Iranian Journal of Medical Education
Year:2014 | Volume:14 | Issue:7|Papers Count:13

Introduction: The main purpose of education is to develop clinical competencies among the students of health sciences. Meaningful and constructive feedback is necessary to the learners to attain constructive knowledge. The goal of this study was to assess “the perceived feedback” by the midwifery students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.Methods: We performed this descriptive cross-sectional study on 25 senior midwifery students studying at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2013-2014 academic years. Participants were selected through census and data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. Medical education specialists and midwifery experts assessed the content and face validity of the questionnaire and its reliability was measured through Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (a=0.86). The five-point Likert Scale was used (Never=1, Rarely=2, Sometimes=3, Very Often=4, Always=5) in the questionnaire. The expected mean was considered 4 (above the average). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics tests, one-sample t-test and Anova.Results: 24 students of midwifery completed 180 questionnaires according to the classification of courses and instructors. The mean scores obtained for perceived feedback were 3.69±0.66 for the content of feedback area, 3.71±0.55 for the method of providing feedback, and 3.94±0.67 for the skills of providing feedback area. No significant difference was found between the different courses regarding the mean scores in different areas.Conclusion: The results showed that basic rules of providing feedback in all three areas of content, method, and skills of providing feedback were not implemented appropriately and at a desirable level. Therefore, it seems necessary to increase the instructors’ knowledge on the importance of presenting feedback and training them on appropriate methods of giving feedback in order to improve the quality of clinical education in midwifery.

Introduction: Academic self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in his abilities to achieve educational goals and activities, which its formation is affected by many factors. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between psychological wellbeing, family cohesion, and spiritual health among students of Kharazmi University.Methods: In this descriptive correlation study during 2013-2014 academic years, 343 students studying at Kharazmi University were selected through cluster sampling. The data was collected through, Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Questionnaires, Fischer’s Family Organized Cohesiveness Scale, Palutzian and Ellison’s Spiritual Health Questionnaires and Owen and Froman’s Academic Self-efficacy Questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics tests, Pearson correlation coefficient test, multiple linear regression and path analysis.Results: The Pearson correlation coefficient test showed a significant positive relationship between academic self-efficacy and psychological wellbeing (r=0.371), family cohesion (r=0.351) and spiritual health (r=0.468) (P<0.01). The results of linear regression analysis indicated that the variables like psychological wellbeing; family cohesion and spiritual health were able to express 0.28 percent of academic self-efficacy variance among the students. Moreover, the results of path analysis showed that the predictor variables affected academic self-efficacy both directly and indirectly.Conclusion: The findings of the study support that as predictor variables; psychological wellbeing, family cohesion, and spiritual health are able to predict academic self-efficacy among students. So it seems necessary to provide training courses for developing self-efficacy and academic self-efficacy beliefs with regard to individual differences in terms of psychological wellbeing, family cohesion, and spiritual health.

Introduction: Guessing is one of the most challenging issues in multiple choice questions. Several strategies, such as negative scoring, have been suggested for preventing students from choosing the right answer just by chance. However, there is no general agreement on using such strategies. The aim of this study was to review the scoring methods which are used for reducing guessing, and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.Methods: This review study was performed by manual searching (library resources) as well as electronic searching of online databases, such as PubMed, EBSCO, Elsevier, ERIC, and Google Scholar. The key words were guessing, negative scoring, and confidence assessment model and Multiple Choice Questions.All the relevant available articles were retrieved and reviewed.Results: Out of 60 articles found, a number of 43 were selected including, 29 original articles, 11 review articles and 3 letters. Different strategies and scoring methods for preventing guessing were elicited including avoiding erroneous test items, increasing cognitive levels and question taxonomy, increasing the number of choices per question, negative scoring, using “I do not know” option, Reliability Assessment Model, delete option and free choice. Subsequently, the impact of these strategies on students’ scores and the tests’ psychometric properties were discussed.Conclusion: It was concluded that there was no consensus over the utilization and effectiveness of these strategies. Furthermore, these strategies were found to be ineffective in correcting the guessing effect impact on the reliability and validity of tests, as their main function is merely discouraging test takers to guess. Hence, it is suggested that the type of the exam in terms of being formative/summative and norm/criterionreferenced assessment be considered. Also it is necessary to inform students about the specific scoring method used and its consequences before the exam.

Introduction: Journal club is one of the classical methods of training instructors. This study aimed at investigating the quality of implementing journal clubs in Iranian nursing faculties from the viewpoints of university instructors.Methods: This descriptive study was performed on instructors of nursing faculties in faculties of nursing where journal clubs were implemented in 2013-2014 academic years. Participants were selected through the census method. Data collection tool was a research-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability were verified. Five-point Likert scale in terms of desirability (completely desirable, desirable, relatively desirable, undesirable, and completely undesirable) was used for the responses in the questionnaire. Data were analyzed by conducting descriptive statistics.Results: The mean of the whole quality of journal clubs implementation was 1.83±0.34 out of 4 that is “relatively desirable”. The highest quality was in the implementation domain (post implementation) 2.47±0.53, organizing and planning domain (prior to implementation) 2.43±0.89 and implementation domain (during implementation) 2.08±0.43 respectively.Conclusion: Given the relatively desirable quality of journal club implementation in nursing faculties it is suggested to carry out more researches in various faculties in order to examine and improve the quality of journal clubs.

