Comparison of Two Lecture Delivery Platforms in a Hybrid Distance Education Program

Abstract

Objective. To compare students' preferences for and academic performance using 2 different distance education course content delivery platforms. Methods. A randomized, crossover research design was used to compare traditional video with a 4-panel platform among learners on multiple campuses within 1 college of pharmacy.1 The outcomes were students' preferences for delivery platform and examination scores. Rasch analysis was used to assess unidimensionality and the difficulty of examination items. Hierarchical logistic and multiple regression models were used to assess students' preferences and academic performance.Results. The logistic model predicting preference for the 4-panel or traditional platform was not significant, but African-Americans and Hispanics were more likely to prefer the 4-panel platform than Caucasian and Asian students. The delivery platform did not impact students' academic performance. Students who did well on the semester's previous 2 examinations scored higher on the questions related to schizophrenia. Students with higher Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores performed better on the bipolar questions than students who preferred the traditional video platform. Conclusion. The additional faculty time, effort, and cost invested in presenting the class material in a 4-panel platform, and the students' extra time and effort spent viewing the 4-panel platform did not produce a comparable benefit in student preference and performance.

Predicting Performance in the First-Year of Pharmacy School

“…[11][12][13][14] However, other studies have found comparable performances among students regardless of previous educational background, age, sex, or ethnicity. 15,16 Studies of the influence of educational background have found that the competitiveness and level of college attended prior to matriculation into a PharmD program added predictive value to PCAT scores and entering GPAs only for students' performance in the fourth year of pharmacy school. 17,18 Several other studies have found that pharmacy students with bachelor's degrees earned higher GPAs during their first year than did students with less prior education.…”

Effectiveness of Educational Technology to Improve Patient Care in Pharmacy Curricula

“…Lecture capture had no effect on presentation grades, and while some studies reported higher examination grades, though not higher final grades compared to historical controls; others reported higher examination grades in historical controls. [6][7][8] The method of delivering the lecture capture was different among the 3 studies. One allowed the videos to be available for 72 hours, 6 1 used a 4-panel view for streaming the lectures, 7 and 1 used prerecorded lectures.…”

“…[6][7][8] The method of delivering the lecture capture was different among the 3 studies. One allowed the videos to be available for 72 hours, 6 1 used a 4-panel view for streaming the lectures, 7 and 1 used prerecorded lectures. 8 Additionally, 1 study reported that there was no difference in final course grades for the number of lectures viewed or the minutes of lectures viewed, although the average total number of accessions was low (3.4 out of 24 available).…”

“…With lecture capture, satisfaction data was mixed, although survey response rates were high (56-95%). [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] One study reported no difference in survey scores, 8 while another reported that more students preferred traditional lecture vs the 4-panel method (51% vs 36.6%), 7 and the third study reported that more students used the lectures for completing handouts than studying for examinations. 6 The CD-ROM study reported a perception among students that they learned more (p,0.001) than they did with traditional teaching, but that there was less time for faculty members to answer questions (75% vs 38%; p50.01).…”

Is Hybrid Education and Videoconferencing the Wave of the Future for Online Courses?

“…In the medical field, "the universities that do not rise up to embrace this new technology will not survive long into the next century" (Harden & Hart, 2002, p. 262). The College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida doubled their enrollment when they implemented their hybrid program in 2002; at that time, the pharmacist shortage in the United Sates showed that there were thousands of pharmacist's positions open and not enough qualified pharmacists to fill them (Ried & Byers, 2009). By introducing a more flexible hybrid program, the College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida met both the academic needs of their students and the logistical needs of the field.…”