Winter Semester Research Articles

A Lesson Design on the Subject of Climate Change as a Course Unit in Language Teaching

Aim. The purpose of this qualitative research is the preparation, implementation and evaluation of a present-related lesson focused on the selection of the subject of climate change for elective German courses taught in universities. For climate change, the issues of sustainability and peace are also important. It is important to address these issues in educational institutions. The dove of peace is an important figure. Methods. In this research the document analysis technique was used. The research on the subject of climate change, sustainability and peace in the context of relation to the present was taken up during the winter semester of 2022/2023 academic year in the elective German courses of the researcher at Hacettepe University. Results. The successful contribution of the lesson planning model already mentioned in this article was also observed in the teaching activities at primary and secondary schools conducted earlier. The participants discussed climate change, sustainability, and peace. Conclusion. It was observed that the participants voluntarily talked about climate change, sustainability, and peace. It is important to state that the interest of the participants in German courses continued. Originality. German language courses are offered as a foreign language learning practice and elective foreign language courses in schools, private institutions, and universities in Turkey. Participants from all the departments of the Hacettepe university voluntarily attended the elective German language classes. To conduct the German courses effectively, a suitable method should be developed to help the participants who come from different countries having various levels of fluent speech.

The impact of e-learning on students’ performance: the mediating role of sustainable education

PurposeThe study aims to assess the impact of electronic learning (e-learning) on students' performance (SP), with an emphasis on the mediating role of sustainable education (SE) at the Sharjah Police Sciences Academy (SPSA). The urgency of this study was highlighted by the global COVID-19 pandemic that happened between 2020 and 2022, which emphasized the need for e-learning as a tangible and imperative solution.Design/methodology/approachThe study applied a quantitative approach, targeting the 91 student population at SPSA in the winter semester of 2022/2023 who practiced the e-learning process. A comprehensive survey was implemented disseminating 91 questionnaires by Google Forms to all students. Of the total, 61 questionnaires were returned, resulting in a response rate of 67.03%.FindingsThe results revealed that e-learning predictors explained 85.4% of the variations in SP, and 46.4% of the variations in SE. The model demonstrated a strong fit and high predictive relevance. The indirect impact of e-learning on SP through SE was found to be positive and statistically significant at the 0.05 level. Consequently, the mediation effect was considered partial and statistically significant.Practical implicationsPolicymakers and educators should consider findings of the study when designing educational programs and policies. Accordingly, the SPSA management could gradually focus on safeguarding a sustainable e-learning environment and improving high-tech platforms. This would involve creating a sustainable e-learning curriculum to enable students to remain informed on the best e-learning practices.Originality/valueAn empirical study is essential for exploring the optimal answers to inquiries related to e-learning, SE and their impact on SP. The finding of the current study may contribute to the existing knowledge on e-learning, SE and SP. Additionally, they may improve learning activities and provide more sustainable learning experiences, leading to enhanced learning outcomes for students

INSTAGRAM IN TEACHING ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC ACADEMIC PURPOSES

The purpose of the study is to explore the potential of integrating Instagram in university-level English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) courses, focusing on Business English for Advanced Students. Using a mixed-methods approach, it combines qualitative data from observing the completion of Instagram-based assignments and subsequent semi-structured group interviews with quantitative data from a five-point Likert scale questionnaire distributed to the students who participated in the study. The research sample consisted of twenty-six undergraduate students from the Faculty of Commerce at the University of Economics in Bratislava, Slovakia, who completed four Instagram-based tasks related to communication, international marketing, promoting Slovakia, and success, which were linked to topics covered in the course during the winter semester of the academic year 2020/2021. The findings show that Instagram can be used effectively in ESAP courses mainly due to its popularity, visual appeal of posts, and, most importantly, as a platform that serves as a powerful marketing tool. The results indicate that the implementation of Instagram activities was positively perceived by most students, with high levels of agreement regarding the relevance, engagement, and creativity of the tasks. The study highlights the potential benefits of using Instagram in ESAP, providing insights into effective language learning through authentic, business-related tasks. Ultimately, integrating Instagram into ESAP can enable students to develop the language skills and competencies needed in real business contexts.

