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A comparison of computer‐assisted instruction and small‐group teaching of cardiac auscultation to medical students
Author(s) -
MANGIONE S.,
NIEMAN L. Z.,
GREENSPON L. W.,
MARGULIES H.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
medical education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.776
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1365-2923
pISSN - 0308-0110
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2923.1991.tb00086.x
Subject(s) - auscultation , computer assisted instruction , medicine , anxiety , medical education , physical therapy , psychology , mathematics education , psychiatry
Summary. Cardiac auscultation is suffering from declining interest, caused‐by competing diagnostic technology and inadequate training of doctors. Computer‐assisted instruction (CAI) supporting graphics and digitized sound could be ideally suited for teaching and sharpening this skill. To evaluate this premise we randomized 35 third‐year medical students to 3 hours of seminar teaching plus the use of audiotapes (group 1), the self‐use of a MacIntosh‐based CAI (group 2), or both (group 3). All students took a pre‐ and post‐test consisting of eight pre‐recorded cardiac events and were also assessed for computer anxiety. Although there were no significant differences between pre‐ and post‐tests for each group and among groups, group 1 had a 4.5% deterioration in its diagnostic score compared to the 7.2% and 3.2% improvements of groups 2 and 3 respectively. Group 2 used the CAI significantly more than group 3. We conclude that CAI is at least as effective as seminars in teaching cardiac auscultation to third‐year medical students.