This study explored whether different types of instructional visuals--knowledge maps and pictorial illustrations--encourage students to focus on specific types of conceptual relationships during learning. Undergraduates (n = 134) studied a text lesson on the human nervous system accompanied by maps (text-with-maps group), illustrations…

Traditionally teachers display the learning outline at the beginning and conclusions at the end of didactic teaching sessions, and students may find it difficult to understand how teaching activities relate to learning objectives and what they should study for assessments. We introduced the "concept-sharing approach" in our…

In light of the current shifts in medical education from traditional lectures to more active teaching modalities, a peer-teaching program was introduced to a compulsory, second-year neuroanatomy course. A cross-sectional survey of 527 medical students in the six-year medical program of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens was…

Methods based on simulation pedagogy are widely used to practice hands-on skills in safety environment. The usability of an EEG simulator on clinical neurophysiology course was evaluated. Second-year biomedical laboratory science students (N = 35) on this course were included in the study. They were divided into three groups. Two groups used the…

Among the various systems taught in the preclinical phases, the nervous system is more challenging to learn than other systems. In this report, a novel teaching methodology, "real-life scenario (RLS) blended teaching," is described and its effectiveness in facilitating inquisitive learning in undergraduate medical students is evaluated.…

Medical schools in the United States continue to undergo curricular change, reorganization, and reformation as more schools transition to an integrated curriculum. Anatomy educators must find novel approaches to teach in a way that will bridge multiple disciplines. The cadaveric extraction of the central nervous system (CNS) provides an…

Neuroanatomical localization (NL) is a key skill in neurology, but learners often have difficulty with it. This study aims to evaluate a concise NL tool (NLT) developed to help teach and learn NL. To evaluate the NLT, an extended-matching questions (EMQ) test to assess NL was designed and validated. The EMQ was validated with fourth-year medical…

The flipped teaching model can engage students in the learning process and improve learning outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to assess the outcomes of a semiflipped teaching model over time. Neurophysiology students spent the majority of class time listening to traditional didactic lectures, but they also listened to 5 online…

The current study examined the impact of mobile applications or apps on student learning in an introduction to psychology course. Students were assigned to complete a learner-centered worksheet activity on the brain and central nervous system using either an interactive 3-D Brain app or their online course textbook. We measured student learning…

The goal of this research was to determine whether there is a generation effect for learner-created keyword mnemonics and real-life examples, compared to instructor-provided materials, when learning neurophysiological terms and definitions in introductory psychology. Students participated in an individual (Study 1) or small-group (Study 2)…

Instruction of neuroanatomy depends on graphical representation and extended self-study. As a consequence, computer-based learning environments that incorporate interactive graphics should facilitate instruction in this area. The present study evaluated such a system in the undergraduate neuroscience classroom. The system used the method of…

Here we incorporate recent advances in "Drosophila" neurogenetics and "optogenetics" into neuroscience laboratory exercises. We used the light-activated ion channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) and tissue-specific genetic expression techniques to study the neural basis of behavior in "Drosophila" larvae. We designed and implemented exercises using…

The summary is the last part of the lesson but one of the most important. We aimed to study the relationship between the preference of the summary method (video demonstration, question-answer, or brief review of slides) and learning styles. A total of 131 students were included in the present study. An inventory was prepared to understand the…

The need for a revised curriculum within the life sciences has been well-established. One strategy to improve student preparation in the life sciences is to redesign introductory courses like biology, chemistry, and physics so that they better reflect their disciplinary interdependence. We describe a medically relevant, context-based approach to…

This study investigated the educational benefits of system-based lecture notes and interactive learning objects in a peripheral nervous system component of a traditional first-year medical school human anatomy course. The impetus for the investigation was anecdotal evidence suggesting enhanced learner satisfaction with the learning resources.…