Journal of Semnan University of Medical Sciences
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Outline
Identification of Preferred Learning Styles of Semnan Dental Students by Using the Visual-Aural-Read/ Write-Kinaesthetic Questionnaire
Authors
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
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