Tailoring Teaching Instructions According to Student’s Different Learning Styles: Are We Hitting the Right Button?

• Main Author: Chew, Keng Sheng
• Format: E-Article
• Language: English
• Published: Medical Education Department, School of Medical Sciences, 2016
• Subjects: LB Theory and practice of education; LC5201 Education extension. Adult education. Continuing education; R Medicine (General)
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/13699/1/Tailoring%20Teaching%20Instructions%20According%20to%20Student%27s%20Different%20Learning%20Styles%20%28abstract%29.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/13699/; http://dx.doi.org/10.5959/eimj.v8i3.455

To address the diverse preferred learning styles, one of the oft-cited recommendations for educators is to tailor teaching instructions accordingly. This pedagogy however, lacks scientific evidences. Furthermore, in medical curriculum, tailoring instructions according to preferred learning styles is not pragmatic. This is because different subjects and in different settings matter may be best delivered in specific delivery mode. Furthermore, patients’ presentations are often multi-sensorial. As such, the onus is on the students themselves to adjust the amount of learning efforts they put in according to their preferred or not preferred learning styles.