An examination of the relationships among learning style, attitudes, and outcomes of computer-assisted instruction

This research was based upon a hypothesized AptitudeTreatment Interaction (ATI). More specifically, the research investigated the relationships between student learning style (aptitude) and student outcomes with computer-assisted instruction (treatment). These outcomes included student achievement with computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and student attitude toward CAI. To examine these relationships, a researcher-developed CAI program on light and color theory was validated and administered to 144 students in an educational media course at the University of Northern Iowa. Participants in the study were first asked to complete the Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Style Scales (GRSLSS) inventory along with a demographic survey. Next, each participant completed a pretest, engaged in the CAI, and completed a posttest. Student achievement with CAI was defined as gain scores, a measure of the difference between pretest and posttest scores. Finally, attitude toward CAI was measured through the use of Allen\u27s Attitude Toward CAI Instrument, a semantic differential tool. A stepwise multiple regression analysis suggested that learning style as measured by the GRSLSS is an inadequate predictor of either student achievement with CAI or student attitude toward CAI. Furthermore, relationships examined between specific learning style scales and either achievement with CAI or attitude toward CAI showed only one significant correlation: a positive relationship between the Participant learning style and attitude toward CAI. These relationships were examined using the partial correlation technique, which allowed the researcher to control for the demographic variables: (a) CAI experience, (b) computer experience, (c) gender, (d) year in school, and (e) GPA. While student attitude toward CAI was positive overall, no significant relationship was found between attitude toward CAI and gain scores. This finding suggests that significant learning occurs regardless of student attitude toward CAI. It was concluded that learning style, as measured by the GRSLSS, is an inadequate measure of factors related to aptitude for CAI. Other possible reasons for finding no effect include: (a) the sample of students participated as volunteers, and (b) the sample consisted of of teacher education majors, schooled in instructional design and media

Factors affecting students’ attitude and performance when using a web-enhanced learning environment

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the use of a course management system in a University learning environment and the factors that affect students' attitude and performance in such environments and to study the relationship between these factors. The course management system that was used in the research studies in this thesis was WebCT. Three in-field studies were carried out to achieve the aim of this research thesis. A mixture of qualitative and quantitative approaches was used in the studies. Data from participants were collected via questionnaires, interviews, and numerical data from the WebCT tracking system. First the relationship between the students' attitude towards using WebCT and their module leaders' attitude towards using it was studied. Then, the relationship between students' cognitive styles and their satisfaction, their achievement, and their way of using WebCT was investigated. Finally, a model of the critical factors affecting students‟ attitudes to WebCT, use of WebCT and achievement was developed and tested. The model is divided into three main dimensions. The three dimensions are 1) The learner dimension: students' interaction with their classmates, students' capability of using the internet, students' capability of using WebCT. 2) The instructor dimension: Instructor's technical competence, instructor's way of presenting materials on WebCT, interaction between students and their instructor. 3) The technology dimension: usefulness, ease of use, flexibility, quality. The results suggested that students have a positive attitude towards using a course management system (WebCT) on their courses. Also, the results indicated that students' use of WebCT is a positive indicator of their academic achievement (in terms of performance on specific modules). It was also found that instructor attitude and way of using WebCT affects students' attitude and performance when using WebCT. The Technology dimension was found to be a positive indicator of students' attitude and use of WebCT. The Instructor dimension was also found to be a positive indicator of students' attitude and achievement in WebCT. Moreover, the Learner dimension was found to be a positive indicator of students' attitude, use of WebCT and achievement.Sponsored by AlBaath Universit

Relationships among student attitudes, motivation, learning styles, learning strategies, patterns of learning and achievement: a formative evaluation of distance education via Web-based courses

The World Wide Web (WWW) is the latest in a long line of educational technologies, and the list of courses on it is growing daily. Formative evaluations would help educators enhance teaching and learning in Web-based courses. This study analyzed the relationships between student achievement and the following variables: attitudes, motivation, learning strategies, patterns of learning, learning styles, and selected demographics. It was a population study that included 99 students taking two non-major introductory biology courses offered over the WWW by Iowa State University in the fall of 1997. Seventy-four (75%) students completed a learning style test, an on-line questionnaire, and received a grade by the end of the semester. The learning style test was the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT), which classified students as either field-dependent or field-independent. The on-line questionnaire consisted of four scales (attitude, motivation, learning strategies, and patterns of learning), whose pilot-test reliabilities ranged from .71 to .91. The selected demographic variables were gender, class level, previous experience in subject area, hours per week studying and working, computer access, and types of students as off-campus, on-campus, or adult students. Over two-thirds of the students taking the Web-based courses were field-independent learners; however, there were no significant differences (.05 level) in achievement by learning style. Also, different backgrounds of students with different learning styles learned equally well in Web-based courses. The students enjoyed the convenience and self-controlled learning pace and were motivated by competition and high expectations in Web-based learning. They used most the learning strategies of finding important ideas from lectures and memorizing key words of important concepts and least the learning strategy of making charts or tables to organize the material. They seemed more interested in checking their grades than in communicating with the class and instructors via e-mail, discussion netforum or chat netforum. Motivation and learning strategies were the two significant factors that explained more than one-third of student achievement measured by class grade. Educators should assist students in mastering different motivational and learning strategies to help them become self-regulated learners

