Preferred Learning Preferences of Nursing Students in Schools of Nursing in Anambra State

Abstract

Learning preference is the way that different students learn. The learning preferences are relevant because students acquire and process information through different methods such as seeing, hearing, reading, touching. The study assessed the learning preferences of nursing students in Schools of Nursing in Anambra state; two research questions guided the study. Descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study. The participants were 342 students selected by Random Sampling Technique. Instrument used for online data collection was VARK questionnaire version 8.01 and the researcher’s demographic questionnaire. The participants filled the VARK questionnaire online based on their levels of study. Data was analyzed using VARK standard algorithm, SPSS package version 25. Descriptive statistics were presented in frequency tables and percentages. Findings showed that the students had a wide range of learning preferences that were both multi-modal (39.2%), and uni-modal (60.8%). The most preferred unimodal preference was Aural (32.2%) while multi-modal preference was bi-modal combination of Visual and Kineasthetic (VK) (54.5%). Assessment of the learning preferences of the students is thus, an input of great value in nursing education. The knowledge may help educators to plan teaching methods based on learning preferences; the use of varied teaching methods that address different learning preferences of the students would optimize learning and improve their academic performance.