Undergraduates’ workplace learning in health sciences education: psychometric properties of single-item measures

BackgroundUndergraduates’ workplace learning is an important part of health sciences education. Educational psychology research considers many different aspects of self-regulated learning at the workplace, including cognition, motivation, emotions, and context. Multivariate longitudinal and diary studies in this field require fewer items than alternatives or even a single item per construct and can reveal the sub-processes of workplace learning and contribute to a better understanding of students’ learning. Short instruments are necessary for application in workplace settings, especially stressful ones, to mitigate survey fatigue. The present study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of single items measuring various aspects of workplace learning.MethodsTwenty-nine single items selected from the Workplace Learning Inventory in Health Sciences Education were analyzed for reliability, information reproduction, and relationships within the nomological network. The authors additionally analyzed four generally formulated single items’ relationships with the full Workplace Learning Inventory scales and external criteria within the nomological network. Participants were 214 ninth- or tenth-semester veterinary medicine students in Austria and Germany who were learning at varied workplaces during the winter semester of 2021/2022.ResultsOf the 29 single items selected from existing scales, 27 showed sufficient reliability, but mixed results were obtained regarding validity. Although the items’ relationships within the nomological network were similar to those of the full scales, information reproduction was insufficient for most items. The four general single items showed acceptable validity, but the reliability of these measures of states could not be assessed.ConclusionsThis paper reported findings on the psychometric properties of single items for undergraduates’ workplace learning in health science education. The findings are crucial for deciding whether to use scales versus single-item measures in future studies. By applying the findings, researchers can be more economical in their workplace learning data collection and can include more constructs.

Financial Literacy of University Students in Ukraine – Challenges and Opportunities of the Adaptation of the U.S. Test of Financial Literacy

<p style="text-align:justify">Reinforced by the Russian war, an even stronger economic, social, and political orientation towards the values of the European Union and thus also Western economic paradigms is taking place in Ukraine. This article investigates financial literacy (FL) as the knowledge and understanding of personal finance among university students in Ukraine. Individual financial decision-making will be central to the reconstruction of Ukraine and the long-term economic growth of the country. We use the principles developed by the U.S. Council for Economic Education in modelling FL. In doing so, we examine the feasibility of using a version of the U.S. American Test of Financial Literacy translated and adapted into Ukrainian. The translation and adaptation process of the 50-item test instrument is presented in the article. Significant differences in the content of FL between Ukraine and the U.S. test instrument are highlighted. At the beginning of the winter semester 2022, the Ukrainian version was administered to 68 students at three East-Ukrainian universities (Donetsk, Sumy, Kharkiv). In the article, we present findings from the initial validation of the test instrument and show from a content perspective which hurdles need to be overcome in the future for some concepts of FL.</p>

Practical Year in Public Health: 10 Years of Experience at the Public Health Department in Frankfurt

Since the winter semester 2013/14, the Public Health Department in Frankfurt has been the first to offer an internship in public health to medical students in their practical year in Germany. In this study, we analyzed how students evaluated their practical experience and the logbook within clinical training at the Public Health Department. A rotation procedure was set up and a logbook with subject-specific learning objectives was developed. After the internship, students participated in an evaluation using a standardized questionnaire. The results of the last 10 years were evaluated quantitatively. The evaluation results of 15 medical students of the last 10 years showed a very high level of internship satisfaction. There was a high acceptance of the logbook regarding structure, learning objectives and skills. The internship at the Frankfurt Public Health Department provides the opportunity to be involved in daily activities of public health practice, gives an overview of learning objectives, and underlines good public health training.

The Development of Digital Competences in Future Chemistry Teachers in Accordance with the DigCompEdu Requirements

This paper reports on the results of the research aimed at the creation of an e-learning course to support the teaching of the compulsory course Activating Methods in Chemistry Teaching (AMCT) in the LMS (Learning Management System) Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment). This course was subsequently implemented into university teaching to develop students’ digital competences in line with the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu). The research sample consisted of first year Master's degree students of chemistry teaching (N=18) at the Faculty of Science, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice. The research took the form of a one-group quasi-experiment performed during the winter semester of the 2023/2024 academic year. The scope of teaching in the e-course was over 9 modules for a total of 42 hours. The research instruments included the self-assessment card filled in by the students before and after completing the e-course, and a questionnaire developed by the authors. The evaluation of the comparison of the students’ self-assessment cards shows an overall improvement in the students’ level of digital competences and skills in the individual topics covered by the e-course. Significant development of digital skills was evident in the topics Computer Based Laboratory Activities, Online Applications and Use of a Digital Visualizer. The results of the questionnaire showed that students realised the benefits of the e-course for their future teaching practice. To optimise the e-course, it will be necessary to adjust the amount of time required for some topics and create more opportunities to use digital technology to address specific topics in chemistry.

