Learning approach and learning environment perception of biological and health undergraduate students

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17267/2594-7907ijeh.2023.e4809

Keywords:

Higher Education, Health Sciences, Biological Science Disciplines, Learning, Deep Learning

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Individual and environmental factors can influence the approach to learning. Deep learning requires the use of complex cognitive mechanisms and student involvement. Objective: To investigate the approach to learning of undergraduate students in courses in the biological and health areas that use traditional teaching methodologies and their perception of the educational environment at the end of graduation. METHOD: Cross-sectional study with students from classes in a public university's biological and health areas. Data were collected through three questionnaires: sociodemographic, R-SPQ-2F, and DREEM. For comparison of means, Student's t or Mann-Whitney tests were used. Correlations were calculated using Spearman's coefficient. Multiple linear regression was used to verify the influence of variables on the learning approach. Statistical analyzes were performed in the SPSS Program (version 26) with a significance level of 5%. For analyses, students were divided into two groups (basic and applied courses), considering their involvement in health care.  RESULT: The students reported using more deep approaches than superficial ones (basic courses: 29.78 versus 22.00; applied: 30.16 versus 20.25), with no significant difference between them (p>0.05). For basic courses, being employed had a negative effect on deep learning, while for applied courses, undertaking scientific initiation increased the use of this approach. The general perception of the educational environment was considered "more positive than negative" (basic courses: 104.28 and applied courses 120.47), with students from applied courses having a more positive perception of the environment and those with a steady job having a more negative perception. CONCLUSION: The use of a deep approach was superior to the superficial approach for all courses and there was a positive association between the use of a deep approach and a better perception of the educational environment. Sociodemographic factors, such as the need to have a job during graduation, may influence the approach to learning, as well as the perception of the educational environment.

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Published

03/27/2023

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Original Articles

How to Cite

Learning approach and learning environment perception of biological and health undergraduate students. (2023). International Journal of Education and Health, 7, e4809. https://doi.org/10.17267/2594-7907ijeh.2023.e4809

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