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The study was designed to examine the predictive relationship between the variables of seat preference, learning style, and past profession, and student achievement. A convenience sample of N = 248 traditional manual osteopathic students of two Canadian and one Swiss accredited English speaking part-time colleges was recruited for the quasi experimental predictive study. The participants were adult learners ranging in age from 20 – 69 years with 71% of the sample being female in accordance to the population demographic. The data collection included grade score, learning style as measured by the Learning Style Inventory (LSI 3.1), and a researcher designed survey, Demographic and Seat Preference Survey (DSPS), which gathered information on age, past profession, education, sensory deficits, and seat preferences of three seat diagrams. A multiple regression analysis was used to create the predictive equation. The variables seat preference, learning style, and past profession statistically predicted student achievement R2 = .10, F(10, 217) = 2.33, p = .01, power .92. The specific variables action seat in the 10 X 5 seating plan b1 10X5AS = 2.91, t(217) = 2.51, p = .01, 95%CI[0.63, 5.20]; the professions of athletic therapy b2 AT = 4.60, t(217) = 2.77, p = .01, 95%CI[1.33, 7.86], Nurse/kinesiologist/occupational therapist b2 NR/KIN/OT = 4.10, t(217) = 2.54, p = .01, 95%CI[0.92, 7.27], and Other profession b2 OTHER = 3.48, t(217) = 2.26, p = .03, 95%CI[0.45, 6.52]; and the diverging learning style b5diverging = -3.03, t(217) = -2.13, p = .03, [-5.83, -0.23] contributed significantly to the prediction. In pair-wise comparisons there were significant (p < .05) differences in mean achievement scores between the professions of athletic therapists, nurse/kinesiologists/occupational therapists, and other professions, and medical doctor/osteopathic physician/dentist, and massage therapists; between students preferring the assimilating learning style and students preferring the diverging learning style; and between the 10 X 5 action seats and non-action seats. The findings of the study support the predictive nature of past professions, learning style, and action seat preference in an English-speaking accredited part-time traditional manual osteopathic program. Recommendations for continued data collection and investigating the variables of first language and campus location are made.
Advisor: | Bullock, Cheryl |
Commitee: | Bruch, Elizabeth, Clayton, Phyllis |
School: | Capella University |
Department: | School of Education |
School Location: | United States -- Minnesota |
Source: | DAI-A 76/04(E), Dissertation Abstracts International |
Source Type: | DISSERTATION |
Subjects: | Adult education, Health education, Higher education |
Keywords: | Achievement, Learning style, Osteopathy, Past profession, Prediction, Seat preference |
Publication Number: | 3646840 |
ISBN: | 978-1-321-36892-5 |