Visual Learning Preferences Research Articles

An Analysis of Medical Students’ Learning Experiences in Small Group-Based Teaching in Kurdistan Region-Iraq

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the learning styles, activities, and experiences of medical students within the context of small groupbased teaching in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and May 2022 at Zakho College of Medicine, involving students from various medical colleges in the region. A pre-designed questionnaire was administered both in-person and online. Comprising two main parts in addition to demographic information, the questionnaire assessed students' learning styles based on O'Brien's modality learning channel preference and their preferences and experiences in small-group settings. Results: The sample included students from the 1st to the 5th stage, totaling around 400 participants. The cohort was predominantly female (60.05%) and largely from the 2nd stage of medical education (55.03%). Visual Learning was the most common learning style, particularly among female students. Significant variations in learning styles were noted across different academic stages and universities. Small-group activities and formative assessments were generally favored. While most students were either "satisfied" or found it "natural" concerning group size, dissatisfaction was prominent regarding available teaching resources. Statistical analyses confirmed significant differences in learning styles, preferred teaching methods, and feelings about the learning environment. Conclusion: The study offers critical insights into the diverse learning preferences and experiences of medical students in small-group settings. Despite a general preference for Visual Learning and small-group activities, significant variations exist, warranting a nuanced approach to educational strategy. Given the diverse learning preferences and significant dissatisfaction with available resources, a multifaceted educational approach is recommended, including diverse teaching and assessment methods and increased investment in teaching resources.

The Development and Evaluation of an Educational Video for Breast Cancer Patients Requiring Adjuvant Radiation Therapy

Patient education and informed consent are required prior to adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) for early breast cancer (EBC), and include the role, rationale, potential toxicities and practicalities of the treatment process. Current education of patients about RT is verbal, in the form of a consultation by a radiation oncologist, often supplemented with print or online materials. This approach is limited by its doctor-dependency and non-standardised nature. Video education is being recognised increasingly as an opportunity to remediate this and appeal to patients’ preference for visual learning. The purpose of this study was to design and produce a video as an educational adjunct for EBC patients’ viewing prior to adjuvant RT, and to evaluate its acceptability through content analysis of three online focus group discussions, among ten participants with EBC requiring RT. After qualitative content analysis of the focus group transcripts, data were summarised into three main categories: (1) understanding of RT, (2) ease of engagement with the video and (3) anxiety and preparedness for RT. The 18-min video was positively received by all participants, and discussion feedback was used to inform improvements to the video. This focus group study demonstrated that the video was well understood, informative and acceptable to EBC patients in preparing them for RT. The effectiveness of the video in improving knowledge and alleviating distress in preparation for therapy will be further evaluated in an ethics-approved biphasic quasi-experimental study.

Students’ Language Learning Preferences in Taking In and Presenting Information to Others

This study aimed to ascertain the extent to which students prefer to take in and present information to others using the four perceptual learning modalities: visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic in learning the English language. The researcher applied the descriptive-correlational design and considered 250 Grade 12 randomly selected respondents. The researcher utilized a validated questionnaire and conducted a dry run with thirty respondents. The Cronbach's Alpha Test revealed that all items were reliable with coefficients greater than 0.70 in all areas. The results of this study revealed that that the students generally have a high preference for auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic learning styles, while their preference for visual learning is moderate. In terms of presenting information, students prefer auditory and kinesthetic methods more than visual and reading and writing. Despite these preferences, students' academic performance in English was very satisfactory. Importantly, there was a positive correlation between academic performance and the extent to which students engaged in reading and writing. Conversely, heavy reliance on visual presentations was associated with lower English academic performance. Additionally, students who preferred reading and writing and kinesthetic methods for presenting information tended to perform better academically. These findings highlight the significance of considering diverse learning preferences and presentation methods to enhance students' academic achievements in English.

Student visual learning style activities in javanese script writing learning

The learning activities undertaken by students are essential to be known as the basis for teachers to determine suitable teaching methods and media according to the characteristics of the students. The implication of this research is that teachers can create effective learning experiences by aligning teaching methods and media with the visual learning preferences of students. The research subjects were eighth-grade students at SMP Darussalam Bergas who have a visual learning style. The data for the research included all activities of students with a visual learning style. Data analysis was conducted using Miles and Huberman's data analysis model, which includes data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The data analysis results revealed that the characteristics of visual learning style predominantly dominated the students' learning preferences. The activities of visual learners include the following: they find it easier to comprehend what they see rather than what they hear, pay attention to PowerPoint presentations, are more organized and neat, prefer reading to being read to, are meticulous and detail-oriented, have good spelling skills, tend to doodle without specific meaning, are not easily distracted by noise but may be disrupted if the visual display is unclear, visual learners tend to copy everything written by the teacher on the chalkboard, and they prefer to sit near the front of the classroom to have a clear view. Keywords: learning activities, Javanese script, visual learning style

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.

The Effectiveness of Total Physical Response Method in the Process of Learning and Teaching English Vocabulary to Pre-Adolescent Learners in an Online Teaching Setting

The acquisition of second language (L2) is a detailed and a time-consuming process. It is illustrated in the differences between spontaneous and studied capabilities, where the former describes the ability to acquire language naturally and subconsciously and the latter one allows students to organize their thoughts and apply conscious efforts of attention all while engaging in work, which cannot be performed automatically (Palmer, 1921:48). Lennenberg (1967: 176), in the argument, which referred to L2 learning, suggested that after puberty, the learning of L2 requires a labored effort and that foreign accents cannot be overcome easily, due to the inability to continue to spontaneously acquire foreign languages. This is known as the Critical Period Hypothesis, which states that if a child’s second language acquisition starts in the period between the ages of two and twelve it is possible to fully master the learning process with a positive outcome, while learners who embark on a learning process after this period will face obstacles and incompletion of the process of language learning (Abello-Contesse, 2006:13). Thus, the research focuses on young learners and their natural ability for a faster and efficient language acquisition. The primary concern of this research is the vocabulary acquisition of young, pre-adolescent, learners using TPR (Total Physical Response), in an online teaching setting. The research investigates whether pre-adolescent learners acquire vocabulary more naturally and effectively using TPR (thirty students as a part of the experimental group) than the learners who acquire vocabulary through a more traditional, Form-Meaning-Use (FMU), type of acquisition (thirty students as a part of the control group) in an online teaching setting. Moreover, the author explores the students’ ability to acquire a larger set of twelve vocabulary items within one 25-minute class and whether TPR is indeed effective in this process. If so, the researcher will potentially conduct a follow up research on this topic to see how strongly these vocabulary items could be retained in the students’ memory. This paper investigates the efficiency of TPR on students with kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learning preferences. The entire research is conducted in an online teaching setting.

Developing a virtual global dermatology curriculum: Qualitative analysis based on a pilot study in Ethiopia

Developing a virtual global dermatology curriculum: Qualitative analysis based on a pilot study in Ethiopia

A study of the different learning styles of the present first professional MBBS students at United Institute of Medical Sciences, United Medicity, Prayagraj, India

Background: The study is designed to evaluate the different learning styles of the present first professional MBBS students. Students were requested to complete the visual-aural-read/write-kinesthetic (VARK) questionnaire at VARK-LEARN.COM. Results of the questionnaire were collected by email and analyzed using Microsoft Excel. We found that 68.2% had multimodal learning preferences and 31.7% had single learning preference. Aims and Objectives: The objective of this study is to analyze the different learning styles of MBBS 1st year students of United Institute of Medical Sciences, Prayagraj, using the VARK questionnaire. Materials and Methods: This study includes the informed consent taken from each student before participating. The Institutional Ethics Committee approved the study. Copyright permission was taken from the website vark-learn.com, from VARK Learn Limited, New Zealand. One hundred and two students had consented, and out of them, 85 students participated in the study. The students were asked to complete the questionnaire on the website. The data on their learning styles were collected and analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Results: Out of 85 Students, 58 (68.2%) had multimodal learning preferences. Of these, 28.2% of students had four-part VARK or quadrimodal preferences, 28.2% of students had bimodal, and 11.7% had trimodal learning preferences. Twenty-seven (31.7%) had single learning preferences, and, out of these 27 students, 17 (20%) had kinesthetic, 6 (7.05%) had visual learning preferences, and 4 (4.7%) students had aural learning preferences. Conclusion: With the help of this study, we concluded that most of the students who participated in our study are multimodal learners, and out of the students who had a single learning preference, most had kinesthetic learning preferences.

Visual Note Taking for Medical Students in the Age of Instagram

PurposeVisual note taking is a strategy used by medical students in the process of learning medicine. Some medical students show a preference for learning by drawing and some also promote learning in others by sharing their drawings globally on social media platforms. Instagram is a popular platform for promoting shared visual learning by medical students but little is known about the impact for medical student learners of these shared Instagram drawings. MethodIn this descriptive exploratory study medical students who post on Instagram were interviewed, and their followers surveyed, to determine the efficacy of both their self and shared learning. The interview transcripts and survey responses were analyzed inductively, generating themes about the role of visual learning in medicine and the larger value in building community. ResultsBoth medical students who post on Instagram and their followers self-identified as having a preference for visual learning; they associated learning and retention with both the act of making and looking at, drawings. They also identified a role for mnemonics and humour in their education. Importantly, they and their followers, reported that the emergence of an online community of practice played a vital role in helping them cope with the stresses of medical training. DiscussionCreating visual notes/cartoons was an integral part of the learning strategy for medical students, as was looking at these images for the followers. Through the sharing of their images, medical students acted as role models for their medical student followers, illustrating that visual note taking can be a successful learning strategy in the study of medicine. Connecting online through sharing and commenting on Instagram drawings provided a virtual space for recognition and processing of the struggles inherent in medical training.

The Preferred Perceptual Learning Styles of Hispanic Higher Education Students

This article addresses the question of whether higher education Hispanic students of different nationalities have different perceptual learning style preferences. Independent samples t test results suggest students of non-Mexican heritage prefer visual learning styles more than students of Mexican heritage. ANOVA results show older students and students from families with greater levels of education have greater preference for visual learning, and higher household income is related to lower preferences for group learning style, and vice versa.

A Prospective Trial: Traditional Versus Video-Based Teaching for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery [5I

INTRODUCTION: To compare traditional versus video-based education in gynecologic surgery on task-specific cognitive and surgical skills performance among millennial trainees. To evaluate the impact of learning preference on performance. METHODS: Prospective study in academic medical center. OBGYN residents and medical students on gynecology were assigned to traditional (TT) or video-based (VBT) training for total laparoscopic hysterectomy skills. TT included routine didactic and clinical instruction. VBT additionally included two types of videos: 1) cognitive, 2) psychomotor skills-based. Participants received pre- and post-intervention knowledge and skills assessments. The VARK© questionnaire determined learning preference. Change in assessment scores was compared. The relationship between learning preference, intervention group, and change in assessment scores was analyzed. RESULTS: 120 students (n=59 VBT v. n=61 TT) and 24 residents (n=12 per group) participated. Mean improvement in knowledge assessment score was 8.65 for VBT v. 7.03 for TT (p=0.02) for medical students, and 4.17 for VBT v. 4.09 for TT (p=0.98) for residents. Mean skills test score was 6.22 with VBT v. 4.28 with TT (p less than 0.001) for students, and 2.45 with VBT v. 0.36 with TT (p=0.04) for residents. Among students, as visual learning preference increased, change in knowledge assessment score increased (p=0.04, CI 0.01-0.49). A similar trend was seen with auditory learning preference (p=0.04, CI 0.01-0.56). Among residents, as auditory learning preference increased, change in skills assessment score increased (p=0.03, CI 0.08-1.34). CONCLUSION: Video-based teaching is an effective educational tool in gynecologic surgery. Cognitive and skills-based performance may be enhanced among individuals with visual and/or auditory learning preferences.

Using simulation to teach lean methodologies and the benefits for Millennials

Lean manufacturing is no longer just a practice for industrial manufacturing. In an effort to generate more revenue with less resources, companies of all product and service types are turning to Lean methodologies. In its simplest form, Lean is described as identifying value-added tasks versus the non-value-added tasks through the eyes of the end customer. Teaching the newest workforce has changed given the visual learning preferences of the youngest demographic in the workplace – the digital natives who grew up immersed in technology. In an effort to teach Lean to all employees, in particular the youngest cohort, training has taken on forms that mimic the modern technology of today’s commercially popular pastimes: video games. Video games are essentially simulations of one or more real-life components applied via an interactive, responsive environment. Using simulations to teach Lean methodologies allows for instant feedback on components that are applicable to specific companies. Simulation-based training has been researched and attempted in the past. This study will focus on those efforts and their successes and will interpolate how the benefits of simulation training for Lean differs from all employees in the workplace versus employees born between 1979 and 2000.

Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) with the Use of Visual Supports for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Validity and Reliability.

The validity and reliability of the Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) were measured, taking into consideration the preference for visual learning of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The TGMD-3 was administered to 14 children with ASD (4-10years) and 21 age-matched typically developing children under two conditions: TGMD-3 traditional protocol, and TGMD-3 visual support protocol. Excellent levels of internal consistency, test-retest, interrater and intrarater reliability were achieved for the TGMD-3 visual support protocol. TGMD-3 raw scores of children with ASD were significantly lower than typically developing peers, however, significantly improved using the TGMD-3 visual support protocol. This demonstrates that the TGMD-3 visual support protocol is a valid and reliable assessment of gross motor performance for children with ASD.

VARK learning preferences and mobile anatomy software application use in pre-clinical chiropractic students.

Ubiquitous smartphone ownership and reduced face-to-face teaching time may lead to students making greater use of mobile technologies in their learning. This is the first study to report on the prevalence of mobile gross anatomy software applications (apps) usage in pre-clinical chiropractic students and to ascertain if a relationship exists between preferred learning styles as determined by the validated VARK(©) questionnaire and use of mobile anatomy apps. The majority of the students who completed the VARK questionnaire were multimodal learners with kinesthetic and visual preferences. Sixty-seven percent (73/109) of students owned one or more mobile anatomy apps which were used by 57 students. Most of these students owned one to five apps and spent less than 30 minutes per week using them. Six of the top eight mobile anatomy apps owned and recommended by the students were developed by 3D4Medical. Visual learning preferences were not associated with time spent using mobile anatomy apps (OR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.12-1.40). Similarly, kinesthetic learning preferences (OR = 1.88, 95% CI 0.18-20.2), quadmodal preferences (OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.06-9.25), or gender (OR = 1.51, 95% CI 0.48-4.81) did not affect the time students' spent using mobile anatomy apps. Learning preferences do not appear to influence students' time spent using mobile anatomy apps. Anat Sci Educ 9: 247-254. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

Perceived Visual Informativeness (PVI): Construct and Scale Development to Assess Visual Information in Printed Materials

There is a paucity of research on the visual images used in health communication messages and campaign materials. Even though many studies suggest further investigation of these visual messages and their features, few studies provide specific constructs or assessment tools for evaluating the characteristics of visual messages in health communication contexts. The authors conducted 2 studies to validate a measure of perceived visual informativeness (PVI), a message construct assessing visual messages presenting statistical or indexical information. In Study 1, a 7-item scale was created that demonstrated good internal reliability (α = .91), as well as convergent and divergent validity with related message constructs such as perceived message quality, perceived informativeness, and perceived attractiveness. PVI also converged with a preference for visual learning but was unrelated to a person's actual vision ability. In addition, PVI exhibited concurrent validity with a number of important constructs including perceived message effectiveness, decisional satisfaction, and three key public health theory behavior predictors: perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and self-efficacy. Study 2 provided more evidence that PVI is an internally reliable measure and demonstrates that PVI is a modifiable message feature that can be tested in future experimental work. PVI provides an initial step to assist in the evaluation and testing of visual messages in campaign and intervention materials promoting informed decision making and behavior change.

Learning styles and motives of postgraduate distance learners undertaking a United Kingdom professional doctorate.

Purpose: To investigate the learning styles and motives for study of students enrolled on an online distance learning professional doctorate programme. The data are required to ensure that both current and potential future programmes meet students’ needs and provide the best possible learning experiences.Methodology: All 66 current students enrolled on a UK professional doctorate programme were invited to participate in this online questionnaire-based study. Participants completed the 44-item Index of Learning Styles questionnaire to describe learning preferences along 4 dimensions; active-reflective, sensing-intuitive, visual-verbal and sequential-global. Fourteen subsequent items explored students’ motives for study in three areas; intrinsic factors, extrinsic factors and career-related factors. Potential differences in motives for study between UK and non-UK students were explored.Results: The cohort displayed balanced learning preferences along the active-reflective, sensing-intuitive and sequential-global dimensions, but a significant preference for visual learning was identified along the visual-verbal dimension. A moderate or strong preference for visual learning was identified in 79.2 % of respondents. Regarding the motives for study, intrinsic and career-related factors were most important, with extrinsic factors being poor motivators for respondents. No significant differences in motives for study were identified between UK and non-UK students.Discussion: Learning styles may be easily studied amongst distance learners, and has the potential to reveal preferences that educators should consider in their teaching activities. In line with some previously published work, intrinsic factors were the most important motives for study in this cohort of mature learners, with extrinsic factors being of low importance. No evidence was found to support the assertion that East Asian students are more likely to be affected by extrinsic push factors.

Students’ perceptions on using iPods in accounting education: a mobile‐learning experience

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to assess the benefits derived from the application of mobile devices as part of the students’ online learning experience and the extent to which the perceived benefits are linked to student learning styles.Design/methodology/approach – A small group of students enrolled in an exclusively online graduate accounting program were issued with iPods as part of their learning materials. Two data collection instruments were issued: a questionnaire to elicit students’ opinions on the usefulness of the iPod as a tool for learning; and a questionnaire to establish their learning styles (using a VARK© questionnaire).Findings – The findings indicate that the primary advantage of iPods lies in its portability, which, in turn, facilitated efficient and effective use of time and study planning. The portability attached to iPods allowed students to take advantage of what otherwise have been down‐time, such as commuting. Students with a preference for visual learning rated the iPod ...