Evaluation of the usage of YouTube videos about Histology and Embryology as an educational material

Abstract

The use of YouTube videos for educational purposes has been increasingly popular. The quality and accuracy of the information level of these videos should be checked by expert trainers. This study aims to evaluate the content, quality and functionality of YouTube videos on Histology and Embryology and to measure their educational usefulness. In the study, searches were performed using the keywords "Histology" and "Embryology" in the YouTube search tab. Quality and content were evaluated using the Video Power Index (VPI), modified DISCERN scale, JAMA and the Global Quality Scale (GQS). Videos were categorized by educational usefulness. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. A statistically significant high correlation was observed between modified DISCERN scores and JAMA scores (r = 0.757, p < 0.001) and between modified DISCERN scores and GQS scores (r = 0.743, p < 0.001). A statistically significant high correlation was also determined between JAMA and GQS scores (r = 0.632, p < 0.001). GQS scores were weakly, negatively and significantly correlated with the number of comments (r = -0.302, p < 0.05) and dislikes (r = -0.325, p < 0.05). Based on GQS, the useful and non-useful videos differed significantly in terms of views, likes, dislikes, comments counts and days since upload (p < 0.05). Modified DISCERN and JAMA scores also differed significantly between the useful and non-useful videos (p < 0.001). Educational videos published for Histology and Embryology education on the internet will be more beneficial if they are prepared by expert educators from reliable information sources, by the current literature, and by scoring systems such as DISCERN, JAMA and GQS.