Shankar Munusamy , Madelynn Aeilts , Carrie Koenigsfeld , Ronald J. Torry
{"title":"学生认知及助记术对药理学教育知识保留及应用的影响。","authors":"Shankar Munusamy , Madelynn Aeilts , Carrie Koenigsfeld , Ronald J. Torry","doi":"10.1016/j.ajpe.2025.101480","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To assess the longitudinal impact of using mnemonics in a pharmacology course for second-year pharmacy PharmD students on their exam performance and perceptions of mnemonics' helpfulness in knowledge retention and application in clinical settings.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Thirteen mnemonics were taught in a pharmacology course covering endocrine and autonomic pharmacology topics in the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 academic years. A nonanonymous survey was administered after exams to gather students' self-reported use of mnemonics to answer exam questions. On the end-of-semester anonymous course evaluation, students rated the impact of using mnemonics on their knowledge retention, application, critical thinking, learning anxiety, and confidence when answering exam questions. To longitudinally evaluate students’ perceptions of mnemonics' effectiveness, an anonymous follow-up survey was administered to the same student cohort at the end of a Therapeutics course, 5 months later.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Mnemonics use significantly improved students' exam performance on 6 of 14 exam questions based on mnemonics-linked concepts. Students reported that using mnemonics improved their knowledge retention and clinical application (98.21% in 2020–2021; 97.56% in 2021–2022), enhanced critical thinking (89.29% in 2020–2021; 87.80% in 2021–2022), increased confidence during test-taking (96.43% in 2020–2021; 90.24% in 2021–2022), and reduced learning anxiety (80.36% in 2020–2021; 60.97% in 2021–2022). The longitudinal survey validated initial perceptions survey findings and reaffirmed that students find mnemonics memorable when they aid in comprehending and organizing concepts.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Mnemonic use enhances students' exam performance, and students perceive mnemonics as promoting knowledge retention, application, critical thinking, confidence during test-taking, and reduced learning anxiety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55530,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education","volume":"89 9","pages":"Article 101480"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Student Perceptions and the Impact of Mnemonics on Knowledge Retention and Application in Pharmacology Education\",\"authors\":\"Shankar Munusamy , Madelynn Aeilts , Carrie Koenigsfeld , Ronald J. Torry\",\"doi\":\"10.1016/j.ajpe.2025.101480\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To assess the longitudinal impact of using mnemonics in a pharmacology course for second-year pharmacy PharmD students on their exam performance and perceptions of mnemonics' helpfulness in knowledge retention and application in clinical settings.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Thirteen mnemonics were taught in a pharmacology course covering endocrine and autonomic pharmacology topics in the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 academic years. A nonanonymous survey was administered after exams to gather students' self-reported use of mnemonics to answer exam questions. On the end-of-semester anonymous course evaluation, students rated the impact of using mnemonics on their knowledge retention, application, critical thinking, learning anxiety, and confidence when answering exam questions. To longitudinally evaluate students’ perceptions of mnemonics' effectiveness, an anonymous follow-up survey was administered to the same student cohort at the end of a Therapeutics course, 5 months later.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Mnemonics use significantly improved students' exam performance on 6 of 14 exam questions based on mnemonics-linked concepts. Students reported that using mnemonics improved their knowledge retention and clinical application (98.21% in 2020–2021; 97.56% in 2021–2022), enhanced critical thinking (89.29% in 2020–2021; 87.80% in 2021–2022), increased confidence during test-taking (96.43% in 2020–2021; 90.24% in 2021–2022), and reduced learning anxiety (80.36% in 2020–2021; 60.97% in 2021–2022). The longitudinal survey validated initial perceptions survey findings and reaffirmed that students find mnemonics memorable when they aid in comprehending and organizing concepts.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Mnemonic use enhances students' exam performance, and students perceive mnemonics as promoting knowledge retention, application, critical thinking, confidence during test-taking, and reduced learning anxiety.</div></div>\",\"PeriodicalId\":55530,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education\",\"volume\":\"89 9\",\"pages\":\"Article 101480\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":3.5000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-07-30\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"95\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002945925001251\",\"RegionNum\":4,\"RegionCategory\":\"教育学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q1\",\"JCRName\":\"EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education","FirstCategoryId":"95","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002945925001251","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES","Score":null,"Total":0}
Student Perceptions and the Impact of Mnemonics on Knowledge Retention and Application in Pharmacology Education
Objective
To assess the longitudinal impact of using mnemonics in a pharmacology course for second-year pharmacy PharmD students on their exam performance and perceptions of mnemonics' helpfulness in knowledge retention and application in clinical settings.
Methods
Thirteen mnemonics were taught in a pharmacology course covering endocrine and autonomic pharmacology topics in the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 academic years. A nonanonymous survey was administered after exams to gather students' self-reported use of mnemonics to answer exam questions. On the end-of-semester anonymous course evaluation, students rated the impact of using mnemonics on their knowledge retention, application, critical thinking, learning anxiety, and confidence when answering exam questions. To longitudinally evaluate students’ perceptions of mnemonics' effectiveness, an anonymous follow-up survey was administered to the same student cohort at the end of a Therapeutics course, 5 months later.
Results
Mnemonics use significantly improved students' exam performance on 6 of 14 exam questions based on mnemonics-linked concepts. Students reported that using mnemonics improved their knowledge retention and clinical application (98.21% in 2020–2021; 97.56% in 2021–2022), enhanced critical thinking (89.29% in 2020–2021; 87.80% in 2021–2022), increased confidence during test-taking (96.43% in 2020–2021; 90.24% in 2021–2022), and reduced learning anxiety (80.36% in 2020–2021; 60.97% in 2021–2022). The longitudinal survey validated initial perceptions survey findings and reaffirmed that students find mnemonics memorable when they aid in comprehending and organizing concepts.
Conclusion
Mnemonic use enhances students' exam performance, and students perceive mnemonics as promoting knowledge retention, application, critical thinking, confidence during test-taking, and reduced learning anxiety.
期刊介绍:
The Journal accepts unsolicited manuscripts that have not been published and are not under consideration for publication elsewhere. The Journal only considers material related to pharmaceutical education for publication. Authors must prepare manuscripts to conform to the Journal style (Author Instructions). All manuscripts are subject to peer review and approval by the editor prior to acceptance for publication. Reviewers are assigned by the editor with the advice of the editorial board as needed. Manuscripts are submitted and processed online (Submit a Manuscript) using Editorial Manager, an online manuscript tracking system that facilitates communication between the editorial office, editor, associate editors, reviewers, and authors.
After a manuscript is accepted, it is scheduled for publication in an upcoming issue of the Journal. All manuscripts are formatted and copyedited, and returned to the author for review and approval of the changes. Approximately 2 weeks prior to publication, the author receives an electronic proof of the article for final review and approval. Authors are not assessed page charges for publication.