Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure Score Research Articles

EVALUATING THE DENTAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: A STUDENT-CENTRIC PRESPECTIVE ACROSS PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL YEARS USING DUNDEE READY EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT MEASURE (DREEM) TOOL

Objectives: The learning environment has a profound role in students learning and success. It also has an integral role in the development of the curriculum. The aim of this study to evaluate the learning environment and compare dental students' perception of the learning environment of pre-clinical and clinical years. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2023 to April 2024. A total of 170 both male and female BDS students from all four years at the Bacha Khan College of Denistry were included in the study. A stratified random Sampling Method was used. Students migrated from other colleges in the middle of the sessions and students currently working as interns or house officers were excluded from the study. Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM), a 50-item questionnaire that uses a 5-point Likert scale (4 = strongly agree to 0 = strongly disagree) was used to measure strength of agreement with statements on five domains of learning. Learning (L), Teaching (T), Academic self-perception (ASP), Atmosphere (A) and Social self-perception (SSP). Frequency distributions and descriptive statistics were tabulated in IBM SPSS (version 21). Mean scores for each dimension of learning were used for analysis. Comparative analysis was done using independent sample t test. Results: The DREEM questionnaire was completed by 147 students, 78 1st and 2nd year students (preclinical training phase) while 69 3rd and 4th year students. 34.6% of the participants were male and 66.6% were female. The mean age of the participants was 21.4 years (SD=1.72). Tukey's post hoc analysis within the participants revealed a significantly lower DREEM score of the Final year compared with the 1st year (p < .003), and 3rd year (p< 0.031). The items within each domain with the biggest signifi cant differences (p ≤ 0.05) was between Pre-Clinical Training Phase and Clinical training. Conclusion: This study examined the educational setting in our institution. The students of Bacha Khan College of Dentistry showed a predominantly satisfaction with their educational environment. The primary results indicated that students in the early stages of their studies, namely those in their pre-clinical years had positive opinions across all aspects of their learning environment. Overall, the findings from the study highlight the importance of understanding how students perceive their educational environment throughout diff erent stages of their dental training. By delving deeper into these differences and correlations, educators and administrators can make informed decisions to enhance the curriculum and ultimately improve the learning experience for students. This implies that a more tailored and effective approach to dental education could lead to better outcomes and preparedness for future dental professionals.

Clinical students’ perception of educational environment in a Nigerian university: a mixed method study

BackgroundLearning environment (LE) research has been given priority in higher education institutions globally because of its influence on learning processes and outcomes. Although studies reporting the perceptions of health science students about LE in Nigeria are available, none have compared the perceptions of students from different health professions. Therefore, this study aimed to assess final-year clinical students’ perceptions of their LE from four programs (dentistry, medicine, nursing, and physiotherapy) and compared their LE perceptions.MethodsThis study adopted a cross-sectional study design using a mixed method approach. The quantitative survey involved all the final-year clinical students at the University of Ibadan, and they completed the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire. The qualitative aspect involved 24 consenting students in four focus group discussions.ResultsA total of 214 out of 223 copies of the DREEM questionnaire were duly completed and returned, yielding 96.0% response rate. The participants’ mean age was 24 ± 2.3 years (ranged between 22 and 25 years, p = 0.001). The mean DREEM scores of the students from the four programs ranged between 119.68 ± 18.02 and 147.65 ± 15.89 out of a maximum of 200, interpreted as more positive than negative perceptions of LE. Physiotherapy students’ DREEM score was significantly higher than those of medical, dental, and nursing students (p < 0.001). The DREEM scores of other students did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). Dental and medical students had similar positive perceptions. The qualitative aspect revealed that the students had positive perceptions of their teachers’ knowledge base and self-acquisition of knowledge but negative perceptions of their teachers’ communication skills, infrastructural facilities, lecturer-student relationships, and hostel accommodations.ConclusionAlthough the survey indicated that these clinical students had more positive than negative perceptions of their learning environment, the qualitative aspect of the study revealed many challenges that the students were confronted with. The clinical students’ perception of their learning environment could be improved if the university authorities would address these challenges.

Impact of using active learning principles on perception of medical students toward e-learning environment

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a transition from face-to-face to e-learning, which caught many medical educators unaware. However, it is imperative to develop skills as an e-educator through the application of active learning (AL) principles based on Bloom’s taxonomy. This study highlights the effect of using AL principles on the perception of students toward an e-learning environment using Dundee ready education environment measure (DREEM) questionnaire. The aims of this study were as follows: (1) to introduce the AL principles during online teaching learning sessions. (2) To assess the feedback on the module among the students. (3) To evaluate the change of perception of students toward the e-learning environment through the DREEM questionnaire. Materials and Methods: An educational interventional study was carried out among (76) undergraduate students of a medical institution in coastal Andhra Pradesh. Perception toward the e-learning environment was collected through the DREEM questionnaire online before and after the intervention (application of AL principles as per the Bloom’s taxonomy during online T/L sessions). Statistical analysis: The data thus collected were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20 statistical software, descriptive and inferential statistics for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results: The Global DREEM score was 122 which was 62 before the intervention. Similarly, 68% reported positive perception which was only 37% initially. Students’ social self-perception scored lowest initially, but scores were improved to 2nd highest after the intervention. For a few items such as teacher-centered, nonstimulating teaching, not being able to memorize, lack of motivating environment, feedback, feeling lonely, bored, and not having a good support system, the individual scores were negative, i.e., &lt;2 which became positive, i.e., &gt;3.5 after. Conclusion: There was a significant change perceived by the students toward the e-learning environment with increased DREEM scores. Thus, this study concludes use of AL principles in online platforms is effective in improving students’ perception of the e-learning environment. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Practice-based learning and improvement, Medical knowledge, Interpersonal and communication skills.

Assessment of Perception of Learning by Undergraduate Dental Students in Delhi-NCR Region using Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background: Education in any dental institution and curriculum plays a vital role in the growth of students, which will help them acclimatize to the increased demand for dentistry. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the students’ perception of course curricula in three dental institutes in the Delhi-NCR region among undergraduate students and interns. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students from first year till interns in three dental institutes of the Delhi-NCR region based on the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire. The DREEM questionnaire was distributed using Google Forms. Six hundred seventy students from three institutes participated in the questionnaire, and data were tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis by the Kruskal–Wallis and the Mann–Whitney test. Results: The total mean DREEM score was 158.8/200 in the present study, which is excellent. The overall scoring of the domain showed a significant difference for the fourth BDS for students’ perception of atmosphere (P = 0.001) and for the third-year students for students’ academic self-perception (P = 0.004). In the present study, all subdomains scored &gt; 2, which means students had positive attitudes toward learning. Conclusion: Although students had positive learning perceptions in all three institutes, there were some problematic areas, such as stress during dental courses, for which policies should be formulated and implemented in dental institutes. The students were found to be too tired at the dental institute; they could not enjoy the program. Student-centered teaching programs can be employed to improve on the weaknesses of institutes.

Evaluating the Perception of Undergraduate Medical Students About the Educational Environment by Using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) Questionnaire.

Background This study uses the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire to investigate undergraduate medical students' perceptions regarding their educational environment. The study recognizes the pivotal role of the educational environment in shaping future healthcare professionals and aims to contribute valuable insights for continuous improvement. The DREEM questionnaire, a validated tool, provides a structured approach to assess various dimensions of the educational environment. The study explores teaching and learning, academic atmosphere, student self-perception, social support, and overall satisfaction, seeking to identify strengths and areas for enhancement. The overarching goal is to offer evidence-based recommendations for academic institutions, curriculum developers, and policymakers to foster an environment that optimally nurtures the learning experiences of undergraduate medical students. The study aspires to contribute to the ongoing efforts to refine and elevate medical education, ensuring the holistic development of future healthcare professionals. Aims & objectives Using the DREEMquestionnaire, evaluate undergraduate medical students' perceptions regarding their educational environment. Identifying thestrengths and weaknesses in the current educational environment, encompassing teaching and learning, academic atmosphere, student self-perception, and social support. Methodology All undergraduate medical students of C.U.Shah Medical College and Hospital, Surendranagar, Gujarat (India), were included in the study. DREEM questionnaire was introduced in classroom settings in digital form with the help of Google Forms. The perceptions were obtained and analyzed with the help of Google Sheets. Results The DREEM questionnaire mean scores (124.58/200) indicate an overall positive perception of the educational environment among medical students, with total scores falling within the 'More Positive than Negative' range. The domain-wise analysis reveals scores for Students' Perception of Learning (SPL) 30.09/48, Students' Perception of Teachers (SPT) 27.87/44, Students' Academic Self-Perceptions (SASP) 20.60/32, Students' Perception of Atmosphere (SPA) 30.31/48, and Students' Social Self-Perceptions (SSSP) 15.72/28, indicating varying perceptions across different aspects of the educational environment. Within the domains, the SPL scores range from 10 to 44 (mean: 29.91), with one response in the 'very poor' range. SPT scores vary from 4 to 44 (mean: 27.49), with three 'very poor' responses. SASP scores range from 6 to 32 (mean: 20.73), with one response in the 'Feelings of total failure' range. SPA scores range from 9 to 48 (mean: 30.29), with one response in the 'Very poor environment' range. SSSP scores vary from 6 to 28 (mean: 15.66), with five 'Miserable' responses. Conclusion The study using DREEM scores highlights a generally positive perception of the educational environment among medical students. Areas for improvement include addressing fatigue-related concerns and enhancing teacher-student interactions, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to ensure ongoing enhancement in the learning environment.

