Differences In Learning Style Preferences Research Articles

Assessment of Learning Style Preferences of Saudi Nursing Students

Abstract Objective In line with global trends, growing number of educational institutions in Saudi Arabia are developing their curricula based on the feedback and suggestions from their students to help improve the quality of teaching. This study aims to assess the differences in learning style preferences among female nursing students of Saudi Arabia. Methods This cross-sectional study included 124 female nursing students who were asked to answer the culturally adapted Arabic version of visual, aural/auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic (VARK) survey. Data were analyzed with SPSS, version 23. The Wilks' lambda or multivariate analysis (MANOVA) was used to determine the relationship between the participants' learning preferences, sociodemographic characteristics, and year of study. Results Nursing students who had visual learning preferences had a significantly different learning style as compared to those who preferred aural and kinesthetic learning (p < 0.001). On the contrary, there was not enough evidence to conclude that the same was true for students who preferred to read/write. Conclusions Further research is required to explore the relationship between learning style preferences and learning outcomes with the inclusion of a larger sample size and representatives of two genders, males and females. The findings of the current research provide the foundation for adaptive learning by identifying the individual preferences in learning among the nursing students.

Mobile Learning in Business English its Effect to South American Students’ Learning Styles in the COVID 19 Pandemic Era: Its Economic Implications

The adoption of M-learning and perceptual learning style preferences of South American EFL learners in a business English course were studied empirically. A descriptive correlational research design was used in this study. Data were gathered from 125 South American EFL students who were carefully sampled among a total of 184 students with mobile phones enrolled in a business English classes of selected South American university. The Mobile Learning Questionnaire (MLQ) and Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire were used in the study (PLSPQ). The data revealed that students in a business English course have a high level of M-learning adoption. It was discovered that respondents favor visual learning, group learning, individual learning, tactile learning, and auditory learning, with kinesthetic learning receiving the least attention. When students are grouped by gender and age, test results show that male respondents had stronger appeal to the utility, acceptability, enjoyment, facilitating conditions, and behavioral intention of M-learning than female respondents. Regardless of their age, respondents acknowledged the benefits of using M-learning in their business English course. Similarly, when the respondents are grouped by gender, no significant differences in learning style preferences are detected. However, the younger respondents prefer group learning, whilst the older respondents prefer individual learning. Finally, a link was discovered between M-learning usage and students' preferred learning styles. The positive link implies that the more M-learning students use, the more learning style preferences they have for group, tactile, visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and group learning tasks. This paper discusses the theoretical and educational consequences.

STUDENTS’ PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND DIFFERENCES IN THEIR LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES IN PUBLIC COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN THE CENTRAL-WESTERN ZONE OF GHANA

The study investigated the differences in learning style preferences of students of public Colleges of Education (CoEs) in the Central-Western Zone of Ghana based on their personal characteristics (sex, level of study and college setting), and how these personal characteristics influence the students’ choice of learning style preference. The study adopted the cross-sectional survey design. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to sample 1,396 students from five public CoEs. Frequencies with percentages, independent samples t-test, and regression and ANOVA were used to analyse the data. Generally, a combination of visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning styles were preferred by the students. Statistically significant differences in the learning style preferences of the students in terms of their sex and setting of college were observed. However, there were no statistically significant differences in the students’ learning style preferences based on their level of study. Again, a statistically significant positive influence of students’ demographic variables on their learning style preferences was established even though the influence was very small. It was concluded that most of the students prefer the use of more than one learning style, and so tutors must comprehend differentiated learning of their students in order to adopt different teaching and assessment techniques to suit the learning needs of the students. It was recommended among others that tutors should encourage students to adopt multiple learning styles and effective study habits to enhance their academic endeavours. Article DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.20319/pijss.2019.51.592608 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.

