title: Dental Students' Educational Achievement in Relation to Their Learning Styles: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In recent decades, many studies have been carried out on the importance of Kolb experiential learning theory (ELT) in teaching-learning processes and its effect on learning outcomes. However, some experts have criticized the Kolb theory and argue that there are some ambiguities on the validity of the theory as an important predictor of achievement. This study has been carried out on dental students' educational achievement in relation to their dominant learning styles based on Kolb theory in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (Iran).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross sectional study, Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI Ver. 3.1) as well as a questionnaire containing students' demographic data, academic achievement marks including grade point average (GPA), theoretical and practical courses marks, and the comprehensive basic sciences exam (CBSE) scores were administered on a purposive sample of 162 dental students who had passed their comprehensive basic sciences exam. Educational achievement data were analyzed in relation to students' dominant learning styles, using descriptive and analytical statistics including χ2, Kruskal-Wallis and two-way ANOVA tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The dominant learning styles of students were Assimilating (53.1%), Converging (24.1%), Diverging (14.2%) and Accommodating (8.6%). Although, the students with Assimilating and Converging learning styles had a better performance on their educational achievement, there was no significant relationship between educational achievement and dominant learning style (P≥0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings support that the dominant learning style is not exclusively an essential factor to predict educational achievement. Rather, it shows learning preferences of students that may be considered in designing learning opportunities by the teachers.
authors.affiliation: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. hoseinim@mums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Seyed Masoud
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.forename: Hamideh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amery
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Emadzadeh
authors.forename: Saber
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Babazadeh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000379:methods; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult