Abstract
The implementation of classroom capture and casting technologies has changed how content can be accessed. Students can access live, streaming, and/or recorded formats of material. Broadening this accessibility has, in turn, introduced flexibility for both the learner and the instructor. This flexibility has impacted the necessity of attendance to access classroom-delivered content. There are many reports that investigate the changing attendance climate as well as the potential impact of attendance on student outcomes. Here we investigated the impact of attending classroom activities on student performance with two common content delivery methods in an undergraduate, pre-clinical cardiology course. Electrocardiography (ECG) interpretation was taught using a flipped classroom format which allowed for the practice of interpretive skills with faculty guidance. Other components of the course related to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiovascular disease were delivered using a lecture-based format. The results demonstrate that attendees outperform their classmates in the ability to interpret ECGs and related content. However, the attending student does not appear to have a performance advantage when content is delivered by lecture. The results provide evidence for students to prioritize their time when making decisions about attendance, based on teaching modality, when given a choice. Further, the information can guide curricular change and help colleges and programs identify curricular activities that have a clear attendance benefit for students.
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The datasets analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the teaching contributions of Bret Ripley, DO, and Danielle Frankova, MD, for their commitment to didactic content development during this study.
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Both authors contributed to the study conception and design. Data collection was performed by Sarah Clayton. Analysis was performed by Matthew Henry. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Matthew Henry and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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This study was reviewed by the Des Moines University Institutional Review Board on October 24, 2019, and determined to be exempt under Category 1 (Research, conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings, that specifically involves normal educational practices that are not likely to adversely impact students’ opportunity to learn required educational content or the assessment of educators who provide instruction. This includes most research on regular and special education instructional strategies, and research on the effectiveness of or the comparison among instructional techniques, curricula, or classroom management methods).
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Henry, M., Clayton, S. Attendance Improves Student Electrocardiography Interpretation Skills Using the Flipped Classroom Format. Med.Sci.Educ. 33, 39–47 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-022-01689-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-022-01689-5