Diş Hekimliği Öğrencilerinde Akademik Motivasyon ve Akademik Öz Yeterliğin Akademik Başarıya Etkisinin Araştırılması: Analitik Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Objective: Dentistry students have many academic duties and responsibilities that they must perform and succeed during their university life. Successful and productive learning is closely related to academic motivation and academic self-efficacy. However, in order to be a good dentist, dental students must be successful in theoretical and clinical fields. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of academic motivation and academic self-efficacy beliefs of dentistry students and to evaluate the effect of these factors on academic achievement. Material and Methods: This study was conducted on 346 students studying at Gaziantep University Faculty of Dentistry in 2018-2019 academic year. The data of the study was collected by using three measurement tools: Descriptive Characteristics form, Academic Motivation Scale and Academic Self-efficacy Scale. The obtained data were evaluated by using SPSS 22 program, Students' t test, ANOVA test, Kruskal-Wallis test and correlation analysis. Results: The students' self-efficacy beliefs (16.8±3.8), total academic motivation level (66.9±12.3) and the sub-dimensions; selfexceeding (23.2±4.2), discovery (24.3±4.9) and use of knowledge (19.3±4.8) mean scores were high, and there was a negative correlation between academic motivation and self-efficacy (p <0.05). In addition, there was a positive correlation between academic motivation and academic achievement (p <0.05). Conclusion: The students can be more successful in education if their academic motivation is supported. In addition, it should be examined how these features should be gained in longitudinal prospective studies.