title: Effects of epidemiology learning software on nursing and midwifery students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Being informed of new methods of teaching and comparing their outcome help teachers use more effective and efficient methods in developing and implementing new training courses. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of epidemiology learning software on learning epidemiology courses.
  
  
  METHODS
  This quasi-experimental study included 101 nursing and midwifery students taking epidemiology course in two separate classes. One of the classes was selected as intervention group (taught via software) and another one as the control group. At the end of the semester, scores of the courses were analyzed using covarianceanalysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting the effect of grade point average, covariance analysis indicated a significant difference in epidemiology scores between the two groups (p<0.001). The students taught through the software obtained significantly higher scores compared to the students in traditional group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By means of this training software, teachers can use several strategies for presenting lessons and increasing training efficacy, leading to active learning in students.
authors.affiliation: 1. Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran. mobasheri@skums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mobasheri
authors.affiliation: 2. Associate Professor, Social Health Determinants Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran kheyri.soleiman@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Soleiman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kheiri
authors.affiliation: 3. MSc Research and Technology Deputy, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran. e_m_s_5000@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mardanpour
authors.affiliation: 4. MSc Research and Technology Deputy, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran. se_bakhshi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Seifollah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bakhshi
keywords: Education; Learning; Nursing students; Software