Learning style and teaching method preferences of Saudi students of physical therapy

CONTEXT: To the researchers’ knowledge, there are no published studies that have investigated the learning styles and preferred teaching methods of physical therapy students in Saudi Arabia. AIM: The study was conducted to determine the learning styles and preferred teaching methods of Saudi physical therapy students. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study design. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-three Saudis studying physical therapy (21 males and 32 females) participated in the study. The principal researcher gave an introductory lecture to explain the different learning styles and common teaching methods. Upon completion of the lecture, questionnaires were distributed, and were collected on completion. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Percentages were calculated for the learning styles and teaching methods. Pearson’s correlations were performed to investigate the relationship between them. RESULTS: More than 45 (85%) of the students rated hands-on training as the most preferred teaching method. Approximately 30 (57%) students rated the following teaching methods as the most preferred methods: “Advanced organizers,” “demonstrations,” and “multimedia activities.” Although 31 (59%) students rated the concrete-sequential learning style the most preferred, these students demonstrated mixed styles on the other style dimensions: Abstract-sequential, abstract-random, and concrete-random. CONCLUSIONS: The predominant concrete-sequential learning style is consistent with the most preferred teaching method (hands-on training). The high percentage of physical therapy students whose responses were indicative of mixed learning styles suggests that they can accommodate multiple teaching methods. It is recommended that educators consider the diverse learning styles of the students and utilize a variety of teaching methods in order to promote an optimal learning environment for the students.