SELF - ASSESSMENT OF STUDY SKILLS OF DENTAL STUDENTS: A TOOL TO UPGRADE HEALTHCARE STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Healthcare education is delivered to students in a variety of ways and the performance of students can be assessed by several methods, one of which is study skills. The importance of using good study techniques by students to acquire knowledge and communicate it during exams was emphasized in healthcare education. Students must alter their study techniques if they want to achieve better academically, particularly in the dental field. The aim of this study was to evaluate dental students' self-assessment of study skills and to recommend appropriate study strategies for academic performance improvement.

A modified self-assessment of study skills questionnaire (from the University of Central Florida's Student Academic Resource Center) was administered to all dentistry undergraduate students in their first through last year. This questionnaire addresses eight areas, including study habits, textbook usage, note-taking, memorization, time management, test-taking strategies and anxiety, motivated attitude, and stress management for health and wellness. The findings revealed that more than 80% of students lacked knowledge of study techniques since they only used one or two domain characteristics and lacked any technical expertise. In order to raise their academic performance, students are eager to learn about all the domains.

Researchers concluded that, the Teaching-Learning process is significantly impacted by study skills. Students are encouraged to attain academic goals by altering their study habits by using Study Skills to change their psychology about study pattern. The secret to success in the life of a student who becomes an active learner is to develop their study skills.