Student Perceptions Of Learning Research Articles

Medical Students’ Perception of the Educational Environment at College of Medicine: A Prospective Study with a Review of Literature

Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory has been exhaustively used to evaluate the education environment (EE), especially in the health sector to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the program. This study was designed to investigate the medical students’ perceptions about the education environment (EE) of the College of Medicine (COM), Jeddah. This cross-sectional study was carried out on medical students and conducted between May and August 2020. A predesigned DREEM questionnaire written in English containing five subdomains was adopted to achieve the purpose of the study. A total of 220 students responded to the dispensed survey with a mean age of 21.97 (SD = 1.28). Male and female students represented 64.5% and 35.5% of the respondents, respectively, while most of them were in the fourth year of medical college (109, 49.5%), and the majority belonged to phase II (basic sciences) of the college (144, 65.4%). The overall total DREEM score for EE was 129.64 (SD = 31.81; 64.82%), and all the five subdomains of DREEM scored above 60% with the highest score by students’ academic self-perception (SASP) (21.22; 66.31%) and the lowest by students’ perception of learning (SPL) (30.16; 62.83%). Also, SASP2 was the highest scoring item with a mean of 3.13 (SD = 0.96), while SPA8 was the lowest with a mean score of 1.99 (SD = 1.38). We also compared our study with the available literature for contextual interpretations. The students’ assessment for EE of the medical program was positive; however, we identified a need for an improvement plan for six-weak scoring areas and one of the weak domains of DREEM i.e., students’ perception of teaching (SPT).

The Effects of Instructional and Administrative Text Messages on Academic Achievement and Student Perception of Learning in a High School Food, Nutrition, and Wellness Classroom

This study investigated the effects of instructional and administrative text messages on student academic achievement and sense of learning. Ninety-eight Food, Nutrition, and Wellness students in grades 9th through 12th were involved in this study. In this quasi-experimental study, there was an experimental group and a comparison group. Students in the experimental group received instructional and administrative text messages three times a week for a total of nine weeks. A one-way ANCOVA and independent samples t-test were used for data analyses. The study found a statistically significant difference in academic achievement and sense of learning with students in the experimental group scoring higher as compared to students in the control group. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference with females in the treatment group scoring higher than males in the treatment group.

Contemporary science practice in the classroom: a phenomenological exploration into how online curriculum resources can facilitate learning

ABSTRACT Using a phenomenological lens, we investigated how online curriculum resources can support secondary science teachers to explore contemporary science practices with their students. The research used a social constructivist theoretical and a hermeneutic phenomenology methodological framework to describe and interpret the teacher/participants’ experience. Seven participants teaching science to Year 7–10 students (12–15 years old) engaged in the research project, trialling selected contemporary science resources in their class. Pre and post intervention interviews were conducted with each participant along with classroom observations of one lesson to view aspects of the effectiveness of the resource, the teachers’ approach and their perceptions of student learning and engagement. Discussion focuses on how the online curriculum resources presented alternative views about science in practice to what students expect, providing an in-depth view of scientists and their research practices in varied settings. Affordances of this approach for bringing real science into the classroom and for improving student engagement and learning are considered. The findings point to the approach being potentially a productive, scalable way forward for introducing contemporary science practice into classrooms. We advocate further research investigating the potential of this type of online curriculum resource to connect students more powerfully with scientists and their practices.

Comparison of blended versus traditional classrooms among undergraduate nursing students: A quasi-experimental study

BackgroundBlended learning is a relatively new educational approach that has been introduced into higher education in Palestine. While it has many advantages, there is no empirical evidence, nor any case studies from Palestine to support the use of blended learning over traditional classroom. ObjectivesTo compare students' learning outcomes, learning perceptions of their educational environment, and satisfaction of blended learning versus traditional classroom. DesignA quasi-experimental study. SettingA public university in Palestine. Participants102 Bachelor of Science in nursing students enrolled on the maternal health course. MethodsStudents freely chose to register for the blended teaching section (49 students) or traditional classroom (53 students), then the teaching method for each section was assigned. Student demographics, course component grades, perceptions of the educational environment, measured by the Arabic version of Dundee Ready Education Environment Measurement (DREEM) inventory, and degree of satisfaction were collected in this study. Descriptive statistics and the Independent Sample t-test were used to analyze the data. ResultsThe sample included 49 students in the blended teaching section and 53 students in the traditional section. Overall DREEM scores, Student Perceptions of Learning, and Student Perceptions of Teachers were significantly higher for students taught with the blended method compared to traditional classroom settings. The total DREEM scores were between 101 and 151 for both sections, indicating that all students, regardless of teaching method, had more positive than negative perceptions of their educational environment. Moreover, there was no significant difference in scores and total course GPA (Grade Point Average), both with and without assignment grades, or between blended and traditional learning in first, second and final exams. However, students taught with the blended format scored significantly higher in assignments than students taught the traditional classroom. ConclusionsBlended learning can be a useful educational approach in nursing education and Palestinian universities may consider using it for nursing courses.

