Characteristics of a cognitive tool that helps students learn diagnostic problem solving

Abstract

<p>Three related studies replicated and extended previous work (J.A. Danielson et al. (<a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11423-006-9003-8#CR6" title="View reference">2003</a>),<em>Educational Technology Research and Development, 51</em>(3), 63–81) involving the Diagnostic Pathfinder (dP) (previously Problem List Generator [PLG]), a cognitive tool for learning diagnostic problem solving. In studies 1 and 2, groups of 126 and 113 veterinary students, respectively, used the dP to complete case-based homework; groups of 120 and 199, respectively, used an alternative method. Students in the dP groups scored significantly higher (<em>p</em> = .000 and .003, respectively) on final exams than those in control groups. In the third study, 552 veterinary students responding to a questionnaire indicated that the dP’s gating and data synthesis activities aided learning. The dP’s feedback and requirement of completeness appear to aid learning most.</p>