Learning preferences of medical students

Learning styles and preferred learning approaches are believed to have an influence on student learning. This study investigated the learning preferences of first-, second- and fourth-year medical students as well as explored differences in learning preferences from first- to fourth-year students. In June 1992, 95 students were administered the learning preferences inventory (LPI) designed by Rezler at the United Arab Emirates University. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the significance of the differences of the six LPI mean scores on Abstract/Concrete, Teacher-structured/Student-structured, and Individual/Interpersonal categories across the academic year and sex. The two predominant preferences were concrete and teacher-centred. Results of this study showed students preferred teacher-structured learning experiences dealing with concrete and applied tasks, rather than abstract tasks.