Evaluation of midwifery students’ learning approaches to the compulsory biochemistry course

Introduction

Learning is a result of the interaction between individuals and their environment and is an indelible product of life [1]. The perspective of the learner gives meaning and sense to the learning content and determines what has to be learned. This forms the basis of the learning approach adopted by the learner that determines the amount and quality of learning [2]. The study of learning approaches investigate how a student’s intentions, behaviors, and habits change according to his/her perceptions of the task of learning [3].

It was reported that the students’ learning approaches are influenced by many factors such as motivations, teaching strategies, content and evaluation methods. Learning approaches have been classified to two types: superficial (orientation toward reproduction) and deep (orientation toward understanding the meaning) approaches [2], [4]. Students who adopt the deep approach are motivated by the recognition of the relevance of the material for their professional performance. The aim of such students is to understand what the topics mean and relate it to previous knowledge and personal experiences [4], [5], [6]. In contrast, students who adopt the superficial approach are motivated by the fear of failure [5], [6], [7]. Therefore, the aim of such students is to fulfill the requirements of the course by memorizing facts without really trying to integrate to previous knowledge or appreciating the conceptual aspects of the subject [2], [4].

It is important to determine students’ learning approaches and learning styles in order to evaluate teaching and assessment strategies. This will assist educators to improve teaching and assessment effectiveness and implement favorable changes to improve education programs. By this evaluation, it is also possible to identify students at risk and give support to them [2]. Educational researchers reveal these information by asking students about their learning experiences (how students approach to certain academic tasks) [8].

Students in health sciences often perceive biochemistry as a challenging course and tend to use a “surface approach,” especially when biochemistry is taken as a compulsory subject in a general health science degree [9], [10]. Students who attend this course perceive biochemistry as a comprehensive theoretical knowledge, even if only basic terms and concepts are taught to students [11]. Midwifery students are not an exception to this approach and how much and how to teach biochemistry to these students have long been a topic of discussion [11], [12].

Based on this knowledge, the present research was done to investigate the learning approaches and styles of midwifery students to the compulsory biochemistry course. The study aims to evaluate the relationship between the learning approaches and styles and to observe whether any changes occur in these during the course of midwifery education.

Materials and methods

Results

The study consisted of 147 university Midwifery students. Of these, 74 students (50.3%) were in the 1st grade (basic stage) and 73 (49.7%) in their 4th grade (professional stage).The mean age of the students was 20.82 ± 1.81 (min: 18.00, max: 26.00). In regard to their perception of the biochemistry course, 70.1% (n: 103) of the students perceived the biochemistry course as interesting, 95.2% (n: 140) as necessary. Out of the students, 74.1% (n: 109) liked the course, 59.9% (n: 88) believed that their knowledge of biochemistry was insufficient, and 87.8% (n: 129) believed that the knowledge learned in biochemistry would facilitate their professional life (Table 1).

Discussion

Biochemistry is one of the most challenging disciplines for health sciences education. This study aimed to determine the learning approaches and styles of midwifery students to the biochemistry course, to investigate if there is any relation in between these and to evaluate if any changes occur through the process of education.

Learning approach defines the method preferred by the learner as he/she is addressing a learning task. It depends on the harmony between the purpose, motivation, and learning style of the students. Learning style, on the other hand indicates the ways in which the student deals with the reception and processing of the information. Learning styles and learning approaches are flexible and dynamic, thus they can change depending on the learning environment, teaching strategies, assessment methods, use of previous knowledge, personal characteristics, etc. It is well known that significant learning takes place only if the learning style and learning approach of students are used in a relevant manner by both students and educators.

Although biochemistry is a challenging course, previous studies indicate that a high percentage of (90%) medical students consider it necessary for medical education [15]. In our study, 95.2% of the midwifery students also perceived that biochemistry is a necessary course. In an another study conducted with the students of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, 40% of the students of the Faculty of Medicine and 40.7% of Dentistry thought that biochemistry is difficult to learn [12], which was a similar rate (55.1%) of the midwifery students in our study.

In this study, the average point of deep approach in the LAS was 34.13 and the mean of the superficial approach was 26.94. This indicates a higher deep learning approach point in undergraduate midwifery students.

Mansouri et al. (2006) reported that 60% of nursing students and 63% of midwifery students adopted a deep approach, and the use of superficial approach was negative for midwifery students [7]. In a qualitative study in which the basic biochemical course perceptions of the students of Faculty of Health Sciences were examined, Minasian–Batmanianand Lingard (2005) reported that the students were more likely to adopt deep learning approach [9].

It is assumed that emotions have a strong influence on academic motivation and on learning approaches and strategies. Generally, students engage themselves more in the learning process if they find meaning in what is being taught. Similarly, in the present study, students who expressed a significantly higher rate of deep learning approach (Deep: 35.89 ± 6.72 Superficial: 27.05 ± 6.02; t=2.97, p=0.03*) thought that they have sufficient knowledge of biochemistry. Also, the students who believed that biochemistry is necessary for their professional life had higher deep approach (Deep: 34.39 ± 6.14, Superficial: 26.45 ± 6.29; t=−2.53, p=0.01*).

In this study, no relationship was found between age, class variables, and learning approaches. Similarly, Özgür and Tosun (2012) reported that age and class variables of the students did not cause any difference on the learning approach [1].

Conclusions

The aim of higher education is to give students the knowledge and analytical skills to deal with new information and to make deliberate choices [16]. The deep learning approach promotes such outcomes by contributing to higher quality learning. Thus, it is important to facilitate the learning process in undergraduate education so that deep learning approaches are more frequently used by students.