title: Learning styles of first-year undergraduate nursing and midwifery students: a cross-sectional survey utilising the Kolb Learning Style Inventory.
abstract: It is important that educators understand their students' learning styles. In this study we investigate the learning styles of first-year undergraduate nursing and midwifery university students and whether these learning styles are influenced by student demographic characteristics. A cross-sectional survey including demographic questions and the Kolb Learning Style Inventory was utilised. There was a 78% response rate (n=345). The majority of first-year students investigated in this study were divergers (29.5%), followed by assimilators (28.8%), accommodators (23.9%) and convergers (17.9%). Female students had a higher reflective observation (RO) score than male students (p=0.0078). Those with English as first language showed a higher active experimentation score (p=0.0543) and a lower concrete experience (CE) score (p=0.0038). Australian citizens and permanent residents had a higher RO score (p=0.0560) and a lower CE score (p=0.0100) than migrants and international students. Nursing/arts students had a higher abstract conceptualisation (AC) score than nursing students (p=0.0013). Students enrolled in 4-5 subject units had a higher AC score than those enrolled in 1-2 units (p=0.0244). Nursing and midwifery students are mainly of the diverger and assimilating learning styles. Some student demographic characteristics show a significant influence on learning styles. This study has teaching and research implications.
authors: School of Arts and Sciences, Victoria, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Australia. Angelo.D'Amore@monash.edu
authors: Angelo
authors: A
authors: D'Amore
authors: Santhamma
authors: S
authors: James
authors: Eleanor K L
authors: EK
authors: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education*; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011247:Pregnancy; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult