Abstract

Background: There are four primary types of learners: Visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic (VARK). However, a traditional didactic lecture (TDL) used in medical education does not take into account these learning style preferences (LSPs). Many a times faculty may use a teaching method which does not correspond to the preferred learning style of the majority of the students in the class and hence, students with a particular learning need may be at the losing end. Aims and Objectives: This study was planned to develop and evaluate a learning style preference based lecture (LBL) as a large group teaching method. Objectives were to compare students’ performance after TDL and LBL and to know their perception about an LBL.
Materials and Methods: A total of 149 1st-year medical students were participated in this study. Their LSPs were determined by the VARK questionnaire. Then, students were divided into two groups (75 each) based on their marks in the first mid-term exam by systematic random sampling. One group was taught a core topic from physiology by an LBL and the other group by a TDL. Students’ performance was assessed by pre- and post-test and their perception by a pre-validated questionnaire.
Results: Students’ performance significantly improved after an LBL as compared to the TDL. Majority of the students found LBL interesting, engaging, motivating, and better for understanding, and preferred LBL as teaching method over TDL. Conclusion: LBL is more effective and well-accepted teaching method than a TDL for large group teaching in medical education.