Comparison of Health Students’ Perceptions and Expectations of Their Educational Environment

Abstract

Aims: Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of educational environment can help managers to improve the educational system. The aim of this study was determining the gap between students’ perceptions and expectations of the educational environment at Health School of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study a total of 250 health students were studied. To determine the students’ perceptions and expectations they filled out a questionnaire included 56 pairs of five point likert scaled items with six domains including school atmosphere, teaching and learning, teachers, students’ self perception, educational facilities and equipments and the physical environment. Descriptive statistics and paired t-test were used to evaluate and analyze the data by SPSS ver.19. Results: In all of the domains of educational environment, the students’ expectations of the educational environment were significantly higher than their perceptions (p<0.001). The gaps between the students’ perceptions and their expectations in school atmosphere, teaching and learning, teachers, students’ self-perception, educational facilities and equipments and physical environment domains were -1.42, -1.00, -1.03, -.49, -1.53, and -1.16 respectively. Conclusion: Students’ expectations have not been fulfilled and to achieve the ideal level, proper planning and effective efforts with emphasis on facilities and equipment and school atmosphere domains should be implemented.