Equine Virtual Farm: Toward Meaningful Cognitive Strategies in Veterinary Education

• In Event: Poster Session 2
  In Poster Session: Learning Environments Poster Session

Abstract

Attaining that level of proficiency in veterinary medicine needs the embracement of more deep and meaningful cognitive strategies in learning process, rather than information memorization. Therefore, the present study proposes a contextualized screen-based computer simulation, titled “Equine Virtual Farm (EVF)”, as a virtual motivating environment that reflects how problems are encountered in real life and how physiological knowledge and laboratory skills are integrated. And on assessing its effectiveness versus Blackboard (Bb) online course, second-year undergraduate veterinary students showed significantly higher performance in the overall (p ≤ 0.1), understanding (p < 0.1) and problem-based assessment questions (p < 0.1). Moreover, different students’ feedbacks indicated that EVF had been more useful and motivating than Bb in learning and practicing laboratory skills.

Author

• Maaly Nassar, Free University - Berlin