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Learning styles and outcomes in clinical laboratory science
V S Freeman1, L L Fell, P Muellenberg
1Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-1028, USA. vfreeman@utmb.edu
Summary
Student learning styles, specifically reflective observation versus active experimentation, did not significantly impact examination scores in clinical laboratory science education. Learning styles did not influence academic performance patterns over the semester.
Area of Science:
- Education
- Medical Laboratory Science
Background:
- Kolb's Learning Style Inventory categorizes learners into distinct styles.
- Understanding how learning styles influence academic outcomes is crucial in specialized education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of two specific learning styles, reflective observation and active experimentation, on student learning outcomes.
- To determine if learning style influences performance on posttests and certification examinations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Kolb's Learning Style Inventory to classify 40 senior clinical laboratory science students.
- Learning outcomes were assessed via average scores on eight posttests and a national certification examination.
- Statistical analyses included ANOVA and ANCOVA to compare outcomes between learning style groups.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were found in examination scores between students with active experimentation and reflective observation learning styles.
- The pattern of examination scores throughout the semester did not differ significantly between the two learning style groups.
Conclusions:
- The study's findings do not support previous research suggesting a link between learning styles and academic performance in this context.
- Student learning styles, as defined by active experimentation and reflective observation, did not demonstrably affect their examination scores or performance trends.