The effect of learning style, major, and gender on learning computer-aided drawing in an introductory engineering/technical graphics course (2000)

This correlational descriptive study examined factors that might affect students' achievement in learning computer-aided drawing and engineering/technical graphics concepts in introductory classes at North Carolina State University. The study involved 38 subjects enrolled in introductory classes that combined the teaching of computer-aided drawing and technical graphics. The three dependent variables used in the study were CAD project grade, CAD posttest score, and final course grade. The seven independent variables examined were gender, learning style, major, student classification, final exam grade, final exam with the posttest score removed, and pretest score. Subjects' learning styles were established by the Group Embedded Figures Test, which measures field-dependence and field-independence. Kendall's Tau B correlations and multiple linear regression models were used in the analysis of the data. The alpha used for statistical significance was .05.Analysis of the data revealed that the research subjects were primarily field dependent, and exactly half of them had prior drafting experience. Subjects in the study represented 19 different majors. Eighteen students were from engineering programs and 20 from non-engineering programs. Females in the sample reported a lower level of computer experience and less prior drafting experience than males. For the total sample, statistically significant correlations were found between the project grade and the final grade with the project score removed, learning style and the final exam grade with the project score removed, computer experience and gender, and the final exam grade and gender. Correlations were found between gender and the final exam grade with the posttest score removed and between learning style and the final exam with the posttest score included. For females, a statistically significant relationship was found between prior drafting experience and the project grade; this was the strongest correlation found in the study. For males, statistically significant relationships were found between learning style and final exam grade, learning style and the final exam grade with the posttest removed, the project grade and the final grade with the project score removed, the project grade and the pretest score, and the pretest and posttest score.Three multiple linear regression models were created as part of the study, two as predictors of computer-aided drawing achievement and one as a predictor of achievement in learning the course content. Model 1 used the final project grade as its dependent variable to measure CAD achievement. The independent variables used in this model were gender, the pretest score, and major. The model's R square was 0.31 (p = 0.005). Model 2, which used the posttest score as its dependent variable, was the second measure of CAD achievement. The independent variables used in this model were the pretest score, the Group Embedded Figures Test score, and the final exam grade with the posttest score removed. Its R square was 0.19 (p = 0.056). Model 3 used the final course grade as its dependent variable to measure achievement in learning the course content. The independent variables included in this model were gender, the Group Embedded Figures Test scores, and student classification. The R square for this model was 0.21 (p = 0.043).