Using a filter to improve the chatroom experience in interactive medical education

Abstract

A computer chatroom exercise between faculty and students was used in a Human Behavior course for first-year medical students to provide an interactive exam review learning exercise. Two conditions were compared—one that filtered out all irrelevant student comments, and one without the filter that permitted all student comments. Four one-hour chatroom sessions, each with eight groups of five students, were conducted with all comments recorded. Comments were rated as on- or off-task by a blinded external faculty member. The filtered condition resulted in increased on-task and decreased off-task student comments compared with the non-filtered condition. However, students made fewer total comments in the filtered situation. Results suggested that a trade-off occurred between focused and uninhibited faculty–student communication; the implications are discussed.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chris Candler

CHRIS CANDLER, MD, is the Director of Medical Education in the Division of Medical Education in the American Association of Medical Colleges.

Phebe Tucker

PHEBE TUCKER, MD, is Professor of Psychiatry and Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK.

Janice Triplett

JANICE TRIPLETT, PhD, is in private practice in Cheyenne, Wyoming and is President of the Wyoming Psychological Association.

Richard P. Trautman

RICHARD TRAUTMAN is Professor of Psychiatry and Vice Chair of Clinical Services in the Department of Psychiatry, OUHSC, Oklahoma City, OK.