Do medical students who claim to be using deep learning strategies perform better at the Forensic Medicine examination?

Abstract

Literature reveals that frequent use of deep learning strategies and meaning orientation generally relates to academic performance positively, while the reproducing orientation is usually negatively associated with academic performance. The objective of this study was to investigate possible associations between reported learning strategies and performance at different components of the Forensic Medicine examination between two successive batches of medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Reported learning strategies of two successive groups of medical students were measured using the adapted Sri Lankan version of the Inventory of Learning Styles, the Adyayana Rata Prakasha Malawa (ARPM). The inventory scale scores were computed for each student and entered into a data base. The scores for each component of the Forensic Medicine examination namely; essay, multiple choice questions and viva voce and the total score were added to the data base. The Spearman rank correlation test was performed to identify possible associations between learning strategy scores and performance at different components of the examination. The number of respondents was 142 out of 173 of the 2003/2004 (82%) and 107 out of 188 students (57%) of the 2002/ 2003A batches of fourth year medical students having completed three terms of work in Forensic Medicine. Contrary to expectations, the results failed to show a significant association between academic performance and frequent use of deep processing strategies or self regulation. Since examinations drive the learning process it could be that the assessment demands promote the students to use both surface and deep learning strategies to the same extent.