Evaluation of preferred learning styles among undergraduate students of Government Medical College, Jammu

Abstract

Background: A person’s preferred method of collecting, processing, interpreting, and organizing knowledge is referred to as their “learning style” and several models exist to assess one’s preferred learning style. The VARK model that encompasses four sensory modalities, namely, Visual (V), Auditory (A), Read/Write (R), and Kinesthetic (K) provides students with insight into their preferred forms of sensory information perception. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was (1) to evaluate the learning styles of medical undergraduates, and (2) to determine the gender-specific relationship between learning style and academic performance. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out for duration of three months, covering 200 MBBS students (males and females both) from all phases of the MBBS. The VARK self-administered structured questionnaire, version 7.8, was distributed among students and their response collected. Results: About 53% of pupils in the current study utilized multimodal learning, while 47% utilized unimodal knowledge. Kinesthetic approach was the most prevalent unimodal approach (22%), followed by auditory (21%). Bimodal was the most common multimodal strategy, accounting for 31% of all multimodal techniques (Audio and kinesthetic together). About 1% were tetramodal (visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic), and 21% were trimodal (auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic). There was no statistically significant correlation between gender and learning styles. Conclusion: VARK is a useful tool to collect information about different learning styles. It makes the student as well as the educator aware about different learning style preferences. Moreover, it is better if students in a teaching medical institute are made aware of their preferred learning style.

Face-to-Face and Distance Learning and Teaching Styles as Perceived by Tanta University First Year Medical Students

“…The impact of gender on learning styles pattern has been of interest to many researchers. Our results are in line with previous studies by Chouhan, et al 2023 and Khan, et al 2022, who did not find any significant impact of gender on learning styles [26,27]. Nuzhat, 2013 at King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences, who also reported no significant gender difference in the percentages of students who have multimodal or unimodal styles [28].…”

The Relationship Among Students’ Learning Styles, Health Sciences Colleges, and Grade Point Average (GPA)

“…17 Similarly, the learning styles of clinical lab students and find that these students prefer multiple learning styles that enable them to retain information and enhance their learning experiences. 35 Their study concludes with the need for educators to create learning resources that cater to diverse learning styles and to allow teachers to try out different teaching methods.…”