Relationship between Learning Styles and Academic Engagement in Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Learners, including medical students, naturally have different learning style preferences. Teachers need to use a variety of teaching materials to help learners understand the content. However, previous studies have not reported the effects of learning in medical biochemistry by teaching based on the VARK learning style. This study aims to investigate the learning style preferences, the effects of learning in medical biochemistry by teaching based on the VARK learning style, and the relationship between type and number of VARK learning styles and medical biochemistry achievement in medical students. We investigated a total of 92 first-year medical students at Walailak University. The VARK questionnaire was used to identify the learning style preference of medical students. All students took a pretest before beginning each online lecture. After completing each lecture, all students received additional teaching materials according to their learning style to use in reviewing the lessons. All students took a posttest for each lecture after reviewing the lesson. The results showed that the medical students preferred a multimodal learning style (70.65%) more than a unimodal learning style (29.35%). The medical students preferred four learning styles (VARK) more than two and three learning styles. All learning styles had a mean difference score (posttest score minus pretest score) above 27.00 (33.75%). There were no significant differences in mean difference scores among the different learning styles. In addition, there were no significant differences in mean difference scores between the single style preference, two style preferences, three style preferences, and four style preferences. Teaching based on the VARK learning style could enhance medical students' learning in medical biochemistry. The difference in learning style and the difference in the number of learning styles (single, two, three, and four style preferences) were not significantly related to medical students' learning achievement in medical biochemistry.

Objectives This study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between grit and academic engagement using first, third, and fifth year data of KCYPS 2018 and to verify the difference in causality according to career decision making.
 Methods To this purpose, after reviewing descriptive statistics and correlation coefficients, the developmental tendency of grit and academic engagement and the causal relationship direction of the two variables were con-firmed through the verification of the autoregressive cross-lagged model, and used the test of the structural model invariance across the groups in the multi-group analysis was conducted to verify whether there is a differ-ence in the causal relationship direction between the two variables depending on the career decision making.
 Results First, it was confirmed that the level of grit and academic engagement remained stable for five years from the first year of middle school to the second year of high school. Second, while grit has a positive effect on aca-demic engagement, academic engagement has a negative effect on grit. Third, in the case of the career decision group, the level of grit and academic engagement was stable, grit had a positive effect on academic engagement, and academic engagement had a negative effect on grit. However, in the case of the career indecision group, only the level of academic engagement was stable, and there was no causal relationship between grit and academic engagement.
 Conclusions The developmental tendency of grit and academic engagement and the longitudinal causal relation-ship between the two variables were identified and the importance of career decision in adolescence was clarified.

The purpose of the quantitative correlational study was to investigate the association between students' academic motivation and academic engagement. This study included 600 10th-grade students who were selected at random from 20 secondary schools in the district Lahore. The data from selected students were gathered using two research instruments. The independent sample t-test, Pearson r, and linear regression were used to analyze the data. As r =.781 (p > 0.01), the findings demonstrated a strong and significant correlation between academic motivation and students' academic engagement. As a result, students' academic engagement was positively impacted by academic motivation. Academic motivation and academic engagement of students differed significantly by gender. Policy makers, teachers, and scholars are advised to pay particular consideration to each learner's level of academic engagement since it affects students' engagement with schoolwork.

Learning styles denote the talent of learner to identify and process information in learning situations. The capability to recognize students’ learning styles can escalate the educational outcomes. We take in information through our senses. VAK (Visual, auditory, Kinaesthetic or tactile) learning style is in which students use three of their senses to receive information. This study researches the learning preferences (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic) for which the students completed the self-report instrument Learning Style Survey (VAK) Faculty can include these learning styles in their classroom events so that students are made proficient to be successful in their courses. The purpose of this study is to measure Visual, Auditory, and tactile learning style among postgraduate management students. A descriptive study is undertaken. Data for the study is collected from a sample of 101 postgraduate management degree students out of which were males and were females., Frequencies and Percentage was used for data analysis. The results show that the visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning style is the same order in which the study sample responded (54.5%) (35.6%) and (4.0%), respectively. Male students prefer the visual and auditory learning styles) more than female students, while preference for kinesthetic learning style was seen predominantly in male students only. From the mean values it can be said that female students preferred the visual learning style more while the male students preferred the tactile learning style. The researcher recommends that management educators learn about students ’learning styles and offer a teaching style that includes methods to benefit all the learning styles.

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.

