Computer-assisted instruction improves clinical reasoning skills of dietetics students

Area of Science:

• Dietetics Education
• Medical Education Technology
• Clinical Reasoning Skills Development

Background:

• Undergraduate dietetics programs face challenges in developing essential clinical reasoning skills.
• Traditional teaching methods may not fully equip students for complex patient care scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-assisted instruction (CAI) tutorial program in enhancing clinical reasoning skills among undergraduate dietetics students.
• To compare the impact of a CAI tutorial versus a drill-and-practice program on skill acquisition.

Main Methods:

• A simulation test was developed to assess clinical reasoning skills in cardiovascular disease case management.
• Undergraduate diet therapy students (n=413) were assigned to three groups: drill-and-practice with simulation, CAI tutorial with simulation, or simulation only.
• Data analysis involved one-way ANOVA and Student-Newman Keuls tests to compare simulation scores.

Main Results:

• Students using the CAI tutorial program (Group 2) achieved significantly higher scores on the simulation test compared to the other groups.
• The CAI tutorial group demonstrated superior mastery of both lower-level and higher-level clinical reasoning objectives.
• Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CPD) students generally scored higher than Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) students, though this difference was not significant within experimental groups.

Conclusions:

• Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) tutorial programs are effective in enhancing clinical reasoning skills in undergraduate dietetics students.
• CAI tutorials can serve as a valuable supplement to diet therapy curricula, offering practical learning experiences.
• This technology can provide DPD students with crucial pre-internship experiential learning opportunities.