Agripreneurship and Agricultural Labour Market: Agripreneurial Intentions among Undergraduate Students in Ondo State, NigeriaAgripreneurship and Agricultural Labour Market: Agripreneurial Intentions among Undergraduate Students in Ondo State, Nigeria

This study examined agripreneurial intentions among students in the state-owned tertiary institutions in Ondo State. The study profiled students’ perceptions of learning (SPOL), teachers’ impact (SPOT), and mentorship and explored the effects of these on their agripreneurial intentions. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze 120 students, who were randomly selected from the two state-owned tertiary institutions. A logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the effects of SPOL, SPOT, mentorship, as well as other socioeconomic characteristics, on students’ likelihood to have agripreneurial intentions. The study revealed that SPOL, SPOT & age significantly increased the likelihood of students having agripreneurial intentions, while perceptions of mentorship and the number of graduates in the family decreased it. Although the SPOL and SPOT were positive and statistically significant, the weak effects of the mean scores suggest that SPOL and SPOT should be improved upon to enhance students’ interest in agripreneurship.

Student Perception and the Effectiveness of Kahoot!: A Scoping Review in Histology, Anatomy, and Medical Education.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has presented challenges in medical education particularly, with development of online learning in a short time period. Notably there has been a significant increase in the use of digital technology applications to meet this challenge. For instance, in the first quarter of 2020 the game-based software Kahoot! reported a threefold increase in players and a fivefold increase in asynchronous learning globally. However, there is limited research into the use of game-based digital technology applications such as Kahoot! and the associated learning theories, particularly in histology, anatomy, and medical education. This scoping review explored the utilization, outcome scores, and student perceptions of learning with the application of Kahoot! in histology, anatomy, and medical education. Online databases were used to identify articles published between 2013 and 2021 from which 12 articles were included in the review. The majority of articles supported positive student outcomes including improved collaborative learning, improved knowledge of content, attendance, and participation. Minor negative aspects included increased time on task, overwhelming learning content, and distractions due to gadgets. None of the articles included a control group. The main educational theories identified were active learning followed by social and constructivism learning theory. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic a rapid and fundamental shift in how digital applications are being used in educational institutions has evolved. Further research on learning frameworks and studies with control groups is required to evaluate Kahoot! as a potentially valuable online application in histology, anatomy, and medical education.

Supporting STEM Faculty of Large Enrollment Undergraduate Courses: A Mixed Methods Study of Impact

A plethora of literature exists identifying the importance of engaging students in learning within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) undergraduate courses, making professional development (PD) for faculty teaching these courses vital. Yet few studies of PD programs focus on STEM faculty, incorporate direct measures of faculty practice, and seek to understand the student experience in courses taught by these faculty. In this study, I examine the impact of a program for faculty teaching large enrollment STEM courses on their perceptions, instructional practices, and student perceptions of learning. The program included a week-long course design institute (35 hrs) and a year-long STEM Faculty Learning Community (STEM-FLC) that met monthly (14 hrs). Data included faculty surveys, course syllabi, observations of teaching, and Student Evaluations of Teaching (SETs). Results suggest the program helped instructors create more learning-focused courses and implement student-centered instructional practices to differing degrees. Despite the STEM-FLC, faculty still perceived barriers to implementing their course design. Students’ perceptions of course instruction and self-reported learning in these courses highlighted the importance of in-class activities. Finally, when the course design and instructional practice were aligned, students had more positive perceptions and reported higher learning gains compared to students in courses with misalignments in design and practice. Based on the findings of the study and connection with PD literature, I provide a set of essential PD features that may enable STEM faculty to make meaningful and lasting changes to practice.

