Synaptic board: an educational game to help the synaptic physiology teaching-learning process

Students' Satisfaction Regarding the Application of Crossword Puzzles During the Online Teaching Practice of Medical Physiology: A Promising Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

The coronavirus has hit the world and has led to substantial changes in all aspects of life. One of the important affected aspects is the teaching and learning process. Most of the learning authorities including King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh branch, have shifted to distant and online learning to avoid social contact and spreading the viral infection. Creating an interesting and interactive environment via online learning became necessary to attract the students' attention and sharing in the online sessions was, therefore, crucial.

Methods

Crossword puzzles were created using an online tool. A questionnaire that assesses the satisfaction of the students regarding the application of the online puzzle was built and medical education experts did the content validity. Lectures were given online via the blackboard ultra-collaborate system followed by a brief session for solving the crossword puzzle. Students were given five minutes to think and prepare their answers and then they solved the puzzle via the chat window and the teacher corrected them. The questionnaire was sent to students in a Google form. Statistical analysis was followed using SPSS software.

Results

No major gender differences in students' satisfaction levels. 75.7% strongly agreed that games are an interesting and enthusiastic method in physiology education. 78.4% strongly agreed that games are an effective tool of communication between the teacher and students. 70.3% strongly agreed: crossword puzzle is an interesting interactive online educational tool. 64.9% strongly agreed that puzzles helped them to memorize the definitions and terminologies in physiology. 78.4% strongly agreed that crossword puzzles are a good addition to the educational practice of physiology.

Conclusion

The crossword puzzle is considered a good tool for promoting an interesting, interactive online educational practice. The presence of no major gender difference in the students' satisfaction regarding this tool casts light on the importance of interactive, enjoyable, and creative teaching practice particularly during the stigmata of epidemics.

A 3-D-printed synaptic puzzle contributes to students' synaptic transmission comprehension

We created the "3-dimensional synaptic puzzle" (3Dsp) as an educational resource for the physiology teaching of synaptic transmission (ST). In this study, we aimed to apply and evaluate the use of 3Dsp. For this, we divided 175 university students from public and private universities into two groups: 1) control (CT; students that were only exposed to traditional class or video lessons about ST), and; 2) test (3Dsp; students that were exposed to the 3Dsp practical class in addition to the traditional theoretical class). ST knowledge of students was evaluated before, immediately after, and 15 days after interventions. Additionally, students completed a questionnaire about their perception of teaching-learning methods used in physiology classes and their self-perception of engagement in the physiology content. The CT groups improved their ST knowledge score from pretest to immediate (P < 0.0001 for all groups) and late posttest (P < 0.0001 for all groups). 3Dsp groups also enhanced their score from pretest to immediate (P = 0.029 for public university students; P < 0.0001 for private university students) and late posttest (P < 0.0001 for all groups). We also observed improvement from the immediate to late posttest in the 3Dsp group from private universities (P < 0.001). Both private groups performed better in general ST and specific electrical synapse questions in the pretest and immediate posttest compared to the public CT group (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). More than 90% of the students from both universities affirmed that the 3Dsp contributed to their physiology comprehension and that they would recommend the use of the 3-D models to other teachers in their classes.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We included a 3-dimensional puzzle (3Dsp) of electrical and chemical synapses in the physiology of synaptic transmission (ST) teaching. After a traditional or video lesson class, students from private and public universities were oriented to use the educational resource. More than 90% of the students affirmed that the 3Dsp improved their comprehension of ST content.

Reduced failure rates associated with playing a new online game developed to support learning of core content in human systems physiology

A digital mobile card-matching game called eFlip was developed to assist second-year undergraduate medical science students to learn core content and understand key associations in physiology. Our team developed customized content of core physiological associations, of increasing difficulty, for upload on a generic card-matching platform. The generic game was extended with add-ons coded to allow identification and access of student usage data for students who consented to have their game usage linked to academic performance such as final course marks and grades. Here, we describe the development of the eFlip game content, the student usage profile, and the game's impact on learning. Students were invited to use eFlip prior to and during the final examination period. Of those who used eFlip, 152 students consented to participate in a study of game use on learning performance outcomes. Within the students who consented, 74 played the game and 78 did not play the game (nonplayers). The mean course mark of the students who played the game [69.57%; 95% confidence level (CI) (67.22, 71.92)] was higher than that of the nonplayers [65.33%; 95% CI (62.67, 67.99)] (P = 0.02). Playing eFlip was also associated with reduced failure rates in students who played the game (1% failure rate) compared with the students who did not play the game (10% failure rate; P = 0.02). The number of games played by students peaked just prior to the course final examination. Overall, students who chose to play eFlip demonstrated improved grades that were associated with a higher probability of passing the physiology course.

