Nursing Students’ Perception of the Educational Environment in a Public University in Ahvaz, Iran: A Study Based on DREEM Questionnaire

Abstract

Background: Students’ perception of educational environment is an important factor in evaluating the quality of education as it provides invaluable resources to identify the strengths and weaknesses of educational environment. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the educational environment from the perceptions of nursing students in Iran. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate nursing students’ perception of the educational environment and compare the male and female students’ perceptions of the educational environment in a public university in Ahvaz, Iran. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 130 nursing students in a public university in Ahvaz, Iran, using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire. Convenient sampling was used to recruit the samples. For the data analysis, the independent t-test was utilized. Results: The overall mean (SD) DREEM score in this study was 105.01(22.00), indicating a more positive educational environment than negative. The highest mean (SD) DREEM score was related to Students’ Perceptions of Learning domain 24.03(6.01), while the lowest one was related to Students’ Social Self-Perceptions domain 14.01(4.00). The female students showed significantly better mean score in the domains of Students’ Academic Self-Perception and Students’ Social Self-Perception than males (p<0.05). Conclusion: The students’ perception of their educational environment is a positive and optimistic one. Therefore, it is suggested that students’ perceptions of the educational environment be measured regularly, for instance, at the end of each academic year, to create a healthy and effective environment for learning in the educational environment.