European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 21 - Number 3
Eur J Anat, 21 (3): 235-240 (2017)

Do learning styles affect study duration and academic success?

Eren Ogut1, Yesim Senol2, Fatos B. Yildirim1

1Department of Anatomy, Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey, 2Department of Medical Education, Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey

ABSTRACT Individuals learn in different ways and gain information quite differently. Learning style is not the only agent that causes differences in learning. However, it is accepted as one of the most important components of the learning process. Focusing on different aspects, scholars have developed various learning style inventories. Kolbâ??s Learning Style Inventory (KLSI) was used in this study. Kolbâ??s learning style model, based on the experiential learning theory (ELT), is used extensively throughout the world. The model includes 4 learning styles, which are divergent, assimilative, convergent and accommodative. The present study was carried out among 146 first-year medical students at Akdeniz University. Data were analyzed by using percentage, mean, one-way anova and chi-square. At the end of the analyses, we observed that 45.9% of first-year medical students were assimilators (ASM) and statistically significant differences (p<0,05) were present between the studentsâ?? learning styles in terms of study duration (p=0,015) and theoretical course score (p=0,04), but no statistically significant differences with gender (p=0,913). Findings support that the learning styles affect study duration and theoretical anatomy course scores. Understanding studentsâ?? learning styles would benefit to detective of productive study duration for lesson so effective working time on learning style increases academic achievement.

Keywords: Learning â?? Learning styles â?? Kolb learning styles â?? Learning style inventory

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)