Athletics training of the first- and fourth-semester engineering college students and their learning preferences

Background: Athletics training is given using personality models, information processing models, social interaction models, and instructional preference models. This study uses the visual, auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic (VARK) inventory to gather information as per instructional preference model for assessing learning preferences among the first- and fourth-semester engineering students with reference to athletics training. Aim: This study is designed to evaluate and compare instructional learning style preferences of the first- and fourth-semester engineering students in India. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on the first- and fourth-semester engineering students with each group having 100 students each. VARK Inventory version 7.1 was administered to determine the preferred instructional mode based on four sensory modalities - VARK with reference to athletics training. Results: Eighty percent of the first-semester students had unimodal learning preferences out of which 11%, 49%, 5%, and 15% of students preferred VARK modes, respectively. In comparison, significantly higher percentage (51%) of the third-semester students had multimodal learning preferences. Their unimodal learning preference was 4% visual, 6% auditory, 5% read/write, and 14% kinesthetic modes. The first-semester students' auditory instructional style was the most preferred method, whereas the fourth-semester students preferred the kinesthetic mode. Conclusion: With the passage of time in the engineering course, students adapt to a multimodal method of instruction. It is therefore in the interest of students to strengthen, encourage, and adopt a multimodal approach to physical training rather than resorting to conservative unimodal approach.