The relationship between learning style preferences and gender, educational major and status in first year medical students: a survey study from iran

Learning style preference and the academic achievements of medical students in an integrated curriculum

Understanding how individuals learn best, known as learning style, is integral to optimizing educational outcomes. This analytical study was conducted among students in their fourth year who finalized their problem-based activities at the College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia. The visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic (VARK) model was adopted to assess individual differences in learning preferences and their correlation with academic achievement in the problem-based learning (PBL)-dependent curriculum. The online self-administered survey was completed by 64 students with a response rate of 79%. Of these, 63.5% were men and 36.5% were women, with a mean age of 21.9 years and a grade point average (GPA) of 3.83. Analysis of learning style distribution revealed that 34.9% preferred visual, 54% preferred auditory, 17.5% preferred read/write, and 90.5% preferred kinesthetic styles. Also, combined learning modalities revealed that 14.3% preferred unimodal, 74.6% bimodal, and 11.1% trimodal approaches. The most frequent unimodal approach was kinesthetic, while auditory/kinesthetic and visual/auditory/kinesthetic were the predominant bimodal and trimodal preferences. No significant differences in GPA were found among students with different selective learning styles or combined learning modalities, as determined by one-way ANOVA and chi-square tests. Spearman's rho correlation revealed a positive correlation between the learning modality and the auditory style (P < 0.001). Also, a negative correlation was identified between reading/writing versus kinesthetic and auditory versus visual learning styles (P = 0.001). However, no significant correlations were identified between grades or GPA and specific learning styles. It can be concluded that the integrated PBL-dependent curriculum adopted at the College of Medicine, University of Bisha, is a suitable teaching modality satisfying different learning styles, but continuous monitoring is crucial.

A Student Learning Style Auto-Detection Model in a Learning Management System

Learning style plays an important role in enabling students to have an efficient learning process. This paper proposes an auto-detection model of student learning styles in learning management systems based on student learning activities. A literature review was conducted to investigate the components of online learning activities. The search terms used were "online learning activities", "learning management systems", and "Felder-Silverman Learning Style Model (FSLSM)." A combination of the search terms above was also executed to enhance the search process. Based on the results of the review, eleven classes of online learning activities were identified, namely forum, chat, mail, reading materials, exam delivery time, exercises, access to examples, answer changes, learning materials, exam results, and information access. The online learning activities identified were then mapped to the Felder-Silverman model based on four model dimensions: processing, perception, input, and understanding. The proposed model shows the attributes of the online learning activities based on the dimensions in the FSLSM. The proposed model can assist educators to improve learning content according to the suitability of students and recommend appropriate learning materials to students based on their characteristics and preferences. Future studies include the use of machine learning algorithms such as decision trees to auto-detect student learning styles in learning management systems.

Gender impact on STEM online learning- a correlational study of gender, personality traits and learning styles in relation to different online teaching modalities

STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education benefits both individuals and society. It supports individuals by increasing their critical-thinking skills, encouraging creativity, as well as providing a basis for new inventions. The underrepresentation of women in STEM is a complex issue with various causes and different approaches of addressing it, where most likely gender differences are caused by desires and choice rather than abilities and performance. This paper explores differences in online and traditional STEM learning based on gender. It examines in detail recently identified patterns of women's success, their access to STEM online courses, and their overall course experience during such courses. We analyzed results from a case study in which students were enrolled for one semester in two STEM online courses and completed questionnaires about their character traits and learning styles and how they relate to academic performance. The objective of our research is to analyze academic success during traditional classes and online classes, with focus on gender and identify how character traits and learning styles correlate with gender in online classes. The main outcome of our research is that female students, which study in the field of STEM in particular computer science, are trustworthy and autonomous students who can outperform their male counterparts during traditional courses, where during online courses male students still exceed slightly female students. The trait of Consciousness is a success predictor regardless of gender and learning environment, while the trait of Neuroticism has negative impact the traditional learning environment, Extraversion shows negative impact in online learning. Learning styles show gender differences, where female students prefer the style of read/write while male students favor kinesthetic.

