Differences in Academic Confidence, Assessment Preferences, and Perception of Anatomy Learning Between Pasifika and New Zealand European Students at the University of Otago

Pasifika peoples have unique worldviews and cultural values that inform their engagement with and understanding of the human body. Unfortunately, this can be a disadvantage in tertiary-level anatomical science education, as Pasifika students may be less prepared for discussing content relating to tapu (taboo, sensitive, forbidden) areas of the body. In this article, we compare the education experience of Pasifika (n = 64) and Pākehā/New Zealand European (NZE; n = 62) students enrolled in anatomical science studies at a tertiary institution in Aotearoa New Zealand. Using an online survey, we assessed participants’ confidence in completing academic tasks, assessment preferences, and perceptions towards anatomy learning. Pasifika students were significantly more confident in conducting literature reviews and sourcing journal articles online, but were less confident with staying up-to-date with email communication compared to NZE students. Fewer Pasifika students preferred short-answer questions (6.3% vs. 16.1%) and oral presentations (49.2% vs. 61.3%) as a form of assessment compared to NZE students. Pasifika students were also less comfortable with discussing thoracic and pelvic anatomy, using a real human pelvis, and using reading materials to supplement their study. These findings highlight the importance of anatomy educators being aware of the different learning experiences of Pasifika students so that they can develop more effective pedagogies and learning assessments. Further qualitative research is needed to understand why Pasifika students experience these educational disparities (i.e., sociocultural influences) for more targeted solutions.