Examination Of An Online College Mathematics Course: Correlation Between Learning Styles And Student Achievement

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between learning styles and student learning outcomes in an online college mathematics course. Specifically, the study was guided by two research questions focused on (a) the extent to which learning styles had a predictive relationship with student achievement in an online college mathematics course and (b) the extent to which various learning styles among mathematics students in online versus face-to-face courses predicted mathematics achievement. The population for this study consisted of the 779 college mathematics and algebra (CMA) students who were enrolled in a private multimedia university located in the southeast. A total of 501 students were enrolled in the online class, i.e., the experimental group, and 278 students enrolled in the face-to-face class comprised the control group. All students completed (a) an initial assessment to control for current mathematics knowledge, (b) the online Grasha-Reichmann Student Learning Styles Scales (GRSLSS) Inventory, and (c) 20 questions selected from the NAEP Question Tool database. Hierarchical linear regressions were used to address both research questions. A series of ANCOVA tests were run to examine the presence of any relationships between a given demographic and course modality when describing differences between student test scores while controlling for prior academic performance. The results indicated that predominant learning style had no apparent influence on mathematics achievement. The results also indicated that predominant learning style had no apparent influence on iv mathematics achievement for online students. When examining demographics alone without respect to modality, there was no significance in course performance between students in various ethnicity, gender, or age group

Accommodating the Needs of Field Dependent Learners in Simulation Gaming Environments

The field dependency and independency cognitive style affects the academic performance of students. It has been generally accepted that the needs of field dependent students could be accommodated in learning environments. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two instructional support features (model transparency and feedback) on the performance of field dependent and field independent students in a Web-based simulation environment. In this study, there were two treatment groups. One group, consisting of 14 participants, received a black-box simulation (no model transparency) with no feedback (black-box + no feedback), and another group, consisting of 8 participants, received a glass-box simulation (with model transparency) with feedback feature (glass-box + feedback). The model transparency was provided in text-only format. The feedback was diagnostic and immediate. To assess the participants’ cognitive style, the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) was implemented. The participants’ achievements were evaluated with a performance assessment method that showed the near-transfer skills. The results of this study revealed that the simulation performance was similar for both the participants interacting with the glass-box simulation with feedback feature and the participants interacting with the black-box simulation with no feedback feature. There was no statistically significant correlation between participants’ degree of field independency (GEFT scores) and their simulation performance. Finally, there was no interaction between the treatments and the cognitive style of participants. Significant performance differences were reported in the literature for field dependent and field independent students in learning environments. The results of this study were contradictory to the literature review. Directions for future research are discussed

A hypermedia lesson about 1875-1885 costume: cognitive style, perceptual modes, anxiety, attitude, and achievement

Cognitive theory focuses attention on mental processes involved in learning. Cognitive theory is based on the view that the human mind interprets information and the individual is central to the learning process. There are individual differences in the ways that information is initially received into the brain. One of the problems associated with the teaching-learning process is determining how learners acquire, store, and recall information;The purpose of this study was to profile students\u27 cognitive styles and to determine relationships among variables that may be associated with how students progress through a computer and videodisc lesson. The lesson is about historic costume. This study was to gain a better understanding of each individual\u27s information-gathering habits and to discover possible patterns among several variables related to gathering information. This study examined the relationships among (1) nine dimensions of cognitive style, (2) students\u27 use of three perceptual modes (visual images, written text, and audible descriptions), (3) computer attitude, (4) computer anxiety, and (5) achievement;A descriptive and correlational design was used for this study. Twenty-four variables were examined. Seventy-nine college students participated in the study;Five instruments were used to collect data: National Association of Secondary School Principals\u27 Learning Style Profile, Computer Anxiety Index, Beliefs in Computers Scale, achievement tests, and Hypercard and videodisc lesson;Strongest cognitive skills were analytic, categorization, and spatial. Students chose visual images more often than either text or audio when learning about historic costume from a computer and laserdisc. Students with strong analytic skills were more likely to use more text and less audio than students with average analytic skills. Strong analytic skill associated with higher achievement. Students have individual cognitive styles and preferences for progressing through a lesson. This suggests that teachers should plan instruction to meet the learners\u27 needs for effective learning

Investigating the extent of critical thinking in fielddependent and field-ındependent students’ blog posts

