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An Examination of Learning Styles and its Impact on Curriculum Development

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Conference

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Vancouver, BC

Publication Date

June 26, 2011

Start Date

June 26, 2011

End Date

June 29, 2011

ISSN

2153-5965

Conference Session

Factors Affecting Student Performance

Tagged Division

Engineering Technology

Page Count

5

Page Numbers

22.172.1 - 22.172.5

DOI

10.18260/1-2--17453

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/17453

Download Count

427

Paper Authors

author page

Grant P. Richards Purdue University, West Lafayette

author page

Helen A. McNally Purdue University, West Lafayette

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Abstract

An Examination of Learning Styles and Its Impact on Curriculum DevelopmentExaminations of student learning styles have provided direction and focus to curriculum designand revision in a broad range of disciplines for some time. Educators have noted successes whenimplementing curricular revisions to better match the learning preferences of students; reportingincreased rates of learning and improved comprehension. These targeted changes are alsoreported to have improved student retention rates in groups previously experiencing high levelsof attrition. While learning styles data has been routinely published for students in many fields;there is little data on students in Electrical Engineering Technology programs.This paper presents the results of a multiyear study of the learning styles of freshman students(N= 300) in a four year Electrical Engineering Technology program. Data for this study wasobtained using the Felder-Solomon Index of Learning Styles, an instrument commonly used inthe assessment of learning styles in engineering students. The results of EET students arecompared with published results of students from engineering programs as well as other fields ofstudy. The results of this comparison can provide insight to improve the efficiency of curricularrevision; allowing for the implementation of successful methods and strategies from programswith similar learning styles. Careful consideration will also be made of methods and strategiesreported to have failed for students of a particular learning group.

Richards, G. P., & McNally, H. A. (2011, June), An Examination of Learning Styles and its Impact on Curriculum Development Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--17453

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