Post-hoc Analysis of Audience Responses-Enabled Conferences on Hematological Subjects

摘要

We have developed a strategy for the post hoc analysis of questions asked during audience response enabled conferences that objectively assesses baseline knowledge and comprehension of lectures. Examples of the application of this approach in training residents to manage hem/onc problems are discussed. Data from lectures on hem/onc emergencies and the interpretation of peripheral blood smears are presented. The demographics of knowledge in an audience consisting of medical students and residents at different level of training were demonstrated. Strengths and weaknesses in knowledge were identified. The data indicated that skills in managing hem/onc emergencies increased with the length of training but not in interpreting peripheral smears. Feedback indicated that participants were not intimidated by being tested. It is valuable to monitor knowledge during conferences since they usually review essential core information. The information derived from monitoring of conferences on hem/onc disorders can be used to optimize curriculum and training programs. Introduction Audience Response systems instantly display graphs of responses to questions during PowerPoint presentations. Therefore, this technology engages participants and encourages interactivity. Since lecturers can scan the graph of the responses, they are aware of audience comprehension and can spend more time on topics that were poorly understood (1-11). Only a few published studies have objectively evaluated this technology, and the assessment has been limited to feedback (1-6), knowledge retention (7, 8) and program evaluation (11). The potential of in-depth post hoc analysis of audience responses during lectures has not been appreciated and investigated. This paper describes a strategy that we developed for post-hoc analysis of audience response enabled lectures to assess the effectiveness of lectures and to determine baseline knowledge. This paper reports our experience with the post hoc analysis of two lectures on hematological subjects given to group of residents at different levels of training and medical students. The comparison of these lectures provided a way of testing the sensitivity of post hoc analysis.Obtaining information using Audience Response Systems is less formal and less intimidating than standard testing, is easy to implement and can efficiently establish the demographics of baseline knowledge and identify strengths and weaknesses in knowledge. The application of this information for improving lectures, curriculum and training programs is discussed. Methods Contexta)The study reports our experience using audience response systems in two lectures. The audience response enabled lectures were given at a medical center and the audience consisted of medical residents at different levels of training and medical students. Most of the residents and medical students had attended both conferences, but there were minor differences in the audience due to clinical rotations and involvement in clinical care. However, the distribution of participants at different levels of training was similar in both lectures.b)One lecture was on hematologic emergencies that are clinical problems that residents frequently encounter during their training. The other lecture was on the interpretation of peripheral blood smears that is taught in medical school. However, blood smears are usually interpreted by clinical pathologists and the hematology laboratory and not by residents during their training program. The comparison of these lectures (one that has been emphasized and the other that has not being emphasized during the medical residency training program) provided a means for determining the sensitivity of the post-hoc analysis for assessing the knowledge gained during the training program.Questions were asked during PowerPoint presentations coupled with an audience response system. The audience responses to questions were instantly displayed (Turning Technologies, LLC). The r