Medical Education and Research Development Unit (MERDU), Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Ann Med. 2022 Dec;54(1):195-210. doi: 10.1080/07853890.2021.1967440.
Poor academic performance and failure can cause undesired effects for students, schools, and society. Understanding why some students fail while their peers succeed is important to enhance student performance. Therefore, this study explores the differences in the learning process between high- and low-achieving pre-clinical medical students from a theory of action perspective.
This study employed a qualitative instrumental case study design intended to compare two groups of students-high-achieving students ( = 14) and low-achieving students ( = 5), enrolled in pre-clinical medical studies at the Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. Data were collected through reflective journals and semi-structured interviews. Regarding journaling, participants were required to recall their learning experiences of the previous academic year. Two analysts coded the data and then compared the codes of high- and low-achieving students. The third analyst reviewed the codes. Themes were identified iteratively, working towards comparing the learning processes of high- and low-achieving students.
Data analysis revealed four themes-motivation and expectation, study methods, self-management, and flexibility of mindset. First, high-achieving students were more motivated and had higher academic expectations than low-achieving students. Second, high-achieving students adopted study planning and deep learning approaches, whereas low-achieving students adopted superficial learning approaches. Third, in contrast to low-achieving students, high-achieving students exhibited better time management and studied consistently. Finally, high-achieving students proactively sought external support and made changes to overcome challenges. In contrast, low-achieving students were less resilient and tended to avoid challenges.
Based on the theory of action, high-achieving students utilize positive governing variables, whereas low-achieving students are driven by negative governing variables. Hence, governing variable-based remediation is needed to help low-achieving students interrogate the motives behind their actions and realign positive governing variables, actions, and intended outcomes.Key MessagesThis study found four themes describing the differences between high- and low-achieving pre-clinical medical students: motivation and expectation, study methods, self-management, and flexibility of mindset.Based on the theory of action approach, high-achieving pre-clinical medical students are fundamentally different from their low-achieving peers in terms of their governing variables, with the positive governing variables likely to have guided them to act in a manner beneficial to and facilitating desirable academic performance.Governing variable-based remediation may help students interrogate the motives of their actions.
学业成绩不佳和失败可能会给学生、学校和社会带来不良影响。了解为什么有些学生失败而他们的同龄人成功，对于提高学生的表现很重要。因此，本研究从行动理论的角度探讨了高成就和低成就临床前医学生在学习过程中的差异。
本研究采用定性工具案例研究设计，旨在比较两组学生——高成就学生（n=14）和低成就学生（n=5），他们在马来西亚马来亚大学学习临床前医学。数据通过反思性期刊和半结构化访谈收集。关于日志记录，参与者被要求回忆他们前一学年的学习经历。两名分析师对数据进行编码，然后比较高成就和低成就学生的代码。第三名分析师审查了代码。通过迭代确定主题，旨在比较高成就和低成就学生的学习过程。
数据分析揭示了四个主题——动机和期望、学习方法、自我管理和思维灵活性。首先，高成就学生比低成就学生更有动力，对学业有更高的期望。其次，高成就学生采用学习计划和深度学习方法，而低成就学生采用浅层学习方法。第三，与低成就学生相比，高成就学生表现出更好的时间管理能力，并持续学习。最后，高成就学生积极寻求外部支持，并做出改变以克服挑战。相比之下，低成就学生的适应力较差，往往回避挑战。
基于行动理论，高成就学生利用积极的治理变量，而低成就学生则受消极的治理变量驱动。因此，需要进行基于治理变量的补救措施，以帮助低成就学生质疑他们行动背后的动机，并重新调整积极的治理变量、行动和预期结果。
本研究发现四个主题描述了高成就和低成就临床前医学生之间的差异：动机和期望、学习方法、自我管理和思维灵活性。基于行动理论方法，高成就临床前医学生与低成就同龄人在治理变量方面存在根本差异，积极的治理变量可能引导他们采取有利于和促进理想学业成绩的行动。基于治理变量的补救措施可以帮助学生质疑自己行为的动机。