Oral health students' perceptions of the learning environment in Australia and New Zealand: A DREEM study.

Oral Health Therapists (OHTs) are a growing workforce globally, with skills in oral health prevention, treatment planning and management of disease. These professionals receive their training through a three-year undergraduate program which leads to the Bachelor of Oral Health degree in Australia and New Zealand. The aim of this study was to describe the learning environment for OHT students in Australia and New Zealand. OHT students were requested to complete the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) to indicate their perceptions of the environment of their educational program. Bachelor of Oral Health students from 10 universities in Australia and New Zealand were invited to participate in the survey. The analysis of the students' experiences focused on five domains of educational environment: learning, teaching, academic self-perception, atmosphere and social self-perception. Total DREEM scores were compared to previously published literature for other health professions students. A total of 336 OHT students completed the study, which represented 30% of all OHT students enrolled in the 10 participating universities. Using the DREEM, participants perception of the environment was more positive than negative with an average DREEM total score of 141 (70.5%) out of a maximum score of 200. The model demonstrates university region to be a major predictor in the overall DREEM score, with regional universities scoring higher than urban universities (p = .012). The DREEM was used to describe OHT students perceptions of the learning environment in Australia and New Zealand. This study found that the university region is a significant predictor of positive experiences for OHT students. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary Oral Health programs, this study offers insights into future improvements.

Students’ perception of the educational environment at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for health sciences using DREEM tool

BackgroundStudents’ learning results are influenced by the educational environment. The best learning environment is created when students are involved in the evaluation process of their education. The purpose of this study was to evaluate students’ perceptions of their learning environment at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Riyadh using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) instrument.MethodsThis observational cross-sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire using the Arabic version of the DREEM tool. Students from six colleges at KSAU-HS Riyadh campus were asked to complete the questionnaire through emails. The study was carried out between November 2021 and April 2022. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were performed for DREEM as both a continuous (two-way ANOVA test) and categorical variable (Chi-squared and Monte-Carlo test).ResultsA total of 370 students completed the questionnaire. The overall DREEM score for the study was 125.88/200, with a standard deviation of 58.79. SSP items received the highest scores, while SAP items earned the lowest scores. The college and the academic level showed statistically significant differences in the DREEM overall score and the five subscales, whereas gender showed no significant difference. The college of pharmacy scored the highest total DREEM score (140.35 ± 27.75), and scored higher among the five subscales than both colleges of dentistry (114.13 ± 29.74) and medicine (113.87 ± 33.03). Students in their third year had the greatest overall DREEM score (132.23 ± 29.76), and scored higher in SPL, SPA and SSP compared to students in their sixth year, in which the total DREEM score was (111.65 ± 27.58).ConclusionsStudents of KSAU-HS generally perceived the educational environment as having more positive than negative. The educational level and college differed significantly in the overall DREEM score and the five subscales. Junior students had better perception of the educational environment and they differed significantly in the SPL and SPA subscales. The faculty of pharmacy had higher scores in the overall DREEM and the five subsequent scales than colleges of dentistry and medicine. Further research is needed in order to optimize the educational environment by investigating different solutions.

