Cognitive Style and Mobile Technology in E-learning in Undergraduate Medical Education

Chang Gung Medical Foundation

Status: Completed

Conditions: Medical Education

Treatments: Other: mobile technology of e-learning (M-TEL)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02971735

105-5290C

Details and patient eligibility

About

New designs of 6-year undergraduate medical education (UME) in Taiwan mainly include (1) integral curricula of body organ system, (2) multiple methods of clinical teaching and assessment, and (3) generalism in UME. Accompany with decreasing educational hours in the classrooms and hospital, essential but minor components of primary healthcare such as ophthalmology and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) is disproportionately under-represented in UME. Novel medical education stresses on enabling self-directory learning and increasing learning hours outside the classrooms. Accordingly, we hypothesize that innovations in educational technology can enhance the learning outcomes of ORL-HNS. This study is aimed to determine whether mobile technology in e-learning (M-TEL) is an effective tool for the instruction of ORL-HNS and to compare effects of different cognitive styles on learning outcomes of M-TEL with various modules of medical education. This is a randomized controlled trial. We will recruit 60 UME students without previous training in ORL-HNS to undergo the Group Embedded Figures Test to determine their cognitive styles such as field dependence or field-independence. After blinded randomization, students are instructed on two modules of emergent ORL-HNS disorders, using either a standard e-learning of text-figure Power Point show or an interactive multimedia module. Subjects are evaluated on emergent ORL-HNS disorders using text-based assessment and multimedia assessment take place prior to and following instruction. After 7 days later, they will be assessed using global satisfaction score and AttrakDiff2 questionnaire. We anticipate that this study can confirm M-TEL can enhance the efficiency of the instruction of ORL-HNS and understand differences in learning outcomes of M-TEL with various modules of medical education between field dependence and filed independence using this platform.

Full description

Background:

New designs of 6-year undergraduate medical education (UME) mainly include (1) integral curricula of body organ system, (2) multiple methods of clinical teaching and assessment, and (3) generalism in UME. UME is meant to enable graduates to become undifferentiated general physicians. Accompany with decreasing educational hours in the classrooms and hospital, essential but minor components of primary healthcare such as ophthalmology and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) is disproportionately under-represented in UME. In Canada, substantial downstream effects on managing ORL-HNS problems have been noted in family medicine residents. In order to improve learning insufficiency and enhance clinical competency without increasing extra-hours in the classrooms and hospitals, novel medical education stresses on enabling self-directory learning and increasing learning hours outside the classrooms. Accordingly, we hypothesize that innovations in educational technology can enhance the learning outcomes of ORL-HNS.

Purposes: This study is aimed to determine whether mobile technology in e-learning (M-TEL) is an effective tool for the instruction of ORL-HNS and to compare effects of different cognitive styles on learning outcomes of M-TEL with various modules of medical education.

Material and Methods:

This is a randomized controlled trial. Firstly, we have been setup a e-learning platform of the Top 10 emergent ORL-HNS disorders with translating into an application (APP) function that can execute in mobile devices. Secondly, we will recruit 60 UME students without previous training in ORL-HNS to undergo the Group Embedded Figures Test to determine their cognitive styles such as field dependence or field-independence. After blinded randomization, students are instructed on two modules of emergent ORL-HNS disorders, using either a standard e-learning of text-figure Power Point show or an interactive multimedia module. Subjects are evaluated on emergent ORL-HNS disorders using a text-based assessment and a multimedia assessment take place prior to and following instruction.

Anticipating Outcome:

This study can (1) establish a M-TEL of ORL-HNS that can deliver an innovatively mobile e-learning to supplement the deficiency of the classroom hours, (2) confirm M-TEL can enhance the efficiency of the instruction of ORL-HNS, and (3) understand differences in learning outcomes of M-TEL with various modules of medical education between field dependence and filed independence using this platform.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Age > 20 years old;
2. UME students (defined as the three or four years of medical school training).

Exclusion criteria

1. Previous ORL-HNS training;
2. Declining to participate.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

interactive multimedia module

Experimental group

Description:

Subjects allocated to this experimental group will receive an intervention of mobile technology of e-learning (M-TEL) using the interactive multimedia (IM) module consist of integrated text, images, and small game tests (intervention) for 100 minutes. The module is a non-linearity of learning with interaction (student-based choice and pop-up feedback). This context has been adjusted to the same level to that of the PPS module.

Treatment:

Other: mobile technology of e-learning (M-TEL)

Power Point show module

Active Comparator group

Description:

Subjects allocated to this experimental group will receive an intervention of mobile technology of e-learning (M-TEL) using the Power Point show (PPS) module consist of integrated text, images, and audio (intervention) for 100 minutes. The module is a linear learning without interaction. This context has been adjusted to the same level to that of the IM module.

Treatment:

Other: mobile technology of e-learning (M-TEL)