Coding Decoded: Exploring Course Achievement and Gender Disparities in an Online Flipped Classroom Programming Course

In introductory programming courses (IPCs), students encounter various difficulties that are related to low achievement and high dropout and failure rates. Technology-rich approaches that promote self-directed learning while facilitating competency development and knowledge construction through social collaboration may offer advantages in this context. The current study assesses such an instructional approach by (1) identifying antecedents and process variables related to course achievement in an online flipped classroom IPC and (2) testing for gender differences regarding antecedents, process variables, and course achievement. In the winter semester of 2020/21, a sample of 144 Austrian university students participated in a survey with measurements at different points in time. Multiple linear regression was carried out to explore factors related to course achievement. The results indicate that gender, achievement-avoidance goals, academic self-concept, engagement in asynchronous learning, and course satisfaction were positively related to achievement. In contrast, work avoidance was identified as a barrier to achievement. Additionally, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was employed to test gender differences. MANOVA revealed significant gender differences regarding learning goals, mathematical self-concept, work avoidance, and engagement in synchronous learning. There were no gender differences regarding course satisfaction or achievement. The study has implications for designing innovative programming courses that could foster course satisfaction and achievement and thus reduce dropout and failure rates.

THE ROLE OF TRANSLATION STUDIES IN GERMAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE STUDIES

The aim of this research is to examine students’ attitudes and experiences regarding translation classes in German language and literature studies. This quantitative and qualitative research was conducted on the basis of a questionnaire with third-year students who, as part of the compulsory course Modern German Language 5, attended translation classes in the winter semester, with two classes a week. The results of the conducted questionnaire represent an over- view of the current status and role of translation studies in the classes of German as a foreign language in the German language and literature studies department at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Niš. The results of the research indicate to what extent translation studies affects the process of learning German as a foreign language and how translation teaching can be improved in order for students to acquire linguistic and translation competence. In addition to the practical significance of the research for translation classes, the work also has a theoretical significance, since various approaches and theories in the teaching of translation are present- ed that thematize translational categories (also areas of linguistics) such as lexicon, semantics, pragmatics, etc. and the means by which the process and product of translation are described or reflected. Many aspects of translation (understanding, intention, communication, mediation, communication, etc.) are reflected and intertwined in the attitudes of the students.

Termin wypowiedzenia umowy o pracę zawartej z nauczycielem akademickim

The subject of the article is the termination date of an academic teacher’s employment contract. The Law on Higher Education and Science binds this date to the end of the semester. While the regulation provided for in the pragmatics allows for a precise determination of the end of the summer semester (30 September), it does not provide grounds for an unambiguous determination of the end of the winter semester. This is confirmed by the differing views of the doctrine on the matter and the practice, as well as the first statements of the judicature. The interpretative dispute boils down to whether the end of the winter semester is determined at the university level or has been uniformly defined in the Law on Higher Education and Science. In view of the significant discrepancies in interpretation and the objections raised to the various positions taken in this dispute, it seems justified to call for a clearer regulation of when the end of the winter semester falls, so that the termination date of an academic teacher’s employment contract does not raise any doubts.

Two contrasting and complementary views of Göttingen: letters from the first female Norwegian Ph.D. in mathematics, Elizabeth Stephansen, to her compatriot Carl Størmer in the winter semester of 1902/3

Late in 1902 and early in 1903 Elizabeth Stephansen, the first female Norwegian Ph.D. in mathematics (1902), wrote two letters from Göttingen to her colleague and compatriot Carl Størmer. The letters can be partly read as a reaction to some criticism which Størmer had made of the mathematical atmosphere in Göttingen before he left in December 1902 after a stay of only two months. The letters are discussed in this paper and published in the appendix in their entirety both in original Norwegian and in English translation. The article provides an insight into some aspirations and social conditions in Scandinavian, in particular Norwegian, mathematics at the beginning of the twentieth century. It also helps to broaden and deepen the historical discussion of mathematics in Göttingen around the turn of the twentieth century.

Meeting summary: Exploring cloud dynamics with Cloud Model 1 and 3D visualization – insights from a university modeling workshop

Abstract. We introduce an innovative 2-week educational block course held at the University of Bonn during the 2023 winter semester, focusing on Cloud Model 1 (CM1) and its convection-resolving capabilities. During the course, participants gained essential skills in setting up and customizing CM1 simulations on a high-performance computing cluster while gaining insights into moist-convection dynamics. An additional introduction to three-dimensional visualization software allowed the participants to transform numerical data into compelling visualizations, deepening their insights into cloud dynamics. The participants applied their gained knowledge in research projects of their own choice that will be presented here and in the Supplement.

Escape room jako metoda aktywizująca w nauczaniu języka niemieckiego na uczelni wyższej

The idea of using an escape room in foreign language teaching fits perfectly with the needs of today’s learners, where we create a natural learning environment using digital tools. In the winter semester 2022/2023, a project entitled ‘My linguistic Escape Room (ER)’ was carried out among 60 third-year undergraduate students of German Studies at the University of Warsaw Institute of German Studies as part of the subject ‘Contemporary trends in language learning’. This project comprised three phases and was preceded by theoretical and practical lectures on the specifics of ER, as well as a review of analogue and digital games. The initial part of the project consisted of the lecturer initiating the project, discussing topic proposals in a forum, dividing into teams and developing a preliminary project plan. The core part involved independent work in teams and the final part involved the presentation of ER scenarios to the forum and their evaluation. Each of these parts was carried out exclusively in German. The following article presents the results of the project. The tool used to collect the research material was a questionnaire. The aim of the study was to identify the opinions of 3rd year undergraduate German studies students on the use of escape rooms in higher education. The main part of the survey concerns the advantages and difficulties experienced during each of the three phases. In the final section of the survey, students declare a desire for further escape room games at university and also during their further academic career. This fact reinforces the belief that escape rooms are an interesting and engaging activation technique at university, which should become a permanent part of the teaching repertoire.

Anatomy beyond the pandemic: A Q-methodology study exploring student perceptions toward a hybrid curriculum.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, anatomy education was forced to adopt online modes of delivery. Previous research on student views revealed areas of strong preference (asynchronous lectures) and strong dislike (virtual specimens) in online anatomy courses. The current study seeks to compare the views of a single cohort of students experiencing both online and in-person undergraduate introductory anatomy and physiology courses. This comparison can highlight what students consider beneficial to their education and can inform future hybrid course offerings. Q-methodology was used to assess the opinions of students. Students sorted 41 statements on anatomy education in a quasi-normally distributed grid based on their degree of agreement with the statements. The rankings underwent a by-person factor analysis which categorized students with shared perceptions into groups. Data were collected from 246 students in the primarily online fall semester and 191 students in the primarily in-person winter semester. Analysis revealed three distinct factors (groups) in the cohort. Factor one (n = 113 (fall), n = 93 (winter)), was satisfied overall with the course materials and delivery. Factor two (n = 52 (fall), n = 18 (winter)) had a deep dislike of online learning, and factor three (n = 37 (fall), n = 49 (winter)) had a strong preference for online learning. While many students were comfortable in both online and in-person learning environments, this was not the case for all learners. The strengths and weaknesses of each teaching modality suggest the opportunity to explore hybrid learning as an option for future course offerings and specifically highlight valuable aspects to incorporate from each environment.

Objective structured clinical examination to teach competency in planetary health care and management – a prospective observational study

BackgroundHealth professionals are increasingly called upon and willing to engage in planetary health care and management. However, so far, this topic is rarely covered in medical curricula. As the need for professional communication is particularly high in this subject area, this study aimed to evaluate whether the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) could be used as an accompanying teaching tool.MethodsDuring the winter semester 2022/2023, 20 third- and fifth-year medical students voluntarily participated in a self-directed online course, three workshops, and a formal eight-station OSCE on planetary health care and management. Each examinee was also charged alternatingly as a shadower with the role of providing feedback. Experienced examiners rated students’ performance using a scoring system supported by tablet computers. Examiners and shadowers provided timely feedback on candidates` performance in the OSCE. Immediately after the OSCE, students were asked about their experience using a nine-point Likert-scale survey and a videotaped group interview. Quantitative analysis included the presentation of the proportional distribution of student responses to the survey and of box plots showing percentages of maximum scores for the OSCE performance. The student group interview was analyzed qualitatively.ResultsDepending on the sub-theme, 60% -100% of students rated the subject of planetary health as likely to be useful in their professional lives. Similar proportions (57%-100%) were in favour of integrating planetary health into required courses. Students perceived learning success from OSCE experience and feedback as higher compared to that from online courses and workshops. Even shadowers learned from observation and feedback discussions. Examiners assessed students’ OSCE performance at a median of 80% (interquartile range: 83%-77%) of the maximum score.ConclusionsOSCE can be used as an accompanying teaching tool for advanced students on the topic of planetary health care and management. It supports learning outcomes, particularly in terms of communication skills to sensitise and empower dialogue partners, and to initiate adaptation steps at the level of individual patients and local communities.

Enhancing Reading Skills in an Academic Library: A Case Study of a Reading Groups

The paper investigated how Reading Groups in Academic Libraries can contribute to increasing library users' interaction with literature and improving language skills. A case study was conducted with the inclusion of creative writing exercises in a reading group. This initiative took place during the winter semester of the 2022-2023 academic year and involved Library Science students at a Greek University. The focus of the reading community was Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, targeting 12 students who had completed the Literature course of the 5th semester and volunteered to participate. The meetings were conducted within the Academic Library environment, aiming to familiarise participants with significant works of World Literature. Educational methodologies were employed based on reader-response theories, particularly Rosenblatt's Transactional Model, to underscore the creative engagement inherent in contemporary readers' interpretation of literary texts. After the conclusion of the program, students were asked to share their thoughts and experiences through open-ended questionnaires. The purpose was to evaluate how participation in reading groups at the library helped improve their language and reading skills, as well as sparked a deeper interest in exploring classic literature further. It was found that the reading group in Academic Libraries played a significant role in cultivating reading and language skills to students, as well as changing their attitudes towards literature. This paper filled a notable gap in the literature, particularly within the Greek context, regarding the role of reading groups in Academic Libraries as a means of bolstering students' reading capabilities.

Interactive electronic visualization formats in student teaching

In the context of contact restrictions, conventional teaching is currently in need of optimization and expansion. The range of digital teaching formats in student training is very heterogeneous and their effectiveness uncertain. This study aims to investigate the extent to which an electronic ward round can be used as an alternative to the conventional ENT attendance practical course, and whether the use of electronic teaching formats has an influence on the quality of teaching. Instead of regular attendance practicals, bedside teaching took place once aweek in real time as avideo stream via tablet. Atotal of 43students in the seventh semester (winter semester 2020/2021) were included in the prospective study. Evaluation forms were used to examine the subjective didactic value of different visualization formats for the students. Examination results from previous years were used for comparison. The majority of students reported knowledge gain from the electronic rounds (93.02%) and that they were agood alternative to the traditional attendance clerkship (69.77%). The quality of the video and audio transmission as well as the comprehensibility of the case studies presented were consistently rated as good to very good. The students' examination results tended to be slightly worse in the test group compared to the control students of previous years. Integration of innovative interactive visualization options into teaching shows promising prospects as asupplement to conventional face-to-face teaching. The results of this study can contribute to the further expansion of digital teaching. Scaling up this model could be considered especially in countries with limited availability of face-to-face teaching.

Multidimensional formats of surgical anatomy in otorhinolaryngology student teaching-acomparison of effectivity

Technological change in healthcare and the digital transformation of teaching require innovations in student teaching in medicine. New technologies are needed to enable the delivery and use of diverse teaching and learning formats by educational institutions independent of time and place. The aim of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of different multidimensional formats in student teaching in surgical ENT medical anatomy. During the summer semester 2022 and winter semester 2022/2023, the digital teaching and learning program was expanded by testing different visualization formats (3D glasses, cardboards, or VR glasses) with students in the context of ahighly standardized surgical procedure, namely cochlear implantation. Apre- and post-intervention knowledge assessment was carried out in all groups, followed by an evaluation. Of 183 students, 91students fully participated in the study. The post-intervention knowledge assessment showed asignificant increase in correct answers regardless of visualization format. In adirect comparison, the operating room (OR) group answered correctly significantly more often than the cardboard group (p = 0.0424). The majority of students would like to see 3D teaching as an integral part of the teaching program (87.9%) and more streaming of live surgeries (93.4%). They see the use of the various technologies as avery good addition to conventional surgical teaching (72.5%), as good visualization (89%) increases retention (74.7%) and motivation (81.3%). Application and use of new visualization technologies in everyday clinical practice is apromising approach to expanding student training. Mobile, interactive, and personalized technical formats can be adapted to the learning behavior of students. Last but not least, the use of new media influences learning motivation. An expansion of digital teaching and learning formats can be expressly recommended on the basis of this study.

