Roles of innovation in education delivery

Enhancing team-based active learning through hands-on experience with nicotine replacement therapy

OBJECTIVES

To enhance tobacco cessation active-learning in an ambulatory care elective course by adding hands-on experience with nicotine replacement therapy to a team-based learning (TBL) session.

DESIGN

A hands-on experience that included students chewing a piece of nicotine gum was added to a TBL class session. Student pairs used a skills checklist to evaluate and give peer feedback on appropriate counseling and gum use.

ASSESSMENT

Students' scores on a tobacco cessation examination were higher than those of students enrolled in the previous course in which TBL alone had been used. Based on pre- and post-experience survey responses, students' perceptions regarding their abilities to provide tobacco cessation counseling improved. Subjective student comments regarding the experience were positive.

CONCLUSION

Participating in a TBL session that incorporated hands-on experience with nicotine gum in an ambulatory care elective course increased students' confidence in their ability to provide tobacco cessation counseling and provided a unique perspective on the product's characteristics.

Team-based learning in pharmacy education

Instructors wanting to engage students in the classroom seek methods to augment the delivery of factual information and help students move from being passive recipients to active participants in their own learning. One such method that has gained interest is team-based learning. This method encourages students to be prepared before class and has students work in teams while in the classroom. Key benefits to this pedagogy are student engagement, improved communication skills, and enhanced critical-thinking abilities. In most cases, student satisfaction and academic performance are also noted. This paper reviews the fundamentals of team-based learning in pharmacy education and its implementation in the classroom. Literature reports from medical, nursing, and pharmacy programs are also discussed.

Global health education: a pilot in trans-disciplinary, digital instruction

Background

The development of new global health academic programs provides unique opportunities to create innovative educational approaches within and across universities. Recent evidence suggests that digital media technologies may provide feasible and cost-effective alternatives to traditional classroom instruction; yet, many emerging global health academic programs lag behind in the utilization of modern technologies.

Objective

We created an inter-departmental University of Southern California (USC) collaboration to develop and implement a course focused on digital media and global health.

Design

Course curriculum was based on core tenants of modern education: multi-disciplinary, technologically advanced, learner-centered, and professional application of knowledge. Student and university evaluations were reviewed to qualitatively assess course satisfaction and educational outcomes.

Results

‘New Media for Global Health’ ran for 18 weeks in the Spring 2012 semester with N=41 students (56.1% global health and 43.9% digital studies students). The course resulted in a number of high quality global health-related digital media products available at http://iml420.wordpress.com/. Challenges confronted at USC included administrative challenges related to co-teaching and frustration from students conditioned to a rigid system of teacher-led learning within a specific discipline. Quantitative and qualitative course evaluations reflected positive feedback for the course instructors and mixed reviews for the organization of the course.

Conclusion

The development of innovative educational programs in global health requires on-going experimentation and information sharing across departments and universities. Digital media technologies may have implications for future efforts to improve global health education.

Effects of academic service learning in drug misuse and addiction on students' learning preferences and attitudes toward harm reduction

OBJECTIVE. To examine academic service-learning pedagogy on student learning and perceptions of drug misuse and addiction. DESIGN. Third- and fourth-year pharmacology students were exposed to an academic service-learning pedagogy that integrated a community service experience with lectures, in-class discussions and debates, group projects, a final paper, and an examination. Reflective writing assignments throughout the course required students to assimilate and apply what they had learned in the classroom to what they learned in their community placement. ASSESSMENT. Changes in students' responses on pre- and post-course survey instruments reflected shifts toward higher-order thinking. Also, subjective student-learning modalities shifted toward learning by writing. Students' perspectives and attitudes allowed improved context of issues associated with drug misuse and harm reduction models. CONCLUSION. Academic service-learning pedagogy contributes to developing adaptable, well-rounded, engaged learners who become more compassionate and pragmatic in addressing scientific and social questions relating to drug addiction.

Undergraduate pharmacy students' perceptions of research in general and attitudes towards pharmacy practice research

OBJECTIVES

To investigate pharmacy students' perceptions of research in general and attitudes towards pharmacy practice research (PPR) at each stage of the undergraduate programme and determine any relationship between perceptions and attitudes, and to validate a measure of attitudes towards PPR in an Australian cohort of pharmacy students.

