title: Traditional microscopy instruction versus process-oriented virtual microscopy instruction: a naturalistic experiment with control group.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Virtual microscopy is being introduced in medical education as an approach for learning how to interpret information in microscopic specimens. It is, however, far from evident how to incorporate its use into existing teaching practice. The aim of the study was to explore the consequences of introducing virtual microscopy tasks into an undergraduate pathology course in an attempt to render the instruction more process-oriented. The research questions were: 1) How is virtual microscopy perceived by students? 2) Does work on virtual microscopy tasks contribute to improvement in performance in microscopic pathology in comparison with attending assistant-led demonstrations only?
  
  
  METHODS
  During a one-week period, an experimental group completed three sets of virtual microscopy homework assignments in addition to attending demonstrations. A control group attended the demonstrations only. Performance in microscopic pathology was measured by a pre-test and a post-test. Student perceptions of regular instruction and virtual microscopy were collected one month later by administering the Inventory of Intrinsic Motivation and open-ended questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The students voiced an appreciation for virtual microscopy for the purposes of the course and for self-study. As for learning gains, the results indicated that learning was speeded up in a subgroup of students consisting of conscientious high achievers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The enriched instruction model may be suited as such for elective courses following the basic course. However, the instructional model needs further development to be suited for basic courses.
authors.affiliation: University of Turku, Centre for Learning Research, 20014 Turun yliopisto, Finland. laura.helle@utu.fi
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Helle
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nivala
authors.forename: Pauliina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kronqvist
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gegenfurtner
authors.forename: Pasi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Björk
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Säljö
mesh_terms: D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D010336:Pathology / Q000193:education*; D014584:User-Computer Interface