Assessing learning styles of medical students using Kolb’s learning style inventory and their association with preferred teaching methodologies

Abstract

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of learning styles of medical students by using David Kolb’s learning style inventory and its association with preferred teaching methodologies.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among over 500 medical students of Baqai Medical College, Baqai Medical University, Gadap, Karachi, form July 2019 to October, 2019. David Kolb’s learning style questionnaire, and a 2^nd questionnaire to know preference for different teaching methodologies were distributed to the students. Learning styles were identified and their association with preferred teaching methods was checked by Chi-square test.

Results: The mean age of the medical students was 21.5±1.69 years. Two hundred and thirteen (40.7%) participants were males and 310 (59.3%) females. By learning styles, 268 (51.7%) medical students were divergers, 118 (22.8%) were assimilators, 86 (16.6%) were accomodators and 46 (8.9%) were convergers. A significant association was found between learning styles and selected teaching methodologies such as interactive lectures (p=0.013), small group discussion (p=0.039) and self-study (p=0.032) while problem based learning, demonstration on models, lab work, one-way lecture and student presentation were not found to be significantly associated with learning styles.

Conclusion: Majority of the medical students had diverger (51.7%) and assimilator (22.8%) learning styles. The teaching methodologies of interactive lectures, small group discussion and self-study were found to be associated with learning styles. Aligning our instructional strategies with learning styles of the medical students will improve learning and academic performance.

Clinical Trial Number: Not Applicable

Keywords: Learning, Problem-Based Learning, Teaching Methods, Continuous...