Relationship between the Quality of Educational Experience with Religious Orientation and Academic Achievements of Students in Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

Background and This study aimed to determine the relationship between the quality of educational experience and academic achievement in Islamic teaching lessons in Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, the Zanjan, Iran, during the academic year of 2015 -2016. This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on undergraduate and postgraduate students of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences in the academic year of 1395-1396. The sample size was determined as 315 subjects by Cochran method. The study population was selected through stratified sampling. The data were collected using Alport’s training experience and religious orientation questionnaire. In addition, the scores of students in Islamic teaching were used as a criterion for student achievement. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression tests in SPSS software (version 22). The obtained results revealed that the experience of the course (total score) and the components of proper assignment, proper teaching, and emphasis on autonomy correlated with internal and external religious orientation (P=0.001). In addition, the experience of the course (total score) and the components of proper assignments, proper teaching, proper assessment, and general skills had a relationship with the academic achievement of the students in Islamic teaching lessons. Regression test results also showed that the experience of the course (total score) and the components of proper teaching, proper assignments and emphasis on independence can explain religious orientation. In addition, the experience of the course, proper teaching, proper assignments, and proper assessment could also explain academic achievement in Islamic teaching lessons. The students’ satisfactory experience of the course plays a role in religious orientation and academic achievement of the students.