Attitude, learning style, motivation, and cognitive dissonance in engineering students at loosely coupled universities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62580/ipsc.2026.11.234Keywords:
Student attitude, learning styles, motivation, cognitive dissonance, engineering education, loosely coupled universitiesAbstract
Loosely coupled universities are characterized by the relative autonomy of their academic units and the coexistence of heterogeneous teaching practices (Weick, 1976). This study analyzed the relationship among student attitudes, learning styles, academic motivation, and cognitive dissonance in engineering students from public universities in Mexico, Venezuela, and Colombia. A predominantly qualitative comparative multiple-case design was used, complemented by descriptive questionnaires, thematic cross-case comparison (Bleiklie, 2014), and temporal bracketing to examine changes across the educational trajectory (Langley, 1999). Descriptive results showed differentiated profiles: the Active style predominated in Mexico (35%), the Reflective style in Venezuela (30%), and the Theoretical style in Colombia (35%). For motivation, Mexico showed equivalent intrinsic and extrinsic scores (4.0/5); Venezuela showed higher extrinsic (4.2) than intrinsic motivation (3.8), whereas Colombia showed the opposite pattern (4.2 intrinsic and 3.8 extrinsic). Mean perceived cognitive dissonance was highest in Venezuela (3.5/5), followed by Mexico (3.0) and Colombia (2.8). Across all three countries, dissonance also increased consistently as attitudes toward the degree program shifted from positive to neutral and negative. Overall, the findings suggest that mismatches among expectations, preferred ways of learning, teaching practices, and institutional conditions are associated with greater cognitive tension. Pedagogical diversification, stronger theory-practice integration, tutoring, and psychoeducational support are recommended to strengthen engineering education.
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