Nauhria Samal, Ramdass Prakash V. A. K
Department of Pathophysiology, Windsor University School of Medicine, St. Kitts and Nevis.
Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, St. George's University School of Medicine, St. George's, Grenada.
Indian J Pathol Microbiol. 2019 Jan-Mar;62(1):84-90. doi: 10.4103/IJPM.IJPM_241_18.
Virtual microscopy (VM) use in teaching and learning is increasing worldwide. However, there is a paucity of information comparing it to light microscopy (LM) in learning undergraduate histopathology. We investigated whether VM or LM had a higher impact on student learning and performance in histopathology. In addition, we investigated whether students preferred VM over LM, and whether VM use provided a platform to fulfill the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies.
We used a sequential exploratory mixed method study design. A qualitative phase inquiring about student preference for VM or LM was followed by a randomized cross-over study. Student preference was measured by an online survey based on a Likert scale. In the cross-over study, students were randomized to either the VM or the LM arm, and their mean scores in standardized exams were compared after using VM and LM.
A total of 152 students completed the qualitative study and a total of 64 students participated in the cross-over study. Eighty-three percent (83%) of the students preferred to use VM over LM. Students who used VM scored significantly (P < 0.001) higher [(87.1% vs. 72.4%) and (85.3% vs. 76.1%)], respectively, in both phases of the cross-over study compared to those who used LM.
Using VM to learn histopathology has significantly increased student learning and performance compared to using LM.
虚拟显微镜（VM）在全球教学中的应用正在增加。然而，在本科组织病理学学习中，将其与光学显微镜（LM）进行比较的信息却很少。我们调查了VM或LM对学生组织病理学学习和成绩的影响是否更大。此外，我们还调查了学生是否更喜欢VM而非LM，以及使用VM是否提供了一个平台来实现研究生医学教育认证委员会的核心能力要求。
我们采用了序贯探索性混合方法研究设计。在询问学生对VM或LM的偏好的定性阶段之后，进行了一项随机交叉研究。学生的偏好通过基于李克特量表的在线调查来衡量。在交叉研究中，学生被随机分配到VM组或LM组，在使用VM和LM后比较他们在标准化考试中的平均成绩。
共有152名学生完成了定性研究，共有64名学生参与了交叉研究。83%的学生更喜欢使用VM而非LM。在交叉研究的两个阶段中，使用VM的学生的得分分别显著高于使用LM的学生（P < 0.001）[（87.1%对72.4%）和（85.3%对76.1%）]。
与使用LM相比，使用VM学习组织病理学显著提高了学生的学习效果和成绩。
