Student Academic Self-perception Research Articles

Medical students perception of learning environment evidence from Jimma University Medical Centre

This study aims to assess medical students’ perception of the quality of the learning environment at Jimma University Medical Centre (JUMC), Ethiopia using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). A cross-sectional survey design was applied to assess students’ perceptions during their clinical attachment wards in JUMC. The DREEM inventory consisted of five sub-domains such as student perception of learning (SPL), student perception of teacher (SPT), student academic self-perception (SAP), student perception of the atmosphere (SPA), and student social self-perception (SSSP) that administered to 323 undergraduate medical students. Descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA were computed using SPSS 20 to analyse the data. The overall DREEM mean score was found to be 111.35 and SD of 13.67 from the maximum score of 200. In this study, the overall DREEM mean score of female was significantly higher than the mean of their male counterparts. Despite the ANOVA result across years, first year clinical year I students had higher perception of learning environment as compared to senior batches. In general, the overall means score of students on the DREEM scale revealed that they perceive the learning environment more positively. However, some areas need to be revised across all five domains of the learning environment to make improvements.

The relationship of educational environment and preparedness to practice - perceptions of Malaysian dental graduates.

This study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of dental graduates' educational environment as well as preparedness to practice, and how these two components are correlated. A self-administered, validated questionnaire, developed from previous studies, was distributed to dental graduates of a public Malaysian university (n=178, response rate=60%) via online and postal surveys. Bivariate analyses were carried out using Spearman's rank-order correlation (Spearman's Rho, significance level p < .01) to determine the correlation between (1) Global Preparedness Score and Global DREEM Score, (2) domains of DREEM Inventory and perceived preparedness, and (3) domains of perceived preparedness and DREEM Score. The Global Preparedness Score was 191.52, with more than 90% of respondents feeling well prepared in the "General Patient Management," "Drug and Emergency Management" and "Practice Management" domains. The Global DREEM Score was 148.99/200, interpreted as "more positive than negative." The DREEM Inventory domains with the highest and lowest scores were "Students' Academic Self-Perception" (78.03%) and "Students' Social Self-Perception" (71.86%), respectively. A moderate positive correlation was found between Global Preparedness Score and Global DREEM Score (p < .01). In addition, moderate to large positive correlations were noted between perceived preparedness and "Student Perception of Learning," "Student Perception of Atmosphere" and "Student Academic Self-Perception" (p < .01). Moderate positive correlations were also found between the DREEM Score and most domains of perceived preparedness (p < .01). The majority of graduates were well prepared to perform in most areas of clinical practice and perceived their overall educational environment as positive. In particular, those who viewed the educational environment in a positive light were also found to possess a good level of preparedness.

Learning Environment of Basic Health Sciences in Private (Integrated) versus Public (Traditional Curriculum) Medical Schools during COVID-19

ABSTRACT Background: Educational environment (EE) plays a pivotal role in the academic growth of a medical student. The objective of the study was to compare the perception of a learning environment in Basic Health Sciences by first and second-year MBBS students of private and public medical colleges in Lahore, Pakistan during Covid-19 using a questionnaire. Methods: Data was collected from students (146) through a self-reported questionnaire via Google. dox after obtaining consent. A total score between 151 and 200 was considered excellent. A score between 101 and 150 indicated a positive approach while less than 100 was considered problematic. A score &gt;3.5 for individual items indicate the presence of the specific aspect of the educational environment, whereas, &lt;3 score requires attention. The t-test was used for analysis and p&lt;0.05 was considered significant. Results: Out of 146 students 84(51.21%) were from private medical colleges while 62(42.46%) were from public medical colleges. The students of private medical colleges who follow the integrated curriculum found the learning sessions (27.84±7.40) were more student-centered with supporting online classes (2.75 ± 1.01) (p&lt;0.05). Multiple softwares found that the tutorial sessions improved their problem-solving skills (&gt;2.5). Teachers were helpful in stress management during the pandemic (&gt;3). Proper counselors were employed by the private medical schools to cater to the needs of students who required assistance. Conclusion: A significantly high mean score was obtained from private-sector medical students regarding students’ perception of learning (SPL), students’ perception of teachers (SPT), and students’ academic self-perception (SASP), compared to public medical colleges. Keywords: Learning Environment; Questionnaire; Medical Students; Perception; Integrated.

