Types Of Study Materials Research Articles

Exploring the usage of learning resources by medical students in the basic science stage and their effect on academic performance

BackgroundThe United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) step 1 is one of the two examinations written after completion of the first two years (basic science stage) of medical school to be eligible to apply for residency training in the USA. A huge number and types of study materials are available to prepare for the exam which might confuse students choosing a resource.We investigated learning resources being used by the third and fifth-semester medical students and their association with academic performance. We also compared learning resources and exam scores of high-performing and low-performing students.MethodsData collection was done using structured (quantitative study) and semi-structured (qualitative study) questionnaires during a face-to-face interview. This article is about the quantitative part which was designed as a correlational study. Single factor one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation coefficient test, T-test, and Fisher’s exact test were used to analyze the data.ResultsAbout half of all students used three or more commercial resources dealing with the same content. A weak negative correlation was observed between the number of commercial resources and the exam scores, especially when the number of these resources was three or more (r = -0.26). The mean exam score of textbook users was statistically significantly higher than the mean score of textbook non-users (p = 0.01). The usage of textbooks was statistically significantly higher in the cohort of top performers in comparison to the rest of the students (p = 0.006). In addition to less usage of textbooks, the mean number of review books was higher in the group of weakest students (2.84 versus 3.7; p = 0.75).ConclusionsMost students did not use professional textbooks and about half used too many commercial review resources. While the former fact was significantly associated with poor academic performance, the later fact had weak negative correlation with exam score.Pedagogical interventions are urgently needed to make the right type of learning resources available by making professional textbooks more USMLE-oriented and helping the students choose the best and right number of resources for optimum academic performance. By fulfilling the observed needs of the students in this way, they might feel empowered because of self-determination which will motivate studies.

Comparison of textbook versus three-dimensional animation versus cadaveric training videos in teaching laparoscopic rectal surgery: a prospective randomized trial.

The aim of this prospective randomized study was to compare the effectiveness of various educational tools in laparoscopic rectal surgery, including surgical textbooks, animation and cadaveric videos. Initially, an electronic assessment test assessing knowledge of laparoscopic rectal surgery was created and validated. The test was sent to graduates completing a general surgery residency programme in Turkey, who were then randomized into four groups based on the type of study material. After a 4week study period, the volunteers were asked to answer the same electronic assessment test imported into an edited live laparoscopic rectal surgery video. Pre- and posteducation assessment tests among the groups were compared. A total of 168 volunteers completed the pre-education assessment test and were randomized into four groups. Pre-education assessment test scores were similar among the groups (p>0.05). Of 168 volunteers, 130 (77.3%) completed the posteducation assessment test. Posteducation assessment test scores were significantly higher in the three-dimensional (3D) animation+cadaveric video group (p<0.01), the 3D animation group (p<0.01) and the cadaveric group (p<0.01) compared with the textbook group. Moreover, posteducation assessment test scores were significantly higher in the 3D animation+cadaveric video group than the 3D animation group (p<0.01). Each group's posteducation assessment test scores were significantly higher than the pre-education assessment test scores, with the exception of the textbook group. Our study demonstrates that 3D animation+cadaveric videos, 3D animation alone and cadaveric videos are all superior to a surgical textbook when teaching laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. Finally, our results show that 3D animation and cadaveric videos are also superior to textbooks in enabling an understanding of rectal surgery.

A cross-sectional study to determine factors affecting dental and medical students’ preference for virtual learning during the COVID-19 outbreak

Virtual “online” teaching has been adopted by most universities around the world during the COVID-19 outbreak. This study aims to investigate the factors that might affect students’ preference for virtual learning. Since a second wave of such pandemic is expected to occur, professors and teaching assistants may want to be prepared and aware to create an effective virtual learning environment for students.Using an online survey questionnaire, a total of 488 students in their basic science years of study (first to the third year) who are enrolled in dental and medical college responded to the online survey. The authors utilized a binary logistic regression model to estimate the impact of the nine explanatory variables (gender, student's year of study, accessibility of online tools, class engagement in virtual classes, GPA change during COVID-19 outbreak, class attendance in virtual vs. in-person lectures, type of study material, time saving for virtual classes, and anxiety level during the COVID-19 outbreak) on the students' preference for virtual learning. The analysis of variance showed that three out of the nine variables were not significant to the model: gender, study level, and study material. In addition, to understand the behavioral intention for the students during such pandemic, the online survey questionnaire captured students' voice on their willingness to wear masks, wash their hands, or both as well as their acceptance to take the vaccine once it is available. The results showed that 7.02 % of the students did not change simple health behaviors and 18.43% are not interested in taking the vaccine. This implies the importance of enacting new laws for reopening universities, applying high fines for violators, and obligating students to take the vaccine since university settings have high levels of social contact with populations from different communities and countries.

