COMPARISON OF CONCEPT MAP SCORES AMONG VARIOUS LEARNING STYLES ACCORDING TO THE VISUAL-AURAL-READ/WRITE-KINESTHETIC (VARK) MODEL

Abstract

There was assumption that the development of good concept map for
practicing critical thinking was influenced by students’ learning style. This study aimed to determine whether there were significant differences in concept map scores among various learning styles. This non-experimental-analytical study, used purposive sampling method, compiled from 80 medical students’ concept maps submitted as part of the tutorial logbook. The independent variable was the Visual-Aural-Read/Write-Kinesthetic (VARK) learning styles determined by fulfilment of online VARK questionnaire version 8.02. The dependent variables were structural, relational, and total concept map scores (ranged from 0 to unlimited) based on weighted scoring system adapted from literature. Differential tests were performed using One-Way ANOVA/Kruskall-Wallis/T-test/Mann-Whitney (whichever appropriate). No significant differences were found in structural (p = 0,2181), relational (0,6839), and total (0,3062) concept map scores among unimodal, bimodal, trimodal, quadmodal learning styles. Likewise, there were no significant differences found in structural (0,1858), relational (p = 0,3374), and total (p = 0,1987) concept map scores between visual and non-visual learning styles. It is possible that students with various learning styles have been able to adapt to the concept map development assignment, thus learning style alone cannot be a major factor in producing good concept maps.