The Influence of Cognitive Styles on Learners’ Performance in e-Learning

Abstract

This chapter focused the influence of cognitive styles on learners’ performance in e-Learning. The author examined the existing practice of style matching where instructional conditions were matched with learners’ cognitive styles and found that style matching did not necessarily provide learning gains for learners with different cognitive styles. Instead, he proposed ability building as an effective approach to improve learners’ learning. Following the same line, the author further examined the relationship between cognitive styles and instructional situations where situated learning was implemented. The results revealed that instructional situations can significantly influence learners’ learning in complex learning and that cognitive style was not, as viewed by many people, a linear relationship between style and performance. Instead, it displayed multi-dimensional relationships with variables related to e-Learning. The author thus suggested that cognitive style should be examined in a broader manner where variables related to e-Learning be considered simultaneously.