Use of remote response devices: an effective interactive method in the long- term learning

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the use of personal response systems (PRS) or clickers improved learning and retention of radiology concepts within a group of medical students. A total of 175 medical students attended 17 thoracic radiology lectures. Half of the information was taught with traditional teaching methods. The other half was performed using multiple-choice Power Point slides with PRS. Three months later, the students were tested using questions about the topics explained with and without PRS. We compared the average numbers of correct answers, wrong answers and unanswered questions between the topics explained with PRS and those without. The average number of correct answers was significantly higher in the interactive teaching (PRS) questions than in the passive education questions (63.6 vs. 53.2 %, p < 0.05). The percentages of wrong and unanswered interactive teaching questions were significantly lower than those in the passive education questions (23.4 vs. 27.4 % p < 0.005 and 13 vs. 19.5 % p < 0.005 respectively). Interactive learning with the use of remote response devices (PRS) is an effective method in teaching radiology because it improves learning and retention of knowledge.