Learning style preferences of preclinical medical students in Oman

Abstract EN

Objective: Our study sought to assess the learning preferences of students studying in the preclinical years of the medical degree program at Oman Medical College, Sohar.

Methods: In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, we administered a learning style questionnaire (VARK model) to 140 students to assess their preferred mode of learning, specifically the sensory modality by which they prefer to take in information.

Results: Over one third (35%) of the respondents expressed their preference for a single mode of learning, either visual (8%), auditory (9%), read/write (9%), or kinesthetic (9%).

The remaining students preferred learning using a combination of either two (14%), three (19%), or four (32%) sensory modalities.

Conclusion: The results of our study provide us with useful information to develop appropriate learning approaches to reach all types of learners at the college