Student Perception on Learning Environment and Its Impact on Academic Performance in Medical and Allied Health Science Undergraduates: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Learning environment consists of resources, technology, modes of process and connections to societal and global contexts used in the teaching-learning process. Further, it extends beyond the physical environment up to human behavioral and cultural dimensions, emotion in learning and the roles of teachers and students. Literature indicates that students’ perception on the education environment directly or indirectly influences the behavior and the academic performance of the student. The purpose of this review is to assess the student perception on learning environment and to evaluate the effect of learning environment on the academic performance of medical and allied health students by using a systematic review process. An electronic database (in PubMed, MEDLINE and Timelit) search was carried out using key terms (learning environment OR study environment OR education environment AND academic performance* OR student performance AND undergraduate). In this search, review articles, case presentations and qualitative studies were excluded. Two reviewers screened all the selected articles according to the PRISMA guidelines. Altogether 559 articles were retrieved from all databases and among them 23 were preliminary selected considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Finally 10 full text journal articles were selected for the systematic review. Seven studies had assessed student perception of learning environment and academic performance among medical students. Two studies among occupational therapist students and only one study among nursing undergraduates were among the extracted articles. Almost all the studies have shown that the participants had positive perception of learning environment. Further, most of the studies (n=08) revealed that there was a significant effect (p<0.05) of learning environment on their academic performance and two studies did not find any correlation. Selected studies revealed that students who perceived favorable educational climate facilitate the students to achieve higher academic success and learning environment has a significant impact on students’ academic performance.