The learning styles of undergraduate students in CM bachelor's degree programs in the us

Holt, E A; Chasek, C; Shaurette, M and Cox, R (2018) The learning styles of undergraduate students in CM bachelor's degree programs in the us. International Journal of Construction Education and Research, 14(1), pp. 4-21. ISSN 1557-8771

Abstract

This article presents the findings of a study analyzing the learning styles of undergraduate construction management (CM) students in bachelor's degree programs in the United States. The study utilized the Felder-Silverman model and the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) as a survey instrument. The survey population consisted of 1,069 CM students from 36 university CM programs across the Associated Schools of Construction regions. Demographic information, the raw ILS responses, and the ILS web-based survey report were collected from the students. The results were analyzed and compared to both the CM students themselves and to similar studies done with engineering students. It was found that CM students were visual, active, sensing, and sequential learners. This study provides recommendations for how CM instructors might align their teaching styles with CM-student learning styles, and discusses impacts on the CM industry.;This article presents the findings of a study analyzing the learning styles of undergraduate construction management (CM) students in bachelor's degree programs in the United States. The study utilized the Felder-Silverman model and the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) as a survey instrument. The survey population consisted of 1,069 CM students from 36 university CM programs across the Associated Schools of Construction regions. Demographic information, the raw ILS responses, and the ILS web-based survey report were collected from the students. The results were analyzed and compared to both the CM students themselves and to similar studies done with engineering students. It was found that CM students were visual, active, sensing, and sequential learners. This study provides recommendations for how CM instructors might align their teaching styles with CM-student learning styles, and discusses impacts on the CM industry.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: undergraduate CM students; learning style; index of learning styles; learning; demographics; students; instructors; cognitive style; engineering education; construction management; universities
Index terms: United States, demographics, program, undergraduate, engineering education, learning style, cognitive style, population, survey, instructor
Subjects: Geography, software systems, cognitive psychology, demography, learning methods, professional education, practitioner, curriculum development, data collection methods
Topics: Roles and Professions, Digital Applications, Education, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Urban Studies
Descriptive scope: 4 PCTE

N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here