The effect of adapting instructional design to individual learning style pathways on learning outcome in a combat pilot training program

This study used a convenience sample military officers from the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps enrolled in an undergraduate pilot training course but awaiting the start of their program. All participants were 4-year college graduates with a median age of 23. Of the 114 participants, 87% were male and 13% were female. Participants were divided into treatment and control groups to examine the difference in learning outcome when learners were aware of their own learning style as indicated by the Canfield Learning Styles Inventory and had the ability within a network distributed computer-based training module to select appropriate learning activities. The adapted course content consisted of learning activities tailored to eight specific Canfield learning styles: peer, numeric, qualitative, listening, reading, iconic, and direct experience, and inanimate. Each learning activity provided clear guidance on navigation. Learners in the treatment group were given a suggested pathway of three learning activities based on their dominant and sub-dominant learning styles. Learners in the control group completed the learning activities and posttest before being administered the Canfield inventory. Statistical analysis of pretest-posttest data indicated learners who followed a path through learning-style specific learning activities conforming to their individual learning style preferences had a significantly higher learning outcome than those who did not. The study data further indicates a significant instructional disconnect between the existing instructional design and learners. These results confirm previous research on the benefit of adapting e-learning to individual learning style preferences.