Understanding the Learning

Personalities of Successful Online

Students
Tena Crews, Sradha Sheth and Tamlyn Horne
Monday, February 24, 2014

23
min read

Key Takeaways
Long studied as a way to help people better understand themselves and others,
personality research and theory has evolved to include the use of assessment
tools to identify various personality types and temperaments.

These tools have been used in education to identify learning styles, teaching
strategies, and opportunities to increase success for both students and teachers.
Building on studies of traditional students, this study uses the True Colors
model of personality characteristics to identify characteristics common to
successful online students as well as strategies for improving how online
courses are designed and taught to better meet the needs of all students.

Tena B. Crews is a professor in the Integrated Information Technology Department and a

Certified True Colors Trainer, Sradha Sheth is a previous master's student in Retail
Management, and Tamlyn M. Horne is a current master's student in Sport and
Entertainment Management at the University of South Carolina Columbia.

Many factors contribute to the rapid growth in higher education's online course offerings,
from economic realities to the need for alternative ways to teach a new media-savvy
generation. As online classes reduce and often eliminate face-to-face (F2F) interactions, it's
important for instructors to learn new ways of understanding and interacting with their
online students to further enhance their success.

Studies show students' cognitive styles play a key role in their success in online courses.1 As
one researcher noted, "Satisfying online learners' cognitive styles was a critical success factor
for online instruction"2 and suggested further research studies to identify instructional
strategies addressing online learners' cognitive styles to improve learning outcomes were
also provided."
Understanding students' personality traits and learning styles will help instructors better
understand the students, create a more conducive learning environment, and help students
be more successful in online courses. Studies support that students' cognitive styles play a
key role in their success in online courses.3 "Satisfying online learners' cognitive styles was a
critical success factor for online instruction, and suggested further research studies to identify
instructional strategies addressing online learners' cognitive styles to improve learning
outcomes."4

To further this work, our study used the True Colors personality assessment inventory to
investigate the learning styles/preferences of successful online students. Here, we offer a
brief overview of personality research, then describe our study and the resulting
recommendations for helping faculty design and teach online courses to meet the needs of
all types of students.

Modeling Personality Traits

Using personality theories and studies as a foundation, researchers have created many
assessment inventories to help identify and illuminate different personality types and
temperaments. Today, personality inventories are used in multiple ways, including to
investigate and guide students in choosing a career path, a roommate, or a suitable learning
process.5 Such assessment tools are founded on a rich history.

Foundational Models
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, postulated a four-factor theory of temperament in 400
B.C. noting a link between external factors and their impact on human organs and body
fluids. According to Patricia Hedges,6 "Hippocrates proposed each temperament was formed
by an inequality of secretions coming from the heart (sanguine), the liver (irascible), the lungs
(apathetic), and the kidneys (depressed)." In essence, he believed that human temperaments
were based on bodily functions that caused people to be happy, easily angered, relatively
emotionless, or dispirited.

Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung advanced the field's evolution when he theorized human
behavior was not random but rather synchronized to a pattern. "This pattern is governed by
the person's choice or preference for specific ways of functioning and living."7 Therefore, a
person's behavior might appear irrational to others, when it is actually an outcome based on
logic and consistency.

Many other philosophers, physicians, and scholars have also classified human nature using
different scales. In one well-known example, Isabel Briggs Myers, a student of Jung, created
the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to measure human behavior. She developed the
MBTI to support Jung's theory of psychological types8 and identified perception and
judgment as causes of differences in individuals' behavior (see table 1).

Table 1. Descriptions of MBTI Personality Components9

Personality Component Qualities

E= Extraversion outgoing, people person, comfortable in

teams, quick to action, energizes other
people, has many friends
 F= Feeling caring, warm, tactful, people- or
communication-oriented, makes
decisions from heart, compassionate,
idealistic, indirect, may have difficulty
communicating the hard truth of a
situation

I= Introversion reflective, reserved, independent, prefers

to know a few people, does not move
into action quickly, may tend to ignore
and/or forget to check the fit between
ideas and the experience

J= Judging uses decision making, has a planned or

orderly way of life, task-oriented, makes
a to do checklist, flexible, work comes
before play, pays attention to deadlines,
may focus too much on the goal

N= Intuition reads between the lines, experiments

with different ideas and possibilities,
looks at the big picture first and then at
the facts, trusts symbols, impressions
and metaphors more than experience,
may focus too much on new possibilities

P= Perceiving open to new information and

experiences, plans, decisive, open to
respond to the happenings, approaches
work as play, stimulated by deadlines,
sometimes too involved in taking
information and misses deadlines

S= Sensing goes deep into the problem to find a

solution, pays attention to physical
reality or senses, pragmatic, starts with
fact and then forms the big picture,
experience speaks louder than words,
may over focus and hence miss out on
new possibilities

