Faculty Research

Advancing Research and Innovation with Lecturio

Lecturio collaborates with faculty and students at partner institutions to address challenges in health education, drive innovation, and contribute to the growing body of evidence-based education research.

Our Directors of Nursing and Medical Education

Pedagogical research is critical to healthcare education. Together, we can harness the power of data to inform strategies for improving learning and teaching outcomes.

Rhonda lawes

Rhonda Lawes, PhD(c), RN

  • Director of Nursing Education, Lecturio
  • Currently teaching in BSN program with emphasis on nursing research and advanced pathophysiology and pharmacology
  • Award-winning, certified nurse educator and PhD(c) in educational psychology with over 30 years of experience as a nurse

We now have the technology to help deliver and evaluate evidence-based learning strategies in the medical education setting in uniquely powerful ways, and we are committed to helping interested students and faculty conduct pedagogical research using these tools.

Dr peter horneffer

Peter Horneffer, M.D., FACS

  • Director of Medical Education, Lecturio
  • Executive Dean, All American Institute of Medical Sciences, Jamaica
  • Cardiothoracic surgeon, Maryland, USA

Our vision is to empower faculty to teach and lead more strategically and effectively through the application of evidence-based strategies supported by the Lecturio platform.

We now have the technology to help deliver and evaluate evidence-based learning strategies in the medical education setting in uniquely powerful ways, and we are committed to helping interested students and faculty conduct pedagogical research using these tools.

Our vision is to empower faculty to teach and lead more strategically and effectively through the application of evidence-based strategies supported by the Lecturio platform.

Our Research Focus

Explore how our research team can support your research endeavors in health education

Our ongoing research focuses on the following topics:

  • Impact of learning science on performance, well-being, and long-term mastery
  • Efficacy and utility of e-learning platforms including lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Factors contributing to improved student performance and outcomes with e-learning platforms
  • Elements affecting learner motivation and academic resilience

Join Us at Upcoming Conferences

Review the latest learning science and research at a presentation or workshop

Lecturio’s Contributions

Review our presentations, workshops, and short communications

Medical

Oral Presentation

Neurodiverse Learners in Health Sciences: Benefits of a Universal Design For Learning

Neurodiverse learners in medical, nursing, and other health education may hesitate to self-identify due to lingering stigma around neurodiverse diagnoses such as attention deficit disorder and autism spectrum disorders. Although the percentage of students who self-identify as neurodiverse in health professions education is low, the actual percentage of neurodiverse learners in medical and nursing school is estimated to be higher. Educators in the health professions can help neurodiverse students succeed without requiring those students to self-identify or “out” themselves by using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles for their courses. In particular, online elements delivered via learning platforms offer opportunities for neurodiverse student success through UDL.  An added benefit of UDL means that all students benefit from more accessible and more easily navigable courses.

Where?

IAMSE Conference, Cancun, Mexico

When?

June 10–13, 2023

Medical

Poster Presentation

Concretely Incorporating Evidence Based Learning Techniques: A proposed Worksheet for Students

While standardization and accreditation efforts have come a long way, there remains notable differences in the design and delivery of medical education worldwide; therefore, it is important for students to also have an innate ability to study in an evidence based manner. We propose this worksheet as a way for students to incorporate learning science into their daily learning practices.


Downloads:
Presentation

Where?

IAMSE Conference, Cancun, Mexico

When?

June 10–13, 2023

Medical

Poster Presentation

Adapting teaching for neurodiversity: strategies for ADHD

Neurodiversity as a term refers to the different ways that individuals experience and interact with the world around them, most often use in the context of neurodevelopmental conditions, such as ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, and more. Adapting for neurodiversity is essential for the success of our learners who often feel excluded in traditional ways of teaching, which needs to happen in all environments, including a virtual one. In our poster presentation, we illustrate what are some of the challenges and opportunities that can happen as we adapt our teaching for neurodiversity, including our recommendations on how this can be done with the support of technology.

Where?

Transform MedEd, London, UK

When?

November 11–12, 2022

Medical

Presentation

Platform-based Delivery of Medical Education: Transforming Effectiveness, Availability, and Resiliency

There is wide recognition of the global shortage of healthcare providers. This is especially true for underserved rural areas which have lacked the resources to educate and train physicians for their communities. A potential solution to this problem is to use specialized educational platforms to help deliver content and track compliance and performance. This allows curated video and written materials to be delivered in an evidence-based fashion to augment learning in a cost-effective fashion.

Presenters:
Peter Horneffer, MD

Where?

Transform MedEd, London, UK

When?

November 11–12, 2022

Medical

Workshop

A Paradigm Shift in Medical Education: Internet-based Platforms at the Core of the Educational Process AMEE 2022

The use of e-learning platforms can improve patient care and safety by enhancing the quality & productivity of health professions education. However, the use of these platforms requires integration of the technology by both faculty and students. This workshop by Dr. Peter Horneffer and Dr. Atsusi Hirumi aims to help participants explore the potential uses of web-based medical education platforms, the challenges in implementing their usage, and how the use of such platforms could create a paradigm shift in medical education by facilitating a true evidence-based approach to teaching and learning. Faculty interested in leveraging technology to augment pedagogy joined this workshop led by a Medical School Dean and a Professor of Instructional Design. Small groups formed and were tasked with identifying perceived advantages and obstacles to incorporating software platforms into standard educational processes. They shared their experiences and return to the main group to present findings.

Where?

AMEE 2022, Lyon, France

When?

August 27–31, 2022

Medical

Short Communication

Needs Assessment for the Professional Development of Medical Educators in a Resource Scarce Country

This short communication describes a needs assessment performed for a medical school in a resource-scarce area to identify both the optimal skills for faculty to deliver high-quality medical education and the actual skills present to determine discrepancies and opportunities for development.

Where?

AMEE 2022, Lyon, France

When?

August 27–31, 2022

Medical

Presentation

Integrating the use of Web-based Learning Platforms to Advance Health Professions Education

Web-based learning platforms have emerged as a vital resource used by students across health professions to prepare for national licensing exams. A focused Best Evidence in Medical Education (BEME) systematic review indicated that such learning platforms are associated with higher exam scores. In addition, a pedagogical analysis of popular learning platforms, and a data comparing stakeholders’ use of formal curricular resources (prescribed by faculty) and informal resources (recommended by students) across cohorts revealed significantly differences in levels of reported motivation, and perceived levels of attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction as an indicator of their motivation. However, research examining methods for integrating the use of web-based learning platforms and impact of such integration to guide practice remains limited. We believe that the use of such platforms may (a) optimize the use of available human resources, particularly in resource scarce countries, and (b) increase the productivity of health professions education by facilitating competency-based, time-variable education.

Where?

AMEE 2022, Lyon, France

When?

August 27–31, 2022

Medical

Workshop

Taking Charge of Your Own Learning: Incorporating Evidence into how you Learn

Medicine is an evidence-based field where scientific rigors and peer-review are indispensable. However, suboptimal techniques for long-term learning are often still part of the medical education process. Evidence, both existing and growing, has shown us what works and what does not work in teaching and learning. This workshop, delivered through a presentation combined with interactive elements aims to help students understand principles that underpin evidence-based medical education, use evidence-based techniques in learning, and empower themselves to push for a better approach to be used in their schools.

Where?

AMEE 2022, Lyon, France

When?

August 27–31, 2022

Medical

Short Communication

Utility of an e-learning platform and its impact on medical student performance

The use of e-learning platforms can provide in-depth insights into student learning behaviors. In this Short Communication presentation at AMEE 2022, we share preliminary results that indicate that higher Lecturio usage is correlated with better student performance. We also demonstrate how platform usage data can be used for research and showcase substantial opportunities for data-driven teaching and learning.

Where?

AMEE 2022, Lyon, France

When?

August 27–31, 2022

Medical

Presentation

Implementing a Platform-Based Approach to Curricular Delivery to Optimize Knowledge Acquisition

The considerable array of software-based tools to augment learning, each with an associated learning curve for implementation, has created challenges affecting all institutions of higher learning. This Focus Group intends to discuss lessons learned from early adopters, along with related research and experience across institutions. The intent will be to provide useful insights as to how most effectively leverage these tools and to better understanding the innovative, creative, and synergistic potential of integrating the use of such resources to guide future research and practice.

