Comparison of the effectiveness of lecture instruction and virtual reality-based serious gaming instruction on the medical students’ learning outcome about approach to coma

Background New approaches to e-learning and the use of virtual reality technology and serious game in medical education are on the rise. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of lecture method and virtual reality-based serious gaming (VRBSG) method on students learning outcomes about the approach to coma. Methods We adopted a randomized trial method for this study and selected 50 medical students dividing them into experimental and control groups. Students’ learning outcome was measured with a 10-item test. Serious game usability scale was used to evaluate the usability of the serious game. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis by SPSS-22 software. Results Students’ familiarity with e-learning and VRBSG was low. The mean usability of a VRBSG was 126.78 ± 10.34 out of 150. The majority of students were eager to be instructed through VRBSG. The mean score of learning outcomes in the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group (t = − 2.457, P = 0.019). Conclusion Students’ learning outcomes in the VRBSG group in the test approach to coma were significantly better than the lecture group. The usability of the serious game instruction method was high. Taken together, instruction through VRBSG had an effective role in medical students’ learning.

Medical student misconceptions in cardiovascular physiology

Students find cardiovascular physiology challenging. Misunderstandings can be due to the nature of the subject, the way it is taught, and prior knowledge, which impede learning of new concepts. Some misunderstood concepts can be corrected with teaching (i.e., preconceptions), whereas others are resistant to instruction (i.e., misconceptions). A set of questions, specifically created by a panel of physiology experts to probe difficult cardiovascular concepts, was used to identify preconceptions, misconceptions, and the effect of education level on question performance. The introductory cardiovascular lecture used in this study was created based on these questions. In-class polling of medical students’ ( n = 736) performance was performed using the Turning-Point clicker response system during lecture instruction. Results were compared with published data from undergraduates ( n = 1,076) who completed the same questions but without prior instruction. To our knowledge, there have been no studies directly comparing performance using the same instrument and large numbers of undergraduate and medical students. A higher education level was associated with increased performance (preconceptions), whereas several concepts resistant to instruction (misconceptions) were identified. Findings suggest that prior knowledge interfered with the acquisition of medical knowledge. Based on these results, potential causes for these misconceptions and remedial teaching suggestions are discussed.

Student Perception of the Flipped Classroom in Nursing Education

As nurse educators consider new pedagogy for teaching nursing, the students’ views and perceptions must be considered. Many studies and commentaries have been written to date on the flipped classroom in nursing education, but few have used research methods to tease out student views of this teaching approach. The purpose of this study was to investigate student perceptions of the flipped classroom using a phenomenological approach. Students who had experienced traditional lecture instruction and the flipped classroom in the same semester were asked about their perceptions and comparisons of the two instructional methods. Qualitative analysis of fifteen individual interviews and two focus groups revealed seven themes, each encompassing a rich data set to inform nurse educators about student perceptions of the flipped classroom. This research informs educators on the effects of launching innovative teaching and learning strategies while considering the audience within the classroom.

Effectiveness of GSP-Aided Instruction

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Geometer's Sketchpad (GSP) in teaching the area of triangles to elementary students. The authors adopted a pretest-posttest research design with 2 equivalent groups. The subjects of the experiment comprised fifth-grade students from an elementary school in Pingtung County, divided into an experimental group of 26 students and a control group of 25 students. Both groups attended six 40-min lessons over a month, with the experimental group receiving GSP-aided instruction and the control group receiving traditional lecture instruction. The authors revised the test instrument based on , and the instrument was further reviewed and revised by experts. They conducted a third revision of the contents after performing a pilot test. The difficulty index of the test ranged between 0.18 and 1, and the discrimination index ranged between 0.13 and 0.88. The split-half reliability of the test was 0.8723. The results revealed the following: (a) in learning the area of triangles, the experimental group performed significantly better than the control group; (b) the results of the formative assessments indicated a superior performance in the experimental group compared with the control group in all of the lessons, with the exception of the second lesson; and (c) the male and female students in the experimental group and the control group exhibited no significant differences. Based on these results, the authors suggest that students be offered the opportunity to use concrete teaching aids or computer simulations when learning the area of triangles.

