posted on 2017-01-13, 00:24authored byWillems, Julie Anne
Little research has been conducted on the impact of personal learning style
preferences in e-learning environments. Nor has research been conducted to contrast the
learning style preferences of novice undergraduate students with those of graduate
students, and educators who construct and/or teach in tertiary e-learning environments.
The aim of this study was to investigate preferred styles of learning and how these relate
to e-learning environments both qualitatively and quantitatively. Three research cohorts
were of interest in this research, and following extensive invitations to participate in the
research, forty-five undergraduate e-learners, nine graduate e-learners, and twenty-eight
educators working in e-learning environments participated. Participants completed two
research instruments. Quantitative data was obtained from the learning styles instrument
Index of Learning Styles (ILS) (Felder & Soloman, 1991, 1994). The ILS assesses
variations in individual learning style preferences across four dimensions or domains:
Information Processing (active to reflective learning preferences), Information Perception
(sensing/factual to intuitive/theoretical learning preferences), Information Reception (visual
to verbal learning preferences), and Information Understanding (sequential to global
learning preferences). Participants also completed a survey questionnaire which gathered
further quantitative data (demographic data) and qualitative feedback (extended openended
responses of their self-perceptions of the impact of learning styles within their
specific e-learning environment in addition to snapshots of the participant’s e-learning
environment).
In summary, the statistical analysis of the quantitative data discerned that a mild
preference existed across all three cohorts for active learning environments. A moderately
strong preference existed across all three cohorts for visual learning environments. A
statistically significant difference, however, was recorded in the data between
undergraduate e-learners and the other cohorts on the two remaining learning style
domains. Undergraduate e-learners scored a mild preference towards sensing (or factual)
learning environments, while graduate e-learners and e-educators both scored a
moderate preference towards intuitive (or theoretical) learning design. Additionally,
undergraduate e-learners scored a mild preference for sequentially-structures e-learning
environments, while graduate e-learners and e-educators both scored a mild preference
for global e-learning designs.
The results of this study indicated that learning style preferences between
graduate e-learners and educators were aligned. The qualitative responses provided rich
data on the impact of learning styles within e-learning environments. These findings
suggest that learning styles do appear to be a consideration for both learners and
educators in terms of learning (from the e-learner’s perspective), and in relation to the
conception, design, and creation of effective e-learning environments (from the educator’s
perspective). It concludes that in e-learning environments, just as in any other educational
context, style does matter, and that a one-size-fits-all approach to learning design is at
best inappropriate. The findings support a balanced multimodal approach to e-learning
which is consistent with today’s media-rich world. The thesis concludes by recommending
key principles for educators to consider in designing for, and teaching in, e-learning
environments.