J Educ Eval Health Prof.  2018;15:8. 10.3352/jeehp.2018.15.8.

Does learning style preferences influence academic performance among dental students in Isfahan, Iran?

• Akhlaghi N
• Mirkazemi
• Jafarzade
• Akhlaghi N

• KMID: 2439264
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2018.15.8

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.

Keyword

Academic performance; Dental students; Iran; Learning methods; Problem-based learning

MeSH Terms

Humans
Iran*
Learning*
Linear Models
Problem-Based Learning
Schools, Dental
Statistics as Topic
Students, Dental*

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Percentages of unimodal learners who preferred a single mode of learning (V, A, R, and K), and learners who preferred 2 (bimodal) and 3 (tri-modal) (n = 200). V, visual; A, aural; R, reading/writing; K, kinesthetic; VARK, visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic questionnaire.

Reference

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