Computer-based video instructions for acquisition of technical skills

This study aimed to assess which type of information presented in an interactive computer-based video instruction was most frequently used by novice medical students during a 1-hour training session in instrument suturing and knot-tying skills. Custom-designed instructional software enabled tracking when a given segment of the video was accessed. The results suggest that, in the early stages of learning, trainees require guidance in proper looping techniques and placement of the knots. In accordance with motor learning theory, when setting up CD-ROM or Web-based curricula, instructors should, therefore, emphasize these steps during early stages of learning.