Assessment of Medical Students’ Perception Regarding Educational Environment at Different Phases of Medical Education in a Tertiary Centre Medical College using Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) Questionnaire

The educational environment in a medical school is a crucial component in a student's learning and is also important in the development of personality, behavior, and work ethics. The objective of the study was to assess the perception of the educational environment among medical students. An observational cross-sectional study conducted on second, fourth, sixth, eighth semesters and interns. Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory was used as study tool which contains 50 items and is subdivided into five domain subscales: students’ perceptions of learning (SPoL); students’ perceptions of teachers (SPoT); students’ academic self-perception (SASP); students’ perceptions of the atmosphere (SPoA); and students' social self-perception (SSSP). Data were presented as Mean+/-SD and analyzed using descriptive statistics. A total of 449 undergraduates of age group 18 to 25 years participated, the majority were males (72.6%) and studied from private (82%) and English medium schools (75%) without any additional qualifications (99.6%). The mean total DREEM score±SD was 130.85±19.24 and there was a significant difference between males and females (p=0.029). The mean total subscale scores (SD) were: SPoL=33.37(5.89), SPoT=27.95(3.98), SASP=21.41(4.47), SPoA=30.15(5.78) and SSSP=17.97(3.20). The mean total DREEM score ± SD of the fourth semester (134.45±19.02) was highest and the eighth semester (125.71±21.55) was the lowest and there was a significant difference between scores of various semesters(p=0.016). On analyzing the total DREEM score, 61 students had scores in 'excellent', 363 in 'more positive than negative', and 25 in the 'plenty of problems’ category. The educational environment perceived by the medical undergraduates more positive than negative. The study findings would help modify the learning environment and curriculum.

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).

Perception of the Online Learning Environment of Nursing Students in Slovenia: Validation of the DREEM Questionnaire.

At the time of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, several measures were in place to limit the spread of the virus, such as lockdown and restriction of social contacts. Many colleges thus had to shift their education from personal to online form overnight. The educational environment itself has a significant influence on students’ learning outcomes, knowledge, and satisfaction. This study aims to validate the tool for assessing the educational environment in the Slovenian nursing student population. To assess the educational environment, we used the DREEM tool distributed among nursing students using an online platform. First, we translated the survey questionnaire from English into Slovenian using the reverse translation technique. We also validated the DREEM survey questionnaire. We performed psychometric testing and content validation. I-CVI and S-CVI are at an acceptable level. A high degree of internal consistency was present, as Cronbach’s alpha was 0.951. The questionnaire was completed by 174 participants, of whom 30 were men and 143 were women. One person did not define gender. The mean age of students was 21.1 years (SD = 3.96). The mean DREEM score was 122.2. The mean grade of student perception of learning was 58.54%, student perception of teachers was 65.68%, student academic self-perception was 61.88%, student perception of the atmosphere was 60.63%, and social self-perception of students was 58.93%. Although coronavirus has affected the educational process, students still perceive the educational environment as positive. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement in all assessed areas.

Medical students' perception of their learning environment at a Nigerian University.

Background: The medical learning environment is an interactive network of factors that affect the medical student's academic progress and learning outcomes.This study was designed to assess the overall student's perception of their learning environment, identify the weak aspects of the environment, determine the effects of age, gender year of study on student's perception and recommend measures to further enhance students' learning experiences.Method: This is a cross-sectional study and cluster sampling technique was used to recruit respondents. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was applied to medical students of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, to assess the following areas; student's perception of learning, student's perception of course organizers, student's academic selfperception, student's perception of atmosphere, and student's social self-perception. Completed questionnaires were analyzed with the SPSS software, version 17.Results: 180 questionnaires were analyzed. The mean global score was 120.4/200 (60.2%).It was noted to be significantly higher in the second year of study than in the fifth year of study. Further analysis of the subdomain revealed that students in their second year of study had significantly higher scores in all the subdomains except in the academic self-perception. Analysis of the individual items in the DREEM questionnaire showed that the students perceived the environment as not being relaxed during lectures, and that there was poor support system for students that get stressed in their course of study.Conclusion: Students' perception of their educational environment was positive but there was poor support system for students who get stressed. The school management needs to work on some aspects of social factors to improve on the perception and quality of teaching and learning.Key words: Medical, Students, Perception, Learning, Environment

Medical Students’ Perception of Learning Environment at Benue State University College of Health Sciences, Makurdi, North-Central Nigeria

