The Relationship of Cognitive Style Maps to the Preference for Experiential Learning of Undergraduate Students

Abstract

An exploratory study was undertaken to determine if cognitive styles of undergraduate business administration students would influence their preferences for learning through experiential methodologies. Cognitive maps for each student in the sample were obtained from Hill’s Cognitive Style Interest Inventory, while their preferences on experiential exercises were determined by the scores on an evaluating instrument which was administered after completing each exercise. This procedure permitted the comparison of the elements in the cognitive maps of those who had low preference versus those who had high preference for experiential exercises. Results indicated few differences between the cognitive maps of both types of students. Moreover, additional comparisons suggested that their preferences might also be influenced by the similarities or dissimilarities between their cognitive styles and those of their instructors.