Case-based Learning Course Research Articles

Evaluating dental students' perspectives on the concurrent teaching of didactic and case-based courses.

To evaluate student perception of integrating biomedical and clinical sciences based on survey of dental students on the concurrent teaching of a didactic systems-based course and a case-based course. First-year to fourth-year students (DS1-DS4) students were surveyed for their experiences in concurrent teaching. Student response rate for the survey was 55% (229/420). Pearson's Chi-squared tests and Kruskal-Wallis rank sum tests were used to assess statistical significance (p<0.05). Of the students surveyed, 83% strongly agreed or agreed that concurrent teaching of the didactic and case-based courses helped them better understand the biomedical science background and the clinical ramifications (p<0.001). On average, 75% percent strongly agreed or agreed that concurrent teaching kept them engaged, motivated, think critically, apply the course content and prepare for clinical practice (p<0.001). Of the students surveyed, 69% support expanding concurrent teaching to all four years (p<0.001). Mean responses from DS1 and DS4 students differed for questions relating to understanding of biomedical sciences, critical thinking and application to clinic (p<0.01). Qualitative data showed that students enjoyed the reinforcement of concepts and application to clinical scenarios. Concurrent teaching of didactic and case-based learning courses, thus showing clinical relevance of biomedical sciences in the first year of dental curriculum, is perceived by students as an effective method of educating dental students. Such integrative learning process with horizontal and vertical integration and concurrent curriculum is even more relevant with the implementation of the integrated national board dental examination.

Effects of periodontal clinical database software in resident training during COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective observational study

BackgroundDental residents in Guangdong, China, had fewer medical practice opportunities because of the pandemic of COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate whether a case-based learning (CBL) approach using a periodontal clinical database software (PCDS) could improve residents' achievement in the exam of the standardized residency training (SRT) program.MethodsForty-four dental residents volunteered and completed this trial. Within 12 weeks, all residents admitted periodontal patients 5 days a week and participated in a case-based learning course using PCDS once a week. Two online case-based examinations were used to evaluate their diagnostic and therapeutic performance before and after training. The total accuracy rate of examinations and the accuracy rate of subitems were analyzed using paired samples T-test. The Bonferroni correction is used for multiple testing adjustments, and p < 0.05 was considered statistical significance.ResultsAfter training, the total accuracy rate of SRT exams raised from 65 to 76%. There was a significant difference in the accuracy rate before and after training (Mean = 0.103, SD = 0.141, p < 0.001). The accuracy of radiographic examination (type of alveolar bone absorption and hard tissue lesion of tooth) and making treatment plan was significantly improved after training (p < 0.005). However, residents' performance in diagnosing periodontitis and predicting the prognosis of affected teeth was not improved.ConclusionsThe PCDS and CBL method effectively improved the residents' achievement in SRT examination, especially in identifying the type of resorption of alveolar bone and the hard tissue lesion of a tooth by radiographic examination and making an appropriate treatment plan for a periodontitis patient. More effective teaching approaches are needed to improve residents' accuracy of diagnosis of periodontitis using the 2018 classification in China.

Multidisciplinary Approach in Teaching Diagnostic Radiology to Medical Students: The Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Virtual Educational Model.

The aim of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of an online multidisciplinary approach for teaching diagnostic radiology to medical students. An online 10-session case-based learning course was designed and taught by a multidisciplinary team of radiologists, surgeons, and internists. Session topics included common clinical case scenarios for different systems and were hosted on a videoconferencing platform. Students from six medical schools across Texas enrolled in the course. The effectiveness of each session was evaluated using a pretest-posttest design. Students completed a final survey after the course to evaluate their experience. An average of 108 attended the live sessions, with attendance peaking at 220. On average, 75 students completed both the pretest and posttest of each session. Posttest scores were an average of 46% higher than pretest scores. A total of 109 students completed the final survey; more than 90% of participants agreed that the program was relevant, that its multidisciplinary approach was valuable, and that it increased their knowledge of imaging as a diagnostic tool. Seventy-four percent said that the program increased their interest in radiology. Almost all participants said that the topics presented were thought to be "excellent and clinically important to learn" by most of the students (70%). Participants reported increased confidence in basic radiology skills after completion of the program. An online multidisciplinary approach can be feasibly implemented to address the radiology education needs of a large number of medical students across a group of medical schools.

Problem-based learning and case-based learning in dental education.

BackgroundNumerous novel teaching methods have been developed in recent times for use in medical education. Of these methods, problem-based learning (PBL) and case-based learning (CBL) have attracted the most attention. We evaluated and compared the efficiency of these two teaching methods in dental education and discussed the importance of teachers to these courses. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of PBL and CBL in dental education, and discuss the importance of teachers to the courses.MethodsIn this study, 28 students enrolled in a seven-year program at the College of Stomatology at Shanghai Jiao Tong University were chosen as participants. In the fourth year, PBL combined with independent learning was used to teach students the theory of oral mucosal diseases. During the internship, CBL was used to present specific cases. Both methods were carried out with group discussion. After the PBL course, teachers assessed its effect by the students’ class performance, their ability to collect data, and group cooperation. After the CBL course, its effect was assessed by the students’ ability in history-taking, diagnosis and antidiastole, and case analysis. In addition, the teachers’ roles in both methods were assessed by both the students and the teachers themselves. Data was collected by questionnaire survey and statistically analyzed with SPSS Statistics 20.ResultsPBL significantly improved students’ self-learning abilities in the theory course. CBL helped students make diagnoses and develop treatment plans for actual cases in the internship. Both students and teachers thought that teachers were indispensable to both PBL and CBL. There was no difference between student and teacher views.ConclusionsAlthough PBL and CBL have different focuses, their combination may enhance teaching effectiveness in dental education. Additionally, teachers play an important role in the application of both these teaching methods.

Qualitative analysis of student responses to survey questions investigating student perceptions of case-based learning

Background: This qualitative study applied discourse analysis to open ended question responses of fourth semester veterinary students enrolled in case based learning (CBL) course. This was the first CBL course incorporated into the curriculum and was delivered via teams of two professors for each of eight sessions. Aims: Questions were designed to investigate student perceptions of CBL and determine how it impacted their learning. Results: Results were reported to faculty to help them deliver high quality, engaging, and challenging CBL sessions that pushed students without being discouraging. From a cognition and learning perspective, students felt that CBL helped with learning at all levels of Bloom's taxonomy, encouraged metacognition, and helped prepare them for clinical rotations and postgraduation careers. From a mechanics and delivery perspective, students desired resources to help them use cases to learn about species in which they have a particular interest beyond the classroom; wanted interactive sessions and in class assessments, primarily involving individual responses using audience response software (clickers); enjoyed class and small group discussions; and preferred little to no out of classwork or assignments unless explicitly related to the case and expectations for the assignment(s) is/are clearly laid out. Conclusions: Overall, most students wanted more CBL and found it engaging, fun, and supportive of their learning.

University of Michigan Medical School.

University of Michigan Medical School.

Perceptions of Australian and Malaysian Educators in an Undergraduate Pharmacy Program on Case-based Learning

Objective. To determine the perceptions of lecturers toward case-based learning (CBL) and to elicit their feedback and opinions regarding the design of CBL sessions within the pharmacy curricula. Methods. One-on-one interviews were conducted with 10 academic staff members involved in teaching an undergraduate Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) program. All sessions were audio-recorded and field notes were compiled. The recordings were transcribed, and thematic analysis of responses was performed. Results. Four key themes were identified: perceived benefits of CBL, challenges in implementing CBL within the curricula, characteristics of effective and engaging CBL, and relevance and implementation of CBL within the curriculum. Some of the specific benefits of CBL identified by participants included the applicability of knowledge learned to students' future role as pharmacists. Participants also identified challenges such as the design of CBL cases and course time constraints. Respondents also emphasized the need for more training for facilitators in how to design cases and facilitate sessions. Conclusion. While participants identified numerous benefits of CBL, they also identified challenges to implementing this learning method within the pharmacy school curriculum. Paying careful attention to selecting facilitators and providing appropriate facilitator training, in terms of facilitation and case design, is paramount in effectively implementing CBL sessions.

