scholarly journals MSU MEDICAL COLLEGES BLENDED LEARNING FOR FIRST YEAR SCIENCE COURSES: UNITING PEDAGOGY TO MAXIMIZE EXPERIENCE AND REAL WORLD LIMITATIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Lovell

At Michigan State University the two medical schools, College of Human Medicine (CHM; M.D. degree) and College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM; D.O. degree), have offered the same science courses to first year students for many years. Science departments report to both colleges, and the same faculty can effectively teach the content required in the first year of medical school. The faculty have created online resources to maximize student choice and learning approaches. For example, classroom lectures (audio and screen video) are recorded; online homework may contribute to the course grade; virtual microscope software and material for histology laboratory is available online in addition to computer-based laboratory sessions with instructors present; and many practice exams are available online. MSU is expanding to three new campuses during the 2008–2010 period. CHM will open a sister campus in Grand Rapids, while COM will open two branch campuses in southeast Michigan.The goal is to make the learning experiences equivalent for all students at all campuses. Faculty, staff and administrators have met on a regular basis to discuss working toward a NSF CyberInfrastructure model where all basic science learning experiences (with the exception of gross anatomy lab) are available online. These online resources will be coupled with face to face learning as well. Currently, efforts to make course materials available online in the most effective manner are underway. Discussion about how to provide online communication channels is also progressing. Numerous debates have occurred on how best to facilitate student learning in multiple locations using new technology tools, recognizing the goal for students is not only to pass medical board exams but also to acquire life-long learning skills in an ever changing medical and science environment. The authors will share not only processes used, but also perspectives on best approaches and strategies to determine what students find effective.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e001229
Author(s):  
Abdul-Rahman M Suleiman ◽  
Daniel Amarasinghe ◽  
Priya Kathuria ◽  
Jacob Vandel ◽  
Jordan Holloway ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo introduce surgical safety checklists and time outs to future physicians through early incorporation of time outs in the first year gross anatomy course.SettingThe Wayne State University School of Medicine Anatomy Lab.ParticipantsApproximately 300 first year medical students per year participated in the intervention.InterventionsAn educational presentation on medical errors focusing on surgical errors was developed. Students in 2017–2018 viewed the presentation and completed two time outs, one with the first anatomy dissection and a second with the last dissection. Preintervention and postintervention surveys were completed and results compared. Students completed a second postintervention survey after the second time out. Students in 2018–2019 were asked to complete the time outs before every dissection. Time out procedure sheets were collected to determine completion rates. The intervention was further modified for academic year 2019–2020 and time out sheets were again collected.Outcome measuresFour domains of learning were surveyed: (1) major components and goals/limitations of universal protocol, (2) medical error lexicon, (3) components of a time out, and (4) confidence in completing time out checklists.ResultsPostintervention surveys demonstrated significant improvement in each domain. Students found time outs easy to complete and developed confidence in performing time outs. Following a successful pilot, time outs were incorporated into every dissection. Students continued to perform this procedure despite absence of adverse consequences for not doing so.ConclusionStudents found the time outs easy to complete and developed the confidence and ability to perform a surgical time out early in their medical education. The new skills, knowledge and attitudes that these medical students have developed will hopefully improve the care they provide to patients, thereby advancing the practice of quality improvement and patient safety in the clinical setting.


