Association of sociodemographic and academic factors with self-directed learning in medical students

Keywords: Learning, medical education, self-directed learning, intentional learning

Abstract

Introduction: Self-directed learning is a student’s skill that allows them to achieve greater academic performance through putting into practice their metacognitive, motivational and behavioral abilities focused on goals of acquisition of knowledge and skills.
Objective: The association of the level of self-directed learning with sociodemographic and academic characteristics of medical students was determined.
Method: A comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted in medical students through the application of the Self-Directed Learning Self-Assessment Scale and a structured questionnaire to collect sociodemographic and academic characteristics. Analyses were carried out with descriptive statistics, correlation, inferential and association tests.
Results: Included in the study were 247 medical students aged 21.3 ± 1.9 years, 147 (51.4%) were female. The self-directed learning score was moderate in 116 (47.0%) students and those who had an average above 9 achieved a score of 120.1 ± 12.4 compared to 114.5 ± 12.5 of those with a school average of 8.00 to 8.99 and 110.7 ± 12.1 with those from 7.00 to 7.99 (p <0.001), r = 0.230. Average below 7, obtained OR 2.3, 95% CI (1.01 - 5.27) for low self-directed learning competence. There was no difference between academic grades (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Medical students present medium or semi-structured development of self-directed learning that was associated with academic status and school average but not with sociodemographic characteristics or academic degree.

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Author Biographies

Cristina García Franco

Universidad Veracruzana, Facultad de Medicina Región Veracruz, Ver., México.

Félix Guillermo Márquez Celedonio

Universidad del Valle de México, Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud campus Veracruz, Boca del Río, Ver., México.

Pedro Gutiérrez Aguilar

Universidad Veracruzana, Dirección General del Área de Ciencias de la Salud, Xalapa, Ver., México.

Luis Lorenzo Salazar Martínez

Universidad Veracruzana, Facultad de Medicina Región Veracruz, Ver., México.

Rafael Ramos Castro

Universidad Veracruzana, Facultad de Medicina Región Veracruz, Ver., México.

Flor Patricia Rosas Murga

Médico Pasante en Servicio Social, Universidad Veracruzana, Facultad de Medicina Región Veracruz, Ver., México.

Published
12-01-2022
How to Cite
García Franco, C., Márquez Celedonio, F., Gutiérrez Aguilar, P., Salazar Martínez, L., Ramos Castro, R., & Rosas Murga, F. (2022). Association of sociodemographic and academic factors with self-directed learning in medical students. Medical Education Research Journal, 11(42), 55-64. https://doi.org/10.22201/fm.20075057e.2022.42.21413