VALIDATION OF THE DUNDEE READY EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT MEASURE (DREEM) IN DENTAL MEDICAL STUDENTS

Abstract

Evaluating the educational environment helps to identify problems and facilitate improvements using tools such as DREEM, a multicultural instrument for measuring the educational environment. The aim of the study: to validate the Romanian version of DREEM-50 based on the original English version. Materials and Methods: Fifth-year medical students from the Faculty of Dentistry at UMPh Grigore T. Popa Iasi participated in a study using the DREEM questionnaire to assess their perceptions of the educational environment. The results were analyzed using statistical tools, confirming the instrument’s reliability and validity for evaluating and improving educational programs. The suitability of the data for this model was confirmed by the Kaiser-Mayer-Olkin index and Bartlett’s sphericity test. A factor was deemed important if its eigenvalue exceeded 1.0. Reliability analyses were conducted using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to evaluate internal consistency reliability. Results: he validation of the DREEM questionnaire showed good internal consistency across all five key dimensions, with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.70 to 0.90. The results, supported by high ICC and KMO values, indicate that the data is suitable for factor analysis, confirming the reliability and effectiveness of the questionnaire in evaluating students’ perceptions of the educational environment. Conclusions: DREEM-50 is considered a reliable and effective tool for assessing and improving educational environments, with significant potential for application in the Romanian educational context.

Keywords

• dundee ready education environment measure
• educational environment