T= Thinking consistent, logical, analyzes pro and

cons, fair, more truthful than tactful,
sometimes may ignore the "people"
aspect of a situation, indifferent

Researchers have conducted many educational studies based on the MBTI. One study10
examined the impact of certain personality types in relation to secondary teachers' inclination
to use technology. Through the use of a questionnaire, the study identified four combinations
of personalities: sensory/feeling (SF), sensory/thinking (ST), intuitive/feeling (NF), and
intuitive/thinking (NT). Each type had a different attitude toward technology acceptance. For
example, NT teachers were more receptive to using technology than SF teachers. Using the
study's findings, teacher education programs can modify course curricula and delivery to
meet the requirements of different personality types. Educators can also use the study to
more effectively design programs for pre- and in-service teachers based on the diverse
personalities of students. This is just one way personality inventories can impact the
classroom.

The True Colors Model

Based on this thought and an understanding of personality concepts developed by Jung,
Briggs, David Keirsey,11 and Plato, Don Lowry was the first to apply the color metaphors to
identify personality types:

Color has been used to shape and describe our lives, our habits, as well as our values and
feelings throughout the ages. Research into the physiological effects of color has shown it
truly has an impact on our lives, often in unconscious and mysterious ways. The colors for the
True Colors model were chosen to correspond with the various metaphors associated with
each color.12

The True Colors personality assessment inventory was founded by Lowry13 based on the
belief that "successful people know who they are and what their True Colors are and once
they understand their values and needs, it would become easier for them to perform their
best in every area of life."14

The True Colors model is built on four colors and their corresponding qualities:

Blue: mediator, optimistic, communicator, passionate, true romantic, cause-oriented,

sensitive to other's needs, encourages others, cooperative, peacemaker, helpful,
enjoys friends, patient, open minded
Gold: prepared, planner, detail-oriented, trustworthy, punctual, values order, values
family traditions, loyal, precise, believes in rules and procedures, responsible,
organized, appreciates deadlines, motivated, determined
Green: intellectual, theoretical, perfectionist, visionary, abstract, conceptual, needs
private time, approaches interpersonal relationships in a logical manner, always
asking "why" and seeking knowledge, prefers independent work, competent,
knowledgeable
Orange: playful, risk taker, quick witted, negotiator, entertainer, high need for
mobility, energetic, competitive, likes tangible rewards, laid back, natural
nonconformist, appreciates immediate feedback, appreciates freedom, physical,
social, visual

According to True Colors, those with Blue personality characteristics are relationship builders
and good communicators, and have good people skills. Those with Gold personality
characteristics have initiative and are organized, manage time well, and pay attention to
detail. Those with Green characteristics are knowledgeable, calm, self-controlled,
determined, and focused. Those with Orange characteristics are social, risk-takers who enjoy
their freedom. Table 2 shows how the True Colors model relates to other theories and
inventories.

Table 2. How the True Colors Inventory Relates to Established Theories/Inventories15

Theory/Inventory Blue Gold Green Orange

 Hippocrates Phlegmatic Melancholic Choleric Sanguine

Jung's Theory Feeling Sensing Thinking Intuitive

Keirsey's Idealist
Guardian
Rationals
Artisans

Temperaments NF SJ NT SP

Myers-Briggs INFP, ENFP, ESFJ, ISFJ, INTJ, ENTJ, ESFP,

Type Indicator INFJ, ENFJ ESTJ, ISTJ INTP, ENTP ISFP,
ESTP,
ISTP

True Colors and Online Education

Every individual has a combination of all four colors within their personality; this is referred to
as their personality characteristic trait spectrum. Mary Miscisin noted various student
personality trait characteristics based on each color as well.16 By identifying particular
characteristic traits, educators can better understand student needs. For example, in general,
students who have self-respect and a sense of their worth typically exhibit behavior that
contributes to the overall productive learning environment. Identifying students' True Colors
personality spectrums can give teachers a wealth of information to enhance their
instruction.17

Miscisin related True Colors personality characteristics to students in face-to-face (F2F)

courses.18 However, understanding online students' personality traits is equally important,
especially given the growth in online education. The Illinois Online Network (ION) highlights
the qualities online students should possess to succeed in the online learning environment.19
Online courses often require students to use theoretical knowledge and work experience
throughout the learning process. According to ION,20 characteristics of successful online
learners include

1. being open-minded about sharing personal and professional experiences online;

2. having good written communication skills;

3. using proactive communication;
4. being self-motivated and self-disciplined;
5. having a commitment to learning;
6. having critical thinking and decision-making skills;
7. believing that quality learning can take place in an online environment; and
8. being spontaneous.

