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Evaluation of the Learning Environment at the Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University: Students' Perceptions

Wagdy Talaat Youssef, Yasser Mohamed El Wazir, Mona Sayed Ghaly and Rania Aly El Khadragy

Aim: This study aimed at evaluating the learning environment among undergraduate medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, and recommending remedial measures for further enhancement of students’ learning experiences.

Methodology: The study was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The target population included undergraduate students from year 1 to year 6 during the academic year (2009-2010). The sample size was 316 students (sample size was originally estimated 326; students’ response rate was 96.9%). The instrument used in this study was The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire which is a validated and reliable tool. The 50 items of the questionnaire encompass five subscales: perceptions of learning, perceptions of teachers (course organizers), academic self-perceptions, perceptions of atmosphere and social self-perceptions.

Results: After evaluation of all DREEM questionnaires, the total score of all six years was 113.8 which was interpreted according to the practical guide of McAleer and Roff that students’ perceptions of their learning environment were more positive than negative. The score for all the five subscales of DREEM indicated a more positive perception except for subscale 5 (social self-perception).

Conclusion: The study concluded that students throughout the different years of study perceived the learning environment positively. Nevertheless, the study also revealed problematic areas in some items which enabled us to adopt some remedial measures.