The dynamics of learning styles and adaptive flexibility in quantity surveying education: implications for academic performance

This scholarly paper delves into the interplay between learning styles and academic performance within the specific context of quantity surveying (QS) education, thereby addressing an identified research gap. Its central objective is to scrutinise the impact of adaptive learning flexibility, a cruc...

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Main Authors: Mylan Jonas, Gerrit Crafford, Sibulelokuhle Xulaba, David Edwards
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: UJ Press 2023-12-01
Series:Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/JCPMI/article/view/2912
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author Mylan Jonas
Gerrit Crafford
Sibulelokuhle Xulaba
David Edwards
author_facet Mylan Jonas
Gerrit Crafford
Sibulelokuhle Xulaba
David Edwards
author_sort Mylan Jonas
collection DOAJ
description This scholarly paper delves into the interplay between learning styles and academic performance within the specific context of quantity surveying (QS) education, thereby addressing an identified research gap. Its central objective is to scrutinise the impact of adaptive learning flexibility, a crucial element of experiential learning theories, on educational outcomes in QS. The study adopts a positivist paradigm, employing a deductive research approach and a survey methodology. It utilises Pearson’s correlation analysis to ascertain the relationship between QS students’ adaptive flexibility and their academic performance, with the study population comprising second, third, and fourth-year students at Nelson Mandela University. The research findings reveal a predominance of the assimilating learning style among QS students, characterised by a proclivity for abstract conceptualisation and theoretical model development. Notably, the study did not identify any statistically significant differences in academic performance across various learning styles. This suggests that learning style preferences may not be reliable indicators of academic success within QS education. Further, the research observed a minor negative correlation between adaptive flexibility and academic performance, challenging the notion that increased learning style flexibility invariably leads to better academic results. These outcomes imply that while QS students may exhibit substantial adaptive flexibility, this attribute does not necessarily correlate with enhanced academic achievement. The distinctiveness of this research lies in its exploration of the dynamic nature of learning styles and their influence on academic performance in the specialised field of QS. It significantly contributes to the wider educational discourse, underscoring the importance of personal experience in the learning process and advocating for pedagogical approaches that recognise and nurture individual learning preferences. In practical terms, the study recommends that QS students and educators engage in introspective practices to comprehend and utilise learning styles and adaptive flexibility effectively. It endorses the adoption of educational frameworks that embrace diverse learning modalities, thereby augmenting students’ adaptability to various learning situations and deepening their academic comprehension. The paper also advises that QS educators receive professional development to incorporate experiential learning cycles into their teaching methodologies effectively. Overall, this research illuminates the complexities inherent in the learning processes of specialised educational fields. It calls for a nuanced appreciation of the interplay between individual learning styles and adaptive flexibility concerning academic performance. The findings establish a foundation for future investigations into these dynamics in other specialised educational settings and propose innovative instructional strategies for QS education.
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spelling doaj-art-e4a00248deb948f88144c143671747292025-01-08T06:08:20ZengUJ PressJournal of Construction Project Management and Innovation2223-78522959-96522023-12-0113210.36615/jcpmi.v13i2.2912The dynamics of learning styles and adaptive flexibility in quantity surveying education: implications for academic performanceMylan Jonas0Gerrit Crafford1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5372-0808Sibulelokuhle Xulaba2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6751-5039David Edwards3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9727-6000Department of Quantity Surveying, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South AfricaDepartment of Quantity Surveying, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South AfricaDepartment of Quantity Surveying, Nelson Mandela University, South AfricaDepartment of the Built Environment, Birmingham City University, UK and Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, South Africa This scholarly paper delves into the interplay between learning styles and academic performance within the specific context of quantity surveying (QS) education, thereby addressing an identified research gap. Its central objective is to scrutinise the impact of adaptive learning flexibility, a crucial element of experiential learning theories, on educational outcomes in QS. The study adopts a positivist paradigm, employing a deductive research approach and a survey methodology. It utilises Pearson’s correlation analysis to ascertain the relationship between QS students’ adaptive flexibility and their academic performance, with the study population comprising second, third, and fourth-year students at Nelson Mandela University. The research findings reveal a predominance of the assimilating learning style among QS students, characterised by a proclivity for abstract conceptualisation and theoretical model development. Notably, the study did not identify any statistically significant differences in academic performance across various learning styles. This suggests that learning style preferences may not be reliable indicators of academic success within QS education. Further, the research observed a minor negative correlation between adaptive flexibility and academic performance, challenging the notion that increased learning style flexibility invariably leads to better academic results. These outcomes imply that while QS students may exhibit substantial adaptive flexibility, this attribute does not necessarily correlate with enhanced academic achievement. The distinctiveness of this research lies in its exploration of the dynamic nature of learning styles and their influence on academic performance in the specialised field of QS. It significantly contributes to the wider educational discourse, underscoring the importance of personal experience in the learning process and advocating for pedagogical approaches that recognise and nurture individual learning preferences. In practical terms, the study recommends that QS students and educators engage in introspective practices to comprehend and utilise learning styles and adaptive flexibility effectively. It endorses the adoption of educational frameworks that embrace diverse learning modalities, thereby augmenting students’ adaptability to various learning situations and deepening their academic comprehension. The paper also advises that QS educators receive professional development to incorporate experiential learning cycles into their teaching methodologies effectively. Overall, this research illuminates the complexities inherent in the learning processes of specialised educational fields. It calls for a nuanced appreciation of the interplay between individual learning styles and adaptive flexibility concerning academic performance. The findings establish a foundation for future investigations into these dynamics in other specialised educational settings and propose innovative instructional strategies for QS education. https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/JCPMI/article/view/2912Academic performanceAdaptive flexibilityKolb' experiential learning theoryLearning stylesQuantity surveying students
spellingShingle Mylan Jonas
Gerrit Crafford
Sibulelokuhle Xulaba
David Edwards
The dynamics of learning styles and adaptive flexibility in quantity surveying education: implications for academic performance
Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation
Academic performance
Adaptive flexibility
Kolb' experiential learning theory
Learning styles
Quantity surveying students
title The dynamics of learning styles and adaptive flexibility in quantity surveying education: implications for academic performance
title_full The dynamics of learning styles and adaptive flexibility in quantity surveying education: implications for academic performance
title_fullStr The dynamics of learning styles and adaptive flexibility in quantity surveying education: implications for academic performance
title_full_unstemmed The dynamics of learning styles and adaptive flexibility in quantity surveying education: implications for academic performance
title_short The dynamics of learning styles and adaptive flexibility in quantity surveying education: implications for academic performance
title_sort dynamics of learning styles and adaptive flexibility in quantity surveying education implications for academic performance
topic Academic performance
Adaptive flexibility
Kolb' experiential learning theory
Learning styles
Quantity surveying students
url https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/JCPMI/article/view/2912
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