Predominant learning styles among medical students at a private university in Ciudad del Este
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17795293Keywords:
Learning, Students, medical, Education, medical, CHAEA questionnaire, ParaguayAbstract
Introduction: Learning styles are theoretical constructs explaining how individuals process information and face educational situations. In medical education, recognizing these preferences is essential to design pedagogical strategies that enhance academic performance and comprehensive training.
Objective: To identify the predominant learning-style profile among medical students at a private university in Ciudad del Este during the 2021 academic year.
Materials and Methods: An observational, exploratory, cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample comprised 126 students enrolled in the 5th, 6th and 7th semesters. The Honey–Alonso Learning Styles Questionnaire (CHAEA) was used. Descriptive statistics examined distribution of active, reflective, theoretical and pragmatic styles.
Results: The final valid sample was 121 students, predominantly male (62%). Overall analysis showed a moderate preference for the reflective style (mean 14.3), closely followed by the theoretical style. By semester, significant differences appeared: 5th-semester students showed a more reflective–theoretical profile; 6th semester tended toward theoretical–pragmatic; and 7th semester again consolidated the reflective style as predominant.
Conclusions: There is a clear tendency toward reflective learning in the studied population, although students can use multiple styles depending on training stage. Teachers must diversify methodologies to address this heterogeneity and foster essential practical competencies in medicine.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Angélica Daiana Guillén Caballero, María Luisa Hermosilla (Autor/a)
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