Individual Colors and Online Success

Table 3 outlines the connections between the eight characteristics of successful online
learners and the four True Colors. The first three success characteristics are primarily Blue
characteristics and pertain to communication and being open-minded. However,
communication skills — particularly being proactive in communication — overlap with Gold
characteristics, as people with strong Gold traits are planners. Sharing personal experiences
overlaps with Orange characteristics; people with the latter traits like to talk about
themselves and be social. The next two success characteristics (4 and 5) are Gold and Green
characteristics pertaining to self-motivation, self-discipline, and a commitment to learning.
Those with Gold traits are responsible, dedicated, and will be committed to learning, and
those with Green traits are focused knowledge seekers. Success characteristics (6 and 7)
represent Green traits and focus on critical thinking skills and learning quality. The last
characteristic (8) corresponds to the Orange trait of spontaneity. However, these
characteristics and the students alone do not make a successful online environment.

Table 3. ION's Characteristics of Successful Online Learners and True Colors

Characteristics Color(s)

Being open minded about sharing Blue and Orange

personal and professional experiences
online

Having good written communication Blue

skills

Using proactive communication Blue and Gold

Being self-motivated and self-disciplined Gold and Green

Having a commitment to learning Gold and Green

Having critical thinking and decision Green

making skills

Believing that quality learning is taking Green

place in an online environment

Being spontaneous Orange

The Role of Faculty

To ensure commitment from the students, faculty should make an effort to create an
excellent communication plan and engage students who are motivated and committed to
learning. Colleen DeVine noted faculty should implement key teaching strategies to help
students succeed in the online environment.21 These strategies include being highly
communicative with students, serving as a coach in the learning process, being flexible,
providing continuous feedback, and developing a sense of community. Understanding
students' learning personalities can help faculty better implement these key instructional
strategies.

Hedges discussed personality discovery as a way to help those seeking a better

understanding of self.22 Among her suggestions were that teachers use the results of their
True Colors personality assessment inventory to understand their own personality patterns,
and to highlight the strengths of their own teaching styles. By understanding their own True
Colors spectrum, teachers can better grasp their strengths and weaknesses and adapt their
teaching accordingly. Understanding their students' True Colors will let teachers better
understand students' learning patterns and modify the course's schedule and structure
accordingly.

When faculty understand their students' personality trait spectrums and learning
personalities, they can "more effectively communicate with students and develop
activities/projects to engage all students."23 Students are more likely to approach a learning
environment with enthusiasm when their personality traits are addressed because they feel
esteemed when working or learning within their highest personality traits (that is, their high
color). Students will thus become engaged in the learning instead of becoming passive,
disconnected learners who might drop the course or earn a failing grade.

The Study: True Colors

We conducted a study to expand the True Colors personality traits to online learners to
better understand their success characteristics and learner personalities. Our work has
implications for how educators can modify and enhance online course content and delivery to
better meet students' various learning personalities and needs, and thus provide a successful
learning experience for all students.

Although any instrument's reliability depends on the extent to which a measuring procedure
yields the same results on repeated trials, an instrument's validity — that is, it measures
what it is meant to measure — is crucial to its credibility. Judith Whichard conducted a study
to determine the reliability and validity of True Colors as an accurate assessment of
temperament theory, personality types, and behavioral characteristics.24 A total of 167
students divided into seven groups participated in the study, which used three temperament
instruments: MBTI; Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Compliance (DISC); and the True
Colors word cluster.

Whichard's study found the True Colors word cluster and MBTI both had the ability to
measure personality, psychological, behavioral, and temperament characteristics. The study
also showed both instruments can be used interchangeably yielding the same results, and
that True Colors and DISC showed similar measures for temperament and behavior, with the
exception of the dominance-orange dimension. Therefore, True Colors is viewed as an
instrument that precisely assesses and defines personality traits. Our study furthers
personality assessment work by investigating the True Colors personality trait spectrums and
learning personalities of successful online students.

Methodology
Our study's participants were undergraduate students enrolled in a Computer Business
Applications online course. The course content included learning Microsoft Excel at the
intermediate level and Microsoft Access at a beginning level. We asked participants to
complete an online survey as an end-of-course evaluation. The survey consisted of a variety
of questions about the design of the online course, communication within the course,
demographics, and questions related specifically to our personality trait research. These
questions included True Colors character words that students ranked from "most like me" to
"least like me." We also included the following open-ended statement related to student
success in the online environment: "List the top two most valuable things that led to your
success in this course." Of the course's 218 enrolled students, 175 completed the
demographic survey questions and 172 completed the survey questions pertaining to True
Colors, for a response rate of 79 percent.

Findings
Table 4 below provides an overview of the demographics of the participants, which included
approximately as many females (85) as males (90). The majority of the participants (78
percent) were Caucasian, and 76 percent were between the ages of 18 and 21. Few
participants were seniors as the course is typically a prerequisite in many programs of study.

