Brave New E‐World: Medical Students’ Preferences for and Usage of Electronic Learning Resources during Two Different Phases of Their Education

Abstract

E‐learning strategies have become an essential part of biomedical education. However, why and how students select hardware tools and software formats during their education has not been sufficiently analyzed and documented. Yet, these aspects should be taken into account when designing or offering new e‐learning modalities to learners. Two medical school classes at a major US medical school were surveyed about their use of e‐learning resources during their first year of medical school or their preparation for their first licensing examination (USMLE® Step 1), respectively. Their responses were analyzed for patterns and significant changes. Students’ answers from both classes indicated that computers and computer tablets were considered the most important hardware devices to support students’ learning. During the first year, students often preferred resources that were tailored to the specific courses in their curriculum. In contrast, some preferences changed when students prepared for the USMLE® Step 1, with students shifting almost exclusively to a solitary learning mode using commercial e‐learning resources. Across all phases of medical school education queried, peer advice was the major determinant influencing e‐learning resource selection, with faculty only playing a minor role during the first year of medical school. Videos were the most popular e‐learning modality, and students cited efficient acquisition of knowledge and preparation for examinations as major reasons for e‐learning tool utilization. These data suggest that the selection of e‐learning resources is task‐oriented, with students choosing specific resources based on the challenges they are facing. These factors need to be considered when offering or developing e‐learning resources for medical and other students during different phases of their training.