Perceptions of the educational environment among undergraduate physical therapy students in a competency-based curriculum at the University of Chile

Perspective of educational environment on students' perception of teaching and learning

Cross-sectional research was designed using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) to examine the impact of the educational environment on students' perceptions of learning and teaching in a university offering higher education. Using a Likert scale, 300 participants from various streams were assessed. There were no disparities in the students' judgments in the five DREEM categories of discipline, accommodation, gender, level of study, and disciplines. In general, students judged that the student-teaching environment was satisfactory. To investigate the validity of the DREEM, we conducted Cronbach alpha analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) employing principal component analysis with varimax rotation. Only 44 of the 50 factors were deemed to be significant, with a cumulative explained variance of 46.539%. The total construct dependability of the EFA nine-factor solutions was 0.954. Finally, only five acceptable factors explained 46.539% variance using the criteria of eigenvalue > 1 and Cronbach's alpha > 0.6. Factor analysis was appropriate as evidenced by the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy of 0.942. With a Cronbach alpha of 0.955, the revised first domain of "student perception of learning" was the most trustworthy DREEM item, accounting for 20.19% of the variance. The highest factor loading was for the item "Teaching helps me become a more active learner". A redesigned DREEM might be valuable for assessing the educational environment at institutions providing higher education.

Perception of clinical educational environment by student of physiotherapy based on the Educational Environment Measurement Questionnaire of the Postgraduate Hospital in Chile

PURPOSE

It aimed at describing the perception of the clinical educational environment by physiotherapy students based on the Educational Environment Measurement Questionnaire of the Postgraduate Hospital in Chile.

METHODS

The clinical education environment was evaluated according to the PHEEM by 192 students originally enrolled in the fifth year of the physiotherapy career at three different headquarters of the academic institution: Santiago, Viña del Mar and Concepcion Campus (Metropolitan, Valparaiso and Bio Bio region, respectively), from March to October 2018. The Cronbach's alpha was applied to measure the reliability of the instrument and the Student t and ANOVA tests were used to compare the differences of PHEEM scores by headquarters, environmental areas, and experience of internship.

RESULTS

A total overall average score of 125.88 was obtained, which meant an excellent educational environment. The overall score was 127.6±22.7 for Headquarters1, 125.6±21.6 for Headquarters2 and 122.5±26.9 for Headquarters3. According to the type of establishment, the scores were of 127.1±22.1 for private and 123.5±26.3 for public institutes. According to the type of area, the score was cataloged as an excellent educational environment in all cases, except in the respiratory care area (lowest score: 117.5±29.1). Finally, the score was 126.9±20.5 for the first internship, 121.7±29.3 for the second and 129.4±19.6 for the third.

CONCLUSION

There is relative homogeneity of the clinical educational environment for different headquarters, types of establishment or type of area; but there are significant differences in the number of the internship. The promotion of a good clinical educational environment can have an important impact on the development and performance of the future professional, being the detection of negative aspects an opportunity to improve the hidden curriculum.