scholarly journals Measuring Students' Perceptions of Educational Environment in the PBL Program of Sharjah Medical College

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. JMECD.S29926
Author(s):  
Emad Nosair ◽  
Zein Mirghani ◽  
Randa M. Mostafa

Background Students' perception of their educational environment has a significant impact on their behavior and academic progress. The recent worldwide usage of innovative problem-based learning (PBL) medical programs requires major changes in medical schools and their environments. Therefore, measuring students' perceptions of the complex PBL environment has become a critical necessity as a determinant of students' academic success and as a part of attaining the quality standards of education. Ours being a new medical college employing the PBL curriculum, it was important to measure the students' perception of the educational environment in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum and to plan for any future improvements. Aim and Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate students' perceptions in the preclinical phase of the PBL educational environment in the College of Medicine, Sharjah Medical College, United Arab Emirates, and to recommend remedial procedures. Material and Methods In this cross-sectional study, the English version of the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory was submitted to 250 students in years 1, 2, and 3. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 20 software, and significance was taken at P ≤ 0.05. The survey was performed in a mid-semester week, ie, in March 2014. No ethical issues were encountered during the process of this study. Results Two-hundred and fifty students responded to the questionnaire (100% response rate). The overall DREEM score was 113.4/200 (56.7%). First-year students expressed higher overall significant level of perception (119.4/200) than second-year (107.4/200) and third-year (112.7/200) students. In addition, first-year students perceived their learning, teaching, and academic climates as more significant than the other two batches. The scores obtained in the five domains were as follows; 28/48 in perception of learning, 26/44 in perception of teaching, 18/32 in academic self-perceptions, 27/48 in perceptions of atmosphere, and 15/28 in social self-perceptions. First-year students achieved the highest score (18.7/32) in the academic self-perception, and second-year students achieved the lowest (16.5/32). The total score was significantly higher in female students than in male students (115.9 vs 108.1). Conclusions The present study revealed that the PBL environment is generally perceived positively by our medical students. Female students exhibited higher perception than male students. Nevertheless, areas such as curriculum overload and inadequate student support still require further fine-tuning and remedial measures.

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 116
Author(s):  
Kimberly Miller

A Review of: Hulseberg, A., & Twait, M. (2016). Sophomores speaking: An exploratory study of student research practices. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 23(2), 130-150. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10691316.2014.981907 Abstract Objective – To understand sophomore undergraduate students’ research practices. Design – Mixed methods online survey and participant interviews. Setting – A small liberal arts college in the Midwestern United States of America. Subjects – The sample consisted of 660 second-year students; 139 students responded to the survey (21% response rate). In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 of the 139 survey respondents. Methods – A 13-item survey was emailed to sophomore students during October 2012. To analyze the results, the authors and a library student intern developed a coding scheme to apply to open-ended survey questions. Survey respondents could also volunteer for in-depth interviews. A total of 50 survey respondents volunteered, and 14 were invited for in-depth interviews between December 2012 and January 2013. The interview protocol included open-ended questions about students’ research experiences. Students were also asked to identify and discuss one recent research project. Interviews were audio and video recorded; data from one interview was lost due to technology failure, resulting in data analysis of 13 interviews. Interview transcripts were coded by an anthropology doctoral student, the study authors, and a library student assistant. Main Results – The survey found that students completed fewer research projects and used fewer library resources as sophomores than they did as first-year students. For example, only 4.9% (n=7) of students reported completing zero research assignments in their first year, compared with 34.5% (n=48) in their second year. When asked if there were library resources or skills they wanted to know about sooner in their academic career, students’ top reply was “Nothing” (34.5%, n=48), followed by “Navigating the physical space” (15.8%, n=22), “Librarians/staff & reference desk” (11.5%, n=16), and “Effective searching & evaluating sources” (10.8%, n=15). Male and female students’ responses differed, with male students less likely overall to express interest in library resources. While 42.4% (n=59) of students replied that they would consult with a librarian for help with their research projects, this option ranked third after professors (83.5%, n=116) and peers (70.5%, n=98). Again, responses varied by gender, with female students (49.5%, n=49) more likely than male students (26.3%, n=10) to contact a librarian about a research project. Most interview participants replied that searching online, including library resources, was their research starting point. Students most often selected research topics, based on their interest, from a professor-approved list. Students identified “relevant content, familiarity . . . , and credibility” (p. 138) as important source evaluation characteristics. The majority of students also used library information sources in their research, including databases, research guides, and the catalogue. Students most often mentioned struggling with “finding sources/identifying keywords” (n=6) and “finding known items” (n=6). Unlike survey respondents, interview participants unanimously reported consulting with a librarian. Most students (n=11) received library instruction as first-year students, and some suggested that this instruction helped them feel comfortable asking for help. Finally, most students felt that their research habits improved from their first year to their second year, specifically with regards to “their research technique, improved confidence . . . and an expanded source horizon” (p. 143). Conclusion – The authors recommend continuing strong information literacy support to first-year students, as well as working with faculty members and other campus partners to promote reference services to sophomores. When compared to previous research, the current study reports a higher percentage of students seeking librarian assistance; however, because some students also reported confusion about when and how to ask for help, further analysis could explore how reference librarians capitalize on peer and faculty “referral networks” (p. 145). Finding that students face significant challenges early in the research process was consistent with previous research, and future study might reveal more about this specific phenomenon in sophomores. Interviews should also be extended to include students who are non-library users. Finally, the authors suggest that the findings provide no evidence of a “sophomore information literacy slump” (p. 146).


Author(s):  
Pablo Quiroga-Marabolí ◽  
Marcela Andrea Antúnez-Riveros ◽  
Marcela Aguirre-Jerez ◽  
Alvaro Besoain Saldaña ◽  
José Peralta-Camposano ◽  
...  

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the educational environment (EE) among students in a physical therapy undergraduate program, to identify patterns in EE perceptions among the students by year, and to determine issues that should be addressed.Methods: The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was used to explore the relationships among the total mean score, subscales, and items in a competency-based curriculum in the physical therapy program at the University of Chile. The DREEM questionnaire was filled out by 166 of 244 students (68.03%), of whom 56.6% were men and 43.4% were women, with 75.9% between 19 and 23 years of age.Results: The total mean score (120.9/200) indicated that the EE was perceived as ‘more positive than negative.’ There were significant differences (P<0.05) between first-year students (113.41), who reported the lowest total mean score, and fourth-year students (126.60), who had the highest total mean score. Students rated their EE favorably on each subscale except social self-perceptions, which second-year students rated as ‘not too bad,’ and for which first-, third-, and fourth-year students gave a rating corresponding to ‘not a nice place.’ On the perceptions of teachers subscale, there were significant differences (P<0.05) between first-year students (28.05/44) and fourth-year students (32.24/44) and between second-year students (28.72/44) and fourth-year students (32.24/44). On the academic self-perceptions subscale, there were significant differences (P<0.05) between first-year students (18.12/32) and second-year (21.68/32), third-year (22.33/32), and fourth-year students (21.87/32).Conclusion: Physical therapy students at the University of Chile had positive perceptions of their EE. First-year students rated the largest number of items as problematic. Improvements are required across the program in the specific subscales mentioned above.


Author(s):  
Е.А. Волгуснова ◽  
Е.А. Шерешкова

В статье рассмотрена проблема нервно-психических перегрузок и способов совладания с ними у студентов первых курсов педагогического вуза в период их первой сессии. Актуальность ее решения связана с необходимостью повышения нервно-психической устойчивости студентов для успешного освоения ими выбранной профессии и снижения трудностей в учебно-воспитательном процессе вуза. Цель исследования заключалась в изучении корреляций копинг-стратегий и нервно-психической устойчивости у студентов-бакалавров Шадринского государственного педагогического университета с учетом полового диморфизма. В исследовании применялись стандартизированные опросники: «Решение трудных жизненных ситуаций» (Я. Боукал, модификация О. Ю. Михайловой), «Способы совладающего поведения» (R. Lazarus, S. Folkman, стандартизированный под руководством Л. И. Вассермана), многоуровневый личностный опросник «Адаптивность» (А. Г. Маклакова, С. В. Чермянина). Выдвинута гипотеза о том, что между показателями копинг-стратегий и нервно-психической устойчивостью студентов разного пола существуют прямые и обратные связи. В статье представлены обнаруженные авторами гендерные различия в копинг-стратегиях и уровнях нервно-психической устойчивости, а также прямые и обратные связи между ними. Эмпирически доказано предположение о том, что у юношей связи копинг-стратегий в нервно-психической устойчивости более вариативны, чем у девушек. Полученные в исследовании и описанные в статье эмпирические данные, сделанные на их основе выводы могут быть использованы при определении траектории психолого-педагогического сопровождения студентов-первокурсников в сессионный период при их психологической подготовке к другим стрессовым ситуациям. The article treats the issue of mental and psychological overstrain experienced by first year students of pedagogical universities during their first examination session and strategies that can be used to deal with it. The relevance of the research is accounted for by the necessity to improve students’ mental and psychological stability to ensure their academic success and to reduce challenges they face during the learning process. The aim of the research is to investigate the correlation between coping strategies and mental and psychological stability in students of Shadrin State Pedagogical University taking into consideration students’ gender differences. The research employed standardized questionnaires: “Overcoming Difficult Life Situations” (J. Boukal, O. Yu. Mikhaylova’s modification), “Coping Strategies” (R. Lazarus, S. Folkman, standardized under the supervision of L. I. Wassermann), multilevel personality questionnaire “Adaptability” (A. G. Maklakova, S. V. Chermyanina). The authors put forward a hypothesis that there is a direct and response-based correlation between the indices of coping strategies and mental and psychological stability of male and female students. The article presents some gender-related differences of coping strategies and mental and psychological stability discovered by the authors of the article and some direct and response-based correlation between them. It has been empirically proved that trying to achieve mental and psychological stability, boys employ more variable coping strategies than girls. The empirical data acquired in the research are described in the present article. The conclusion made on their basis can be used to define some trajectories of psychological and pedagogical support for first-year students during their first examination session, provided they are psychologically ready to cope with other stressful situations.


