IntroductionGamification is the use of game design elements in non-game contexts. It is considered a student-centered instructional design to motivate student learning and academic behavior. In this ...study, the effects of gamification on learning statistics (hypothesis testing issue) and attitude toward statistics in comparison with the common e-learning approach were investigated. The students' experience and critical elements of gamification on learning statistics were assessed, too.MethodsIn a before and after trial, in a census manner, 64 health faculty students of Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran, non-randomly were assigned to the intervention (n=42) and control (n=22) groups. Learning activities were gamified in the intervention group, while the control group received traditional problem-solving in the learning management system. Narrative, avatar, level, point, progress bar, scoreboard, challenge and feedback elements were used in the game experience. The implementation of gamification was applied based on Landers' theory of gamified content. Valid and reliable Persian version of the Survey Attitude toward Statistics questionnaire measured the students' attitude before and after the intervention. The EGameFlow questionnaire and a valid and reliable researcher-made exam measured the users' experience of gamified content and learning hypothesis testing after the intervention. The independent samples T-test, analysis of covariance and the partial eta-squared effect size were calculated by SPSS software, version 26.ResultsCompared to the control group, the intervention group had a more positive attitude toward learning difficulty (moderate partial eta-squared 0.099), value and cognitive competency (weak partial eta-squared=0.01 and 0.05). Learning between the two groups was not different (P=0.522). There was a significant correlation between learning and the students' perceived experience with feedback (r=0.583, P<0.001), concentration (r=0.509, P=0.005), and challenge (r=0.421, P=0.023) of the gamified content.ConclusionIt suggests using gamification on learning statistics while optimizing the design with more focus on the feedback, challenge and concentration elements.
BACKGROUNDOne of the influential factors in students' learning is their learning styles which have the capacity to change. Furthermore, creativity is considered one of the essential cognitive ...features of humans. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between learning styles (Kolb and VARK) and emotional creativity with the academic achievement of dental students. MATERIALS AND METHODSIn this descriptive-analytical study, the statistical population included dental students of the third semester and above (250 persons). The data collection tools included Kolb and VARK learning style questionnaires, Averill emotional creativity questionnaire, the total Grade Point Average (GPA), and the GPA over the past two semesters of students to measure academic achievement. The data were analyzed using the measures of the descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and the inferential statistics tests including one-sample t-test, independent t-test, correlation coefficients of Pearson, and Eta squared. RESULTSBased on Kolb and VARK learning styles, the majority of the students had accommodating learning style (64%) and read-write style (31.6%) and also were single-styled (80.4%). No significant relationship was found between the learning styles (Kolb and VARK) and creativity with academic achievement. The students scored higher than average in emotional creativity and all of its three elements. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between emotional creativity and the gender of the students (P = 0.01). Female students showed higher emotional creativity (97.26 ± 10.34) compared to the male students (94.24 ± 8.96). CONCLUSIONThere was no significant relationship between learning styles and emotional creativity of the students with their academic achievement. The accommodating and read-write learning styles were more prevalent among students and they showed high emotional creativity.
Several factors play a role in academic achievement, individual's excellence and capability to do actions and tasks that the learner is in charge of in learning areas. The main goal of this study was ...to present academic achievement causal model based on the dimensions of goal orientation and learning approaches among the students of Medical Science and Dentistry courses in Guilan University of Medical Sciences in 2013.
This study is based on a cross-sectional model. The participants included 175 first and second students of the Medical and Dentistry schools in Guilan University of Medical Sciences selected by random cluster sampling 121 persons (69%) Medical Basic Science students and 54 (30.9%) Dentistry students. The measurement tool included the Goal Orientation Scale of Bouffard and Study Process Questionnaire of Biggs) and the students' Grade Point Average. The study data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equations modeling. SPSS 14 and Amos were used to analyze the data.
The results indicated a significant relationship between goal orientation and learning strategies (P<0.05). In addition, the results revealed that a significant relationship exists between learning strategiesDeep Learning (r=0.37, P<0.05), Surface Learning (r=-0.21,P<0.05), and academic achievement.The suggested model of research is fitted to the data of the research.
