Learning styles and the myths surrounding it: a systematic scoping review of the literature.

Abstract

\n Background: Learning style (LS) is the theoretical assumption that each individual has a better form for cognitive processing throughout learning. In medical education, LS has been studied as a tool to optimize medical learning. Teaching in the postgraduate medical environment embraces specific methodological aspects for mastering medical abilities and LS inventories have been widely used for enhance learning. However, no review has been done on this subject until this date. Therefore, a scoping review was performed to explore the extent of evidence on LS and postgraduate medical education. Methods: a systematic scoping review was performed according to PRISMA - ScR and JBI guidelines. We searched MEDLINE, ERIC, LILACS and SCIELO virtual library on February 2020. A peer review was performed with blinding of both investigators and any divergence was resolved by consensus. Searching strategy, search terms, exclusion and inclusion criteria and data charting were structured prior to the beginning of the study. Data was summarized and collated. Analysis of the quality of the evidence was also performed using specific tools.Results: 211 studies were obtained with the search engine after duplicates were removed. Of these, 40 were selected after applying exclusion and inclusion criteria. Two other studies were excluded post initial screening. The majority of studies were from United States. General surgery, internal medicine and family medicine were the specialties that had most studies on LS. Kolb LSI was the most used LS inventory. The majority of studies were observational with a cross sectional design (34 out of 38). Only four studies were RCTs with a low quality of evidence and a high risk of bias. It was also seen that LS may change through training, with work-hours and areas of specialty training.Conclusion: There is a lack of high quality studies to provide reliable evidence for the utilization of LS in postgraduate medical education and it is desirable for more Cohort or Randomized Control Trials in this area for a more robust evidence.