Effects of Learning Styles on Undergraduates’ Attitudes, Navigational Patterns, and Use of Navigational Tools in Hypermedia-Based Learning

Abstract

This study aimed to identify undergraduates’ learning style, their attitudes towards hypermedia-based learning (HBL), their navigational pattern and the navigational tools used during HBL sessions, and the differences in the above processes based on their learning styles. A questionnaire was used to collect data on their attitudes towards HBL. Kolb learning style inventory was used to determine the learning styles of the undergraduates. Observations and self-reports were used to determine navigational pattern and navigational tools utilized in HBL. Subjects consisted of 15 undergraduates taking a social psychology course in the Cognitive Science Program at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. Subjects were required to navigate HBL social psychology web site http://www.trinity.edu/∼mkearl/socpsy.html. Findings indicated that all the subjects have positive attitudes towards HBL regardless of their learning styles. Diverger and assimilator learning styles subjects was “prudent” navigator, while converger and accommodator learning style subjects were “daring” navigator. Two main navigational tools used were the hyperlinks and back buttons and this pattern were the same regardless of the subjects learning style.