Learning style preferences of architecture and interior design students in Saudi Arabia: A survey

This method article examines the Felder and Soloman’s (1999) Index of Learning Styles (ILS) questionnaire in the context of Saudi Arabian higher education. Specifically, it aims at exploring the learning styles preferences among the students in Interior Design and Architecture program. Clustering approach is used by grouping students based on the similarities measure of their learning style. The findings reveal that students in both programs share learning style of Reflective, Intuitive, Verbal and Global at 57% or higher.•Little research has focused on the Learning Styles preferences in higher education.•There is no significant difference of learning style preferences between Interior Design and Architecture students.•Reflecting learning style in university is reinforced by local elementary and high schools•The data can be used by the scientific community to explore differences in learning style preferences (e.g. students of different genders).

Gender Differences in Learning Style Preferences among Eleventh Grade Science Major High School Students

Gender Differences in Learning Style Preferences among Eleventh Grade Science Major High School Students

Learning style preferences of postgraduate students

PurposeThis study aims to incorporate the Honey and Mumford’s learning styles questionnaire (LSQ) to assess the learning style preferences of postgraduate students at the British University in Dubai (BUiD), as well as investigating whether there are statistically significant differences in such preferences from demographic and academic characteristics perspective.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaires were distributed to a sample of 200 students (males and females) in various postgraduate programs. Descriptive statistics analysis presented the main characteristics of the respondents and the results of the study. The independent samples t-test and Kurskal–Wallis test determined if there are significant differences in learning style preferences among the postgraduate students because of their demographic and academic characteristics.FindingsThe results revealed that postgraduate students preferred the theorist (20.36), reflector (20.31), pragmatist (19.00) and activist (18.62) learning styles, while no significant statistical differences were found across the four learning styles from demographic and academic characteristics standpoint.Research/limitations implicationsOn one hand, the present study has several limitations. First, the findings of the study are based on data from only single university. Second, the sample is limited to postgraduate students. Third, the results are based on a self-reported questionnaire, which might affect their reliability. On the other hand, this study has some implications for educators and students. Its results could help educator adopt appropriate teaching styles and strategies that match the preferred learning styles of the majority of their students. Students themselves could also benefit from knowing their own learning style.Originality/valueThe present study is the first scholarly attempt to explore learning style preferences of postgraduate students in the UAE higher education context.

The preferred learning styles utilizing VARK among nursing students with bachelor degrees and associate degrees in China

Abstract Objective This study aimed to determine the differences in learning style preferences among bachelor degree nursing students at Central South University and associate degree nursing students at the Vocational Health School in China. Methods This study was a cross-sectional survey using the Chinese version of the VARK questionnaire to assess preferred learning styles: 159 enrolled bachelor degree nursing students and 199 enrolled associate degree nursing students completed the questionnaire with a response rate of 96.8%. Results The bachelor degree nursing students tend to prefer a multimodal learning style (58.49%), which significantly differed from that of associate degree nursing students (45.77%). The kinaesthetic modality was the predominant unimodal learning style among the bachelor degree and associate degree nursing students (18.20% and 33.67%), and the read-write modality was the least popular modality (2.5% and 4.02%). Conclusion There are both differences and similarities between the learning style preferences of bachelor degree and associate degree nursing students. Educational background is one of the most critical factors that influence the learning style preference of nursing students. This finding may be necessary and beneficial for carrying out future curricula reform. In addition, further comprehensive research should be conducted to examine the relationships between learning style preferences and academic performance, as well as learning style preferences and teaching methods.

Differences in Learning Style Preferences: A Study of Mainland Chinese College Students Studying in Hong Kong

Differences in Learning Style Preferences: A Study of Mainland Chinese College Students Studying in Hong Kong

Learning Style Preferences Among Male and Female ESL Students in Universiti-Sains Malaysia

Individuals preferentially process information in different ways. This includes the varied learning style preference of the individuals in any study program, including English as a Second Language (ESL). However, one of major concerns is, do the ESL students have different preferred way to learn? Past studies have given mixed results including pertaining to Malaysian students. To address this issue, this study sought to identify whether there are differences in learning style preferences between male and female students who undertook ESL courses in the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). To achieve the study objective, Felder-Silverman Learning Style Model (FSLSM) was selected to gather data on the respondents’ learning style preference due to its validity, widespread use and suitability to the scope of the study. The responses gathered from FSLSM were tallied and assessed for gender difference in LSP. Results indicated that, there is a strong representation of visual learners from both male and female respondents. On the other hand, the respondents, irrespective of the gender difference, are well-balanced in the dimensions of sensing/intuitive, active/reflective, and sequential/global. In addressing the gender difference, it was found in this study that there is no significant difference between male and female ESL students in their preferred learning The Journal of Educators Online-JEO July 2015 ISSN 1547-500X Vol 13 Number 2 104 104 styles on each of the FSLSM dimension. Thus, this study revealed that, gender does not help differentiate students’ learning preferences. The findings lend support to several past studies on LSP.

Learning style preferences of nursing students at two universities in Iran and Malaysia.

Purpose:Learning style preferences vary within the nursing field and there is no consensus on a predominant learning style preference in nursing students. The current study compared the learning style preferences of nursing students at two universities in Iran and Malaysia. Methods:A purposive sampling method was used to collect data from the two study populations. Data were collected using the Learning Style Scale (LSS), which is a valid and reliable inventory. The LSS consists of 22 items with five subscales including perceptive, solitary, analytic, imaginative, and competitive. The questionnaires were distributed at the end of the academic year during regular class time for optimum response. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare the learning style preferences between the two study populations. Results:A significant difference was found in perceptive, solitary, and analytic learning styles between two groups of nursing students. However, there was no significant difference in imaginative and competitive learning styles between the two groups. Most of the students were in the middle range of the learning styles. Conclusion:There were similarities and differences in learning style preferences between Zabol Medical Sciences University (ZBMU) and University Sains Malaysia (USM) nursing students. The USM nursing students were more sociable and analytic learners, whereas the ZBMU nursing students were more solitary and perceptive learners.

Preferred learning styles among prospective research methodology course students at Taibah University, Saudi Arabia

Knowledge of students' preferred learning styles is important while developing teaching strategies that influence student commitment during the course. The VARK questionnaire is one of the commonly used learning style inventories. The aim of this study was to determine and assess the sex-based differences in learning style preferences among second-year medical students at Taibah University who were prospective students for the research methodology course. All second-year medical students at Taibah University (n=129) were invited to participate in the study and were administered the Arabic version of the VARK questionnaire. A total of 89 students, 45 female and 44 male, completed the questionnaire with a response rate of 67%. The students were classified according to the VARK questionnaire as visual, read/write, auditory, kinesthetic, and multimodal learners. Nearly two-thirds (66.3%) of the students preferred multimodality for information presentation. Male and female students showed significantly different learning style preferences (P=0.02). Female students tended to prefer the multimodal learning style more compared with male students (77.8% vs. 54.5%, respectively). Furthermore, 33.7% of students preferred the single mode of information presentation (45.5% male and 22.2% female students); the auditory mode was the predominant selection among the unimodal male and female learners (41% of male vs. 11.1% of female students). The majority of the second-year medical students preferred multimodality in terms of learning preferences, with a significant difference between male and female students; female students tended to favor the multiple modes of information presentation more compared with male students. The study recommends modification of the teaching strategies of the current research methodology course toward the use of a variety of active learning techniques that would fit the different learning styles exhibited by the studied students, rather than classic lectures.

Learning styles based on the different cultural background of KFL learners in online learning.

It is imperative to analyze learning styles based on learners’ cultural backgrounds when designing successful online learning courses. The present study investigated the learning styles preferences of learners who have diverse cultural backgrounds in an online language learning environment. For this purpose, the study employed the Felder and Silverman’s Learning Styles Model and examined sixty five international students who enrolled in a Korean language course at a university’s language education institute in Seoul, Korea. The participants were culturally diverse and represented numerous countries, which were categorized according to six cultural clusters: China, Japan, Middle East, other Asia, America, and Europe. The online language learning course was analyzed using the active/reflective, sensing/intuitive, sequential/global and visual/verbal dimensions of the model. The participants’ learning style preferences were investigated using a questionnaire. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to compare the effect of cultural backgrounds on learning style preferences of each section. In addition, MANOVA and post hoc multiple comparison of means tests (Scheffe test) were conducted. The results demonstrate significant cultural group differences in learning style preferences of learners of Korean language with diverse cultural backgrounds.

A Multilevel Analysis of Gifted Korean American Students' Characteristics and School Context Effects on Learning Style Preferences

This study examined school factors related to the learning style preferences of gifted Korean American students. The Learning Styles Inventory-Ill (LSI, Renzulli, Rizza, & Smith, 2002) and the Ethnic Orientation Scale (EOS) were administered to 407 Korean American students in 30 schools. A Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) with student and school-level variables indicated differences in learning style preferences between gifted Korean American and non-gifted Korean American students on preferences for direct instruction, technology, simulations, projects, and games. School context mediated these learning style differences between students' giftedness and learning styles. Learning is based on students' experiences, culture, gender, genetic codes, and neurological wiring (Tomlinson, 1999). Students may have preferred ways of taking in, processing, internalizing, and retaining information and skills. These are typically referred to as students' learning styles (Dunn & Milgram, 1993). Students' learning styles can dictate how they approach and process tasks. Understanding how students learn is important in planning instructions to assist them to achieve their fullest potential.

Students' Preferred Learning Styles and the Importance of Curriculum Content: A Study of Norwegian Tourism and Hospitality Students

This Norwegian study explores the learning style preferences of first, second and third year students in Tourism and Hospitality Programmes. Comparing the findings with an UK/Australian study, this study uncovers interesting differences in learning style preferences amongst UK/Australian students and Norwegian students. In addition, the importance of the curricula content is discussed in relation to the findings of changing learning style preferences between first, second and third year students, which indicates that learning styles can change. An approach to explain this phenomenon is to consider the theoretical content of curricula, in relation to the goal of developing students to become philosophical practioners (PP). The study concludes that if the aim is to develop PP the content of the curriculum has to be modified accordingly, and that even though learning styles are important for how and what students learn, the content of the curriculum is also of importance.

“See How They Learn”: The Impact of Faculty and Student Learning Styles on Student Performance in Introductory Economics

“See How They Learn”: The Impact of Faculty and Student Learning Styles on Student Performance in Introductory Economics This paper reports the results of a recent study completed at Saint Mary's College of California, in which the TUCE was administered to introductory economics students. Students and instructors also completed the VARK questionnaire to identify which of the sensory modalities they prefer to use to learn information. Results suggest that a strong visual learning preference positively influences student performance. Our finding that neither ethnicity nor gender influence student performance confirms results of prior research, and suggests that ethnicity- and gender-based differences in student performance may be at least partially caused by differences in learning style preferences.

Gender differences in learning style preferences among undergraduate physiology students

Students have individual learning style preferences including visual (V; learning from graphs, charts, and flow diagrams), auditory (A; learning from speech), read-write (R; learning from reading and writing), and kinesthetic (K; learning from touch, hearing, smell, taste, and sight). These preferences can be assessed using the VARK questionnaire. We administered the VARK questionnaire to undergraduate physiology majors enrolled in a capstone physiology laboratory at Michigan State University; 48 of the 86 students (55.8%) who returned the completed questionnaire voluntarily offered gender information. The responses were tallied and assessed for gender difference in learning style preference; 54.2% of females and only 12.5% of males preferred a single mode of information presentation. Among the female students, 4.2% of the students preferred V, 0% of the students preferred A, 16.7% of the students preferred printed words (R), and 33.3% of the students preferred using all their senses (K). In contrast, male students were evenly distributed in preference, with 4.2% of the students preferring A, R, or K, respectively, while 0% of the students preferred V. Furthermore, 45.8% of female and 87.5% of male respondents preferred multiple modes [female: 2 modes (12.5%), 3 modes (12.5%), and 4 modes (20.8%); males: 2 modes (16.7%), 3 modes (12.5%), and 4 modes (58.3%)] of presentation. In summary, a majority of male students preferred multimodal instruction, specifically, four modes (VARK), whereas a majority of female students preferred single-mode instruction with a preference toward K. Thus, male and female students have significantly different learning styles. It is the responsibility of the instructor to address this diversity of learning styles and develop appropriate learning approaches.

Helping to define graduate education: the APS/ACDP list of professional skills for physiologists and trainees

EditorialHelping to define graduate education: the APS/ACDP list of professional skills for physiologists and traineesRobert G. Carroll, Robert G. CarrollAdvances in Physiology Education Dept. of Physiology Brody School of Medicine, 6N-98 East Carolina University 600 Moye Blvd. Greenville, NC 27834 , Associate EditorPublished Online:01 Jun 2005https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00015.2005MoreSectionsPDF (23 KB)Download PDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesGet permissionsTrack citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailWeChat Graduate training provides unique educational challenges and opportunities for physiologists. As teachers and mentors, physiologists direct most aspects of graduate training. This is in contrast to the role played by physiologists in most professional programs where physiologists are responsible for only a portion of the educational and professional training. Graduate training is also unique in that the trainees are expected to acquire a set of skills and competencies in addition to mastery of a core knowledge base. Graduate training relies heavily on a mentor model where experienced advisors model good ethical and scientific behavior and expect students to adopt these behaviors and attitudes as a part of their professional identity. Penny Hansen recently addressed these attributes of graduate education as part of the “hidden curriculum,” a group of expectations that are expected of our students but that are rarely explicitly communicated (Adv Physiol Educ 26: 139–145, 2002).In July 2002, the American Physiological Society (APS) Council directed the Education Committee to work with the Women in Physiology Committee and the Career Opportunities Committee to further explore the idea of competencies for graduate education. The three committee chairs (Robert Carroll, Carol Liedtke, and Frank Belloni) worked with the APS Education Office (Marsha Matyas and Melinda Lowy) and three representatives from the Association of Chairs of Departments of Physiology (ACDP), William H. Dantzler, Vernon S. Bishop, and William S. Spielman to develop a list of skills that help to define graduate education in physiology.The final product is divided into nine major categories:Core Biomedical Science KnowledgeProfessional EthicsLaboratory-Related SkillsResearch/Analytical SkillsCommunication SkillsTeaching and Mentoring SkillsPersonnel and Management SkillsLifelong Learning SkillsCareer Development SkillsThis list provides a set of expectations for use by mentors, students, and individuals at varying stages of their careers. The expectations are stratified, applying to master’s level students, doctoral students, and to postdoctoral trainees. The desired outcomes include intellectual skills, general technical skills, and communication skills. This project relied heavily on existing information and recommendations and adapted them to the needs of physiologists. It also provides a focus on the mentor’s commitment to promoting the development of those skills in students.Drafts of the document were circulated at the 2003 Experimental Biology meeting, and through groups within the APS and the ADCP. Following incorporation of recommendations, the final product was endorsed by the APS Council in November 2003 and the ACDP in December 2003. The final product is published jointly by the APS and ACDP, and is available at the APS web site at http://www.the-aps.org/education/skills.htm.This document is intended for a variety of audiences. Students may use the list as a form of self evaluation. This will enable students to be more proactive about focusing and monitoring their own training and career development. Faculty members may find the list a useful yardstick in measuring both their individual mentorship of students and in the development of overall departmental efforts and expected outcomes in preparing students for the 21st century job market. The APS Education Office is using the list to identify specific areas where resources can be developed to support graduate education. Finally, the list provides a baseline for future review and revision as critical skills change over time. Take a look to see if there are any new ideas for your graduate training program.This article has no references to display. Download PDF Previous Back to Top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedInformationCited ByEFFECT OF CONVENTIONAL TEACHING ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS WITH DIVERSE LEARNING STYLES15 December 2021 | PARIPEX INDIAN JOURNAL OF RESEARCHDeveloping a science outreach program and promoting “PhUn” all year with rural K–12 studentsJana L. Hendrickson, Thomas K. Bye, Benjamin A. Cockfield, Kathryn R. Carter, and Steven J. Elmer10 April 2020 | Advances in Physiology Education, Vol. 44, No. 2Adding value to a graduate physiology seminar by focusing on public communication skillsThomas J. LaRocca, Jamie N. Justice, Douglas R. Seals, and Christopher R. Martens21 July 2016 | Advances in Physiology Education, Vol. 40, No. 3PowerPoint presentation in learning physiology by undergraduates with different learning stylesRoopa B. Ankad, Shashikala GV, Anita Herur, Manjula R, Surekharani Chinagudi, and Shailaja Patil1 December 2015 | Advances in Physiology Education, Vol. 39, No. 4Gender differences in learning style preferences among undergraduate physiology studentsErica A. Wehrwein, Heidi L. Lujan, and Stephen E. DiCarlo1 June 2007 | Advances in Physiology Education, Vol. 31, No. 2 More from this issue > Volume 29Issue 2June 2005Pages 56-56 Copyright & Permissions© 2005 American Physiological Societyhttps://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00015.2005PubMed15905147History Published online 1 June 2005 Published in print 1 June 2005 Metrics

