An Adaptive Blended Learning Approach in the Implementation of a Medical Neuroscience Laboratory Activities

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Neuroscience
• Digital Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in traditional medical education reliant on in-person instruction.
• Disruptions affected the continuity of neuroanatomy laboratory activities within medical neuroscience curricula.
• The study explored alternative teaching methods to ensure educational progression during the pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an adaptive flexible blended learning (AFBL) approach for neuroanatomy laboratory activities.
• To compare student performance in AFBL with traditional in-person learning during a pandemic.
• To assess the feasibility of online neuroanatomy instruction.

Main Methods:

• An AFBL approach was implemented, integrating virtual face-to-face interactions with online learning of brain structures and clinical cases.
• Learning materials were delivered via synchronous and asynchronous modes, allowing flexible timing and location for Year 1 medical students.
• Student performance in AFBL was compared to that of students in a prior in-person neuroanatomy laboratory setting.

Main Results:

• The AFBL approach fostered autonomous, independent learning and self-study.
• A broader distribution of student scores was observed, with more students achieving scores between 80-89% in the AFBL group.
• In contrast, the in-person learning model resulted in the majority of students scoring above 90%.

Conclusions:

• The AFBL model effectively facilitated neuroanatomy laboratory activities for medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• This approach provided a unique educational experience by combining digital technology with online learning.
• While AFBL enabled continued learning, in-person instruction correlated with higher overall scores.