Learning Styles as Predictors of Fieldwork Performance and Learning Adaptability of Graduate Nontraditional Occupational Therapy Students.

Background: Assessing the learning styles of nontraditional graduate students and their adaptation to the fieldwork context is important for the achievement of educational success.

Methods: A non-experimental mixed-methods design examining learning styles, fieldwork performance, and adaptation to the clinical setting in a sample of 84 graduate nontraditional occupational therapy students. Kolb's Learning Style Inventory and the Fieldwork Performance Evaluation were the outcome measures. Select participants completed a 1-hr interview and reflection on their fieldwork.

Results: The Accommodating style was favored (n=37, 44%) with a strong preference for the active experimentation phase of learning (n=38, 45%). MANOVA tests confirmed a significant relationship of learning styles (F(7,71)=2.62, p=0.018) and phases of learning (F(21,198.7)=2.10, p<0.01) with fieldwork performance. Qualitative data indicated that students experiencing difficulty during fieldwork conveyed low self-awareness about their learning approach and used limited diversity of methods to adapt to the fieldwork setting.

Conclusions: Recognizing learning styles and adjusting the approach to the learning conditions have relevance for maximizing outcomes. Educators in allied health fields may consider designing instructional activities that advance students' awareness of their preferences and support the use of diverse approaches for success in various learning contexts.