Share Paper: Field-dependency and achievement in the virtual world of Second Life

  1. Zahra Moghadasian, Texas A&M University, United States
  2. Booker Stephen Capenter, Pennsylvania State University, United States
  3. Ronald Zellner, Texas A&M University, United States
Wednesday, March 7 10:45 AM-11:15 AM Capitol F

Abstract: Learner cognitive styles impact how individuals approach learning and problem-solving situations. With recent advances in technology, there has been an increased interest in the way such individual differences influence performance while learning. Research on the effects of cognitive styles has mainly focused on the role of field-dependence/independence. Forty-eight undergraduate Education majors took a pre-achievement test on the course material, experienced Second Life (SL), a virtual world, for two months, and took the post-achievement test on the course content. The results of the study indicated SL experience did not affect achievement scores of the filed-dependent, field-neutral and field-independent learners differently.