2019 Annual Conference

Military Education

Shared Concurrent Session (Approx. 12 or 20 minutes)

This presentation will share the results of an exploratory study involving student veterans, their related learning styles, student-life stress levels, and coping strategies. The goal will be to assist veterans in transferring their skills to teaching and learning environments.

Educators and instructors who work in post-secondary settings.

Participants will be able to examine to:
• describe how skill attainment of military veterans can transfer to align with the expectations of higher education settings
• describe the various learning styles student veterans prefer according to the Gregorc Style Delineator
• examine the unique stressors of non-traditional student veterans
• describe the use of coping strategies among non-traditional student veterans

Student veterans are non-traditional students in a post-secondary setting. In military service, individuals follow a systematic approach to the learning process. In a college setting, they encounter different learning experiences. Although the veteran may have been competent throughout military service, they now face new challenges and stressors. Understanding their individual learning style may aid in understanding themselves as learners and determine how educators can tailor teaching methods and styles in various programs of study. This could aid in reducing stress levels. In this exploratory study, the results will provide information about student veteran learning styles, stress levels, and coping strategies.The cognitive learning styles instrument measures an individual’s underlying mental strengths and abilities. The student-life stress inventory will identify the types and reactions of stressors. The Academic Coping Strategies will show how student veterans cope with their life stressors.

This is a oral presentation using PowerPoint to present the exploratory findings.