The use of e-learning program in nursing education

Over the past decade, the rapid developments and growth of information and communication technology (ICT) have had a profound influence on nursing education. E-learning has grown tremendously has been integrated into education and training. The aim of this review is to examine the effect of e-learning program in nursing education. Akdeniz University electronic databases center including MEDLINE, CINAHL, Sciencedirect, Cochrane library were searched published studies in English with “e-learning, nursing education, nursing students” key words and 554 articles were reached by the search results. By the analysis, published 2011-2016, the original six manuscripts have been sampled. A cross-over design study examined the effect of lecture and e-learning methods were compared, no significant difference was found between two methods. In another study, the effect of using e-learning versus lecture of nursing students was examined. Students were indicated to be pleased with the e-learning program. Another study evaluated the effectiveness of an e-learning intervention on pain management for nursing students, it was found to be useful. In another study, experiences of e-learning in a midwifery training package and student's views were evaluated, the students generally welcomed to e-learning however they suggested face-to-face learning. Another study tested the effectiveness of an e-learning program to increase pediatric medication management among students who take pediatric nursing courses, e-learning program is an effective learning method than lecture program. In another study, the effects of e-learning, lectures and role playing on learning, retention and satisfaction of nursing students were evaluated, it was found lectures to be a significantly more effective teaching method than role playing and e-learning. Results of this review showed that students’ satisfaction with e-learning was lower than traditional lecture instruction. However different and well planned e-learning programmes can support the development of nursing students' skills, knowledge and attitudes. Keywords: E-learning; nursing students; nursing education.

Effectiveness of GSP-Aided Instruction

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Geometer's Sketchpad (GSP) in teaching the area of triangles to elementary students. The authors adopted a pretest-posttest research design with 2 equivalent groups. The subjects of the experiment comprised fifth-grade students from an elementary school in Pingtung County, divided into an experimental group of 26 students and a control group of 25 students. Both groups attended six 40-min lessons over a month, with the experimental group receiving GSP-aided instruction and the control group receiving traditional lecture instruction. The authors revised the test instrument based on , and the instrument was further reviewed and revised by experts. They conducted a third revision of the contents after performing a pilot test. The difficulty index of the test ranged between 0.18 and 1, and the discrimination index ranged between 0.13 and 0.88. The split-half reliability of the test was 0.8723. The results revealed the following: (a) in learning the area of triangles, the experimental group performed significantly better than the control group; (b) the results of the formative assessments indicated a superior performance in the experimental group compared with the control group in all of the lessons, with the exception of the second lesson; and (c) the male and female students in the experimental group and the control group exhibited no significant differences. Based on these results, the authors suggest that students be offered the opportunity to use concrete teaching aids or computer simulations when learning the area of triangles.

New Venture Design – Interdisciplinary Capstone Projects at UBC

New Venture Design is an interdisciplinary project course across Engineering and Business at UBC,whose primary goal is to provide students of both faculties with knowledge and practical experience related to the formation of an entrepreneurial venture based on the development of a new product or process. Working in teams of 6 students (3 engineering students and 3 business students), the end-goal in the course is to produce a viable product prototype (the primary responsibility of the engineering students) and the necessary business plan (the primary responsibility of the business students) to ensure its success in the marketplace. This course is a combination of both lecture instruction (on creativity, business plans, patents, prototyping, fabrication, funding, tax credits, etc.) and dedicated lab-time in which student teams will advance their new venture concept toward market introduction. The teams enter many business plans competitions in the province, across North America (and beyond). Some teams go much further and file provisional patents, or incorporate a company. Starting in 2003, the course has now run for 8 years; several of the project teams have actually started a company based on their idea, or have created other new ventures. This paper summarizes the course, its motivation, details the current framework and syllabus, and reflects on lessons learned.