Identification of facilitators and obstacles to successful learning in obstetrics students

Abstract

The educational process takes place both inside and outside of institutions, involving a set of actions by students that can either facilitate or hinder learning. This study aimed to identify the factors that facilitate and hinder learning among Obstetrics students at UNIANDES University, Quevedo campus, in Ecuador. With a quantitative approach and an exploratory scope, the modified Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) was applied to 70 students who attended the academic period from May to September 2023, using descriptive statistics for data analysis. The results revealed that the most commonly used strategies by students are attitudinal and motivational, while the least accepted are related to time management. It is concluded that the main facilitators of learning are motivational and attitudinal strategies, the presence of information selection and organization techniques, the use of self-evaluation strategies, and minimal difficulty in time management. On the other hand, obstacles to learning include difficulties in planning time, content, order, and study location; panic during exams; difficulty in distinguishing main ideas; fear that their education may not adequately prepare them; and a tendency to study at the last minute or only when there are evaluations, in addition to frequent distraction without apparent reason.