The relationship between learning styles and achievement has been thoroughly studied by many researchers. However, the nursing assistant population is under represented in these studies. Hence, the purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between learning styles, demographics, and achievement of nursing assistant students in Illinois. The sample for the study consisted of 916 nursing assistant students' in Illinois. The VARK learning style inventory was used to measure the students' learning styles, and a demographic questionnaire was used to gather demographic data. The Illinois Nurse Aide Competency Test score was used to measure the achievement of students. The findings showed that there was a relationship between learning styles and achievement of nursing assistant students. Also, there was a relationship between demographics and learning styles. The dominant learning style was the multimodal all four (VARK) preference. Females were the highest representation in the sample and the majority of students were in age ranges 18-25.

Personalizuotos mokymosi aplinkos kūrimas parenkant besimokančiajam tinkamas internetines priemones yra sudėtingas ir aktualus šių dienų uždavinys. Dabartinis besimokantysis turėtų pats imtis iniciatyvos, būti atsakingas už mokymosi procesą, mokėti pasirinkti tinkamas mokymosi priemones, tačiau parama mokymosi metu irgi yra labai svarbi, nes abejotina, ar besimokančiojo savarankiškai pasirinktos priemonės padės įgyvendinti siekiamų mokymosi tikslų ir veiklų optimaliausiu būdu. Disertaciniame darbe išnagrinėti rekomendavimo sistemų ir jose naudojamų vartotojo profilių tipai, rekomendavimo būdai, šių sistemų taikymo galimybės personalizuotam mokymuisi, mokymosi proceso ir antrosios kartos saityno priemonių sąveika, pagrindinės savybės. Pateikiamas antrosios kartos saityno priemonių komponavimo mokymosi procese metodas parenkantis tam tikram besimokančiajam priemonę atsižvelgus į mokymosi tikslus, norimą įgyvendinti mokymosi veiklą, teikiamą pirmenybę mokymosi turiniui bei bendravimo formai. Nagrinėtoji dalykinė sritis aprašyta ontologijoje, o pasiūlyto metodo etapai įgyvendinti žiniomis grindžiamos rekomendavimo sistemos prototipe. Sukurtoji sistema rekomenduoja tam tikrą mokymosi stilių turinčiam besimokančiajam visas jos žinių bazėje esančias internetines priemones, kuriomis naudodamasis besimokantysis gali atlikti nurodytą mokymosi veiklą. Pasiūlytą metodą įvertino parinkti ekspertai – buvo įsitikinta metodo kokybe, t. y. tikslumu, tinkamumu ir našumu (laiko atžvilgiu)... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Although in practice and in many sources of literature the need for the application of Web 2.0 tools in education is highlighted, however there is lack of clear methods how these tools could be applied in learning for a higher learning quality, and there is a lack of e-learning systems that implement personalised Web 2.0 tools selection. In the work, personalised Web 2.0 tools selection method is presented. In the research, first of all, personalised e-learning technological peculiarities i.e. recommender systems applications for learning personalisation and those systems components were investigated. After that, selection methods for Web 2.0 tools suitable for implementing learning activities were analysed. The method of integrating Web 2.0 tools into personalised learning activities according to students learning styles was created (this method takes into account student’s learning preferences for content and communication modes tailored to the learning activities with a view to help the learner to quickly and accurately find the right educational tools) and prototype of the recommender system that implements the method proposed was developed. Finally, the expert evaluation of the developed system prototype that implements the method proposed was performed.

