Clinical trial NCT02971735: Cognitive Style and Mobile Technology in E-learning in Undergraduate Medical Education
Official title: Cognitive Style and Mobile Technology in E-learning in Undergraduate Medical Education- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Otolaryngology-head and Neck Surgery
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Medical Education
Keywords: cognitive style
e-learning
mobile technology
randomized controlled trial
otolaryngology-head and neck surgery
Lead sponsor: Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
First posted: 2016-11-23
Enrollment: 60
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 20
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: This study was a prospective randomized controlled trial.
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: New designs of 6-year undergraduate medical education (UME) in Taiwan mainly include (1) integral curricula of body organ system, (2) multiple methods of clinical teaching and assessment, and (3) generalism in UME. Accompany with decreasing educational hours in the classrooms and hospital, essential but minor components of primary healthcare such as ophthalmology and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) is disproportionately under-represented in UME. Novel medical education stresses on enabling self-directory learning and increasing learning hours outside the classrooms. Accordingly, we hypothesize that innovations in educational technology can enhance the learning outcomes of ORL-HNS. This study is aimed to determine whether mobile technology in e-learning (M-TEL) is an effective tool for the instruction of ORL-HNS and to compare effects of different cognitive styles on learning outcomes of M-TEL with various modules of medical education. This is a randomized controlled trial. We will recruit 60 UME students without previous training in ORL-HNS to undergo the Group Embedded Figures Test to determine their cognitive styles such as field dependence or field-independence. After blinded randomization, students are instructed on two modules of emergent ORL-HNS disorders, using either a standard e-learning of text-figure Power Point show or an interactive multimedia module. Subjects are evaluated on emergent ORL-HNS disorders using text-based assessment and multimedia assessment take place prior to and following instruction. After 7 days later, they will be assessed using global satisfaction score and AttrakDiff2 questionnaire. We anticipate that this study can confirm M-TEL can enhance the efficiency of the instruction of ORL-HNS and understand differences in learning outcomes of M-TEL with various modules of medical education between field dependence and filed independence using this platform.

Detailed description: Background:

New designs of 6-year undergraduate medical education (UME) mainly include (1) integral curricula of body organ system, (2) multiple methods of clinical teaching and assessment, and (3) generalism in UME. UME is meant to enable graduates to become undifferentiated general physicians. Accompany with decreasing educational hours in the classrooms and hospital, essential but minor components of primary healthcare such as ophthalmology and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (ORL-HNS) is disproportionately under-represented in UME. In Canada, substantial downstream effects on managing ORL-HNS problems have been noted in family medicine residents. In order to improve learning insufficiency and enhance clinical competency without increasing extra-hours in the classrooms and hospitals, novel medical education stresses on enabling self-directory learning and increasing learning hours outside the classrooms. Accordingly, we hypothesize that innovations in educational technology can enhance the learning outcomes of ORL-HNS.

Purposes: This study is aimed to determine whether mobile technology in e-learning (M-TEL) is an effective tool for the instruction of ORL-HNS and to compare effects of different cognitive styles on learning outcomes of M-TEL with various modules of medical education.

Material and Methods:

This is a randomized controlled trial. Firstly, we have been setup a e-learning platform of the Top 10 emergent ORL-HNS disorders with translating into an application (APP) function that can execute in mobile devices. Secondly, we will recruit 60 UME students without previous training in ORL-HNS to undergo the Group Embedded Figures Test to determine their cognitive styles such as field dependence or field-independence. After blinded randomization, students are instructed on two modules of emergent ORL-HNS disorders, using either a standard e-learning of text-figure Power Point show or an interactive multimedia module. Subjects are evaluated on emergent ORL-HNS disorders using a text-based assessment and a multimedia assessment take place prior to and following instruction.

Anticipating Outcome:

This study can (1) establish a M-TEL of ORL-HNS that can deliver an innovatively mobile e-learning to supplement the deficiency of the classroom hours, (2) confirm M-TEL can enhance the efficiency of the instruction of ORL-HNS, and (3) understand differences in learning outcomes of M-TEL with various modules of medical education between field dependence and filed independence using this platform.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age \> 20 years old;
2. UME students (defined as the three or four years of medical school training).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Previous ORL-HNS training;
2. Declining to participate.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Percentage Change in Multiple-choice Question (MCQ) Scores
timeFrame: before and immediately after the M-TEL intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Percentage Change in Multimedia Situation Test (MST) Scores
timeFrame: before and immediately after the M-TEL intervention
measure: Global Satisfaction Score
timeFrame: 7 days after the M-TEL intervention
measure: AttrakDiff2 Questionnaire: Pragmatic Quality Score
timeFrame: 7 days after the M-TEL intervention
measure: AttrakDiff2 Questionnaire: Hedonic Stimulation
timeFrame: 7 days after the M-TEL intervention
measure: AttrakDiff2 Questionnaire: Hedonic Identification
timeFrame: 7 days after the M-TEL intervention
measure: AttrakDiff2 Questionnaire: Attractiveness
timeFrame: 7 days after the M-TEL intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
Study officials:
affiliation: Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
name: Li-Ang Lee, M.D.
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
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citation: Lee LA, Wang SL, Chao YP, Tsai MS, Hsin LJ, Kang CJ, Fu CH, Chao WC, Huang CG, Li HY, Chuang CK. Mobile Technology in E-Learning for Undergraduate Medical Education on Emergent Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Disorders: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Med Educ. 2018 Mar 8;4(1):e8. doi: 10.2196/mededu.9237.
citation: Lee LA, Chao YP, Huang CG, Fang JT, Wang SL, Chuang CK, Kang CJ, Hsin LJ, Lin WN, Fang TJ, Li HY. Cognitive Style and Mobile E-Learning in Emergent Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Disorders for Millennial Undergraduate Medical Students: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2018 Feb 13;20(2):e56. doi: 10.2196/jmir.8987.