The perception by Medical Students of their learning environment impacts on their understanding of the course of study and performances. This was a descriptive study that assessed medical students’ perception of learning environment at the College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Nigeria. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was applied to all the second, third and fourth year medical students to assess the following areas; student’s perception of learning (SPL), student’s perception of course organizers (SPCO), student’s academic self-perception (SASP), student’s perception of atmosphere (SPA), and student’s social self-perception (SSSP). Data was analysed with the SPSS software version 15. Out of 250 questionnaires distributed to the students, 210 (84%) were fit for analysis; 174 males (82.9%) and 36 females (17.1%) with a mean age of 24.8 years ± 3.7. Mean global score (MGS) of study was 106.3/200 (53.2%) meaning positive perception, but not reflective of students centred learning. SPCO and SSSP needs to improve at a score of 48% and 49.3% respectively as against 100%. Other domains had positive perceptions (SPL; 56%, SASP; 61.9%, and SPA; 53.5%). There was a significantly lower SPA score in those in fourth year of study compared to second and third year students. (p ˂ 0.01) Medical Students at the BSU, Nigeria have positive perception of their learning environment, but the authority can improve MGS by increasing students’ social support, and retraining the teachers.

Medical Students’ Perception of Learning Environment at Benue State University College of Health Sciences, Makurdi, North-Central Nigeria

The perception by Medical Students of their learning environment impacts on their understanding of the course of study and performances. This was a descriptive study that assessed medical students’ perception of learning environment at the College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Nigeria. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was applied to all the second, third and fourth year medical students to assess the following areas; student’s perception of learning (SPL), student’s perception of course organizers (SPCO), student’s academic self-perception (SASP), student’s perception of atmosphere (SPA), and student’s social self-perception (SSSP). Data was analysed with the SPSS software version 15. Out of 250 questionnaires distributed to the students, 210 (84%) were fit for analysis; 174 males (82.9%) and 36 females (17.1%) with a mean age of 24.8 years ± 3.7. Mean global score (MGS) of study was 106.3/200 (53.2%) meaning positive perception, but not reflective of students centred learning. SPCO and SSSP needs to improve at a score of 48% and 49.3% respectively as against 100%. Other domains had positive perceptions (SPL; 56%, SASP; 61.9%, and SPA; 53.5%). There was a significantly lower SPA score in those in fourth year of study compared to second and third year students. (p ˂ 0.01) Medical Students at the BSU, Nigeria have positive perception of their learning environment, but the authority can improve MGS by increasing students’ social support, and retraining the teachers.

Medical Students’ Perception of Learning Environment at Benue State University College of Health Sciences, Makurdi, North-Central Nigeria

The perception by Medical Students of their learning environment impacts on their understanding of the course of study and performances. This was a descriptive study that assessed medical students’ perception of learning environment at the College of Health Sciences, Benue State University, Nigeria. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was applied to all the second, third and fourth year medical students to assess the following areas; student’s perception of learning (SPL), student’s perception of course organizers (SPCO), student’s academic self-perception (SASP), student’s perception of atmosphere (SPA), and student’s social self-perception (SSSP). Data was analysed with the SPSS software version 15. Out of 250 questionnaires distributed to the students, 210 (84%) were fit for analysis; 174 males (82.9%) and 36 females (17.1%) with a mean age of 24.8 years ± 3.7. Mean global score (MGS) of study was 106.3/200 (53.2%) meaning positive perception, but not reflective of students centred learning. SPCO and SSSP needs to improve at a score of 48% and 49.3% respectively as against 100%. Other domains had positive perceptions (SPL; 56%, SASP; 61.9%, and SPA; 53.5%). There was a significantly lower SPA score in those in fourth year of study compared to second and third year students. (p ˂ 0.01) Medical Students at the BSU, Nigeria have positive perception of their learning environment, but the authority can improve MGS by increasing students’ social support, and retraining the teachers.

The quality of the educational environment in a medical college in Saudi Arabia.

ObjectivesThe study aimed to examine the quality of the educational environment in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and to compare between male and female students using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM). MethodsWe utilized a cross-sectional survey design. Participants were 221 medical students (96 males and 125 females) from all classes (1st to 6th year). Each participant responded to a translated version of the DREEM questionnaire that measures five domains: students' perception of learning (SPL), students' perception of teachers (SPT), students' academic self-perception (SASP), students' perception of atmosphere (SPA), and students' social self-perception (SSSP). Numerical differences between male and female students were analyzed using the Student's t-test. ResultsThe global average score of female students was significantly higher (105.0±22.9, 53% of maximum score) than male students (98.3±24.3, 49% of maximum score; t(219)= -2.119, p= 0.035). The major gender difference was found in the SPT domain, with a higher score in the females (60%) compared to the male (50%) cohort (t (219)= -5.519, p = 0.000). Differences in the other domains were statistically insignificant. Out of the 50 DREEM items, the items that need attention were 32 and 23 on the male and the female sides respectively. ConclusionsThe perception of the educational environment by the female students is significantly better than male students. The study provides valuable information about many educational problems that need attention. DREEM-based surveys are highly recommended for periodic monitoring of the educational environment.

Perception of Learning Environment among Undergraduate Medical Students in Two Different Medical Schools through DREEM and JHLES Questionnaire.

Assessment of learning environment is essential to assess the acceptability of the curriculum among students. Several tools are available to assess undergraduate medical students' perception of learning environment. Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire is the most commonly used tool. Here, we have used both the widely used DREEM questionnaire and a relatively new questionnaire Johns Hopkins Learning Environment Scale (JHLES). Assessment of students' perception of learning environment of two eastern Indian medical schools using DREEM and JHLES questionnaire. In this cross-sectional questionnaire based study, 200 students from Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College (NRSMC) and 78 students from College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital (CMSDH) of 5th semester batch duly completed the two questionnaires, DREEM scale and JHLES tool. The DREEM questionnaire has 50 questions arranged in five domains. The JHLES questionnaire has 28 questions arranged in seven domains. Comparison of scores between the two colleges was done by unpaired t-test. There were altogether 100 female and 178 male participants with mean age of 20.46±0.67. There were no significant difference between the overall DREEM score (p=0.81) and the JHLES scores (p=0.10) obtained from NRSMC and that obtained from CMSDH. Analysis of individual domain scores on DREEM scale revealed that there were no significant differences in domain scores for the two medical schools except for Students' Perception of Atmosphere (SPA) score (p=0.0086). JHLES revealed significant differences in terms of engagement, inclusion and safety, and physical space (p<0.001). The DREEM and JHLES results revealed positive correlation (r=0.59). Both DREEM and JHLES scores revealed comparable results from two schools with positive correlation between DREEM and JHLES tools, however some areas with low scores require modification especially the domain assessing Students' Academic Self-Perception (SASP) and Students' Social Self Perceptions (SSSP).

Students’ perception of learning environment: A Base Line Study for identifying areas of concern at a Private Medical College, Bangladesh

Background: The importance of learning environment in teaching institution is increasingly being appreciated in terms of its effect on learning and outcome. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore students’ perception of learning environment for identifying measures to improve it of a private medical college, Bangladesh. Method: Two phase cross-sectional study combining quantitative and qualitative components was conducted among the students of a private medical college. In Phase I part the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory was used to obtain data for base line quantitative information on a total of 204 medical and final professional examinee students. Purposive sampling method was employed in this phase and the Item that scored &gt;3 was categorised as highest and &lt; 2 was categorised as lowest scored item. In Phase II part the highest and lowest score items were explored further by qualitative method of focus group discussions among teachers and students on two separate occasions. For focus group discussion a combination of 10 (clinical and preclinical) teachers and 10 students (2x5 =10) except the examinee batch were selected by convenience sampling method. The purpose and method of the focus group was clearly stated to the participants and a consent form was signed by one participant on behalf of the respective group. Results: The response rate was 100% in Phase I part of the study with a perceived global DREEM mean score was 120/200 (22.984) which indicated students’ positive perception towards the learning environment of ISMC. The global score for year 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and examinee students were 133/200 (12.959); 134/200 (15.678); 127/200 (9.895); 112/200 (17.205); 67/200 (22.623) and 14/200 (22.984) respectively. The 1st year and 2nd year had highest global score whereas 5th year students had lowest score. The perceived Domains mean scores for Students Perception of Learning (SPoL) was 29.35/48 (8.189); Students Perception of Teacher (SPoT) 27.24/44 (5.195); Students Academic Self Perception (SASP) 18.69/32 (6.726); Students Perception of Atmosphere (SPoA) 28.09/48 (6.844) and Students Social Self Perception (SSSP) 14.65/28 (2.952) which indicated students’ positive perception in all five Domains of DREEM as well. Out of 50 items three scored &gt;3 and 7 items scored &lt;2 which were explored further by focus group discussions among teachers and students to know the underlying causes for such scores. many similar issues were identified by both the groups in focus group discussion. Conclusion: The combination of a quantitative and qualitative method revealed students’ positive perception and the strong and weak areas of the learning environment of ISMC. The findings were used in recommending remedial measure for creating an encouraging learning environment of ISMC which is one the main ingredient for effective learning.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.15(2) 2016 p.234-242

Associations between approaches to study, the learning environment, and academic achievement

