Interrater reliability of the mind map assessment rubric in a cohort of medical students

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Learning strategies are thinking tools that students can use to actively acquire information. Examples of learning strategies include mnemonics, charts, and maps. One strategy that may help students master the tsunami of information presented in medical school is the mind map learning strategy. Currently, there is no valid and reliable rubric to grade mind maps and this may contribute to their underutilization in medicine. Because concept maps and mind maps engage learners similarly at a metacognitive level, a valid and reliable concept map assessment scoring system was adapted to form the mind map assessment rubric (MMAR). The MMAR can assess mind map depth based upon concept-links, cross-links, hierarchies, examples, pictures, and colors. The purpose of this study was to examine interrater reliability of the MMAR.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This exploratory study was conducted at a US medical school as part of a larger investigation on learning strategies. Sixty-six (<it>N </it>= 66) first-year medical students were given a 394-word text passage followed by a 30-minute presentation on mind mapping. After the presentation, subjects were again given the text passage and instructed to create mind maps based upon the passage. The mind maps were collected and independently scored using the MMAR by 3 examiners. Interrater reliability was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient (<it>ICC</it>) statistic. Statistics were calculated using SPSS version 12.0 (Chicago, IL).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Analysis of the mind maps revealed the following: concept-links <it>ICC </it>= .05 (95% CI, -.42 to .38), cross-links <it>ICC </it>= .58 (95% CI, .37 to .73), hierarchies <it>ICC </it>= .23 (95% CI, -.15 to .50), examples <it>ICC </it>= .53 (95% CI, .29 to .69), pictures <it>ICC </it>= .86 (95% CI, .79 to .91), colors <it>ICC </it>= .73 (95% CI, .59 to .82), and total score <it>ICC </it>= .86 (95% CI, .79 to .91).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The high <it>ICC </it>value for total mind map score indicates strong MMAR interrater reliability. Pictures and colors demonstrated moderate to strong interrater reliability. We conclude that the MMAR may be a valid and reliable tool to assess mind maps in medicine. However, further research on the validity and reliability of the MMAR is necessary.</p

Does the mind map learning strategy facilitate information retrieval and critical thinking in medical students?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A learning strategy underutilized in medical education is mind mapping. Mind maps are multi-sensory tools that may help medical students organize, integrate, and retain information. Recent work suggests that using mind mapping as a note-taking strategy facilitates critical thinking. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a relationship existed between mind mapping and critical thinking, as measured by the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT), and whether a relationship existed between mind mapping and recall of domain-based information.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this quasi-experimental study, 131 first-year medical students were randomly assigned to a standard note-taking (SNT) group or mind map (MM) group during orientation. Subjects were given a demographic survey and pre-HSRT. They were then given an unfamiliar text passage, a pre-quiz based upon the passage, and a 30-minute break, during which time subjects in the MM group were given a presentation on mind mapping. After the break, subjects were given the same passage and wrote notes based on their group (SNT or MM) assignment. A post-quiz based upon the passage was administered, followed by a post-HSRT. Differences in mean pre- and post-quiz scores between groups were analyzed using independent samples <it>t</it>-tests, whereas differences in mean pre- and post-HSRT total scores and subscores between groups were analyzed using ANOVA. Mind map depth was assessed using the Mind Map Assessment Rubric (MMAR).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were no significant differences in mean scores on both the pre- and post-quizzes between note-taking groups. And, no significant differences were found between pre- and post-HSRT mean total scores and subscores.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although mind mapping was not found to increase short-term recall of domain-based information or critical thinking compared to SNT, a brief introduction to mind mapping allowed novice MM subjects to perform similarly to SNT subjects. This demonstrates that medical students using mind maps can successfully retrieve information in the short term, and does not put them at a disadvantage compared to SNT students. Future studies should explore longitudinal effects of mind-map proficiency training on both short- and long-term information retrieval and critical thinking.</p

Correlação interobservador das alterações morfológicas das vias biliares em pacientes com esquistossomose mansoni pela colangiorressonância magnética Evaluation of morphological changes of the biliary tree by magnetic resonance cholangiography in patients with schistosomiasis mansoni: interobserver agreement

OBJETIVO: Descrever as alterações das vias biliares pela colangiografia por ressonância magnética (CPRM) na esquistossomose hepatoesplênica e avaliar a concordância interobservador da CPRM na detecção de colangiopatia esquistossomótica. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivo e transversal em 24 pacientes com a forma hepatoesplênica da esquistossomose mansoni e em 6 pacientes sadios, como grupo controle, com avaliação da via biliar pela CPRM. As alterações da via biliar consideradas foram: distorção, afilamento, estenose, dilatação e irregularidade. Foi calculada a concordância interobsevador para alteração da via biliar com o teste de McNemar e o índice kappa (&#954;). RESULTADOS: A concordância interobservador na caracterização de distorção e afilamento da via biliar foi quase perfeita (&#954; = 0,867; intervalo de confiança [IC] 95% [0,512-1,0] e &#954; = 0,865; IC 95% [0,51-1,0], respectivamente). A concordância foi substancial para a estenose (&#954; = 0,78; IC 95% [0,424-1,0]), moderada para dilatação (&#954; = 0,595; IC 95% [0,247-0,942]) e regular para afilamento (&#954; = 0,229; IC 95% [0,095-0,552]). CONCLUSÃO: As alterações observadas nas vias biliares foram, em ordem decrescente de ocorrência: distorção, afilamento, estenose, dilatação e irregularidade. A concordância interobservador para sinais de colangiopatia esquistossomótica foi quase perfeita para distorção e afilamento e substancial para estenose.<br>OBJECTIVE: To describe changes of the biliary tree demonstrated by magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) in patients with the hepatosplenic presentation of schistosomiasis mansoni, and evaluating the interobserver agreement in the detection of schistosomal cholangiopathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective, cross-sectional study involving 24 patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and 6 healthy patients (control group) submitted to biliary tree evaluation by MRC. The following changes of the biliary tree were considered: distortion, thinning, stenosis, dilation and irregularity. The interobserver agreement in the detection of biliary tree changes was calculated with the McNemar's test and the kappa index of agreement (&#954;). RESULTS: The interobserver agreement in the detection of distortion and thinning of the biliary tree was almost perfect (&#954; = 0.867; confidence interval [CI] 95% [0.512-1.0] and &#954; = 0.865; CI 95% [0.51-1.0], respectively). There was a substantial agreement for stenosis (&#954; = 0.78; CI 95% [0.424-1.0]), moderate agreement for dilation (&#954; = 0.595; CI 95% [0.247-0.942]) and mild agreement for thinning (&#954; = 0.229; CI 95% [0.095-0.552]). CONCLUSION: In a decreasing order of frequency, the changes of the biliary tree were observed: distortion, thinning, stenosis, dilation and irregularity. The interobserver agreement for signs of schistosomal cholangiopathy was almost perfect for distortion and thinning, and substantial for stenosis