Active learning in neuroscience: a manipulative to simulate visual field defects.

PREVALENT IN 20–57% OF STROKE PATIENTS, visual field defects have been shown to impact quality of life. Studies (8) have shown increased risk of falling, ambulatory difficulties, impaired reading ability, and feelings of panic in crowded or unfamiliar places in patients with visual field defects. Rehabilitation, independence, and mental health may also be impacted (8). As future physicians who may encounter patients with visual field defects in practice, it is important for medical students to learn the science and clinical presentation behind vision loss. Unfortunately, many medical students today rate their neurology knowledge lower than that of other medical fields, and believe that the method of teaching neurology in medical schools can be improved (9). There are several methods in education that may assist medical students in learning science: active learning (4), making learning fun (2), and teaching how to use knowledge rather than just teaching knowledge itself (5). Active, student-centered learning methods have been shown to be effective in settings of higher education (6). Medical students who underwent a team-based learning approach in neurology achieved higher mean posttest scores over classmates who participated in the passive learning approach (9). Teaching tools can be utilized in neurological curricula as well. At the undergraduate level, manipulative teaching tools have been shown to be effective in teaching neurophysiology concepts and improving student performance (5). One institution implemented a CD-ROM of 100 neurology patient interviews with medical students, who reported high approval ratings of the tool (1). This tracking study follows first-year medical student learning through implementation of a visual field defects teaching tool incorporating elements of active learning, fun in learning, and application of knowledge to clinical situations. Students used masks with attachable cutouts to simulate visual field defects on themselves and their classmates. The simulation was paired with an interactive workshop and clinical application to reinforce concepts. We hypothesized that modeling defects using the mask will improve student knowledge and confidence of visual field pathophysiology and clinical presentation.