The Effect of Academic-Professional Skills Training on Students’ Perception of the Educational Environment at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: The ability of students to efficiently use the learning environment leads to a better perception of and proper interaction with it. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of academic-professional skills training on students’ perception of the educational environment. Methods: This quasi-experimental research employed a pretest-posttest with a control group design. The sample included 24 students of faculty of nutrition and food sciences at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences who were selected through random cluster sampling and assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in 7 academic-professional skills training programs, while the control group received no intervention. Measurement tool was Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (MANCOVA). Results:The means and standard deviations of posttest scores in the experimental and control groups were as follows, respectively. For students’ overall perception: 125/22±16/07 and 123/17±15/51 (total score=200) (P<0/05); for perception of instructors: 27/75±4/78 and 24/16±4/72 (P<0/05); for students’ perception of their own academic ability: 25/41±3/82 and 21/50±6/50 (P<0/05); and for perception of the social conditions of education: 22/41±0/90 and 18/2±16/65 (P<0/05). All these differences were significant. However, no significant difference was found between the two groups in perception of learning and perception of educational atmosphere. Conclusion:Results suggest that training of some strategic skills to students may help improve their perception of the educational environment so they can have a better attitude toward various academic and professional tasks.