MED-NET Conferences 1998, Lille & 1999, Maastricht
Anthology of presentations 2.3.

2.3. Self-learning Habits of Students

C. Saldanha, J. Lima and J. Martins-Silva

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Introduction 

Previous studies have demonstrated that self-learning habits and the curriculum are predictive of the learning performance during the initial years of the medical course.

Objectives 

The purpose of this study was to identify the learning habits of medical students, to verify their evolution, and whether they could be related with the final examination performance in the discipline of Biochemistry.

Material and Methods 

169 first year medical students from the University of Lisbon Faculty of Medicine (F.M.L.) took part in this study (34.5% were male and 65.5% were female). Most of them (73.8%) were 17-18 years old.

In the beginning, in the middle and in the end of the 1996-97 academic year an anonymous questionnaire was handed to the students, with closed questions concerning several items: the place, habits and study organisation, motivations, strategies and criticism to the teaching and learning process.

Phi and Cramers V were used for statistical analysis.

Results 

Some of the results are presented in the form of histograms (Fig. 1 to 5 and Fig. 10 and 11).

Concerning the local of study the vast majority studied at home (Figure 1).

They showed preference for studying on their own (Figure 2), and they frequently studied every week (Figure 3).

We verified that the majority studied up to 3 hours daily outside the assessment periods (Figure 4).

However, during the assessment periods the number of hours of daily study increased up to four fold (Figure 5).

When the temporal evolution of individual items, during the period of Oct-96 to Jun-97, was analysed we identified some diferences (Fig. 6 to Fig. 7).

Concerning study motivation (Figure 6) several items (obtain and transmit knowlegde, fulfil expectations) were not modified and there was a 10% increase in success as a prior motivation. On the other hand, the motivation for curiosity, enthusiasm, study based on competition and to achieve high grades decreased 10 to 18%.

Concerning study organisation (Figure 7), «only studies when ordered» was the only parameter that did not suffer any variation and we found out that students were more prone to ask for help to deal with difficulties; and also, there was a decrease in the organisation of studying hours and subjects.

Concerning the strategies for learning (Figure 8), most of the items (interprets, understands, criticises, summarises and schematises) did not change during this period, although a 18% decrease in the studying efficiency was identified.

The items related to the criticism towards the learning process (Figure 9) did not change during this period of time.

The students who achieved higher scores in Biochemistry showed a more critical attitude concerning the learning process (Figure 10), and also were those who presented a tendency towards a more thorough self-learning (Figure 11).

Conclusion 

In view of these results we concluded that the learning habits of some students are influenced during the first year of faculty attendance, and the most prominent findings were those related with the motivation. Students benefit from a critical approach in their learning process as well as from a thorough study as proved by their final scores in the Biochemistry discipline.

References

1. Weiss M, Lotan I, Ben-Shakhar G. Selecting candidates for a medical school: an evaluation of a selection model based on cognitive and personaly predictors. Med Educ 1988; 22: 492-497
2. Spooner CE. Help for the gatekeepers: comment and summation on the admission process. Acad Med 1990; 65: 183-187
3. Stone HL, Meyer TC, Schilling R. Alternative medical school curriculum design. Med Teacher 1991; 13: 149-156
4. Hilliard RI. How do medical students learn: medical student learning styles and factors that affect these learning styles. Teaching and Learning in Medicine 1995; 7 (4): 201-210

ISBN Number 90.805758.1.X

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