Cover image of the article: Identification of Preferred Learning Styles of Semnan Dental Students by Using the Visual-Aural-Read/ Write-Kinaesthetic Questionnaire

Image Credit:Koomesh

Identification of Preferred Learning Styles of Semnan Dental Students by Using the Visual-Aural-Read/ Write-Kinaesthetic Questionnaire

Authors

Fatemeh Abdollahi1, Fatemeh PaknazarFatemeh Paknazar ORCID2, Samira BehradSamira Behrad ORCID3, 4,*
1School of Dentistry, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
2Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
3Cancer Research Center,Semnan University of Medical Sciences,Semnan,Iran
4Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
*Corresponding Author: Cancer Research Center,Semnan University of Medical Sciences,Semnan,Iran 2DDS, MS Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran Email: samirabehrad84@gmail.com

Koomesh:Vol. 27, issue 3; e153454
Published online:May 20, 2025
Article type:Research Article
How to Cite:Abdollahi F, Paknazar F, Behrad S. Identification of Preferred Learning Styles of Semnan Dental Students by Using the Visual-Aural-Read/ Write-Kinaesthetic Questionnaire. koomesh. 2025;27(3):e153454. doi: https://doi.org/10.69107/koomesh-153454

Abstract

Background: Learning is the most important goal of the educational system, and paying attention to learning styles and intelligent teaching according to its requirements can lead to facilitating the transfer of concepts to students.

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to identify the learning styles of dental students in Semnan.

Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, the studied population was all the dental students entering Semnan University of Medical Sciences from 2018 to 2023 in 2023-2024, whose number was about 226. Sampling was done by a full enumeration method, and the instrument used was VARK's Standardized Questionnaire (VARK).

Results: Out of the total of 194 people who completed the questionnaire, 82% were single-style, and listening style was the preferred method of students, with a frequency of 32%. Among the multi-style methods, the visual-practical two-style method, with a frequency of 3.6%, was the most common multi-style method among students. The statistical results did not show a significant difference between learning style, age, gender, and academic term (P < 0.05). A significant difference was observed between the GPA of the last semester and the learning style. This significance was seen in visual and reading-writing styles, both of which were higher in people with a GPA above 16 (P = 0.008).

Conclusion: The professors' awareness of the students' learning methods has a significant impact on the improvement of the teaching-learning process. It is suggested that when students enter university, the preferred common learning styles of each course should be specified. This work leads to the adaptation of the professors' teaching methods and the planning of the educational group with the students' learning style.

 

 

Highlights

References

  • 1.
    Peres MA, Macpherson LMD, Weyant RJ, Daly B, Venturelli R, Mathur MR, et al. Oral diseases: a global public health challenge. Lancet. 2019;394(10194):249-60. [PubMed ID:31327369]. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31146-8.
  • 2.
    Taheri M, Falahchai M, Javanak M, Hemmati YB, Bozorgi MD. Analyzing the relationship between learning styles (Kolb and VARK) and creativity with the academic achievement of dental students. J Educ Health Promot. 2021;10:252. [PubMed ID:34485549]. [PubMed Central ID:PMC8395887]. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_1492_20.
  • 3.
    Nasiri Z, Gharekhani S, Ghasempour M. Relationship between Learning Style and Academic Status of Babol Dental Students. Electronic Physician. 2016;8(5):2340-5. https://doi.org/10.19082/2340.
  • 4.
    Shenoy N, Shenoy KA, U PR. The perceptual preferences in learning among dental students in clinical subjects. J Clin Diagn Res. 2013;7(8):1683-5. [PubMed ID:24086874]. [PubMed Central ID:PMC3782931]. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2013/4940.3219.
  • 5.
    Aldosari MA, Aljabaa AH, Al-Sehaibany FS, Albarakati SF. Learning style preferences of dental students at a single institution in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, evaluated using the VARK questionnaire. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2018;9:179-86. [PubMed ID:29593441]. [PubMed Central ID:PMC5865561]. https://doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S157686.
  • 6.
    Mozaffari HR, Janatolmakan M, Sharifi R, Ghandinejad F, Andayeshgar B, Khatony A. The Relationship Between the VARK Learning Styles and Academic Achievement in Dental Students. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2020;11:15-9. [PubMed ID:32021538]. [PubMed Central ID:PMC6955605]. https://doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S235002.
  • 7.
    Kolb D, Kolb A. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory 4.0: Guide to Theory, Psychometrics, Research & Applications. Boston, Massachusetts: Hay Resources Direct 2007.
  • 8.
    Jannat Alipour Z, Navvabi N, Jahanshahi M. [Evaluation of Nursing Students' Learning Styles Based on VARK Learning Pattern in Ramsar School of Nursing & Midwifery]. Med Educ. 2013;1(2):37-45. Persian.
  • 9.
    Murphy RJ, Gray SA, Straja SR, Bogert MC. Student learning preferences and teaching implications. J Dent Educ. 2004;68(8):859-66. [PubMed ID:15286109].
  • 10.
    Othman N, Amiruddin MH. Different Perspectives of Learning Styles from VARK Model. Procedia-Soc Behav Sci. 2010;7:652-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.10.088.
  • 11.
    Drago WA, Wagner RJ. Vark preferred learning styles and online education. Management Res News. 2004;27(7):1-13. https://doi.org/10.1108/01409170410784211.
  • 12.
    Prithishkumar IJ, Michael SA. Understanding your student: using the VARK model. J Postgrad Med. 2014;60(2):183-6. [PubMed ID:24823519]. https://doi.org/10.4103/0022-3859.132337.
  • 13.
    Abrishambaf R, Shahsavari F, Jolehar M. [Learning Styles and Teaching Methods for Dental Students of Tehran Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences in 2018]. J Mashhad Dent Sch. 2022;46(4):295-304. Persian. https://doi.org/10.22038/jmds.2022.60609.2097.
  • 14.
    Amini N, Zamani BE, Abedini Y. [Medical Students' Learning Styles]. Iran J Med Educ. 2010;10(2):141-7. Persian.
  • 15.
    Javadinia A, Sharifzade G, Abedini M, Khalesi M, Erfaniyan M. [Learning Styles Of Medical Students In Birjand University Of Medical Sciences According To VARK Model]. Iran J Med Educ. 2012;11(6):584-9. Persian.
  • 16.
    Honarmand M, Koochaknejad G, Hajihosseini A. Learning styles of Zahedan dental students by using the VARK model in 2019-2020. Future Med Educ J. 2020;10(4):3-7. https://doi.org/10.22038/fmej.2020.49261.1336.
  • 17.
    Mehdipour M, Mortazavi H, Yazdani J, Dastan Pour S, Namdari M, Moradi M. [Learning Styles of Dental Students at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Using VARK Questionnaire]. Iran J Med Educ. 2018;18(0):176-82. Persian.
  • 18.
    Fahim A, Rehman S, Fayyaz F, Javed M, Alam MA, Rana S, et al. Identification of Preferred Learning Style of Medical and Dental Students Using VARK Questionnaire. Biomed Res Int. 2021;2021:4355158. [PubMed ID:34708122]. [PubMed Central ID:PMC8545508]. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/4355158.
  • 19.
    Peyman H, Sadeghifar J, Khajavikhan J, Yasemi M, Rasool M, Yaghoubi YM, et al. Using VARK Approach for Assessing Preferred Learning Styles of First Year Medical Sciences Students: A Survey from Iran. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014;8(8):GC01-4. [PubMed ID:25302208]. [PubMed Central ID:PMC4190729]. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2014/8089.4667.
  • 20.
    Daud S, Kashif R, Chaudhry AM. learning style of medical student. South-East Asian J Med Educ. 2014;8(1).
  • 21.
    Khanal L, Shah S, Koirala S. Exploration of preferred learning styles in medical education using VARK modal. Russian Open Med J. 2014;3(3). https://doi.org/10.15275/rusomj.2014.0305.
  • 22.
    Baykan Z, Nacar M. Learning styles of first-year medical students attending Erciyes University in Kayseri, Turkey. Adv Physiol Educ. 2007;31(2):158-60. [PubMed ID:17562904]. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00043.2006.
  • 23.
    Lujan HL, DiCarlo SE. First-year medical students prefer multiple learning styles. Adv Physiol Educ. 2006;30(1):13-6. [PubMed ID:16481603]. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00045.2005.
  • 24.
    Ahadi F, Abedsaidi J, Arshadi F, Ghorbani R. [Learning styles of nursing and allied health students in Semnan university of medical sciences]. Sci J Semnan Univ Med Sci. 2009;2(34). Persian.

Copyright

© 2025, Author(s). This open-access article is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which allows for unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.

Similar Articles

25
Oct
2010
Learning styles of nursing and allied health students in Semnan university of medical sciences

Learning styles of nursing and allied health students in Semnan university of medical sciences

Ahadi Ahadi,
Jila AbedSaeidi,
Farrokh Arshadi,
Raheb Ghorbani

Ahadi A, AbedSaeidi J, Arshadi F, Ghorbani R. Learning styles of nursing and allied health students in Semnan university of medical sciences. koomesh. 2010;11(2):e152277. doi:

30
Jun
2012

Nursing and medical students' studying and learning approaches

Abdolhussein Shakurnia

Shakurnia A. Nursing and medical students&#039; studying and learning approaches. Jentashapir J Cell Mol Biol. 2012;2(4):. doi:

8
Nov
2009
Learning Styles of Medical and Midwifery Students in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Learning Styles of Medical and Midwifery Students in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

A Zeraati,
H Hajian,
Reza Shojaian

Zeraati A, Hajian H, Shojaian R. Learning Styles of Medical and Midwifery Students in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. J Med Edu. 2008;12(1 & 2):e105366. doi: https://doi.org/10.22037/jme.v12i1,2.1097

30
Nov
2009
Nursing Students’ Preferred Learning Styles

Nursing Students’ Preferred Learning Styles

Shayesteh Salehi

Salehi S. Nursing Students’ Preferred Learning Styles. J Med Edu. 2007;11(3 & 4):e105336. doi: https://doi.org/10.22037/jme.v11i3&4.1376

30
Jun
2004
Relationship of learning styles with educational progress of nursing students in Qazvin

Relationship of learning styles with educational progress of nursing students in Qazvin

R Sarchami,
SM Hossaini

Sarchami R, Hossaini S. Relationship of learning styles with educational progress of nursing students in Qazvin. J Inflamm Dis. 2024;8(1):e155021. doi:

More by these authors

Fatemeh AbdollahiPubMedScholar
Fatemeh PaknazarPubMedScholar
Samira BehradPubMedScholar
Share
Cited by
Metrics
Indexed in