The Use of Dental Implants in Organ Transplant Patients Undergoing Immunosuppressive Therapy: An Overview of Publications.

Immunosuppressive treatment has been commonly considered a contraindication to the use of dental implants. This article is aimed at analyzing the publications related to that issue and answering the question of whether such treatment is viable in patients with organ transplants. The following databases have been searched to find related publications: Clinical Key, Web of Science, Up to date, PubMed, and Medline. Full research paper texts published over the past 15 years have been taken into consideration. The selected publications were divided depending on the type of study material, that is, whether they focused on animal tests or human tests. The studies performed on animals showed negative impact of immunosuppression on the bones surrounding the implants. Publications presenting clinical cases of organ transplant patients indicated no significant disorders in the process of implant osseointegration despite the use of immunosuppressive drugs. Despite the negative impact of immunosuppressive drugs on the process of bone healing, it is possible to treat organ transplant patients with intraosseous titanium implants. The key to success is the observance of appropriate treatment procedures and proper hygienic routines. An alteration of medication regimen that currently makes use of immunosuppressive drugs of much lower toxicity is also extremely significant.

Plug-in Reflecting Student's Characteristics of Individualized Learning

Abstract The paper focuses on individualized learning from the point of preferred types of study materials and formats of knowledge assessment. Results of two researches held at the Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic are provided and interpreted so that to show what approaches to the process of individualized learning could be carried on.

Vocabulary materials and study strategies at advanced level

This paper reports on a quasi-experimental study of the effect of different vocabulary study materials and strategies used by upper-intermediate English as a foreign language students in higher education. Students were assigned a selection of 163 words from the Academic Word List and were provided with different types of study materials. They were informed that they would be tested on the vocabulary five weeks later. The vocabulary assignment was embedded in theircoursework, and the tests – translation of passages of academic writing into L2 – were similar to the end-of-year tests for this course. Students kept logbooks detailing their study efforts (type of activity, duration and timing) and were post-tested twice. Post-tests show better results for two types of materials – thematically organized lists with L1 glosses, and similar lists with example sentences instead of glosses – but the differences were significant only on the immediate post-test. Time spent studying did not significantly affect the results. Amore fine-grained analysis of the qualitative data showed that students, given time, tailor the study materials to fit their ingrained study habits, and that amajority prefer shallow strategies. Overall, gains were modest at around sevenwords/hour on average, which is much less than reported elsewhere, but thisis clearly a factor of the challenging nature of the productive task in this experiment.

Testing effects for common versus proper names

The present study examines the testing effect as a function of item meaningfulness. In Experiments 1 and 2 participants studied lists of words that could serve as proper names or occupations (e.g., Mr Baker or baker), with the items given in a name context for one group and an occupation context for a second group. During an intervening phase participants restudied some items and were given a cued recall test (Experiment 1) or a free recall test (Experiment 2) on other items. On a final free recall test memory was better for tested items than studied items in both the name and occupation contexts. Experiment 3 followed the same procedure as Experiment 1, except that participants studied lists of proper names that do not have alternative uses in the English language (e.g., Mr Anderson) or studied concrete nouns (e.g., letter). Tested items were better remembered on a final test than studied items, and there was no interaction with type of study material. These results show that the testing effect extends to proper names, material that is commonly assumed to differ from common names on several dimensions.

A simple impregnation technique for thin and semithin enterochromaffin cells in sections.

Constant, intense and precise impregnation of enterochromaffin (EC) cells was achieved simply by floating thin or semithin sections of gut mucosa, fixed in osmium tetroxide or in glutaraldehyde with postfixation in osmium, on a silver nitrate or proteinate solution. EC cells alone showed impregnation in the light microscope. In the electron microscope, impregnation affected not only the secretory granules of EC cells but also, although much more faintly, those of other, non-EC cells (D, X, D1, G and other cells). Lysosomes also showed partial or total reactivity. Oxidation reduced but did not entirely suppress EC cell staining and had no effect on non-EC endocrine cell staining. Since the reaction did not occur with glutaraldehyde alone, osmium appeared to be a crucial component of the process. These findings should be borne in mind in applying Thiery's method for vicinal glycol groups to the type of study material used in these experiments.