Merchán-Galvis ÁM, Saavedra LHF, García RJE, Ospina PJN, Aragón GCC, Martínez JJ

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 101-109
PDF size: 240.97 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: low academic performance and dropout rates are consistently growing problems that can affect the socio-economic situation of a country. The determinants of the problem need to be identified, in order to propose strategies which could be adopted for a further solution.
Objectives: Relate learning style and different sociodemographic variables with academic performance in medical students of a private university in southwestern Colombia.
Methods: The study includes medical students which met the criteria for inclusion as a case for underperformance and its respective control. Socio-demographic, academic and learning style variables were analyzed with information obtained from the basis of the academic record from Icesi university. Through a process, supported by the ethics committee of the institution. For the analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics techniques were used by SPSS 19.0 software.
Results: of the total population (n= 340 students), 35 met the criteria for eligibility and were assigned to their respective control. No statistically significant relationship between learning style and the general performance or the specific performance of professionalizing subjects was found. Nor relationship between academic performance and socio-demographic variables of the study population was found.
Conclusions: academic performance in medical students in our population may be influenced by other different learning style variables. However, the technical limitations of the study should had been considered.