Assessing student engagement and self‐regulated learning in a medical gross anatomy course

Abstract

In courses with large enrollment, faculty members sometimes struggle with an understanding of how individual students are engaging in their courses. Information about the level of student engagement that instructors would likely find most useful can be linked to: (1) the learning strategies that students are using; (2) the barriers to learning that students are encountering; and (3) whether the course materials and activities are yielding the intended learning outcomes. This study drew upon self-regulated learning theory (SRL) to specify relevant information about learning engagement, and how the measures of particular scales might prove useful for student/faculty reflection. We tested the quality of such information as collected via the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). MSLQ items were administered through a web-based survey to 150 students in a first-year medical gross anatomy course. The resulting 66 responses (44% response rate) were examined for information quality (internal reliability and predictive validity) and usefulness of the results to the course instructor. Students' final grades in the course were correlated with their MSLQ scale scores to assess the predictive validity of the measures. These results were consistent with the course design and expectations, showing that greater use of learning strategies such as elaboration and critical thinking was associated with higher levels of performance in the course. Motivation subscales for learning were also correlated with the higher levels of performance in the course. The extent to which these scales capture valid and reliable information in other institutional settings and courses needs further investigation.

How comprehensive are research studies investigating the efficacy of technology‐enhanced learning resources in anatomy education? A systematic review

“…Finally, the individual differences within students, such as spatial abilities and the daily fluctuations in motivation and cognitive load, will determine the impact such a resource has on learning. Many of these confounding variables are well documented in the literature and should be used in conjunction with the evaluation's findings on learner impact when drawing conclusions (Krause and Coates, ; Burgoon et al, ; Pizzimenti and Axelson, ; Abdel Meguid and Khalil, ; Iqbal, ; Pickering, ).…”

Relevance of anatomy to medical education and clinical practice: perspectives of medical students, clinicians, and educators

“…However, it is known that preference for a particular mode of instruction is not correlated with improved productivity among those who experience their preferred instructional technique [23]. Others have suggested that self-regulated learning theory should be invoked to explain the relationship between students’ learning engagement and academic performance in anatomy courses [24]. Self-regulated learning theory focuses on the active participation of students in personal, behavioural, motivational, and cognitive efforts to achieve valued academic goals.…”

“…Self-regulated learning theory focuses on the active participation of students in personal, behavioural, motivational, and cognitive efforts to achieve valued academic goals. In this context, level of self-regulation modulates students’ employment of learning strategies, engagement with anatomy course material, and the extent to which activities and taught sessions are linked with expected learning outcomes [24]. Therefore, a failure of self-regulation might underlie the reported disconnect between preferred teaching methods and academic achievement.…”

Medical student changes in self-regulated learning during the transition to the clinical environment

“…The instrument has been used in a wide range of population groups, from students in primary schools to those in higher education. Several studies have used the MSLQ as part of medical education research and have found associations between MSLQ scores and academic achievement [6, 37–39]. One preliminary study used the MSLQ to measure the changes in SRL of preclinical medical students that occurred between the first and second year of their course [40].…”