Comparison of academic performance in undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology using in‐person versus asynchronous on‐line laboratory instruction

Abstract

OBJECTIVETo compare the effectiveness of asynchronous on‐line laboratory instruction with in‐person instruction on learning in undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology.METHODSA retrospective analysis was conducted on student academic performance on the first semester of a 2‐semester Anatomy and Physiology course. All students were enrolled in an asynchronous on‐line Anatomy and Physiology lecture course and had the option of enrolling in either an in‐person or asynchronous on‐line laboratory. Assessment of learning for all students was obtained via course management software. Specific assessments included 3 lecture examinations, 2 laboratory examinations, and 12 specific content quizzes for lecture and laboratory respectively (24 quizzes total). All examinations were proctored, whereas students were not proctored for quizzes and were encouraged to use their textbooks and notes. Student engagement was assessed based on number of independent course log‐ins, number of completed tasks, and total time spent.RESULTSOverall the students who enrolled in the in‐person laboratory instruction had mean examination scores ca. 10% higher than the on‐line laboratory students that was greatly dependent on topic area. Specifically, there was no difference between the two groups in the first lecture exam (regional anatomy, cellular anatomy, and histology), with a 9% difference in the second exam (musculoskeletal system), and a 13% difference in the third lecture exam (Nervous system). There was no difference between the two sets of students in the measures of student engagement or in the lecture quiz scores. There was a 22% decrease in the mean laboratory quiz grade for students enrolled in the on‐line laboratory. There was a 14% and 22% difference in the mean scores for the 2 laboratory exams. Further, the reduction in mean laboratory examination score was still significant when normalized to the student’s individual mean lecture examination score.CONCLUSIONSThe use of asynchronous on‐line laboratory instead of in‐person laboratory instruction can significantly negatively impact student academic performance.Support or Funding InformationNIDDK R15DK114740