Enhanced student perceptions of learning and performance using concept-point-recovery teaching sessions: a mixed-method approach

BackgroundActive learning pedagogy has recently received a great deal of attention, and many universities have attempted to create student-centered learning environments to improve students’ academic success. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of concept-point-recovery (CPR) teaching sessions as an active learning strategy on students’ perceptions of the learning environment, motivation, and academic learning outcomes in an electrical engineering course. To investigate the effectiveness of CPR sessions, students’ perceptions of learning and their performance were compared to those of students in a control classroom. Finally, students’ written comments on the course and instructor were explored in further analysis.ResultsThe quantitative findings revealed that there was a significant change in students’ perceptions of learning after the CPR teaching sessions, and there was an increase in students’ perceptions and learning outcomes compared with those of the control group. In addition, the qualitative findings from students’ written feedback demonstrated that students felt that the instructor cared about students’ learning and success and that they had a positive learning environment.ConclusionsCPR teaching sessions can be an alternative model for instructors to connect with students and create supportive environments to help students achieve academic success, which in turn promotes the satisfaction of students’ basic psychological needs and self-determined motivation. Therefore, increasing students’ engagement in their learning processes and making connections with students through CPR teaching sessions can facilitate improvements in students’ motivation and academic success. How this new active learning technique can be applied to higher education is discussed.

Using Social Media and Snowball Sampling as an Alternative Recruitment Strategy for Research

The COVID-19 pandemic demanded rapid change in health care education, moving many students to online learning. It is important to examine how this shift affected both student perceptions of learning and achievement of learning outcomes. Snowball sampling strategy was used to reach and recruit nursing students, who had shifted to online learning during the pandemic, to participate in a research study survey. This paper outlines the process of snowball sampling using social media, explores the relationship between social media posts and survey completion, describes the strategy's challenges and benefits, and provides recommendations to those who may consider using this novel sampling methodology.

Perception of Undergraduate Medical Students on Educational Environment

Educational environment in medical school has a significant influence on the students’ progress in becoming a holistic doctor. Different background of students may have different perception towards their educational environment. The objectives of this study were to explore and ascertain the overall educational environment status of two medical programmes in the Faculty of Medicine of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and to study the common areas of concern in the educational environment. A cross-sectional study was conducted in November 2018 among all the fourth-year undergraduate medical students of session 2018/2019 in the Faculty of Medicine of UKM using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire. A total of 114 (72.61%) respondents had completed the questionnaire. The mean global score of UKM (136.14) was higher than the mean global score of UKM-Universitas Padjadjaran (UKM-UNPAD) (128.74). UKM also noted to have a higher total mean score for all the five subscales than UKM-UNPAD. The highest percentage score was observed in the subscale of Students’ Perception of Learning (SPoL) for UKM (71.89%) and UKM-UNPAD (68.56%). On the other hand, the lowest percentage score was observed among the UKM (62.57%) and UKM-UNPAD (60.04%) respondents in the subscale of Students’ Social Self-Perception (SSSP). Overall, all students across these two main academic programmes perceived the educational environment in UKM positively. However, there are still aspects of the educational environment that could be improved. The existing programmes and academic modules are subjected to rigorous evaluation to be able to meet the medical students’ requirements.

Development and Validation of a Questionnaire on Motivation for Cooperative Playful Learning Strategies

Playful learning strategies, such as educational gamification, game-based learning, and escape rooms are increasingly being incorporated into the university education system. In this study, it aims to develop and validate an instrument to analyze motivation regarding the use of playful learning strategies in university students. A total of 450 university students aged between 18 and 55 (Mean = 22.72; Standard Deviation = 5.01) were part of the sample, with whom playful strategies were implemented during the 2019/2020 school year. The results obtained in the confirmatory factor analysis indicate that the questionnaire on motivation for playful learning strategies has adequate psychometric properties to assess the motivation and perception of student learning in the implementation of ludic strategies in the classroom in the Spanish university context.

Access, use and perceptions of open (free) and traditional textbooks: an exploratory comparative analysis of community college criminal justice courses

ABSTRACT This study examines community college students (N = 292) enrolled in introductory criminal justice courses, comparing access, use and perceptions of open education resource (OER) textbooks with traditional textbooks. Data were collected over three semesters from students in a large metropolitan city using an online survey. The sample pool is largely non-white and eligible for low income tuition assistance. The analysis uses survey data to explore the following: access (how, when, how much); use (when, where, how); and student perceptions of learning with digital resources (for OER courses). Findings are largely consistent with comparable research conducted on four year and community college specific samples. Compared with textbook courses, OER students are more likely to access the material within the first week of class, on phones or school computers, and find the material easier to obtain. They are also more likely to say they review more of the material, and are more likely to study on campus. These findings indicate that transition to OER course materials has no harmful impact and may serve community college students by removing a variety of impediments related to achieving academic success for the types of students served by community colleges.

