Tradeoffs in Student Satisfaction: Is the "Perfect" Course an Illusion?

Authors

  • Judith E. Miller Worcester Polytechnic Institute Author
  • John Wilkes Worcester Polytechnic Institute Author
  • Ronald D. Cheetham Worcester Polytechnic Institute Author
  • Leonard Goodwin Franklin College Author

Abstract

The authors surveyed students in a cooperative learning-oriented introductory biology course to determine the relationships among cognitive style, group harmony, performance, satisfaction, and curriculum. Students with different cognitive styles preferred, and performed better on, different task types. Cognitive diversity can increase group conflict, thus decreasing satisfaction, but improve group performance. The authors concluded that there is no "perfect" course, especially considering that cognitive style mix within a course is a moving target. They favor varying the nature of the challenges offered in order to accommodate different cognitive styles and to develop skills that may not come naturally.

Published

2024-03-22