Influence of context and preferred learning environments: approaches to studying physiology

Plans in Perspective: a Pilot Study of Medical Student Study Strategies in Physiology

Students learn a great deal when they study course material outside of our classrooms, but we have little hard evidence of what they are actually doing during that time and how it varies over the course of the semester. This exploratory pilot study asked first-year medical students to complete study strategy surveys at the beginning and again at the end of a stand-alone physiology course. Responses to these surveys were then grouped into categories, and analyses were completed using above average and below average final grades in the course. The amount of change that occurred in individual student responses between pre-course and post-course surveys was also calculated. Results found that students with above average course grades were more likely to study with other students, make their own resources, and have lower grade expectations coming into the course than their peers with below average outcomes. Results also indicated that changing fewer study strategies may also be correlated with higher grades. Unfortunately, the sample sizes for this study are quite small, and additional data is unavailable locally due to curricular changes. It is hoped that other researchers may be able to further evaluate these ideas.

Exploring Changes in Occupational Therapy Students' Approaches to Learning during Pre-Registration Education

This article describes a longitudinal cohort study, which examined the preferred approaches to learning of pre-registration occupational therapy students (N = 55) as they progressed through the 3 years of an undergraduate BSc(Hons) programme. The students' orientations to learning were measured using the short Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) (Entwistle 1981) and the results were compared descriptively across repeat measures undertaken during each year of study. Inferential statistics were used to examine whether there were any statistically significant differences in preferred learning approaches throughout the 3 years of study.

The results showed moderate changes in learning approaches, which were associated with more successful outcomes of learning. The evidence of the use of these deeper approaches to learning was accompanied by statistically significant decreases in the less desirable, superficial approaches, with reductions in the mean scores between year one and year three for Operation Learning (p < 0.005) and Learning Pathologies (p < 0.05).

The implications of the findings are discussed in relation to learning and teaching and assessment methods in undergraduate health professional education. Students may be encouraged to become more independent and to develop deeper approaches to learning by reducing formal contact time and developing assessment strategies that emphasise the exploration and application of knowledge.

Pharmacists' quality of learning in a diploma/MSc course in pharmacy practice

A rapid expansion of postgraduate courses in pharmacy practice has raised the issue of quality. An understanding of how pharmacists approach their learning is one factor that influences learning outcomes. It would, therefore, be of value to identify pharmacists' approaches to learning. This paper describes the approaches to learning on a postgraduate diploma/MSc course in pharmacy practice. The Approaches to Study Inventory was administered to a total of 103 pharmacists over a period of three years. Overall, the pharmacists demonstrated a high meaning orientation and low reproducing orientation, indicating a high quality of learning. This was supported by a consistently low negative attitude score. The surface approach increased significantly in 1993 and 1994 compared with 1992. This is difficult to interpret but may have been due to increased workload. The use of this instrument in combination with other methods of evaluation has allowed a good database to be built up for designing the future of the pharmacy practice course.

Motivation as an independent and a dependent variable in medical education: a review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Motivation in learning behaviour and education is well-researched in general education, but less in medical education.

AIM

To answer two research questions, 'How has the literature studied motivation as either an independent or dependent variable? How is motivation useful in predicting and understanding processes and outcomes in medical education?' in the light of the Self-determination Theory (SDT) of motivation.

METHODS

A literature search performed using the PubMed, PsycINFO and ERIC databases resulted in 460 articles. The inclusion criteria were empirical research, specific measurement of motivation and qualitative research studies which had well-designed methodology. Only studies related to medical students/school were included.

RESULTS

Findings of 56 articles were included in the review. Motivation as an independent variable appears to affect learning and study behaviour, academic performance, choice of medicine and specialty within medicine and intention to continue medical study. Motivation as a dependent variable appears to be affected by age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, personality, year of medical curriculum and teacher and peer support, all of which cannot be manipulated by medical educators. Motivation is also affected by factors that can be influenced, among which are, autonomy, competence and relatedness, which have been described as the basic psychological needs important for intrinsic motivation according to SDT.

CONCLUSION

Motivation is an independent variable in medical education influencing important outcomes and is also a dependent variable influenced by autonomy, competence and relatedness. This review finds some evidence in support of the validity of SDT in medical education.

Postal survey of approaches to learning among Ontario physicians: implications for continuing medical education

OBJECTIVES

To understand the approaches to learning of practising physicians in their workplace and to assess the relation of these approaches to their motivation for, preferred methods of, and perceived barriers to continuing medical education.

DESIGN

Postal survey of 800 Ontario physicians.

PARTICIPANTS

373 physicians who responded.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Correlations of approaches to learning and perceptions of workplace climate with methods, motives, and barriers to continuing medical education.

RESULTS

Perceived heavy workload was significantly associated with the surface disorganised (r=0.463, P<0.01) and surface rational approach (r=0.135, P<0.05) to learning. The deep approach to learning was significantly correlated with a perception of choice-independence and a supportive-receptive climate at work (r=0.341 and 0.237, P<0.01). Physicians who adopt a deep approach to learning seem to be internally motivated to learn, whereas external motivation is associated with surface approaches to learning. Heavy workload and a surface disorganised approach to learning were correlated with every listed barrier to continuing medical education. The deep approach to learning was associated with independent learning activities and no barriers.

CONCLUSIONS

Perception of the workplace climate affects physicians' approaches to learning at work and their motivation for and perceived barriers to continuing medical education. Younger, rural, family physicians may be most vulnerable to feeling overworked and adopting less effective approaches to learning. Further work is required to determine if changing the workplace environment will help physicians learn more effectively.