Where?

IAMSE 2022 Denver, CO

When?

June 6–7, 2022

Medical

Presentation

Video Didactic Preparation can Augment Problem-Based Learning

This study evaluates the effects of supplementing the problem-based learning curriculum model with short video lectures that are mapped to clinical case modules. We aim to investigate the effect of these videos on academic performance and student preparedness.

Where?

Educating Leaders 2022 – the AACOM Annual Conference, Denver, CO

When?

April 27–29, 2022

Medical

Short Communication

Evaluating Students’ Acceptance of and Readiness to Adopt E-Learning Practices: Moving Forward from a Pandemic

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic significantly impacted medical education worldwide. Our short communication project aimed to see if the predicted acceleration of e-learning incorporation into the medical curricula is reflected in the usage rates of one of the most commonly used e-learning platforms by comparing four usage parameters between two time periods representing the pre-pandemic and pandemic era.

Where?

AMEE 2021, Virtual Conference

When?

August 27–30, 2021

Research Publications

AERA Open

Rethinking Teaching Team-Based Learning: The Challenges and Strategies for Medical Education in a Pandemic ¹

2021

  • Faculty and students had to adjust from classroom-based TBL to remote learning.
  • Effective preparation was essential for successful TBL sessions. Faculty used Lecturio as part of their pre-class preparation by assigning videos with spaced repetition questions.
  • Other strategies included introducing a practice session, using break out rooms for students and faculty to help facilitation, and establishing a social presence.

Authors: Yun Li, Nicholas A. Sears, Ian V. J. Murray, Kamlesh K. Yadav

Annals of Global Health

Facing COVID-19 in Liberia: Adaptations of the Resilient and Responsive Health Systems Initiative ²

2021

  • The article describes the experience of the RRHS program during the Covid-19 shutdown.
  • While online learning was overall successful, there were challenges with equipment, accessibility, and connectivity with synchronous sessions such as web conferencing.
  • Lecturio was already in place and had institutional support which allowed faculty and students to shift successfully to remote instruction using the platform.

Authors: Regan H. Marsh, et al.

African Journal of Emergency Medicine

From the pandemic’s front lines: A social responsibility initiative to develop an international free online emergency medicine course for medical students ³

2021

  • A free online course in emergency medicine was developed as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic
  • As part of this initiative, Lecturio offered their emergency medicine content for free
  • Collaboration between nonprofit and commercial organizations during humanitarian crises can produce meaningful projects to support medical education in a short time

Authors: Arif Alper Cevik, Elif Dilek Cakal, James Kwan

Virtual Technologies in Medicine

The Importance of E-learning on the LECTURIO Platform in Mastering the Methodology for Examining Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases by Students of RUDN University

2021

  • The study determines the effectiveness of using Lecturio to train students in examining patients with cardiovascular diseases
  • Lecturio is an effective tool to augment learning but cannot fully replace patient interactions

Authors: Tania R.V., Nikitin I.S., Kostsova N.G., Tigay Zh.G.

Journal of Learning for Development

Teaching and learning experiences in medical education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College (KCMUCo), Tanzania

2020

  • During the pandemic, students used Lecturio 13% more than pre-pandemic (32.3 to 45.3%)
  • Students rated Lecturio favorably on ease of use, second only to their learning management system, Leo.

Authors: Glory Ibrahim, Heavenlight Luzinge and Gibson Kapanda

European Spine Journal

Postgraduate education in spine surgery: the blended online learning concept

2018

  • Describes Lecturio as a content provider, describing benefits of flexible learning and efficient time management for learning with standardized, comprehensive, and updated knowledge
  • The author cites a need for similar resources in graduate medical education and describes current efforts to create high quality e-learning opportunities for spine surgery.

