DIGITALLY MODIFYING LECTURE HANDOUTS FOR A YEAR ONE NEUROSCIENCE COURSE

Zachary Book, Julie Pultinas, Bruce Giffin and Linda Goldenhar, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45267 U.S.A.

Purpose 

To enhance student learning in the year one Neuroscience Course at the University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine by digitally modifying course materials.

Methods

Two students recently completing the course and the course director electronically modified handouts by imbedding audio, video, and hyperlinks to relevant internet material, diagrams, pictures, photomicrographs, histological slides, and pictures of gross anatomy specimens.

They assessed the degree of difficulty of 12 lectures, all given by the course director, and categorized them into either simple (6 lectures) or complex (6 lectures). One half of the lectures in each category were digitized, the other ½ were not.

Students could access all digital and non-digital handouts. Hours spent with each were logged.  Current and prior year’s performance on relevant test question was compared.  Students were asked for feedback about the effectiveness of the electronic/digitized format for learning.

Results

Results will show if, within the simple/complex categories; students spent differential amounts of time with the digitized vs. non-digitized handouts and if test item performance differed significantly.  Results from student feedback will provide the context for explaining the quantitative results.

Conclusions

We anticipate that results from this study will provide a better, albeit initial understanding, of whether digitizing course handouts positively affects student learning.

Future Directions

Depending on the findings, further efforts will be made to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of student learning by enhancing course materials using technological innovations.