The idea of God as a condition for the reason functionning in Kant's transcendental Theology

According to I. Kant, reflecting on reality, the mind inevitably comes to the idea of an entity possessing the highest perfection and absolutely necessary by its nature. The idea of God as the supreme being is considered by transcendental theology as a hypothesis of pure reason, without which its practical application is impossible. The author of the article explores why and how the concept of God plays a coordinating role in the work of speculative reason. In this regard, the structure and tasks of Kant's transcendental theology are discussed, its problematic nature as a form of cognition, the prerequisites for the emergence of the idea of God in pure reason, the possibility of proving His existence solely based on a priori concepts, the problem of excluding empirical definitions from the idea of God. The idea of God is analyzed in the light of the natural tasks of the mind formulated by Kant, as a necessary condition for the possibility of achieving them. The study is based on the analysis of Kantian texts. These are mainly the works "The only possible basis for proving the existence of God" (1763), the First and Second criticisms, manuscripts from 1778-1780 (the so-called materials for the "Critique of Pure Reason"), Lectures on Rational Theology of the winter semester of 1783/84, etc. As a result of the research, it is shown that the idea of God acts as an unprovable position, which, nevertheless, the mind must accept, since this is necessary for the completeness of its application. The author explains the organizing role of the concept of God by its a priori "genetic" connection with such categories of pure reason as reality and necessity. The concept of God is "involved" in the work of these categories and is simultaneously shaped by their application. It allows, ultimately, to think about the order and expediency of reality and satisfies the requirement of reason to be economical with respect to the number of explanatory principles. The author's special contribution to the research of the topic is to demonstrate the specifics of the transcendental approach to the stated problem. It is shown that the unprovability of the existence of God is a necessary element of transcendental theology. The very idea of the supreme essence appears in it as a limit, indicating the limit of the possibilities of the mind. In this regard, it is productive, as it allows us to idealize, model consciousness and construct a different type of rationality within the boundaries of our understanding of our own mind.

Comparison of the study performance of dental students in different subfields of neuroanatomy at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and evaluation of the neuroanatomy course in the fourth preclinical semester

IntroductionThe dentist's main working area is the head and neck region, which is innervated by the cranial nerves. On a daily basis, dentists must administer local anaesthesia to ensure pain-free treatment and differentiate between dental pain and neuropathies to avoid mistreatment. Therefore, neuroanatomical training, especially on the cranial nerves, is of immense importance for clinical practice. In order to adopt the curriculum, it is essential to constantly evaluate the quality of the training and to investigate whether there is a correlation between the students' performance and the relevance of the subfields to their work. Material and methodsTo address this issue, the results of MC exams in the neuroanatomy course for dental students at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin from winter semester 2014/2015 to winter semester 2019/2020 were analysed. Each question was assigned to a specific subfield of neuroanatomy. We then compared cranial nerves and cranial nerve nuclei (clinically relevant) with the remaining subfields (clinically less/not relevant) to investigate whether students performed better in anatomy subfields that are more aligned with the clinical practice of a dentist. We also conducted an anonymous survey (n=201) of the dental students. ResultsFrom winter semester 2014/2015 to winter semester 2019/2020, students performed significantly (***, p< 0.001) better on the clinically relevant questions of the MC examination than on the less/not clinically relevant questions. However, when looking at each of the eleven semesters separately, only three semesters actually performed significantly better on the clinically relevant questions. Our survey also showed that students perceived the subfield of cranial nerves and cranial nerve nuclei to be the most relevant and studied it more intensively out of their own interest. DiscussionThe study showed that students perceived the subfield of cranial nerves and cranial nerve nuclei to be the most relevant. However, there was no direct correlation between student performance and clinically relevant questions. Using student performance alone as an indicator of relevance is not optimal, as factors such as motivation to learn can have a significant impact. ConclusionGreater clinical relevance influences what students learn more intensively out of their own interest, but does not influence the results of the MC examination in favour of the subspecialty. Based on the available evidence, it is recommended that the structure of the neuroanatomy course be reconsidered.