Abstract:

In our previous study, we developed several learning support systems for intellectual property laws, including a logical circuit-type system aimed at engineering students. This system allowed students to learn legal texts by assembling logical circuits and was favored by learners who preferred a visual learning style. However, it was not well-received by verbal style learners. To address this, we developed a clause assembly-type system in a subsequent study, where students could learn legal texts by drawing modification structures between text clauses. To further adapt these two systems to students' learning styles, we defined learning styles on a two-dimensional coordinate plane. The "Visual-Verbal" axis, which is closely related to the systems, was considered as the y-axis, and another axis represented the x-axis. We then analyzed the relationship between students' learning styles and their ratings of the systems using a larger sample size of students (n=132).

The results indicated that reflective learners (i.e., those who were reflective in a verbal style) preferred the clause assembly-type system, while those who were active in the visual style preferred the logical circuit-type system. This preference could be attributed to the reflective students' inclination to think things through and their preference for a system that allowed leisurely and comprehensive learning. On the other hand, active students preferred a trial-and-error approach, which made the logical circuit-type system more appealing to them. Sensing learners (i.e., those who sense in the verbal style) favored the clause assembly-type system, likely because of their patience with details, good memorization skills, and preference for hands-on work. The clause assembly-type system aligned with these characteristics as it involved a detailed understanding and assembly of legal texts. Sequential learners (i.e., those who were sequential in the verbal style) preferred the clause assembly-type system, while global learners preferred the logical circuit-type assembly system. Sequential learners appreciated a linear step-by-step understanding approach, while global learners preferred a system that allowed inspired knowledge acquisition through trial and error.

The findings suggest that the visual aspects of the logical circuit-type assembly system should be enhanced to facilitate external thought-processing operations, trial-and-error approaches, and improve interface to create a sense of sudden information acquisition. For the clause assembly-type system, it would be beneficial to emphasize verbal elements, encourage deeper thinking about legal texts, and incorporate a function for interpreting words in the texts to aid memorization. These findings provide valuable insights for the further development and refinement of learning support systems, facilitating their adaptability to different learning styles and optimizing the learning experience for students.

Keywords:

Intellectual Property Law, Learning Support System, Learning Style, System Development, Two-Dimensional learning Style Model.