Group embedded figures test and academic achievement in engineering education

This study was conducted to investigate cognitive style patterns among stud ents in a lower division engineering course and differences in the academic performance of those students related to differences in their cognitive st yles. The Group Embedded Figures Test was administered to 130 undergraduate engineering students enrolled in CE 214 Engineering Mechanics-Statics at N orth Carolina State University. Analysis of variance was used to examine di fferences in academic achievement of students in relation to their differen t cognitive styles. The findings identified a highly skewed distribution on the cognitive style scale, with the vast majority being highly analytic. I n addition, students who manifested an analytic (field independent) cogniti ve style achieved significantly higher grades in the course than those with a Global cognitive style.