Identifying poor concordance between the ‘planned’ and the ‘hidden’ curricula at a time of curriculum change in a Sri Lankan medical school using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure.
Loading...
Date
2009-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
South East Asia Regional Association for Medical Education.
Abstract
Introduction: Often there is a ‘hidden’ curriculum running alongside the planned curriculum as
published in official statements of a medical school. The two aspects of the curriculum may
not be in concordance, especially in a phase of change. In this study Dundee Ready
Education Environment Measure (DREEM) was used as the tool to determine the level of
concordance between two curricula.
Method: The DREEM questionnaires were administered face-to-face to two batches of
undergraduate medical students of Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
One batch was the first group to follow the integrated curriculum and the other was the last
group to follow the discipline-based curriculum.
Results: The total scores of both batches indicated a reasonably positive overall perception of
the education environment, but still with considerable room for improvement. The scores of
third year male students for the domains of student perception of learning and teaching were
significantly lower than their female colleagues and the seniors, thus indicating where
interventions should be prioritised. By analysing the responses to individual items, a collection
of items which were perceived negatively by both batches of students were identified. The
items represented all domains with variable degree.
Discussion: In addition to its multiple utilities, a careful and deep interpretation of the DREEM
results can be used to identify a group affected specifically by the educational environment,
possibly caused by a lack of concordance between the planned and the hidden curricula of
the same institution.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Chandratilake M N, de Silva N R. Identifying poor concordance between the ‘planned’ and the ‘hidden’ curricula at a time of curriculum change in a Sri Lankan medical school using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure. South East Asia Regional Association for Medical Education. 2009 Dec; 3(2): 15-19.