Catherine Bruen

Educational research highlights active approaches to learning are more effective in knowledge retention and problem-solving. It has long been acknowledged that adapting to more active ways of learning form part of the challenge for new university students as the pedagogical distance between the didactical approach largely followed by secondary school systems the world over differs quite significantly from the often more student-led, critical approach taken by universities. University students encounter various learning challenges, particularly during the transition from secondary school to university. Poor adaptation and low performance in the first year of tertiary education can lead to higher failure rates and potential withdrawal from study programmes. Adopting active learning strategies early in this transition phase is crucial for supporting students’ adaptation and success. Gaining student engagement with active learning can be a significant challenge when there is an expectation to participate in a discussion or voice an opinion. Case-based learning (CBL), with its scaffolded form of learning, is an approach that could provide the support needed to help multicultural learners adapt to their new learning environment in a non-threatening classroom-based setting. The research question in this study was: what features of CBL support active learning? Data was collected using Structured Group Feedback Sessions (SGFS) from 36 students from 12 different countries. Students were placed in eight Structured Group Feedback sessions, a method that facilitates structured discussions and is effect in curriculum evaluation and feedback. The Experience Based Learning model was used as the conceptual framework to guide the analysis, which was completed using the framework analysis method. Themes were derived from the Experience Based Learning model: affective, pedagogical, and organisational and analysed according to the research question. We found CBL can be used to facilitate active learning with all students at a multicultural medical university. We identified six learning points to highlight features of CBL that support active learning: CBL increased contact with peers and facilitated student bonding; students need to feel psychologically safe to participate; prior learning can enhance confidence to participate; facilitators need to be aware of their role, know about psychological safety, and manage student participation including the dominant voice; some students have a lower tolerance of uncertainty and need additional clarity at the end either via the facilitator or additional notes that provide the key learning points to take away; students became more engaged when a case is aligned to a real patient case giving it authenticity. This study explores how CBL can support active learning in a multicultural medical school. We identified that CBL did facilitate active learning and students engaged with it and enjoyed it. We identified six learning points to support others going forward.

This paper reports on the research findings from a national project examining the issues in creating, sharing, using, and reusing open educational resources (OER) in the context of the development of open education in Ireland. One important aspect of the research was to investigate the potential for using existing institutional research repository infrastructure for the purpose of ingesting, managing, and discovering OER produced by academics. This approach would imply a move from previous strategy around a centralised repository at the national level to a devolved model that relies on institutional research repositories. The opportunities and potential barriers to the adoption of this approach were explored through an online survey and focus groups with academics from a range of higher education institutions (HEIs). Also, a focus group of institutional repository managers was convened to discuss the potential of the institutional repositories with those leading their development. Analysis of the data indicates that the devolved approach to institutions would be possible if the right supports and protocols were put in place. It was acknowledged that research repositories could potentially also serve as repositories of teaching materials, fostering parity of esteem between teaching and research. However, a range of important challenges were present, and alternative solutions emerged, which are discussed in the context of the present and future of online OER repositories.

Medical students are frequently confused about indication for and choice of antibiotic. We developed an online learning resource that focused on antibiotic stewardship and important infections where medical students could practise their antibiotic decision-making skills safely. The resource was made available to third-year undergraduate medical students via their virtual learning environment. It covered the theory and fundamentals of antibiotic stewardship and five clinical cases covering important infections. We assessed the number of attempts taken to achieve the required level of understanding to pass each activity and surveyed a selection of students for their feedback. Of 310 students, over 80% engaged with the theory-based components, with an average score exceeding 90% (range 93.4%–99.7%). Eighty-three percent (258/310) engaged with the first two cases (Clostridioides difficile infection and pyelonephritis) but only 61% (189/310) of students completed the fifth case on bacterial meningitis. Only 49.4% (153/310) of students completed all five cases, with 48% (73/153) of these achieving ≥90% on their first attempt of the associated quizzes. Fifty-nine percent (23/39) agreed or strongly agreed that the quality of the learning resource was excellent. Seventy-two percent (28/39) agreed or strongly agreed that the objectives of the resource were relevant to their needs as undergraduate medical students. Only 33% (13/39) reported the resource would change their practice. Student feedback was positive but engagement with the cases needs improvement. Highlighting the utility of case-based technology-enhanced learning as a safe place to practise antibiotic decision-making skills among students may improve this.

