Izvorni znanstveni članak
Temporal Structure of Firstyear Courses and Success at Course Exams: Comparison of Traditional Continual and Block Delivery of Anatomy and Chemistry Courses
Daniela Salopek
; Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sisters of Mercy University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Jasna Lovrić
; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Zagreb University School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Darko Hren
; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Split
Ana Marušić
; Department of Anatomy, University of Split
Sažetak
Aim To evaluate students’ academic success at delivered in
a traditional continual course, spread over the two semesters,
or in alternating course blocks.
Method We analyzed the data on exam grades for Anatomy
and Chemistry courses in the first year of the curriculum
for academic year 2001/02, with the traditional continual
delivery of the courses (n = 253 for chemistry and n = 243
for anatomy), and academic year 2003/04, with block delivery
of the courses (n = 255 for Chemistry and n = 260 for
Anatomy). Grades from the final examination were analyzed
only for students who sat the exam at the first available
exam term and passed the course. For the Anatomy
block course, grades at 2 interim written tests and 2 parts
of the final exam (practical stage exam and oral exam) in
each block were analyzed for students who passed all interim
tests and the final exam.
Results There were no differences between two types of
course delivery in the number of students passing the final
examination at first attempt. There was a decrease in passing
percentage for the two Anatomy block course student
groups in 2003/04 (56% passing students in block 1 vs 40%
in block 2, P = 0.014). There was an increase in the average
grades from 2001/02 to 2003/04 academic year due to an
increase in Chemistry grades (F1,399 = 18.4, P < 0.001, 2 × 2
ANOVA). There was no effect of the sequence of their delivery
(F1,206 = 1.8, P = 0.182, 2 × 2 ANOVA). There was also a significant
difference in grades on interim assessments of Anatomy
when it was delivered in the block format (F3,85 = 28.8,
P < 0.001, between-within subjects 2 × 4 ANOVA).
Conclusions The type of course delivery was not associated
with significant differences in student academic success
in Anatomy and Chemistry courses in the medical
curriculum. Students can successfully pass these courses
when they are delivered either in a continual, whole year
format or in a condensed time format of a course block,
regardless of the number and type of courses preceding
the block course.
Ključne riječi
anatomy; course delivery; block courses
Hrčak ID:
38309
URI
Datum izdavanja:
15.2.2009.
Posjeta: 883 *