Results showed that the students' academic achievement model fits with experimental data, so it can be used in learning principles which lead to students' achievement in learning.
Introduction: In view of the fact that motivation is linked directly to the learning process and educational achievement, this study endeavored to identify strategies to improve students’ educational ...achievement motivation at Guilan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: To conduct this descriptive-analytical study, 368 students from Guilan University of Medical Sciences were selected using simple random sampling from 2013-2014. All of the Guilan University of Medical Sciences’ students met the general eligibility criteria except guest students. The questionnaire included five domains of economic, socio-cultural, educational, geo-regional, and personality factors in educational achievement motivation. Through using descriptive and inferential statistics (Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests), the compiled data were analyzed at the significance level of 0.05. Results: Data analysis revealed that socio-cultural factors have the maximum score (64.14 ± 9.92) and geo-regional factors have the minimum score (19.01±3.63) on the participants’ educational achievement motivation. What is more, a significant difference was revealed between educational field and educational effective factors as well as educational level and educational effective factors (p<0.011, p<0.004, respectively). Conclusion: Given that the socio-cultural factors had the maximum score on the students’ educational achievement motivation, it is recommended that university officials take these factors into account, and attempt to plan to provide appropriate strategies to enhance their students’ motivation, specifically their educational achievement motivation.
Introduction: The present research aimed to determine the minimum level of theoretical orthopedic learning for trainees and interns. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 3 ...Universities of Medical Sciences from 2013 to 2014. In total, 25 questions were obtained from third-year medical students (before entering the clinical course) and seventh-year medical internship students (with completed orthopedics internship course). Total test scores and minimum acceptance scores were considered 100 and 70, respectively. Results: In total, 396 students 168 (42.4%) from the third-year & 228 (57.6%) from seventh-year students; 130 (32.8%), 189 (7.47%), and 77 (19.5%) individuals were from Gulilan, Kerman, and Shahid Beheshti Universities of Medical Sciences, respectively. Moreover, 2 (1.2%) third-year students and 84 (36.8%) seventh-year students passed the exam. Conclusion: Despite the global attention to the importance and high prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases, the medical education system was detected as inefficient in Iran. Immediate and substantial actions, such as compulsory orthopedic courses for all students and the improvement of the length and educational approaches, must be designed to overcome this issue. Otherwise, increased levels of healthcare quality seem entirely unavailable.
The students' vulnerability to different problems can have an impact on their mental health. Regarding the lack of evidence on the effectiveness of interventional programs based on health education ...planning models in this area in developing countries, an educational-participatory program based on the PRECEDE model was used, to promote the medical science students' self-esteem and mental health status, in Iran.
In this experimental study, 154 students from the universities of medical sciences in the north east of Iran were selected by stratified random sampling method. Then, they were randomly assigned to two groups of case and control. The questionnaires, including the enabling, reinforcing, and predisposing factors, the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and the GHQ-28 were used for data collection. Then, an intervention plan, including focus group discussions and training of selected life skills, based on the PRECEDE model, was conducted for the case group.
The predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors, and the self-esteem and mental health of the students showed a significant difference between the case and control groups. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed that there was a correlation between mental health and knowledge (P =0.008), between self-esteem and knowledge (P =0.02), self-esteem and attitude (P =0.01), and mental health and attitude (P = 0.03).
Health promotion planning by using life skills training based on the PRECEDE model can result in participation and empowerment, in order to promote the self-esteem and mental health of the students.
