Case study
Title : Introducing learning and thinking styles to new students in the Department of
Materials Engineering
Lead academic : Plato Kapranos LeTS support Claire Allam and Jane Spooner
Keywords
Learning style, thinking style, transition, induction, study skill, engagement, Sheffield
Graduate Development Programme
The issue
Students arrive at university with vastly differing educational experiences and universities
need to take a more pro-active stance in managing the transition to tertiary level education,
helping students to settle in by making clear what is expected of them. One strategy is to get
students to engage with the idea of taking responsibility for their own learning, and offer
them a range of means to augment their study skills, where necessary.
What we did
Plato Kapranos, a lecturer in the Department of Material Engineering has for several years
been offering students on his modules a questionnaire to help them discover their learning
and thinking styles. However, many of the students were already level 3 and he thought that
it would be more useful to introduce these concepts at the start of their University career,
and to make this available to all students in the department.
At Plato’s request, the Inclusive Learning and Teaching Project held a focus group session
with students who had already done his questionnaire on learning and thinking styles. They
confirmed that this had been beneficial, and the conversation was wide ranging and very
enlightening. Following this consultation, we presented to academic staff in the department
the suggestion that there should be a session on learning and thinking styles for all incoming
students during the induction period.
This was agreed, and a short session took place during induction week, led by Plato, which
introduced the ideas and where the learning and thinking styles questionnaires were handed
out, followed up with a longer session during the Department’s Study Skills week, later in
semester one.
The outcomes
The feedback from students was positive which Plato reported as:
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Students gave the ‘thumbs-up’, as far as the appropriateness of including ‘learning &
thinking styles’ as part of Skills Week.
A satisfactory first attempt; we are on the right track.
We need to tweak the content to reflect the students’ needs and perspective.
Students want more hands on group or individual activities.
Ensure the students perceive the connections and the value to be derived from this
exercise.
This project has successfully targeted a small but useful area that can help students. It is
sustainable, and there are plans to continue to develop this.
Learning Points
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Students need support during the transition from school to university in taking
responsibility for their own learning.
Students thrive on being involved in their own education.
Students welcome being consulted about their education.
An active dialogue about learning and teaching between staff and students can help
to avoid misunderstandings and create common aims.
Links and further references
The Learning and Teaching Project website has provided inclusive hints and tips for staff,
inspired by student feedback:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/lets/projects/inclusivel&t/hintsandtips.html
The IL&T Project has reviewed existing materials and created a web page signposting
resources available on learning styles:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/lets/projects/inclusivel&t/learningstyles.html
Useful induction week materials on self reflection and group discussion suggestions, devised
by Stephanie Pitts of the Music Department, is available on the Case Studies Wiki page:
http://www.good.group.shef.ac.uk/wiki/index.php/Skills_for_the_ideal_student:_navigating_th
e_transition_to_university_in_Intro_Week_%28Music%29
P. Kapranos, 21st century Teaching & Learning - Kolb Cycle & Reflective Thinking as part of
teaching, Creativity, Innovation, Enterprise and Ethics to Engineers, Proceedings of ISEE07
International Symposium for Engineering Education, Sep. 17-19th 2007, Dublin City
University, Ireland, Editors Dermot Brabazon & Abdul Ghani Olabi, pp 3-11
P. Kapranos 'Developments on the delivery of Non-technical modules to Engineering
Materials & Bio-engineering students', International Symposium for Engineering Education,
2008, Dublin City University, Ireland, September 2008
P. Kapranos & P. Tsakiropoulos, TEACHING ENGINEERING STUDENTS, International
Symposium for Engineering Education, 2008, Dublin City University, Ireland, September
2008