ABSTRACT
The development of each community is influenced by its educated individuals. Therefore, recognition of influencing factors in academic improvement of students and attention to these factors are essential for persistent development. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effective factors and compare the viewpoints of the students and educators, in faculty of nursing and midwifery of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, about the effect of these factors. In this descriptive-analytical study which performed in 2004, a total of 232 students, from faculty of nursing and midwifery, educating in third semester or higher and 22 of their educators were examined based on census sampling. The viewpoints about influencing factors on academic improvement were collected by questionnaires including two sections: the first section included demographic questions and the second contained 47 questions in 6 fields. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistic [general linear model and multivariate analysis of variance]. The findings showed that there was significant relationship between gender, diploma grade-point average, semester or course and academic improvement [P<0.05]. Also from students' viewpoints about influencing factors on academic improvement the upper score belongs to educational content [4.46 +/- 0.63] and the lower score belongs to students' factors [3.85 +/- 0.63] although from educators' viewpoints the upper score belongs to educational content [4.33 +/- 0.68] and the lower score belongs to socioeconomic factors [3.67 +/- 0.71]. The most difference among viewpoints belongs to socioeconomic status [P<0.05] and educational environment domains [P<0.01]. Paying attention to educational quality by medical and science courses designers may have important effects on academic improvement in the students