Background and aim: This study aimed to assess dentistry students' understanding of the educational environment of Guilan University of Medical Sciences in two Basic and clinical fields. Materials ...and methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the academic year of 2016-17 at the Faculty of Dentistry, Guilan University of Medical Sciences. For this purpose, a sample of 190 students was selected in both the primary and clinical fields. Assess the learning environment, DREEM's Assessment Questionnaire (DREEM) questionnaire consisted of 50 questions in 5 areas of learning, professors, student perception of their ability, educational background, and student perception of their social status. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney test in SPSS Ver 16 software. Results: The findings showed that the average total score of educational and learning environments in the Basic Section was 108.22 in the maximum of 200, and the Clinical Section was 111.03, which means a favorable threshold. In Basic Section, the lowest average score was 15.28 for self-social understanding, and the highest score was 26.09 for the educational atmosphere, while in the Clinical Section, the lowest and the highest mean scores were 15.81and 26.56 related to the same field of Basic Section. Conclusion: The results showed that the perception of students at two different levels of Basic Science and Clinical Section from the educational environment is favorable, but more attention of the faculty members to reducing the stress of the environment and creating an appropriate environment is essential.
Lack of learning and study strategies (LASS) is one of the most important reasons for frustration and academic failure in student, so learning and study strategies resemble a tool applied in solving ...academic problems, assisting the students to develop the skills required in their academic course. Identifying and enhancing these strategies helps the person go through college education successfully depending on their own capabilities, discovering and strengthening them. So, the aim of the present study is the use of Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) and its relationship with university students' academic achievement. The study results did not show remarkable relationship between the three main LASS and academic achievement (AA) among students of Guilan University of Medical Science and levels of LASS are very low among these students. Concerning the criticality of the students' AA, the academicians of this university are recommended to take some measures in order to decrease academic failure and improve it via boosting the students' knowledge and skill.
Lack of learning and study strategies (LASS) is one of the most important reasons for frustration and academic failure in student, so learning and study strategies resemble a tool applied in solving ...academic problems, assisting the students to develop the skills required in their academic course. Identifying and enhancing these strategies helps the person go through college education successfully depending on their own capabilities, discovering and strengthening them. So, the aim of the present study is the use of Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) and its relationship with university students' academic achievement. The study results did not show remarkable relationship between the three main LASS and academic achievement (AA) among students of Guilan University of Medical Science and levels of LASS are very low among these students. Concerning the criticality of the students' AA, the academicians of this university are recommended to take some measures in order to decrease academic failure and improve it via boosting the students' knowledge and skill. Keywords: study strategies, students, academic achievement, learning
Background & objectives : Infertility is a global problem affecting millions of men and women in developed and developing countries. In this regard, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) plays an important ...role in improving the quality of life in infertile patients. However, studies have shown that the implantation failure in IVF is the main challenge of this procedure. Melatonin can increase the survival rate of embryos and IVF success rate through eliminating free radicals and removing reactive oxygen species. So, this study is conducted to investigate the effects of different concentrations of melatonin on the rate of newborns of mice following transfer oftwo-cell embryos . Methods : In this study, female mice with average age of six to eight weeks were superovulated by administering pregnant mares serum gonadotropin (PMSG) intraperitoneally (7.5 IU. ip), and followed after 48h by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (7.5 IU. ip). Two-cell mouse embryos were obtained from female mice oviduct after 48 h. The embryos transferred bilaterally into pseudopregnant mice of the same strain through surgical procedure and 8-14 embryos were transferred to each tube. The study included 4 treatment groups and one control group (6 mice in each group). The treatment groups were exposed to subcutaneous injection of concentrations of 100 µm , 10 µm , 1 µm and 100 nm of melatonin. After the cesarean on 18th day of pregnancy, the percentage of live births was assessed. The outcomes of the live birth rate were assessed using the chi-square test and statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 16.0. Percentage of live birth was calculated and compared with the control group. Results: A total of 701 two-cell mouse embryos were transferred into one control group and four experimental groups. The number and percentage of live births at concentrations of 100 µm and 10 µm of melatonin and the control groups were 21 (15.55%), 13 (9.15%) and 9 (6.47%), respectively. No infant was born at the concentrations of 1 µM and 100 nM of melatonin . The highest rate of live births was obtained at the concentration of 100 µM and showed a significant difference with the control group (p ≤ 0.01). There was no significant difference in live births at the concentration of 10 µm and control group. Conclusion : The results of this study indicated that subcutaneous injection of melatonin improves the two-cell mouse embryo growth and post implantation development of mice.
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