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Category: Volume 07 Issue 12 December 2019
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Title: Learning styles and factors affecting them: A cross sectional study of medical and paramedical students from medical field

Authors: Dr Shilpa Aditya Pratinidhi, Dr Swati Sanjeev Raje, Dr Harshal Pandve

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i12.61

Abstract

Introduction: Students use different learning style to understand the subject. The most common learning style are Visual, Audio, Reading and kinesthetic which are combined referred as VARK model.

Understanding the learning styles of students helps a teacher to plan a teaching – learning activity.  A teacher would like to choose a teaching method which is suitable to maximum students to give maximum advantage to students.

Aims and Objectives: To identify the associated factors with these learning styles, in medical field.

Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was planned which included of 226 students from medical and para medical field. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire along with Version 7.0 of the VARK questionnaire in a printed form and was analysed in Microsoft Excel.

Results: Maximum (n=170) 75% students preferred multimodal style of learning. Amongst those who preferred unimodal style, number of students who preferred Aural was (n=23)10.13% comparable to those who preferred Kinesthetic was (n= 26) 11.43%, while very few preferred Visual or read and write style. Percentage of female students was more for aural and kinesthetic learning style as compared to males. Learning styles also differed with branch of study, with paramedical students preferring aural style as compared to those from MBBS course.

Conclusion: Teacher should modify learning style as per the preference of maximum students so as to give maximum academic benefit.      

Keywords: Learning style, MBBS, BPTH, PBBS, VARK model.

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Corresponding Author

Dr Swati S Raje

Assistant Professor, Department of Community medicine, MIMER Medical College, Talegaon Dabhade, Pune, Maharashtra.