Research
Spaced education is a novel method of online education based upon two core psychology research findings: the spacing effect and the testing effect. Spaced education was initially developed and then rigorously studied by Dr. B. Price Kerfoot (Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School) as a method to improve the long-term knowledge retention of medical trainees. In over 10 large randomized trials completed to date, spaced education has been found to"
- Improve knowledge acquisition,
- Increase long-term knowledge retention (out to 2 years),
- Change behavior, and
- Boost learners’ abilities to accurately self-assess their knowledge.
In addition, spaced education is extremely well-accepted by learners.
The spaced education methodology is content-neutral and thus can be utilized to learn most anything. Potential applications range from teaching geography to school children to documenting competence in accounting skills among small business owners. The full multi-media capabilities of the Internet can be harnessed to create a rich and effective learning experience.
On-Going Research Studies
- Adaptive Spaced Education to Assess and Improve Knowledge of Clinical Practice Guidelines: a Randomized Trial.
- Adaptive Spaced Education for Longitudinal Progress Testing of Medical Students.
- Adaptive Spaced Education for Longitudinal Progress Testing of Urology Residents.
(trial involves 1470 physicians in 63 countries)
(trial involves 724 students at 3 US medical schools)
(trial involves 932 urology residents from the US and Canada)
Completed Research Studies – data under analysis
- Interactive Spaced Education for Longitudinal Progress Testing of Medical Students: A Multi-Institutional Randomized Trial
- Spaced Education Versus Web-based Modules for Teaching Histopathology Diagnostic Skills to Urology Residents: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
- Interactive Spaced Education to Improve Clinicians’ Screening for Prostate Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial
(a 34-week trial involving 1067 students at 4 US medical schools)
(a 45-week trial involving 724 urology residents across the United States)
(a 36-week trial involving 95 clinicians in northeastern Veterans Affairs hospital system.)
Published Research Studies (most recent listed first):
Kerfoot BP, Kearney MC, Connelly D, Ritchey ML. Interactive spaced education to assess and improve knowledge of clinical practice guidelines: a randomized controlled trial. Ann Surg, 2009 May;249(5):744-9.
Kerfoot BP. Learning benefits of online spaced education persist for two years. Journal of Urology, 2009 Jun;181(6):2671-3.
Matzie KA, Kerfoot BP, Hafler JP, Breen EM. Spaced education improves the feedback that surgical residents give to medical students: a randomized trial. Amer J Surg 2009: 197(2), 252-257.
Kerfoot BP, Armstrong EG, O’Sullivan PN. Interactive spaced education to teach the physical examination: a randomized controlled trial. J Gen Intern Med. 2008; 23(7):973-8.
Kerfoot BP, Brotschi E. Online spaced education to teach urology to medical students: a multi-institutional randomized trial. Amer J Surg 2009;197(1):89-95.
Kerfoot BP, Armstrong EG, O'Sullivan PN. Impact of item clustering on interactive spaced education. Medical Education 2008; 42: 1115–1116.
Kerfoot BP. Interactive spaced education versus web-based modules for teaching urology to medical students: a randomized controlled trial. J Urol 2008; 179, 2351-2357.
Kerfoot BP, Baker HE, Koch MO, Connelly D, Joseph DB, Ritchey ML. Randomized controlled trial of spaced education to US and Canadian urology residents. J Urol 2007; 177, 1481-1487.
Kerfoot BP, DeWolf WC, Masser BA, Church PA, Federman DD. Spaced education improves the retention of clinical knowledge by medical students: randomized controlled trial. Med Educ, 2007: 41:23-31.
