Computer Aided Concept for Enhancing Motivation and Thinking while Teaching and Learning Medical Physiology

Abstract

We wanted to refine the old computer aided concept we developed several years ago for teaching and learning medical physiology, by adding new tools to enhance motivation and thinking of both medical students and teachers. Since all the future exams of our University will rely mainly on a written, or even better, computerized multiple choice format, we focused on tools that motivate teachers in writing good multiple-choice questions (MCQ), not only for final exam but for teaching students as well, and tools to motivate students to perform MCQ tests during semester. We developed a concept of a Multifunctional or Enhanced MCQ which offer teachers, when using our software, the possibility to write questions with one statement and up to 10 answers which in their turn can be individually enabled or disabled by them. We conceived a precise protocol for calculation of Current P index and Current D index of each MCQ which is useful for a permanent, during semester, refining of poor quality questions or to adjust current overall difficulty of the MCQ set according to student performances and/or teacher expectancies.