Learning style differences among NACTA conference participants

Of the 82 NACTA conference participants in 1995, 78 were men and 48 were full professors. The mean age of participants was 51. The mean Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) score of 10.6 for agricultural faculty varied from the national norm of 11.4. The mean GEFT score of 9.4 for agricultural faculty in the education discipline area was the lowest of the groups of participants. Data showed that 56% (46) of the agricultural faculty were field-dependent learners and 44% (36) were field-independent learners. Three of the four female agricultural faculty were field-independent. Nearly 60% (34) of faculty who held a primary teaching appointment were field-dependent. Nearly two-thirds (30) of the full professors preferred the field-dependent learning style while the assistant professors preferred the field-independent learning style. There was a substantial negative correlation (-.37) between agricultural faculty members' GEFT scores and age. There was a slight positive correlation (.18) between agricultural faculty members' GEFT scores and percentage of appointment designated for research.