Although in practice and in many sources of literature the need for the application of Web 2.0 tools in education is highlighted, however there is lack of clear methods how these tools could be applied in learning for a higher learning quality, and there is a lack of e-learning systems that implement personalised Web 2.0 tools selection. In the work, personalised Web 2.0 tools selection method is presented. In the research, first of all, personalised e-learning technological peculiarities i.e. recommender systems applications for learning personalisation and those systems components were investigated. After that, selection methods for Web 2.0 tools suitable for implementing learning activities were analysed. The method of integrating Web 2.0 tools into personalised learning activities according to students learning styles was created (this method takes into account student’s learning preferences for content and communication modes tailored to the learning activities with a view to help the learner to quickly and accurately find the right educational tools) and prototype of the recommender system that implements the method proposed was developed. Finally, the expert evaluation of the developed system prototype that implements the method proposed was performed. / Personalizuotos mokymosi aplinkos kūrimas parenkant besimokančiajam tinkamas internetines priemones yra sudėtingas ir aktualus šių dienų uždavinys. Dabartinis besimokantysis turėtų pats imtis iniciatyvos, būti atsakingas už mokymosi procesą, mokėti pasirinkti tinkamas mokymosi priemones, tačiau parama mokymosi metu irgi yra labai svarbi, nes abejotina, ar besimokančiojo savarankiškai pasirinktos priemonės padės įgyvendinti siekiamų mokymosi tikslų ir veiklų optimaliausiu būdu. Disertaciniame darbe išnagrinėti rekomendavimo sistemų ir jose naudojamų vartotojo profilių tipai, rekomendavimo būdai, šių sistemų taikymo galimybės personalizuotam mokymuisi, mokymosi proceso ir antrosios kartos saityno priemonių sąveika, pagrindinės savybės. Pateikiamas antrosios kartos saityno priemonių komponavimo mokymosi procese metodas parenkantis tam tikram besimokančiajam priemonę atsižvelgus į mokymosi tikslus, norimą įgyvendinti mokymosi veiklą, teikiamą pirmenybę mokymosi turiniui bei bendravimo formai. Nagrinėtoji dalykinė sritis aprašyta ontologijoje, o pasiūlyto metodo etapai įgyvendinti žiniomis grindžiamos rekomendavimo sistemos prototipe. Sukurtoji sistema rekomenduoja tam tikrą mokymosi stilių turinčiam besimokančiajam visas jos žinių bazėje esančias internetines priemones, kuriomis naudodamasis besimokantysis gali atlikti nurodytą mokymosi veiklą. Pasiūlytą metodą įvertino parinkti ekspertai – buvo įsitikinta metodo kokybe, t. y. tikslumu, tinkamumu ir našumu (laiko atžvilgiu)... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Visual Analytics is a multi-disciplinary field that uses interactive visualisations to promote and assist the analytic reasoning and generate insights. Understanding the perceptual and cognitive factors is key to the progress in this field. This research focuses on understanding the benefits of interaction in terms of insight generation Moreover, this investigation explores the compounding effects individual differences have with interaction when analysing data to generate insights. This study investigated the individual differences in two sets; psychometric set measures, and a sensorial preferences multimodal learning style. Interaction was analysed from an information visualisation perspective, exploring the Visual Mapping and View Transformation interaction, by isolating interaction as an independent variable. Moreover, the View Transformation experiment used two different visual representations 2D and 3D. Additionally, the individual differences were analysed using the aptitude-by-treatment interaction (ATI) methodology. The ATI approach enabled the assessment of the performance gains in terms of insight generation according to pre-defined set levels of individual differences measures. This thesis confirms the benefits of interaction in generating more insights and increasing their accuracy, whilst facilitating the generation of insights requiring lower mental effort. Further, the results show significant conjoint effects between interaction and individual differences. Furthermore this research revealed a performance difference between 2D and 3D visual representation in the serious game problem solving context. Overall, this thesis provides tangible proof that both visual mapping and view transformation interaction are beneficial to visual analytics in generating insights. Strengthening the view that interaction with the problem-set improves understanding, and the number of insights gleaned into the problem and that more research into the use of individual differences, as a performance predictor in Visual Analytics is beneficial.

