Students’ perception of the learning environment in a distributed medical programme

Figures & data

Table 1. DREEM: response rate (percentage) by class and site

Class	Main campus	Satellite 1	Satellite 2	Total
2008	40.8 (62/152)	47.6 (10/21)	66.6 (16/24)	44.6 (88/197)
2009	65.4 (117/179)	52.1 (12/23)	91.3 (21/23)	66.6 (150/225)

Table 2. DREEM: mean global score for each site in the class of 2008 and 2009

	2008			2009
	Main campus (n=51)	Satellite 1 (n=10)	Satellite 2 (n=14)	Main campus (n=97)	Satellite 1 (n=10)	Satellite 2 (n=19)
Global score (maximum score = 200)	133.5	139.2	121.2	131.1	130.0	134.6
Score (%)	66.8	69.6	60.6	65.6	65.0	67.3

Table 3. DREEM: mean subscale scores for each site in the class of 2008 and 2009

	Perception of learning Maximum score = 48^a	Perception of teachers Maximum score = 44	Academic self-perception Maximum score = 32^b	Perception of atmosphere Maximum score = 48	Social self-perception Maximum score = 28
	Score (%)	Score (%)	Score (%)	Score (%)	Score (%)
2008
Main campus	31.3 (65.3)	30.6 (69.5)	20.2 (63.0)	32.5 (67.7)	18.4 (65.6)
Satellite 1	32.7 (68.1)	32.6 (74.1)	21.1 (65.9)	33.6 (70.1)	19.1 (68.2)
Satellite 2	28.1 (58.5)	28.7 (65.2)	18.1 (56.6)	30.9 (64.3)	16.4 (58.5)
2009
Main campus	29.1 (60.6)	31.1 (70.7)	19.4 (60.5)	32.2 (67.1)	18.5 (66.1)
Satellite 1	28.9 (60.0)	30.0 (68.2)	21.4 (67.0)	32.9 (68.6)	18.3 (65.5)
Satellite 2	31.2 (65.0)	31.4 (71.3)	19.7 (61.5)	32.9 (68.5)	18.5 (65.9)

^aSignificant intrasite differences: P<0.05; main campus.

^bSignificant intersite differences: P<0.05; class of 2009.

Table 4. DREEM: students’ perception of teachers: mean scores for items in the subscale

		Class of 2008 Mean score			Class of 2009 Mean score
Students’ perception of teachers	Whole survey Mean score (Std Dev.)	Main campus	Satellite 1	Satellite 2	Main campus	Satellite 1	Satellite 2
The teachers are good at providing feedback to students	2.15 (0.982)	2.16	2.90	1.88	2.11	2.33	2.10
The teachers have good communication skills with patients	2.89 (0.586)	2.97	3.00	2.75	2.88	2.67	2.95
The teachers are knowledgeable	3.16 (0.537)	3.16	2.90	2.94	3.23	2.92	3.19
The teachers give clear examples	2.59 (0.625)	2.75	2.60	2.63	2.49	2.58	2.71
The teachers are well prepared for their classes^a	2.93 (0.609)	2.98	2.70	2.56	2.96	3.00	2.95
The teachers provide constructive criticism here	2.55 (0.781)	2.75	3.00	2.38	2.43	2.67	2.48
The teachers (do not) ridicule the students	3.00 (0.815)	2.85	3.30	2.69	3.10	2.58	3.19
The teachers (do not) get angry in class^b,c	3.20 (0.741)	2.95	3.10	2.94	3.36	3.08	3.33
The teachers are (not) authoritarian	2.64 (0.808)	2.54	2.90	2.69	2.63	2.67	2.86
The teachers are patient with patients	2.87 (0.573)	2.85	3.20	2.81	2.87	2.75	2.86
The students (do not) irritate the teachers	2.78 (0.817)	2.47	3.00	2.44	2.96	2.75	2.76

^aSignificant intersite differences: P<0.05; class of 2008.

^b,cSignificant intrasite differences: P<0.05; main campus, satellite site 2.

Note: No significant intersite differences in the class of 2009.

Table 5. DREEM: students’ perception of learning: mean scores for items in the subscale

		Class of 2008 Mean score			Class of 2009 Mean score
Students’ perception of learning	Whole survey Mean score (Std Dev.)	Main campus	Satellite 1	Satellite 2	Main campus	Satellite 1	Satellite 2
I am encouraged to participate in class	2.51 (0.876)	2.56	2.70	2.63	2.44	2.50	2.52
The teaching is sufficiently concerned to develop my self-confidence	2.36 (0.861)	2.34	2.60	2.31	2.26	2.58	2.71
The teaching encourages me to be an active learner	2.70 (0.757)	2.83	2.80	2.38	2.63	2.92	2.81
The teaching is well focused^a	2.56 (0.774)	2.70	2.80	2.50	2.46	2.33	2.76
The teaching is sufficiently concerned to develop my competence	2.65 (0.752)	2.77	2.70	2.44	2.56	2.83	2.81
I am clear about the learning objectives of the course	2.42 (0.887)	2.51	2.70	2.25	2.38	2.17	2.52
The teaching is often stimulating	2.74 (0.754)	2.80	3.10	2.50	2.73	2.64	2.70
The teaching time is put to good use	2.36 (0.862)	2.57	2.70	2.19	2.22	2.58	2.38
The teaching is student centred	2.58 (0.816)	2.62	3.00	2.25	2.48	2.92	2.86
Long-term learning is emphasised over short-term	2.43 (0.893)	2.64	2.60	2.31	2.37	2.08	2.43
The teaching is (not) too teacher centred^b	2.53 (0.780)	2.53	2.90	2.33	2.53	2.17	2.71
The teaching (does not) over-emphasise factual learning	2.06 (0.926)	2.16	2.10	2.00	2.07	1.58	2.05

^aSignificant intrasite differences: P<0.05; satellite site 1.

