Effectiveness of a Student-Developed Instructional Video in Learning the Anatomy of the Equine Distal Limb.

The research article documents a study on the impact of a student-created teaching video on understanding of Equine Distal Limb anatomy amongst first-year veterinary students. Essentially, the research found that the use of the video enhanced students’ understanding and exam performances, while also benefiting the creators of the video.

The Study

• The research designed a controlled study to evaluate the impact of an anatomical teaching video on first-year veterinary students’ understanding of the anatomy of the Equine Distal Limb (EDL), an area usually challenging for students.
• Two third-year veterinary students created the video in collaboration with instructors and administered it to all VM1s (first-year veterinary students).
• The effectiveness of the video as a learning tool was measured by drawing comparisons of VM1s’ exam scores on EDL structures – specifically contrasting those who watched the video () and those who did not ().
• A post-exam survey evaluated students’ laboratory experiences, confidence levels, and perceptions of the video’s usefulness.

Results

• The uptake of the video was quite high, with 80% of the first-year students viewing it. Moreover, it was evaluated very favourably: 91% rated it as a very valuable learning resource.
• Clear benefits were derived from video usage. There was a 9% increase in student confidence during the practical exam corresponding with video use. Furthermore, 89% of survey respondents claimed the video positively influenced their exam grade.
• Performance improvements corroborated students’ views. Scores on one specific item significantly improved in the group that watched the video, as did the total score of the five questions combined (both ). Despite these increments, the overall practical exam scores did not differ statistically.
• In addition to benefiting recipients, the process of creating the video also benefited the third-year students involved, in terms of reinforcing knowledge and enhancing their professional development.

Conclusion

• Overall, the research supports creating instructional support like videos as effective in augmenting students’ understanding, confidence, and exam performance. The method also presented additional development opportunities for the students involved in creating the videos.
• This positive effect, combined with the vast implications for a range of disciplines, makes it a worthwhile avenue for further exploration and investment in education.