Perception of the Learning Environment among Fifth-Year Students of the Faculty of Dental Medicine of Casablanca

Introduction: The “learning environment” (LE) concept generally refers to educational climate and university culture. It is an intrinsically complex phenomenon. It has various connotations (physical, social, cultural, emotional, and intellectual). In addition to influencing student behavior, the learning environment can predict their academic success, satisfaction, and success. Objective: This work aimed to evaluate the students’ perception of the learning environment within the Fixed Prosthodontics department of Casablanca and to collect their suggestions for improving this learning environment. Materials and method: A mixed epidemiological study was conducted with 5th-year students of the Faculty of Dental Medicine of Casablanca. The learning environment was assessed across the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) for the quantitative part of the study and through focus groups for the qualitative part. Results: The population studied comprised 58.5% female students with an average age of 22 years +/- 0.856. According to the charter interpretation of DREEM scores, learning domains, teaching, and atmosphere present many problems. Their respective scores were 27.4 +/- 6.32, 25.7 +/- 5.5 and 25.6 +/- 6.88. The areas of academic competence and social life received high scores. The students made suggestions for improvement in each field. Discussion and conclusion: The students’ perception of their learning environment is an essential source of information for improving problem areas and enhancing the learning experience of students in terms of academic performance, overall health, well-being, quality of life, and future professional development.