Abstract
Over the years, many medical school curricula have started implementing diverse student-centred teaching and learning methodologies. Previous studies, however, have indicated that students prefer more traditional and directive methodologies instead, raising questions on which training approach should be advocated. This study contrasts the effects of a student-centred (i.e. facilitative) training approach on students’ clinical skills learning with students’ perceptions. More specifically, a quasi-experimental study was set up in which students experienced either a directive or facilitative training approach. Data were collected by means of an OSCE on the one hand, and a questionnaire on students’ perceptions of the training sessions, and two open-ended questions about students’ likes and dislikes on the other hand. While no general differences were found in terms of clinical knowledge and understanding, and actual clinical performance, an interaction between students’ course-specific prior knowledge and the training approach was found. Especially students with low levels of knowledge benefited more from the facilitative training approach in terms of clinical knowledge, while highly knowledgeable students experienced a negative effect of this training approach. Moreover, students’ perceptions revealed that facilitative-trained students reported more deep-level learning, while the directive training approach turned out to score higher in terms of quality and perceived effects.
Highlights
The challenge of implementing student-centred learning environments has been placed high on the agenda of many medical school curricula as a primary goal is to stimulate future medical doctors to become self-regulating professionals in the workplace [1, 2]
Many educators started relying on Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) [4], which is seen as an effective method for stimulating students to take more responsibility for their own learning
As the debate on clinical skills training started focusing more on which training approach would be more beneficial in terms of students’ clinical performance [10], the training approach adopted by the peer trainer is hypothesized to be important in understanding and stimulating the proclaimed added value of PAL for clinical skills training
Summary
The challenge of implementing student-centred learning environments has been placed high on the agenda of many medical school curricula as a primary goal is to stimulate future medical doctors to become self-regulating professionals in the workplace [1, 2]. PAL comprises different strategies that involve the explicit and active support by status equals or matched companions, with the deliberate intent to help others achieve their learning goals (i.e. both knowledge and skills) [5]. Initially these socialconstructivist methodologies were mainly implemented in theoretical courses, over the years PAL has proven its effectiveness for clinical skills training (practical training), i.e. stimulating better achievement [6], higher self-esteem [7, 8] and better retention of information [9]. As the debate on clinical skills training started focusing more on which training approach would be more beneficial in terms of students’ clinical performance [10], the training approach adopted by the peer trainer is hypothesized to be important in understanding and stimulating the proclaimed added value of PAL for clinical skills training
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