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to explore students' approaches to studying, their perceptions about their learning environments, and any possible relationships between their academic achievement and the approaches to studying scales and the learning environment. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in May 2012. A modified version of the Lancaster Approaches to Study Inventory (ASI) was used to understand the students' approaches to learning, and the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) was used to assess students' perceptions of their learning environment. Results Of 166 first-year undergraduate students from the College of Applied Medical Science, 157 completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 94%. Students showed a tendency to use achievement, versatility, and reproduction approaches more frequently than other approaches when studying for their courses. They also perceived their learning environments to be more positive than negative. There were significant relationships between approaches to study and learning environments, and there was also a significant relationship between academic achievement and student academic self-perception. Conclusion This study showed that while students used all of the identified approaches to learning, the most frequently used learning styles included achievement, versatility, and reproduction. Moreover, students' study approaches were influenced by their perception of their learning environment. At the same time, student academic achievement was positively associated with their perception of their learning environment, particularly with their academic self-perception.

Encouraging Assessment of the Educational Climate in Medical Schools under the MEPI-MESAU Consortium

The educational environment is one of the most important factors that determine the effectiveness of an undergraduate medical curriculum. There are many evaluations (both qualitative and quantitative) that have been conducted globally to measure the academic environment of health sciences programmes (undergraduate and postgraduate) by utilising different methodologies. These evaluations include assessment of medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, dental science, chiropractic and other related programmes [1]. The World Federation for Medical Education notes the learning environment to be one of the targets for the evaluation of medical education programs [2]. Student’s perception of the educational environment has been designated as the educational climate (EC) and consequently, it has been defined as “the soul and the spirit of the medical school environment and curriculum” [3,4]. Because of its role in influencing teacher behavior, behavioral development of students, and its implication in the achievement of corporate goals and the level of satisfaction obtained, the educational climate must be taken into serious consideration [5-9]. It can serve as a stimulus for change since it has been considered as an expression, manifestation and measure of a curriculum [10]. The Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM), developed by Roff et al. in 1997 has been widely used as principal tool in measuring the educational climate. The DREEM is a general, multidimensional, multicultural instrument. It gives a universal score of a maximum of 200 and is capable of measuring five separate elements of the education environment: Students’ Perceptions of Learning (SPoL), Students Perceptions of Teachers (SPoT), Students Perceptions of Atmosphere (SPoA), Students’ Academic Self-Perception (SASP), and Student’s Social SelfPerceptions (SSSP) [11]. The instrument can be used to highlight the weaknesses and strengths of any educational institution, compare the performance and success of medical schools, and make comparisons among students in different levels of study and of different sex [9,12].

Physiotherapy Students’ Perception of their Educational Environment: A study to identify the areas of concern for remedial measures at two Schools of Physiotherapy in Malaysia.

Introduction : In order to produce competent physiotherapy graduates with the generic attributes much sought after by the health care providers in the country, the higher education institution needs to ensure the educational environment of the school is positive. Students’ positive perception of their educational environment would facilitate their learning experience to be more meaningful and relevant. Objective : The aim of this study was to measure physiotherapy students’ perception of their educational environment at the School of Physiotherapy AIMST University and Kolej Sains Kesihatan Bersekutu Sungai Buloh and to identify the areas of concern for remedial measures. Method : This research was a cross sectional study consisting of two phases using both quantitative followed by qualitative methods. The DREEM inventory consisting of 50 items under 5 domains was circulated to all the students (N=158) from both schools (AIMST and KSKB). The item mean scored below 2.00 were considered as problem areas and it was explored further through focus group discussion (N=12) as a qualitative study. Result : The overall mean score on the 50 items was 132.84 (SD 19.22) out of 200. Students’ Perception of Learning (SPOL) scored the highest 32.34 (SD 4.17) followed by students’ perception of Atmosphere (SPOA) 30.63 (SD 4.84), Students Perception of Teachers (SPOT) scored 30.52 (SD 3.98),Students Academic Self Perception (SASP) scored 22.03 (SD 3.20) and the last domain Students’ Social Self Perception (SSSP) scored the least 17.32 (SD 19.22).All the domains scored toward more positive side of the educational environment. Four items scored less than 2.00 and these items were explored further with focus group discussion. Students from both schools had similarities as well as differences in their views over the concerned areas. Conclusion : This study revealed important information regarding the low scored items. Overall the students from both schools perceived their schools positively. Implementing the remedial measures for the problem areas would further enhance the respective educational environment and thus provide a conducive place for physiotherapy students to excel in their academic endeavour.