An Examination of Learning and Affective Behaviours In a Didactic Dietetics Program Suggests The Need For Innovative Curricula

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify cognitive and affective behavior changes in dietetic students progressing through a didactic dietetics program. Construct measurements were taken from the Cognitive Behavior Survey, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. After obtaining informed consent, 58 survey sets were administered early Fall 1995 during an introductory dietetics course. Identical survey sets were re-administered Fall 1997 to the 24 continuing students; 19 of these 24 survey sets were returned. Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows, 6.1 and Epilnfo 6.0. The median age was 23 years (ranging from 20–50) and grade point average was greater than 3.5 or between 3.49 and 3.0 for eight and seven subjects respectively. Comparisons between the 1995 class (n=58) and the 1996 introductory dietetics class (n=41), between the continuing students (n=24) and program drop-outs, and between continuing students who completed retest surveys (n=19) with those who didn’t, verified that this sample represented dietetic students at this university. Changes in the use of memory (t 0.24, df 17, p 0.81), reflection (t 0.07, df 17, p 0.95), and conceptualization (t .13, df 17, p 0.89) were not significant. Self-esteem and locus of control, which were high and internal, respectively, remained stable (t 0.50, df 17, p 0.63; t 0.31, df 15, p 0.76 respectively), however positive learning experience (PLE) scores decreased over the two year period (t 3.79, df 17, p 0.002). An examination of variables and specific PLE scale items was unable to explain this decrease. At least one-half of the subjects found the current experience to be less motivating, enjoyable, rewarding, and felt their experience was more tedious, and less likely to lead to new questions. An educational environment that nurtures student-centered learning behaviors may result in a more positive learning experience.