METHODS

A 23-item survey was administered to all students enrolled in each year of the 4-year pharmacy undergraduate programme, University of Sydney, Australia. Perceptions of research in general were measured with four items on a five-point semantic-differential scale and attitudes towards PPR with 19 items on a five-point Likert scale.

KEY FINDINGS

In total 853 students responded to the survey (83% response rate). While students perceived research to be necessary, they found it difficult and were divided in their interests in pursuing research. Attitudes towards PPR were assessed within five identified domains: 'role of PPR in the curriculum', 'engaging in PPR activities', 'confidence to do PPR', 'faculty involvement of students in PPR' and 'role of PPR in the profession'. Most participants agreed that PPR played an important part in the profession and curriculum but almost half of the cohort lacked confidence to undertake PPR, with very few holding positive attitudes towards all five domains. The PPR instrument was found to be valid and reliable. There were significant differences in perceptions and attitudes at various stages of the degree.

CONCLUSIONS

Future research should investigate changes in perceptions and attitudes in a single cohort over the 4-year degree, explore factors influencing attitudes and identify strategies for stimulating research interest.

The impact of team-based learning on a foundational pharmacokinetics course

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of team-based learning (TBL) in a foundational pharmacokinetics course.

DESIGN

The course was arranged into 5 modules based on the TBL format. Each module contained preclass preparation; readiness-assurance process; and in-class, clinical cases. Survey instruments on professionalism and attitudes of team learning were administered pre- and post-course.

ASSESSMENT

Examination grades focused at the evaluation/creation level were significantly higher in the TBL format compared with the previous year. Professionalism scores increased over the course of the semester, particularly in altruism and honesty. Other measures of team-learning attitudes significantly increased over time, although there was no change in major subscales. End-of-semester course evaluations showed improvements in active engagement and in various areas of skill development.

CONCLUSION

The TBL format can be used successfully in a foundational pharmacokinetics course to increase higher levels of learning, team-learning skills, and professionalism in pharmacy students.

Faculty and student perceptions of effective study strategies and materials

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate faculty members' and students' perceptions of study strategies and materials.

METHODS

Focus groups were conducted with course directors and first- and second-year students to generate ideas relating to use of course materials, technology, class attendance, and study strategies for mastering class concepts.

RESULTS

Students and faculty members differed in their opinions about the utility of textbooks and supplemental resources. The main learning method recommended by students and faculty members was repeated review of course material. Students recommended viewing classroom lectures again online, if possible. Course directors reported believing that class attendance is important, but students based their opinions regarding the importance of attendance on their perceptions of lecture and handout quality. Results did not differ by campus or by student group (first-year vs. second-year students).

CONCLUSIONS

Students and faculty members have differing opinions on the process that could influence learning and course design. Faculty members should understand the strategies students are using to learn course material and consider additional or alternative course design and delivery techniques based on student feedback.

A case-based toxicology elective course to enhance student learning in pharmacotherapy

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of a case-based toxicology elective course on student learning in related required courses and student performance on the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) examination.

DESIGN

A case-based clinical toxicology elective course that contained topics from 2 required courses, Pharmacology III and Pharmacotherapy II, was offered in the spring 2009 to second- and third-year pharmacy students.

ASSESSMENT

Scores on the Toxicology subsection of the PCOA of students enrolled in the elective were higher than those of students not enrolled (91.3% ± 4.1 vs. 67.2% ± 5.7). Enrollment in the elective was related to increased examination scores among Pharmacotherapy II students (89.5% ± 2.0 vs. 83.9% ± 1.8). Students indicated on course survey instruments that they were satisfied with the new elective offering.

CONCLUSIONS

A toxicology elective provided a clinically relevant, active-learning experience for pharmacy students that addressed a curricular need within the college and increased examination scores.

Educational technology use among US colleges and schools of pharmacy

OBJECTIVE

To develop a searchable database of educational technologies used at schools and colleges of pharmacy.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey design was used to determine what educational technologies were being used and to identify an individual at each institution who could serve as an information resource for peer-to-peer questions.

RESULTS

Eighty-nine survey instruments were returned for a response rate of 75.4%. The resulting data illustrated the almost ubiquitous presence of educational technology. The most frequently used technology was course management systems and the least frequently used technology was microblogging.

CONCLUSIONS

Educational technology use is trending toward fee-based products for enterprise-level applications and free, open-source products for collaboration and presentation. Educational technology is allowing educators to restructure classroom time for something other than simple transmission of factual information and to adopt an evidence-based approach to instructional innovation and reform.