A longitudinal study of undergraduate accounting students' learning style preferences at two UK universities

A learning style indicates a person's preferred way of learning. Students do not learn in the same way and a number of different learning style preferences exist which can change according to experience, i.e. a student's learning style preference may change over time. For accounting students this experience varies according to the institution attended and the programme of study. This paper presents the results of a study of 410 students enrolled on an undergraduate accounting programme in 1998/1999 at two UK universities where students underwent different experiences. Their learning style preferences are analysed against background variables of gender, nationality and institution attended. Also the changes in learning style preferences of students enrolled on the first year in 1998/1999 and who completed their final year in 2000/2001 are analysed. The study shows that differences in learning style preferences exist and that learning style preferences change over time. The paper discusses the implications of these changes and calls for further work in the area.

Learning Styles of Gifted and Nongifted Secondary Students in Hong Kong

The learning activities and learning styles of 398 gifted and nongifted Chinese secondary students were assessed using the Chinese version of the Learning Styles Inventory (Renzulli & Smith, 1978; Renzulli, Smith, & Rizza, 1998). Dimensions of preferred learning activities common for gifted and nongifted students included factors interpretable as learning through verbal interaction, learning by role-play, and learning by doing. Comparing gifted and nongifted students, gifted students indicated significantly greater preferences for learning styles related to interpersonal verbal exchanges and autonomous learning. Although there were no significant gender differences in learning style preferences, the younger age group indicated significantly greater preference for learning styles related to structured activities and games than the older age group. Plausible reasons for the differences between the present findings and findings from non-Chinese settings regarding the learning styles of gifted students are discussed.

Secondary School Teachers and Learning Style Preferences: action or watching in the classroom?

The problematic issue in education is in applying learning styles research to classroom settings in schools where a range of teacher and student learning style preferences operate simultaneously. The preferred learning styles of secondary school teachers and managers were investigated using the Honey and Mumford model of learning styles. The Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ) developed by Honey and Mumford (1986) was used in this research. The LSQ identifies four learning style preferences: Activist, Reflector, Theorist, Pragmatist. Data was collected (1989‐1992) from a random sample of 353 Main Professional Grade (MPG) (now known as the Common Pay Spine fCPSJ) teachers and 47 senior managers working in Local Education Authority (LEA) maintained secondary schools. Findings indicated that in the sample: (i) Teachers tended to have similar learning style preferences, namely, Reflector with a back‐up preference for Theorist. Their least preferred style was Pragmatist. (ii) Where learning style preferences differ between teachers, these could be accounted for by differences in subject specialism. Using a two‐way analysis of variance, a highly significant interaction was found between subject taught (12 subject specialism) and teachers’ learning style preference; (iii) Significant differences in learning style preferences were found between MPG teachers and senior managers in schools. The paper finishes with a brief description of the focus of the research into the role of learning style preferences in secondary school teachers’ classroom management. Variables being investigated are teaching style, including teachers’ beliefs and values surrounding learning and teaching (evidenced by their language patterns); observable teacher behaviour; and students’ attitude to learning.