4 Engaging Features of MyLab Medical Terminology
Other higher education instructors ask me what I use to keep my students engaged in courses that involve a lot of memorization and how do I build confidence and deepen their understanding in the material?
I teach online Medical Terminology as well as nursing courses for three different colleges. MyLab Medical Terminology by Pearson has been one of my go-to resources for 12 years because it helps me keep my online students invested in their learning.
Features that make learning dynamic and fun
Medical terminology, outside of being difficult, can be tedious at times. With all those root words, prefixes and suffixes to remember, students are essentially being asked to learn a new language in the span of a single course. A spelling or pronunciation error could be vital to a patient’s life.
To help my students overcome this challenge, the features of MyLab Medical Terminology are designed to promote active learning, which makes the process of mastery more enjoyable and effective.
Pronounce and Spell
Pronounce and Spell shows students an image of each medical term and lets them listen to the proper pronunciation. Once a student feels they have the pronunciation down, they can record themselves saying the word and receive immediate feedback in the form of a pronunciation score. Students can go through this process as many times as they need, which is crucial when they are trying to learn how to say words like Sphenopalatine Ganglioneuralgia.
Dynamic Study Modules
Dynamic Study Modules are beneficial because they adapt to each individual student, providing questions and feedback targeted to where each student is in their learning process. I appreciate that this feature also allows me to monitor each student’s progress and provide support when and where it is needed. Being engaged in my students’ assignments allows me to build strong relationships with them, even in an online setting.
Interactive Study Games
Interactive Study Games are a perennial favorite of my students. Word Surgery, Matching, Word Part Prescription, and Labeling games let my students learn through play—something they don’t often get to do once they get to college. Thoughtful gamification in education has been shown to improve student outcomes, and these games prove it!
Guided Lectures
Guided Lectures are aligned with the information in each chapter and offer supplemental material my students can watch whenever they want. Since hearing the same information explained in different ways can be beneficial for students, I am thrilled that this feature is included in MyLab Medical Terminology.
Over the years, many of my students have told me that MyLab was the key to helping them master medical terminology. That’s why, whenever I'm asked to teach at a new college, I tell them, “If you allow me to use Pearson, I’m excited to be a part of your faculty!”
Watch a recent webinar with Roena Clark to hear more about her experiences with MyLab Medical Terminology and how she uses it to help her students succeed.
Find additional strategies and tools for your courses on our Medical Terminology Resources page.
About the author
Roena Clarke
Roena Clarke is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Nursing and received her master's degree in nursing from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her areas of practice include general pediatrics with a focus on pediatric oncology. She spent five years working at the University of Virginia Medical Center and worked as a Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist after graduate school for several years. She spent the next 12 years as a medical transcriptionist working from home while raising her three sons.
