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Impact of multimedia scenarios on students’ perceptions and discussion tendencies in problem-based learning: a comparative study of three sequential cohorts among Japanese medical students

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background Problem-based learning (PBL) traditionally relies on text-based scenarios, but students often find it difficult to fully understand patient conditions on the basis of text alone. In this study, the educational effectiveness levels of multimedia and text-based PBL scenarios were compared in terms of improving students’ understanding of patient conditions and their ability to identify differential diagnoses. Methods From 2021 to 2023, third-year medical students at Nihon University School of Medicine participated in PBL sessions featuring three diseases, namely, Parkinson’s disease, lung cancer, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, using either text-based or multimedia scenarios. Multimedia elements included medical interview videos, auscultation sounds, and computed tomography (CT) imaging videos. The participants included 121 students in 2021, 112 in 2022, and 114 in 2023. After each PBL session, the students completed a survey and submitted a report, which were analysed and categorized into the following three learning themes: symptoms, physical and diagnostic findings, and differential diagnoses. Results In the Parkinson’s disease scenario, which entailed the presentation of visible symptoms such as tremors and gait abnormalities, 83% of the students reported that they could understand the patient’s condition, significantly more than for lung cancer (58%) or hypersensitivity pneumonitis (53%). Introducing multimedia elements such as auscultation sounds and CT imaging videos significantly increased the proportion of students who explored differential diagnoses in treating lung cancer (p < 0.05) and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (p < 0.01). Moreover, the addition of multimedia medical interviews enhanced this effect, promoting more comprehensive diagnostic reasoning. Tutors also noted that multimedia scenarios helped students visualize patients more effectively. Conclusions Compared with traditional text-based formats, multimedia scenarios enhanced students’ understanding of patients and expanded their consideration of differential diagnoses. For diseases with prominent physical features such as Parkinson’s disease, multimedia medical interviews were particularly effective at helping students recognize clinical presentations. For diseases identified mainly through imaging or auscultation, such as lung cancer and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, multimedia elements enhanced diagnostic reasoning. These findings suggest that incorporating multimedia into PBL facilitates more realistic, engaging, and effective learning experiences in medical education. Trial Registration Not applicable. This study did not involve a clinical trial.

Source: BMC Medical Education

DOI: 10.1186/s12909-026-10302-x