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Category: Volume 07 Issue 06 June 2019
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Title: Effect of Medical college environment and curriculum on Non cognitive scores of Students requiring additional curricular support

Authors: Ramesh R, Sethuraman KR, Ezhumalai G

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i6.109

Abstract

Background: Sociologists Bowls and Gint is identified Non cognitive variables as skills other those measured by standard cognitive scores and it concentrates more on characteristics such as adjustment, motivation and students perception. Though the interest in Non cognitive skills dates back several decades many researchers have still questioned the stability of Non cognitive skills across different situation and there is no conclusive evidence which of the diverse characteristics is the one crucial to improve or facilitate attainment in all domains. Based on the this background of varied findings about Non cognitive scores our work was planned to compare the impact of college environment and curriculum on twelve Non cognitive variables among first MBBS students who do and do not require additional curricular support.

Methodology: Adapted version of Sedlacek et al questionnaire was applied to assess the 12 Noncognitive scores at the beginning and at the end of the 4th month of the whole batch which included 500 first year MBBS students out of which 283 students where included in SNACS group. Cornbrash’s alpha was done for validating the questionnaire and the data was analysed appropriately paired’t test, students t test and ANOVA.

Results: The baseline and the 4th month Total Non cognitive scores of the three SNACS group students where significantly less when compared to Non SNACS group. Individual Non cognitive scores were also less when compared to SNSCS group of students. The decrease was more for some specific variables when compared to others

Conclusion: The study shows Non cognitive variables are affected by the college environment and curriculum and admission counsellors should also take into consideration Non cognitive scores for making a policy while selection of students into the course.

Keywords:  Non Cognitive scores Medical Education.

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Corresponding Author

Ramesh R

Professor, Department of Biochemistry, JIPMER, Puducherry & Research Scholar, Medical Education Unit, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry