Effects of Learning Style On Performance of Architecture Students in Building Structures in South Western Nigerian Public Universities

Students learn in many ways and use many styles since learning is cognitive of a learner. In a similar way, in the learning of Building structures in Architecture, there are many styles used by the students knowingly and unknowingly because majority of them did not know the style use to read the courses. This affects better understanding and the performance of students greatly because their performance in the courses is low and this is worrisome. Literature acknowledged the use Kolb learning style in the study of Architecture and Engineering. The study therefore carried out effects of learning style using Kolb learning style on the performance of Architecture students in Building structures in South Western public universities in Nigeria in order to improve on the performance of students and to have better understanding in the courses. The study was a descriptive survey with multi – stage sampling procedures that involved the use of questionnaire. It focused on data obtained from Architecture students of five selected public universities in South Western Nigeria where Architecture was offered. The universities were purposively selected and sampled. The research approach adopted for was quantitative. The population for the study was seven hundred and two (702) students. This study utilized the total population since it was not too large and was more representative than a sample. The data was analysed using descriptive statics such as frequency counts, percentages, Likert scaling, and Chi-square while regression analysis was used to assess the effects of Kolb learning style using on students’ performance in Building structures. The study revealed that the students were not using Kolb learning style fully in the learning of Building structures and the performance of the students in the courses was very low. It also revealed that there was a significant relationship between Kolb learning style and students’ performance in Building structures. The study concluded that the improvement in performance of students in the courses rest on the use of Kolb learning style fully therefore, the need for the students to use the style fully in order to improve on the performance and have better understanding in Building structures.