The Effect of Small Group Tutors on Student Engagement in the Computer Laboratory Lecture

Background: Student engagement is widely recognised as being influential on learning and achievement in higher education. What is less clear is how the knowledge transfers, i.e., the process of engagement by the student with any new forms of teaching demonstrated by the teacher. Aim: To investigate the effect of small group tutors on student engagement in the computer laboratory lecture. Methods: Participants were undergraduate, second year BSc Public Health students taking the Health Information Systems II module. Teaching consisted of 12 x 2-hour face-to-to face classes. Tutors were assigned to groups of 6/7 students from weeks 5-12. Quantitative data from the Irish Survey of Student Engagement was collected in week 12 and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Qualitative data from a 1-minute pre-and post-module CAT, tutor post lesson appraisals and two focus groups (one student and one tutor group, respectively) were analysed thematically. Findings: This study provided evidence that student engagement and learning was indeed enhanced by the addition of small group tutors in the computer laboratory lecture. In addition, students’ attitude to engaging with their programme of study improved and their positivity towards learning increased as the term progressed. Furthermore, there was evidence of an improved student experience and improved personal development that was highly valued by the students.

15. Assessing Microsoft HoloLens for Basic Suturing Skill Training

Suturing is a basic skill required across several specialties. Medical students are most often taught this skill in a workshop setting with one faculty instructor demonstrating the technique. Often, students do not receive sufficient exposure and practice to reach proficiency during these sessions. As a result, there has been increased interest in self-directed suturing practice. Augmented reality, which involves the projection of virtual images in a user’s real environment, is an emerging tool in medical education. We sought to design and evaluate a training module, Suture Tutor, which combines video instruction with holography and voice control for self-directed suturing practice. We assessed the usability and effectiveness of Suture Tutor in a study conducted with 36 second-year medical students. The students were assigned to the Suture Tutor group or the control group. The Suture Tutor group used the training module on Microsoft HoloLens while the control group used the same instructional material on a laptop. Participants were asked to practice for seven minutes with their assigned training method. Then, they replicated a suturing pattern where their performance was video-recorded and evaluated. The Suture Tutor group completed a survey assessing the usability of the training module. It was found that the Suture Tutor was a user-friendly and helpful adjunct. Additionally, the Suture Tutor group interacted with the instructional material significantly more than the control group did (p = 0.0175), suggesting the use of Microsoft HoloLens increased access to training material. We were unable to make conclusions about the effectiveness of Suture Tutor.

Comparison of National Board of Chiropractic Examiners part I examination scores between tutors and tutees at a chiropractic college

Objective: This study compared National Board of Chiropractic Examiners part I test scores between students who did and did not serve as tutors on the subject matter. Methods: Students who had a prior grade point average of 3.45 or above on a 4.0 scale just before taking part I of the board exams were eligible to participate. A 2-sample t-test was used to ascertain the difference in the mean scores on part I between the tutor group (n = 28) and nontutor (n = 29) group. Results: Scores were higher in all subjects for the tutor group compared to the nontutor group and the differences were statistically significant (p < .01) with large effect sizes. Conclusion: The tutors in this study performed better on part I of the board examination compared to nontutors, suggesting that tutoring results in an academic benefit for tutors themselves.