Background: Designing of active learning strategies that promote self-directed learning, has been emphasized in the directives of undergraduate medical education by the Medical Council of India. Acknowledging the diverse learning styles and learning approaches of the medical students is often an underutilized approach to improve classroom instructions.
Aims and Objectives: The present study aimed to study the percentage distribution of diverse learning styles and predominant learning approach among the medical students.
Materials and Methods: Self-administered visual, auditory, read/write, kinesthetic questionnaire and Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students questionnaire were distributed to 121 medical undergraduate students, to assess their learning style and learning approach, respectively.
Results: Of the total 121 students, 53.8% students were unimodal learners and 46.2% were multimodal learners. Among the unimodal learners, predominant were visual learners (24.1%). There was no significant influence of gender on the learning style preferences among the medical students. Deep approach was the predominant learning approach among the medical students. The mean scores of the strategic approach were significantly higher in females compared to the male medical students.
Conclusion: A successful learning results only when the teaching and assessment methods are in alignment with the students learning preferences. Students aware of their learning style and approach may be motivated to adopt techniques that best suit their learning styles and this may result in greater educational satisfaction.
Key words: Learning Style; Learning Approach; Medical Students
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