Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences
ISSN: 1858-5051
High-impact research on the latest developments in medicine and healthcare across MENA and Africa
Tutors, The Valuable Resource to Enhance Medical Students’ Motivation.
Published date: Sep 24 2018
Journal Title: Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences
Issue title: Sudan JMS: Volume 13 (2018), Issue No. 3
Pages: 196–206
Authors:
Abstract:
Background: Students’ academic performance is largely affected by their motivation. Moreover, health professions’ education needs motivated students who are keen to tolerate the burden of clinical work along with the academic excellence to graduate competently. This study assessed the effect of tutors on students’ motivation.
Method: A cross-sectional, institution-based study of the first-year medical students at University of Khartoum, Sudan was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was used comprising a modified Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) with students’ evaluation of their tutors after semester one community medicine course. A total of 237 out of 324 students responded. Pearson productmoment correlation coefficient was used to test the relationship between motivation and evaluation. Hierarchical multiple regression model tested the ability of evaluation factors to predict motivation score.
Results: There was a significant association between tutor’s characteristics regarding creativity in conducting the sessions, igniting discussion, and adequacy of knowledge about the course contents and the motivation score (p-value = 0.001). There was a strong, positive correlation between the perceived evaluation score and perceived motivation score (r = 0.505, n = 206, p < 0.0005). After controlling age, gender, paternal educational levels, and scores of Sudanese certificate upon entry, R squared change = 0.28, F change (9.181) = 8.416, p <0.001. In the final model, the content of the course was statistically significant, standardized Beta = 0.285, indicating that content uniquely explains 5.7% of the variance in total perceived motivation score.
Conclusion: The evaluation score explained 28% of the variance in student motivation. Students’ motivation is
significantly associated with tutor’s teaching skills concerning knowledge, creativity, students’ involvement, and attractiveness in conducting the tutorials. Improving course content can enhance students’ motivation toward community medicine.
References:
[1] Williams, S. M. (1992). Putting case-based instruction into context: Examples from legal and medical education. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 367–427.
[2] Schmidt, H. G. and Moust, J. H. (1995). What Makes a Tutor Effective? A Structural Equations Modelling Approach to Learning in Problem-Based Curricula.
[3] Dolmans, D. H., Gijselaers, W. H., Moust, J. H., et al. (2002). Trends in research on the tutor in problem-based learning: Conclusions and implications for educational practice and research. Medical Teacher, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 173–180.
[4] Kusurkar, R. A., Ten Cate, T. J., van Asperen, M., et al. (2011). Motivation as an independent and a dependent variable in medical education: A review of the literature. Medical Teacher, vol. 33, no. 5, p. e242–e262.
[5] Deci, E. L. and Ryan, R. M. (2010). Self-determination. Wiley Online Library. Retrieved from: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9780470479216. corpsy0834/full (accessed on April 1, 2017).
[6] Williams, G. C. and Deci, E. L. (1996). Internalization of biopsychosocial values by medical students: A test of self-determination theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 70, no. 4, p. 767.
[7] Bengtsson, M. and Ohlsson, B. (2010). The nursing and medical students motivation to attain knowledge. Nurse Education Today, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 150–156.
[8] Kusurkar, R. (2012). Motivation in Medical Students: A PhD Thesis Report. PhD Thesis. Springer.
[9] Kusurkar, R. A., Ten Cate, T. J., Vos, C. M. P., et al. (2013). How motivation affects academic performance: A structural equation modelling analysis. Advances in Health Sciences Education, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 57–69.
[10] Yousefy, A., Ghassemi, G., and Firouznia, S. (2012). Motivation and academic achievement in medical students. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, vol. 1, no. 1, p. 4.
[11] McHarg, J., Mattick, K., and Knight, L. V. (2007). Why people apply to medical school: Implications for widening participation activities. Medical Education, vol. 41, no. 8,pp. 815–821.
[12] White, C. B. (2007). Smoothing out transitions: How pedagogy influences medical students’ achievement of self-regulated learning goals. Advances in Health Sciences Education, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 279–297.
[13] Wilkerson, L. and Irby, D. M. (1998). Strategies for improving teaching practices: A comprehensive approach to faculty development. Academic Medicine, vol. 73, no. 4, pp. 387–396.
[14] Pintrich, P. R. (1991). A manual for the use of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ).
[15] Chitkara, M. B., Satnick, D., Lu, W.-H., et al. (December 1, 2016). Can individualized learning plans in an advanced clinical experience course for fourth year medical students foster self-directed learning? BMC Medical Education, vol. 16, no. 1, p. 232.
[16] Cook, D. A., Thompson, W. G., and Thomas, K. G. (December 2011). The motivated strategies for learning questionnaire: Score validity among medicine residents. Medical Education, vol. 45, no. 12, pp. 1230–1240.
[17] Harth, S. C., Biggs, J. S. G., and Thong, Y. H. (1990). Mature-age entrants to medical school: A controlled study of sociodemographic characteristics, career choice and job satisfaction. Medical Education, vol. 24, no. 6, pp. 488–498.
[18] Fahal, A. H. (2007). Medical education in the Sudan: Its strengths and weaknesses. Medical Teacher, vol. 29, no. 9, pp. 910–914.
[19] Kutner, N. G. and Brogan, D. R. (1980). The decision to enter medicine: Motivations, social support, and discouragements for women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 341–357.
[20] Price, J., Williams, G., and Wiltshire, E. B. (1994). Influence of motivational and demographic factors on performance in the medical course: A prospective study. Medical Education, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 107–115.
[21] Todisco, J., Hayes, S., and Farnill, D. (December 1995). Career motivations of male and female medical students. Psychol Reports, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 1199–1202.
[22] Carlo, G., Hausmann, A., Christiansen, S., et al. (2003). Sociocognitive and behavioral correlates of a measure of prosocial tendencies for adolescents. Journal of Early Adolescence, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 107–134.
[23] Buddeberg-Fischer, B., Leemann, R., and Klaghofer, R. (2003). Sociodemographic and career aspects in female and male faculty members of Swiss medical schools. Swiss Medical Weekly, vol. 133, nos. 21–22, pp. 318–322.
[24] Hommes, J., Arah, O. A., de Grave, W., et al. (April 15, 2014). Medical students perceive better group learning processes when large classes are made to seem small. M. J. Costa (ed.). PloS One, vol. 9, no. 4, p. e93328.
