Author/Authors :
SUDARIO, GABRIEL Department of Emergency Medicine - University of California - Irvine - School of Medicine, California, USA , TOOHEY, SHANNON Department of Emergency Medicine - University of California - Irvine - School of Medicine, California, USA , WIECHMANN, WARREN Department of Emergency Medicine - University of California - Irvine - School of Medicine, California, USA , SMART, JON Department of Emergency Medicine - University of California - Irvine - School of Medicine, California, USA , BOYSEN-OSBORN, MEGAN Department of Emergency Medicine - University of California - Irvine - School of Medicine, California, USA , YOUM, JULIE Department of Emergency Medicine - University of California - Irvine - School of Medicine, California, USA , SPANN, SOPHIA Department of Emergency Medicine - University of California - Irvine - School of Medicine, California, USA , WRAY, ALISA Department of Emergency Medicine - University of California - Irvine - School of Medicine, California, USA
Abstract :
Introduction: Lectures are a standard aspect across all realms of medical education. Previous studies have shown that visual design
of presentation slides can affect learner outcomes. The purpose
of this study was to develop a slide design rubric grounded in
evidence-based, multimedia principles to enable objective
evaluation of slide design.
Methods: Using the principles described in Mayers’ Principles
of Multimedia Learning and Duarte’s Slide:ology, the authors
extracted nineteen items important for slide design. We developed
an online, rank-item, survey tool to identify the importance of
each item among medical educators. Respondents selected which
slide design principles they felt were important when attending a
lecture/didactic session and ranked their relative importance.
Results: We received 225 responses to the survey. When asked to
specifically rank elements from most important to least important,
participants gave the most weight to “readability of figures and
data” and “[lack of] busy-ness of slide.” The lowest ranked
elements were “transitions and animations” and “color schemes”.
Using the results of the survey, including the free response, we
developed a rubric with relative weighting that followed our
survey data.
Conclusion: With this information we have applied values to the
various aspects of the rubric for a total score of 100. We hope
that this rubric can be used for self-assessment or to evaluate and
improve slides for educators. Future research will be focused on
implementing and validating the slide design survey and ensuring
it is easily usable with a high inter-rater reliability and whether self-assessment with the rubric improves presentation design and education quality.