NSBM Atapattu*, KKEIU Kumari , KKA Pushpakumara and SKK Mudalige
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna, Mapalana,
Kabrupitiya, Sri Lanka
Abstract
Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) is widely used in medical education
institutions to assess students’ perception on the educational environment. The present
study used a modified version of the DREEM questionnaire to assess the education environment
of
a
BSc
(Agriculture)
degree
programme
in
Sri
Lanka.
Students’ agreement on each of
the 50 statements of five domains; students’ perception of learning (SPL) and teachers (SPT),
academic self-perception (SAP). Perceptions of atmosphere (SPA) and social self-perception
(SSP) were recorded on a five point Likert scale (0= strongly disagree to +4= strongly agree).
Scores were added to calculate domain subscales and the overall scale. Over-emphasize of factual
learning (1.69/4) and boredness (1.19/4) considered under the domain SPL and SSP, respectively
were
the
only
problematic
areas
(scale<2).
Some
personal
qualities
of
teacher
such
as
being
get angry in classes and their authoritative nature needed improvements (scale>2<3.5).
Male students’ perception on teaching and their social perception were significantly better
than that of female colleagues’. There were no problematic areas under SAP and SPA. Perception
on teachers (SPT) (70.1%) was significantly better than SAP (64.9%) and SSP (63.3%).
Male (68.4%) students held a significantly better overall perception than female (63.4%) counterparts.
Students overall perception decreased until third year and then improved in fourth
year upto the level of first year students’. Having a total score of 132/200, educational environment
was found to be more positive than negative, though there was a considerable room for
further improvements. Particular attention should be paid to address the issues related to female students, second and third year students, with respect to all five domains.
Key words: Agriculture, assessment, DREEM, education environment
Full Text : pdf (488kb)
* - Corresponding Author
|
/tare/View_files/V_17(1)/MsSpacer.gif){kind=spacer}
