CORRELATION BETWEEN LEARNING STYLES AND PERFORMANCE IN OBJECTIVE STRUCTURED CLINICAL EXAMINATIONS (OSCES) AMONG UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS

Abstract

Background: Learning styles play a critical role in shaping students’ academic and clinical performance, particularly in nursing education where practical skills are vital. Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are widely used to evaluate clinical competence. However, limited research has explored the impact of individual learning styles on OSCE performance among undergraduate nursing students. Aim: This study aimed to determine the correlation between learning styles and OSCE performance among undergraduate nursing students in nursing colleges located in Swat, Pakistan. Methods: A quantitative correlational research design was used. The study included second, third, and fourth-year undergraduate nursing students from various colleges in Swat. The sample size of 260 students was determined using the Raosoft sample size calculator from a total population of 800. Stratified random sampling ensured proportional representation across academic years. Data collection involved the VARK questionnaire (Version 7.8) to assess learning styles and institutional OSCE records to determine clinical performance. Data were analysed using SPSS version 27, employing descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation. Results: The most common learning style was kinesthetic (32.3%), followed by auditory (25.8%), visual (22.3%), and reading/writing (19.6%). Students with a kinesthetic learning style achieved the highest mean OSCE scores (76.4 ± 7.3), while visual learners had the lowest (68.2 ± 7.5). A moderate positive correlation was found between learning styles and OSCE performance (r = 0.436, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Learning styles significantly influence OSCE performance. Adapting teaching strategies to accommodate diverse learning preferences can enhance clinical competence and academic success in nursing education.