Motivation, learning strategies, participation and medical school performance.
BACKGROUND
Medical schools wish to better understand why some students excel academically and others have difficulty in passing medical courses. Components of self-regulated learning (SRL), such as motivational beliefs and learning strategies, as well as participation in scheduled learning activities, have been found to relate to student performance. Although participation may be a form of SRL, little is known about the relationships among motivational beliefs, learning strategies, participation and medical school performance.


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to test and cross-validate a hypothesised model of relationships among motivational beliefs (value and self-efficacy), learning strategies (deep learning and resource management), participation (lecture attendance, skills training attendance and completion of optional study assignments) and Year 1 performance at medical school.


METHODS
Year 1 medical students in the cohorts of 2008 (n = 303) and 2009 (n = 369) completed a questionnaire on motivational beliefs and learning strategies (sourced from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire) and participation. Year 1 performance was operationalised as students' average Year 1 course examination grades. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data.


RESULTS
Participation and self-efficacy beliefs were positively associated with Year 1 performance (β = 0.78 and β = 0.19, respectively). Deep learning strategies were negatively associated with Year 1 performance (β =- 0.31), but positively related to resource management strategies (β = 0.77), which, in turn, were positively related to participation (β = 0.79). Value beliefs were positively related to deep learning strategies only (β = 0.71). The overall structural model for the 2008 cohort accounted for 47% of the variance in Year 1 grade point average and was cross-validated in the 2009 cohort.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that participation mediates the relationships between motivation and learning strategies, and medical school performance. However, participation and self-efficacy beliefs also made unique contributions towards performance. Encouraging participation and strengthening self-efficacy may help to enhance medical student performance.
Erasmus MC Desiderius School, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. k.stegers-jager@erasmusmc.nl
Karen M
KM
Stegers-Jager
Janke
J
Cohen-Schotanus
Axel P N
AP
Themmen
D000293:Adolescent; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D009042:Motivation; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000592:standards; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult