Akhlaghi N, Mirkazemi H, Jafarzade M, Akhlaghi N. Does learning style preferences influence academic performance among dental students in Isfahan, Iran?
JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL EVALUATION FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONS 2018;
15:8. [PMID:
29575848 PMCID:
PMC5968221 DOI:
10.3352/jeehp.2018.15.8]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE
The present study aimed to identify the learning preferences of dental students and to characterize their relationship with academic performance at a dental school in Isfahan, Iran.
METHODS
This cross-sectional descriptive study included 200 undergraduate dental students from October to November 2016. Data were collected using a 2-part questionnaire. The first part included demographic data, and the second part was a Persian-language version of the visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted with the chi-square test, 1-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression.
RESULTS
The response rate was 86.6%. Approximately half of the students (51.5%) had multimodal learning preferences. Among the unimodal group (48.5%), the most common mode was aural (24.0%), followed by kinesthetic (15.5%), reading-writing (8.0%), and visual (1.0%). There was a significant association between academic performance and the reading/writing learning style preference (P< 0.01).
CONCLUSION
Multimodal learning styles were the most preferred. Among single-mode learning styles, the aural style was most common, followed by the kinesthetic style. Students with a reading/writing preference had better academic performance. The results of this study provide useful information for preparing a more problem-based curriculum with active learning strategies.
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