Estilos de pensamiento y aprendizaje en estudiantes de magisterio y psicopedagogía: diferencias según curso y especialidad

we present a study which forms part of an innovation project under development at the university of león, spain, for adapting different psychoeducational degrees to the guidelines of the european higher education area (ehea). to this end, we first analysed the characteristics of the students enrolled in the faculty of education. the characteristics of the students, such as their thinking style and learning approach, may offer insight into the success of teaching-learning in the classroom; these aspects should be understood before introducing such innovative methodologies. thus, these psychological variables were analysed in a sample of 583 students enrolled in different teaching and psycho-educational courses and specialities prior to the development of methodological innovations within diverse subject areas. we evaluated these aspects using the questionnaire of evaluation of the processes of study and learning and the thinking styles inventory. there were statistically significant differences between the variables relating to the students’ speciality and course. these results should help to guide teachers when selecting the type of innovative methodologies to use in their classes in order to successfully adapt them to the specific characteristics of the students.