Tipos de personalidade e estilos de aprendizagem: proposições para o ensino de engenharia.

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate how the teaching of engineering can benefit from knowledge of the students personality types and learning styles. To identify the types and styles, two inventories were used, based on Jung s Theory of Psychological Types Keirsey s Temperament Sorter and Felder & Soloman s Index of Learning Styles, both translated into Portuguese. These instruments were submitted to 840 undergraduate students of Engineering enrolled in a five-years regular course at a public education institution located in the interior of the state of São Paulo. The sample was divided into four groups and three subgroups, comprising undergraduate students of Mechanical, Electrical, Civil and Industrial Engineering in their first, third and fifth years, respectively. In the statistical analyses of the results, three approaches were considered: a descriptive analysis, a correlation analysis, and a logistic model. The latter approach was introduced into the statistical analysis of the results in order to verify not only the existence of a correlative structure among the variables analyzed personality types and learning styles but also the probability of the variables qualification and undergraduate year influencing the percentage of responses obtained from the questions of the instruments. The validity of the model was proven in this study. In addition to the statistical analyses, the results were also analyzed qualitatively to discuss the possible effects of the students personality traits on their learning styles and to propose teaching-learning strategies tailored to the profiles identified, aiming to contribute to the teaching practices in engineering. The study have confirmed the reliability and validity of the instruments applied, which have been able to estimate the preferences of the population under investigation. Is also highlighted the fact that the knowledge of the student s personality traits and learning styles may have important implications for teaching. Hence, it may aid the lecturer in different ways, such as: for planning teaching/learning activities, for removing communication barriers in the classroom, for improving personal relationships, and for avoiding productivity losses.