David Alexander Back1, Jennifer von Malotky2, Kai Sostmann3, Robert Hube4, Harm Peters3, Eike Hoff5. 1. Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Bundeswehr Hospital Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Dieter Scheffner Center for Medical Education and Educational Research, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Julius Wolff Institute and Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: david.back@charite.de. 2. Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. 3. Dieter Scheffner Center for Medical Education and Educational Research, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. 4. Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery Munich, Munich, Germany. 5. Julius Wolff Institute and Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:Digital learning (e-learning) has become a firm part of surgical undergraduate education. However, there is still a lack in analyzing e-learning tools in experimental settings without potentially biasing curricular influences. This study should compare students' learning outcome with podcasts versus book texts under laboratory conditions in the field of orthopedics. METHODS:Voluntary medical students were randomly assigned for learning either with a book chapter or a podcast about common orthopedic diseases in an isolated computer room. Before and after intervention, students answered multiple-choice tests and questionnaires about their attitudes and satisfaction. The study was conducted from November 2012 to February 2013. RESULTS: Totally, 130 students were included (55 text users and 75 podcast users, 52 males and 78 females). There was a significant increase in the overall knowledge for both groups (p < 0.001). Podcast users scored significantly better in the posttests (p < 0.021) and achieved a significantly higher gain of knowledge compared to text users (p < 0.001). The evaluation also showed a significantly higher approval of podcasts regarding comprehensibility, teaching efficacy, or fun learning with it (p < 0.05). Females gained significantly more knowledge by the use of texts than males did (p = 0.04), without any sex difference when using podcasts. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a significantly higher gain of knowledge and higher satisfaction from learning with podcasts compared to book texts among students. Podcasts seem to be beneficial when teaching defined orthopedic topics to medical students. Sex plays an additional independent role in the impact of e-learning tools on students' learning outcome.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: Digital learning (e-learning) has become a firm part of surgical undergraduate education. However, there is still a lack in analyzing e-learning tools in experimental settings without potentially biasing curricular influences. This study should compare students' learning outcome with podcasts versus book texts under laboratory conditions in the field of orthopedics. METHODS: Voluntary medical students were randomly assigned for learning either with a book chapter or a podcast about common orthopedic diseases in an isolated computer room. Before and after intervention, students answered multiple-choice tests and questionnaires about their attitudes and satisfaction. The study was conducted from November 2012 to February 2013. RESULTS: Totally, 130 students were included (55 text users and 75 podcast users, 52 males and 78 females). There was a significant increase in the overall knowledge for both groups (p < 0.001). Podcast users scored significantly better in the posttests (p < 0.021) and achieved a significantly higher gain of knowledge compared to text users (p < 0.001). The evaluation also showed a significantly higher approval of podcasts regarding comprehensibility, teaching efficacy, or fun learning with it (p < 0.05). Females gained significantly more knowledge by the use of texts than males did (p = 0.04), without any sex difference when using podcasts. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a significantly higher gain of knowledge and higher satisfaction from learning with podcasts compared to book texts among students. Podcasts seem to be beneficial when teaching defined orthopedic topics to medical students. Sex plays an additional independent role in the impact of e-learning tools on students' learning outcome.