Satisfaction Trends in Undergraduate Physiotherapy Education

Is the health and wellbeing of university students associated with their academic performance? Cross sectional findings from the United Kingdom

This study explored the associations between health awareness, health behaviour, subjective health status, and satisfaction of students with their educational experience as independent variables and three outcomes of educational achievement as dependent variables. We undertook two simultaneous cross-sectional surveys among students from one University in the UK during 2008-2009. The first survey was a general health survey; the second survey measured students' satisfaction with different aspects of their learning and teaching experience. Students' registration numbers linked the responses of both questionnaires together, and subsequently linked the questionnaires to the university database to import the grades that students actually achieved in their studies. Generally, on average, students (N = 380) exhibited medium to high satisfaction with their educational experiences. In the multivariate regression analyses, students' satisfaction with their educational experiences was not associated with any of the three indicators of educational achievement (actual module mark; perceived own performance; importance of achieving good grades). The associations of educational satisfaction, health, health behaviours, heath complaints and financial parameters with the three outcomes of educational achievement did not differ between male and female students. Each of the health, health behaviours, health complaints and financial parameters were selectively associated with only some but not all three indicators of student educational achievement. We conclude that the findings support a conceptual framework suggesting reciprocal relationships between health, health behaviour and educational achievement. Comprehensive health promotion programmes may have the potential to influence relevant predictors of educational achievement in university students.

Hardiness commitment, gender, and age differentiate university academic performance

BACKGROUND

The increasing diversity of students, particularly in age, attending university has seen a concomitant interest in factors predicting academic success.

AIMS

This 2-year correlational study examined whether age, gender (demographic variables), and hardiness (cognitive/emotional variable) differentiate and predict university final degree grade point average (GPA) and final-year dissertation mark.

SAMPLE

Data are reported from a total of 134 university undergraduate students.

METHOD

Participants provided baseline data in questionnaires administered during the first week of their second year of undergraduate study and gave consent for their academic progress to be tracked. Final degree GPA and dissertation mark were the academic performance criteria.

RESULTS

Mature-age students achieved higher final degree GPA compared to young undergraduates. Female students significantly outperformed their male counterparts in each measured academic assessment criteria. Female students also reported a significantly higher mean score on hardiness commitment compared to male students. commitment was the most significant positive correlate of academic achievement. Final degree GPA and dissertation mark were significantly predicted by commitment, and commitment and gender, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings have implications for universities targeting academic support services to maximize student scholastic potential. Future research should incorporate hardiness, gender, and age with other variables known to predict academic success.

Physiotherapy students' sources of stress, perceived course difficulty, and paid employment: comparison between Western Australia and United Kingdom

Physiotherapy education is changing, and educators are increasingly concerned about the levels of stress observed in students. Considerable research has investigated stressors in medical and nursing students; however, studies of physiotherapy students were conducted more than a decade ago. This study examined the sources of stress, perceived course difficulty, and hours of paid employment in undergraduate physiotherapy students in Western Australia (WA) and the United Kingdom (UK). The Undergraduate Sources of Stress questionnaire was administered to students in all years of Bachelor of Science (Physiotherapy) programs (n = 249 WA; n = 161 UK) and a Master of Physiotherapy (graduate entry) program (n = 24 WA) with an overall response rate of 70%. Academic concerns were rated highest for all students, particularly the amount to learn, time demands of the course, and conflict with other activities. The course was perceived to be more difficult than expected by 71% of students. Although the mean (SD) hours per week worked in paid employment by WA and UK students is 12.52 (13.90) and 7.16 (4.02), respectively, there was no correlation between any stress subscale and number of hours worked. Reducing the amount of content and revision of the outcomes of physiotherapy curricula could potentially reduce academic stress.

What matters most? Predictors of student satisfaction in public health educational courses

The development of primary care trusts, the health protection agency, and non-medical public health (PH) specialists' pathways requires a competent PH workforce to be in place. Hence, the quality of education and training of PH workers is increasingly critical. With the diversity of courses and programmes that contribute to building a competent PH workforce, few studies have examined the satisfaction of students (and reasons for it) on educational PH programmes. The present study investigated the influences that four demographic variables (gender, disability, ethnicity and age bracket) and seven education-related variables (mode of study, academic term, academic level, pre-/postregistration status, entry qualification, qualification aim and class size) have on PH students' perceptions of satisfaction with 18 aspects of their learning. After controlling for the effects of the other variables, five variables explained 32% of the reported satisfaction levels. These were class size, study mode, qualification aim, pre-/postregistration status and academic level. Part-time students on postgraduate programmes are a particularly vulnerable group who may need extra support from PH educators and trainers. For these students, smaller class sizes could be beneficial, and if larger classes are inevitable, smaller group work sessions within the classes is advocated. Equally important is the availability of library resources required for learning, and course materials, handbooks and briefs need to be clear, informative, user friendly and available early in the course. Satisfied students achieved better final grades, reflecting an increased amount of transferable knowledge. The implications of the study findings for research and practice are discussed.

What 'really' affects health professions students' satisfaction with their educational experience? Implications for practice and research

Student satisfaction has been widely recognised as an indicator of the quality of the students' learning and teaching experience. The aim of the study was to explore the extent to which student satisfaction is influenced by 13 demographic- and educational-related variables. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken (18-item questionnaire, 1660 questionnaires). Principal component analysis categorised the 18 items into four learning and teaching dimensions. Each of the 13 variables was analysed for its influence on student satisfaction generally and on the four dimensions individually, before and after controlling for all the other variables. After controlling for all the variables, none of the demographic characteristics was associated with satisfaction. Most of the educational variables exercised their own independent and significant effects on general satisfaction and on satisfaction with the four individual dimensions. Collectively, decreased satisfaction was associated with being a pre registration, full-time student, usually with A level entry qualifications, attending term two modules whose assessment/s comprised combined strategies. Decreased satisfaction was also significantly associated with larger class sizes as regards the student numbers and with attaining lower grades in the assessments. The demographic variables were not as influential as the educational ones as regards the affects on students' satisfaction. The implications of the findings for research and practice are discussed.

Appraisal Skills as a Public Health Competency for Evidence-Based Care

With the demand for evidence-based practice, a greater need for health professionals' research expertise has emerged. Insufficient knowledge and inadequate competencies in research methods have been identified as barriers. Training endeavors to increase students' research awareness have been extensive. The study detailed in this article examines three research modules aimed at increasing health professionals' research knowledge. The effects that four demographic dimensions (gender, disability, ethnic group, and age bracket) and five educational parameters (academic term, mode of study, nature of module, qualification aim, and entry qualification) have on student contentment are investigated. According to these parameters, there were no differences in students' performance on the research modules. However, there were significant differences in satisfaction with the module administration, content, integration, and assessment procedures; the module team and university resources; and the module relevance and stimulation.