An investigation on cognitive styles and multiple intelligences model based learning preferences in a group of students in engineering

The aim of this paper is offering to the Scientific Community the results of an experimental investigation which attempted to understand some characteristics of the learning methods adopted in two different groups of students enrolled in the Engineering Faculty of Sapienza University of Rome. For this reason, some dimensions have been identified by taking inspiration from the most popular and accepted models that are related to different theories of Cognitive Styles, Learning Styles and Preferences. A test has been submitted to two different groups of students and two types of analysis have been performed. Firstly, a correlation analysis have been done, within the same group of students, among the different dimensions. Then, significant differences, within the same dimension, between the two groups have been sought. Results have shown that, assuming a typical probability level, some interesting correlations among the dimensions could be detected. Furthermore, in some dimensions, significant differences appeared between the two groups. Finally, it is worth noticing that the test results have been useful both to the teacher, in order to improve the didactic method in class, and to the students, who can receive suggestions and counseling on their personal learning methods. ©2010 IEEE