Arab World English Journal
AWEJ Volume 2, number 2, April 2011 pp. 40-70
Saudi Medical Undergraduates’ Perceptions of Their Preferred
Learning Styles and Assessment Techniques
Javid, Z. Choudhary. PhD
Department of Foreign Languages,
Taif University, KSA
Abstract
This study investigates Saudi medical undergraduates’ perceptions of their preferred learning styles (LS) and assessment techniques (AT). The purpose of this study is to find out the samples’ most preferred and least preferred LS and AT. This simple classification will help the teachers of medical undergraduates at Saudi medical colleges to cater to the learning preferences after having a clearer picture of their students’ likes and dislikes regarding different classroom activities and assessment methods and tools. Six hundred and thirty six subjects from ten different medical colleges situated in the various regions of the KSA responded to a 40-item Likert-scale questionnaire. The findings report that a) the teachers need to accommodate individual differences of their students by using diverse activities, b) fun activities and relaxed classroom atmosphere need to be ensured, c) audio-visual aids should be used frequently, d) collaborative activities should be emphasized, e) medium of Saudi Medical Undergraduates’ Perceptions Choudhary instruction should be confined to English, f) group/pair work should be emphasized, g) the teachers should move around and help individual students, h) a suitable and comprehensive textbook should be followed, i) teacher should give appropriate feedback after classroom activities and class quizzes, j) MCQ quizzes are preferred to essay-type examinations and k) the teacher should train the students in test-taking strategies.
Key words: learning styles; assessment techniques