Page 148 - Ebook-Book JCMS 2025

Different Medical Student Attitudes Toward Learning
Multimedia Features Across Academic Performances
Sarunyapong Atchariyapajorn, Thana Thongsricome, Sekh Thanprasertsuk, Danai Wangsaturaka*
Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University
*Corresponding Author E-mail: danai.w@chula.md
Background: Abstract
Traditional lectures remain essential in medical education, particularly for delivering large
volumes of content efficiently. However, limited guidance exists on prioritizing multimedia
presentation features based on students’ perspectives. This study aimed to identify and
rank multimedia presentation features perceived to enhance/assist or diminish students’
learning.
Methods: A two-phase, mixed-methods study was conducted. Phase 1 involved a literature review and
semi-structured interviews with preclinical medical students to generate a comprehensive
feature list. In Phase 2, 105 fourth-year medical students rated 79 features across text,
non-text, and pattern domains using a five-point scale. Font preferences for slide design
were also collected through an open-ended question. Differences in feature ratings across
academic performance groups were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis H test.
Results: Students valued features that promoted clarity and structure, such as explanatory captions,
high text-background contrast, high-quality media, outlines, and hierarchical bullet points.
Negative ratings were given to features like animated backgrounds, poor contrast, low-
quality media, and overcrowded slides. Popular font recommendations included Sarabun,
Helvetica, and Calibri, emphasizing the importance of clean, sans-serif fonts for readability.
Significant differences in attitude toward 4 multimedia features among students with
different academic performance were identified, including title alignment to the right (p =
0.002), excessive white space (p = 0.025), absence of outline (p = 0.048), and presence of
divider slides (p = 0.042), with high-performing students demonstrating greater sensitvity
to structural organization (Figure 1). Students with different VARK (vision/auditory/read-
write/kinesthetic) learning types also rated the features differently.
Conclusion: Medical students value multimedia presentations that support cognitive clarity, structural
organization, and visual readability. Importantly, students of differing academic
performance levels exhibited distinct sensitivities—particularly to structural features—
highlighting opportunities for more personalized slide design. Educators should consider
adapting presentation strategies to accommodate diverse learner needs, thereby enhancing
engagement, comprehension, and instructional effectiveness.
146 Joint Conference in Medical Sciences 2025