Assessing the Learning Environment Perception Among Medical Students at a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

To assess the perception of medical students at Alfaisal University College of Medicine (AUCOM) of their learning environment at a referral-based tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The validated Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was administered to all year 4 and year 5 students during the academic year 2020-2021. Scores were analyzed using the descriptors provided by the questionnaire developers and compared across different students' cohorts using SPSS. The overall DREEM score was 120.45/200, which can be described as a "more positive than negative environment", indicating a positive perception with a potential for improvement. All domain scores were on the positive side except the "students' social self-perception" which had a score indicating a problematic area. Female students had a statistically significant more positive score in the domain "students' perception of learning" than male students. Scores for individual questions were persistently on the positive side except for eight questions that pointed to problematic areas in the curriculum. When compared between student cohorts, five questions had statistically significant difference in scores between students in both academic years, but only two of those had scores indicating concerning areas. Referral-based tertiary hospitals can be perceived positively by students as a learning environment in undergraduate medical education. We identified some areas of concern in our curriculum to be targeted by future research.

Study to assess perceptions of the Educational Environment among medical undergraduate students using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM)

Abstract Background: The educational environment can be described as the atmosphere perceived by the students and teachers. It affects the transfer/acquisition of knowledge and skills needed in training medical students. Assessing the Educational environment of medical schools is a current global trend and has even been suggested by the National Medical Commission. The DREEM tool is a widely accepted and globally validated instrument for assessing the educational environment in undergraduate medical institutions and has five subscales including perceptions of learning, perceptions of teachers, academic self-perceptions, perceptions of the environment and social self-perceptions. DREEM is a valid tool in referring to deficient areas in the learning process. Objective: To assess the student’s perception of the educational environment using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire among undergraduate medical students. Methodology: A Cross-sectional study was conducted at Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College, Nanded from January 2022 to December 2022 among 450 first to final-year MBBS students using the DREEM inventory scale. Results: The first-year students perceived the Educational environment most positively, with the highest global DREEM score of 120/200. The global scores of the 4th-year students were the lowest. The highest scores were recorded for the Student's perceptions of learning (SPL) domain (34.19/48, 71.23%), followed by student's academic self-perceptions (SASP) (22.21/32, 69.41%), student's perceptions of atmosphere (SPA) (32.25/48, 67.19%), student's perceptions of teachers (SPT) (30.48/44, 69.27%). Conclusion: The undergraduate medical student's perception of the educational environment is positive and there is scope for improvement and some general measures like improvement of student's accommodation, inclusion of stress relieving measures in the curriculum, encouragement of extra-curricular activities etc.

Perception of Undergraduate Pharmacy Students on CBL Learning Environment

Introduction: An effective learning environment is important for proper academic and professional development of students. This can be assessed by exploring the students’ perception of the learning environment. This study aims to evaluate students’ learning responses and perceptions of their learning environment regarding case-based learning (CBL) implementation in the subject of pharmacology of second-year undergraduate pharmacy students. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The sample size is 120 second year students from the Pharmacy programme. The data was collected by using self- administered Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory that consists of 50 items with 5 subscales of learning. Results: A total of 148 second-year pharmacy students participated in the survey and the response rate is 85%. The majority of participants were female and the overall mean DREEM score in this study is 137.29, which indicates more positive learning environment than negative. Three items were identified as areas of concern which were an overemphasis on factual learning (mean=1.64), tutors being perceived as authoritarian (mean=1.97) and the presence of a cheating problem in the course (mean=1.86). In this study, no statistically significant association was found between each subscale of the perceptions of the learning environment and cumulative grade point average (p&gt;0.05). Conclusion: Pharmacy students at UiTM Puncak Alam generally hold predominantly positive perceptions. However, there are identified problem areas that require improvement, emphasizing the need for more effective interventions.

Navigating post COVID-19 education: an investigative study on students' attitude and perception of their new normal learning environment.

The incidence and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a drastic change in health professional education around the world. Traditional classrooms made way for online classrooms in order to ensure that learning continued in a safe and secure environment. However, how well health professional students perceived and accepted these changes have not been fully gauged yet. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the perception of health professional students about their new educational climate. A modified and validated Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was used to collect data regarding student perception of their educational environment. The mean DREEM scores for three time periods were in the accepted positive range of 101 to 150 indicating that most of the students perceived the changes positively. The results indicated that most students preferred blended learning over online learning or face-to-face learning alone. Areas where students were unsatisfied with their learning environment that need improvement were identified by poor item-wise scores. Strategic remedial measures for these concerns need to be developed to improve the quality of education received by the students. However, the results of our study indicated that most of the students were able to adapt positively to the new education environment due to the change in the circumstances during COVID.

