ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Qualitative Study

Authors

Yousefi Afrashteh   M. (*)
Morovati   Z. (1)
Cheraghi   A. (1)






(*) Psychology Department, Human Science Faculty, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
(1) Psychology Department, Human Science Faculty, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
(1) Psychology Department, Human Science Faculty, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran

Correspondence

Article History

Received:  December  14, 2015
Accepted:  July 7, 2015
ePublished:  October 25, 2015

BRIEF TEXT


… [1-9] Important characteristics of effective learning environment includes presentation of a complex assignment, encouraging peers sharing their knowledge, students’ freedom at the classroom [10], having defined learning objectives [11], and cooperative activities for social interaction of the learners [12]. These environments have shown a strong correlation with the students` academic achievement [13], and also have a strong impact on the educational choices [14]. … [15]

Overview of the previous researches shows that the status of education is very important in the medical sciences but it suffers from several shortcomings in Iran [16-19].

The aim of the current study was to identify and define factors related to effective learning environment in teaching health courses.

This study uses qualitative method and the approach of analyzing content.

The classrooms and sessions of Jondishapour (Chamran) University were studied, based on the preference of the interviewee and their suggestions. Undergraduate and graduate students of Health Course of Jondishapour University of Medical Sciences (Iran) were studied in 2014.

9 students in undergraduate level and 7 graduate students were studied. Purposeful sampling was used to select participants. It was tried to select active learners in learning process based on consultation with the community.

To collect the required data, a semi-structured interview was used to reach theoretical saturation. In total, 19 interviews (because of complementary interviews with three participants) were conducted. Interview questions were about the effective and appropriate learning environment characteristics and components. Each interview was about 25 to 40 minutes. Interviews were recorded or, in the case of sensitivity of participants, noted. For analyzing the recorded statements, Conventional Content Analysis was used [20, 21]. The significant abbreviated unites were placed in the same class based on their similarities and in this way analytic codes were established. Through content and theoretical analyses based on the conceptual similarities of the overall classes, the themes which are the final conceptualized core in qualitative research were extracted. To ensure the internal and external validity of the research results, four criteria including credibility, verifiability, conformability and transportability were evaluated [22]. To evaluate the credibility of the results, the extracted components for effective learning environment along with their subclasses were presented to three participants to be assured about the method of extracting data and reliable coding themes. To investigate verifiability, two qualitative analysts coded and analyzed the data separately, and the results were considerably similar. To investigate transportability, findings were presented to two students outside the group similar to the participants and they confirmed the findings.

11 students were male and 5 were female. 9 students were enrolled in undergraduate and 7 students were in graduate levels. The mean age of these students was 23.00 ± 1.27years (the minimum was 20 and the maximum was 26). The participants` academic grade point average (GPA) was 16.25 ± 1.46 (minimum 14.50 and maximum 18.85). By analyzing the data, 4 general themes and 13 classes were extracted (Table 1). Students considered active and interactive teaching as one of the components of effective learning environment than the unilateral and teacher-centered teaching. In active and interactive learning component, 6 sub-components were obtained. One of the most important components of effective learning environment from the view of students was a vibrant atmosphere. This component consisted of four general categories. Linking students` learning with their professional needs was as one of the components of effective learning environment and the concerns of the students. This component has two general categories including understanding of job requirement and linking taught content to the objective job opportunities. Students` understanding of the faculty members` scientific ability had been proposed following the students` attention to the scientific-professional ranking of the faculty member. This theme included the ability and expertise of the faculty members in the field of teaching.

Health students do not describe their learning based on traditional approaches such as behaviorism, but based on the new approaches such as constructivism in which students have the chief and main role in their own learning [23]. The findings of this research to promote effective learning environment suggest teachers to consider the students` viewpoints in their teaching and planning, take it as a consultative method, and use their teaching approach. Different researchers have emphasized the method of teachers` contact and interaction with students in designing desirable educational patterns and teachers` behavior [24-26]. Two general themes that emerged from students` views were vibrant atmosphere and free expression of point of views. Different researches have shown that students will face with problems and loss of learning at stressful condition [27-29]. Establishing a positive atmosphere in the classroom is an important factor in the quality of education [30]. Students are interested in understanding how their learning can be practically applied. The relation between learning and job opportunities has been emphasized in several studies [31]. Teaching based on job opportunities and job requirements of a society can increase the satisfaction of professors` teaching in health students [32].

A questionnaire can be extracted based on the themes of this study and be implemented on a broader level.

The limited sample size and the limitation of sample size to only health field were of the limitations of this study.

Four main components of active and interactive teaching, vibrant atmosphere, the relation of learning with the professional needs, academic and professional ability of the professors and the indicators related to them can help the setting and organizing the learning environments in the medical education.

Health students of Ahvaz Jondishapour University and the staffs of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences are appreciated.

This research has no conflict of interest.

Ethical issues in this research were observed with informed consent of the participants, observance of their right to refrain from further research and not spreading their identity.

This research has been done by the financial sources of the participants.

TABLES and CHARTS

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