Cognitive styles and student progression in architectural design education

Individuals can be classified in terms of having a particular cognitive style or preference in the way in which they perceive or process information. This paper investigates how students with particular cognitive styles, as measured by Riding's Cognitive Styles Analysis, perform in design project work at particular stages of Architectural Education. It suggests that contrary to assumptions found in the literature, those with a preference for thinking in a holistic, global manner, perform less well than their peers in the early stages of their education, but tend to improve as they progress through their education.