The purpose of the study was to investigate how the online, computer-based learner's personal learning profile (Preference), the content delivery method supplemented with visual content based on Neil Fleming's VARK (visual, aural, read/write, kinesthetic) model (Content), and the interaction of Preference and Content, influenced learner performance (Performance) and/or learner self-reported satisfaction (Satisfaction). Participants were drawn from a population of undergraduates enrolled in a large public southwestern research university during the fall 2015 semester. The 165 student participants (13.79% completion rate) were comprised of 52 (31.5%) females and 113 (68.5%) males age 18-58+ years with 126 (76.4%) age 18-24 years. For race/ethnicity, participants self-identified as 1 (0.66%) American Indian/Alaska Native, 21 (12.7%) Asian/Pacific Islander, 27 (16.4%) Black, non-Hispanic, 28 (17%) Hispanic, 78 (47.3%) White, non-Hispanic, 10 (6.1%) other. Reported socioeconomic status was 22 (13.3%) withheld, 53 (32.1%) did not know, 45 (27.3%) low, 13 (7.9%) moderately low, 16 (9.7%) middle, 8 (4.8%) upper middle, and 8 (4.8%) upper. This causal-comparative and quasi-experimental, mixed-method, longitudinal study used researcher-developed web-based modules to measure Performance and Satisfaction, and used the criterion p < .05 for statistical significance. A two-way, 4 x 3 repeated measures (Time) analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) using Preference and Content was statistically significant on each Performance measure over Time, and at two measures on Satisfaction over Time. The RM-ANOVA was statistically significant on between-subjects main effect Performance for read/write modality Content compared to aural and kinesthetic Content. There were no statistically significant main effects observed for Satisfaction. A Pearson r correlation analysis showed that participants that were older, married, and of higher socioeconomic status performed better. The correlation analysis also showed that participants who performed better reported greater likelihood to take online courses in the future, higher motivation, sufficient time and support for studies, and sufficient funding for and access to the Internet. The study results suggested that regardless of Preference, using read/write modality Content based on the VARK model while maintaining the verbal language can yield better Performance outcomes. The study results also suggested that while maintaining the verbal language, Preference, and Content based on the VARK model do not distinguish learner Satisfaction outcomes. However, because Satisfaction has been shown to impact Performance, efficacy, and retention, it matters to educational institutions. Future research should consider more granular models and factorial research methods, because models that utilize a single representative construct score can mask effects when analyzing Performance and Satisfaction.

In this paper we present our research on learning in event organizations since we haveconcluded that there is no research on this topic. We have chosen a qualitative researchstrategy with multiple case studies where we used semi-structured interviews to go into depthin the event organizations we have studied. The research overview highlights the problem oflearning in organizations today and that organizations must learn to survive and to create acompetitive edge in the industry in which they are operating. Learning in organizationsdepends on their employees and if they may not develop within the organization they will notbecome further motivated. Our research shows that event organizations learn subsequentlyand take the situation as it comes through learning by doing primarily.Research shows that individuals learn different, and our study therefore indicates that theremust be leadership that is adapted to different situations and different learning styles. As theevent industry is time-pressed, a fully customized system will not be sustainable to managemeeting the demands of the market. Today, systems and tools for learning are inadequate toadapt to this fast-changing environment in which the organizations live. We have combinedsystems and tools that together create a more adaptable system for the time-pressed eventorganization.The system deals with an understanding of which situation the employee is in and whichpreferred way it wants to learn and thus the manager can adapt to this to get the maximumoutcome of learning. This will help managers in event organizations to better understand theiremployees, motivate them to a greater extent, thereby creating competitive advantages for thecompany. As the manager is time-pressed, our study also shows that collective learning isimportant for the effectiveness of the organization's learning. In this way, the manager doesnot always have to be the driving force in learning. Our research shows that technologicalsolutions will help the time-pressed organization to create a more collective learning and amore sustainable solution, as this is a more time-efficient tool for sharing knowledge. Whatwe present here is a contribution with a theoretical solution that is also practically feasible,unlike several previous theories.This study is written in Swedish. / I denna uppsats framför vi vår forskning om lärande i evenemangsorganisationer då vi sett attdet saknas forskning kring detta ämne. Vi har valt en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi medmultipla fallstudier där vi använt semistrukturerade intervjuer för att gå på djupet i deevenemangsorganisationer som vi studerat. Forskningsöversikten lyfter fram problematikenkring lärande i organisationer idag och att organisationer måste lära sig för att överleva ochför att skapa sig en konkurrensfördel i den bransch den befinner sig i. Lärandet iorganisationer är beroende av dess medarbetare och får inte dessa utvecklas inomorganisationen så blir de inte heller motiverade. Vår forskning visar attevenemangsorganisationer idag lär sig efterhand och tar situationen som den kommer genomlearning by doing främst.Forskning visar att individer lär sig olika och vår studie visar på att det måste finnas ettledarskap som är anpassat för olika situationer och olika lärstilar. Eftersomevenemangsbranschen är tidspressad blir därmed ett helt individanpassat system inte hållbartför att klara av att möta dess omvärld. Idag är de system och verktyg som finns för lärande iorganisationer bristande för att anpassas till denna snabbt föränderliga omvärld somorganisationer lever i. Därmed har vi kombinerat system och verktyg, situationsanpassatledarskap samt VARK och teknologi, som tillsammans skapar ett mer anpassningsbart systemför den tidspressade evenemangsorganisationen.Systemet handlar om en förståelse för vilken situation medarbetaren befinner sig i och vilketföredraget sätt den vill lära sig och därmed kan chefen anpassa sig till detta för att få ettmaximalt utfall av lärande. Detta kommer att hjälpa chefer i evenemangsorganisationer attförstå sina medarbetare bättre, motivera dem i större utsträckning och därigenom skapakonkurrensfördelar för företaget. Då chefen är tidspressad visar vår studie även att ettkollektivt lärande är av vikt för att effektivisera organisationens lärande. På så sätt behöverinte chefen alltid vara den drivande faktorn i lärandet. Vår forskning visar att teknologiskalösningar hjälper den tidspressade organisationen för att skapa ett mer kollektivt lärande ochen mer hållbar lösning då detta är ett mer tidseffektivt verktyg för att dela kunskap. Vi bidrarhär med en teoretisk lösning som även blir praktiskt genomförbar till skillnad från fleratidigare teorier.

