Student Engagement and Lecture Attendance in Medical Education
Summary
Student engagement and lecture attendance are central to the effectiveness of medical training, influencing both knowledge acquisition and the development of professional competencies. Engagement encompasses behavioural, emotional and cognitive dimensions, ranging from physical presence in the lecture theatre to active participation in discussions and self-directed study. Attendance policies vary widely, with some institutions mandating presence and others adopting more flexible approaches. Recent pedagogical shifts towards blended and hybrid models have further complicated traditional notions of attendance, as students may choose between live lectures, recorded sessions and a plethora of online resources. Globally, educators grapple with reconciling student preferences for flexible learning with evidence that meaningful engagement correlates with improved academic performance and clinical reasoning. Practical applications include using attendance data to identify learners at risk, designing interactive sessions that foster peer collaboration and aligning teaching practices with licencing examinations and competency frameworks.
Research from Nature Portfolio
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Student Engagement and Lecture Attendance in Medical Education publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in student engagement and lecture attendance in medical education across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Student engagement: The degree of attention, curiosity and participation that students exhibit towards learning activities.
Formative assessment: Low-stakes evaluations conducted during instruction to monitor learning and provide feedback for improvement.
Summative assessment: High-stakes evaluations conducted at the end of a teaching period to measure cumulative learning.
Lecture capture: Technology that records live lectures—audio and/or video—making them available for later review by students.
References
- The validity of Engagement and Feedback Assessments (EFAs): identifying students at risk of failing. BMC Medical Education (2023).
- Study of Live Lecture Attendance, Student Perceptions and Expectations. Medical Science Educator (2021).
- No apparent association between lecture attendance or accessing lecture recordings and academic outcomes in a medical laboratory science course. BMC Medical Education (2020).
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