Examining shifts in medical students' microanalytic motivation beliefs and regulatory processes during a diagnostic reasoning task.

Timothy J Cleary,Anthony R Artino,Ting Dong

doi:10.1007/s10459-014-9549-x

Abstract

This study examined within-group shifts in the motivation beliefs and regulatory processes of second-year medical students as they engaged in a diagnostic reasoning activity. Using a contextualized assessment methodology called self-regulated learning microanalysis, the authors found that the 71 medical student participants showed statistically significant and relatively robust declines in their self-efficacy beliefs and strategic regulatory processes following negative feedback about their performance on the diagnostic reasoning task. Descriptive statistics revealed that changes in strategic thinking following negative corrective feedback were most characterized by shifts away from task-specific processes (e.g., integration, differentiating diagnoses) to non-task related factors. Implications and areas for future research are presented and discussed.

Highlights

Self-regulated learning (SRL) has been described as a process through which individuals exert control over their behaviors, cognitions or affect, and the environment as they engage in goal-directed activities (Boekaerts et al 2000)
This study examined within-group shifts in the motivation beliefs and regulatory processes of second-year medical students as they engaged in a diagnostic reasoning activity
Using a contextualized assessment methodology called self-regulated learning microanalysis, the authors found that the 71 medical student participants showed statistically significant and relatively robust declines in their self-efficacy beliefs and strategic regulatory processes following negative feedback about their performance on the diagnostic reasoning task

Summary

Introduction

Self-regulated learning (SRL) has been described as a process through which individuals exert control over their behaviors, cognitions or affect, and the environment as they engage in goal-directed activities (Boekaerts et al 2000). From an SRL perspective, self-generated or externally provided feedback is important because it helps to determine whether and how individuals will reflect on and improve their approach to learning or clinical tasks (Hattie and Timperley 2007; Sargeant et al 2009). Students and faculty perceive feedback to be a critical factor in reducing student errors and enhancing overall performance, faculty members or supervisors generally believe that their feedback is of high quality (i.e., timely, specific, and effective), while trainees are often dissatisfied and highly critical of this feedback (Bing-You et al 1997; Libemeran et al 2005)

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