Since 1994 South African classrooms have become more culturally diverse. In order to teach effectively in such an environment, teachers need to use strategies which meet the needs of all the students. One way of addressing this challenge is to consider learning styles theory. Teachers need to understand how individual students of all cultures learn, and which specific learning styles are significantly related to academic achievement. In order to investigate this relationship, a study was conducted at an independent multicultural senior school in the North West Province of South Africa. The aim of the research was to gather information on the learning style preferences of the students at the school; the relationship between the students’ academic achievements in English and mathematics and their learning style; and finally, the relationship between the students’ nationality, gender, form and age and their learning styles as well as their academic achievements in English and mathematics. A mixed methods research design was used. Data was collected by means of a structured questionnaire that was completed by a sample of 240 students of different forms, genders and nationalities. This was followed by individual interviews with ten top achieving students. The study found that the predominant learning style amongst the students in the school was individual learning. This particular learning style was also most significantly related to academic achievements in English and mathematics. The study further determined that nationality did not significantly influence students’ learning styles but gender and age did. Female students were found to be more inclined to be individual learners. Younger students were also found to be auditory learners to a greater extent than older students. Regarding the studying of English and mathematics, it was found that female students generally used auditory learning styles whilst male students preferred kinaesthetic learning styles. Lastly, the study found that the average achievements in mathematics deteriorated as the students got older and the worst performing form was the Form 6s. To this end, various suggestions were made as to how learning styles could be considered to improve learning. Recommendations for further study were highlighted along with the limitations of this research. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Since 1994 South African classrooms have become more culturally diverse. In order to teach effectively in such an environment, teachers need to use strategies which meet the needs of all the students. One way of addressing this challenge is to consider learning styles theory. Teachers need to understand how individual students of all cultures learn, and which specific learning styles are significantly related to academic achievement. In order to investigate this relationship, a study was conducted at an independent multicultural senior school in the North West Province of South Africa. The aim of the research was to gather information on the learning style preferences of the students at the school; the relationship between the students’ academic achievements in English and mathematics and their learning style; and finally, the relationship between the students’ nationality, gender, form and age and their learning styles as well as their academic achievements in English and mathematics. A mixed methods research design was used. Data was collected by means of a structured questionnaire that was completed by a sample of 240 students of different forms, genders and nationalities. This was followed by individual interviews with ten top achieving students. The study found that the predominant learning style amongst the students in the school was individual learning. This particular learning style was also most significantly related to academic achievements in English and mathematics. The study further determined that nationality did not significantly influence students’ learning styles but gender and age did. Female students were found to be more inclined to be individual learners. Younger students were also found to be auditory learners to a greater extent than older students. Regarding the studying of English and mathematics, it was found that female students generally used auditory learning styles whilst male students preferred kinaesthetic learning styles. Lastly, the study found that the average achievements in mathematics deteriorated as the students got older and the worst performing form was the Form 6s. To this end, various suggestions were made as to how learning styles could be considered to improve learning. Recommendations for further study were highlighted along with the limitations of this research. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)