Online vs. face-to-face interactive communication education using video materials among healthcare college students: a pilot non-randomized controlled study

• Published in: BMC medical education Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 746 - 9
• Main Authors: Ichikura, Kanako, Watanabe, Kazuhiro, Moriya, Rika, Chiba, Hiroki, Inoue, Akiomi, Arai, Yumi, Shimazu, Akihito, Fukase, Yuko, Tagaya, Hirokuni, Tsutsumi, Akizumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 10.07.2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adult; Classroom management; Clinical medicine; College students; Colleges & universities; Communication; Communication education; Communication exercise; Communication in medicine; Comparative analysis; Distance learning; Education, Distance - methods; Educational aspects; Educational Objectives; Face-to-face; Female; Graduate students; Healthcare communication; Homework; Humans; Interpersonal communication; Knowledge; Learning Processes; Listening comprehension; Male; Medical education; Medical personnel; Methods; Online; Online education; Online instruction; Patients; Pilot Projects; Professionals; Psychologists; Public speaking; Questionnaires; Role playing; Social aspects; Social skills; Technology application; Undergraduate Students; Verbal communication; Young Adult; Japan; Healthcare communication; Communication exercise; Communication education; Face-to-face; Online
• ISSN: 1472-6920; 1472-6920
• DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05742-2

This study aimed to examine whether online interactive communication education using video materials was as effective as face-to-face education among healthcare college students. The participants were healthcare college students who were enrolled in study programs to obtain national medical licenses. They participated in lectures and exercises on healthcare communication, both online (n = 139) and face-to-face (n = 132). Listening skills, understanding, and confidence in healthcare communication were assessed using a self-assessed tool. From the two-way ANOVA result, the interaction effects between group (online, face-to-face) and time (Time 1, Time 2, Time 3) were not statistically significant. The main effect of time increased significantly from Time1 to Time 3 on understanding of communication with patients (Hedges'g = 0.51, 95%CI 0.27-0.75), confidence in communication with patients (g = 0.40, 95%CI 0.16-0.64), and confidence in clinical practice (g = 0.49, 95%CI 0.25, 0.73), while the score of listening skills had no significant change (Hedges'g = 0.09, 95%CI - 0.03 to 0.45). The results show that online communication education with video materials and active exercises is as effective in improving students' confidence as face-to-face. It will be necessary to modify the content of this educational program to improve skills as well as confidence in communication. Not Applicable.