What factors motivate male and female Generation Z students to become engaged as peer teachers? A mixed‐method study among medical and dental students in the gross anatomy course

Abstract

a reduction in the number of peerteacher applicants for the dissection course was observed. This study examined factors related to the attractiveness of a position as a peer-teacher for Generation Z students.Participants of the gross anatomy course were asked to evaluate factors influencing the attractiveness of a peer-teacher position using a six-point Likert scale. Additionally, openended questions were analyzed qualitatively. Sex-specific subgroup analysis was performed comparing students of a low and high motivation to apply for a tutorship. Of the 374 students who participated in this study (response rate 53%), 38% stated that they were intending to apply as peer-teachers. Data indicated that students displayed intrinsic motivation to apply for a tutorship because of the opportunity to improve their anatomy knowledge and/or their pleasure in teaching. By contrast, extrinsic factors like remuneration of the tutorship and its relevance for their curriculum vitae were least important. Anatomy educators underestimated the demotivating factor of workload associated with the tutorship and encouraged students less frequently to apply than peer-teachers. Only minor sex-specific differences could be identified. Nevertheless, female students were encouraged less frequently to apply than their male peers. In summary, Generation Z students apply as peer-teachers because they are enthusiastic about the task. To motivate students to commit to extracurricular activities like a tutorship, anatomy educators should actively encourage students -particularly femalesmore frequently to apply.

The gross anatomy course:SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic‐related effects on students' learning, interest in peer‐teaching, and students' perception of its importance

“…Data from the control study sample (winter term of 2006/2007) comparing students' perception of the importance of the gross anatomy course (Figure 2) and from the control study sample (winter terms of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020) comparing the students' motivation to become a peer‐teacher (Figure 3) have been published previously 61,78 . Questionnaires of each study sample were applied at the end of the dissection course and its raw data used for analysis.…”

“…Data in square brackets indicate results published for two cohorts prior to COVID‐19 78 . In detail, students reported interest and fun (31.0% [29.9%]), improving one's competence (22.3% [23.3%]), and factors related to the activity as a peer‐teacher itself (18.3% [17.6%]) as factors encouraging one to apply as a peer‐teacher (Table S3).…”

“…This study did not measure explicit professionalism or the students' views on professionalism, as in absence of a proper reference group data interpretation would not be possible in a meaningful way. Instead, data on students' willingness to engage as future peer‐teachers in the dissection course were collected and compared with a cohort from pre‐pandemic times 78 . Becoming a peer‐teacher is an activity that requires competencies beyond those of a role as a medical expert, rather than those of a role as a professional or scholar.…”

“…Students were surveyed using a paper‐based questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised items related to demographics (sex, age, study program) and item blocks ( n = 11) regarding the importance of the gross anatomy course 61 and the motivation to apply for a peer‐teacher position ( n = 20), including two open‐ended responses 78 . Four items gathered information about the students' general learning preferences and distribution of learning time either alone, in a tandem, or in a group before and during pandemic times.…”

“…The general framework of the course in its mode prior to COVID-19 has been previously published. 61,78 In brief, the course's general structure during the pandemic is based on five thematic sections according to body regions followed by an examination (1. lower extremity and back, 2. upper extremity and ventral trunk, 3. thoracic cavity and abdominal cavity, 4. head and neck, and 5. central nervous system) was maintained. However, due to the pandemic, the gross anatomy course 2020/2021 in Ulm, Germany, had to be adjusted to a reduced core curriculum, omitting many previously well-established activities (Table 1).…”