Reflectors as online extraverts?

Abstract

Increasingly, online learning is perceived as an effective method of instruction. Much recent educational research has focused on examining the purposes and situations for which online education is best suited. In this paper, students enrolled in two online courses are compared with their peers enrolled in equivalent classroom‐based courses to investigate aspects of the relationship between learning style and mode of delivery. Student satisfaction measures are taken from participants in both modes of delivery and compared with student learning style. Feedback from the ‘Reflector’ learning style demonstrates higher satisfaction levels with the online mode of delivery compared with their matched counterparts following equivalent classroom‐based courses. Therefore, whilst ‘Reflectors’ might be regarded as Introverts in the traditional classroom setting, the additional time for reflection offered by online delivery makes this group more likely to contribute to online discussion, report higher satisfaction levels and generally behave more like online Extraverts.

Keywords:

• Blended learning
• Online learning
• Learning styles
• Student satisfaction
• Face‐to‐face teaching
• Extraverts

Notes

* Corresponding author: P6613, Division of Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. Email: [email protected]

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kevin Downing *

* Corresponding author: P6613, Division of Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. Email: [email protected]