Table 4. Demographics (N = 175)

Gender No.   Ethnicity No.   Age No.   Class Rank

Female 85 49% African 26 15% 18– 71 41% Freshman

American 19

Male 90 51% Asian 3 2% 20– 62 35% Sophomore

21

      Caucasian 138 78% 22– 18 10% Junior

23

      Latino 3 2% 24– 5 3% Senior

25

      Multi- 4 2% 26+ 19 11%  

Race

      Native 1 1%        
American

We asked participants to review sets of four character words related to the True Colors
spectrum and rank those words from "most like me" (4) to "least like me" (1) as follows:

One word must be rated "most like me" (4).

One word must be rated "more like me" (3).

One word must be rated "somewhat like me" (2).

One word must be rated "least like me" (1).

We created a web survey to provide for a 4–1 rating for each set of character words, as
participants could not choose the same rating (4–1) for two or more words in the set. Table 5
shows an overview of the ranking of words associated with each of the model's four colors
(Blue, Gold, Green, and Orange).

Table 5. True Colors Personality Spectrum for Participants Overall (N = 172)

Blue Words Most Like Me   More Like Me   Somewhat Like Me  

Sensitive 34 20% 37 22% 38 22%

Optimistic 48 28% 29 17% 50 29%

Caring 76 44% 49 28% 26 15%

Passionate 63 37% 53 31% 37 22%

Peaceful 20 12% 50 29% 68 40%

Romantic 22 13% 57 33% 49 28%

Kind 56 33% 51 30% 30 17%

Encouraging 39 23% 64 37% 51 30%

Cooperative 39 23% 62 36% 49 28%

Positive 88 51% 43 25% 18 10%

Overall Blue   28%   29%   24%

Gold Words Most Like Me   More Like Me   Somewhat Like Me  

Detail-oriented 41 24% 48 28% 46 27%

Prepared 30 17% 35 20% 54 31%

On task 34 20% 40 23% 66 38%

Trustworthy 100 58% 36 21% 16 9%

Helpful 53 31% 46 27% 45 26%

Punctual 21 12% 37 22% 38 22%

Loyal 75 44% 56 33% 30 17%

Reliable 82 48% 46 27% 23 13%

Goal-oriented 47 27% 50 29% 40 23%

Predictable 17 10% 38 22% 48 28%

Overall Gold   29%   25%   23%

Green Words Most Like Me   More Like Me   Somewhat Like Me  

Conceptual 17 10% 57 33% 77 45%

Philosophical 27 16% 18 10% 39 23%

Intelligent 36 21% 80 47% 35 20%

Theoretical 21 12% 23 13% 37 22%

Complex 26 15% 24 14% 42 24%

Calm 32 19% 41 24% 43 25%

Independent 40 23% 45 26% 69 40%

Logical 51 30% 43 25% 46 27%

Collected 28 16% 31 18% 43 25%

Analytical 23 13% 28 16% 53 31%

Overall   18%   22%   28%

Green

Orange Words Most Like Me   More Like Me   Somewhat Like Me  

Playful 59 34% 29 17% 34 20%

Energetic 42 24% 61 35% 44 26%

Charming 42 24% 54 31% 51 30%

Quick witted 27 16% 63 37% 47 27%

 Creative 66 38% 29 17% 36 21%

Entertaining 56 33% 40 23% 36 21%

Mobile 13 8% 37 22% 59 34%

Inventive 24 14% 32 19% 56 33%

Competitive 64 37% 33 19% 31 18%

Risk taker 51 30% 35 20% 30 17%

Overall   26%   24%   24%

Orange

In reviewing table 5's data, it's important to understand the importance of the second color in
an individuals' True Colors spectrum.25 The first color (the "high color") is the dominant color
representing the most personality characteristics that an individual has; however, the second
color represents personality characteristics that also influence behavior. When we combined
the "most like me" and "more like me" columns, the overall True Colors spectrum of the
online students in our study, we found that Blue was most common (57 percent), followed
by Gold (54 percent), Orange (50 percent), and Green (40 percent). A small percentage
difference separated the Blue and Gold, while Green was ranked last.

When using only the "most like me" ratings, Gold and Blue remained the top two colors in
the spectrum, with Gold slightly higher (29 percent), followed by Blue (28 percent), Orange
(26 percent), and Green (18 percent). However, Gold and Blue are again separated by only a
small percentage difference, indicating that students have many personality characteristics in
both colors. Green was again ranked last, with students recording the least of these
personality characteristic traits. Both Gold and Blue have characteristics pertaining to
communication, which might allude to why the color choices are more like the students than
others.

