Tracy Mendolia¹
Chaya Prasad² and Fanglong Dong¹
1 Western University of Health Sciences
2 AAMC

In the post-COVID-19 era, medical students have increasingly embraced various EdTech modalities, prompting educators to explore new approaches for delivering asynchronous content to enhance learning. Microlearning has shown its effectiveness in facilitating learning, comprehension, and retention. We conducted a study to investigate the implementation and transition from a traditional pre-recorded lecture format to an online eLearning module (e- Module) segmented into microlearning chunks and its impact on student-perceived learning effectiveness, appeal, and general satisfaction, comparing it to archived recorded video lectures. 

During 2021 and 2022, a comparative study was conducted with year 2 medical students, who had access to two learning modalities: a microlearning e-module and recorded lectures. The e- module, created using Rise360 software, comprised short video lectures, text, images, and interactive learning assets, segmented into microlearning chunks. Students compared their experiences with both modalities on the same topic. Feedback survey assessed the effectiveness, appeal, and overall satisfaction of each approach. 

The new format was perceived to be more organized for easy search and review of information (26.6% vs 71.9%), easier to locate specific lecture topics (34.8% vs 79.7%), and more visually appealing (28.6% vs 79.7%) and meaningful in conveying written material (27.9% vs 71.6%). Students reported feeling more engaged (32% vs 65.7%), and the online module was seen as more effective in helping them retain information (25.6% vs 62.7%) and better prepare for future exams (18.8% vs 55.2%). 

Our 2-year comparative study highlighted the advantages of microlearning e-modules over traditional recorded lectures. It underscores the importance of innovative instructional approaches to enhance student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. Incorporating microlearning strategies into medical education can be a promising step toward fostering a more effective learning environment and better preparation for future exams. 

References (maximum three) 

Conceicao, S. C. O., Strachota, E., & Schmidt, S. W. (2007). Academy of Human Resource Development International Research Conference in The Americas. In The Development and Validation of an Instrument to Evaluate Online Training Materials. Retrieved 2021, from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED504339. 

Sirwan Mohammed, G., Wakil, K., & Sirwan Nawroly, S. (2018). The effectiveness of microlearning to improve students’ learning ability. International Journal of Educational Research Review, 3(3), 32–38. https://doi.org/10.24331/ijere.415824.