Do students’ styles of learning affect how they adapt to learning methods and to the learning environment?

Abstract

Objectives: The process of development and evaluation of undergraduate medical education programs should include analysis of learners' characteristics, needs, and perceptions about learning methods. This study aims to evaluate medical students' perceptions about problem-based learning methods and to compare these results with their individual learning styles. Materials and Methods:The survey was conducted at Marmara University Medical School where problem-based learning was implemented in the curriculum for the first three years of the medical education. An evaluative questionnaire about a studentcentered learning environment and an "Inventory of Learning Styles" were completed by the students. One-way ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis tests were used for statistical analyses of the study. Results:It was found that personally interested students who need external regulation strategies and who were prone to learn by stepwise processing were less satisfied with problem-based learning and other active learning methods than students who were less dependent on these learning styles. Thus, the former students did not benefit much from the organization, content, acquired knowledge and skills of problem-based learning. Conclusion:It is important for the students to develop their self-regulated learning skills so that they can benefit from problem-based learning and student-centered learning activities. Curriculum development and program evaluation studies should consider improving the students' development of self-regulation and professional skills. Bulgular: Bireysel ilgi yönelimli, öğrenme stratejilerinin dışarıdan düzenlenmesine ihtiyaç duyan, bilgiyi adım adım işleyerek öğrenmeye daha çok ve orta düzeyde eğilimli olan öğrenciler, bu öğrenme stillerine, daha az bağımlı öğrencilere göre probleme dayalı öğrenme ve diğer öğrenci merkezli yöntemlerden daha az memnun kaldılar. Dolayısıyla, bu öğrenciler aynı zamanda probleme dayalı öğrenim sisteminin organizasyonundan, içeriğinden, kazandırdığı bilgi ve becerilerden de daha az yararlanmaktaydılar.Sonuç: Öğrencilerin probleme dayalı öğrenim ve diğer öğrenci merkezli öğrenim aktivitelerinden daha fazla yararlanabilmeleri için kendi kendine öğrenmeyi düzenleme becerilerinin gelişmesi önemlidir. Aktif öğrenme stratejilerine uygun müfredat geliştirme ve program değerlendirme çalışmaları, öğrencilerin, kendi kendine düzenleme ve profesyonel beceri gelişimini dikkate almalıdır.

Learning styles and learning approaches: How closely are they associated with each other and do they change during medical education?

“…There is a general consensus that the way individuals approach a learning situation is an influence in reaching performance and learning outcomes [1]. The learning style and learning approach that define the learning characteristics of individuals are two different concepts in close proximity to each other, which gain meaning when they are defined and known together.…”