Medical Student California Northstate University, United States
Disclosure(s):
Yashar Pourmoghadam, BA: No financial relationships to disclose
Introduction/Rationale: Hotspot is an interactive audience response system, powered by PointSolutions technology, that allows students to answer questions by selecting areas of interest on images, diagrams, and figures, rather than choosing from standard multiple-choice options. This form of active learning is implemented to promote real-time engagement, higher-order questioning, and immediate feedback during lectures, thereby deepening understanding of complex concepts such as immunology.
Methods: Faculty at California Northstate University incorporated subject-related Hotspot questions into the lectures of their first-year medical and pharmacy courses across three different matriculating classes. Following these sessions, students completed an anonymous Likert scale survey administered electronically via SurveyMonkey. Survey items assessed student perceptions of engagement, learning, and ease of use on a 7-point Likert scale in this IRB-approved study.
Results: Students reported that Hotspot technology made it easier to pay attention during lectures (average Likert score of 5.93 out of 7, n=102). They expressed interest in adding more Hotspot-style questions (5.70 out of 7, n=102), and felt the questions were a good use of class time (6.18 out of 7, n=102). Students also indicated that the interactive format challenged them and reinforced their understanding better than standard multiple-choice questions (5.67 out of 7, n=102).
Conclusion: Students preferred Hotspot questions over traditional multiple-choice formats and believed they better prepared them for exams. They encouraged the integration of Hotspot technology and viewed it as convenient and highly effective. This study supports the incorporation of active learning strategies in education to enhance engagement, deepen comprehension, and improve lecture attendance. We hope our investigation encourages other educators to consider the use of unique, active-learning teaching styles to support future clinicians and scientists.