Development and assessment of an online plant science laboratory course: Comparison to current in‐person laboratory

AbstractAn introductory plant science lab offered by the Department of Agronomy & Horticulture at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln was adapted for online delivery. This paper describes the adjustments made for online delivery and examines students’ perceptions of learning and engagement from surveys administered in both the in‐person and online plant science laboratory course over two academic years. The in‐person course was offered in Fall. The online course was offered twice per year, as a fully independent course in Summer and with synchronous web‐conferencing discussion groups in Spring. The goal of this study was to examine differences or similarities in satisfaction and learning across the three course models. There was no difference in assessment scores or student perception of learning across models. The students in the in‐person model and the web‐conferencing model reported similar levels of understanding value and implication of course content while the fully independent students did not understand the implication of course content toward their future management decisions as well. Overall, content on plant biology was well‐translated to the online audience but implication was not as well‐translated. Having just a few opportunities for real‐time discussions with students per semester went a long way to elevating their learning and appreciation of course content as compared to working fully independently.

A Retrospective Pre-Post Survey to Analyze Course Revisions, Perceived Learning, and Learning Outcomes in an Agricultural Structures Course

HighlightsThe RASE pedagogical model for integrating technology into an upper-division structures course proved effective.A retrospective pre-test/post-test was used to measure changes in students’ perceived competencies.Students indicated increases in perceived knowledge, skills, and attitudes following several course modifications.Students felt technology, experiential learning, and formative and summative assessment improved their learning.Abstract. In early 2019, instructors in the Agricultural Operations Management (AOM) program in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at the University of Florida developed a retrospective pre-test/post-test survey instrument to measure changes in perceived knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) for students enrolled in AOM4642: Environmental Systems for Agricultural Structures during the fall 2019 semester. The course trains students to understand the components of the environment, the impact of those components on building usage, and how to control the environmental variables of buildings used to house agricultural products (e.g., livestock and horticultural) for more efficient production, processing, and storage. The course stresses a hands-on approach through experiential learning opportunities, and it challenges students to solve problems using critical thinking and application of conceptual principles. The course recently underwent significant revisions following the RASE pedagogical model to create student-centered curricular experiences and link learning objectives with assessments, outcomes, and evaluation. Thirty-one AOM students enrolled in the 16-week course completed the survey. After the course, the students retroactively (i.e., “before and after” instruction) rated their perceived learning. Changes in pre- and post-instruction responses were compared using measures of central tendency and correlations, and statistical significance (p-values) was reported. Constructs measuring KSA items were created using collapsed variables and tested for internal consistency and scale reliability against a threshold reliability coefficient of 0.70. The goal of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the RASE pedagogical model on student-perceived learning with respect to changes in knowledge, skills, and attitudes in an agricultural structures course. The specific objectives of this study were to: (1) measure changes in students’ perceived knowledge, skills, and attitudes, (2) evaluate student sentiment toward the course materials and activities, and (3) solicit feedback from the students on ways to improve the course. Results of the survey indicated significant increases in students’ perceived learning with respect to KSA. In addition, students commented on the effectiveness of several instructional activities (e.g., labs, field trips), indicating that those activities enhanced their experiences, but they also noted that shorter, more frequent homework would help with retention. Keywords: Assessment and evaluation, Construct reliability analysis, Instructional improvement, Perceived learning, RASE pedagogical model, Retrospective pre-test and post-test design, Student perceptions.

온라인 학습 환경에서의 블록형 교육용 프로그래밍 도구 학습에 대한 학생 인식 분석

온라인 학습 환경에서의 블록형 교육용 프로그래밍 도구 학습에 대한 학생 인식 분석

Student perceptions of an inquiry-based molecular biology lecture and lab following a mid-semester transition to online teaching.

The transition to online learning in spring 2020 was abrupt for both students and instructors. While many instructors moved to asynchronous classes, some institutions relied more heavily on synchronous online courses. Here, we evaluate student perceptions of an inquiry-based molecular biology lecture and lab course following this transition by comparing student survey responses from spring 2019, when the lecture and lab were fully in person, to spring 2020, when the lecture and lab started in person before transitioning to a synchronous online format. Students were asked to identify the main factors that supported their learning in lecture and lab, characterize the main barriers to learning in those courses, and discuss their preference of having an inquiry-based lab or a traditional "cookbook" lab with pre-determined answers. We coded these responses and provide one of the first studies to examine the impact of this online transition on student perceptions of learning in an inquiry-based molecular biology lecture and lab course.

