Learner Engagement, Teaching Effectiveness, and Digital Proficiency in In-Person Versus Livestream Continuing Medical Education.

Abstract

Introduction: Internet streaming of presentations (livestream) is an increasingly common approach for online continuing medical education (CME). The authors aimed to compare in-person versus livestream CME using outcomes of learner engagement and perceived teaching effectiveness and evaluate the relationship between learner digital proficiency, learner engagement, and teaching effectiveness in livestream CME.

Methods: A nonrandomized comparison study was performed at a CME course in January to February 2022. Participants self-selected in-person or livestream modality. Measurements included the Learner Engagement Inventory, CME Teaching Effectiveness instrument completed after each presentation (score range 1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree [favorable]), and the Pew Digital Savviness Classifier (ie, digital proficiency) self-reported at baseline. Analyses accounted for repeated measures by participants.

Results: Two hundred twenty-eight attendees consented to participate (172 in-person and 56 livestream) and submitted 6010 responses across 37 presentations. Learner engagement and teaching effectiveness were not significantly different between in-person and livestream CME (Learner Engagement Inventory mean 4.58 versus 4.63; difference -0.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.15 to 0.05, P = .33 and CME Teaching Effectiveness 4.70 versus 4.66; difference 0.04; 95% CI: -0.06 to 0.14; P = .46). In the livestream group, participants with low versus high self-reported digital proficiency reported similar learner engagement (4.52 versus 4.42, difference 0.09 [95% CI: -0.24 to 0.43, P =.58) and teaching effectiveness (4.60 versus 4.53, difference 0.08 [95% CI: -0.23 to 0.38), P = .62).

Discussion: Learner engagement and teaching effectiveness were not statistically different between in-person and livestream CME modalities, and digital proficiency did not influence this relationship. Livestream CME seems to be a reasonable option, regardless of learners' digital proficiency.