Learning Styles and Learning Styles and Student SatisfactionStudent Satisfaction

Vincent E. Sollars, Ph.D.Vincent E. Sollars, Ph.D.

Mind Styles Model TheoryMind Styles Model Theory

Developed by Anthony F. Gregorc, Ph.D.Central idea is that there are four channels though which information is received, processed and expressed.People have differing capabilities and preferences for each of these channels.These capabilities can not be altered.There are two types of preferences

Perceptual: abstract (reason and intuition) or concrete (senses)Ordering: sequential (linear) or random

Comparing Learning StylesComparing Learning Styles

Frames of Reference

CSConcrete

Sequential

ASAbstract

Sequential

ARAbstractRandom

CRConcreteRandom

Key Words Practical Probable Potential Possible

World of Reality

Concrete world of the physical senses

Abstract world of the intellect

Abstract world of feelings and emotions

Concrete world of activity viewed through intuition

Ordering Ability

Step-by-step linear progression

Two-dimensional and tree-like

Web-like and multi-dimensional

3-D patterns and links

Thinking Processes

Instinctive, methodical, deliberate

Intellectual, logical, analytical, correlative

Emotional, psychic, perceptive, holistic

Intuitive, cutting-edge, impulsive independent

Mind Styles and TeachingMind Styles and Teaching

Teaching is a form of thought transmission and requires the learner to adapt their thought processes to the transmission mechanism.Teachers must recognize how they use their personal “mind styles” to transmit specific ideas and how they place special mediation ability demands on the student.Teachers must understand that their mindsets reinforce, support and reward certain mental qualities.Teachers must understand how their natural biases affect their approaches to classes, choices of methods, media and tests, and arrangements in the environment.

HypothesisHypothesis

Those medical teachers that have a “mind style” that is heavily concrete sequential are more likely to have higher student

satisfaction.

MethodMethod

Two variables were measured. Mind styles of faculty - nineteen of 178 faculty were surveyed at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, representing 10.7% of the total faculty.Student satisfaction – overall student evaluation scores.

Overall distribution of mind styles was determined for the faculty surveyed.Regression analysis was performed with student evaluation scores vs. scores in each mind style channel.

Our Faculty

ConclusionsConclusions

We were unable to offer statically significant results to support our hypothesis. However, it still represents the best-fit model when comparing teacher learning styles with student satisfaction. A larger sample size will let us to better test our hypothesis.For more on mind styles theory:

http://gregorc.com/

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Academy of Medical EducatorsDr. Darshana ShahDr. Anthony F. Gregorc

Our Faculty

Our Faculty

Our Faculty

Our Faculty

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