Robotic-Assisted Surgery Training (RAST): Assessment of Surgeon Console Ergonomic Skills

The aim of this study was to evaluate the responsiveness of postgraduate year (PGY) general surgery residents (GSRs) to surgeon console ergonomics within the robotic-assisted surgery training (RAST) program. This was a prospective educational study. GSRs were prepared with a pretraining educational video. Faculty provided one-on-one resident hands-on training and testing. Nine proficiency criteria (emergency stop & recover; left side pod adjustments; touchpad controls; footswitch panel; energy control pedals; camera control & focus; arm swap; master & finger clutch; dual console settings control) were assessed with a 5-point Likert-scale. Responsiveness was defined as change in performance over time. The robotic platform was Da Vinci Xi (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA). The Dundee ready educational environment measure (DREEM) inventory was used by GSRs to assess the educational environment. Tertiary care academic teaching institution. A total of 22 GSRs: 4 PGY 1, 4 PGY 2, 4 PGY 3, 5 PGY 4, 5 PGY 5. From June 2022 to March 2023 the hands-on console time decreased at testing when compared to baseline: median 39.0 (range 37-41) vs 20.1 (range 19-22) minutes, respectively. There was no difference in mean hands-on testing scores stratified by PGY: 4.85±0.4 PGY1; 4.98 ± 0.3 PGY2; 4.86 ± 0.4 PGY3, 4.88 ± 0.2 PGY4, and 4.91 ± 0.1 PGY5 (ANOVA test; p = 0.095). The overall DREEM score was 167.1 ± 16.9 with CAC = 0.908 (excellent internal consistency). Training in ergonomics on the surgeon console impacted the responsiveness of the GSRs with 51% console time reduction. There were no differences in hands-on testing scores among PGYs. Perception of the educational environment by the GSRs was high.

Clinical Competence and Learning Environment of Primary Care Medical Students Amid Covid-19 Pandemic: Online Distance Learning Versus Face-to-Face Teaching

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the learning environment for medical students and affected their academic achievement. This study aims to determine the student’s clinical competency, learning environment, and its associated factors during the primary care medicine posting amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study among medical students who had completed primary care medicine posting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on socio-demographic, posting characteristics, and students’ learning environment using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire and their objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) marks were collected. Independent t-test was used to compare DREEM scores between face-to-face and online groups. Multivariate analysis was used to determine factors associated with clinical competency and DREEM scores with p &lt;0.05 considered significant. Results: A total of 205 students were recruited. Only 9.8% failed OSCE. Face-to-face teaching delivery (OR=3.61, 95 CI =1.03,11.30), face-to-face precept method (OR=1.24, 95 CI =1.12,12.51) and integrated curriculum (OR=5.23, 95 CI =1.03,26.47) were associated with good clinical competency. The total mean DREEM score was 72.94 (SD 28.8), with 89.3% having poor DREEM scores. Students who received face-to-face teaching scored higher in the Student’s Perceptions of Teacher domain compared to online teaching (p =0.036). Conclusion: Face-to-face teaching is preferred for good clinical competence and a learning environment. The impact of experiential learning was huge in our study, and it cannot be replaced by online learning. Furthermore, retraining teachers will improve the online learning experience for the students.

Gauging the learning environment at Damascus University Pharmacy School in Syria using the DREEM questionnaire: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: This study was undertaken to provide the first record of evaluation of the educational environment of the Bachelor of Pharmacy program at Damascus University (DU), Syria using the internationally adopted Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) tool and compare it with other pharmacy schools around the world. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at DU Pharmacy School in 2022. The validated DREEM 50-item inventory was added to Google Forms and used to collect data electronically. River sampling and snowball sampling methods were used. Data was collected during the second term between April 2022 and June 2022. Students from all years were included. Results: A total of 269 students completed the questionnaire; that is about 6.7% of the total population. The Cronbach's alpha of the DREEM questionnaire was 0.94. The total DREEM score was 89.8±32.1/200. Senior students scored significantly less on the DREEM scale than their younger counterparts. DU Pharmacy School scored significantly less on the total DREEM score than its other counterparts around the world with a large effect size (d>0.80). All subscales scored below 50% and the lowest scoring subscales were students' perception of learning (SPL=41.8%) and students' perception of the social environment (SSP=42.5%). Conclusions: The findings implied that the educational environment is in need of major improvement, especially in areas related to teaching and learning practices and the general social environment; failure to address the current issues in the learning environment might hinder learning and clinical practice of the future generation of pharmacists. This study provides a quality improvement map which could be used preciously address the areas that need most attention at DU Pharmacy School.

Dental students’ perception of their educational environment in relation to their satisfaction with dentistry major: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundStudents’ perception of their educational environment and satisfaction with their major can reveal the extent of their readiness to practice their profession after graduation. This study aimed to evaluate dental students’ perception of their educational environment and satisfaction with their major in dentistry, as well as the relationship between these two factors.MethodsAn online survey was conducted in 2022 among first- to fourth-year students across 11 dental schools in Korea. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) and Academic Major Satisfaction Scale (AMSS) were used to measure the students’ perception of the educational environment and satisfaction with their major in dentistry, respectively.ResultsA total of 539 students participated in the survey (response rate = 18.1%). The overall mean scores of the DREEM and AMSS were 125.03 (maximum score 200) and 22.01 (maximum score 30), respectively. Fourth-year students had the lowest scores in the overall DREEM, DREEM subscales (excluding students’ perceptions of atmosphere), and AMSS. The overall DREEM scores and all DREEM subscales showed statistically significant positive and moderate correlations with AMSS (p < 0.001).ConclusionUsing the DREEM, we identified areas that need improvement and the academic year (fourth year) that require proactive support. Considering the positive correlation between all DREEM subscales and the AMSS, measures to comprehensively improve the educational environment are needed to improve dental students’ satisfaction with their major.

Assessment of educational environment of midwifery students in Auxillary Nurse and Midwifery Institutes, Tamil Nadu – A descriptive study

Introduction: Tamil Nadu has a well-established public health-care delivery system with the Auxiliary Nurse and Midwifery (ANM) or Village Health Nurses. They learn and qualify for their job from ANM institutes and become the key field level functionary who interacts directly with the community. Their ability to provide quality community care is largely determined by the quality of ANM education they receive during their training. Hence, this study aimed to assess the perception of these students to facilitate a conducive educational environment. Methods: A descriptive study was carried out among 244 ANM students from across 10 randomly selected government ANM schools in Tamil Nadu. A self-administered Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was used for assessment. The data was analyzed using EpiData. Results: Among the 244 students enrolled in the study, the mean (standard deviation) global DREEM score was 167.39 (±18.06). Student's academic perception was the highest (91%), followed by student's perception of atmosphere (84.2%), learning (84%), and teachers (83.5%), and the least average score was from student's social self-perception (74%). Conclusion: The study showed the nursing students' view on their academic learning environment as “more positive than negative,” Centers were also considered excellent, and this assessment would provide an useful guide into the areas that students felt “good” about, which should be reinforced and the weaker areas that need to be strengthened for better services.

Assessment of Educational Environment of Newly Established Medical College by UG Medical Students: A Mixed Method Study

Introduction: Educational environment always play a crucial role in the development of students as well as faculty of any institution. In India, there is a continuous increase in the number of medical colleges and the number of MBBS seats, but the quality of education with quantity is questionable. To answer this question, the present study was planned to know the educational environment in a new Medical Institution that ejected its alumni in 2018. Aim: To analyze the educational environment of a newly established Medical College in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Materials and Methods: The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional which took six months to complete. This study used the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire, open-ended questions and focus group discussions (FGDs). The study was conducted on MBBS students in Government Medical College, Azamgarh, UP. Results: The batch-wise Global DREEM scores were 169.08 (alumni), 156.23 (interns), 168.76 (2015), 164.16 (2016), 176.23 (2017), 176.94 (2018). This demonstrates that the educational environment is satisfactory in all domains and comes under the 3rd category of the educational environment index. The FGDs showed a positive response in all batches but with high variability in scores, which indicates lack of standardization in Medical Education. The open-ended questions’ responses revealed many merits and demerits about five domains. Conclusion: The variability of DREEM score, FGDs and open ended questions denotes the lack of standardization in the Medical Education system and the scores of the Education Environment Index (all domains) must move from category III (satisfactory) to category IV (excellence).

Perceptions of Physiotherapy students about their teaching environment at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences in Malawi.

