Profiling learning styles and strategies of nursing students: A cluster analysis study.

BACKGROUND

A learner profile, as a method for presenting students' core characteristics and behaviors, has been widely recognized in personalized education, yet it remains underexplored in the context of diversified nursing teaching modes. Nursing requires the application of theoretical knowledge of the curriculum to clinical practice procedures, demanding that nursing students not only absorb information but also transform, integrate, and critically apply it in dynamic, real-world settings. Investigating nursing students' learning style preferences and behavioral strategies is critical for understanding how to adapt teaching methods to meet varied learning needs, thereby enhancing teaching quality and improving student learning outcomes.

AIM

To explore a nursing learner profile by analyzing learning styles and strategies, providing insights for integrating diversified teaching modes with personalized learning.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 303 nursing students from two public universities. Data collection included sociodemographic information, learning styles, and learning strategies. Clustering ensemble analysis, including voting and consensus matrix methods, was performed to identify a learner profile.

RESULTS

A total of 241 valid questionnaires were analyzed, with the majority of participants being female (80.08 %) and an average age of 20.8 ± 1.79. Most students considered blended online and offline teaching (65.56 %) and scenario-based simulation teaching (28.22 %) to be the most effective teaching modes. Six distinct learner clusters were identified, each exhibiting differences in background characteristics, learning styles, and learning strategies: intuitive efficient learners (cluster 1), efficient uncertain learners (cluster 2), intrinsic-driven global learners (cluster 3), reflective independent learners (cluster 4), verbal logical learners (cluster 5), and extrinsic-driven inefficient learners (cluster 6).

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the diversity of nursing learners and the need for personalized teaching approaches. A nursing learner profile provides a foundation for designing tailored instructional strategies and addressing individual differences in nursing education.