Correlation Learning Style with Grade Point Average Fourth Year Medical Student

BACKGROUND: Learning achievement is an important indicator to determine the learning and teaching process, each student has a different learning style. Student learning learns how they choose the suitable method and the results obtained optimally. A student must also learn their learning styles to choose methods or ways of learning that are appropriate to their character. AIM: Knowing the relationship between learning style and cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4th-year students at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Baiturrahmah. METHODS: The scope of this research covers the fields of medical science, especially medical education, correlative analytical research with cross-sectional design. The study was conducted at the Medical Faculty Universitas Baiturrahma. The study was conducted from May to January 2019. The affordable population in this study were 4th-year students numbered 80 students with the Simple Random Sampling technique. Data analysis was univariately presented in the form of a frequency distribution table and bivariate analysis using the correlation test using the SPSS program. RESULTS: At most with female gender, namely (71.3%), the highest place is at most boarding, namely (77.5%), most have quad-model learning styles, namely (80%), most have a GPA graduated that is (61.3%), there is a relationship between the learning style and the GPA of 4th-year medical students with a value of p = 0.024 (p < 0.05) and r = 0.0253. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that the 4th-year medical students have the most female sex, the most places to live are boarding, quad-model learning style, and there is a correlation between learning styles and the 4th year GPA Medicine at Universitas Baiturrahmah.

Do Medical Students' Learning Styles and Approaches Explain Their Views and Behavior Regarding Lecture Attendance?

INTRODUCTION

Medical students' attendance at lectures, particularly in the preclinical years, has been steadily declining over the years. One of the many explanations offered for this observation is that students have different learning styles and approaches, such that not all of them benefit from attending lectures; however, no studies have specifically examined this possibility. While there is evidence against learning styles as affecting objective measures of learning, they are associated with subjective measures of learning and may therefore influence student behavior. We hypothesized that students' learning styles and/or approaches influence their views about the value and purpose of lectures and their motivation to attend them, which, in turn will affect their behavior.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A LimeSurvey was distributed to all preclinical students at the American University of Beirut. The survey included questions about demographic data, self-reported attendance rates in Year 1 of medical school, two validated and standardized questionnaires assessing the students' learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, tactile, group, individual) and learning approaches (superficial, deep, strategic), and a series of questions exploring the students' views about the purpose and value of lectures and their motivation to attend lectures.

RESULTS

No associations were found between learning styles or approaches and attendance rates, but this may have been confounded by the mandatory attendance policy at the time. There were, however, a few positive associations between some learning styles or approaches and the students' views about the value of attending lectures. In particular, students with high scores as auditory learners tended to see absolutely no value in attending lectures, and those with high scores as group, auditory or visual learners, tended to see less value in taking their own notes in lectures. Students with superficial approaches to learning felt that watching videos of a lecture provides equivalent education to attending a lecture. There were no statistically significant associations with either the perceived purpose of lectures or the motivation to attend lectures after correction for multiple testing.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals that except for some interesting findings related to auditory learners, differences in learning styles or approaches among students cannot adequately explain differences in their attitudes, and likely, behavior, regarding lecture attendance. The idea that learning styles and approaches can influence educational preferences and outcomes, while attractive and intuitive, continues to require supporting evidence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01362-3.

Influence of Personality Traits and Learning Styles on Undergraduate Medical Students' Academic Achievement

PURPOSE

Learning focus has shifted from conventional teacher-centered to student-centered; therefore, methods used to support and encourage learners must be considered. Meanwhile, the individual differences between learners should be taken into consideration by medical educators. Aiming to achieve a better learning experience, the current study investigates the relationship between personality traits and learning styles and their effect on students' academic achievement.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

An analytical, cross-sectional study, encompassing a sample of 333 undergraduate first-year medical students, at the Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University in Egypt was conducted. The Big Five personality traits test and VARK learning styles questionnaires were used to assess students' personality traits and learning styles, respectively, in the medical education module which is a part of the Foundation II module. The former is five weeks' duration and is followed by a summative exam at the end. Students' academic achievement was determined from their grades in Foundation II module by the end of the semester.

