Medical Students' Self-Directed Technology Use: A Scoping Review

• In Event: Instructional Technology and Simulation in Medical and Veterinary Education: What Is Gained and What Is Lost?

Abstract

Considerable research has been conducted on instructional use of digital technologies in medical education. However, less attention has been given towards understanding medical students’ self-directed technology use. This scoping review of 34 articles revealed the following key insights: (1) medical students used a wide range of digital resources, such as search engine, e-books, social media, and informational databases; (2) medical students had an overall positive attitudes towards technology use in facilitating their learning; (3) medical students were concerned about using technologies in clinical settings would result in receiving negative feedback from their preceptors and patients; and (4) although students perceived self-reported learning gains and increased engagement with technology use, test scores did not show a positive association.

Authors

• Marissa Zhu, Michigan State University

• Binbin Zheng, University of Hong Kong