Learning styles and gross anatomy assessment outcomes at a Colombian School of Medicine

The term, “learning styles” refers to the concept that individuals have as regards the method of instruction or study that is most efficient for them. It has been proposed that optimal learning occurs when the preferences of the primary learning style of the student correspond to the course content and the method of instruction. The Visual, Aural, Written/Read and Kinesthetic (VARK) model is a preferred instruction model. The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between the VARK preferences and the Gross Anatomy test results of a group of students from the Universidad del Norte. The study included 111 (61 female and 50 male) students enrolled in their third semester of medical school in the skeletomuscular system during the summer of 2015. The VARK Aural and Kinesthetic modes were the most common (34.2% and 26.1%, respectively), while Visual was the learning style with the lowest number of representatives (9%). The multimodal style was preferred by 12.6% of the students involved. There was no significant statistical relationship (X2=2.61; p=.62 and X2=5.4; p=.24) between the VARK modes and the mid-term test results. The Aural and Kinesthetic modes showed significant negative correlations with the mid-term electronic multiple-choice assessment (rs=−0.19; p=.03; and (rs=−0.24; p=.01). Although different teaching strategies were offered to the students, no significant differences were observed. However, the students with Aural and Kinesthetic modes did show a negative correlation with the mid-term electronic multiple-choice assessment.