A randomized trial comparing cadaveric dissection and examination of prosections as applied surgical anatomy teaching pedagogies

Anatomy is an important component in the vertical integration of basic science and clinical practice. Two common pedagogies are cadaveric dissection and examination of prosected specimens. Comparative studies mostly evaluate their immediate effectiveness. A randomized controlled trial design was employed to compare both the immediate and long-term effectiveness of dissection and prosection. Eighty third-year medical students undergoing their surgical rotation from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine were randomized into two groups: dissection and prosection. Each participated in a one-day hands-on course following a similar outline that demonstrated surgical anatomy in the context of its clinical relevance. A pre-course test was conducted to establish baseline knowledge. A post-course test was conducted immediately after and at a one-year interval to evaluate learner outcome and knowledge retention. A post-course survey was conducted to assess participant perception. Thirty-nine and thirty-eight participants for the dissection and prosection groups, respectively, were included for analysis. There was no significant difference between mean pre-course test scores between the dissection and prosection groups [12.6 (3.47) vs. 12.7 (3.16), P > 0.05]. Both the mean immediate [27.9 (4.30) vs. 24.9 (4.25), P < 0.05] and 1 year [23.9 (4.15) vs. 19.9 (4.05), P < 0.05] post-course test scores were significantly higher in the dissection group. However, when adjusted for course duration [dissection group took longer than prosection group (mean 411 vs. 265 min)], these findings were negated. There is no conclusive evidence of either pedagogy being superior in teaching surgical anatomy. Based on learner surveys, dissection provides a greater learner experience.     

Technology and adolescents: Perspectives on the things to come

Assuming that, given the processes of technology diffusion, adolescent behavior forecasts future consumption of digital information, it would seem pertinent to study the characteristics of teenager technology use. This research asks: What are the key patterns regarding the use of technology platforms by teenagers? Is technology usage among teenagers shaped by schools' disparate teaching philosophies and cultures? How is technology usage impacting the consumption of traditional print media? A survey designed to determine how high school students use technology was administered at a private boarding school in New Hampshire and a public school in New York. The research concluded that individuals' residing environment and context shape ICT adoption. School culture and geographic context drive behavioral technology usage patterns. Furthermore, consumption of information appears to be guided by a principle of complementarity. However, technology substitution should not be discarded. Finally, school culture incorporating and promoting technology use may contribute positively to knowledge acquisition, although technology adoption without controls could negatively impact the teaching experience. While directionally valid, the study results need to be validated by statistical research and case studies.     

Enhancing students’ self-regulation and mathematics performance: the influence of feedback and self-evaluative standards

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of self-evaluative standards and graphed feedback on calibration accuracy and performance in mathematics. Specifically, we explored the influence of mastery learning standards as opposed to social comparison standards as well as of individual feedback as opposed to social comparison feedback. 90 fifth grade students were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. We conducted analyses for both the complete sample and an at-risk group of low performing students who overestimate their skills. Self-evaluative standards had no effect on calibration accuracy and performance. Students who received feedback were more accurate in their self-evaluative judgements than students who received neither type of feedback. In overconfident students, feedback additionally increased prediction accuracy and, albeit marginally, performance. We discuss the educational implications of our findings with respect to the relevance of standards and feedback for promoting self-regulated learning within regular classroom settings.     

Making Sense of Uncertainty in the Science Classroom

Science & Education - Uncertainty is ubiquitous in science, but scientific knowledge is often represented to the public and in educational contexts as certain and immutable. This contrast can...