摘要：This study sought to investigate the link between preferred learning styles,
performance, and cognitive load. After determining learning styles (visual or
auditory), undergraduate students were assigned to three instructional formats,
namely: Listen Only, Read Only, and Read + Listen. A pretest was administered to
assess students’ prior knowledge on lightning. During acquisition, students
received instructions specific to the instructional format they were assigned to. For
example, students in the Read Only group received written materials only while
those in the Listen Only group received auditory materials only. The acquisition
phase was followed by a posttest phase. Based on cognitive load theory, it was
hypothesized that different instructional formats would result in differences in
student performances. Two-way between-groups ANOVA results confirm the
hypotheses, in that student’s cognitive load was a better predictor of student
performance than student learning styles. Educational implications and limitations
are also discussed.
关键词：cognitive load; learning styles; modes of instruction; learning; students