The learning environment is defined as an environment where teaching is taking place, as perceived by both students and teachers. A conducive learning environment is critical for successful curriculum implementation, which also affects students' academic performance. There have been initiatives introduced to improve the learning environment at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS). The purpose of this study was to ascertain physiotherapy final year students' perceptions of their learning environment at KUHeS in Malawi. This study was conducted at KUHeS among final-year physiotherapy students. A retrospective, quantitative cross-sectional design was used. The study utilised secondary data on education environment which had already been collected using Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) forms. There were 26 completed DREEM forms for 2019/2020 academic year. Demographic data were captured. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyse the DREEM scores. Inferential analysis was conducted with p-value set at ≤ 0.05. The total DREEM mean score was 120/200 which represented a positive perception of students learning environment. Students' academic self-perception scored the highest (69.13%), followed by students' perception of learning (61.94%), students' social self-perception (59.46%), students' perception of atmosphere (56.25), and students' perception of teachers (55.50%). Married students had negative perceptions (p-value = 0.05) of their teachers and students with previous college experience had positive perceptions of their academic performance (p-value = 0.02). Many statements under items of perception of teachers (mean score = 24) and social self-perceptions (mean score = 16) were considered negatively. Students in their final year of physiotherapy had positive perceptions of their learning environment. However, students' perceptions of their teachers and social life were low. The learning environment had a significant impact on married students and those who had no prior experience with college life. Faculty development initiatives should aim to improve these critical areas.

Educational environment perception and cognitive load among physical therapy students during e-learning

Background: Understanding students' perception of the educational environment and their cognitive load in this context is crucial for optimizing the effectiveness of e-learning platforms. Objective: To compare educational environment perception and cognitive load in under-graduates Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and post-graduate Master in Science of Physical Therapy (MSPT) students having online learning experiences. Methodology: In this comparative cross-sectional study, data was collected through non-probability convenient sampling from n=274 under-graduates DPT (n=225) and post-graduates MSPT(n=49) students of either gender having one-semester experience of online learning, Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) for measuring educational environmental perception and Rating Scale of Mental Effort (RSME) for measurement of cognitive load. Online self-structured was developed questionnaire and shared through communication media platform and data analysis was made through SPSS version 28. Results: There were n=225 under-graduates (DPT) and n=49 post-graduates (MSPT) students in which, there were n=208 females and n=66 males. The overall DREEM score showed that MSPT students are more significantly positive (p&lt;0.001, Cohen’s d=1.01) than DPT students regarding the perception of the educational environment with a large effect size. While there was no significant difference (p=0.114) between MSP and DPT students regarding cognitive load. Conclusion: Post-graduates (MSPT) students have better educational environmental perception than undergraduate (DPT) students but there was no significant difference in cognitive load in undergraduate (DPT) and post-graduates (MSPT) students. Keywords: cognition; cognitive load; mental effort; e-learning; physiotherapist.

Robotic-assisted surgery training (RAST) program: module 1 of a three-module program. Assessment of patient cart docking skills and educational environment.

There is currently no standardized robotic surgery training program in General Surgery Residency. RAST involves three modules: ergonomics, psychomotor, and procedural. This study aimed to report the results of module 1, which assessed the responsiveness of 27 PGY (postgraduate year) 1-5 general surgery residents (GSRs) to simulated patient cart docking, and to evaluate the residents' perception of the educational environment from 2021 to 2022. GSRs prepared with pre-training educational video and multiple-choice questions test (MCQs). Faculty provided one-on-one resident hands-on training and testing. Nine proficiency criteria (deploy cart; boom control; driving cart; docking camera port; targeting anatomy; flex joints; clearance joints; port nozzles; emergency undocking) were assessed with five-point Likert scale. A validated 50-item Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory was used by GSRs to assess the educational environment. Mean MCQ scores: (90.6 ± 16.1 PGY1), (80.2 ± 18.1PGY2), (91.7 ± 16.5 PGY3) and (PGY4, 86.8 ± 18.1 PGY5) (ANOVA test; p = 0.885). Hands-on docking time decreased at testing when compared to base line: median 17.5 (range 15-20) min vs. 9.5 (range 8-11). Mean hands-on testing score was 4.75 ± 0.29 PGY1; 5.0 ± 0 PGY2 and PGY3, 4.78 ± 0.13 PGY4, and 4.93 ± 0.1 PGY5 (ANOVA test; p = 0.095). No correlation was found between pre-course MCQ score and hands-on training score (Pearson correlation coefficient = -0.359; p = 0.066). There was no difference in the hands-on scores stratified by PGY. The overall DREEM score was 167.1 ± 16.9 with CAC = 0.908 (excellent internal consistency). Patient cart training impacted the responsiveness of GSRs with 54% docking time reduction and no differences in hands-on testing scores among PGYs with a highly positive perception.