The relationship between learning styles and academic achievement in BEHVARZI students at the universities of medical sciences in the northeast of Iran

Understanding students' learning styles can help organize the learning environment and influence their academic achievement. This study aims to investigate the relationship between learning styles and Behvarzi students' academic achievement. In this descriptive-analytical study, 132 Behvarzi students were selected using quota-stratified random sampling from medical universities in northeast Iran. The data collection tool was the standard ISALEM-97 questionnaire. The last semester's grade point average (GPA) of students was used as a yardstick of their academic achievement. Accordingly, students were divided into two groups strong (GPA ≥15) and weak (GPA ≤14.99). Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyze the data, including Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests.

Out of 132 participants, 72 (54.54%) were in the strong student group, most of whom were female (73.6%), 21-25 years old (55.6%), and single (58.3%). In the group of weak students, most were male (56.7%), over 26 years of age (50%), and married (55%). The intuitive learning style had the highest frequency in both groups of strong and weak students. There was a significant difference between gender and the type of learning style, and academic achievement. No significant correlation was found between learning style and academic achievement in both strong and weak student groups. However, paying attention to the learning style in the student's teaching and learning process is necessary.