Close menu

SURE

Sunderland Repository records the research produced by the University of Sunderland including practice-based research and theses.

The impact of wearing scrubs on contextual learning

Patten, Debra, Finn, G.M. and McLachlan, J.C. (2010) The impact of wearing scrubs on contextual learning. Medical Teacher, 32 (5). pp. 381-384.

Item Type: Article

Abstract

Background: Godden and Baddeley (Citation) suggested strong contextual influence on recall, suggesting learning in an educational context might not transfer well to practice.

Aim: To explore the impact of an authentic context (wearing hospital scrubs) on learning and recall.

Methods: 82 first year medical students sat a pre-test on renal gross anatomy and imaging, to establish prior knowledge, wearing their own clothes. Students wore either scrubs or their own clothes for the first teaching session on renal gross anatomy. A mid-test on this topic was completed immediately after the teaching session. Students then changed into opposite clothing and attended a self-directed session on renal imaging. An imaging specific mid-test was completed. 5 weeks later students completed two post-tests (gross anatomy and imaging) in their own clothes. Tests were online.

Results: Data were analysed using paired t-tests. Results showed no significant difference between test performance immediately after the teaching session, but a significant improvement (p = 0.04) on recall between groups tested in the same clothing versus testing in different clothing. The effect size of the teaching intervention was 0.27, a ‘moderate’ effect in teaching terms.

Conclusions: Students examined in the same context as they were taught recalled significantly more information.

Full text not available from this repository.

More Information

Related URLs:
Depositing User: Debs Patten

Identifiers

Item ID: 18321
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.3109/01421590903437196
URI: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/18321
Official URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/01421...

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Debra Patten: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0629-8907

Catalogue record

Date Deposited: 27 Sep 2024 12:35
Last Modified: 27 Sep 2024 12:35

Contributors

Author: Debra Patten ORCID iD
Author: G.M. Finn
Author: J.C. McLachlan

University Divisions

Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing > School of Medicine

Subjects

Sciences > Health Sciences
Education > Higher Education

Actions (login required)

View Item (Repository Staff Only) View Item (Repository Staff Only)