Viewing introductory videos prior to lectures aids student learning

By David Griffin

Gross anatomy is a subject which requires various skills from students for comprehension, including good 3D visualisation and visuospatial abilities (Berney et al., 2015; Yammine and Violato, 2015; Peterson and Mlynarczyk, 2016; Cui et al., 2017). This subject, however, is often considered dull (Yammine, 2014) and thus poses a challenge to lecturers (Chang and Molnár, 2015; Vazquez and Riesco, 2005). Students can also be cognitively overloaded by content-driven and difficult subjects if lectures are not appropriately prepared (Hadie et al., 2018a; Hadie et al., 2018b). This issue is exemplified by the fact that many medical students are deemed clinically incompetent as a consequence of their limited anatomical knowledge, causing concern among educators (Singh et al., 2015; Ali et al., 2015).

Whereas various other studies have focused on how the lectures themselves are delivered, providing students with materials to prepare them in advance of the lecture has been less thoroughly explored. Prior preparation for lectures tends to be self-controlled by the students and often ignored by lecturers. As a result, there is a lack of evidence on the impact that a structured activity delivered in advance of the lecture itself can have on student comprehension and attainment.

The aim of this study was to determine the impact a pre-lecture activity could have on students’ comprehension of a gross anatomy lecture. In this case, the pre-lecture activity was viewing an educational video. The authors hypothesised that by viewing a preparatory video, students would attain some knowledge in advance, lessening the cognitive load required during the lecture, as well as the demand for 3D visualisation by the students.

For two consecutive academic years, 254 first year medical students at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) volunteered to take part in this study. The consenting students were separated into two different groups. Both groups were required to watch a video for 15 minutes immediately before attending the lecture. Group A watched the first 15 minutes of an action movie. Group B watched a five-minute educational video on the anatomy of the heart, repeated three times. This included animated 3D diagrams with labels and oral explanations, as well as analogies to describe aspects of the heart and an introduction to clinical applications. The subject of the succeeding lecture attended by all students was the gross anatomy of the heart. After attending the lecture, both groups of students were asked to answer ten multiple choice true-false questions (MTFQs) based on the desired learning outcomes of the lecture.

In both academic years, the students exposed to the educational video (Group B) outperformed their peers who were exposed to an action movie. While in the second year this difference was not statistically significant, it was highly significant in the first. When results were combined for both years, the effect was also statistically significant. This led the authors to conclude that a pre-lecture educational video can positively influence students’ comprehension in the succeeding lecture. These findings aligned with several similar studies. For example, Moravec et al. (2010) found that students performed significantly better in post-lecture tasks when provided with different types of pre-lecture activities; namely a worksheet and a narrated PowerPoint video. Similarly, Stull et al. (2011) discovered that academic achievement was positively associated with an organised pre-lecture activity in the form of an online quiz. Seery and Donnelly (2012) also concluded that a structured pre-lecture task equalised the playing field between students with and without prior knowledge of the taught topic.

This study highlighted the benefits of providing students with pre-lecture learning materials to aid their comprehension during the lecture. In this case, that material consisted of an educational animated video. The authors concluded that students’ improved comprehension, as attested to by their post-lecture task scores, may be due to a freeing of working memory. Much of their working memory would ordinarily be required during the lecture to comprehend new material. However, the prior knowledge gained in the short pre-lecture task reduced demands on this faculty, enabling students to gain more from the lecture as a result.

FAQ

Q: How do students feel about the use of pre-lecture activities, particularly educational videos, in enhancing their learning experience?

A: The article does not directly address student feelings or opinions on the use of pre-lecture activities such as educational videos. However, understanding student voice on this matter is crucial. Student voice refers to listening to and valuing the input and feedback from students about their learning experiences. Gathering this feedback through surveys, interviews, or text analysis of student responses could provide insights into how students perceive the effectiveness of these activities, their preferences in learning materials, and suggestions for improvement. This information could be instrumental in tailoring educational approaches to better meet student needs and enhance their learning experience.

Q: What impact do pre-lecture activities have on the long-term retention of knowledge, beyond just the immediate comprehension of a single lecture?

A: The focus of the study mentioned in the article is on immediate comprehension and performance in post-lecture tasks. It does not delve into the long-term retention of knowledge gained through pre-lecture activities. Long-term retention is critical for medical students, as the knowledge they acquire forms the foundation for their future clinical practice. Further research could explore how integrating pre-lecture activities, like educational videos, affects students' ability to retain and recall information over more extended periods. Such studies could involve follow-up assessments weeks or months after the lecture to measure retention and could also consider incorporating student voice and text analysis of student feedback to understand better the qualitative aspects of learning and retention.

Q: Are there any differences in the effectiveness of pre-lecture activities across diverse student populations, including those with varying levels of prior knowledge or different student needs?

A: The article does not explore the differential impact of pre-lecture activities on diverse student populations, such as those with varying levels of prior knowledge or different learning preferences and styles. This is an important area for further investigation, as understanding these differences can help educators design more inclusive and effective educational strategies. Incorporating student voice could play a significant role here, allowing educators to tailor pre-lecture materials to cater to the needs of a broader range of learners. Text analysis of students' feedback can provide insights into how different groups of students perceive the value and effectiveness of pre-lecture activities, highlighting areas for improvement and customisation to enhance learning outcomes for all students.

References

[Source Paper] Hadie SN, Simok A, Shamsuddin S, Mohammad J, Determining the impact of pre-lecture educational video on comprehension of a difficult gross anatomy lecture, Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, Volume 14, Issue 4, 2019, Pages 395-401.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2019.06.008

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