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The spiral curriculum: implications for online learning
Kenneth Masters1, Trevor Gibbs
1Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Ken.Masters@uct.ac.za
BMC Medical Education
|December 25, 2007
Summary
Medical students frequently revisit online course materials to reinforce learning and prepare for assessments, supporting the spiral curriculum. Replacing old content may negatively impact student learning and curriculum development.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Educational Technology
Background:
- Discrepancy between medical spiral curriculum requirements and online material replacement practices.
- Need to investigate student reuse of online materials for curriculum building.
Purpose of the Study:
- Assess student revisiting of previous online courses.
- Understand reasons and benefits of accessing prior online learning materials.
- Evaluate implications for Learning Management System implementation.
Main Methods:
- Determined last access dates for 16 previous online courses among medical students.
- Surveyed students on reasons for revisiting material and perceived benefits.
Main Results:
- 70% of students accessed previous online courses.
- Primary reasons included reviewing lecture presentations, notes, and quizzes.
- Perceived benefits encompassed understanding new material, assessment preparation, and convenience.
Conclusions:
- Replacing online course content may impede student learning.
- Students utilize prior online materials to build knowledge, aligning with spiral curriculum principles.
- Curriculum redesign involving material replacement may detrimentally affect future learning needs.
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