Self-assessed learning style correlates to use of supplemental learning materials in an online course management...

The benefit of online learning materials in medical education is not well defined.

The study correlated certain self-identified learning styles with the use of self-selected online learning materials.

First-year osteopathic medical students were given access to review and/or summary materials via an online course management system (CMS) while enrolled in a pre-clinical course. At the end of the course, students completed a self-assessment of learning style based on the Index of Learning Styles and a brief survey regarding their usage and perceived advantage of the online learning materials.

Students who accessed the online materials earned equivalent grades to those who did not. However, the study found that students who described their learning styles as active, intuitive, global, and/or visual were more likely to use online educational resources than those who identified their learning style as reflective, sensing, sequential, and/or verbal.

Identification of a student's learning style can help medical educators direct students to learning resources that best suit their individual needs.