As noted earlier, the ION's characteristics of successful online learners consisted mainly of
Green, Gold, and Blue characteristics (which account for seven of the eight characteristics in
table 3). These characteristics include open-mindedness, good written communication,
proactive communication, self-motivation, self-discipline, critical thinking and decision-
making skills, believing quality learning is taking place, and a commitment to learning.

We also gave participants in our study the opportunity, through an open-ended statement, to
indicate what they believed helped them succeed in the online course. When determining
success in a course, grade distributions are often discussed. The actual grade distributions for
all 218 students at the course's end were:

A — 70 students (32 percent)

B — 60 (28 percent)

C — 40 (18 percent)
 D — 14 (6 percent)

F — 34 (16 percent)

In this study, we defined "success" as earning an A or B in the course. Table 6 shows the
breakdown of the successful students who replied to our open-ended statement (106), and
also categorizes by color their comments (a total of 201) on the factors they said impacted
their success.

Table 6. Successful Students' Comments Connected to True Colors

Color Number of Comments Percent of Comments

Gold 71 35%

Green 65 32%

Blue 48 24%

Orange 17 9%

Table 7 shows a detailed summary of comments from successful students categorized based
on the model's colors and organized by the number of times students mentioned the
characteristic.

Table 7. Students' Comments Categorized by Color and Frequency

Student Comment No. of Times Color Color Descriptor

Students Made
the Comment

Time management 21 Gold Planner

Helpfulness of 17 Blue Helpful

chapter tutorials

Previous Microsoft 12 Green Competent

Excel knowledge and
skill

Working ahead 11 Gold Planner

Set deadlines, 10 Gold Appreciates

schedule, and due deadlines
dates

Online training 8 Green Independent

 work

Learning what Excel 7 Green Knowledgeable

does and knowledge
gained

Working at my own 6 Orange Appreciates

pace/ability to freedom
schedule my
classwork around my
work schedule

Communication with 6 Blue Communicator

Dr. Crews

Not procrastinating 6 Gold Punctual

Reading the book 6 Green Seeking

knowledge

Good with 5 Green Competent

computers/technology

Learning what Access 5 Green Knowledgeable

does and knowledge
gained

Dr. Crews' availability 5 Blue Helpful

Organization 4 Gold Organized

Case problem 4 Orange Appreciates

automatic grading immediate
with immediate feedback
feedback

Checking Blackboard 4 Blue Communication

and e-mail for
communication
daily/often

Having a friend to 4 Blue Enjoys friends

work with

Interest in 4 Green Seeking

learning/actually knowledge
learning new things

Helpfulness of the 3 Blue Helpful

students I met in the
class

FAQ discussion board 3 Blue Helpful

on Blackboard

Staying on task 3 Gold Determined

Communicating with 3 Blue Communication

others to get
questions answered

Motivation 2 Gold Motivated

Initiative 2 Gold Motivated

Planning ahead 2 Gold Planner

Self-discipline 2 Green Independent

Previous Microsoft 2 Green Competent

Access knowledge
and skills

Step-by-step 2 Green Logical

Hard work and drive 2 C Responsible

Determination 2 Gold Determined

Detailed syllabus 2 Gold Detail-oriented

Independent 2 Green Prefers

work/learning independent
work

Dr. Crews' 1 Blue Helpful

helpfulness

Dr. Crews' knowledge 1 Green Knowledgeable

of the course
Expectations and 1 Gold Rules and
guidelines of course procedures

Course content 1 Green Seeking

related directly to my knowledge
major (accounting and
finance)

Knowing how to deal 1 Orange Laid back

with stress and work
overload

Working in my own 1 Orange Appreciates

preferred freedom
environment and not
having to go to class

Online lectures 1 Green Prefers

independent
work

Ability to follow 1 Gold Rules and

directions procedures

Ability to learn 1 Green Knowledgeable

Pictures to guide 1 Orange Visual

work

Clarity of work 1 Blue Communication

instructions

Past experiences 1 Green Knowledgeable

Help from Google 1 Green Seeks knowledge

Ability to see my 1 Orange Immediate

progress feedback

Learning hands-on 1 Orange Physical

Relaxed, no pressure 1 Orange Laid back

environment

Ability to pick up 1 Green Intellectual

 skills easily

Open labs 1 Orange Mobility

Working in a quiet 1 Green Needs private

environment time

My knowledge 1 Green Knowledgeable

Patience 1 Blue Patient

Devoting large 1 Gold Planner

chunks of time to the
course

Work ethic 1 Gold Responsible

Wanting to earn an 1 Green Intellectual

"A" in the course

The successful students' comments indicate that Gold characteristics helped the most
students succeed (35 percent), closely followed by Green (32 percent) and Blue (24 percent)
characteristics; Orange characteristics were the least helpful (9 percent). Therefore, the top
two colors noted by their success comments were Gold and Green. These comments were
provided by the students after they completed the self-assessment, ranking the trait
characteristic words from "most like me" to "least like me." In the self-assessment, they
indicated Green as their "low color" — that is, the color with the fewest personality traits —
along with Gold, as the color with the most personality traits.