Introduction: Intellectual capital is a key factor in innovating, creating and maintaining competitive advantage in a knowledge-based economy. Considering intellectual capital in the academic context is necessary to create innovation and gain competitive advantage. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between intellectual capital and organizational innovation among university faculty members.Methods: In this descriptive correlational study, 248 faculty members of Isfahan University 0f Medical Sciences were selected through stratified random sampling in 2014. The data was collected through Bontis’s Intellectual Capital questionnaire and Ismail’s Organizational Innovation questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation test, and stepwise regression analysis.Results: The results showed a significant correlation between intellectual capital and organizational innovation (p<.05, r=.457). Furthermore, it was found that intellectual capital was a good predictor of organizational innovation (r2=.209).The results of regression analysis showed that human capital index accounted for 20.5% of the variance in organizational innovation in step 1. Human capital and relationship explained 23.1 % of variance in organizational innovation in step 2. Staff viewpoints based on gender, educational level, work experience, academic rank, and the faculty they worked in did not reach statistical significance.Conclusion: Regarding the significant positive correlation between intellectual capital and organizational innovation, it seems necessary to pay attention to invisible intellectual capital in universities. Thus, university administration should benefit more from human, structural and relational capitals to create innovation.

Introduction: One of the main outcomes of self-esteem is self-confidence. Risk-taking is also a human characteristic influenced by self-confidence such that it is more likely for people with high self-confidence to make risky decisions with negative unpleasant consequences. Hence the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-confidence and risk-taking among female students living in dormitories of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.Methods: In this descriptive-correlational study, 180 third year female students living in dormitories of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were selected through Cochran formula and stratified sampling. Data collection tools were researcher-made questionnaires of self-confidence and risk-taking whose validity and reliability were verified. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics tests (independent t test, ANOVA and Pearson Correlation coefficient test).Results: The level of self-confidence and risk-taking was moderate for the majority of respondents and there was a significant negative correlation between them (p=0.023 and r=- 0.169). Scores of self-confidence and risk-taking did not differ significantly among married and single people and for different educational levels (p=0.714) but the mean scores of self-confidence (F=3.138 and P=0.027) and risk-taking (F=3.388 and P=0.019) were significantly different among economic classes. Pearson correlation test also showed a significant negative correlation between self-confidence and risk-taking (P=0.023 and r=-0.169).Conclusion: According to inverse relationship between self-confidence and risk-taking in female students especially as to high-risk behaviors, it is suggested to take actions in order to increase their self-confidence such as social skill training, identifying potential talents and providing the conditions for their realization, proper use of their thoughts in decision making and improving their intellectual needs.

Introduction: Information literacy is a set of skills for accurately identifying and accessing information sources, and the ability to purposefully use them and it is a tool for personal capability that is very important for students. The aim of this study was to investigate the state of information literacy in students of Management and Information Science faculty of Tehran University of medical sciences in 2014.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 338 students of management and Information Science faculty of Tehran University of medical sciences in 2014. The information literacy was measured through a valid and reliable questionnaire of information literacy. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics tests, t-test and ANOVA.Results: The information literacy among students was at average level. The mean score of information literacy in male students was 44.13±8.77 and was 45.27±9.17 in female students of a total 110; no significant difference was observed between the two genders (p=0.302, t=1.03). The mean score of information literacy showed significant differences in terms of the field of study. The highest score of information literacy was observed in heath economics students (51±6.23) and then health information management (50.26±4.92) (F=2.85, P=0.01). The mean score of information literacy also showed significant differences in terms of educational attainment; it was 43.76±7.97 for BS students, 46.48±11.58 for MSc students and it was 52±2.82 for PhD students (F=6.58, P=0, 003).Conclusion: Given the average level of information literacy among students, and the importance of information skills in scientific advancements and efficiency of people in their jobs, it seems necessary to teach skills for increasing students’ information literacy.

Introduction: Clinical education plays a key role in nursing. Clinical learning environment is one of the most important well-known factors for being successful in nursing educational programs. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of clinical learning environment among nursing students in Jiroft and Kerman Universities of Medical Sciences.Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 133 students of the Faculties of Nursing in Kerman and Jiroft Universities of Medical Sciences in 2013-14 academic years. Data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire. It was developed by employing studies of Chiu Yuen Han, Saarikoski, Kachiwala and Skaalvik; its validity and reliability were verified by validity coefficient (0.8) and test-retest method and correlation coefficient (0.74) respectively. The questionnaire’s six-point scale, rated as absolutely appropriate, appropriate, slightly appropriate, slightly inappropriate, inappropriate, and absolutely inappropriate which were scored from 0 to 5. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics test, t test, ANOVA and Pearson test.Results: The mean of total scores obtained from clinical learning environment perception was 2.79±0.63 out of 5. The lowest score was for personnel’s support (2.24±1.18) and the highest score was for supervision communication (3.01±1.08). The means of total scores obtained from perception of clinical learning environment differed significantly in male and female students (t=2.297, p=0.023) and for second, third and fourth year students (f=3.43, p=0.035).Conclusion: The results of this study showed that nursing students’ perception of clinical learning environment was average. It is accordingly suggested that successful management models of wards should be considered in order to empower students’ learning and teamwork in all clinical wards.