Author(s):  
Sajjan Madappady ◽  
Hemant Kumar ◽  
S. Jayaram ◽  
Krutarth Brahmbhatt ◽  
Manjula Anil ◽  
...  

Background: Tobacco kills more than seven million people each year. In India tobacco kills nearly one million people each year and many of these deaths occur among people who are very young. Studies indicate that approximately 70% of all tobacco users would like to quit smoking and tobacco use.Methods: A non-randomized, cross sectional study was conducted in a Medical College in Mangaluru (Karnataka) which included medical students from first year to third year. A module developed by “Quit Tobacco International” was used for the purpose of training and counselling the selected medical students, focusing on the specific effects of tobacco, depicting simulated case scenarios.Results: A total of 404 medical students were included in the study. It was observed that 15.9% males and 5.3% females among first year students, 21.0% males and 5.3% females among second year students and 24.6% males and 9.2% females among third year students had smoked at some point in their life while the among current users, the prevalence of smoking was found to be much higher i.e. 8.7% and 2.6% among first year students, 9.9% and 3.5% among second year students; while it as highest among third year students i.e. 14% and 4.6%; among boys and girls respectively.Conclusions: The study brings out the need for inclusion of structured teaching and training of our medical students on harmful effects of tobacco use and its cessation techniques.


NASPA Journal ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phylis M. Mansfield ◽  
Mary Beth Pinto ◽  
Diane H. Parente ◽  
Thomas I. Wortman

College students face a myriad of pressures and challenges in the academic environment as they seek to maintain optimal performance or even to remain in the academic program. In 2002, it was reported that more than 30% of first-year students did not return for their second year of college (Smith), and only 40% are reported to actually compete their degree and graduate (Newby, 2002). This information suggests that either due to problems with integration or other difficulties encountered in the social or academic culture of the institution, a significant proportion of college students fail to attain an acceptable level of academic achievement and ultimately withdraw (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991). The better we understand the factors that contribute to academic success, the greater the potential for positive and timely intervention to


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Helmiyadi Helmiyadi ◽  
Nurul Kamaliah

The aimed of the research was to find out the errors which were commonly made by the students of Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan Swasta Bustanul Yatama Syamtalira Bayu in their writing narrative text and to find out the causes of errors in their writing narrative text. This research useds a qualitative and quantitative approach. The population of this research was all the students of the Second year students of Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan Swasta Bustanul Yatama Syamtalira Bayu in academic year 2020/2021 consisted of 120 students and divided into 56 male students and 64 female students. The sample of this research selected by using random sampling technique by using lottery. In this study, only 20 students and one English teacher involved as the sample. The researcher use two kinds of instruments, they are test and interview. In analyzing the data, the writer used a percentage formula from Sudjana. Result of the research from test most of the first year students of Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan Swasta Bustanul Yatama Syamtalira Bayu made many errors in grammatical aspects in writing, a high percentage of errors was found in one out of three categories. The highest error category was tense errors. Moreover, the students felt difficult in getting ideas to begin free writing. The causes of errors were made by the students because of lack of interactive facilities is one of the problems to develop interactive classroom activities. Based on this reasoning, it can be concluded that many of the students made errors because of interlingual and intralingual transfer.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1599
Author(s):  
Vilma Kriaucioniene ◽  
Asta Raskiliene ◽  
Dalius Petrauskas ◽  
Janina Petkeviciene

Students’ transition from high school to university is accompanied by lifestyle changes. This study aimed to assess trends in students’ body weight status, perception, management practices and eating habits from 2000 to 2017. Three cross-sectional surveys were carried out among the first-year students of five Kaunas (Lithuania) universities in 2000, 2010 and 2017. The self-administered questionnaires were filled in during lectures. Altogether, 3275 students aged 20.0 (1.5) years participated in the survey. The prevalence of self-reported overweight increased among male students from 11.3% in 2000 to 24.3% in 2017 and female students from 5.2 to 9.6%. The intake frequency of fruits, vegetables and cereals increased, and red meat decreased. At a normal BMI, more female than male students perceived themselves as being ‘too fat’ (19.4% and 8.8% in 2017), while more male than female students perceived themselves as being ‘too thin’ (37.2% and 4.5% in 2017). More females than males were dissatisfied with their weight, worried about gaining weight and tried to lose weight. Weight-management practices were associated with body weight, self-perception, dissatisfaction, worries about weight gain and eating behaviours. Our study highlights the need for interventions to increase the accuracy of weight perception and to promote the appropriate weight-management methods, addressing gender differences.