Implications
As we described earlier, Gold, Green, and Blue personality traits best helped students
succeed in this online course. Research has also shown that individuals with high Gold traits
are detail oriented, responsible and have good time management skills. Those with Green
traits typically possess good critical thinking skills and are knowledgeable, independent,
competent and logical. Individuals with high Blue traits are optimistic, cooperative,26 good
communicators, and appreciate helpful environments.

It is interesting to note the students' self-assessment of their personality traits differed from
their comments about what they believed helped them be successful in the online course.
Overall, our study participants self-assessed through a ranking of trait words and provided
successful comments in the following order, from highest to lowest:

Self-assessment of personality traits: Gold (29%), Blue (28%), Orange (26%), and
Green (18%)
Success comments: Gold (35%), Green (32%), Blue (24%), and Orange (9%)
Students self-assessed themselves to have high Gold personality traits and also noted in
their comments that these traits helped them be successful in the class. However, while
students ranked Green characteristics lowest in their True Colors personality spectrum, 32
percent of the successful students who provided comments indicated those characteristics
helped them succeed in the course. This points to an important concept in True Colors.

The color individuals identified as "most like me" is their high color, and they have many of
these personality trait characteristics; in their low color (ranked "least like me"), they have
few personality trait characteristics. Most individuals have a high and a low color in the
spectrum, yet some individuals have a tie, with two high or low colors or even three colors
close to each other. When individuals have many personality characteristic traits (their high
color), they might be overwhelming or annoying to others. In such cases, they need to learn
to "fade their shade." Fading a shade includes toning down personality traits to improve
teamwork, communication, conflict management, and so on. The reverse is true when an
individual has few personality traits in a color (their low color) as they have to "pull up their
color." For example, is an individual's low color is Blue, they must "pull up their color" in
certain circumstances and consciously perform that trait — such as communicate or work
cooperatively. When individuals have few personality trait characteristics in a color, they
cannot use it as an excuse. For example, people with their low color as Gold still have to be
organized and punctual at times. Thus, to be successful, they must "pull up" those
personality traits.

This is exactly what the successful students did with their Green characteristics in this study.
They realized they had to think critically, gain more knowledge, study book content, do
research, and work outside their comfort zone — that is, outside their low color. Therefore,
they pulled up their color to be successful. As Moallem noted, "It seems that in online
learning environments where social interaction, collaboration and problem solving are highly
emphasized, it is likely that students' perceptions of their positive learning experience
influence their motivation and willingness to adjust their preferred learning styles."27

Recommendations
Our recommendations fall into two key areas: helping students understand and draw on
successful learning styles, and helping faculty design more flexible courses and assignments
that play to the strengths of all of their students and thus encourage success.

Helping Students Understand Successful Learning Styles

Certified trainers in True Colors can help others understand their own and others' personality
trait spectrums, which can improve communication; help people understand how to work
better in teams; develop strategies to connect with others; and help them get along with
diverse personalities. Certified trainers can work with interested groups and/or individuals.
However, individuals can also access the True Colors assessment program to learn more
about themselves and carefully consider how to provide content and instruction to all
students. As individuals get to know themselves better and consider carefully how to design
learning for all students, everyone benefits. Individuals can assess their spectrum by going to
the True Colors International website; Mary Miscisin provides free information about
assessing students' True Colors spectrums as well by discussing how students' personalities
reveal a "rainbow of student behaviors."28

As noted by Crews, Bodenhamer, and Weaver,29 "True Colors can help educators understand
their students more completely and develop a classroom environment to engage all
students." Through this deeper understanding, faculty can provide for differentiated and
individualized instruction providing opportunities for more valuable and effective learning
experiences. When faculty understand their own True Colors personality trait spectrum, they
can typically at least identify their students' highest and lowest colors. Faculty must "fade
their shade" and "pull up their color" when appropriate to meet all students' needs.

When using this model with students, two important concepts to teach them are to fade their
top color so as not to overwhelm others and to pull up their low colors when doing so can
help them succeed.

Although it may not be practical for faculty members to understand each online student's
True Color spectrum, they can give their online students a list of characteristics of successful
students at the start of each semester. Then, at semester's end, they should ask students
what they believe made them successful in the course. As in our case, they can do this in
conjunction with the end-of-course evaluations, and then provide the results to subsequent
students. Faculty can also provide suggestions and/or communication to help each student be
successful based on each True Color. For example, Gold students need detail and like specific
guidelines, while Orange students need freedom to choose how to complete a project and
not-so-specific guidelines. Green students need to be challenged and work independently,
but Blue students need the option to work with each other. Therefore, the course design is
essential.

