LEARNING STYLE AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF MEDICAL STUDENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF SULAIMANI-IRAQ
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17656/jsmc.10132Keywords:
Learning styles, Academic success, Medical students, Sulaimani universityAbstract
Background
Students with knowledge of their learning styles could be empowered to identify and use the techniques of learning best suited to their individual styles, resulting in greater educational satisfaction.
Objectives
To assess whether the learning styles, previous academic ability, and demographic factors of undergraduate medical students relates to their performance in the final examinations.
Methodology
A longitudinal questionnaire study was done for 283 medical students (third-year and fifth-year) in the University of Sulaimani at the beginning of year 2013 and at the end of the same year. Three factors have been studied in relation to the selection of medical students: cognitive factor (previous academic ability), non-cognitive factor (learning styles), and demographic factors. In our questionnaires we used a tripartite model. It is based on three learning approaches: “deep,” “strategic,” and “surface”. Deep learning is based on three motivational factors (intrinsic motivation, vocational interest, and personal understanding) and three learning processes (making links across material, searching for a deeper understanding of the material and looking for general principles).Final average at this academic year was used the dependent variable.
Results
Students who has deep and strategic learning styles had higher final degrees than those students who has surface learning style. Previous academic ability and demographic factors seems to have no predictive power.
Conclusions
There are evidences that deep and strategic learning styles correlates with success in medical College. The present examinations are probably encouraging a deeper understanding of medicine and medical practice. It may therefore be useful for medical educational programs to teach students how to use the more successful study skills.
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