Detajin Junhasavasdikul1, Kanokporn Sukhato2, Suthan Srisangkaew3, Nawanan Theera-Ampornpunt4, Thunyarat Anothaisintawee2, Alan Dellow5. 1. a Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital , Mahidol University , Bangkok , Thailand. 2. b Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital , Mahidol University , Bangkok , Thailand. 3. c Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital , Mahidol University , Bangkok , Thailand. 4. d Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital , Mahidol University , Bangkok , Thailand. 5. e Medical Education Section, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital , Mahidol University , Bangkok , Thailand.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a "cartoon-style" handout with a "traditional-style" handout in a self-study assignment for preclinical medical students. METHODS:Third-year medical students (n = 93) at the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, took a pre-learning assessment of their knowledge of intercostal chest drainage. They were then randomly allocated to receive either a "cartoon-style" or a "traditional-style" handout on the same topic. After studying these over a 2-week period, students completed a post-learning assessment and estimated their levels of reading completion. RESULTS: Of the 79 participants completing the post-learning test, those in the cartoon-style group achieved a score 13.8% higher than the traditional-style group (p = 0.018). A higher proportion of students in the cartoon-style group reported reading ≥75% of the handout content (70.7% versus 42.1%). In post-hoc analyses, students whose cumulative grade point averages (GPA) from previous academic assessments were in the middle and lower range achieved higher scores with the cartoon-style handout than with the traditional one. In the lower-GPA group, the use of a cartoon-style handout was independently associated with a higher score. CONCLUSIONS: Students given a cartoon-style handout reported reading more of the material and achieved higher post-learning test scores than students given a traditional handout.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a "cartoon-style" handout with a "traditional-style" handout in a self-study assignment for preclinical medical students. METHODS: Third-year medical students (n = 93) at the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, took a pre-learning assessment of their knowledge of intercostal chest drainage. They were then randomly allocated to receive either a "cartoon-style" or a "traditional-style" handout on the same topic. After studying these over a 2-week period, students completed a post-learning assessment and estimated their levels of reading completion. RESULTS: Of the 79 participants completing the post-learning test, those in the cartoon-style group achieved a score 13.8% higher than the traditional-style group (p = 0.018). A higher proportion of students in the cartoon-style group reported reading ≥75% of the handout content (70.7% versus 42.1%). In post-hoc analyses, students whose cumulative grade point averages (GPA) from previous academic assessments were in the middle and lower range achieved higher scores with the cartoon-style handout than with the traditional one. In the lower-GPA group, the use of a cartoon-style handout was independently associated with a higher score. CONCLUSIONS: Students given a cartoon-style handout reported reading more of the material and achieved higher post-learning test scores than students given a traditional handout.