Learning style is the style practiced by certain individuals in the learning process that distinguishes them from other individuals. Every student has a different learning style based on their ability and comfort level. There are three more general learning styles which are Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic (VAK) learning styles that students usually have. This study aims to examine the relationship between visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles on students' High-Level Thinking Skills (HTS) in the topic of Respiration in Form 3. A quantitative study through a survey research design was carried out involving a total of 60 Form 3 students from a school in the Tanjong Malim district with using simple sampling techniques. The two research instruments used are the learning style questionnaire and the HTS test. The data obtained was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 27. The results of the analysis showed that the overall mean for each questionnaire item was at a medium-high level, namely auditory learning style (3.81) followed by visual (3.78) and kinesthetic (3.68). Pearson's correlation findings show that there is a significantly low positive relationship between kinesthetic learning style (<0.019), on the other hand, there is no significant relationship between visual learning style (<0.135) and auditory learning style (<0.070), with students' KBAT. In conclusion, the kinesthetic learning style is able to apply students' high-level thinking in the topic of Respiration. The implication of this study is that teachers need to pay full attention to teaching strategies that target students with visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles. Appropriate teaching strategies and techniques can help students to improve higher-level thinking skills in Science.

BackgroundIt is important that students have a high academic engagement and satisfaction in order to have good academic achievement. No study measures association of these elements in a short training program. This study aimed to measure the correlation between academic achievement, satisfaction and engagement dimensions in a short training program among premedical students.MethodsWe carried out a cross sectional study, in August 2013, at Cercle d’Etudiants, Ingénieurs, Médecins et Professeurs de Lycée pour le Triomphe de l’Excellence (CEMPLEX) training center, a center which prepares students for the national common entrance examination into medical schools in Cameroon. We included all students attending this training center during last examination period. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire on paper. Academic engagement was measured using three dimensions: vigor, dedication and absorption. Satisfaction to lessons, for each learning subject was collected. Academic achievement was calculated using mean of the score of all learning subjects affected with their coefficient. Pearson coefficient (r) and multiple regression models were used to measure association. A p value < 0.05 was statistically significant.ResultsIn total, 180 students were analyzed. In univariate linear analysis, we found correlation with academic achievement for vigor (r = 0.338, p = 0.006) and dedication (r = 0.287, p = 0.021) only in male students. In multiple regression linear analysis, academic engagement and satisfaction were correlated to academic achievement only in male students (R2 = 0.159, p = 0.035). No correlation was found in female students and in all students. The independent variables (vigor, dedication, absorption and satisfaction) explained 6.8-24.3% of the variance of academic achievement.ConclusionIt is only in male students that academic engagement and satisfaction to lessons are correlated to academic achievement in this short training program for premedical students and this correlation is weak.

Introduction:'Learning style' is defined as an individual's preference in obtaining and understanding information. Students use different learning styles in acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitude.&#x0D; Objective:To determine the learning styles of preclinical and clinical students belonging to 1st and final year MBBS using the VARK questionnaire; to compare learning styles of 1st and final year medical students.&#x0D; Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data about the learning style preferences of 1st and final year MBBS students of Foundation University Medical College. The VARK questionnaire was used to categorize the learning styles as Visual (V), Auditory (A), Read and Write (R) and Kinesthetic (K). This study was conducted from 15 July to 15 August 2021. A convenience sampling technique was used for data collection. A total of 249 students responded to the questionnaire.&#x0D; Results: Among 249 students, 141 were 1st-year students and 108 were final-year students. The most common learning style reported was Kinesthetic (34%), then Auditory (29%), then Visual (20%), and finally, Read/Write (17%). The majority of students (95.6%) preferred quad modal sensory modality for learning followed by trimodal (4%), unimodal (0.4%), and bimodal (0%) preferences.There was a significant difference in the mean scores of visual and auditory learning styles (overall mean of visual scores was 5.42 ± 2.9 and mean of auditory scores was 6.58 ± 2.9 ) between the students of 1st and final year.&#x0D; Conclusion:&#x0D; Majority of the students enlisted in this study had a quad modal learning preference. The most common reported&#x0D; learning style of all the students was Kinesthetic (K), followed by Auditory (A), then Visual (V), and then, Read/Write (R).&#x0D; KEYWORDS:&#x0D; Learning styles, VARK, Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinesthetic, Modal, Medical Students.&#x0D;

Academic engagement (AE) is an educational concern, and universities seek to increase its level by identifying the factors affecting it. Self-determination theory (SDT) and self-efficacy (SE) have been assumed to affect academic engagement directly or indirectly. Recognizing the significance of investigating AE and the factors influencing it, a notable research gap is spotted in the exploration of the mediating influence of SE in the relationship between SDT and AE. The current study tried to fill this gap and aimed to reveal the levels of self-determination, self-efficacy, and academic engagement of undergraduate students as well as the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between the self-determination motive and academic engagement. After applying the relevant measures to a sample of 240 undergraduate students, the results showed that self-efficacy and autonomy as a dimension of self-determination had a medium level, while the level of relatedness was high; moreover, the level of academic engagement was high and self-efficacy was low. Autonomy and competence as components of self-determination were also revealed to directly and indirectly affect academic engagement. The results also demonstrated the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between self-determination motive and academic engagement. In light of the previous findings, there are some important implications, through which the teachers and faculty members can identify the factors affecting AE to help students increase their participation in educational activities. Psychological Counsellors can also use the findings to help students in coping with academic life challenges and positively interacting with their educational environment.