RESULTS

Study findings generally indicate that the highest domain of learning styles among students is the kinesthetic domain. A statistically significant difference between males and females regarding their learning style preferences was detected. Also, there was a statistically significant relationship between auditory and kinesthetic learning styles and academic achievement. Though there was a significant relationship between kinesthetic learning style with both openness traits and academic achievement, no significant statistical relationship was found between any of the personality traits and academic achievement.

CONCLUSION

This study concludes that learning style could affect students' academic achievement. It reveals that the kinesthetic learning style is the most preferred learning style among our medical students, also the agreeableness and openness traits were the most common personality traits among them. No significant relationship was detected between personality traits and academic achievement.

Examining Learning Styles with Gender Comparison Among Medical Students of a Saudi University

AIM

Different students use different learning styles and acquire knowledge from various sources during their medical college learning journey. Every student has a preference for a certain sensory mode to receive and process all acquired information. Identifying learning styles among different students can help students try to strengthen their preferred learning style and improve other nonpreferred learning styles. Our objective is to assess the preferred sensory modality and the learning preferences by utilizing the VARK questionnaire in medical faculty students at Imam Mohammed Bin Saud Islamic University (IMBSU) and the influence of gender and its relation to academic achievements.

METHODOLOGY

A survey was distributed to medical students of IMBSU in Riyadh. VARK questionnaire was used to assess the learning preference. Other questions regarding demographic data were also included in the same questionnaire.

RESULTS

Of the 146 students, 113 students completed the questionnaire. Of them, 95 (84.1%) were males, and 18 (15.9%) were females. The multimodal learning style was preferred by 70% of the respondents, with the remaining 30% having a unimodal style preference. The aural (A) and the kinesthetic (K) styles were the most preferred unimodal styles. Overall, the most common style was the quad-modal (VARK type 2) style, with 21.20% having this preference.

CONCLUSION

No statistically significant differences were observed between male and female students concerning their learning preferences. The participants' preferred learning style or learning model was also observed to have no statistically significant impact on GPA and academic performance.

Eliciting preferences of professors and medical group students for evaluation methods of theoretical courses: An application of discrete choice experiment analysis

BACKGROUND

Evaluation has become an inseparable part of education process which gives feedback to students and professors to improve education quality. This study aimed to elicit preferences of professors and students about attributes of evaluation methods in theoretical courses in Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in 2018.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Discrete choice experiment (DCE) method used for eliciting preferences of participants of the study. A narrative literature review and interview with eight professors and ten students conducted to determine attributes and levels of evaluation methods in the university. Furthermore, experimental design used for making final choice sets of the evaluation methods. We included 213 students and 30 professors in the study. Conditional logistic regression model performed to data analysis.

RESULTS

Most of the professors (36.67%) preferred to allocate up to 30% of evolution scores to midterm examination. However, the most percentage of students (30.45%) were agree to include midterm examination up to 15% of total scores. The majority of students prefer to examination questions compromise just presented materials, while 70% of professors prefer to include additional texts for evaluation examinations. In case of quiz examination, professors in comparison with students prefer that quiz should have higher proportion of total scores. DCE analysis indicated that professors and students preferred a mix of questions in examinations. In addition, additional resources beyond what is taught in class made utility for professors and disutility for students. Quiz, also, increased the utility of an evaluation package in professors.

CONCLUSION

The findings showed that there is a gap between preferences of professors and students regarding some attributes of evaluation methods such as student's discipline, examination materials, and quiz. Further studies are needed to examining other attributes of evaluation methods in theatrical and practical courses in Iran and other contexts.

Integrating Business Students’ E-Learning Preferences into Knowledge Management of Universities after the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many universities to close doors and keep students completely online—a phenomenon that raised unprecedented challenges with lessons learned that should be integrated into future educational knowledge management strategies and practices. Special attention should be given to students’ learning habits. This paper presents the results of a semi-systematic literature review on the research problem and a survey of a sample of business students regarding their learning habits and preferences. Learnings of the research can be useful for the transition to an entirely online distance education, integrated in the framework of knowledge management strategies regarding e-learning in universities. The primary quantitative research was conducted before the start of the lockdown, and the results give useful insights that can be translated into mandatory elements for any strategy designed to assure a smooth and effective passage from in-class education to online teaching and learning. Students’ pre-epidemic learning habits, their use of communication tools and their preferences for solutions usable in distance education, with a special focus on gender and education level, have been investigated. Results are correlated in the paper with possible knowledge management strategies in universities as part of an approach with both academic and practical implications.

Team-based learning for teaching musculoskeletal ultrasound skills: a prospective randomised trial

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this prospective randomised trial was to assess the impact of the team-based learning approach on basic musculoskeletal ultrasound skills in comparison to both peer-assisted and conventional teaching and to examine the influence of gender and learning style on learning outcomes.

METHODS

In this prospective randomised trial, we randomly assigned 88 students to 3 groups: team-based learning (n = 19), peer-assisted learning (n = 36) and conventional teaching (n = 33). Pre-existing knowledge was assessed using a multiple-choice (MC) exam. Student performance after completing the course was measured using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and a second MC exam. Students were asked to complete Kolb's Learning Style Inventory and to evaluate the course.

RESULTS

There was a significant gain in theoretical knowledge for all students (p < 0.001). The team-based learning groups' performance proved to be significantly superior on the OSCE (p = 0.001). As gender had no significant effect on practical or theoretical performance, learning style was linked to differences in the practical outcome. An evaluation showed overall satisfaction with the course and with the respective teaching methods.

CONCLUSION

Team-based learning proved to be superior to peer-assisted and conventional teaching of musculoskeletal ultrasound skills.

Emotional intelligence and learning strategies of postgraduate students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences in the southeast of Iran

INTRODUCTION

Emotional intelligence and learning strategies are among the major requirements for success and academic achievement. The present research was designed and carried out to explore the relationship of emotional intelligence with learning strategies in postgraduate students.

METHODS

The study employed a cross-sectional design and was conducted at Kerman University of Medical Sciences in 2018. Using the emotional intelligence questionnaire by Bradberry and Greaves and a researcher-made questionnaire of learning strategic, we assessed the relationship of emotional intelligence with learning strategies in postgraduate students using a census method (n = 338). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including mean and standard deviation and analytic statistics such as Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, ANOVA, t-test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient at P < 0.05 significance level.

RESULTS

This study showed that the mean emotional intelligence score of postgraduate students was 91.12 ± 13.92 and also no significant relationship between the learning strategies and the emotional intelligence in the participants, but the emotional intelligence components showed a positive significant relationship with the learning strategy components, namely self-efficacy, rehearsal, critical thinking, cognitive self-regulation, time and study environment management, peer learning, and help-seeking.

CONCLUSION

It could be stated that emotional intelligence components can be taught and fostered to improve the emotional intelligence of the learners, optimal learning, and the quality of educational outcomes. However, a learning strategy is a natural, habitual, unique, and fixed preferential method that serves to absorb, process, and maintain new information and skills. In other words, reinforcement of emotional intelligence facilitates learning.

Preferred Learning Styles among Ophthalmology Residents: An Iranian Sample

Purpose

This study was performed to assess the learning styles of a sample of Iranian residents through Kolb's and VARK questionnaires.

Methods

In this descriptive-analytical study, 45 ophthalmology residents of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences were enrolled. Kolb's and VARK questionnaires were provided, and residents were oriented and guided on how to complete them.

Results

Forty-three out of the forty-five ophthalmology residents completed the questionnaire (95.5% response rate). The preferred learning style among ophthalmology residents was assimilative (51.2%), followed by convergent (37.2%), accommodative (7.7%), and divergent (4.7%), based on Kolb's questionnaire. According to the results of the VARK questionnaire, most ophthalmology residents were auditory learners (34.9%), followed by multimodal learners (30.2%). In addition, there was no significant relation between genders, stage of residency, and Kolb's and VARK learning styles (P> 0.05 for all).

Conclusion

The most preferred learning styles of ophthalmology residents were assimilative and auditory. Considering the dominant learning styles of learners and incorporating various teaching methods are recommended to enhance the learning among residents.

Learning styles and satisfaction with educational activities of Saudi Health Science University Students

Objectives

Medical knowledge is constantly changing; this puts pressure on educators to adapt instructional strategies to their students' learning styles (LSs). Therefore, identifying the LSs of medical students could help teachers to develop teaching strategies to achieve better outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the LSs of health science university students, and to assess the relationship between LSs and student satisfaction with educational activities.

Methods

This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the Colleges of Medicine and Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) Jeddah. We used Kolb's LS and a modified Student Satisfaction Survey from Mott Community College, Michigan. All participants received self-administered questionnaires; LS and demographic data were used as predictor variables. Students' satisfaction levels were considered the outcome variable.

Results

A total of 359 students were recruited (mean age 19.0 ± 1.4 years; 53.5% males). The most popular LS was Accommodator (29.2%), followed by Assimilator (27.9%) and Diverger (25.6%), while the Converger style (17.3%) was the least preferred LS. The satisfaction scores of the students showed that they were generally satisfied with a mean score of 64.4%. Males were found to have higher satisfaction across all variables than females (p = 0.002).

Conclusions

This study could not find a predominant LS or satisfaction difference across LSs among health science students. Thus, the current educational programmes in KSAU-HS meet students' LSs and satisfaction. Educators need to broaden their strategies for instruction, so as to build an effective learning environment.

A cross-sectional study of learning styles among continuing medical education participants

PURPOSE

Experiential learning has been suggested as a framework for planning continuing medical education (CME). We aimed to (1) determine participants' learning styles at traditional CME courses and (2) explore associations between learning styles and participant characteristics.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cross-sectional study of all participants (n = 393) at two Mayo Clinic CME courses who completed the Kolb Learning Style Inventory and provided demographic data.

RESULTS

A total of 393 participants returned 241 surveys (response rate, 61.3%). Among the 143 participants (36.4%) who supplied complete demographic and Kolb data, Kolb learning styles included diverging (45; 31.5%), assimilating (56; 39.2%), converging (8; 5.6%), and accommodating (34; 23.8%). Associations existed between learning style and gender (p = 0.02). For most men, learning styles were diverging (23 of 63; 36.5%) and assimilating (30 of 63; 47.6%); for most women, diverging (22 of 80; 27.5%), assimilating (26 of 80; 32.5%), and accommodating (26 of 80; 32.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Internal medicine and psychiatry CME participants had diverse learning styles. Female participants had more variation in their learning styles than men. Teaching techniques must vary to appeal to all learners. The experiential learning theory sequentially moves a learner from Why? to What? to How? to If? to accommodate learning styles.

Essential managerial skills for financial and budgetary management in medical universities: The top managers' perspective

Background: Achieving organizational objectives depends on the effectiveness of administrators. However, managerial efficacy largely depends on the knowledge and skills of managers. This study aimed at assessing the skills of financial and budget management of the Ministry of Health from the perspective of resource development assistants of universities of medical sciences nationwide.

Methods: This cross- sectional study was conducted in 2012. Study participants were resource development assistants of universities of medical sciences in Iran. We adopted simple random sampling method in locating participants. Data were collected using pretested questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney test (as a non-parametric test) and Friedman test.

Results: The highest mean recorded under financial management skills was technical skills (3.58±0.50), followed by human skills (3.50±.048), and perceptual skills (3.32±0.52). With regards to financial and budget management and performance monitoring, the means of technical skills, as prioritized by directors, was 3.72±0.71, followed by human skills (3.72±0.70), and perceptual skills (3.66±0.75). A significant association was found between perceptual skills of financial managers and budgeting and performance monitoring managers (p= 0.014).

Conclusion: Operational level managers, such as financial and budgetary managers, need to acquire more technical skills. Therefore, we support activities that promote technical skills and awareness of managers within organizations, such as organizational training courses and distribution of educational materials like brochures.

Does learning style preferences influence academic performance among dental students in Isfahan, Iran?

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to identify the learning preferences of dental students and to characterize their relationship with academic performance at a dental school in Isfahan, Iran.

