Do learning styles affect study duration and academic success?

Individuals learn in different ways and gain information quite differently. Learning style is not the only agent that causes differences in learning. However, it is accepted as one of the most important components of the learning process. Focusing on different aspects, scholars have developed various learning style inventories. Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory (KLSI) was used in this study. Kolb’s learning style model, based on the experiential learning theory (ELT), is used extensively throughout the world. The model includes 4 learning styles, which are divergent, assimilative, convergent and accommodative. The present study was carried out among 146 first-year medical students at Akdeniz University. Data were analyzed by using percentage, mean, one-way anova and chi-square. At the end of the analyses, we observed that 45.9% of first-year medical students were assimilators (ASM) and statistically significant differences (p<0,05) were present between the students’ learning styles in terms of study duration (p=0,015) and theoretical course score (p=0,04), but no statistically significant differences with gender (p=0,913). Findings support that the learning styles affect study duration and theoretical anatomy course scores. Understanding students’ learning styles would benefit to detective of productive study duration for lesson so effective working time on learning style increases academic achievement

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Correlation of the summary method with learning styles.

The summary is the last part of the lesson but one of the most important. We aimed to study the relationship between the preference of the summary method (video demonstration, question-answer, or brief review of slides) and learning styles. A total of 131 students were included in the present study. An inventory was prepared to understand the students' learning styles, and a satisfaction questionnaire was provided to determine the summary method selection. The questionnaire and inventory were collected and analyzed. A comparison of the data revealed that the summary method with video demonstration received the highest score among all the methods tested. Additionally, there were no significant differences between learning styles and summary method with video demonstration. We suggest that such a summary method should be incorporated into neuroanatomy lessons. Since anatomy has a large amount of visual material, we think that it is ideally suited for this summary method.

Method selection in craniofacial measurements: advantages and disadvantages of 3D digitization method.

AIM: Treatment of the craniofacial malformations is a primary goal of cranio-maxillo-facial surgeons. Surgical treatment of these malformations requires accurate data. Accuracy of measurement should be a priority of scientists to prevent statistical errors and therefore to promote the comparison of the results obtained from various research groups. In the present study, we aimed to compare three different measurement techniques, which were used frequently in craniofacial measurements. METHODS: A total number of 35 female and 35 male volunteer adults were included to the study. Two-dimensional (2D) photogrammetry, three-dimensional (3D) digitization and manual anthropometry methods were used for the present study. Measurements were obtained from the ear, eye, nose and face. RESULTS: By comparing three methods, our findings revealed that 3D digitization method is an easy, robust, and sensitive method to obtain the data. CONCLUSIONS: We think that 3D digitization method is accurate, and it can be applied to both clinical practice and research. Advantages and disadvantages of three methods are discussed with the relevant literature.

Effect of FK506 administration after obturator nerve injury: a functional and ultrastructural study.

The frequency of obturator nerve damage due to pelvic diseases, fractures or gynecologic procedures is uncertain. In the present study, we investigated the effect of FK506, a potent macrolide antibiotic and immunosuppresant, on obturator nerve recovery at morphological and functional levels. Forty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (control, sham, FK506-treated, vehicle-treated). In half of animals (FK506-treated and vehicle-treated) an obturator nerve crush (30 seconds clamp) was created. In FK506-treated group FK506 administration (1 mg/kg/day, subcutaneously) was performed on each postoperative day. All the rats were functionally evaluated by pinch and adduction tests preoperatively and postoperatively at one, two, three and four weeks after nerve injury. On the 28th postoperative day obturator nerve samples were collected and analyzed qualitatively by light and electron microscopy. FK506 treatment resulted in dramatic improvement in nerve function and in the ultrastructure of nerve fibers suggesting its therapeutic potential in traumatic obturator nerve injury.

Morphological and ultrastructural analysis of the watershed zones after stripping of the vasa nervorum.

Peripheral nerve trunks are well-vascularized structures where a well-developed collateral system may compensate for local vascular damage. Vasculitis in nerve has a predilection for epineurial vessels and causes to the peripheral neuropathy, which is a major clinical feature of primary and secondary systemic vasculitides. In the present study, the goal was to simulate the vasculitic neuropathy in rat sciatic nerve and to investigate the watershed zones after stripping of the epineural vessels of the sciatic nerve. Sciatic function index values, light and electron microscopic evaluations of the experimental sciatic nerve suggested that the sciatic nerve was normal except for some watershed zones located in the peripheral part of the nerve. Although there is abundant collateral circulation in the peripheral nerve, distribution of the vessels of the watershed zones as observed in the present study should be elucidated by further studies.