Learning Style Preference of Medical Student in University of Lahore

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to identify learning styles of medical students and find out gender difference in learning style preference. Study Design: Descriptive cross section study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at University College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore from June to August 2015. Materials and Methods: A total of 115 out of 170 students from 3 year MBBS and 32 out of 50 students from 2nd year BDS completed the questionnaire. VARK( visual, auditory, reading/writing, kinesthetic) questionnaire was used to assess preferred learning style of medical students. The validity of the questionnaire was assessed through experts' views and its reliability was calculated by using Cronbach's alpha coefficients (α=0.86). Data were analyzed by using SPSS software. Results: The result indicate that 67 (46%), prefer single learning style, out of these 44(66%) visual, 4(6%) auditory, 7(10%) read/write and 12(18%) prefer kinesthetic. 80 student (54%) select more than one learning style, in which 59(74%)binary learning style, 19(23%) tertiary learning style and 2(3%) prefer quaternary learning style. There is no gender difference in learning style selection. Visual and kinesthetic were the most preferred learning style in both male and female. Conclusion: In the present study the preferred learning styles of medical students were Visual and kinesthetic. Knowledge of learning style of medical student will be help full in teaching, but we will have to assess learning style of other classes of MBBS and BDS as well.

Keywords

• learning style, medical students, vark.