Author(s):  
Hina Mahmood

Introduction: The importance of educational environment in any medical institute cannot be ignored. Medical students should be provided a healthy environment so as to maximize their learning. Also understanding their perception about the educational environment can be used tactfully to evaluate and address the deficiencies and to make necessary changes required accordingly. Aims & Objectives: To assess students’ perception regarding educational environment in a medical college of Lahore. Place and duration of study: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2019- December 2019 in CMH Lahore Medical College. Material & Methods: 450 students of M.B.B.S from first year to final year (90 students / year) were included by simple random method after taking written informed consent. DREEM questionnaire was used having 5 subscales including students’ perception of learning (PoL), perception of Teachers (PoT), students’ academic self-perception (ASP), students’ perception of atmosphere (PoA) and students ‘self-perceptions (SSP). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22 .Data was presented as mean ±s.d, normality assessed with Shapiro -Wilk’s test followed by Spearman’s correlation analysis. Results: Reliability of the scale was found to be 96%, indicative of excellent consistency of the responses provided by students. Mean scores of subscales from both male and female students; PoL, PoT, ASP, PoA and SSP were found as 29.89±7.36, 28.07±7.21, 19.50±5.17, 28.78±7.36 & 16.97±4.55 respectively. Total DREEM score came out to be 123.21+29.48. Conclusion: It is concluded that students perceived a positive learning environment in this medical college’s experience.


Author(s):  
Etika Rachmawati ◽  
Rita Apollonia ◽  
Imelda Ratna Meila

This study was aimed to investigate the students’ perception and the teacher’s way to teach popular song to improve students’ vocabulary mastery. The sample of the study was 32 first year students in Vocasional higt school.A qualitative case study was employed, the data were obtained through the observation and questionnaire. Then, the data from the observations were analyzed by transcribing the whole of the activity in classroom and data from questionnaire were presented into percentage. The researcher described the data of the observation qualitatively. In the present study, the researcher proposed three research questions: (1) How does the teacher use popular song to improve students’ vocabulary mastery at English club? (2) What are male students’ perceptions on the use of popular song to improve students’ vocabulary mastery? And (3) What are female students’ perceptions on the use of popular song to improve students’ vocabulary mastery?  In responding to the first research question, it was found that the teacher  used audio technique such as music in teaching vocabulary. Furthermore, the result of second and third research question found that male and female students agreed that popular song could improve students’ vocabulary mastery, it can be seen from the questionnaire. It showed that students got new vocabularies after listening,  learning and reading popular song because it had many new vocabularies and easy to understand. Based on the conclusion, this study suggests that the teachers who teach English, teaching English need various technique, method, and approach that have to apply in teaching learning process in order to give new atmosphere for the students. Using popular song as one of the solution to solve that problem has to be developed by the teachers because there are some activities that could make teaching learning English more fun and enjoyable especially in improving students’ vocabulary mastery because it is rich with vocabularies. Furthermore, the students have to learn deeply about the component of English and learning vocabulary in order to make them mastering English.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-61
Author(s):  
S. Chernenko ◽  
Zn. Malakhova ◽  
V. Timoshenko ◽  
L. Budyak

The objective is to determine the peculiarities of developing motor skills in the first-third-year students.Materials & methods: the participants in the study were male students of the first year (n = 32), second year (n = 32), and third year (n = 32) of training. To achieve the tasks set, the study relied on the following research methods: analysis of scientific literature, pedagogical testing, pedagogical observation and experiment. The study used the methods of mathematical planning of a complete factorial experiment to obtain a mathematical model of training modes.Results: the increase in the number of sets to twelve times, the number of repetitions in each set – to three times, and the rest interval – to 60 seconds positively impact the effectiveness of the first-third-year students’ training. The choice of training modes depends on the number of repetitions in a set for the first-year students; reduction in the rest interval to 60 seconds for the second-year students; the relation between the number of sets and the number of repetitions in a set for the third-year students.Conclusions: The 23-type experiment made it possible to study the multi-factorial structure of training modes of teaching technical elements to the first-third-year students; to specify the optimal relation between the number of sets, the number of repetitions in a set and rest intervals at the stage of teaching to serve a direct volleyball overhand.  


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