This study aims to determine the effect of REACT learning strategies on mathematics learning achievement in terms of the learning styles of eighth grade students of public junior high schools in Sragen district. This study was a quasi-experimental study with a 2x3 factorial design. The population of this study was eighth grade students of the public junior high schools in Sragen Regency in the 2015/2016 academic year. The sample was taken by stratified cluster random sampling. The instrument used to collect data is by distributing questionnaire to test the mathematics learning achievement and student learning style. Data analysis techniques use two-way variance analysis with unequal cells. The results show that REACT learning strategies produce mathematics learning achievements that are better than direct learning in material relations and functions. Moreover, mathematics learning achievement of students who have a visual learning style as well as students with auditory learning styles, students with visual learning styles have better learning achievement than students with kinesthetic learning styles, while students with auditory learning styles have the same achievement with those with kinesthetic learning styles. In addition, in the category of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles, students who were treated with REACT learning strategies had better mathematics learning achievement than students who were treated with direct learning. Lastly, in each REACT learning and direct learning, students with visual learning styles have mathematics learning achievements that are as good as students who have auditory learning styles. Students with visual learning styles have better mathematics learning achievement than students with kinesthetic learning styles, while students with auditory learning styles have mathematics learning achievements that are as good as students who have kinesthetic learning styles.

BackgroundThe categorization of visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic (VARK) learning styles has been a mainstay in education for decades. However, evidence to support the existence and benefits of these learning styles remains lacking (Pashler et al., 2009). Previous research has shown that adjusting teaching activities in the classroom to support specific learning styles has proven unbeneficial (Coffield et al., 2004; Reiner and Willingham, 2010). But are we looking in the wrong place? What about when students study material outside of class? The present research assesses the correlations between VARK learning styles, student study strategies, and anatomy course outcomes at both the undergraduate and medical student levels. If VARK learning styles are a truly valid concept, then stronger correlations between VARK learning styles and student study strategies should correspond with higher outcomes in the course.MethodsStudents were given the online VARK questionnaire to determine their dominant learning style either at the beginning of the course or just after the first exam. This questionnaire includes sixteen multiple‐choice questions to help students determine which style he or she most prefers. Near the end of the course, students were given a study strategies survey that consists of three sections. The first section asks students to rank different study strategies (e.g., reading the textbook, making flashcards, answering practice questions) on a 5‐point Likert scale from “always or almost always true of me” to “never or only rarely true of me”. The second section includes categorical questions about attendance and attitudes towards the class (e.g., how often did you study lecture and lab together), while the final section includes basic demographic and background questions. The study strategies were then classified into the VARK learning style that they most closely represented.ResultsData demonstrate that no VARK learning style is correlated with better outcomes in anatomy. In addition, the majority of students primarily utilize study strategies that are not in alignment with their dominant VARK score. Finally, course outcomes between students that do and do not use study strategies consistent with their dominant VARK learning style were not significantly different. However, there are specific study strategies that correlate with anatomy course outcomes (e.g., use of the lectures notes was positively correlated while use of outside websites was negatively correlated with anatomy course outcomes).ImplicationsGiven the present data, as well as previous studies that have found correlations between VARK learning styles and course outcomes to be lacking (e.g., Pashler et al., 2009), it is time to stop using the VARK categorization system with our students. If students continue to believe that preferring information to be presented in a visual way or a written way is innately beneficial, we are limiting their self‐efficacy and their potential to learn in our classrooms.Support or Funding InformationNoneThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Background and Objectives. The career decision-making self-efficacy (CDSE) in medical, pharmacy, and dental students is more important than other disciplines due to professional sensitivity, direct involvement in decision-making for the treatment process, and the significant clinical involvement. It is also expected that learning styles can have a significant impact on the academic success, and the CDSE also affects the quality of clinical care. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the learning styles and the career decision-making self-efficacy among medicine and dentistry students. Materials and Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 235 medical interns and fifth- and sixth-year dental students of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The data were collected using Kolb Learning Style Inventory and Betz and Luzzo career decision-making self-efficacy questionnaire. Statistical tests such as Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Spearman correlation coefficient, Chi-square, one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data. Results. The mean age of participants was 25.9 ± 1.30; a majority of them were dental students (134 persons, 59.3%), and 92 were medical students (40.7%). The predominant learning styles in dental and medical students were assimilating (40.3%) and converging (47.8%), respectively. There was no significant relationship between students’ learning styles and career decision-making self-efficacy and none of its subscales ( P &gt; 0.05 ). The Chi-square test results showed that a significant difference was observed between the field of study and learning styles of the participants ( P = 0.024 ). Conclusion. This study showed that there was no significant relationship between learning style and career decision-making self-efficacy of the participants.

