Evaluation of healthcare science student learning styles based VARK analysis technique

• Main Authors: Kamal, Izdihar, Abdul Karim, Muhammad Khalis, Awang Kechik, Mohd Mustafa, Ni, Xinni, Abdul Razak, Hairil Rashmizal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science 2021
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/97157/1/ABSTRACT.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/97157/; https://ijere.iaescore.com/index.php/IJERE/article/view/20718
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

This study aimed to evaluate the learning styles among healthcare students and to study the relationship with their academic achievement. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 137 healthcare students from six different courses. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and developed based on the original visual, aural/auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic (VARK) assessment. The questionnaire was divided into two sections: the demographic status and the learning style perspective. A total of 119 respondents (86.8%) has chosen unimodal as their learning styles, while the rest of the 18 respondents (13.2%) choose multimodal as their preferred learning method. Among the unimodal learning styles, visual (32%) and reading (26%) were most preferred among respondents. The auditory and kinesthetic methods of learning were less and accounted for 10% to 20%. Notably, in multimodal learning styles preferences, 4% of students prefer a combination learning style of visual and kinesthetic methods. There was no significant relationship between learning styles and academic achievement using Pearson’s Chi-square test (p>0.05). Hence, both were independent of one another. Hence, some of the dominant learning styles needed to be considered based on their future profession.