POSTER
Clinical Computer Cases: The Effect of Small Groups on the
Process of Elaboration
Bas de Leng MSc (Med), Department of Educational Development
and Research , University
ABSTRACT:
Computer cases are an
interesting educational tool for Medical Schools. They can supplement the "real"
patients contacts of students when the needed variety
or quantity of cases to achieve the curricular standards cannot be met. In
addition computer cases can give students the opportunity to examine and solve
clinical problems in a stimulating realistic environment in an early stage of
the curriculum without the risk of harming the patients.
From a theoretical
point of view working on computer cases in small groups is expected to result
in better learning than working individually. A case would be a social catalyst
eliciting a discussion with the result: deeper elaboration and better learning.
To examine empirically the effect of social context (small groups vs.
individuals) in a face-to-face situation on the process in which computer cases
are elaborated, we performed a randomly controlled experiment. The poster
presents the experimental set-up, the results and our conclusions. It also
presents an outline of the cases we built in the English version of the computer
program CAMPUS.
BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION:
Share and discuss
experiences on:
•
Small group work at and around clinical computer cases.
•The
use of cooperative learning strategies like positive interdependence and
individual accountability or scaffolding strategies like “question prompts” and
“guided peer interaction” to increase the scope and depth of the elaboration of
computer cases.
•Designing
and developing series of short computer cases among which multiple connections
exist to make “crisscrossing the conceptual landscape” in a knowledge domain
possible.
•
Implementation strategies for computer cases that can integrate and connect
them with other learning activities in the medical curriculum so they can
become “shared objects of attention”.
Bas de Leng MSc (Med)
Department of
Educational Development and Research,
University Maastricht
P.O.Box, 616, 6200 MD Maastricht
Phone: +31 433881108
Fax: +31 433884140
mailto:b.deleng@educ.unimaas.nl
Website: http://www.educ.unimaas.nl/
CO-AUTHORS:
2 Roy Lalisang MD
3 Jörn Heid BSc(Eng)
2 Department of
Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Hospital, The Netherlands
3 Laboratory for
Computer-based Teaching and Learning Systems in Medicine, University of
Heidelberg, Germany