Twitter in the Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging Classroom: Examination Outcomes and Student Views

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Radiology
• Diagnostic Imaging Education

Background:

• Veterinary students face challenges in radiographic lesion identification and differential diagnosis.
• Novel methods for distributing study cases may enhance engagement and learning in diagnostic imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if Twitter as an adjunct study tool improves veterinary student outcomes on diagnostic imaging final exams.
• To determine students' preferred platforms for accessing additional radiographic study cases.

Main Methods:

• Twitter was utilized to distribute optional radiographic cases in a third-year veterinary radiology course.
• Student final examination scores were compared between Twitter users and non-users.
• A survey assessed students' prior/current Twitter use and preferences for case distribution platforms.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in mean final examination scores was found between students who used Twitter and those who did not (p = .98).
• Only 3% of students preferred Twitter for receiving additional cases.
• Moodle (41%) and Facebook (23%) were the most preferred platforms for accessing study cases.

Conclusions:

• Educational use of Twitter did not enhance student performance in diagnostic imaging.
• Alternative media platforms like Moodle and Facebook are more likely to be preferred by students for accessing supplementary study resources.