Developing and assessing the use of demonstration videos in the preclinical simulation laboratory

Abstract

AbstractPurposeThis study aims to report the development of a preclinical simulation laboratory Demonstration Video Series (DVS) for the 2021–2022 academic year, measure its usage and usefulness, and compare these findings to the usage and usefulness of the existing didactic lecture videos.MethodsThe DVS videos were intended to be viewed before each preclinical simulation laboratory session along with the pre‐existing didactic lectures (DL) by University of California San Francisco (UCSF) learners. Usage measurements included the percentage of the class that viewed each video, the number of views that each video received, and the average duration of each video that was watched. Usefulness of the videos was measured by a survey that assessed learner perspective on knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge during the simulation lab exercises. Both usage and usefulness of the DVS were then compared to the usage and usefulness of the DL. Both descriptive statistics and independent sample hypothesis tests were performed to compare the differences in proportion between DVS and DL mediums.ResultsStatistically significant differences were found in terms of both usage and usefulness of the DVS compared to the DL, with DVS being utilized more overall. With an 81% response rate, survey analysis revealed statistically significant differences among the learners’ perspectives on the usefulness of the DVS compared to the DL, with a clear preference for the DVS over the DL and an overwhelmingly positive perception of the DVS.ConclusionThe DVS was found to be a valuable addition to the preclinical laboratory sessions for first‐year learners.