Identifying critical thinking and learners’ characteristics is very important in an online learning environment. This study investigated the extent of critical thinking between field-dependent and field-independent students’ critical thinking and blogging. It is a quasi-experimental in which a quantitative method was employed on an intact class of the students to develop their CT skills in their argumentative blog posts. Different aspects of CT skills, such as observation, inference, reasoning, assumption, and credibility were explained to the students. The GEFT developed by Witkin et al. (1971) was applied to evaluate the students' field dependency. Moreover, Newman et al. model (1996) was applied to analyze students’ CT in their blog posts. No significant difference was found in the number of positive and negative CT indicators used by FD and FI students. Therefore, educators who wish to improve the students’ learning may train the students in CT skills by using a pre-planned and systematic procedure without worrying about learners’ cognitive styles, particularly their field dependency

Investigation of factors affecting students\u27 satisfaction with online course components.

Technological advances in Internet delivery have allowed university course offerings to change from synchronous to asynchronous. These changes have occurred so rapidly that Web-based (WB) courses have proliferated without significant research as to their effectiveness from a student\u27s perspective (Ewing-Taylor, 1999). Researchers are aware that it is not sufficient to measure the effectiveness of WB learning purely through testing and grades. Indeed, Marshall (1999) pointed out that it is necessary to look at and evaluate the process of delivery and attitudes toward various delivery methods as well as course components in order to design more effective courses for Web delivery and to explore their effectiveness. Five quasi-models of descriptive characteristics (Demographic, Experiential, Motivational, Learning Styles, Instructional Design) were singled out as potentially having an impact on students\u27 satisfaction with the online course components (email, hypertext, online threaded discussions, web links, chat, video, audio, simulations, and graphics). The purpose of this study was to investigate various factors that might affect students\u27 satisfaction with online course components. Data were collected from 240 online undergraduate students using an online questionnaire. The findings of this study may lead educators to rethink the process of Instructional Design (ID). They may shift or adapt the traditional ID models and theories to accommodate the new features of online courses. At the very least, a deeper understanding about the Web as a mode of delivery in distance education and its effects on distance learning should emerge. Furthermore, the findings from this research study may strengthen our understanding of how students\u27 internal characteristics affect learning outcomes in technology-mediated online environment. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2004 .Q74. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-02, Section: A, page: 0517. Adviser: David Kellenberger. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2004

Integrated technologies instructional method to enhance bilingual undergraduate engineering students

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonMathematics permeates almost every aspect of human life and it is a skill much needed by the increasingly complex technological world. It is necessary that this essential skill must be properly developed among students to prepare them for future academic and professional careers. An assessment of the research-based instructional strategies blending with old traditional methods with the modern technological development is a must. Due to the complexity of mathematics learning and the varied learning styles of learners, an integration of appropriate multiple instructional strategies into mathematics education will positively impact mathematical achievement of students. The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of the use of Integrated Technologies Instructional Method (ITIM) as a supplement to the traditional lecture method on mathematics achievement of the Integral Calculus students at the College of Engineering, University of Ha'il, Saudi Arabia. The ITIM includes the four instructional strategies such as the use of the Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, the collaborative learning, the bilingual support and the study support. Different types of academic supports have been used to examine their effects on students achievement in mathematics. Mathematics, the bedrock of science and engineering, is considered a very important indicator of a student's academic success in professional higher education. Undergraduate engineering students' low achievement in the first year mathematics is an issue demands much attention. The study was undertaken to address students' weak background in mathematics and particularly their high failure rates in this particular course. A total of 218 undergraduate engineering students, comprising of both the experimental and the control groups, were involved in this experimental design study. The control group was taught by the traditional lecture method whereas the experimental group was exposed to the ITIM as a supplement to the traditional lecture method. Apart from the effects of the use of ITIM, students' performance in the previous courses (covariates) such as mathematics, computer, and the English language were compared with their final grades of the Integral Calculus course. The final grades of students were taken as the dependent variable and the ITIM and students' scores in the previous courses as the independent variables. It has been noticed from the literature review that the application of only one instructional strategy does not address the needs of the diverse learning styles of students. A mixed mode method, quantitative and qualitative, was used to collect and analyse data. The quantitative data instruments included students' final exam grades and the student questionnaires. Interviews with students were used as qualitative tools of data collection. An independent t-test, ANOVA, univariate analysis and the stepwise multiple regression analysis were performed to determine the overall statistical significance. The study concluded that there was a statistically significant difference in the performance of the experimental group of students' in terms of their end-of-course grades compared to that of the control group. The regression model revealed significance of covariates on the dependent variable. However, no significant relationship was found between the mathematics achievement and attitudes towards the use of ITIM. The study was an attempt to demonstrate the suitability of the instructional strategies on the bilingual Arab undergraduate engineering students; however, they can probably be applicable to other bilingual students