METHODS

This cross-sectional descriptive study included 200 undergraduate dental students from October to November 2016. Data were collected using a 2-part questionnaire. The first part included demographic data, and the second part was a Persian-language version of the visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted with the chi-square test, 1-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

The response rate was 86.6%. Approximately half of the students (51.5%) had multimodal learning preferences. Among the unimodal group (48.5%), the most common mode was aural (24.0%), followed by kinesthetic (15.5%), reading-writing (8.0%), and visual (1.0%). There was a significant association between academic performance and the reading/writing learning style preference (P< 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Multimodal learning styles were the most preferred. Among single-mode learning styles, the aural style was most common, followed by the kinesthetic style. Students with a reading/writing preference had better academic performance. The results of this study provide useful information for preparing a more problem-based curriculum with active learning strategies.

Learning styles and strategies preferences of Iranian medical students in gross anatomy courses and their correlations with gender

The learning approaches can help anatomy teachers design a suitable curriculum in harmony with their students' learning styles. The research objective is to evaluate gross anatomy learning styles and strategies preferences of Iranian medical students at Kashan University of Medical Sciences (KAUMS). This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was carried out on 237 Iranian medical students. The students answered questions on approaches to learning anatomy and expressed opinions about learning anatomy in medical curriculum. The data were analyzed to disclose statistically significant differences between male and female students. Iranian male and female students were interested in learning anatomy using notes, plastic models, pictures and diagrams, clinical context, dissection and prosection of cadavers; however, they rarely used cross-sectional images and web-based resources. Both groups of medical students used region and system in learning anatomy. However, there existed some striking differences, particularly in having difficulty in studying anatomy using cadaveric specimens, using books alone, and learning it in small groups. Male students were less interested in learning with cadavers than female counterparts. However, female students were more interested in learning anatomy in small groups. This study suggests that instructors should design gross anatomy curriculum based on limitations of using dissection of cadaver in Iranian universities, emphasis on the applied anatomy, and learning of gross anatomy in small groups.

Interdisciplinary and inter-institutional differences in learning preferences among Malaysian medical and health sciences students

INTRODUCTION

The learner-centred approach in medical and health sciences education makes the study of learning preferences relevant and important. This study aimed to investigate the interdisciplinary, inter-institutional, gender and racial differences in the preferred learning styles among Malaysian medical and health sciences students in three Malaysian universities, namely SEGi University (SEGi), University of Malaya (UM) and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR). It also investigated the differences in the preferred learning styles of these students between high achievers and non-high achievers.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out on medical and health sciences students from three Malaysian universities following the approval of the Research and Ethics Committee, SEGi University. Purposive sampling was used and the preferred learning styles were assessed using the VARK questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated prior to its use. Three disciplines (medicine, pharmacy and dentistry) were chosen based on their entry criteria and some similarities in their course structure. The three participating universities were Malaysian universities with a home-grown undergraduate entry medical program and students from a diverse cultural and socioeconomic background. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 22. VARK subscale scores were expressed as mean+standard deviation. Comparisons of the means were carried out using t-test or ANOVA. A p value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant, and <0.001 as highly significant.

RESULTS

Both statistically significant interdisciplinary and inter-institutional differences in learning preferences were observed. Out of the 337 students, a majority of the participants were unimodal learners (n=263, 78.04%). The most common type of learners was the reading/writing type (n=92, 27.30%) while the kinesthetic subscale (M=6.98, SD=2.85) had the highest mean score. Female students (M=6.86, SD=2.86) scored significantly higher than male students (M=6.08, SD=2.41; t(249), p=0.014) in the auditory subscale, whereas Chinese students (M=5.87, SD=2.65) scored significantly higher than Malay students (M=4.70, SD=2.87; p=0.04) in the visual subscale. However, the mean VARK subscale scores did not differ significantly between high achievers and non-high achievers (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study gives an insight into the learner characteristics of more than one medical school in Malaysia. Such multi-institutional studies are lacking in the published literature and this study gives a better representation of the current situation in the learning preferences among medical students in Malaysia.

