IADR Abstract Archives
Assessment of Learning Styles among Dental Students
Objectives: The aim was to assess the learning styles in second-year students of the School of Dental Medicine in regard to gender and average grade.
Methods: Cross-sectional study evaluated learning styles among 132 students using the Index of Learning Style Questionnaire. The index had four domains and each represented a combination of two learning styles (active/reflective, sensing/intuitive, visual/verbal and sequential/global).
Results: In the active/reflexive domain, 80.3% of students used both types of learning, while 10.6% and 9.1% only used active and reflexive style, respectively. In all subdomains, the number of female participants was three times higher. The highest average grade was achieved with the active style. 25% of students opted for the intuitive style versus 2.3% who preferred sensing learning, while the lowest average grade was reported in 72.7% of students who used mixed sensing/intuitive learning. Both sexes have equally partaken in visual learning while female students advanced in verbal learning. Students with verbal learning preference had the lowest average grade (8.1) versus students that used the visual style (8.62). In the sequential/ global domain, female students had a higher proclivity towards the global style (80%). At the same time, there was no difference in the number of men and women that used sequential style. Students who preferred the global style had the highest average grade (8.90) in this domain.
Conclusions: The results show that female students have more preferences to one of the learning styles while male students use a combination of styles in each domain. The trend of higher grades was recorded among students who actively participate in teaching, those who use visual memory and essential knowledge, as well as those who are inclined to global learning style. All learning styles should be incorporated in teaching in order to effectively convey the information.
Methods: Cross-sectional study evaluated learning styles among 132 students using the Index of Learning Style Questionnaire. The index had four domains and each represented a combination of two learning styles (active/reflective, sensing/intuitive, visual/verbal and sequential/global).
Results: In the active/reflexive domain, 80.3% of students used both types of learning, while 10.6% and 9.1% only used active and reflexive style, respectively. In all subdomains, the number of female participants was three times higher. The highest average grade was achieved with the active style. 25% of students opted for the intuitive style versus 2.3% who preferred sensing learning, while the lowest average grade was reported in 72.7% of students who used mixed sensing/intuitive learning. Both sexes have equally partaken in visual learning while female students advanced in verbal learning. Students with verbal learning preference had the lowest average grade (8.1) versus students that used the visual style (8.62). In the sequential/ global domain, female students had a higher proclivity towards the global style (80%). At the same time, there was no difference in the number of men and women that used sequential style. Students who preferred the global style had the highest average grade (8.90) in this domain.
Conclusions: The results show that female students have more preferences to one of the learning styles while male students use a combination of styles in each domain. The trend of higher grades was recorded among students who actively participate in teaching, those who use visual memory and essential knowledge, as well as those who are inclined to global learning style. All learning styles should be incorporated in teaching in order to effectively convey the information.