Do learning style dimensions and types of design structure affect learning and students' opinions in online case-based instruction

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two independent variables, design structure and learning style dimension, on learning and student opinions. Two design structures treatments were created, hierarchical and random, for delivery of online case-based instruction. Learning style dimensions defined by Kolb as either, abstract conceptualization or concrete experience, were determined and participants were stratified into the two design structure treatment modules. Learning was analyzed based on posttest scores, controlling for pretest performance, and compared by learning style dimension, design structure, and the interaction of the two variables. No statistically significant differences were found on learning. All students improved from pretest to posttest by an average of 29 points. Next, student opinions were analyzed, based on total scores and item scored grouped by themes on the Student Opinion Questionnaire. There were no statistically significant differences in total scores by learning style dimension or design structure. The theme of confidence was statistically significant for learning style dimension. The participants with the abstract conceptualization learning style dimension indicated much higher confidence level opinions than the concrete experience participants. Lastly, application of knowledge, assessed by the Learning Application Rubric was analyzed. There were no statistically significant differences in knowledge application by learning style, design structure or the interaction of these two variables.