Dominant Learning Styles of Interior Design Students in Generation Z

Abstract

Numerous generations are found in today's classroom ranging from Baby Boomer and Generation X instructors to Millennial and Generation Z students. While Generation Z comprises almost 80% of the student population among accredited interior design programs, little is known about their knowledge acquisition. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the dominant learning styles among undergraduate interior design students of Generation Z. Following the work of Watson and Thompson, the Gregorc Style Delineator, a self-report instrument to determine learning style, was completed by 466 undergraduate interior design students enrolled in 14 Council for Interior Design Accreditation programs located across the United States. The findings indicate that interior design students have diverse learning styles, and it is particularly notable that a majority of participants are bimodal (n = 258; 55.4%). The most common learning style found was the combination of Concrete Random and Abstract Random (i.e., learners who are emotional and imaginative and enjoy holistic experiences with trial and error approaches and exploration). The second most common learning style was the unimodal Concrete Sequential (i.e., students who enjoy experiential activities and step-by-step processes). Surprisingly, Generation Z's educational characteristics have not changed much compared to students of the past with the exception of an increase in trimodal styles. Overall, this study's results can help evaluate and design the best methods to facilitate instruction that supports students' learning preferences to enhance educational outcomes.