Learning Style Preferences Research Articles

The Effect of Learning Style Preference, Clerkship Training and Role Model on Specialization Selection

Aim: The clerkship period in medical schools is an integrated learning experience that is also helpful in choosing a future career. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of both general surgery clerkshipship and awareness of learning styles on specialty preferences of medical students. Methods: In this study, which was planned as an educational intervention, a questionnaire questioning specialty preferences and a learning style scale were administered to fourth-year medical students before their general surgery clerkships. Following the questionnaire, brief training was given about specialty branches and learning styles. After the clerkship, the students were asked to answer the questionnaire again about their specialty preferences. Changes between clerkship training, learning style awareness and specialty preferences were evaluated. Results: One hundred eight students participated in the study (M:81, F:27). The mean age was 23.0. The most important factor in choosing a specialty is professional satisfaction (64%) with the work in that specialty. The approach of the trainers in the clerkship training (67%) was to focus on the most influential mind-changing factors for the choice of specialty. The most common learning styles among female students were kinesthetic and visual, while the most common learning style among male students was auditory. However, the learning style of students who preferred surgical branches was generally in the kinesthetic group. Conclusions: An effective clerkship program in which students encounter effective positive role models, gain knowledge about their field of specialization and learning styles, and increase their awareness will provide the right guidance in their specialization preferences.

“Multimodal” Fits All: Revisiting the Relevance of Perceptual Learning Styles in Higher Education Today

Teaching has been continuously evaluated in light of learning styles research. This highlights the significance of investigating learning styles that may be evolving in tandem with changes in the contemporary era. This study assumes that twenty-first-century students share characteristics not based on unimodal models of learning styles, particularly in higher education. It supports multimodality at both the learning and teaching levels since learners typically prefer and share various learning styles. It employs the field's most influential learning styles framework, Reid's (1987) perceptual learning styles instrument, to investigate the validity of that assumption. To add to and question the corpus of literature that exists in the field, we looked at Saudi university-level learning styles in relation to gender and academic major as independent variables. Participants were identified as English as a foreign language (EFL) student from various academic majors. The quantitative research design of this study revealed that neither academic major nor gender significantly affected the learners’ preferences. Participants demonstrated a diversity of preferences for perceptual learning styles, with minimal overall differences. Nonetheless, they favored auditory learning over group and kinaesthetic styles. It was observed that students with an English major preferred individual learning styles. Research in the field, including the current study, found some discrepancies in PLS tendencies across different contexts and factors. With such inconsistent patterns, multimodal education is a good opportunity for teachers and educationists.

Differentiated Instruction: A Survey of Novice Teachers’ Understanding and Barrier to Implementation

Gifted and talented students have different interests and preferred learning styles. Scholarly investigations have demonstrated that teaching gifted and talented students must address their needs as well as nurture their talents. Meeting the needs of gifted students in diverse classrooms has become a major problem for teachers. Differentiated instruction is one of the methods of instruction used with gifted children in programs. The idea that coping with all students equally is no longer effective, especially among gifted students. This emphasizes the importance of suitable teaching approaches, which include differentiated instruction (DI) as a fundamental solution, although challenging. Thus, this research aims to evaluate the level of understanding and the barriers faced by novice teachers in the implementation of differentiated instruction. This study was conducted at a boarding school located in Malaysia. The data were collected using a quantitative approach. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software. The research revealed that novice teachers generally have knowledge and implement differentiated instruction during class. However, the amount of time taken for preparation becomes the major barrier to the implementation of differentiated instruction. The study also highlighted the need for professional development courses to support the implementation of differentiated instruction for gifted students.

Evaluation of GIScience Exercise Using Online Educational Materials for Japanese University Students

GIScience is essential to geography education. Different curriculums and textbooks have been developed to teach GIScience in classrooms through lectures and exercises corresponding to the educational situation of each country. We developed e-learning materials based on existing research outcomes for GIScience education in Japan, such as the Japanese GIS core curriculum for university education. Using the materials, we held a three-day intensive GIScience class at the University of Tokyo from 2018 to 2022 with questionnaire surveys to investigate the educational effects of the materials and factors influencing GIScience learning. The attending students browsed the materials and studied GIScience by themselves but asked questions of teachers if necessary. The questionnaire survey results indicate that most students felt geospatial data processing is somewhat complex, but they were satisfied with the opportunity of GIScience learning. Whether the students thought the exercise was simple and easy depended on their confidence in computer knowledge and operation and their preferred learning style at their own pace. The students’ satisfaction level and ease in using the material correlate with their motivation level, the number of questions they asked the others, and their preferred style for learning at their own pace.

Constructivist learning environment, learning style preference, and language ability of Chinese college EFL learners

Constructivist learning environment, learning style preference, and language ability of Chinese college EFL learners

Understanding the Learning Style Preferences of ODL Students Using VARK Model: Implications for Individualized Pedagogy and Student Success

Aims: The study aims to assess the learning styles among ODL students in higher education, and propose practical strategies for integrating personalized learning approaches to enhance student engagement and educational outcomes. Place and Duration of Study: Research was carried out among the higher education students who enrolled in different ODL programs under the dual-mode universities. Survey was administered during Personal Contact Programme (PCP) for the academic session of 2023-2024. Methodology: Descriptive survey design was employed to gather quantitative data on higher education students learning styles under ODL mode of study and provides a deeper understanding of ODL students' learning preferences based on VARK model. The sample comprised of 246 post-graduate ODL students from various disciplines. A simple random sampling technique was employed to ensure representation from diverse academic backgrounds of ODL students. Results: Study revealed significant variations in learning style preferences among the ODL students. There are 89 (36.18%) ODL students with single preference of learning style and 157 (63.82%) ODL students with multimodal preference of learning style. Statistically significant difference found between male and female ODL students concerning their learning styles. Visual learning style is the most preferred learning style, followed by aural, kinesthetic, and read/write learning style respectively. Majority of ODL students preferred to learn by multiple sensory modalities. Conclusion: Integrating learning style assessments into distance learning practices holds immense promise for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of distance education. Designing course curriculum for distance education based on multiple sensory modalities is crucial for enhancing learning outcomes and student engagement. Incorporating various sensory channels such as visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and read/write, ODL professionals can cater to diverse learning styles and preferences, ultimately promoting a deeper understanding of the subject matter and academic success.

The Influence of Meta-Cognitive Listening Strategies on Listening Performance in the MALL: The Mediation Effect of Learning Style and Self-Efficacy

The ability to understand listening is an essential skill for non-native speakers of English as a foreign language (EFL). Research has shown that several factors can influence EFL students’ English listening comprehension, including the listening strategy they use during listening activities. This study, therefore, used the meta-cognitive listening strategy to explore the mediation role of learning style and self-efficacy in the relationship with listening performance. In this study, 632 Chinese university students participated in a survey and completed electronic questionnaires on MALQ (Meta-cognitive Awareness of Listening Questionnaire), PLSPQ (Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire), and GSE (General Self-Efficacy Scale). The data were analyzed using AMOS software and a structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The results showed that students’ listening strategy directly and positively predicted their English listening performance. Moreover, students’ listening performance was fully mediated by learning style and self-efficacy. After discussing these findings, suggestions as well as limitations for future studies will be given. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the factors that may affect EFL students’ English listening comprehension and inform instructional practices in the EFL classroom. Specifically, the results of this study may suggest the use of teaching strategies tailored to individual learning styles and the adoption of measures to improve self-efficacy of EFL students. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to improve EFL students’ English listening comprehension skills and enhance their overall language proficiency.

IJCM_267A: Using VARK Questionnaire for Assessing Preferred Learning Styles of Undergraduate Medical Students – A Cross Sectional Study.

