Relationship of prior knowledge and working engineers’ learning preferences: implications for designing effective instruction

ABSTRACT

Continuing engineering education (CEE) is important to ensure engineers maintain proficiency over the life of their careers. However, relatively few studies have examined designing effective training for working engineers. Research has indicated that both learner instructional preferences and prior knowledge can impact the learning process, but it has not established if these factors are interrelated. The study reported here considered relationships of prior knowledge and three aspects of learning preferences of working engineers at a manufacturing company: learning strategy choices, verbal-visual cognitive styles, and multimedia preferences. Prior knowledge was not found to be significantly related to engineers’ learning preferences, indicating independence of effects of these variables on learning. The study also examined relationships of this finding to the Multimedia Cone of Abstraction and implications for its use as an instructional design tool for CEE.

KEYWORDS:

• Continuing education
• engineering education research
• life-long learning
• multimedia systems

Notes on contributors

Charles E. Baukal, Jr., is the Director of the John Zink Institute. He has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, an Ed.D., a Professional Engineering licence from the state of Pennsylvania, and is an adjunct instructor at Oklahoma State University, Oral Roberts University, and the University of Tulsa. He has authored over 150 publications including authoring/editing 13 books on industrial combustion and is an inventor on 11 U.S. patents.

Lynna J. Ausburn holds a Ph.D. in Educational Media and Technology from the University of Oklahoma. She is a professor emerita of Occupational Education at Oklahoma State University, has extensive international education experience, and has received several awards for teaching and research excellence. Her professional contributions include more than 50 published articles, 100 presentations, and 3 monographs.