Identifying and Comparing Learning Styles Preferences among Medical Undergraduates Students at College of Medicine Aljouf University

Abstract

Background: The (FOM-JU) adopted Problem-Based Learning as the main educational strategy, school implement many instructional methods. To develop pedagogical strategies medical teachers need to know the preferred learning styles of their students. Medical education researchers aware that using a variety of teaching methods improve the retention, use, accessibility of knowledge, as well as enhance students' adaptability in problemsolving situations enhance deep learning (1). Aim: The aim of this study was to identify and compare students learning styles in basic sciences (1st, 2nd and 3rd years) phase and clinical (4th and 5th years) Phase at the faculty of medicine Aljouf University, and to compare learning styles differences between female and male students. Suggest suitable learning resources that will be more beneficial to students learning styles. Methodology: A comparative design was applied in this study. Comprehensive sample was taken from medical students both preclinical-clinical students with male 159 and 48 female (n=207) was performed. The validated VARK questionnaire was used. The questionnaire consists of 16 items which identify four learning styles; visual, auditory, reading/ writing and kinesthetic. Descriptive analysis were first used to identify the learning styles of students, then comparative analysis was used to compare learning styles preferences between male and female students and between basic and clinical phases students. VARK questionnaire was distributed to all students in male and female sides, for all years (first and second year female side and first, second, third, fourth and fifth years male side). Results: Results showed that 72.9% of female and 71.1% of male students preferred to learn by a multi-modality (visual, auditory, reading/writing, or kinesthetic). Results also shows that 40.67% of the male students in clinical years prefer one mode of the learning style preferences, while 44% of female and male students in basics sciences phase in FOM-JU prefer to learn by two modes of the learning style preferences. It also shows that 13% of the male students prefer kinesthetic mode of the learning style preferences, comparing to 4.1% of female students are tactile learners in in basics sciences phase. Conclusion: The study concluded that majority of FOM-JU students prefer multimodal style. Results of this study also conclude that there is a difference between clinical and basics sciences year in learning styles preferences.

Preferred Learning Styles and Teaching Methods Among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…They attributed this switch to the nature of the medical curriculum in advanced years that necessitated the students to utilize different styles of learning due to the introduction of problem-based learning, discussion and practical skills and reduction in the number of didactic lectures [7]. Studies conducted by El Sayed et al and Naggar reported that as the students progress in their medical school, they tend to switch to the unimodal learning style [19,20]. These variations among different medical schools may be due to the material studied, teaching methods and assessment strategies.…”

The Preferred Learning Styles Among the Undergraduate Dental Students at Foundation University College of Dentistry, Islamabad

“…11 Another study also showed similar results with 68.8% dental and 54.69% medical students preferring a unimodal learning method. 7,19 However a study conducted by Marwa et al showed that 72.9% medical students preferred multimodal learning style. 7 Another study by Poonam et al also showed that about 61 % students preferred multimodal learning.…”

“…7,19 However a study conducted by Marwa et al showed that 72.9% medical students preferred multimodal learning style. 7 Another study by Poonam et al also showed that about 61 % students preferred multimodal learning. 20 Our study showed that unimodal learning style was predominant with a prevalence of 63.5% with kinaesthetic being a primary choice making a major chunk of 27.9% followed by aural learners making up to 20.4%.…”

“…There is a remarkable diversity with regard to the learner's preference for the use of a single or multiple modalities. 7 Different models have been developed to determine the student's preference. 8 Based on the above mentioned four modalities a model was developed by Neil Fleming in 1987.…”