Are Multimedia Resources Effective in Life Science Education? A Meta-Analysis

Figures & data

Figure 1 Details of literature searching leading to excluded and selected studies

Table 1 Details of included study participants and methodologies

Study		Participants	Methods
	No.	Course	Design	Comparison
Dewhurst 1994	14	Year 2 physiology	NRCT, cross over	Practical vs multimedia
Lilienfield 1994	60	Pre-clinical medicine	NRCT	Practical vs multimedia
Kronke 2010	295	Pre-clinical medicine	Quasi RCT	Practical vs multimedia
Dewhurst 1998	39	Year 1 physiotherapy	NRCT, cross over	Lecture vs multimedia
Gibbons 2004a	30	Year 2 science	RCT, cross over	Lecture vs multimedia
Gibbons 2004a	47	Year 1 science	Quasi RCT	Practical vs multimedia
Bogacki 2004	45	Year 1 dentistry	RCT	Lecture vs multimedia
Pereira 2007	138	Year 1 biology	NRCT	Lecture vs blended
Evans 2004	32	Year 3 biological science	NRCT, cross over	Static web vs interactive
Glittenberg 2006	40	Opthalmics	RCT	Textbook vs animation
McGrath 2003	1541	Year 1 undergraduates	NRCT	Multimedia + lecture vs Tutorial + lecture
Nicholson 2006	61	Pre-clinical medicine	RCT	3D multimedia vs Multimedia
Jenkins 2008	73	Pre-clinical medicine	RCT	Lecture vs multimedia?
Marsh 2009	?	Undergraduate science	RCT	Lecture vs lecture + Animation
O’Day 2006	86	Year 3 biological science	RCT	Graphics vs animations
O’Day 2007	393	Year 3 biological science	NRCT	Graphics vs animations
Thatcher 2006	22	Year 1 osteopathy	Quasi RCT	Textbook vs multimedia CD
Starbek 2009	468	Pharmacy/ nursing	Quasi RCT	Multiple; Textbook, illustrated text, lecture, multimedia

Table 2 Details of study interventions

Study	Subject	Technology	Multimedia
Dewhurst 1994	Intestinal absorption	Turbo C++ (Borland)	Graphics, animation, text, simulation
Lilienfield 1994	Cardiac cycle	Computer programme	Graphics, audio, animation, text
Kronke 2010	Oxygen consumption	Audiovisual animations	Simulation, animation, quiz, text
Dewhurst 1994	Cardiovascular physiology	CBL programme	Simulation, animation, quiz, text
Gibbons 2004a	Bioinformatics	Macromedia Authorware	Graphics, text, quiz
Gibbons 2004a	Karotyping	Macromedia Authorware	Graphics, drag and drop
Bogacki 2004	Tooth morphology	CAL package	Text, photos, graphics, 3D, quiz
Pereira 2007	Human anatomy	Web pages	Images, PDF text, quiz
Evans 2004	Infertility genetics	Macromedia Authorware	Audio, photos, graphics, text, quiz
Glittenberg 2006	Eye anatomy	3D animation software	3D models, 3D animations
McGrath 2003	Neurology	NeuroLab (web + CDrom)	Simulations, graphics, audio, text, animation
Nicholson 2006	Ear anatomy	MRI and CT 3D images	3D models, 2D graphics, text
Jenkins 2008	Dermatology	CAI online atlas	Text, graphics, quiz
Marsh 2008	Embryology	2D and 3D multimedia	Animations, 2D graphics, 3D models, text
O’Day 2006	Cell signalling	CorelDraw, PPT	Animations, graphics, narrations
O’Day 2007	Cell biology	CorelDraw, PPT	Animations, graphics, narrations
Thatcher 2006	DNA replication	CDrom	Graphics, animation, text, quiz
Starbek 2009	Protein synthesis	Multimedia package	Graphics, text, animation

N.B. Gibbons presented 2 studies in one paper.

Figure 2A Effects of Multimedia Interventions — Forest plot of Comparison 1: Multimedia versus Practical. Outcome: 1.1 Post-Test results.

Figure 2B Effects of Multimedia Interventions — Forest plot of Comparison 1: Multimedia versus Practical. Outcome: 1.2 Exam results.

Figure 3 Effects of Multimedia interventions — Forest plot of Comparison 2: eLearning versus Lecture. Outcome: 2.1 Post-Test results.

Table 3 Summary of study comparisons. A positive (+) effect estimate indicates the outcome favours multimedia and a negative (−) effect shows a favourable control approach.

