Learning Styles and Academic Achievement among Medical Students at Ain Shams University: An Experience During COVID-19 Era

Background: During the COVID-19 era, the educational system was modified to include
blended learning, using a multi-delivery mode to optimize outcome and have the best
program delivery cost. Identifying students’ learning styles (LS) is an important factor that
contributes to scholastic accomplishment, resulting in a more satisfying
learning. Objectives: To describe the learning style preferences among medical students at
Ain Shams University; to investigate the associations between LS and academic achievement;
and lastly, to determine whether preclinical and clinical students differ in their
LS. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample of 262 students using a
self-administered questionnaire including socio-demographic data, academic achievement,
and the Barsch Learning Styles Inventory. Results: The unimodal pattern of learning was the
most prevalent style among surveyed students; about half of them used the unimodal visual
style (49.6%) while the trimodal style was the least (0.8%). The most reported preferred
educational materials include the private lessons summary (64.8%) and the faculty books
(61.4%). The most frequently reported educational source was recorded audios (82.4%). The
LS preference did not differ between preclinical and clinical students. Conclusion and
recommendations: The unimodal visual style was the predominant among surveyed students.
Age, gender, academic year, study hours, and LS explain 59% of the variation in academic
performance. Education and training in medicine need innovative ideas that match the
students’ styles. Educators should create a conducive atmosphere for learning and use
methods of delivery that appeal to the senses using visual aids and materials to accommodate
different learners.