Using Quick Response Codes to Increase Students' Participation in Case-Based Learning Courses.

The purpose of this study was to use Quick Response codes to increase engagement in a case-based learning course. A quasi-experiment was conducted, and 103 students enrolled in a pharmacology course participated. The students were divided into high-, medium-, and low-scoring groups, based on their previous semester grades in the pharmacology course. A Chinese-version questionnaire of the Nursing Students' Attitude Toward Quick Response Codes in Case-Based Learning Scale was used. The major findings were as follows: (1) Most participants held positive attitudes toward the use of Quick Response codes in case-based learning courses. It was suggested that participants perceived the use of Quick Response codes to be easy and useful in learning activities. They also demonstrated positive attitudes toward the Quick Response codes and expressed their intention to use this application in the future. (2) After applying Quick Response codes in classroom teaching, students performed better in asking questions and discussions than they did before. The performance of the medium-level students improved significantly.

Discussion on the application of CBL in the theoretical teaching of Psychiatry based on a mood dis-order case

According to the course teaching requirements of psychiatry, a serial teaching cases of case-based learning (CBL) is built based on cases from psychology department to assist in the theory teaching of Psychiatry. During the teaching process, the scenes where patients came to the psychology department were simulated and the information about the cases was provided step by step. For each step, students would be asked to discuss a series of questions regarding the cases in different groups. Along with CBL, students could thoroughly learn the main points of diagnosis and principles of treatment for common psy-chiatric disorders. The teaching effect showed that students' involvement in CBL courses, the interests in learning, self-study ability, independent thinking ability, capacity for self-expression, ability of creative thinking and comprehensive analysis and problem solving ability.were greatly improved. Most students were interested in CBL and it produced fruitful teaching results. Key words: Case-based learning; Psychiatric disorders; Psychiatry

Creation and pilot testing of cases for case-based learning: A pedagogical approach for pathology cancer diagnosis.

BackgroundCase-based learning (CBL) is an established pedagogical active learning method used in various disciplines and defined based on the field of study and type of case. The utility of CBL for teaching specific aspects of cancer diagnosis to practising pathologists has not been previously studied in sub-Saharan Africa.ObjectivesWe aimed to pilot test standardised cancer cases on a group of practising pathologists in sub-Saharan Africa to evaluate case content, clarity of questions and delivery of content.MethodsExpert faculty created cases for the four most commonly diagnosed cancers. The format included mini-cases and bullet cases which were all open-ended. The questions dealt with interpretation of clinical information, gross specimen examination, morphologic characteristics of tumours, ancillary testing, reporting and appropriate communication to clinicians.ResultsCases on breast, cervical, prostate and colorectal cancers were tested on seven practising pathologists. Each case took an average of 45–90 min to complete.Questions that were particularly challenging to testers were on: Specimens they should have been but for some reason were not exposed to in routine practice.Ancillary testing and appropriate tumour staging.New knowledge gained included tumour grading and assessment of radial margins. Revisions to cases were made based on testers’ feedback, which included rewording of questions to reduce ambiguity and adding of tables to clarify concepts.ConclusionCases were created for CBL in Kenya, but these are applicable elsewhere in Africa and beyond to teach cancer diagnosis. The pilot testing of cases prepared faculty for the actual CBL course and feedback provided by the testers assisted in improving the questions and impact on day-to-day practice.

