Examining the impact of audience response systems on student performance in anatomy education: a randomized controlled trial

Background and Aims: Electronic audience response systems (ARSs) offer the potential to enhance learning and improve performance. However, objective research investigating the use of ARSs in undergraduate education has so far produced mixed, inconclusive results. We investigated the impact of ARSs on short- and long-term test performance, as well as student perceptions of the educational experience, when integrated into undergraduate anatomy teaching. Methods and Results: A cohort of 70 undergraduate medical students were randomly allocated to one of two groups. Both groups received the same anatomy lecture, but one group experienced the addition of ARSs. Multiple-choice tests were conducted before, immediately after the lecture and again 10 weeks later. Self-perceived post-lecture subject knowledge, confidence and enjoyment ratings did not differ between groups. Test performance immediately following the lecture improved when compared against baseline and was modestly but significantly superior in the group taught with ARSs (mean test score of 17.3/20 versus 15.6/20 in the control group, p = 0.01). Tests conducted 10 weeks after the lecture showed no difference between groups (p = 0.61) although overall a small improvement from the baseline test was maintained (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Whilst ARSs offer opportunities to deliver novel education experiences to students, an initial superiority over standard methods does not necessarily translate into longer-term gains in student performance when employed in the context of anatomy education. Key words: medical education; education methodology; education technology; audience response systems; anatomy

The use of Audience Response Systems in the Faculty of Economics and Business: an case of study

We have investigated the effectiveness of clickers as a support tool of the learning process of economics in higher education, specifically on the subject of Principle of Economics. We assessed whether support teaching with the use of Audience Response Systems (ARSs) increase the probability that the student passes the examination in both its theoretical and practical. We propose a mixed methodology, a bivariate probit model framed by statistical causal inference, which provides robust results. We have found strong statistical evidence, that the ARSs offer outstanding support to teaching, although with constraints. First focuses on the aforementioned theoretical and secondly, the help offered by the students ARSs is clearly a function of the frequency of use thereof cited by students

Using Elected Elements in Large-Scale Information Systems Lectures

Information systems (IS) lectures often address audiences that consist of over one hundred students. In this setting, it is arguably difficult to consider the individual interests of each participant. This may result in students not being motivated, decreased learning outcomes as well as an overall low effectiveness of IS lectures. Self-determination theory suggests that perceived autonomy increases intrinsic motivation, which may in turn lead to improved learning outcomes. We therefore propose to foster perceived autonomy among students by introducing elected elements (e.g., practical examples and topics) that students can vote for with an audience response system. To investigate this instructional approach and to provide an instrument for its evaluation, we conducted a preliminary study that shows positive associations between perceived autonomy, intrinsic motivation, as well as acceptance among students. Based on these findings, we derive several avenues for future research regarding the use of elected elements in large-scale IS lectures

Can gamification improve the benefits of student response systems in learning? an experimental study

Student response systems (SRSs) are becoming popular among instructors in nearly all levels of learning. The benefits of using SRSs in terms of attendance, attention, participation, or motivation have been shown in many studies. Moreover, several studies demonstrate that the use of some kind of gaming techniques in education are useful to stimulate students to learn in wider, longer, and deeper ways. This paper analyzes whether the integration of both SRSs and gaming techniques leads to better results in motivation, attention, engagement, and learning performance than SRSs alone. For this purpose, a new tool has been developed for conducting an experimental study with students from different subjects and from different academic levels. A randomized post-test-only control group analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of the gamified SRS

Active Engagement in Medical Education

abstract: This study investigates the success of a method used to encourage active engagement strategies among community and research faculty in a College of Medicine, and examines the effects of these strategies on medical student engagement and exam scores. Ten faculty used suggestions from the Active Engagement Strategies Website (AESW), which explained four strategies that could easily be incorporated into medical education lectures; pause procedure, audience response system, think-pair-share, and muddiest point. Findings from observations conducted during sessions where an active engagement strategy was implemented and when strategies were not implemented, faculty and student surveys, and exam question analysis indicate faculty members found active engagement strategies easy to incorporate, student engagement and exam score means increased when an active engagement strategy was implemented, and students reported perceptions of attaining a higher level of learning, especially when the pause procedure was implemented. Discussion and implications address low cost and easy ways to provide faculty development in medical education that potentially improves the quality of instruction and enhances student outcomes.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 201

Towards reducing anxiety and increasing performance in physics education: Evidence from a randomized experiment