Quality of education is an increasingly important aspect for universities, since it helps attract students, ultimately ensuring the sustainability of educational projects. Integrating students into the university in the first year is a critical factor for retention, since they must adapt to a new academic and social environment. This is done through an adequate welcoming process and the generation of a strong sense of belonging to integrate students into the new educational environment, which translates into better academic engagement. This study analyses the relationship between sense of belonging and the three dimensions of academic engagement (cognitive, emotional and behavioural) in first-year engineering students. The sample consisted of 554 students, comprised of 75.09% males and 24.91% females. Significant and moderate correlations were found between belonging and the three dimensions of engagement. Additionally, significant differences were identified in the level of academic engagement and sense of belonging among the various study programmes of the faculty of engineering. It is concluded that implementing welcoming programmes enhances the integration, motivation, and academic performance of students, promoting student retention. They serve as key elements to the sustainable development of educational projects. Resumen La calidad de la educaci&oacute;n es un aspecto que cada vez cobra mayor relevancia para las universidades, ya que atrae a estudiantes, asegurando la sostenibilidad de los proyectos educativos. La integraci&oacute;n de estudiantes a primer a&ntilde;o se vuelve un factor cr&iacute;tico para la permanencia, dado que estos deben adaptarse a un nuevo entorno acad&eacute;mico y social. Para ello, un adecuado proceso de bienvenida y la generaci&oacute;n de un fuerte sentido de pertenencia favorecen la integraci&oacute;n del estudiantado al nuevo entorno educativo, lo cual se traduce en un mayor compromiso acad&eacute;mico. El presente estudio analiza la relaci&oacute;n entre el sentido de pertenencia y las tres dimensiones del compromiso acad&eacute;mico (cognitiva, emocional y conductual) en estudiantes de primer a&ntilde;o de ingenier&iacute;a. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 554 estudiantes, integrada por un 75,09% de hombres y un 24,91% de mujeres. Se encontraron correlaciones significativas y moderadas entre la pertenencia y las tres dimensiones del compromiso acad&eacute;mico. Adicionalmente, se identificaron diferencias significativas en el nivel de compromiso acad&eacute;mico y el sentido de pertenencia entre las diversas carreras de la facultad de ingenier&iacute;a. Se concluye la importancia de implementar programas de bienvenida en el &aacute;mbito universitario, con el fin de potenciar la integraci&oacute;n, la motivaci&oacute;n y el rendimiento acad&eacute;mico de los estudiantes, promoviendo as&iacute; la retenci&oacute;n de los estudiantes, elementos clave para promover el desarrollo sostenible de proyectos educativos. &nbsp; Palabras Clave: sentido de pertenencia; compromiso acad&eacute;mico; estudiantes de primer &ntilde;o; educaci&oacute;n superior

PurposeLearning 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 MethodsAn 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.ResultsStudy 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.ConclusionThis 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.

In the dynamic landscape of medical education, recognizing and catering to the diverse learning styles of students are pivotal for fostering academic success. This study investigates the intricate relationship between learning styles and academic performance among medical students. A sample comprising 201 second-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students from two batches participated in this cross-sectional study. Utilizing the Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Style Scales, students were categorized into six distinct learning styles: independent, avoidant, collaborative, dependent, competitive, and participatory. Academic performance was assessed through cumulative scores at the end of the academic year. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, Spearman's correlation analysis, and theKruskal-Wallis H test, were conducted using IBMSPSSStatistics for Windows, Version 25, (Released 2017; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). The findings revealed a rich diversity of learning styles among medical students, with independent learning emerging as the most prevalent style. However, intriguingly, no statistically significant difference in academic performance was discerned across the various learning styles. Nonetheless, correlation analysis uncovered weak positive correlations between independent, dependent, and participatory learning styles with academic performance, while an equally weak negative correlation was observed for the avoidant style. These results underscore the necessity for tailored educational strategies that can accommodate the heterogeneous learning preferences exhibited by medical students. While certain learning styles may be favoured by students, their adoption does not guarantee academic success. Thus, educators are urged to embrace flexible teaching methodologies to accommodate the diverse learning styles present within medical education, ultimately fostering student engagement and achievement. This study illuminates the imperative of understanding and addressing diverse learning styles among medical students, laying the foundation for further research into optimizing teaching methodologies in medical education.