Learning styles among first professional northern and central India medical students during digitization

BACKGROUND: Learning style is an individual’s natural or habitual pattern of acquiring and processing information in learning situations. Different sensory modalities are used by different types of medical students for assimilating the knowledge and information. Currently, the usage of electronic tools for teaching is widespread that can influence learning styles. METHODS: The purpose of this study was to know the pattern of learners among first- and second-year medical students from different institutions in India. For this purpose, we have used latest English Version 7.0 of the Visual-Aural-Read/write-Kinesthetic. RESULTS: Analysis was carried out using the IBM SPSS Version 21 software. Numerical variables were summarized by mean and SD or median and IQR as appropriate. Differences in scores among Visual-Aural-Read/write-Kinesthetic-learning styles were tested by Friedman’s test with post hoc pair wise comparison. Pattern of learning styles was different, and it was statistically significant (P<0.001). In this study, aural (median score 6) and kinesthetic (median score 6) styles were preferred. Pair-wise comparisons revealed that each style was different from each other except kinesthetic and aural. CONCLUSION: Results of the study suggest that to improve learning, one should try to use multimodal styles with special emphasis given to auditory and kinesthetic modes especially among first professionals in medical education during digitization.