ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Descriptive & Survey Study

Authors

Babaei Shirvani   Z. (1)
Faramarzi   M. (*)
Naderi   H. (2)
Fakhri   S. (3)






(*) *“Social Determinants of Health Reserch Center” and “Midwifery Department, Health Research Institute”, *“Social Determinants of Health Reserch Center” and “Midwifery Department, Health Research Institute”, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
(1) Environmental Health Department, Paramedicine Faculty, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
(2) Psychology Department, Humanities & Social Sciences Faculty, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
(3) Biostatistics & Epidemiology Department, Medicine Faculty, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Faculty of Medicin, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Gang Afrooz Street, Babol, Iran
Phone: +981132190597
Fax: +981132199936
mahbob330@yahoo.com

Article History

Received:  December  12, 2014
Accepted:  August 15, 2015
ePublished:  August 10, 2015

BRIEF TEXT


… [1-8] Learning and study strategies are important factors in academic performance of students [9]. … [10] There is a relationship between learners` learning and study strategies and their academic achievement [11-14]. … [15-17]

There are few reports with respect to the instrument used in this study i.e. LASSI [18].

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between learning strategies and academic performance of students in Babol University of Medical Sciences.

This is a correlational cross-section study.

Students of medicine, dentistry and paramedical at Babol University of Medical Sciences (Iran) were studied in 2013-2014.

199 participants (90 males and 109 females) were selected through Stratified Random Sampling.

The data gathering tool was the second edition of LASSI Standard Strategies Study Inventories compiled by Weinstein and Palmer from the University of Texas [19]. There are 8 questions in each domain including attitude, motivation, time management, anxiety, concentration, information processing, selection of the main idea, study tips, self-testing and test strategies in 5-item Likert scale (from totally applied to not applied at all). After translation of the questionnaire into Persian, its reliability has been obtained between 0.76 and 0.88 [9]. Statistical analysis was done using descriptive information (including statistical tables, Mean and Standard Deviation) and inferential statistics using the Pearson Correlation Coefficient, Multiple Regression Analysis, T-test, ANOVA and SPSS 18 software. The mean GPA of the students was divided in two groups including low (less than 15) and high (15 and over 15).

Of 199 participating students, 109 (54.8%) were female and 90 (45.2%) were male. The mean age of students was 21.08 ± 3.70 years, aged18-25 years. 71 students (35.6%) were in the medical or dental professional doctorate degree and 128 (64.3%) were enrolled in undergraduate level. The mean scores of study strategies components of enthusiasm, skills and self-regulation in females were significantly more in males (Table 1). In females, the elements of anxiety, selecting the main idea, test strategies, concentration, and study guide and time management were significantly correlated with GPA. In males, anxiety, attitude, selecting the main idea, test strategies, concentration and time management were significantly correlated with GPA. Generally, all study strategies except information processing skills were significantly positively associated with GPA (Table 2). In multiple regression analysis, learning components and GPA were considered as predictive variables and criterion variable, respectively. And selecting the main idea, information processing and test strategies were the strongest positive predictors of students’ GPA, respectively. The share of the rest of the components was not significant in the regression model. Since the square of the correlation coefficient modified score was 0.247, learning strategies could predict 24.7% variance of students` GPA. Students with higher academic achievement had higher mean in all the elements except information processing compared to the students with lower academic achievement (Table 3).

All components of study guide except information processing skill have positive association with GPA. Achievement had association with learning strategies, motivation and self-efficacy in the medical students [16]. Learning strategies, particularly those associated with its elaboration, associate with students ' academic achievement [20]. There is an association between LASSI learning strategies and academic achievement [18]. … [21-23] The mean of all sub-components of learning strategies was significantly higher in females compared to males. In attitude, concentration and motivation, the scores of females have been higher than those of males [24]. In line with these findings, two groups of female and males were different in motivation, anxiety, selecting the main idea and study guide [23]. In contrast to these findings, learning strategies were not different between males and females [25]. Among the components of learning strategies, 9 components (anxiety, attitude, motivation, selecting the main idea, testing strategies, concentration, self-testing, study guide and time management) was higher in people with higher academic achievement than those with lower academic achievement. Only information processing was not significantly different in two groups with high and low achievement. Time management has been better in students with higher academic achievement compared to those with lower academic achievement [18]. Students who have higher academic achievement use more effective learning strategies compared to those with lower academic achievement [19]. … [26-29] Selecting the main idea, information processing and testing strategies are the strongest positive predictors of medical sciences students ' GPA. Despite these findings, of 10 variables of study and learning, 9 sub-components of LASSI strategies were associated with academic achievement [30]. Concentration, self-testing, study guide and time management were the predicators of academic achievement [18]. 24.7% of variance of the GPA was predictable through three variables including selecting the main idea, information processing and testing strategies. The amount of variance explained by the type of predictor variables was differed from 6 to 9 % [18]. LASSI learning strategies have explained 10 % of variance in academic achievement [31]. In line with the findings of this study, selecting the main idea is one of the important and effective variables for students` academic achievement [32].

Teaching of study strategies implementation should be considered as an important priority in planning at the universities.

All components of learning strategies have been measured by self-reported learning tools. The obtained results cannot demonstrate the causal relationship between the variables. Much of the variance in academic performance is predicted by other factors.

Learning and study strategies have an important role in students 'academic achievement. Selecting the main idea, information processing and testing strategies are the strongest positive predictors of medical sciences students` GPA. Also, there is a difference between learning strategies of male and female. And mean score of learning strategies components is significantly higher in females than males.

Babol University of Medical Sciences officials and students are appreciated.

Non-declared

This study has been approved by the Council of Ethics and Research Council of Babol University of Medical Sciences.

Financial needs of this study have been funded by the Research and Ethics Council of Babol University of Medical Sciences.

TABLES and CHARTS

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