Perceptions of Teaching Methods for Preclinical Oral Surgery: A Comparison with Learning Styles

PURPOSE

Dental extraction is a routine part of clinical dental practice. For this reason, understanding the way how students' extraction knowledge and skills development are important.

PROBLEM STATEMENT AND OBJECTIVES

To date, there is no accredited statement about the most effective method for the teaching of exodontia to dental students. Students have different abilities and preferences regarding how they learn and process information. This is defined as learning style. In this study, the effectiveness of active learning in the teaching of preclinical oral surgery was examined. The personality type of the groups involved in this study was determined, and the possible effect of personality type on learning style was investigated.

METHOD

This study was undertaken over five years from 2011 to 2015. The sample consisted of 115 students and eight staff members. Questionnaires were submitted by 68 students and all eight staff members involved. Three measures were used in the study: The Index of Learning Styles (Felder and Soloman, 1991), the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and the styles of learning typology (Grasha and Hruska-Riechmann).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Findings indicated that demonstration and minimal clinical exposure give students personal validation. Frequent feedback on their work is strongly indicated to build the cognitive, psychomotor, and interpersonal skills needed from preclinical oral surgery courses.

CONCLUSION

Small group cooperative active learning in the form of demonstration and minimal clinical exposure that gives frequent feedback and students' personal validation on their work is strongly indicated to build the skills needed for preclinical oral surgery courses.

Learning styles, academic achievement, and mental health problems among medical students in Thailand

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of various learning styles among medical students and their correlations with academic achievement and mental health problems in these students.

METHODS

This study was conducted among 140 first-year medical students of Chiang Mai University, Thailand in 2014. The participants completed the visual-aural-read/write-kinesthetic (VARK) questionnaire, the results of which can be categorized into 4 modes, corresponding to how many of the 4 types are preferred by a respondent. The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the 21-item Outcome Inventory (OI-21) were also used. The participants' demographic data, grade point average (GPA), and scores of all measurements are presented using simple statistics. Correlation and regression analysis were employed to analyze differences in the scores and to determine the associations among them.

RESULTS

Sixty percent of the participants were female. The mean age was 18.86±0.74 years old. Quadmodal was found to be the most preferred VARK mode (43.6%). Unimodal, bimodal, and trimodal modes were preferred by 35%, 12.9%, and 18.6% of the participants, respectively. Among the strong unimodal learners, visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic preferences were reported by 4.3%, 7.1%, 11.4%, and 12.1% of participants, respectively. No difference was observed in the PSS-10, OI-anxiety, OI-depression, and OI-somatization scores according to the VARK modes, although a significant effect was found for OI-interpersonal (F=2.788, P=0.043). Moreover, neither VARK modes nor VARK types were correlated with GPA.

CONCLUSION

The most preferred VARK learning style among medical students was quadmodal. Learning styles were not associated with GPA or mental health problems, except for interpersonal problems.

Relationship between Learning Style and Academic Status of Babol Dental Students

Introduction

Identifying and employing students’ learning styles could play an important role in selecting appropriate teaching methods in order to improve education. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the students’ final exam scores and the learning style preferences of dental students at Babol University of Medical Sciences.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 88 dental students studying in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years using the visual–aural–reading/writing–kinesthetic (VARK) learning styles’ questionnaire. The data were analyzed with IBM SPSS, version 21, using the chi-squared test and the t-test.

Results

Of the 88 participants who responded to the questionnaire, 87 preferred multimodal learning styles. There was no significant difference between the mean of the final exam scores in students who did and did not prefer the aural learning style (p = 0.86), the reading/writing learning style (p = 0.20), and the kinesthetic learning style (p = 0.32). In addition, there was no significant difference between the scores on the final clinical course among the students who had different preferences for learning style. However, there was a significant difference between the mean of the final exam scores in students with and without visual learning style preference (p = 0.03), with the former having higher mean scores. There was no significant relationship between preferred learning styles and gender (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

The majority of dental students preferred multimodal learning styles, and there was a significant difference between the mean of the final exam scores for students with and without a preference for the visual learning style. In addition, there were no differences in the preferred learning styles between male and female students.