Students’ Preferred Learning Styles in Graphic Communications

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify changes in dominant preferred learning styles of students based on instructional presentation of course content. This study evaluates dominant preferred learning styles of two groups of university students. The first group of students was enrolled in a course that introduces graphical representation in an introductory engineering design graphics course. In this course, information was primarily conveyed to students through visual-based instruction. The second group of students was enrolled in a technology-based course focusing on materials processing. In this second course, content was reiterated to students through laboratory discovery experiences in materials testing and construction of multi-material projects. Students’ dominant preferred learning styles are evaluated with the VARK Questionnaire and categorized as (V) visual, (A) aural, (R) reading, or (K) kinesthetic. The VARK Questionnaire was distributed to both student groups before the onset of instruction. The VARK Questionnaire was distributed once more to student groups at the midterm of each course. Changes in dominant preferred learning styles of students were evaluated. Cross group comparisons are made to identify variations in dominant preferred learning styles provided the two instructional approaches. A major finding for students in the engineering design graphics course is that their change in learning preference is not influenced by instructional presentation.