tests and correlation coefficients were used to quantify the results. Results indicated that the global–sequential, active–referential, and visual–verbal FSILS learning styles scales are related to performance on cognitive tasks. Most of these relationships were found in response times, not accuracy. Differences in task performance between gender groups (male and female) were more notable than differences between learning styles groups.     

Process-oriented instruction in learning and thinking strategies

Process-oriented instruction is defined as instruction aimed at teaching thinking strategies and domain-specific knowledge in coherence. This new conception of instruction is derived from psychological research on the way students learn and on the interplay between self-regulation and external regulation of learning. In the research reported here the learning effects of a process-oriented instructional program for university students were empirically studied. The instructional program consisted of a diagnostic learning style instrument, a learning guide and tutorials. The results showed that the majority of students reported significant general, knowledge, insight and application learning effects. The program effects were typified more by integrating and making usable metacognitive knowledge already present, than by increasing knowledge about new subjects. Evidence for transfer effects was obtained because participants in the program scored better than non-participants on two exams of another course. The learning effects were higher than the effects of an preliminary version of the program implemented with students from an open university. These results support the importance of the process-oriented instructional model. The linking of a thorough diagnosis of personal learning styles to individually tailored instructional measures, turned out to be a powerful way to activate students to reflect on their learning and to develop their mental models of learning.     

Learning styles and approaches to learning in excellent and average first-year university students

We assessed the learning approaches and learning styles of a sample of 148 excellent students selected from 11 degrees from nine centers of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain), and we compared the results with those of a sample of 133 average students from the same centers. We found that excellent students took deeper approach than average students and that they preferred reflective and theoretical learning styles. Average students adopted a more surface approach, and they preferred active and pragmatic learning styles. Greater academic achievement was related to the deep approach and to the reflective and theoretical learning styles. Poorer academic achievement was related to the surface approach and an active style. University professors may reinforce the deep approach by placing high aims for students which go well beyond reproducing knowledge but use other complementary methods other than expository teaching: problem solving, case studies, designing projects, raising questions, discussion and negotiation in the classroom, etc. To accomplish this, teachers must encourage students to be committed, and these methods help do that. It also helps to introduce more demanding evaluation procedures which do not merely involve repeating what has been learnt, but include training guidance that offers students feedback.     

Transitioning From On-Campus to Online in a Master of Science Nursing Program: a Comparative Study of Academic Success

This comparative study examined the academic success rates of online graduate nursing students by comparing final grades to the on-campus cohort of graduate nursing students prior to the program transitioning online. Analysis was conducted by identifying and comparing final course grades in 4 required Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) courses over a period of 6 years. Five key themes related to online student success are discussed, including the need for graduate nursing MSN programs to transition to an online format, barriers to online learning, comprehensive program evaluation of an online degree program, online student retention approaches, and exploration of whether online students have been shown to be as academically successful as on-campus students. Results reveal that both cohorts of course delivery modes yield academically successful MSN students and both course delivery modes are providing the MSN program with almost equal pass rates by the students taking the required core courses.     

An Integrated Bridging Program for International Postgraduate Students

International postgraduate students from language backgrounds other than English face difficulties in Australian universities related not only to language but also to learning and relational styles and discipline‐specific expectations. Academic staff who supervise these students are often well aware of these issues but may lack specialist skills to help improve outcomes. At The University of Adelaide, collaboration between language and learning staff and discipline specialists has resulted in an integrated model of language and academic skill development which may be widely applicable in the Australian context. The Integrated Bridging Program (IBP) has been trialled in seven faculties and subsequently introduced university‐wide. This paper describes the development of the IBP and its 1994 pilot, summarises the evaluative data collected and outlines resulting changes. The final section discusses factors found to have been important to the success of the program and suggests ways in which they may be more generally applicable.     

What type of learner are your students? Preferred learning styles of undergraduate gross anatomy students according to the index of learning styles questionnaire

Students learn and process information in many different ways. Learning styles are useful as they allow instructors to learn more about students, as well as aid in the development and application of useful teaching approaches and techniques. At the undergraduate level there is a noticeable lack of research on learning style preferences of students enrolled in gross anatomy courses. The Index of Learning Styles (ILS) questionnaire was administered to students enrolled in a large enrollment undergraduate gross anatomy course with laboratory to determine their preferred learning styles. The predominant preferred learning styles of the students (n = 505) enrolled in the gross anatomy course were active (54.9%), sensing (85.1%), visual (81.2%), and sequential (74.4%). Preferred learning styles profiles of particular majors enrolled in the course were also constructed; analyses showed minor variation in the active/reflective dimension. An understanding of students' preferred learning styles can guide course design but it should not be implemented in isolation. It can be strengthened (or weakened) by concurrent use of other tools (e.g., flipped classroom course design). Based on the preferred learning styles of the majority of undergraduate students in this particular gross anatomy course, course activities can be hands on (i.e., active), grounded in concrete information (i.e., sensing), utilize visual representation such as images, figures, models, etc. (i.e., visual), and move in small incremental steps that build on each topic (i.e., sequential). Anat Sci Educ 11: 358–365. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.     

School Variation in General Intelligence

Abstract

One key to effective teaching is the ability to identify and understand the different ways students process information and acquire skills. The purpose of this study was to examine experienced and preservice teachers’ ability to diagnose student learning-style preferences. The subjects were 15 pairs of physical education teachers and their student teachers and 5 randomly selected students from each school site. To determine student learning styles, students completed the Canfield Learning Styles Inventory, and corresponding teachers and student teachers completed the Canfield Learning Styles Profile Assessment on each of their 5 students. The relationship between preservice/experienced teachers’ perceived scores and the students’ actual learning style scores was analyzed by the Pearson product-moment correlation technique. The results indicated that a wide variety of learning styles existed among the students and that neither experienced nor preservice teachers accurately diagnosed the learning styles of their students. The implications of this study are twofold. First, if teachers are going to make informed decisions about the teaching process, then they need to know the learning styles of their students. Second, information about learning styles should be included in the curriculum of professional preparation programs.     

Learning style preferences of external degree students

Thirty learning style preferences are profiled for a group of adult male students enrolled in an external degree program. The Canfield Learning Style Inventory was used to assess the adult students' learning styles. These external degree students had eleven significantly different learning preferences compared to Canfield's norm group. Correlations between learning styles and traditional learning environments also were examined. Implications of the results, strengths and limitations in the research are discussed.     

The relationship between students’ perceptions of portfolio assessment practice and their approaches to learning

This study focuses on students’ learning approaches in the context of a competency‐based program on Applied Sciences, with portfolio assessment as its core mode of assessment. The study examines students’ perceptions of these assessment practices and the relationships to their learning approaches. Additionally, differences in perceptions and learning approaches between first‐year students and second‐year students, who already have one year of experience with the portfolio assessment practice, are investigated. A total of 110 students completed two questionnaires at the end of the academic year: the Revised SPQ (Study process questionnaire) was used to measure their approaches to learning and the AEQ (Assessment experience questionnaire) was used to measure their perceptions of the assessment practice. The results indicate that, when implementing portfolio assessment, feedback is essential. Moreover, it seems not to be the assessment design, but rather how it is implemented, and how students’ learning is stimulated through the assessment, that influences the quality of learning.