Comparing male and female dental students′ perceptions regarding their learning environment at a dental college in Northwest, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Male and female students often have different expectations and requirements regarding learning institutions. Taibah Dental College has separate male and female sections, and it is essential to determine the students′ perceptions regarding the dental college. Methods: All male and female dental students who were in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th year of study during the 2014/2015 academic year were asked to participate. The Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure, which is a self-administered questionnaire, was used to obtain the necessary data. It consists of fifty items categorized into five domains. For each item, students chose one option that best described their perceptions using a Likert-type scale. A higher score indicated higher levels of satisfaction and vice versa. Results: The 4th year female students reported the lowest scores. Overall the scores were relatively low and indicated that students were generally dissatisfied. Common areas of dissatisfaction included poor learning experiences, poor teaching experiences, and type of learning atmosphere. The 3rd year females reported significantly higher scores for their teaching experience compared to their male counterparts. There were significant differences for each domain between the years of study with the 4th year having lowest scores. Conclusion: In general, the student′s perception was low but within the range of other similar studies. The females tended to be much more dissatisfied compared to males and the 4th year seemed to have the most problems.