A Comparison of Construction Management and Engineering Student Learning Styles

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a study analyzing the learning styles of undergraduate construction management (CM) students in bachelor degree programs in the U.S. and compares them to engineering student learning styles. The study utilized the Felder-Silverman model and the Index of Learning Styles (ILS) as a survey instrument. The population of the students surveyed was 1,069 CM students from 36 university CM programs across the Associated Schools of Construction regions. Past studies with engineering students were utilized for the engineering student data. The results were analyzed and comparisons were made of both the CM students and other similar studies done with engineering students. It was found that CM students were visual, active, sensing, and sequential learners. They are also significantly higher in all the learning style dimensions than engineering students.

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