Color-Conscious Course Design

It's important for faculty to provide a good online course — one designed and implemented
to help all students succeed in the online environment, regardless of their learning
personality. This includes developing the syllabus, assignments, and projects to appeal to all
four personality types.

Students with high Blue personality traits need an opportunity to easily communicate
with their peers and the instructor, work cooperatively, and help others. Blues can
become unmotivated when their help is not appreciated or communication is stifled.
Students who possess high Gold personality traits need organization, deadlines,
rules, and procedures. Gold students also need to know that rules and procedures
will be enforced for all students.
Students who possess high Green personality traits need to be challenged, to expand
their knowledge, and to understand the work they are doing has a purpose. Greens
will not be motivated to learn if they believe their work is senseless and not helping
them gain knowledge.

Students who possess high Orange personality traits need to be able to work
anywhere, anytime and be mobile, entertained, and creative in their work; they thus
often prefer the flexibility of an online class. Orange students need some structure to
keep them from procrastinating throughout the semester, but too much structure can
be stressful for them.

In general, then, projects assigned throughout the semester should be designed with a
communication component, scheduled with deadlines, and challenge students to gain
knowledge, but they should also be flexible, allowing students to use creativity in completing
the assignment.

Specifically, faculty can organize courses to suit the strengths and needs of these four types
in several of the following ways. For Blue students, faculty might design projects with a
service-oriented component that allows students become more involved in the community, or
develop a cooperative learning assignment in which students can work collaboratively to
help each other.

For Gold students, faculty should use a rubric with clear criteria and ensure learning
outcomes are connected to that rubric. If a university's instructional design center creates the
rubric, faculty members should be involved in the design; after all, they are the ones
delivering the content, assigning the project, and assessing students' work. Gold students
will also expect clear communication through a well-designed syllabus with clear-cut
deadlines, rules, and procedures.

Green students need the challenge of learning. They will excel when a course is designed to
provide for, what they perceive as lesser assignments, weekly multiple choice quizzes to be
eliminated if extensive learning is shown through a research project. For example, all
students in the course may be asked to complete a research project, but there may be extra
items that could be accomplished to earn extra points to take the place of the weekly quizzes.
Greens will be bored and frustrated with busy work.

Orange students need flexibility and the opportunity to be the center of attention. Even with
a rubric, for example, you might give these students flexibility in how they produce or deliver
the final product; if a "presentation" is required, you could give students various options on
how they deliver it, such as through slideshow software, video, electronic whiteboard, or any
online means in which they can meet the learning objective.

Flexible Course Design: Two Examples

The best way to ensure students are provided with a variety of opportunities to learn within
their top colors is to develop and implement assignments/projects that give students choices.
To help stimulate ideas, we offer two examples.

Jennifer Fogarty, a previous high school business educator, told us that when students are
provided with choices to meet the project objectives, it allows them to direct their strengths
to a project that meets their personality traits.30 As an example, suppose you assign a project
that requires students to investigate and describe a specific travel destination. To meet the
needs of all students, you could ask students to choose and complete three of the following
six options:

1. Create a presentation (of your choice) with visuals about the destination; you can do
this individually or with another student.
2. Research the destination and write a research report.
3. Create a map with details about the destination.
4. Develop a detailed itinerary for the destination.

5. Create a web page about the destination.

6. Create a budget for a trip to the destination.

Giving students these choices lets them use the strengths in their personality traits to portray
the travel destination in their own way and still provide the information the project requires.

A second example, developed by Jessica Miller, current business educator in the Aurora
Public School System, Denver, Colorado, illustrates another way to give students flexibility in
achieving learning objectives, this time in a personal finance project.31 In this case, students
are given the choice of completing two of the following assignments:
 1. Develop a spreadsheet of monthly expenditures for your family, providing specific
examples, and recommend a method for storing records safely in your home.

2. Design and create a flyer or brochure for a financial institution that gives its
customers various options for safely storing financial documents. Include advantages,
disadvantages, and associated costs for each option.

3. With one or two other students, write an original 30-second script for an identity
theft TV commercial. The script should include factual information about identity theft
and ways to prevent it. Record the commercial using appropriate software.

4. Produce a document or presentation to explain a new identification system that you

have invented to replace the social security card and reduce identify theft.

Again, these choices play to the strengths of the Gold, Blue, Orange, and Green personality
traits, respectively. When project requirements are matched to learning objectives and to
students' strengths and personality traits, impressive work prevails.

