Styles Over Substance: Can Learning Styles Teach Us Anything?
Authors: Husmann Polly R. , Mussell Jason 
Published: June 2021

Background

The categorization of visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic (VARK) learning styles has been a mainstay in education for decades. However, evidence to support the existence and benefits of these learning styles remains lacking (Pashler et al., 2009). Previous research has shown that adjusting teaching activities in the classroom to support specific learning styles has proven unbeneficial (Coffield et al., 2004; Reiner and Willingham, 2010). But are we looking in the wrong place? What about when students study material outside of class? The present research assesses the correlations between VARK learning styles, student study strategies, and anatomy course outcomes at both the undergraduate and medical student levels. If VARK learning styles are a truly valid concept, then stronger correlations between VARK learning styles and student study strategies should correspond with higher outcomes in the course.

Methods

Students were given the online VARK questionnaire to determine their dominant learning style either at the beginning of the course or just after the first exam. This questionnaire includes sixteen multiple‐choice questions to help students determine which style he or she most prefers. Near the end of the course, students were given a study strategies survey that consists of three sections. The first section asks students to rank different study strategies (e.g., reading the textbook, making flashcards, answering practice questions) on a 5‐point Likert scale from “always or almost always true of me” to “never or only rarely true of me”. The second section includes categorical questions about attendance and attitudes towards the class (e.g., how often did you study lecture and lab together), while the final section includes basic demographic and background questions. The study strategies were then classified into the VARK learning style that they most closely represented.

Results

Data demonstrate that no VARK learning style is correlated with better outcomes in anatomy. In addition, the majority of students primarily utilize study strategies that are not in alignment with their dominant VARK score. Finally, course outcomes between students that do and do not use study strategies consistent with their dominant VARK learning style were not significantly different. However, there are specific study strategies that correlate with anatomy course outcomes (e.g., use of the lectures notes was positively correlated while use of outside websites was negatively correlated with anatomy course outcomes).

Implications

Given the present data, as well as previous studies that have found correlations between VARK learning styles and course outcomes to be lacking (e.g., Pashler et al., 2009), it is time to stop using the VARK categorization system with our students. If students continue to believe that preferring information to be presented in a visual way or a written way is innately beneficial, we are limiting their self‐efficacy and their potential to learn in our classrooms.

Support or Funding Information

None

This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.