Personality type and student preference in the design studio

Abstract

Some authors believe that student learning outcomes can be improved by catering for different 'learning styles', while others suggest that there is little evidence to support a pedagogical approach based on learning styles. One approach to understand how people learn best is to establish how they prefer to take in and process information. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) reveals these preferences through type; 'personality type' may be a better identifier of appropriate learning strategies than 'learning styles'. A pilot study investigated student achievement and experience using different levels of content in two landscape architecture studio project briefs. One brief was deliberately open, allowing interpretation, while the second was detailed with explicit requirements. Student MBTI types were established as predominantly Intuitive-Feeling (NF; 63%). NF students tended to prefer the 'open' brief, while Intuitive-Thinking (NT) and Sensate-Feeling (SF) students preferred the detailed brief. Teachers need to be aware that their own preferences for learning may need to adapt to the likely range of personality types in each student cohort, to enable teachers to appeal to the learning preferences of as wide a range of students as possible. There is also merit in considering other implications for learning of understanding type and preference.