Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30342525›Full record

Observational studyBMC medical education2018

Comparing student outcomes in traditional vs intensive, online graduate programs in health professional education.

Kenneth J Harwood, Paige L McDonald, Joan T Butler, Daniela Drago, Karen S Schlumpf

Abstract readComparative StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC medical education, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Observational
  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Kenneth J HarwoodDepartment of Clinical Research and Leadership, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2100 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Rm 352, Washington, DC, 20037-3202, USA. kharwood@gwu.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4976-0935
Paige L McDonaldDepartment of Clinical Research and Leadership, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2000 W Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Rm 236, Washington, DC, 20006, USA.
Joan T ButlerDepartment of Clinical Research and Leadership, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2100 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Ofc 356, Washington, DC, 20037-3202, USA.
Daniela DragoDepartment of Clinical Research and Leadership, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2100 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Ste 362, Washington, DC, 20037-3202, USA.
Karen S SchlumpfDepartment of Clinical Research and Leadership, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2100 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Ste 368, Washington, DC, 20037-3202, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHealth professions' education programs are undergoing enormous changes, including increasing use of online and intensive, or time reduced, courses. Although evidence is mounting for online and intensive course formats as separate designs, literature investigating online and intensive formats in health professional education is lacking. The purpose of the study was to compare student outcomes (final grades and course evaluation ratings) for equivalent courses in semester long (15-week) versus intensive (7-week) online formats in graduate health sciences courses.

methodsThis retrospective, observational study compared satisfaction and performance scores of students enrolled in three graduate health sciences programs in a large, urban US university. Descriptive statistics, chi square analysis, and independent t-tests were used to describe student samples and determine differences in student satisfaction and performance.

resultsThe results demonstrated no significant differences for four applicable items on the final student course evaluations (p values range from 0.127 to 1.00) between semester long and intensive course formats. Similarly, student performance scores for final assignment and final grades showed no significant differences (p = 0.35 and 0.690 respectively) between semester long and intensive course formats.

conclusionFindings from this study suggest that 7-week and 15-week online courses can be equally effective with regard to student satisfaction and performance outcomes. While further study is recommended, academic programs should consider intensive online course formats as an alternative to semester long online course formats.

Indexed as

Computer-Assisted InstructionEducation, DistanceTeachingCurriculumDistrict of ColumbiaEducational MeasurementEducational StatusEducation, Public Health ProfessionalHumansInternetPersonal SatisfactionProgram EvaluationRetrospective StudiesSchools, Health OccupationsStudents, Health OccupationsCurriculumEducation, distanceEducation, graduateEducation, professional

Identifiers

PMID30342525
PMCPMC6196001

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.