Availability of slides before lectures does not decrease attendance at lectures

Dear Sir

Computer-generated slides seem to have positive effects on learning only when students have access to a copy of slides before lectures (Levasseur & Sawyer 2006). But some teachers still argue that online availability of slides before lectures might be associated with decreased attendance. A prospective cohort study was conducted to check whether such an association exists. Attendance at lectures and availability of slides were recorded for 157 out of 168 non-mandatory lecture sessions during two consecutive university years in a class of medical students in their fourth and fifth years of the six-year curriculum at the University of Lyon (n = 208 for 2010–2011, 190 for 2011–2012). Attendance at lectures with 100% of the slides available before was significantly higher than attendance at lectures with half or no slides available before (38% vs. 24% and 25%, p < 0.01). Using forward entry regression, we estimated that availability of slides explained only 10% of the variability of attendance at lectures. The main variable explaining about one third of the variability of attendance was time (year in the program, period in each year, week and day of the week). Availability of slides before lectures is not associated with a decreased attendance at lectures and is not the main factor accounting for attendance at lectures. This result could encourage teachers to give access to their slides online before lectures.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no financial conflicts of interest.