Background: Students differ in their preferred methods of acquiring, processing, and recalling new information. Learning styles are of the factors influencing academic achievement. The learning style is defined as a combination of cognitive, emotional, and physiological traits that show how the learner perceives and responds to the learning environment. There are very few studies that have assessed learning styles in India. Hence, the present study was undertaken. Objective: The present study aimed to assess the diversity of learning styles among undergraduate medical students Methodology: This was a cross sectional study. The visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic (VARK) questionnaire was administered to 210 students of second and third year MBBS students of Raichur institute of Medical Sciences. Duration of the study was for 1 month. Predesigned, pretested and structured VARK questionnaire version 8.01 containing 16 questions was used as the study tool. The questionnaire was distributed among students in a single page printed format. The consent form assured that denial of taking part in the study will not hamper the student’s academic result and other curricular activities Results: In our study, Data collected were evaluated according to proposed evaluation guideline dividing into 4 predominant groups namely ‘V’, ‘A’, ‘R’, ‘K’. Total 210 students, (Male=100, Female=110), response rate 100%, aged between 19-24 years participated, among which females were ‘R’ and males ‘K’ predominant.. Conclusion: The preferred learning styles of medical students in the present study were reading/writing and kinesthetic. It is suggested that all medical students must be tested to determine their desired learning styles by using VARK questionnaire, also to choose appropriate teaching methods and to improve educational goals

Learning Style Preferences of Undergraduate Female Students in Public Colleges

The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess the learning styles and preferences of undergraduate students at female colleges. A sample of 252 female undergraduate students enrolled in B. Ed programs were selected as sample. An adapted questionnaire based on VARK theory was used comprising three factors (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) of learning styles. The instrument consisted of 24 items based on 5-point Likert scale. Chronbach’s alpha reliability statistic was 0.85. The collected data was analyzed by using SPSS. The results revealed that visual learning style is a more prevalent learning style among female students. The results also revealed that there is no difference in students' learning styles and time spent on study. It is recommended that students have diverse learning preferences and styles. The teachers may design instructional activities and materials that accommodate various modalities such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning.

Factors affecting Saudi medical students’ engagement during synchronous and asynchronous eLearning and their impacts on the students’ academic achievement: a national survey

BackgroundNowadays, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, electronic learning (eLearning) has become a necessity in education. eLearning can be either synchronous, where classes are conducted in real-time, or asynchronous, where students can access the class material at any time. Student-instructor interaction has become essential to the educational process. In the literature, most studies have focused on the preferred methods of eLearning and the barriers to interaction in eLearning. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the factors that affect students’ interactions during eLearning and their impacts on students’ academic achievements.MethodsA national cross-sectional study was conducted among clinical and pre-clinical medical students who were attending universities in five regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a bespoke online self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic features, eLearning barriers, preferences, and the impact of eLearning on students’ performance and understanding.ResultsThis study involved 1371 medical students, of whom 52.37% were male and 51.13% were in their pre-clinical years of medical college. Of the participants, 59.88% (n = 821) preferred synchronous modalities of eLearning, and 33.33% (n = 457) avoided interaction during synchronous lectures. The main predictors of avoiding interaction during online lectures were being male in the clinical years of medical studies, being in a quiet atmosphere, having difficulties using the eLearning platform, having a poor internet connection, having a visual learning style, being insecure, and the presence of opposite-sex students and facilitators. In addition, 12.25% students (n = 168) reported a lower grade point average (GPA), whereas 11.96% (n = 164) reported an improved GPA after eLearning compared with in-person/onsite learning sessions. The GPA fluctuation was related to gender, personality type, learning style, interaction, and eLearning modality preference. Moreover, the students’ understanding was enhanced by recorded lectures (n = 1,093, 79.72%) and supportive multimedia (n = 1,037, 75.64%), and the easy to use platform (n = 1037, 75.64%).ConclusionThe synchronous modality of eLearning was the preferred teaching method among the medical students. However, multiple individual, technical, and environmental factors affected their interaction, performance, and understanding during these sessions. Hence, future interventional research is recommended to overcome interaction barriers and enhance student performance and understanding of eLearning.

Use of Preferred Learning Styles in an Emergency Medicine Residency Academic Remediation Program

Use of Preferred Learning Styles in an Emergency Medicine Residency Academic Remediation Program

Compensatory Strategy Intervention: What Older Patients Want and Why.

Compensatory strategies can improve performance of instrumental activities of daily living in people with cognitive impairment. This study investigated patient interest in compensatory strategy interventions and preference for various intervention formats. Semi-structured qualitative interviews with 38 older adults with cognitive impairment queried motivation to improve strategy use and interest in intervention formats/delivery methods. Two coders used thematic analysis to determine rates of interest in each intervention type and explore patient-reported barriers and facilitators to motivation and intervention models. Most of the samples reported motivation to enhance compensatory strategy use. Degree of motivation was driven by current experiences with strategy use, perceived benefit of potential changes, intrinsic desire to improve life and self, and current perceived need. The vast majority were interested in hour-long, multi-session, instructor-led interventions. Just over half of the sample was interested in a self-directed virtual program, and just under half was interested in involving family/friends. Facilitators and barriers to interest in intervention formats and delivery methods varied based on participants' previous experiences, preferred learning style, content, and time commitment of the intervention, and perceived current need for intervention. One-fifth of the sample expressed no interest in any intervention type, though they expressed openness to assistance in the future as needed. Older adults with cognitive impairment are generally motivated to enhance their compensatory strategy use. Clinicians/researchers designing compensatory strategy interventions should consider instructor-led formats, present individualized benefits of interventions, and demonstrate the benefits of both preventative and remedial intervention to optimize patient engagement.

Learning styles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine personnel undergoing English language courses

The preferred learning styles according to the Felder-Soloman method of military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with various military ranks studying English on four-month face-to-face foreign language courses based on the Foreign Languages Education and Research Center of the National Defense University of Ukraine were studied. Active, sensing and visual styles account for approximately 85% of students, while the remaining 15% have reflective, intuitive and verbal styles. The advantage of the sequential over global style is about 75%. No correlation was found between individual learning preferences, the results of the English language entrance test (four tests - listening, writing, reading and speaking), and officer ranks. The method of two-stage cluster analysis shows that respondents form two clusters (Silhouette cluster quality - 0.5-0.6) of approximately the same size according to the level of language proficiency. The most influential factor for cluster formation is the results of listening. Military personnel learning styles were compared with literature data on students' learning styles from 12 fields of study. Two fields (military and natural sciences) demonstrate the preferences toward four styles in all four dimensions; preferences in 2 directions (sensing and visual) and balance in the other two are characteristic of six fields of study. Four other studied fields have a propensity in only one dimension (visual perception of information).

A Match or a Mismatch between Student and Teacher Learning Style Preferences at King Abdullah Second School for Excellence in Jordan

It is crucial to study learning and teaching styles because some studies have shown that a match between teaching and learning styles helps to enhance the learning process. So, teachers should identify their own teaching styles as well as their learning styles to obtain better academic achievement in the classroom. This study focuses on the students’ learning styles, teachers’ teaching styles, and whether there is a match or mismatch between student and teacher teaching style preferences in King Abdullah Second School for Excellence in Jordan. The results show that most tenth grade students at King Abdullah Second School for Excellence in Jordan prefer to learn by using visual and individual styles. Also, the English teacher, Mr. Ashraf’s major teaching style preferences are visual and individual. Thus, there is a match between the teacher’s preferred teaching style and the students’ preferred learning style at King Abdullah Second School for Excellence, Irbid, Jordan.

Influence of Learning Style Preferences on Written Communication Skills in a Blended Learning Environment

Written communication is an essential skill for information professionals. Therefore, it is common to implement writing tasks to develop this skill in higher education. However, it is known that students' learning style preferences can influence improved written communication skills unequally among students, considering practice with writing tasks. This study examined how learning style preferences can influence the improvement of written communication skills in a blended learning environment for university students in information and management control engineering. Over seven semesters, 215 students participated in writing tasks supported by a discussion forum, and their learning style preferences were measured and analyzed using the Honey and Mumford model. Student performance on the online forum was repeatedly measured to determine the variation in written communication skills according to different learning style preferences and to identify which students benefited most from the intervention. The results indicate that although students' primary learning style preference influences their performance in written communication, these skills improve regardless of the learning style preference. Students with a primary "reflector" learning style preference were the most numerous and achieved the greatest learning gains. Students with a "theorist" learning style preference demonstrated medium-sized improvements in spelling and writing, and students with an "activist" learning style preference had small but significant increases in the quality of their justification and argumentation. Overall, the results suggest that learning style preferences are a relevant individual characteristic for personalizing electronic or hybrid learning environments in writing tasks.

Learning Style and Reading Performance of Grade 8 Students

Every student absorbs and processes knowledge in a different way, which distinguishes each from one another. Some students may have a combination of learning styles. In order to apply a variety of teaching strategies that are ideal to accommodate all types of learners in the classroom, it is crucial for a teacher to understand the learning preferences of his or her students. This study was carried out to investigate the students’ learning style and reading performance, and determine if there is a significant correlation between the two variables. The VAT learning style, which stands for visual, auditory, and tactile, was the only focus of this study. This study employs a descriptive-correlational analysis of variables to discover whether there is a significant relationship between the two variables and to describe the variables. There were 72 Grade 8 students from Libertad National High School, Libertad Misamis Oriental, Philippines who participated in this study. The Learning Style Survey Questionnaire was utilized to determine the students' preferred learning styles, and three reading passages with a total of 30-item questions were used to determine the students' reading performance. In this study, the percentage and chi-square test were both employed to obtain the results. The findings indicate that the majority of students’ response is auditory. Regarding their reading performance, most students are at the instructional level. As the p-value of 0.6086 is greater than the 0.05 level of significance, the results showed that the student's learning style is not significantly related to their reading performance. Thus, a student's preferred learning style has no relation to how well they read. This implies that being an auditory learner does not guarantee that a student would excel in reading and become an independent reader. Future studies may thus employ different grade levels or concentrate on the two learning preferences—visual and auditory—to see whether there is a significant relationship between them and the students’ reading proficiency.

CAN DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES IMPACT EFL LEARNERS' TOEFL ACHIEVEMENT?

Educators need insights into how various learning styles can influence learners' performance in assessments. Exploring the impact of different learning styles on EFL learners' TOEFL reading achievement is a multidimensional endeavor with implications for educators, learners, and the broader society. This study aims to investigate the extent to which vocational diploma EFL learners acquired English based on their preferred learning styles. The ex-post facto design was used for this study. As many as 37 participants were selected purposely from all majoring fourth semester students at an EFL vocational diploma college. A questionnaire was used to divide the participants into three groups depending on their preferred learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. A TOEFL reading test was employed to measure the participants’ English proficiency. The average scores for each learning style group were calculated and revealed that visual learners had an average TOEFL reading score of M=43.22, kinesthetic learners had an average TOEFL reading score of M=38.70, and auditory learners had an M=35.00. To statistically compare these averages, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. The ANOVA results showed a non-significant finding with df=2, F=1.102 and P=0.344. The findings revealed that the TOEFL reading comprehension scores of students with different learning styles did not differ significantly. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse surrounding individualized learning experiences and standardized language assessments. As the field of language education continues to evolve, further research will be pivotal in refining pedagogical practices to better meet the diverse needs of learners striving to excel in their language proficiency endeavors.

Enhancing 360° virtual laboratory safety training with linear learning pathway design: Insights from student experiences

This paper investigates the role of learning pathway design in a web-based 360° virtual laboratory safety training. A linearly structured virtual laboratory safety training was designed and implemented. Student experiences with the linear learning pathway were compared with a previously implemented non-linear learning pathway. In the linear pathway, students complete the virtual laboratory tour in a predetermined order, while in a non-linear pathway the students can complete the virtual laboratory tour in any order. Student feedback was collected from over 900 students and the experiences from the linearly structured virtual laboratory were highly positive. Compared to the previously implemented non-linear learning pathway, the student feedback related to the learning experience improved significantly. The feedback also showed a difference between preferred learning styles, highlighting the importance of choosing the learning pathway based on the intended learning outcomes and offering different types of learning materials for different learners. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that the linearly structured virtual laboratory offers an effective and motivating learning environment for laboratory safety training.

Need Analysis for Developing ELT Material for Early Childhood Education at UIN Alauddin Makassar

This research investigated the need of English that is Learning Needs and Linguistik Needs for Early Childhood Education Department at UIN AlauddinMakassar. This study involved 42 respondents which consists of 38 students, 1 lecturer, and 3 graduates Early Childhood Education Department at UIN AlauddinMakassar. In collecting the data, questionnaire and interview were employed by the researcher. The collection of the data was done by distributing the questionnaires to the participants to identify the students‟ needs in Early Childhood Education Department and interview guideline to find additional data. The findings indicated that the students' ability levels of all components of English (reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar and vocabulary) are at the 'adequate' level. The order of students' preferences related to the English component is; Speaking and Vocabulary, which gained 3.35 of average score. level of other components of English, such as; Listening only reached 3.23 of average score, reading (3.22), writing and grammar (3.20). Meanwhile, the difficulties experienced by students while learning English were Inadequate knowledge of grammar (3.21). In addition, the most preferred learning style by students is film and video (3.24) and the most popular learning preference is speaking with a score of (3.20). This study also provides goals and objectives as a reference in designing and developing appropriate English language materials for Early Childhood Education.The goals that had been formulated are (1) to help students communicate effectively in English by developing students‟ English components and (2) to equip students to have a good basicfoundation in English which enables them to communicate everyday situations and topics. Besides, the formulated objectives are students able to use English components practically through topics related to the department with various learning preferences and styles.Objectives of this research;(1) This students are able to discuss,practice,andgive example about teaching reading for children using related vocabulary correctly.(2) The students are able to comprehend intermediate level reading materials related to children learning a foreign language and actively discuss it to their peers.(3) The students are able to practice teaching English with media using story book communicatively in small group.(4) The students are able to classify and explain about learning tools for early agr learners and conclude the topic in spoken and written English.(5) The students are able to understand and discuss clearly the way of teaching listening for children and give reason of how important to administer education.(6) The students are able to give clear presentation related to teaching English with media songs and practice with their listening.(7) The studentsare able to practice teaching English with media film cartoon in role play.(8) The students are able to participate actively in discussion related to the most appropriate English for early age lessons plans and give proper reason to their point of view.(9) The students are able to understand clear children development and characteristics and discuss their preferences towards the topic.

Learning styles, academic performance and mental health among medical students in King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the prevalence of various learning styles among medical students and their correlations with academic performances and mental health issues in these students in KSA.Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 315 (Male =179, Females =136) students studying in college of medicine, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia between January and June 2019. VARK (Visual Aural Read/write Kinesthetic) questionnaire was used to explore the learning styles of students. Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) was used to assess the mental health. The participants’ demographic data, grade point average, and scores of all measures were presented using descriptive statistics. Correlation test were used to explore the relationship between learning styles, academic performance and mental health of students. Result: The results indicated that approximately half of the students (51.7%) had preferred unimodal learning style and 48.3% students preferred multimodal. Among the unimodal learning styles, the most common learning style was aural (29%), followed by visual (16.8%), read/write (3.5%) and kinesthetic (1.9%), while 28.3% participants preferred bimodal mode of learning. There were significant differences between male and female participants. Male students preferred visual and quardimodal style of learning while female students preferred only aural type of learning. Academic achievement was associated with learning style. However, no relationship was observed between DASS-21 scores and different learning styles. Conclusion: The most preferred learning styles among medical students were aural and bimodal. Learning styles were significantly related to grade point average and no relation exit between mental health and learning styles.