Comparison / subgroup	No. Studies	No. Participants	Effects Estimate	I2	P
1 Multimedia vs practical	1.1 post-test	3	235	+23.21 [−1.56, 47.97]	95%	p=0.07
	1.2 exam	1	252	+7.06 [4.61, 9.51]	0%	p<0.00001
2 Multimedia vs lecture	2.1 post-test	3	358	+7.44 [0.19, 14.69]	75%	p=0.04
	2.2 exam	1	45	−0.90 [−3.97, 2.17]	0%	p=0.57
	2.3 exam % correct	1	73	−1.25 [−3.17, 0.67]	0%	p=0.20
3 Multimedia vs blended learning	3.1 exam	1	134	−13.00 [−17.92, −8.08]	0%	p<0.00001
4 Multimedia vs text book	4.1 post-test	2	261	+23.27 [19.80, 26.74]	0%	p<0.00001
5 Static vs interactive webpages	5.1 post-test	1	32	+21.40 [12.09, 30.71]	0%	p<0.00001
6 Graphic vs animation	6.1 short view, post-test	2	37	−11.80 [−20.48, −3.12]	0%	p=0.008
	6.2 repeat view, post-test	1	49	+13.10 [2.66, 23.54]	0%	p=0.01
	6.3 post-test	2	183	+7.10 [−17.79, 31.99]	100%	p=0.58
	6.4 retention test	2	151	+10.15 [4.37, 15.93]	99%	p=0.0006
7 Multimedia + lecture vs tutorial + lecture	7.1 post-test	1	179	+10.04 [0.13, 19.96]	58%	p=0.05
8 Multimedia vs multimedia + 3D	8.1 post-test	1	57	+18.00 [12.03, 23.97]	0%	p<0.00001
9 Lecture vs lecture + multimedia	9.1 retention test	1	76	+7.05 [−2.01, 16.11]	42%	p=0.13
	9.2 retention test (16 months)	1	128	+3.10 [−1.00, 7.20]	20%	p=0.14

DewhurstD.G., HardcastleJ., HardcastleP.T. and StuartE. (1994) Comparison of a computer simulation program and a traditional laboratory practical class for teaching the principles of intestinal absorption. Advances in Physiology Education, 267, 95-104

 Google Scholar

LilienfieldL.S. and BroeringN.C. (1994) Computers as teachers: learning from animations. Advances in Physiology Education, 266, 47-54

 Google Scholar

KronkeK.-D. (2010) Computer-based learning versus practical course in pre-clinical education: acceptance and knowledge retention. Medical Teacher, 32, 408-413

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

DewhurstD.G. and WilliamsA.D. (1998) An investigation of the potential for a computer-based tutorial program covering the cardiovascular system to replace traditional lectures. Computers and Education, 31, 301-317

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

GibbonsN.J., EvansC., PayneA., ShahK. and GriffinD.K. (2004) Computer simulations improve university instructional laboratories. Cell Biology Education, 3, 263-269

 PubMedGoogle Scholar

BogackiR.E., BestA. and AbbeyL.M. (2004) Equivalence study of a dental anatomy computer-assisted learning program. Journal of Dental Education, 68 (8), 867-871

 PubMedGoogle Scholar

PereiraJ.A., PleguezuelosE., MeriA., Molina-RosA., Molina-TomasM.C. and MasdeuC. (2007) Effectiveness of using blended learning strategies for teaching and learning of human anatomy. Medical Education 41, 189-195

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

EvansC., GibbonsN.J., ShahK. and GriffinD.K. (2004) Virtual learning in the biological sciences: pitfalls of simply “putting notes on the web”. Computers and Education, 43, 49-61

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

GlittenbergC. and BinderS. (2006) Using 3D computer simulations to enhance ophthalmic training. Opthalmic and Physiological Optics, 26, 40-49

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

McGrathP., KuceraR. and SmithW. (2003) Computer simulation of introductory neurophysiology. Advances in Physiology Education, 27, 120-129

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

NicholsonD.T., ChalkC., FunnellW.R.J. and DanielS.J. (2006) Can virtual reality improve anatomy education? A randomised controlled trial of a computer-generated three dimensional anatomical ear model. Medical Education, 40, 1081-1087

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

JenkinsS., GoelR. and MorrellD.S. (2008) Computer-assisted instruction versus traditional lecture for medical student teaching of dermatology morphology: a randomized control trial. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 59, 255-259

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

O’DayD.H. (2006) Animated cell biology: a quick and easy method for making effective, high-quality teaching animations. Life Science Education, 5, 255-263

 PubMedGoogle Scholar

O’DayD.H. (2007) The value of animations in biology teaching: a study of long-term memory retention. Life Science Education, 6, 217-223

 PubMedGoogle Scholar

ThatcherJ. (2006) Computer animation and improved student comprehension of basic science concepts. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 106 (1), 9-14

 PubMedGoogle Scholar

StarbekP., ErjavectM.S. and PeklajC. (2010) Teaching genetics with multimedia results in better acquisition of knowledge and improvement of comprehension. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 26 (3), 214-224

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

MarshK.R., GriffinB.F. and LowrieD.J.Jr (2008) Medical student retention of embryonic development: impact of the dimensions added by multimedia tutorials. Anatomical Sciences Education, 1, 252-257

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar