Cognitive learning styles and performance in auto-tutorial and traditional lecture instructional method

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare overall study habits of students with cognitive performance level in introductory plant physiology classes using two instructional approaches--auto tutorial and lecture-laboratory. A random sample of 25 students from the experimental (auto-tutorial) group were selected for use in the study. Essential course topics were identified and performance objectives written predicated upon outlined concepts. Eleven slide-tape presentations were compiled or purchased commercially. A diagnostic, criterion-referenced pretest/posttest was developed, consisting of 60 multiple-choice items. Subsequent test administrations yielded a reliability coefficient ranging rom .81 to .91. A student informational questionnaire was used to obtain background information on each participant. The Survey of Study Habits and Attitudes developed by Brown and Holtzman was used to determine the cognitive learning style. Students enrolled in introductory plant physiology attended two one-hour lecture sessions and one three-hour laboratory per week. Instructors utilized the traditional lecture approach in classroom instruction. Students from the experimental group were additionally required to use a minimum of eight auto-tutorial units while students from the control group used none. Analysis of the data revealed that the experimental group entered the course with a greater number of previously acquired concepts in introductory plant physiology than did students in the control group. This necessitated the use of the analysis of covariance statistical procedure for analysis of the remaining data. Students in the experimental group achieved significantly better than students in the control group. In addition, it was established that differences in personal characteristics such as sex, grade point ratio, academic college, and cognitive learning style made no significant difference in student terminal mean score.