Open AccessInvestigating the relationship between learning style preferences and teaching collaboration skills and technology: An exploratory study
Author(s) -
Kim SeungLye,
Sonnenwald Diane H.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
proceedings of the american society for information science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1550-8390
pISSN - 0044-7870
DOI - 10.1002/meet.1450390107
Subject(s) - preference , style (visual arts) , psychology , cooperative learning , learning styles , collaborative learning , cognitive style , preference learning , social psychology , exploratory research , perception , group (periodic table) , mathematics education , scale (ratio) , teaching method , cognition , archaeology , neuroscience , sociology , anthropology , economics , history , microeconomics , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
This paper reports on an exploratory study that investigates the relationship between participants' learning style preferences and their perceptions of a professional workshop on collaboration and technology to support collaboration. The Learning Preference Scale‐Students (LPSS) (Owens & Barnes, 1992) was administered to identify participants' learning style preferences as cooperative, competitive and/or individualized. Using cluster analysis two groups, or categories, of learning style preferences among the participants emerged. Group 1 showed a strong preference for the cooperative learning style, and Group 2 showed a strong preference for competitive and cooperative learning styles. Group 1 rated the workshop more positively than Group 2. However, Group 2 reported a larger increase in self‐efficacy compared to those in Group 1 (18.9% vs. 6.0%). Both groups provided different suggestions regarding the content of the workshop. Group 1 suggested adding more discussions and group exercises, whereas Group 2 suggested adding explicit theory or rules to govern behavior. These findings indicate that learning styles should be considered as a potential variable that influences learning outcomes and preferences.