Distribution and academic significance of learning approaches among pre-clinical medical students at Trinity School of Medicine, St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Keshab Raj Paudel,Hari Prasad Nepal,Raju Panta,Stephen Toth,Binu Shrestha

doi:10.3352/jeehp.2018.15.9

Abstract

PurposeDifferent students may adopt different learning approaches: namely, deep and surface. This study aimed to characterize the learning strategies of medical students at Trinity School of Medicine and to explore potential correlations between deep learning approach and the students’ academic scores.MethodsThe study was a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional, observational study. A total of 169 medical students in the basic science years of training were included in the study after giving informed consent. The Biggs’s Revised Two-Factor Study Process Questionnaire in paper form was distributed to subjects from January to November 2017. For statistical analyses, the Student t-test, 1-way analysis of variance followed by the post-hoc t-test, and the Pearson correlation test were used. The Cronbach alpha was used to test the internal consistency of the questionnaire.ResultsOf the 169 subjects, 132 (response rate, 78.1%) completely filled out the questionnaires. The Cronbach alpha value for the items on the questionnaire was 0.8. The score for the deep learning approach was 29.4± 4.6, whereas the score for the surface approach was 24.3± 4.2, which was a significant difference (P< 0.05). A positive correlation was found between the deep learning approach and students’ academic performance (r= 0.197, P< 0.05, df= 130).ConclusionMedical students in the basic science years at Trinity School of Medicine adopted the deep learning approach more than the surface approach. Likewise, students who were more inclined towards the deep learning approach scored significantly higher on academic tests.

Highlights

Students’ learning capability and skills depend on their attitude, aptitude, available facilities, curricular strategies, and other aspects of the academic environment
The present study aimed to characterize the learning approaches of medical students in their preclinical years of medical education and to evaluate whether a correlation existed between the deep learning approach and their academic scores
The findings of the study showed that the mean score for the deep learning approach was significantly higher than the mean score for the surface approach (29.4± 4.6 vs. 24.3± 4.2) among the students

Summary

Introduction

Students’ learning capability and skills depend on their attitude, aptitude, available facilities (e.g., books, notes, libraries, etc.), curricular strategies, and other aspects of the academic environment. Different students may use different approaches when studying, such as the deep and surface approaches [1]. Biggs et al [2] divided learning approaches into 2 scales (deep and surface), with motive and strategy as subscales in each approach. The present study was conducted to investigate the learning ap-. 2018, Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute. Page 1 of 4 (page number not for citation purposes) proaches of students at Trinity School of Medicine and to correlate learning approaches with academic performance

Objectives

Findings

Conclusion