^bSignificant intersite differences: P<0.05; class of 2008.

Note: No significant intersite differences in the batch of 2009.

Table 6. DREEM: students’ academic self-perception: mean scores for items in the subscale

		Class of 2008 Mean score			Class of 2009 Mean score
Students’ academic self–perceptions	Whole survey Mean score (Std Dev.)	Main campus	Satellite 1	Satellite 2	Main campus	Satellite 1	Satellite 2
I am able to memorise all I need	1.33 (0.978)	1.25	1.40	1.13	1.32	1.75	1.57
Much of what I have to learn seems relevant to a career in medicine	2.73 (0.714)	2.88	2.80	2.63	2.73	2.67	2.38
I feel I am being well prepared for my profession	2.60 (0.719)	2.62	2.70	2.19	2.61	2.67	2.67
Last year's work has been a good preparation for this year's work	2.61 (0.742)	2.59	2.90	2.25	2.61	2.92	2.62
My problem solving skills are being developed here	2.75 (0.737)	2.80	2.90	2.69	2.69	3.08	2.76
I am confident about passing this year	2.63 (0.860)	2.69	3.00	2.44	2.59	2.75	2.62
I have learned a lot about empathy in my profession^a	2.58 (0.849)	2.73	2.90	2.31	2.50	2.75	2.52
Learning strategies that worked for me before continue to work for me now	2.41 (0.938)	2.52	2.50	2.50	2.28	2.83	2.52

^aSignificant intrasite differences: P<0.05; main campus.

Note: No significant intersite differences.

Table 7. DREEM: students’ perception of the atmosphere: mean scores for items in the subscale

		Class of 2008 Mean score			Class of 2009 Mean score
Students’ perception of atmosphere	Whole survey Mean score (Std Dev.)	Main campus	Satellite 1	Satellite 2	Main campus	Satellite 1	Satellite 2
The atmosphere is relaxed during lectures^a	2.89 (0.665)	2.70	3.10	2.69	2.96	3.17	3.00
I feel able to ask the questions I want	2.40 (0.993)	2.41	2.80	2.50	2.30	2.75	2.48
I feel comfortable in class socially^b	2.96 (0.668)	2.93	3.20	2.75	2.96	3.08	3.00
There are opportunities for me to develop interpersonal skills	2.87 (0.689)	2.95	2.90	2.40	2.92	2.75	2.71
The atmosphere is relaxed during seminars/tutorials^b	2.85 (0.614)	2.88	2.90	2.81	2.80	3.00	3.00
The enjoyment outweighs the stress of studying medicine	2.65 (0.948)	2.74	2.60	2.44	2.65	2.17	2.81
The atmosphere motivates me as a learner^b	2.68 (0.813)	2.73	2.80	2.19	2.70	2.58	2.76
I am able to concentrate well	2.50 (0.811)	2.65	2.60	2.63	2.46	2.50	2.19
The atmosphere is relaxed during clinical teaching	2.43 (0.823)	2.42	2.90	2.63	2.41	2.33	2.29
The school is well time tabled	2.37 (0.929)	2.40	2.30	2.50	2.24	2.83	2.67
I (do not)find the experience disappointing^b,c,d	2.80 (0. 896)	2.68	2.90	2.50	2.82	2.73	3.19
Cheating is (not) a problem in this school	2.87 (0.946)	2.85	2.70	3.00	2.87	3.00	2.76

Significant intrasite differences: P<0.05; ^amain campus; ^dsatellite site 2.

Significant intersite differences: P<0.05; ^bclass of 2008; ^cclass of 2009.

Table 8. DREEM: students’ social self-perception: mean scores for items in the subscale

		Class of 2008 Mean score			Class of 2009 Mean score
Students’ social self-perceptions	Whole survey Mean score (Std Dev.)	Main campus	Satellite 1	Satellite 2	Main campus	Satellite 1	Satellite 2
I have good friends in this school^a	3.15 (0.729)	3.16	3.20	2.63	3.18	3.25	3.24
There is a good support system for students who get stressed^b	2.50 (0.948)	2.53	3.10	2.38	2.41	3.25	2.35
I am (not) too tired to enjoy this course	2.15 (1.018)	2.30	2.30	2.19	2.18	1.83	2.43
I am rarely bored on this course	2.42 (0.729)	2.50	2.20	2.31	2.41	2.42	2.48
My accommodation is pleasant^a,c	3.14 (0.640)	3.24^‘	3.00	2.63	3.16	3.25	3.19
My social life is good^a,c	2.46 (0.998)	2.41	3.00	1.88	2.55	2.25	2.38
I seldom feel lonely	2.45 (1.029)	2.41	2.30	2.38	2.58	2.08	2.24

Significant intersite differences: P<0.05; ^aclass of 2008; ^bclass of 2009.

Significant intrasite differences: P<0.05; ^csatellite site 2.