A Comparison of Learning Style Preferences in E-Learning Environment: A Study of Health Science University Students in Turkey

Abstract

In this study, it was investigated whether the e-learning styles of health science students differ according to gender, education type, department, class, working status, daily internet usage time and degree of graduation. In this context, data were obtained from a total of 1989 postgraduate and undergraduate students studying in 17 different departments. In the study, it was found that female students had higher audio-visual and independent learning preferences, and male students had higher verbal and social learning levels. In addition, it was determined that the working status influenced the intuitive learning style and the grade level influenced the logical learning style. In the results of bilateral correlations between learning styles; the highest relationship was found between active learning style and social learning style, while the lowest relationship was found between independent learning style and social and active learning style. In addition, this research has revealed that e-learning styles differ according to the departments where students study, and daily internet usage time is inversely proportional to verbal, logical and independent learning styles, and directly proportional to active learning style. The results of this research showed that different variables are effective on e-learning styles for health science students, therefore, personalized teaching environments are important in content design, instructional design, and determination of teaching methods and strategies.