In the dynamic landscape of education, acknowledging and accommodating diverse learning preferences is crucial for effective teaching. If I want to bring an abstract topic such as Philosophy closer to a broader mass, I have to understand how people learn new things and which models exist. One prominent model for understanding these preferences is the VARK learning style model by Fleming, which identifies four distinct learning modes: visual (V), aural (A), read/write (R), and kinesthetic (K).
Short Overview of all Types
Visual Learners (V): Learn best by seeing graphic displays such as charts, diagrams, illustrations, handouts, and videos. They care about beauty and aesthetics, need to see information to appreciate it better, and pay close attention to body language.
Auditory Aural Learners (A): Learn best by hearing information. They tend to get a great deal out of lectures and are good at remembering things they are told. They prefer group discussions, lectures, Podcasts, and talking things through or talking out loud, as well as talking to oneself when studying.
Reading and Writing Learners (R): This type of learner prefers information that is displayed as words and text. They learn with manuals, reports, essays, and assignments. Also, they prefer working with PowerPoint, the internet, lists, diaries, dictionaries, thesauri, quotations, and words.
Kinesthetic Learners (K): Learn best by touching and doing. Hands-on experience is very important for that learning type. They prefer experiences, examples, practice or simulation, demonstrations, case studies, practice & applications. The key is the reality or concrete nature of the example. If it can be grasped, held, tasted, felt, it is considered experienced. They enjoy applied activities such as painting, cooking, mechanics, sports, and woodworking.
VARK Questionnaire Study
This study aimed to explore the learning preferences of first-year undergraduate medical students using the VARK questionnaire version 7.1.
Methodology:
Permission was obtained to distribute the 16-point multiple-choice VARK questionnaire to the targeted student cohort. The results were then analyzed to unveil patterns in learning preferences.
Key Findings:
Out of the respondents, 86.8% demonstrated multimodal learning preferences, indicating a combination of two or more styles. In contrast, 13.8% exhibited unimodal preferences, with kinesthetic being the highest at 7.7%. Notably, there were no participants identified as visual unimodal learners.
The most prevalent preferences were found in the bimodal category, with AK (33%) and AR (16.5%) being the highest percentages. Additionally, the ARK trimodal preference was observed in 8.9% of the participants.
Total individual scores in each category revealed auditory (A) and kinesthetic (K) preferences as the highest, while the visual mode (V) scored the lowest overall. No significant differences in preferences were observed between genders.
Conclusion:
This study emphasizes the diverse learning preferences among medical students, highlighting the necessity for educators to tailor their teaching methods accordingly. The findings suggest a departure from traditional, teacher-centric lecture methods towards a more interactive, student-centric multimodal approach. Implementing various modes of information presentation is essential to capture the attention and maintain the motivation of students with varying learning styles. This shift aligns with the evolving landscape of education and promotes an inclusive and effective learning environment.
sources:
Prithishkumar IJ, Michael SA. Understanding your student: using the VARK model. J Postgrad Med. 2014 Apr-Jun;60(2):183-6. doi: 10.4103/0022-3859.132337. PMID: 24823519.
thinkdev. (2022, February 5). VARK Styles of Learning [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBqtJJt_EZo
