The effects of individual cognitive learning styles and troubleshooting experience on the development of mental models in teaching a database query language to novices
Sunil Kumar Jain · 1996
This study investigates (1) the effects of individual cognitive learning styles on the development of mental models; (2) the effects of troubleshooting experience on the development of mental models; and (3) the effects of non-troubleshooting experience on the development of mental models. In this study, integrated classroom-based training was developed to teach relational database Structured Query Language (SQL) to novices. All subjects received the same training, which provided students with a conceptual model of the relational database, an overview of SQL, and techniques of writing SQL statements to view and manipulate data. Following the training, subjects' initial mental models of SQL were assessed using a non-verbal quantitative task. Subjects were identified as either abstract or concrete learners based on their scores on the scrambled Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (1985). Next, half the subjects received troubleshooting experience, and the other half received non-troubleshooting experience. After this practice, mental models of SQL were assessed a second time by assigning an alternate non-verbal quantitative task. At each assessment, three different functions of mental models (describing, explaining, predicting) were measured along with an overall mental model. Rouse and Morris (1986) provide a functional definition of mental models by stating that mental models are mechanisms that allow human beings to generate (1) descriptions of system purpose and form, (2) explanations of system state and function, and (3) predictions of future system states. The findings of this study reveal that an individual's cognitive learning style influences the describe, explain, and predict components of mental models as well as a subject's overall mental models. Subjects with abstract cognitive style perform better than concrete learners. This study demonstrates that abstract learners form more accurate and complete mental models as opposed to concrete learners. Troubleshooting experience also has a significant effect on the development of mental models. Subjects with troubleshooting experience performed better than subjects with non-troubleshooting experience. Non-troubleshooting experience does not have a significant effect on the development of more accurate and complete mental models. Results indicate that mental models evolve and are dynamic in nature, and that learning is a process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of troubleshooting experiences. Results also suggest that novices' initial mental models are incomplete and inaccurate. However, as novices gain more experience, over time, their mental models are refined and become more accurate and complete. Future research should be conducted with a longer time frame that covers more aspects of relational database concepts. Integrated classroom-based training should be replaced by computer-based training (CBT) that matches instructions with an individual's cognitive style. Future research should also refine non-verbal quantitative tasks that are used to measure mental models.