Attitudes of an international student cohort to the Quizlet study system employed in an advanced clinical health care review course

Abstract

Computer-based learning applications and mobile technology have transformed many aspects of the educational experience over the last decade, producing software aimed at improving learning efficiency and streamlining the presentation of course materials. One such class of software, purpose-created to take advantage of spaced learning and spaced testing principles, are electronic flashcard applications. We provide a perspective on the novel use of the Quizlet flashcard application in a tertiary educational setting. To reduce cognitive load for international graduate dental students taking a pharmacology review course, we implemented Quizlet, which integrates both spaced learning and self-testing, to improve the student learning experience. This study assessed students’ perceptions of the Quizlet flashcard system in a student cohort comprised of two consecutive years’ classes (n = 51 students in total). Results indicated broad acceptance of Quizlet based on ease of use of the software and ease of study of the material. Our data provide insight into the use of this common software in a professional healthcare tertiary education setting and further demonstrate the successful application of electronic flashcards for a mixed international student cohort. Further research should include an assessment of the impact of flashcard on long-term knowledge retention in this setting. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10639-022-11371-3.

Quantifying cognitive and affective impacts of Quizlet on learning outcomes: a systematic review and comprehensive meta-analysis

“…The lack of quantitative studies measuring student attitudes towards the Quizlet application is further supported by ( Mykytka, 2023 ), who highlighted the focus on vocabulary acquisition and the limited investigation of the effect of Quizlet on other skills. On the other hand, there are many qualitative studies proving that the Quizlet application increases student attitude and motivation positively ( Chien, 2015 ; Dizon, 2016 ; Alastuey and Nemeth, 2020 ; Setiawan and Wiedarti, 2020 ; Lubis et al, 2022 ; Nguyen et al, 2022 ; Pham, 2022 ; Zeitlin and Sadhak, 2022 ). Qualitative studies supporting the positive impact of Quizlet on student attitude and motivation emphasize the subjective and experiential dimensions of learning with digital tools and reveal that the effectiveness of these tools can be significantly affected by students’ perceptions and experiences.…”

“…The gamification of learning processes facilitated by using Quizlet is also considered to be compatible with the principles of game-based learning, which suggest that game elements can significantly increase attitude and engagement and thus positively affect learning outcomes. Additionally, the convenience and effectiveness of Quizlet have been reported to positively influence students’ attitude, motivation and interest in vocabulary learning ( Pham, 2022 ; Zeitlin and Sadhak, 2022 ). This positive effect of Quizlet on student attitude and achievement demonstrates the importance of the role of user-friendly and effective digital tools in increasing student engagement and satisfaction in the learning process.…”

“…The interactive and gamified nature of Quizlet, such as its flashcards, quizzes, and other interactive activities, enhance students' attitude, interest and intrinsic motivation in learning vocabulary (Körlü and Mede, 2018;Alastuey and Nemeth, 2020;Nguyen et al, 2022;Mykytka, 2023). The gamification of learning processes facilitated by using Quizlet is also considered to be compatible with the principles of game-based learning, which suggest that game elements can significantly increase attitude and engagement and thus positively (Pham, 2022;Zeitlin and Sadhak, 2022). This positive effect of Quizlet on student attitude and achievement demonstrates the importance of the role of user-friendly and effective digital tools in increasing student engagement and satisfaction in the learning process.…”

Perceptions of University Students on Using Quizlet in Self-Study

“…Learning should be intuitive, but for many students, it is not. In the current study, we examine how students react when a for-profit computer-based learning application (app), Quizlet, is used in a higher education health science environment for a cohort of international students [2]. In 2005, Andrew Sutherland created Quizlet, which is now available in a wide range of languages including English, Chinese, Russian, French, Vietnamese, and other languages and utilized in over 130 countries, with 500 million study sets and about 60 million monthly users [3].…”