Do Learning Style and Learning Environment Affect Learning Outcome?
Technology-mediated distance education is becoming increasingly prevalent in higher education. Distance education can provide opportunities for educational and career advancement for working health care professionals. The purpose of this study was to compare the learning outcomes of students in a specific course, given different learning environments and different learning styles. The 2 learning environments were the in-classroom environment, where students meet in a classroom with the instructor present, and the computer-mediated distance environment, where students work independently, receiving information and communicating with the instructor via e-mail. The 4 learning styles assessed were those described by Kolb as Accommodator, Assimilator, Converger, and Diverger. Twenty-nine students participated in the traditional classroom environment, and 27 students participated in the distance education environment. All participants were undergraduate students in health science degree progr