This study evaluates the effectiveness of an intervention of formative assessments with a clicker-based technology on anxiety and academic performance. We use a randomized experiment in physics education in one school in Dutch secondary education. For treated students the formative assessments are operationalized through quizzing at the end of each physics class, where clickers enable students to respond to questions. Control students do not receive these assessments and do not use clickers, but apart from that the classes they attend are similar. Findings from multilevel regressions indicate that the formative assessments significantly reduce anxiety in physics, and improve academic performance in physics in comparison with a traditional teaching. Furthermore, a mediation effect of anxiety in physics on academic performance is observed. In sum, this implies that an easily to implement technique of formative assessments can make students feel more at ease, which contributes to better educational performance

Towards reducing anxiety and increasing performance in physics education: Evidence from a randomized experiment.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of an intervention of formative assessments with a clicker-based technology on anxiety and academic performance. We use a randomized experiment in physics education in one school in Dutch secondary education. For treated students the formative assessments are operationalized through quizzing at the end of each physics class, where clickers enable students to respond to questions. Control students do not receive these assessments and do not use clickers, but apart from that the classes they attend are similar. Findings from multilevel regressions indicate that the formative assessments significantly reduce anxiety in physics, and improve academic performance in physics in comparison with a traditional teaching. Furthermore, a mediation effect of anxiety in physics on academic performance is observed. In sum, this implies that an easily to implement technique of formative assessments can make students feel more at ease, which contributes to better educational performance

Predicting the Probability for Adopting an Audience Response System in Higher Education

Instructional technologies can be effective tools to foster student engagement, but university faculty may be reluctant to integrate innovative and evidence-based modern learning technologies into instruction. It is important to identify the factors that influence faculty adoption of instructional technologies in the teaching and learning process. Based on Rogers\u27 diffusion of innovation theory, this quantitative, nonexperimental, one-shot cross-sectional survey determined what attributes of innovation (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability) predict the probability of faculty adopting the audience response system (ARS) into instruction. The sample for the study consisted of 201 faculty who have current teaching appointments at a university in the southeastern United States. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the attributes of innovation that predict the probability of faculty adopting the ARS into instruction. The data indicated that the attributes of compatibility and trialability significantly predicted faculty adoption of ARS into instruction. Based on the results of the study, a professional development project that includes 3 full days of training and experiential learning was designed to assist faculty in adopting ARS into instruction. Because the current study only included the faculty at a single local university, future studies are recommended to explore a more holistic view of the problem from different institutions and from other stakeholders who may contribute to the process of instructional technology adoption. The project not only contributes to solving the local problem in ARS adoption, but it is also instrumental in promoting positive social change by fostering evidence-based teaching strategies and innovations that maximize student learning

Does Teacher Behavior Change in Middle School Math Classes When Teachers Receive Instructional Coaching Using Bug-In-Ear Technology?

The purpose of this study was to investigate if there is a relationship between the use of immediate feedback provided through instructional coaching and teacher behaviors shown to improve student achievement. Specifically this study used a time-series nonequivalent control group design to explore the relationship between instructional coaching using Bug-In-Ear (BIE) technology and teacher frequency of the following behaviors: (a) teacher use of technology-enhanced choral response as part of completed three-term contingency trials, (b) the high-access strategy of choral response versus the low-access strategy of call-outs and blurt-outs, (c) re-directs, reprimands, and behavior-specific praise statements. Measures of student engagement and achievement were collected by means of electronic student response systems. The findings of the study indicated that immediate feedback delivered by instructional coaching via BIE technology was not related to an increase in the frequency of completed teacher TTC trials. However, results indicated significant changes in teacher behaviors including use of choral response, re-directs and reprimands, and low-access strategies. A relationship between frequency and nature or coaching prompts and teacher prompts was also demonstrated. This study contributes to the field of education by introducing technology-enhanced choral response as a high-access instructional practice that may increase composite student achievement

Community College Developmental Education Services: Perspectives of Spanish-Speaking Latino Early Childhood Educators

The purpose of this single case study was to understand the perceptions of Latino Spanish-speaking English learners on the efficacy of developmental education services at a western United States community college. The conceptual frameworks used in the investigation included critical theory related to human emancipation, social learning theory aligned to second language acquisition, and contemporary adult learning theories. The goal of the investigation was to understand how students used and perceived the developmental education services to transition from Spanish language instruction to English coursework. Research questions focused on how the developmental education services contributed to the successful completion of the child development practicum for Latino Spanish-speaking English learners. The primary data collection method was in-depth individual interviews of a purposeful sample of 9 successful students. Data were transcribed, coded, and themes were developed based on the components of the conceptual frameworks. Findings indicated that participants relied on Spanish instruction for comprehensible context, but needed consistent education support services and information from a culturally responsive institution in a language they understood. The results prompted the development of a multicultural introduction to college course designed to facilitate access to developmental education services. Implications for social change include developing curriculum to inform Spanish-speaking English learners in the community college system and remediating the shortage of qualified Latino preschool teachers in the community, thereby providing positive role models for young Latino children