Application of a systematic approach to evaluating psychometric properties of a cumulative exit-from-degree objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)

Background and purposeObjective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are considered gold standard performance-based assessments yet comprehensive evaluation data is currently lacking. The objective of this study was to critically evaluate the psychometric properties of a cumulative OSCE for graduating pharmacy students in Qatar for which policies and procedures were adapted from a Canadian context. Educational activity and settingA 10-station OSCE was conducted for graduating students in Qatar. Evaluation included assessment of pass rates, predictive validity, concurrent validity, internal validity, content validity, interrater reliability, and internal consistency. FindingsTwenty-six students completed the OSCE. Three stations achieved pass rates < 80%. Scores from professional skills and case-based learning courses, formative OSCEs, and cumulative grade point averages correlated with OSCE scores (p < 0.05). Average correlation between assessors’ analytical and global scoring was moderate (r = 0.52). Average interrater reliability was excellent for analytical scoring (ICC = 0.88) and moderate for global scoring (ICC = 0.61). Excellent internal consistency was demonstrated for overall performance (α = 0.927). Students generally agreed stations represented real practice scenarios (range per station, 30–100%). Discussion and summaryThe evaluation model identified strengths and weaknesses in assessment and curricular considerations. The OSCE demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability as an adapted assessment.

A Community Based Experience to Enhance Occupational Therapy Student Clinical Skills with Clients with Mental Illness

Despite the high number of individuals living with severe mental illness and the evidence to support effective interventions, only a small percentage of occupational therapy practitioners work in community mental health settings. To address the need for more occupational therapists in this area of practice, schools must provide educational experiences that facilitate interactions with individuals experiencing severe mental illness to increase students’ competence with this population. The Washington University Program in Occupational Therapy fosters students’ clinical reasoning skills throughout a two semester case-based learning course. For the community mental health module at the end of the 2nd semester, the program partnered with two local community agencies to provide an opportunity for students to work with clients experiencing severe mental illness. Students administered assessments, planned and implemented interventions, and completed documentation. Following the experience, students reported increased ability to facilitate interventions and adapt to client needs and clients reported an increase in independent living skills. This paper will describe the development of the course module, collaboration between the academic institution and community based agencies, and student learning outcomes and feedback. A case study illustrates the benefits for one client participant.

Eric Smith - A Renal Physiology Case-based Learning Exercise

OPEN ACCESSNovember 18, 2013Eric Smith - A Renal Physiology Case-based Learning Exercise Ansley Splinter, MD, MACM, Daniel Castellanos, Carla Lupi, MD Ansley Splinter, MD, MACM Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Google Scholar More articles by this author , Daniel Castellanos Children's Hospital Los Angeles Google Scholar More articles by this author , Carla Lupi, MD Florida International University Google Scholar More articles by this author https://doi.org/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.9609 SectionsAbout ToolsDownload Citations ShareFacebookTwitterEmail AbstractAbstract Introduction: This progressively disclosed case of a boy presenting with generalized edema was created as part of a case-based learning course for second- and third-year medical students and was designed to integrate with basic science and clinical learning. The case provides a strong opportunity for initial learning and/or targeted review of important pathophysiologic concepts. Methods: This case is designed for the small-group format; we have used it with groups ranging from four to eight students. When possible, groups have been facilitated by one basic science and one clinical faculty member. Nonetheless, a clinician well versed in the case and familiar with basic renal physiology can run the session alone. Results: We have used this case during our second-year organ system courses. Student ratings of this case have been uniformly high, with the common reaction that the case is critical in helping them integrate lecture and laboratory-based learning. They prefer to participate in these exercises toward the end of the organ system module, citing greater integrative value at this point. Discussion: We have found that initial participation in this case is preparing students well for robust involvement in the more open-ended and complex problem-based learning cases of our third year. We have yet to conduct any systematic assessment of learning from participation in these cases. Educational Objectives By the end of this case, learners will be able to: Explain the mechanism by which pathophysiologic changes in different organ systems can cause generalized edema.Identify laboratory tests necessary to diagnose a patient with generalized edema.Interpret laboratory test results to narrow a differential diagnosis.List the diagnostic criteria for nephrotic syndrome in a pediatric patient.Propose a treatment plan for a patient with nephrotic syndrome, edema, and respiratory distress.Describe the complications of nephrotic syndrome including the pathophysiology underlying those complications.Describe Starling forces and how they contribute to edema formation.Describe the normal barriers to protein filtration in the kidney.List the layers of the glomerular filtration barrier.Explain the pathophysiologic mechanisms of proteinuria.Explain the relationship between total calcium levels and albumin levels.Explain the renal primary defect that results in nephrotic syndrome.Explain the mechanism of action and common side effects of loop and thiazide diuretics. Sign up for the latest publications from MedEdPORTAL Add your email below FILES INCLUDEDReferencesRelatedDetails FILES INCLUDED Included in this publication: Eric Smith Instructor's Guide.docx Eric Smith Facilitator Version.docx Eric Smith Student Version.docx Student Participation Rubric.docx To view all publication components, extract (i.e., unzip) them from the downloaded .zip file. Download editor’s noteThis publication may contain technology or a display format that is no longer in use. Copyright & Permissions© 2013 Splinter et al. This is an open-access publication distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike license.KeywordsCase-Based LearningUndergraduateRenal PhysiologyUndergraduate Medical EducationEducationSecond-Year Medical StudentsNephrotic SyndromeThird-Year Medical StudentsMedical Disclosures None to report. Funding/Support None to report. Loading ...

Practising case‐based learning in oral medicine for dental students in China

Teacher-centred education dominates dental education in China. Student-centred education has recently been introduced in the School of Stomatology, Wuhan University, and the effectiveness of such methods needs to be tested. The purpose of this study is to compare the learning outcomes of case-based learning (CBL) and lecture-based education (LBE) in an oral medicine curriculum. We chose oral leukoplakia as the learning subject for dental students. Forty fourth-year dental students participated in the study. First, they were presented to basic knowledge of oral leukoplakia and related oral mucosal diseases. Then, they were divided into a CBL group (n=20) and an LBE group (n=20) by random numbers. The groups experienced the remaining course in separate groups. All students answered a questionnaire on their satisfaction with the education and the same standardised written test to analyse their learning outcomes. Both CBL and LBE courses were well accepted by students according to the satisfactory scores of the questionnaire. The test scores of the CBL group (90.00±6.69) were significantly higher (P<0.01) than those of the LBE group (83.00±6.77). The percentage of high test score (test score≥85) of the CBL group (85%) was also significantly higher (P<0.01) than that of the LBE group (45%). In this example, CBL was found to be more effective than LBE to teach dental students. These findings suggest that CBL should be added in our future oral medicine curriculum for dental students.

111th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, Seattle, Washington, July 10–14, 2010

111th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, Seattle, Washington, July 10–14, 2010

Assessing the relationship between peer and facilitator evaluations in case-based learning

Attempts to validate peer evaluation and to incorporate it into the curriculum have met with mixed results. The purpose of this study was to assess the use of peer evaluations in a Year 1 case-based learning course. As part of the formal grading process for the course, all faculty facilitators (n = 69 over 3 years) completed a 12-item evaluation form for each student at the conclusion of each case. As part of a course assignment, students (n = 415 over 3 years) completed brief evaluations of their peers based on 2 criteria: the overall quality of written reports, and participation in group discussion. In addition, students provided anonymous feedback in the written end-of-course evaluation about the peer evaluation process, and faculty were asked to comment during the wrap-up luncheon for small-group facilitators. Response rates for the 3 Year 1 medical student classes ranged from 95% to 99%. The average number of peer evaluations completed for each student was 4.6. The G coefficients for the rater-nested-within-person generalisability study were 0.52 for written reports and 0.60 for group participation; both were based on an average of 4-5 ratings. Correlation coefficients between peer and faculty evaluations in each of the 3 consecutive years of the course ranged from 0.46 to 0.63; all were statistically significant at P < 0.001. A correction for attenuation suggests that the true score correlation between faculty and peer measures is near 1.0. This study provides strong evidence that facilitator and peer ratings measure similar constructs and shows that, even among Year 1 medical students, peer evaluation can be conducted in a valid manner.

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.