Conclusions
As these examples show, general teaching strategies must be well rounded to address the
needs of all different learning personalities. Instructors should engage students in the
learning process, but remain organized in their lessons. Keep in mind that students who
possess Blue personality traits like to help others, so group activities can help meet the
needs of multiple student color types. Group projects that are well organized help Gold
students and give Blue students a chance to be cooperative rather than competitive; when
such projects are designed to be active and entertaining, yet flexible, Orange students
thrive,32and Green students can be challenged if appropriately designed, as Greens see
knowledge as power.33

Co-author Tena Crews has hopes of working toward assessing all of her online students'
True Colors through an online assessment and providing learning personality-based
suggestions and communication to help her students be more successful. This will be an
ongoing challenge as she will be facing approximately 400 students in the course with
assistance from a part-time adjunct and a graduate assistant.

Notes
1. Gerhard Blickle, "Personality Traits, Learning Strategies, and Performance,"
European Journal of Personality, vol. 10, no. 5, 1996, pp. 337–352.
2. Eunjoo Oh and Doohun Lim, "Cross Relationship Between Cognitive Styles and
Learner Variables in Online Learning Environment," Journal of Interactive Online
Learning, vol. 4, no. 1, 2005, pp. 53–66.
3. Blickle, "Personality Traits, Learning Strategies, and Performance."
4. Oh and Lim, "Cross Relationship Between Cognitive Styles and Learner Variables," p.
54.
5. Daniel W. Salter, Nancy J. Evans, and Deanna S. Forney, "A Longitudinal Study of
Learning Style Preferences on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Learning Style
Inventory," Journal of College Student Development, vol. 47, no. 2, 2006, pp. 173–
184.
6. Patricia Hedges, "Personality Discovery: Personality Patterns in Teachers and Their
Pupils," Pastoral Care in Education, vol. 15, no. 3, 1997, pp. 17–22.
 7. Ibid, p. 17.
8. Myers & Briggs Foundation, MBTI Basics, 2012.
9. Myers & Briggs Foundation, My MBTI Results, 2012.
10. Sharon M. Chambers, James C. Hardy, Brenda J. Smith, and Sarah F. Sienty,
"Personality Indicators and Emergency Permit Teachers' Willingness to Embrace
Technology," Journal of Instructional Psychology, vol. 30, no. 3 (2003), pp. 185–188.

11. David Keirsey, Please Understand Me II (Prometheus Nemesis Book Company,

1998).
12. True Colors Foundation, Keys to Personal Success: Facilitator's Guide, True Colors
Publishing, 1996.
13. Ibid.

14. True Colors International, What Is True Colors and What Can It Do for Me?, 2009.
15. Mary Miscisin, Showing Our True Colors, True Colors Publishing, 2004.
16. Mary Miscisin, "True Colors Reveal a Rainbow of Student Behaviors," online article,
positivelymary.com, 2005.
17. Tena B. Crews, Johanna Bodenhamer, and Tina Weaver, "Understanding True Colors
Personality Trait Spectrum of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management
Students to Enhance Classroom Instruction," Journal of Teaching in Travel &
Tourism, vol. 10, no. 1 (2010), pp. 22–41.
18. Mary Miscisin, "True Colors Reveal a Rainbow."
19. Illinois Online Network (ION), Online Education Resources: Pedagogy & Learning,
ION, 2010.

20. Ibid.
21. Colleen DeVine, "The Skills Both Online Students and Teachers Must Have"
[http://www.edudemic.com/the-skills-both-online-students-and-teachers-must-
have/], Edudemic: Connecting Education and Technology, Mar. 27, 2013.

22. Patricia Hedges, "Personality Discovery," p. 17-22.

23. Tena B. Crews et al., "Understanding True Colors," p. 22.

24. Judith A. Whichard, "Reliability and Validity of True Colors," presentation, True
Colors International, 2006.
25. Tena B. Crews et al., "Understanding True Colors," p. 35.

26. Ibid., "Understanding True Colors," p. 25.

27. Mahnaz Moallem, "Accommodating Individual Differences in the Design of Online
Learning Environments: A Comparative Study," Journal of Research on Technology
in Education, vol. 40, no. 2 (2007), pp. 217–245; see p. 238.
28. Mary Miscisin, "True Colors Reveal a Rainbow of Student Behaviors."
29. Tena B. Crews et al., p. 40.
30. Jennifer Fogarty, personal communication re: providing students choices in completing
assignments and projects, April 10, 2007.

31. Tena B. Crews and Jessica Miller, "Your Students' True Colors," presentation, South
Carolina Business Education Association Conference, 2013.

32. Tena B. Crews et al., "Understanding True Colors," p. 38.

33. Ibid, p. 32.
 © 2014 Tena B. Crews, Sradha Sheth, and Tamlyn M. Horne. The text of this EDUCAUSE
Review online article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-
No derivative works 4.0 license.

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