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A Hybrid Approach to Learning Endocrine Physiology: Investigating the Efficacy of Using “MicroVids” to improve student learning
Author(s) -
Pierre-Louis Gandhy,
Brainard Robert
Publication year - 2020
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.2020.34.s1.09929
Subject(s) - upload , summative assessment , class (philosophy) , code (set theory) , computer science , multimedia , mathematics education , psychology , world wide web , artificial intelligence , set (abstract data type) , formative assessment , programming language
With advances in technology, many lectures are now recorded and uploaded online for re‐viewing by students. However, lectures are long ranging from 50–120 minutes and students need to devote a large amount of time in order to review lecture, which can deter students from viewing recorded lectures. Therefore, we proposed creating short videos (MicroVids) reviewing only one specific concept from lecture and embedding the MicroVid into the printed notes via QR code, so that as students review the printed notes, they have a quick and easily accessible option for viewing professor‐explained concepts without searching the entire recorded lecture for the desired material. Objectives To investigate the efficacy of utilizing MicroVids as a tool to improve student learning of the endocrine system. Methods A series of 8 MicroVids were created reviewing concepts in the endocrine section of Anatomy and Physiology 1. The MicroVids were uploaded to YouTube and the URLs for each video was linked to a QR code that students could either click on to access the MicroVid (electronic notes) or scan with a QR code reader while reviewing their notes. Students (n=18, experimental group) taking an AP1 class during the Fall 2019 semester were given 8 MicroVids as supplemental material. After one week of access to each group’s MicroVids, students were given a survey to gather student feedback. Exam results from endocrine questions on their summative assessment was compared a control group of students taking AP1 the same semester as those that received Microvids and also compared to students who took AP1 Fall 2018. Outcome This approach garnered an overwhelming positive feedback. Two major themes from surveyed students were: 1) the MicroVids were easily accessible and 2) they helped students capture information they missed from their lecture notes. In the class that received the Microvids, 94% of the students watched the videos and 61% of students reported that it helped them succeed in their summative assessment. Additionally, while there was no statistically significant difference in exam grades between the class of students who watched the MicroVids versus the students of the control group, there was a modest improvement on the grasp of the endocrine system between poor test performers in the experimental group as compared to the poor test performers in the control group (an average 2.8 percentage points difference). While modest, the observation that poor test performers in the experimental group outperformed their control counterparts on their assessment is consistent with other reports that demonstrated similar positive learning outcomes when an active learning strategy was implemented in the classroom.