Background: The use of mobile devices such as tablets and laptops by students to support their learning is now ubiquitous. The clinical setting is an environment, which lends itself to the use of mobile devices as students are exposed to novel clinical scenarios that may require rapid location of information to address knowledge gaps. It is unknown what preferences students have for these devices and how they are used in the clinical environment. Methods: In this study we explored medical students’ choices and their use of different devices in their first year of clinical attachments. We sought to evaluate learners’ experiences with these devices using a mixed methods approach. All students newly entered into the clinical years were given the option of a MacBook Air or iPad. We surveyed these students using an online survey tool followed by individual semi-structured interviews to explore survey findings in more depth. Results: Students owned a multitude of devices however their preferences were for the 11 in. MacBook Air Laptop over the iPad mini. Students made constant use of online information to support their clinical learning, however three major themes emerged from the interview data: connection and devices (diverse personal ownership of technology by students and how this is applied to source educational materials), influence and interaction with patients (use of any device in a clinical setting) and influence and interaction with staff. In general students preferred to use their device in the absence of patients however context had a significant influence. Conclusions: These mobile devices were useful in the clinical setting by allowing access to online educational material. However, the presence of patients, and the behaviour of senior teaching staff significantly influenced their utilisation by students. Understanding the preferences of students for devices and how they use their preferred devices can help inform educational policy and maximise the learning from online educational content.

While medical educators appear to believe that admission to the medical school should be governed, at least in part, by human judgement, there has been no systematic presentation of evidence suggesting it improves selection. From a fair testing perspective, legal, ethical, and psychometric considerations, all dictate that the scientific evidence regarding human judgement in selection should be given consideration. To investigate the validity of using human judgements in admissions, multi-disciplinary meta-analytic research evidence from the wider literature is combined with studies from within medical education to provide evidence regarding the fairness and validity of using interviews and holistic review in medical school admissions. Fourteen studies, 6 of which are meta-analytic studies that summarized 292 individual studies, were included in the final review. Within these studies, a total of 33 studies evaluated the reliability of the traditional interview. These studies reveal that the interview has low to moderate reliability (~.42) which significantly limits its validity. This is confirmed by over 100 studies examining interview validity which collectively show interview scores to be moderately correlated with important outcome variables (corrected value ~.29). Meta-analyses of over 150 studies demonstrate that mechanical/formula-based selection decisions produce better results than decisions made with holistic/clinical methods (human judgement). Three conclusions regarding the use of interviews and holistic review are provided by these meta-analyses. First, it is clear that the traditional interview has low reliability and that this significantly limits its validity. Second, the reliable variance from interview scores appears moderately predictive of outcomes that are relevant to consider in medical school admission. And third, the use of holistic review as a method of incorporating human judgement is not a valid alternative to mechanical/statistical approaches as the evidence clearly indicates that mechanistic methods are more predictive, reliable, cost efficient, and transparent.

Experience with simulated patients supports undergraduate learning of medical consultation skills. Adaptive simulations are being introduced into this environment. The authors investigate whether it can underpin valid and reliable assessment by conducting a generalizability analysis using IT data analytics from the interaction of medical students (in psychiatry) with adaptive simulations to explore the feasibility of adaptive simulations for supporting automated learning and assessment. The generalizability (G) study was focused on two clinically relevant variables: clinical decision points and communication skills. While the G study on the communication skills score yielded low levels of true score variance, the results produced by the decision points, indicating clinical decision-making and confirming user knowledge of the process of the Calgary–Cambridge model of consultation, produced reliability levels similar to what might be expected with rater-based scoring. The findings indicate that adaptive simulations have potential as a teaching and assessment tool for medical consultations.

Information about the paper titled "THE STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION AND AUGMENTATION OF TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED LEARNING (TEL) IN THIRD LEVEL EDUCATION: A CRITICAL LENS" at IATED Digital Library