The Adaptive Learner: How Faculty and Medical Students' Perceptions of Learning Needs and Desires Differ

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Medical schools traditionally use instructor-centered lectures for basic sciences.
• Electronic resources are increasingly used to supplement lectures.
• Discrepancies exist in how faculty and students perceive the effectiveness of current teaching strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine student and faculty perceptions of lecture-based teaching and learning strategies.
• To identify differences in how effectively current methods meet diverse student learning needs.
• To explore student reliance on supplemental resources and faculty perspectives on teaching tools.

Main Methods:

• Surveys administered to medical students and basic science faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
• Utilized categorical scales, 10-point scales, and open-ended text responses.
• Statistical analysis included independent t tests, Cohen's d, Pearson's r, and Spearman's rho; qualitative analysis used NVivo 11.

Main Results:

• Faculty rated their ability to meet student learning needs significantly higher (7.3) than students (5.9).
• A negative correlation was found between lecture efficacy and time spent on supplemental resources (ρ = -0.4).
• Students emphasized personal strategies, resource equity, and board exam preparation; faculty noted resource perceptions, learning styles, and time constraints.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences exist between student and faculty perceptions of learning needs.
• Students frequently use and personally fund supplemental resources beyond lectures.
• Findings aim to bridge the gap between student and faculty perspectives on effective educational tools for diverse learners.