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Investigating a simplified PBL approach to teaching medical statistics to postgraduate students, using scenarios as starting points, promoting self-directed learning, critical thinking, and reflection. Results show positive student feedback and improved performance.
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Teaching medical statistics to health professionals: a Modified Problem-Based Learning ApproachBurwalls 2015 Abdel Douiri
Problem-based learning (PBL) PBL originates in the educational philosophy of the French educationalist CélestinFreinet in the 1920s introduced for the first time in medical education at McMaster University (Canada) in the late 1960s Bland JM. (2004) Teaching statistics to medical students using problem-based learning: the Australian experience. BMC Medical Education 4, 31.
Problem-based learning (PBL) • “learning that results from the process of working toward the understanding or resolution of a problem” (Barrows & Tamblyn, 1980) • PBL is a self-directed approach that uses a scenario as the starting and motivating point for student learning (Silen, 2008). • The problem acts as a trigger to define students’ own learning objectives before the lecture (Wood, 2003) • The process of PBL generally involves many key elements including prior knowledge, problem solving, critical thinking and reflection on learning (Maudsley, 1999)
The aim of the study • Investigate the possibility of the development of a simplified PBL approach to the learning of medical statistics • Examine and evaluate this mPBL approach in teaching medical statistics to PG students
Intervention • Two single intervention experiments using a modified PBL approach were undertaken in two different postgraduate lecture-based medical statistics modules (academic year 2010-2011 at KCL) • Diagnostic Test (DT) under the Advanced Quantitive Research Method module • 2h Lecture • Hypothesis Testing (HT) under the basic statistics module • 2h Lecture + 1h tutorials
PBL material: pre-session problem • Information on the session prior to the Lecture was provided • A scenario extracted from a published paper was sent by email to the students and they were invited to work through the problem prior to the lecture • Sample of the prior Lecturer scenario
The session/Lecturer • The learning objectives of the session were presented • Extra time were given to re-look at these scenarios, in order not to disadvantage students who did not look at the problem prior to the lecture • New terms and concepts (from the scenarios) with which they were not familiar were explained (defined in an interactive way) • The majority of the session was led by student questions and discussion, the lecturer guided the session by providing more information, definitions and other examples
Ethics • Ethical approval was not sought as this was an opportunistic sample from volunteers who agreed to take part of this study by giving their feedback on their appreciation of a PBL method. They were informed at the outset that participation in the questionnaire was entirely voluntary and anonymous. As part of the teaching, a short assessment test was given during the session and students were invited to complete the test and the feedback questionnaire during the final 10 minutes. The material was collected shortly after the end of the class.
Respondents • Diagnostic test: • 14 out 24 students returned the assessment and feedback • 2 respondents did not report their views on the PBL • Hypothesis testing: • 26 respondents out of 42 • 6 respondents did not report their views on the PBL • The average respondent rate in the two experiments was approximately 60%
Student feedback • The majority of students valued the PBL approach: • 92%, 95% CI [61.5-99.8] in the DT class • 90%, 95% CI [56.3-94.3] in the HT class • Some respondents feedback that this approach helped them to focus, to work through problems and to understand them • Others stated that they did not have time to study the problem prior the session • One respondent found statistics difficult and this approach did not appear to make any difference!
Assessments • A positive change in student participation in the class • The accuracy of students’ answers was very high • 78%, 95% CI [62.9-92.6] in the “diagnostic test” • 98% %, 95% CI [92.3-100] in the “Hypothesis testing” • Performance of students is not consistent between the two different courses • Exam and motivation • Students in HT cohort are MPH with some quantitative background
Summary • PBL approach requires commitment and increased participation for students and lecturers • The lecturer needs to find practical problems in the light of the learning objectives of the module, and on the level of students’ background • Students need to take time to work through the problem prior to session • The proposed mPBL approach balances the use of PBL concept with the available time and resource commitments
Conclusion • mPBL approach can have a positive effect on students’ conceptual understanding of statistics • Students engaged positively, both with the learning process and with knowledge acquisition • Could be implemented alongside the traditional passive learning for teaching PG medical statistics.
