Involvement in teaching improves learning in medical students: a randomized cross-over study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Peer-assisted learning has many purported benefits including preparing students as educators, improving communication skills and reducing faculty teaching burden. But comparatively little is known about the effects of teaching on lea...

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Main Authors: Jenkins Deirdre, Wright Bruce, Coderre Sylvain, Peets Adam D, Burak Kelly, Leskosky Shannon, McLaughlin Kevin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2009-08-01
Series:BMC Medical Education
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/9/55
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author Jenkins Deirdre
Wright Bruce
Coderre Sylvain
Peets Adam D
Burak Kelly
Leskosky Shannon
McLaughlin Kevin
author_facet Jenkins Deirdre
Wright Bruce
Coderre Sylvain
Peets Adam D
Burak Kelly
Leskosky Shannon
McLaughlin Kevin
author_sort Jenkins Deirdre
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Peer-assisted learning has many purported benefits including preparing students as educators, improving communication skills and reducing faculty teaching burden. But comparatively little is known about the effects of teaching on learning outcomes of peer educators in medical education.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One hundred and thirty-five first year medical students were randomly allocated to 11 small groups for the Gastroenterology/Hematology Course at the University of Calgary. For each of 22 sessions, two students were randomly selected from each group to be peer educators. Students were surveyed to estimate time spent preparing as peer educator versus group member. Students completed an end-of-course 94 question multiple choice exam. A paired t-test was used to compare performance on clinical presentations for which students were peer educators to those for which they were not.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Preparation time increased from a mean (SD) of 36 (33) minutes baseline to 99 (60) minutes when peer educators (Cohen's <it>d </it>= 1.3; p < 0.001). The mean score (SD) for clinical presentations in which students were peer educators was 80.7% (11.8) compared to77.6% (6.9) for those which they were not (<it>d </it>= 0.33; <it>p </it>< 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest that involvement in teaching small group sessions improves medical students' knowledge acquisition and retention.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-f6ea6694379c40b6b2972d294cd39e792022-12-21T22:38:57ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202009-08-01915510.1186/1472-6920-9-55Involvement in teaching improves learning in medical students: a randomized cross-over studyJenkins DeirdreWright BruceCoderre SylvainPeets Adam DBurak KellyLeskosky ShannonMcLaughlin Kevin<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Peer-assisted learning has many purported benefits including preparing students as educators, improving communication skills and reducing faculty teaching burden. But comparatively little is known about the effects of teaching on learning outcomes of peer educators in medical education.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One hundred and thirty-five first year medical students were randomly allocated to 11 small groups for the Gastroenterology/Hematology Course at the University of Calgary. For each of 22 sessions, two students were randomly selected from each group to be peer educators. Students were surveyed to estimate time spent preparing as peer educator versus group member. Students completed an end-of-course 94 question multiple choice exam. A paired t-test was used to compare performance on clinical presentations for which students were peer educators to those for which they were not.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Preparation time increased from a mean (SD) of 36 (33) minutes baseline to 99 (60) minutes when peer educators (Cohen's <it>d </it>= 1.3; p < 0.001). The mean score (SD) for clinical presentations in which students were peer educators was 80.7% (11.8) compared to77.6% (6.9) for those which they were not (<it>d </it>= 0.33; <it>p </it>< 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest that involvement in teaching small group sessions improves medical students' knowledge acquisition and retention.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/9/55
spellingShingle Jenkins Deirdre
Wright Bruce
Coderre Sylvain
Peets Adam D
Burak Kelly
Leskosky Shannon
McLaughlin Kevin
Involvement in teaching improves learning in medical students: a randomized cross-over study
BMC Medical Education
title Involvement in teaching improves learning in medical students: a randomized cross-over study
title_full Involvement in teaching improves learning in medical students: a randomized cross-over study
title_fullStr Involvement in teaching improves learning in medical students: a randomized cross-over study
title_full_unstemmed Involvement in teaching improves learning in medical students: a randomized cross-over study
title_short Involvement in teaching improves learning in medical students: a randomized cross-over study
title_sort involvement in teaching improves learning in medical students a randomized cross over study
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/9/55
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