Research team at BNU create unique learning tool for healthcare students
Medical terminology is the standardised language used in healthcare, and this is something that students can find challenging to master. Exploratory research indicates that the current provisions to support this learning are outdated. To address this problem, researchers from Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) collaborated to develop an innovative language application tool called MediLingo. The research-based project supports healthcare students’ mastery of medical vocabulary in an engaging, self-directed way, meeting personal learning needs in bite-sized lessons that accommodate busy lifestyles. The Medical Terminology study, now well into its third year at BNU, was supported by the Impact Centre for Advancement of Learning in 2023.
With MediLingo, students and healthcare professionals master medical terminology the modern way. Unlike textbooks, dictionaries, and rote learning, MediLingo offers a personalised programme for every user that builds understanding and confidence using evidence backed learning.
The support offered has been invaluable in helping the early-stage researchers (Nic Landon, Taryn Tavener-Smith (Lecturer at BNU), and Jonathan Jackson (Senior Lecturer at BNU) explore students' experiences and perspectives of using the prototype mLearning application (MediLingo) to learn medical terminology like a language. With the support received this year, the project’s third (n=6) and fourth (n=100) primary research studies have been conducted, resulting in two conference presentations (NWL Imperial College and Advance HE) and one journal article submission.
From a market perspective, MediLingo is currently the only educational application (prototype) designed specifically for learning medical terminology like a language using word parts. The team use linguistic morphological analysis, repetition, and gamification strategies to motivate and engage learners, as well as real-time insights to support student learning. If you're interested in MediLingo for your organisation, get in touch with the team here. To learn more, visit the MediLingo website here.