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Benefits of Online Mastery Learning Exercises in Dental Gross Anatomy
Author(s) -
Brueckner Jennifer K.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a418-b
Subject(s) - blackboard (design pattern) , gross anatomy , medical education , mastery learning , psychology , mathematics education , medicine , computer science , anatomy , programming language
Lack of student preparation for gross anatomy laboratory sessions is problematic for many course directors. To encourage pre‐laboratory preparation in dental gross anatomy, a series of timed, pre‐lab mastery quizzes was created using Blackboard™. Randomized block quizzes were generated from question pools created for each lab. The quizzes were open book and based on text from the dissection guide as well as images from Grant’s atlas. Students could take each quiz multiple times in order to master the topic and earn the desired grade. Results from a midterm survey revealed that most students perceived that the mastery quizzes enhanced their learning in lab, particularly on days that they dissected. Less than half of the students prepared for lab on days with no pre‐lab quiz. The majority of students took each quiz two or three times, with most completing each quiz in less than fifteen minutes. Most students felt the pre‐lab mastery quizzes were a useful learning tool. Analysis of lab practical exam questions confirmed that students performed significantly better on exam questions from labs preceded by mastery quizzes as compared to those without required pre‐lab preparation.