Reflection on the development of a patient case in twine

Abstract

PurposeWith technology becoming an essential component in classrooms, it is becoming more crucial for pharmacy faculty to explore innovative active learning strategies that engage students inside and outside the classroom. This manuscript discusses how two fourth-year students and their preceptor developed interactive patient cases using an open-source software application called Twine (www.twinery.org). DescriptionTwo different cases were developed in Twine. The first patient case story was created by the fourth-year students and will be implemented in the future. The second patient case, consisting of two Twine stories, was created by the faculty preceptor and was implemented during new student orientation. Analysis/interpretationResources for development as well as advantages and disadvantages of developing and implementing Twine stories into the curriculum are discussed. Implementation of the faculty's Twine stories into the pharmacy curriculum is also discussed. ConclusionsTwine is a user-friendly application and has the potential to be utilized in healthcare programs as an effective and engaging teaching strategy that both professor and students enjoy. ImplicationsWhile development of a Twine story could be time-consuming, the benefit of increasing student engagement outweighs the cost. Active learning is an essential component in the classroom, and finding new and innovative ways to enhance student learning is imperative.