Peer-led team learning in an online course on controversial medication issues and the US healthcare system

Personalized Learning in an Online Drugs and US Health Care System Controversies Course

Objective. To examine if personalized learning objectives influenced student engagement and if achievement of objectives could be measured from course assignments. Methods. Learners created personalized learning objectives that correlated with their own goals within the context of the course. Using a mixed-methods analysis approach, the influence of these objectives on engagement and evidence of achievement of objectives were examined. Results. Students reported a positive influence of personalized learning objectives on engagement. Additionally, measurement of student progression or achievement of objectives was possible from analysis of the course assignments. Conclusion. Personalized learning is an important educational design for future pharmacists and health care professionals. Creating personalized learning objectives that build on centralized course objectives and connect to a broader context is one way to achieve the goal of an engaged and expanded learning experience.

Using peer teaching to introduce the Pharmaceutical Care Model to incoming pharmacy students

BACKGROUND

The aim of this initiative was to design and evaluate a peer teaching activity where pairs of second-year pharmacy students introduced the Pharmaceutical Care Model and discussed success in the broader first-year pharmacy curriculum with pairs of first year students.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY

Second-year pharmacy students individually created concept maps illustrating the main components of pharmaceutical care to be used as teaching tools with first-year students. First-year students were given a brief introduction to pharmaceutical care by faculty and prepared questions to ask their second-year colleagues. Two second-year students were then matched with two first-year students for a two-part peer teaching event. Each student completed documentation of the peer experience, which included questions about the effectiveness of the teaching, changes to be made in the future, and the usefulness of the exercise. The documentation was analyzed via content analysis and instructors evaluated the concept maps based on their effectiveness as a teaching tool for novices. A rubric was used to evaluate 166 concept maps of which 145 were rated good, 18 were rated as better, and 3 as best. Themes emerging from the content analysis included: positive impact of teaching and learning pharmaceutical care, value of broader curriculum discussion, and beneficial first- and second-year connections.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY

A structured peer teaching event outside the traditional classroom setting can create a space for: teaching and learning to occur, student-student connections to be made, and advice on the curriculum to be shared.

Do fourth year pharmacy students use Facebook to form workplace-based learning peer groups during rotations?

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this study was to gain an understanding of whether pharmacy students are using Facebook^® to create formal or informal workplace-based peer groups to learn from each other and share information while completing their advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs).

METHODS

Fourth-year pharmacy students from two colleges of pharmacy in the same geographical area were recruited by email to participate. Inclusion criteria were: completion of two or more APPEs, current assignment to an APPE rotation in the local area, and a Facebook^® profile. Two focus groups, of eight students each were conducted on each of the two colleges' campuses. An incentive to participate was provided. Thematic analysis was used to analyze responses.

RESULTS

Students reported using Facebook^® to learn about rotation expectations, roles/responsibilities, and preceptors. However, frequency and depth of interactions varied among the participants. Most participants noted that they prefer more private methods of communication to learn about APPE experiences. Students found Facebook^® to be a good source of motivation and support during experiential learning.

DISCUSSION

The use of social media sites like Facebook^® may help students form "virtual" workplace-based peer groups during APPEs.

CONCLUSION

Pharmacy schools interested in providing support for formal workplace-based learning groups should consider using social media sites as one component of this program.

Design, implementation, and evaluation of an online elective course on current topics in pharmacy

INTRODUCTION

To describe the design and implementation of the Current Topics in Professional Pharmacy online elective course and evaluate the degree to which the course improved student pharmacists' awareness of and interest in current topics affecting the profession of pharmacy.

METHODS

A one-credit hour online summer elective included weekly modules of current topics affecting the profession of pharmacy, along with a longitudinal final project in which students created their own current topic module. Each module consisted of assigned reference materials and online discussion forum posts to answer discussion questions and share professional opinions. Student achievement of curricular outcomes and course-specific objectives was measured utilizing pre- and post-course surveys, assessment of weekly module forum posts, and a final course knowledge and comprehension quiz.

RESULTS

Student self-rated awareness and desire to stay updated on current topics in pharmacy increased significantly from pre-survey to post-survey (39.7% to 98.3% agree or strongly agree, p<0.001; 25.9-87.9%, p<0.001, respectively). Student confidence in their ability to formulate and effectively express their professional opinion also significantly improved (67.2% to 93.1%, p<0.001). Seven of the 12 course competencies assessed by the survey significantly improved from pre- to post-course. The majority of students agreed or strongly agreed that the course adequately addressed all 12 pre-selected Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Appendix B content areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Performance assessment and survey results demonstrated achievement of curricular outcomes and course objectives. Students completing the course showed an increased interest and awareness related to current topics affecting the profession of pharmacy.

Improvement in American Board of Surgery in-training examination performance with a multidisciplinary surgeon-directed integrated learning platform

BACKGROUND

The American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) is a predictor of resident performance on the general surgery-qualifying examination and plays a role in obtaining competitive fellowships. A learning management system (LMS) permits the delivery of a structured curriculum that appeals to the modern resident owing to the ease of accessibility and all-in-one organization. This study hypothesizes that trainees using a structured surgeon-directed LMS will achieve improved ABSITE scores compared with those using an unstructured approach to the examination.

STUDY DESIGN

A multidisciplinary print and digital review course with practice questions, review textbooks, weekly reading assignments, and slide and audio reviews integrated within an online LMS was made available to postgraduate year (PGY)-3 and PGY-4 residents in 2008 and 2009. Surveys were emailed requesting ABSITE scores to compare outcomes in those trainees that used the course with those who used an unstructured approach. Statistical analysis was conducted via descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square with p < 0.05 deemed statistically significant.

RESULTS

Surveys were mailed to 508 trainees. There was an 80% (408) response rate. Residents who used structured approaches in both the years achieved the highest scores, followed by those who adopted a structured approach in PGY-4. The residents using an unstructured approach in both the years showed no significant improvement.

CONCLUSION

Residents who used a structured LMS performed significantly better than their counterparts who used an unstructured approach. A properly constructed online education curriculum has the potential to improve ABSITE scores.