praveen singh

To motivate students toward the path of lifelong learning, it is important to train them for a self‑directed learning (SDL) approach, where they identify the need of learning the content as well as look forward to attaining the learning outcome, independently. The level of readiness for SDL will allow the learner to be self‑disciplined, self‑organized, an effective team builder and communicator, a self‑assessor, and a self‑reflector, thus being a self‑learner with the ability to accept and give constructive feedback. The aim of the study was to develop, validate, and implement the SDL readiness scale for health professional students.

The readiness scale of 43 items was used in four sub‑titles (awareness, learning strategies, and style, motivation, team building) was developed using the Delphi method with 12 experts and was implemented for the medical students at Karamsad, Gujarat as a cross‑sectional survey after a pilot trial scale from May 2021 to September 2021, using mean, the standard deviation for each item, and arrived sub‑titles. The ANOVA test was used to find differences in readiness scores as per different years of the medical program.

The result demonstrates that the maximum score was obtained for the first‑year medical student (149.89 ± 24.72), which dropped in year 2 (136.35 ± 32.26) but increased by the final year (147.67 ± 56.66), although not as high as the initial joining year. However, a statistically significant difference per gender was identified for a few items of the scale [(items 24 (P < 0.034), 26 (P < 0.0005), 37 (P < 0.035), and 40 (P < 0.013)]. The logistic regression analysis showed no statistical significance for the DSVS‑self‑directed learning readiness scale (SDLRS) score and demographic variables.

The outcome of the study strongly suggests training/sensitization sessions for students to highlight the importance of a SDL approach in a digital millennium. Moreover, a longitudinal follow‑up needs to be conducted for the readiness score of the students based on the developed scale and subsequent training sessions need to be organized for students as well as faculty for better outcomes for the students toward SDL sessions.

Linking anatomy with the clinical approach for creating an inquisitive mind for a millennium via the digital platform is the need of the hour. Traditional lecturing makes students have rote memorization of the human anatomy. The inquiry‑based project will allow undergraduate medical students to have a deeper understanding of human anatomy along with team building and interpersonal skill development. This approach of teaching would allow students to link the content taught for human anatomy with its clinical applicability and probably generate inquisitiveness for further exploring the course content. The study aimed to appraise and assess the perception of medical students and faculty about the inquiry‑based digitalized project presentation.

A descriptive cross‑sectional study was conducted for inquiry‑based project presentation where students were divided into 15 groups with 15 inquiries, which were presented as projects on a digital platform under the guidance of the facilitator. The perception of students and faculty for the inquiry‑based approach was collected using a validated survey questionnaire. The quantitative data were analyzed by SPSS‑version 15, using descriptive statistics, Friedman’s rank, and thematic analysis for qualitative data.

In total, 117 students participated in the pre‑test and 129 in the post‑test part of the study. Also, 79.1% of students appreciated that the inquiry‑based project presentation approach allowed them to link anatomy with different courses; 73.6% agreed that this approach has a positive impact on their attitude toward learning anatomy. Then, 75.2% students appreciated of learning new skills using the digital platform. They agreed to have developed leadership (65.1%) and team‑building skills (83.7%) and self‑directed learning (SDL) improvement (71.3%). However, some students (9.3%) and faculty (16.7%) had been ostracized for presenting their inquiry‑based projects on a digital platform, whereas 65.1% of students appreciated this approach.

Inquiry‑based learning approach would allow students to have a deeper understanding of the subject knowledge and skills for the SDL and learn strategies for the usage of virtual technology for literature search.