Authors: Robert Gunzburg, Marek Szpalski & Claudio Lamartina

Proceedings of the 12th International Conference On Virtual Learning

New E-learning Platforms and Projects to Re-shape Modern On-line Education

2017

  • E-learning utilities are categorized in terms of Education Models & Methodologies, Education Technologies, and Education Domains & Audience.
  • Lecturio is categorized as a “High-Level Digital Content Project” and summarizes Lecturio’s features

Authors: Eugen Zaharescu , Atena Georgeta Zaharescu

  1. Marsh RH, Plyler C, Miller M, Klar R, Adeiza M, Wachekwa I, et al. Facing COVID-19 in Liberia: Adaptations of the Resilient and Responsive Health Systems Initiative. Ann Glob Health [Internet]. [cited 2023 Apr 10];87(1):101. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8499715/
  2. Li Y, Sears NA, Murray IVJ, Yadav KK. Rethinking Teaching Team-Based Learning: The Challenges and Strategies for Medical Education in a Pandemic. AERA Open [Internet]. 2021 Jan 1 [cited 2023 Apr 10];7:23328584211067210. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584211067207
  3. Petrovic L, Stojanović D, Labus A, Bogdanović Z, Despotović-Zrakić M. New E-learning Platforms and Projects to Re-shape Modern On-line Education. In 2017. Available from:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Danijela-Stojanovic-2/publication/353638201_Harnessing_Edutainment_in_Higher_Education_an_Example_of_an_IoT_Based_Game/links/6107d5591ca20f6f86f2ceda/ Harnessing-Edutainment-in-Higher-Education-an-Example-of-an-IoT-Based-Game.pdf#page=242
  4. Tania RV, Nikitin IS, Kostsova NG, Tigay ZhG. The Importance of E-learning on the LECTURIO Platform in Mastering the Methodology for Examining Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases by Students of RUDN University. VIRTUAL Technol Med [Internet]. 2021;3(29):149–50. Available from: https://www.medsim.ru/jour/article/viewFile/1349/996
  5. Cevik AA, Cakal ED, Kwan J. From the pandemic’s front lines: A social responsibility initiative to develop an international free online emergency medicine course for medical students. Afr J Emerg Med [Internet]. 2021 Mar 1 [cited 2023 Apr 10];11(1):1–2. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X2030135X
  6. Gunzburg R, Szpalski M, Lamartina C. Postgraduate education in spine surgery: the blended online learning concept. Eur Spine J [Internet]. 2018 Sep 1 [cited 2023 Apr 10];27(9):2059–61. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-018-5715-9
  7.  Ibrahim G, Luzinge H, Kapanda G. Teaching and learning experiences in medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College (KCMUCo), Tanzania. J Learn Dev [Internet]. 2020;7(4):433–46. Available from: https://jl4d.org/index.php/ejl4d/article/download/448/543?inline=1

Contribute to Pedagogical Research

Join us as a research partner to assess the impact of learning science on learning outcomes, performance, confidence, and long-term mastery

About the Presenters

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Dr. Hirumi currently holds a joint appointment with the Dept. of Learning Sciences in the College of Community Innovation and Education, and the Dept. of Medical Education in the College of Medicine at UCF. For the past 25 years, Dr. Hirumi has centered his teaching, research and service on the design of online and hybrid learning experiences. He has worked with faculty, staff, students and administrators in K12 and higher education, medical centers, and the military across North and South America, Asia, and the Middle East to improve eLearning. Dr. Hirumi’s research now focuses on advancing medical education and fostering transdisciplinary collaboration among instructional designers and educators in the health professions. Awards include: The David H. Jonassen Excellence in Research Award presented by the Association for Educational Communication and Technology for long-term record of excellence in research and impact in ID&T, the US Army Training Maverick Award for leadership in distance learning, and the Texas Distance Learning Association Award for commitment to excellence and innovation.
Dr. Horneffer attended Johns Hopkins for medical school and residency, and practiced medicine as a cardiac surgeon in Maryland, USA. In mid-career, he was asked to help bring medical education to the underserved in the Pacific area. He accepted the position as Dean of a medical school, based in Independent Samoa, which he led to become the first accredited school in the world to use an entirely online didactic curriculum to educate medical students simultaneously on multiple continents. Today he is helping evolve medical education by serving as Executive Dean for a small Government- chartered Jamaican school (AAIMS) to improve teaching and train physicians for an underserved part of the country. At Lecturio, he serves as Director of Medical Education, helping shape its innovative learning-science based offering, which is used by medical students and schools around the world.

Dr. Rhonda Lawes is a distinguished nursing professional and Chief Nursing Officer at Lecturio. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from Oklahoma City University, with a focus on academic resilience, self-efficacy, and mindset research. In tandem with her role at Lecturio, Dr. Lawes is also an Adjunct Professor at Oral Roberts University.

With almost two decades of full-time teaching experience, Dr. Lawes’ expertise covers a breadth of nursing disciplines, including pathophysiology, nursing research, and NCLEX preparation. She has personally guided over 6,000 nursing students to NCLEX success and provides free tutoring to those in need.

An accomplished speaker and published author, Dr. Lawes is a recognized thought leader within nursing education.

Satria Nur Sya’ban is a doctor from Indonesia who graduated from Universitas Airlangga. While a student, he served as the president of CIMSA, a national medical student NGO, working on a diverse range of issues that included medical education and curriculum advocacy by medical students. Before graduating, he took two gap years to serve as a Regional Director, and subsequently as Vice-President, of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA)*, working on and developing various initiatives to better empower medical student organizations to make a change at the national level. At Lecturio, he serves as a Medical Education Consultant, supporting Lecturio in developing and maintaining partnerships with student organizations and universities in Asia, as well as providing counsel on how Lecturio can fit in existing teaching models and benefit students’ learning experience.

Adonis is a doctor from Lebanon who graduated from the University of Balamand. He was a research fellow at the Department of Emergency Medicine at the American University of Beirut Medical Center and has worked with the World Health Organization Regional Office of the Eastern Mediterranean. During his studies, Adonis served as the president of the Lebanese Medical Students’ International Committee (LeMSIC), a national medical student organization in Lebanon, and moved on to serve as the Regional Director of the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the IFMSA*. Among his roles as Regional Director, he focused on medical education advocacy, oversaw collaborations with external partners, and undertook several medical education projects and initiatives around the region. As a Medical Education Consultant at Lecturio, he advises the Lecturio team on how the platform can fit in existing teaching models and benefit students’ learning experience, develops and maintains partnerships with student organizations and universities in the MENA region, and conducts research on learning science and evidence-based strategies.

Meredith Ratliff is a doctoral student in Instructional Design and Technology at the University of Central Florida. Her research interests include evidence-based medical education, branching scenarios, and faculty development. She has received her B.S. and M.A.T. in Mathematics at the University of Florida and her MA in Instructional Design and Technology from UCF. She has been an Associate Faculty member in the mathematics department at Valencia College in Kissimmee, Florida for the past nine years. As part of the Learning Science team at Lecturio, she serves as an educational consultant helping to design and develop materials for medical educators.

Gladys is a medical student at the University of Ibadan. She is Chairperson of the Medical Students Association (UIMSA) Committee on Curriculum Assessment, Research and Development (COM/CARD), a team of Medical Education advocates that are responsible for reviewing the content and implementation of the medical school curriculum towards curriculum improvement. She is Founder and Team Lead of Medics2Labs, an organization that provides opportunities for medical students pivoting into biomedical research. Since working with Lecturio, she has worked on increasing its visibility in Africa by promoting partnerships with student organizations and universities. She has also represented Lecturio at medical education conferences and has been a speaker at learning science webinars.

Sara Keeth is a Ph.D. and certified PMP (Project Management Professional) who graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas. As an educator, she has worked as a Teaching Fellow at  the University of Texas at Dallas, as a full-time professor at Richland College (now Dallas College’s Richland Campus), and has also taught at Austin College. Dr. Keeth has also worked as a consultant for Parker University’s Research Center and has a decade of experience as an operations manager for an advertising agency. As Senior Learning Science and Research Project Manager at Lecturio, she manages the Learning Science department’s activities, shares her education expertise and best practices for medical educators, and develops evidence-based content for both students and faculty.