Adult Learning Styles and Attitudes Toward Computer Assisted Instruction

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between learning style categories and attitudes toward computer assisted instruction (CAI). Few studies have attempted to compare adult learning style and attitude toward CAI. In a one group pre- and post-test design, two questionnaires were administered to adult students enrolled in a nursing research course, which integrated CAI as an instructional method. The Attitude Toward Computer Assisted Instruction Semantic Differential Tool (Allen, 1986) was completed twice. The Learning Style Inventory (Kolb, 1976), a self-report questionnaire to determine learning style, was completed once. Data analysis indicated a significantly greater negative attitude toward CAI post-test. Subjects in all four learning style categories had statistically significantly greater negative attitudes on the function subscale, with assimilators also having a significantly greater negative attitude on the creativity subscale, as well as in overall attitude. The increasingly negative attitude toward CAI in this study may reflect several factors: an evaluation of the CAI software, and subject expectations of the CAI that were not met.