Author(s):  
Lois Stickley

Background: Clinical reasoning skills are embedded in all aspects of practice. There is a lack of consensus and standards for curriculum design and teaching methods of clinical reasoning in entry-level education of health professionals. Purpose: The purpose was to describe a process of designing one comprehensive, planned sequence of four courses to create significant learning experiences for clinical reasoning for Doctor of Physical Therapy students. Method: Fink’s design process was used to develop four clinical decision-making courses to ensure a close alignment of learning goals, feedback and assessment, and learning activities to engage students in practicing components of clinical reasoning. Student outcomes were measured by self-efficacy ratings for clinical reasoning in a practical exam for first-year students and by ratings of performance by clinical instructors for third-year students. Results: 41 first-year students ranked their confidence in making clinical decisions both before and after a midterm practical. A paired t-test found a significant difference (.05t40 = -6.66, ρ=0.00) in the mean ratings of students from the pre-practical assessment to the post-practical assessment about confidence in making clinical decisions. Third-year students received ratings that met or exceeded expectations on five audited skills from the Physical Therapist manual for the Assessment of Clinical Skills (PT MACS), both at midterm and at the final assessment. No significant differences between midterm and final ratings on any of the selected skills were found using a Chi-Square Test of Independence (α=.05). Conclusion: The four-course sequence was designed using four themes: patient-centered care, models of practice, and evidence-based practice, and ethics/legal issues. This paper offers specific details about how one method of teaching clinical reasoning meets the current trends in education and health care for accountability and meaningful outcomes. Students gained practical knowledge and skills in the components of clinical reasoning and decision-making by participating in active and engaging significant learning experiences.


2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Morton ◽  
K. Bo Foreman ◽  
R. Bren Blackham ◽  
Kathryn Koehn ◽  
Christine M. Eckel ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-194
Author(s):  
Ingo Koeper ◽  
◽  
Joe Shapter ◽  
Vanessa North ◽  
Don Houston ◽  
...  

In science courses in general, but especially in first year chemistry classes, the amount of content that is delivered is often overwhelming and too complex for the student to easily cope with. Students not only have to gain knowledge in a variety of different field, they also have to learn new laboratory skills and analytical techniques. Additionally, there is an issue with more and more information being available to everybody through the internet, while our education often still focusses on delivering that knowledge, rather than exploring ways how students can be guided to understanding and using the knowledge provided. There have been different approaches on how to make ‘dry’ scientific concepts more interesting and how enhance student engagement, ranging from problem-based learning approaches, case studies or flipped classroom models. We have recently turned a fairly classic first year chemistry course on its head. In the new structure, students are gaining knowledge and understanding purely through the completion of a range of challenges. We have removed all lectures, tutorials and the final exam, and all interaction with the student happens in the laboratory. Throughout the semester, students attempt to complete a range of challenges, both theoretical and practical, find relevant information, propose approaches to solving the challenges, and discuss these and subsequent outcomes with academic staff. In order to analyse the design, we have conducted structured interviews with students from 2016-2018. Initial assessment of the data suggests a high level of engagement of the students, paired with a better preparation of students for their subsequent studies. Students enjoyed having the freedom to choose and design their own experiments. Additionally, students improved significantly in non-content related aspects such as timemanagement, organisation, planning and self-learning, with notable impact on their learning in higher years.


2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Lovejoy Mork ◽  
Brenda Klement ◽  
Douglas Paulsen ◽  
Lawrence Wineski

Author(s):  
Rudi Klein ◽  
Chiara Tomassoni ◽  
Gayathri Rajaaman ◽  
Maxwell Winchester ◽  
Norman Eizenberg ◽  
...  

During semester one of 2020, the units ‘Functional Anatomy of the Trunk’ and ‘Functional Anatomy of the Limbs’ which focus on human topographical anatomy were re-designed into an online delivery format and taught remotely in response to the COVID-19 lockdown. It was expected that the move to remote teaching would negatively impact student perception and learning experience, in particular that of the cadaver-based laboratory work. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the replacement of traditional face-to-face cadaver-based anatomy laboratories with an online version using digital anatomy resources and Zoom technology as the communication platform would achieve comparable student learning experience and outcomes. First Year Students (n=69) enrolled in these units were invited to participate in this study and were asked at the conclusion of each unit to complete an anonymous opinion-based survey via Qualtrics. The Qualtrics data, student grades and Learning Management System (LMS) statistics were analysed. Results indicate that student perception of the online gross anatomy laboratory learning was positive and that it had complemented their learning. Most students agreed that as a visual learning resource, it provided an improved understanding of anatomy and helped with the application of anatomical knowledge. Interestingly, student performance showed a similar range of marks compared with previous years. However, students strongly agreed that the online 2D learning experience had significant limitations when compared to live use of cadavers in laboratories.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document