"N.A.M.E." FUN! Emojis may illustrate structure-function relationships of neurotransmitters to health professions students

This article provides a qualitative examination of student responses to an enjoyable online experience illustrating structure-function relationships of chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) in the human nervous system via text messaging emojis (often employed during mobile phone messaging). The "N.A.M.E." (Neurotransmitters as Messaging Emojis) FUN! experience was presented to 216 undergraduate health professions students enrolled in a human physiology course during Spring 2020 (N = 117) and Spring 2021 (N = 99) semesters as a learning tool, during a time in which students struggled with the concepts of neurotransmitter function. Additional goals for this fun experience design are to 1) engage health professions students in the topics of chemical messengers in the nervous system, and provide 2) a learning tool for students enrolled in the human physiology courses and 3) a memorization online worksheet for select neurotransmitter function. Student participants were able to access the online neurotransmitter fun experience via mobile phone and/or laptop. Resulting analyses of the voluntary and anonymous survey highlight positive responses in both Spring 2020 and 2021 semesters to the online "N.A.M.E." experience and furthermore the recommendation of student participants to include this online experience in future lecture assignments for the Human Physiology course. Here, we examine several data sets (tables) as we review student choices for matching emojis to neurotransmitter function and qualitative responses on the efficacy of this online match-up fun as a learning tool in a human physiology course for health professions.

Neuropoly: An Educational Board Game to Facilitate Neurology Learning

Introduction: Neurology is arguably one of the most difficult subjects to teach and study in the medical curriculum. Educational games (EG) may be a valid option to enhance motivation in neurology residents.

Methods: We developed an educational board game (Neuropoly) to assist in teaching neurology. We present here an overview of the game, as well as the results of a pilot study aimed at determining: (a) the efficacy of the game in teaching certain neurological concepts; and (b) student compliance and satisfaction with the EG.

Results: The pre- and post-play questionnaire scores differed significantly (3.2 ± 1.7 vs. 7.8 ± 1.6, p < 0.001). Our group of residents, showing an overwhelmingly positive response, very well received the game. The questions were rated as above average regarding difficulty.

Conclusion: The “Neuropoly” educational board game has been shown to be interesting, efficient, and motivational among first- and second-year neurology residents. Novel educational methods for complex medical disciplines should be developed, with board games being a viable and inexpensive approach.

Lectures and collaborative working improves the performance of medical students

The teaching-learning process is complex and requires continuous research and dedication. Research has been important to prove that student achievement can improve when active methodologies are properly implemented, either in isolation or integrated with a short lecture. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the performance and perception of first-year medical students subjected to a protocol involving the integration of a short lecture and collaborative compilation of portfolios on the topic of digestive physiology. After the lectures and elaboration of the portfolios, the students completed two tests: cognitive monitoring test (CMT) and integrative cognitive test (ICT), and then, they gave their opinions of the strategy. For CMT, the percentage of grade exceeding 7.0 was higher for the group who performed the portfolio activity, compared with the group who did not undertake the activity, and there was a lower percentage of incorrect answers among the portfolio group students, compared with the group that did not perform the activity. For ICT, the percentage of grades exceeding 7.0 was higher for the students who used the portfolio, compared with those who did not perform the activity, and there was also a reduction in incorrect answers among students who performed the portfolio activity, compared with those who did not perform the activity. The combination of short lectures and collaborative group work using a portfolio improved the grades obtained for digestive physiology. Most of the students believed that the collaborative work contributed to their learning about digestive physiology. In addition, most of them were comfortable working in their groups and did not feel dominated by other group members.

Effect of an active learning methodology combined with formative assessments on performance, test anxiety, and stress of university students

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an active methodology combined with a lecture on undergraduate student learning and levels of stress and anxiety. The active learning methodology consisted of a lecture of 50-min duration, study at home with a textbook, an educational game activity, and three formative assessments on the topic of the cardiac cycle. In a following class, the students provided saliva samples to evaluate their levels of stress, received an anxiety test, and then undertook an exam to assess their understanding of the cardiac cycle. The traditional teaching methodology consisted of two lectures (∼2-h duration) on blood pressure control systems, delivered orally. In the third class, the students provided saliva samples, received an anxiety test, and then undertook an exam to assess their understanding of blood pressure control systems. The level of stress was assessed with the concentrations of the stress biomarkers cortisol and alpha-amylase in saliva. Anxiety was assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. The students achieved significantly higher average scores in exams when the active learning strategy was applied compared with the use of traditional theoretical classes. The active methodology resulted in significantly lower levels of stress and anxiety, as well as improved student performance, compared with the use of traditional lectures.