Exploring The Relationship Between Learning Style And Critical Thinking In An Online Course

Abstract

As online courses become more widespread in adult education programs, adult educators begin to explore teaching strategies that effectively facilitate student learning based on different learning styles. One teaching strategy commonly used in online courses to develop adult learners’ critical thinking skills is the discussion forum. Using online discussion forums in courses, often some students lack effective strategies for participating in discussion forums in courses. Therefore, this study explores the relationship between learning style and critical thinking in an online course that used discussion forums and concept maps as teaching strategies. Learning strategies used by students in the course were assessed using a Kolb-based learning style inventory. Students’ critical thinking skills were assessed by asking them to create concept maps of the reading materials and discussions in the course. Findings of this study show that there was no relationship between learning style and critical thinking; however, it suggests that individual factors (learner’s competency using concept map software, learner’s motivation about topics discussed, and individual learning style) and group factors (combination of learning styles in a group and group facilitation) influenced the ability of students to demonstrate successful critical thinking skills in the course. As online courses become more prevalent in adult education programs, adult educators explore teaching strategies that more effectively facilitate student learning based on different learning styles. A variety of teaching strategies for the online environment have been offered to practitioners in articles and books; however, few studies examine these teaching strategies based on student learning styles. One teaching strategy that is commonly used in online courses is the discussion forum. In an online discussion forum, a group of learners engages in a computer-mediated interchange of ideas through e-mail, chat, or bulletin board technology. As in a face-to-face discussion, each message is seen by all members of the group, but the lack of direct personal contact presents certain challenges. In my experience with discussion forums in courses, I have observed that some students lack effective strategies for participating in this activity. Therefore, as part of my Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research, I proposed to explore the relationship between learning style and critical thinking in an online course that uses discussion forums and concept maps as teaching strategies. My initial conjecture was that certain learning strategies would help learners be more successful in online discussion forums. To study this issue, I offered an Internet-based course using online discussion forums with the purpose of fostering learners’ critical thinking skills. The learning strategies used by students in the course were assessed using a Kolb-based learning style indicator. Students’ critical thinking skills were assessed by asking them to create concept maps of the reading materials and discussions in the course.