French teacher perceptions of student learning about force: a preliminary study

ABSTRACT Background Many researchers have investigated student reasoning in Newtonian mechanics. In 1979 Viennot revealed that most students associate the concept of force with the velocity or acceleration of a motion. Forty years later, student understandings remain a major challenge for teachers. The implications of this challenge are still unclear, however, including the effect on the instructions given by teachers. Purpose This paper investigated the perceptions that French teachers of science, technology and engineering have of core student misconceptions about, and learning difficulties with, the subject of force, and the extent to which these are dependent on a teacher’s subject knowledge, and how they affect grade levels. Sample One hundred teachers in the Académie d'Aix-Marseille, an educational organisation in the southeast France, were questioned randomly about their views on student learning issues of force. Design and method Teacher views were collected using an exploratory study based on an online questionnaire which included Likert-based and closed questions. The data was analysed using nonparametric tests. Results The analysis revealed four major outcomes: (1) main perceptions of misconceptions related to student ‘impetus force’ and ‘force linked to an object weight’, (2) key learning difficulties included ‘knowledge transfer’ and ‘knowledge construction’, (3) teachers believed that the Aristotelian view was still a common barrier to learning Newtonian mechanics, and (4) differences in perceptions were due, essentially, to the teachers’ subject domain and not to the grades they taught. The only statistically significant difference in perceptions between teachers was linked to the idea of impetus force, with this corresponding to discipline philosophy. Conclusion This paper provides baseline evidence about teacher perceptions of student learning about force, which suggests that more systemic teaching approaches are crucial to foster student conceptual understanding, transfer and knowledge construction. Some implications for teachers and curriculum developers are discussed.

Differences between Indonesia and Singapore based on PISA 2015: Five-factor students’ perception in science education

As a neighbouring country whose location is very close, there is a unique fact where the results of the PISA study show very different results between Indonesia and Singapore. Students' perceptions of learning have an important role to detect the quality of learning. Thus, this study aims to determine the factors of student perception of natural science learning and the differences between the two countries based on these factors. The sample in this study were 5870 Indonesian students and 5272 Singaporean students who took the 2015 PISA survey. The research data were the results of the PISA survey (codes ST098, ST100, ST103, and ST104) regarding student perception of natural science learning. The data analysis technique used is Principal Component Analysis to detect factors and Discriminant Analysis to show differences between the two countries. Students' perceptions of science learning in Singapore and Indonesia can be classified into five factors: Practicum, Assistant, Explorative, Counseling, and Collaborative. Based on these factors, there are differences in the perception of the implementation of science learning between Indonesian and Singaporean students. Indonesian students tend to be stronger in defining that science learning is full of exploration, collaboration, and teachers play the role of counselor very well, while Singapore students feel more than practical learning based on science and teachers provide student assistance in dealing with difficulties in the learning process.

The Development of a Service-Learning Outcomes Measurement Scale (S-LOMS)

Service-learning as a transformative pedagogy has been adopted within Hong Kong’s tertiary education sector for over a decade; however, the lack of a standardized and validated measurement instrument to assess its student learning outcomes has been an obstacle to its further development. The current research study, collaboratively conducted by Lingnan University, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Baptist University, and The Education University of Hong Kong, therefore aims to develop such a measurement instrument named the “Service-Learning Outcomes Measurement Scale (S-LOMS),” taking consideration of the unique features of service-learning in Hong Kong. The scale development and validation work, with exploratory factor analysis and reliability test, has thus far demonstrated that the student-perceived learning outcomes after service-learning can be measured and assessed through 56 items. These items cover 11 domains under four major categories, namely: a) knowledge application; b) personal and professional skills, including relationship and team skills, creative problem solving skills, self-reflection skills, and critical thinking skills, c) civic orientation and engagement, including sense of social responsibility, community commitment and understanding, and caring and respect, and d) self-awareness, including self-efficacy, self-understanding, and commitment to self-improvement. Several additional insights arising from the validation results are discussed.

GRADE PREDICTORS IN A SECONDARY SUMMER COURSE OFFERING: AN INVESTIGATION OF PRIOR FAILURES AND EMPLOYMENT

A second year electrical circuits course at the author’s home institution was historically delivered in the winter term to one section of approximately 400 students. The department observed that approximately 70-100 students were losing a year of school due to the combined high fail rates and single offerings of this course and its prerequisite. To allow these students to remain on track in their programs, additional offerings of both courses were created. The secondary offering of the circuits course was offered in the summer term. 
 This paper presents a statistical analysis of data obtained over two years of the summer offering of the circuits course. After correcting for GPA and attendance, prior failures in both courses and having a job (co-op or otherwise) are shown to have no statistical significance.
 These results indicate that concerns around employment workload and sufficient time to study appear to be unfounded and that the fact that a student has failed in the past does not predict their future grades.
 This preliminary work is part of a larger research project investigating the impact of an online, blended delivery approach on attendance, student perception of learning, and impact on grades.