Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.
Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tennessee, USA.
Vet Surg. 2022 Oct;51(7):1118-1125. doi: 10.1111/vsu.13870. Epub 2022 Aug 25.
To determine the effect of massed instruction (MI) versus spaced instruction (SI) of veterinary surgical skills on students' cognitive load and skill retention.
Prospective randomized cohort study STUDY POPULATION: First-year veterinary students from Louisiana State University (LSU; n = 47) and Lincoln Memorial University (LMU; n = 101).
Students were randomized to MI (two skills in a single session of twice the duration) or SI (one skill per session on two consecutive days). Instructors, instructional ratio, and total educational time was equivalent. Following instruction, students completed a cognitive load questionnaire and underwent a structured assessment immediately after (LMU only), 1 day after, and 3-4 weeks after learning the second skill. Students completed two supervised practice sessions one and 2 weeks after the initial laboratory session(s).
Overall cognitive load did not differ between groups (p > .05), although LMUs MI group reported higher physical and time demands, effort, and frustration. At initial assessment, SI students scored higher than MI students for the first skill at both LSU (mean checklist score = 27.7 vs. mean = 24; p = .004) and LMU (mean global rating score = 4.76 vs. mean = 4.55; p = .029). Differences between groups were no longer evident by 3-4 weeks after instruction.
SI may lead to improved immediate performance; however, supervised practice was sufficient to overcome the initial disparity.
SI may be beneficial for initial skill performance. However, SI and MI students had similar performance after 3 weeks, suggesting the more convenient curricular design of MI may be sufficient as long as practice sessions are incorporated.
确定密集指导（MI）与间隔指导（SI）对兽医手术技能的学生认知负荷和技能保留的影响。
前瞻性随机队列研究
来自路易斯安那州立大学（LSU；n=47）和林肯纪念大学（LMU；n=101）的一年级兽医学生。
学生被随机分配到 MI（两次课程，每次课程持续时间加倍，共两个技能）或 SI（每次课程一个技能，连续两天进行，共两个技能）。指导教师、教学比例和总教育时间相等。指导后，学生完成认知负荷问卷，并在（仅 LMU）、1 天后和学习第二技能 3-4 周后立即进行结构化评估。学生在初始实验室课程结束后 1 周和 2 周进行两次监督练习。
总体认知负荷在组间无差异（p>.05），尽管 LMU 的 MI 组报告身体和时间需求、努力和挫败感更高。在初始评估中，SI 组学生在 LSU（平均检查表得分 27.7 与平均 24；p=0.004）和 LMU（平均总体评价得分 4.76 与平均 4.55；p=0.029）的第一技能上的得分均高于 MI 组学生。在指导 3-4 周后，组间差异不再明显。
SI 可能导致即时表现提高；然而，监督练习足以克服最初的差异。
SI 可能有利于初始技能表现。然而，SI 和 MI 学生在 3 周后表现相似，这表明 MI 的更方便的课程设计只要纳入实践课程，可能就足够了。