Active-learning processes used in US pharmacy education

OBJECTIVE

To document the type and extent of active-learning techniques used in US colleges and schools of pharmacy as well as factors associated with use of these techniques.

METHODS

A survey instrument was developed to assess whether and to what extent active learning was used by faculty members of US colleges and schools of pharmacy. This survey instrument was distributed via the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) mailing list.

RESULTS

Ninety-five percent (114) of all US colleges and schools of pharmacy were represented with at least 1 survey among the 1179 responses received. Eighty-seven percent of respondents used active-learning techniques in their classroom activities. The heavier the teaching workload the more active-learning strategies were used. Other factors correlated with higher use of active-learning strategies included younger faculty member age (inverse relationship), lower faculty member rank (inverse relationship), and departments that focused on practice, clinical and social, behavioral, and/or administrative sciences.

CONCLUSIONS

Active learning has been embraced by pharmacy educators and is used to some extent by the majority of US colleges and schools of pharmacy. Future research should focus on how active-learning methods can be used most effectively within pharmacy education, how it can gain even broader acceptance throughout the academy, and how the effect of active learning on programmatic outcomes can be better documented.

Transforming a large-class lecture course to a smaller-group interactive course

OBJECTIVE

To transition a large pharmacokinetics course that was delivered using a traditional lecture format into a smaller-group course with a discussion format.

DESIGN

An e-book and Web-based multimedia learning modules were utilized to facilitate students' independent learning which allowed the number of classes they were required to attend to be reduced from 3 to 1 per week. Students were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 weekly class sessions. The majority of lecture time was replaced with active-learning activities including discussion, problem solving, and case studies to encourage higher-order learning.

ASSESSMENT

Changes in course delivery were assessed over a 4-year period by comparing students' grades and satisfaction ratings on course evaluations. Although student satisfaction with the course did not improve significantly, students preferred the smaller-group setting to a large lecture-based class. The resources and activities designed to shift responsibility for learning to the students did not affect examination grades even though a larger portion of examination questions focused on higher orders of learning (eg, application) in the smaller-group format.

CONCLUSIONS

Transitioning to a smaller-group discussion format is possible in a pharmacokinetics course by increasing student accountability for acquiring factual content outside of the classroom. Students favored the smaller-class format over a large lecture-based class.

Comparing team-based and mixed active-learning methods in an ambulatory care elective course

OBJECTIVES

To assess students' performance and perceptions of team-based and mixed active-learning methods in 2 ambulatory care elective courses, and to describe faculty members' perceptions of team-based learning.

METHODS

Using the 2 teaching methods, students' grades were compared. Students' perceptions were assessed through 2 anonymous course evaluation instruments. Faculty members who taught courses using the team-based learning method were surveyed regarding their impressions of team-based learning.

RESULTS

The ambulatory care course was offered to 64 students using team-based learning (n = 37) and mixed active learning (n = 27) formats. The mean quality points earned were 3.7 (team-based learning) and 3.3 (mixed active learning), p < 0.001. Course evaluations for both courses were favorable. All faculty members who used the team-based learning method reported that they would consider using team-based learning in another course.

CONCLUSIONS

Students were satisfied with both teaching methods; however, student grades were significantly higher in the team-based learning course. Faculty members recognized team-based learning as an effective teaching strategy for small-group active learning.

Impact of online lecture-capture on student outcomes in a therapeutics course

OBJECTIVES

To examine the correlation between students accessing recorded lecture files (audio and slides) online and course grades and class attendance.

METHODS

Second professional year (of 6-year program) students in a therapeutics course had access to recorded online lectures for 72 hours following live lectures. The number and duration of lecture accessions were compared to final course grades and class attendance. Course grades were compared to those of a historical control group. At the end of the semester, students completed a brief survey instrument regarding their use and perceptions of online lectures.

RESULTS

No correlation was found between final course grades and the number of lecture accessions (r = 0.0014) or total number of minutes lectures were viewed (r = 0.033), nor between class attendance and minutes viewed (r = 0.2158). Students with access to recorded lectures outperformed the historical control group on the final examination (p < 0.002). Seventy-two percent of students reported no influence of online files on class attendance.

CONCLUSIONS

Posting lectures online did not affect student outcomes, but students did score higher on the final examination.