studies of learning styles use final grade or academic achievement as the dependent

variable in order to demonstrate the practical contribution that a specific learning style

has in the classroom. However, as undergraduate classrooms become more student

centered (Acharya, 2002; Lunde, Baker, Buelow & Hayes, 1995; Study Group on the

Conditions of Excellence in American Higher Education, 1984), there is greater need to

identify variables related to student engagement. Student engagement is often determined

with constructs of academic challenge, collaborative learning and student-faculty

interaction (Kuh, 2001). Each construct is dependent on the teaching practices of the

faculty member and requires communication between the faculty member and student

(Umbach & Wawrzynski, 2005). If a dissimilar learning style between the faculty

member and the student inhibits communication during the process of learning, evidence

should be found in the variance of student engagement scores. That is, a large cognitive

style gap may explain why students do not show evidence of engagement in the

classroom.

 Also, if a faculty member uses subjective evaluations (rubrics) of student projects

and assignments-which are commonly used to evaluate the solution to a problem-the

final course grade is also subjective and biased. That is, a faculty member may prefer

solutions to assigned problems that are congruent with their learning style. The researcher

found no evidence in the literature concerning instructors' evaluation biases based on

learning style, but that does not suggest that this may exist.

 Finally, the use of academic achievement as a dependant variable, whether in the

form of a percentile or letter grade assigned by the faculty member, may subject the study

to measurement error. There is evidence that faculty members inflate students grades for