AUDITORIUM PRESENTATION
CASUS
–
Implementation in Different Settings and Assessment
of Key Features through Online
Evaluation.
Martin Fischer, Inga Hege, Martin Adler, Matthias Holzer,
and Veronika Kopp
AG Medizinische Lernprogramme, Munich, Germany
Part I: Settings of e-learning
CASUS is a software
package for authoring and delivering case-based learning based on a pedagogical
concept developed by the AG Medizinische Lernprogramme at the University of
Munich beginning in 1993. The CASUS system is used successfully at numerous faculties
in Germany, Israel, the US and Brazil in different settings and content
domains. The settings are for example:
·
Using CASUS as a
“Learning by Teaching” tool:
Students in small groups create their own case in a tutorial setting and get
credit for the completed case, which is reviewed by an expert.
·
Supplementing a
lecture with cases matching curricular
learning objectives Since 1998 we use CASUS cases in this setting as a
voluntary option to gain credits for the lecture in internal medicine.
·
Learning cases as preparation
for online key feature exams: Overwhelming numbers of participants make this
setting very promising for future curricular implementations.
We will report on
feedback of the participants, evaluation data gained with online questionnaires
and the effects this had on the new implementations of the software. Moreover we will compare these different
settings with each other regarding feasibility, success, interesting evaluation
outcomes and advantages/disadvantages.
Part II - "Assessment
drives the e-learning"
when this modified classical saying of George Miller holds true, new valid
forms of online assessment have to be established to foster the use of high
effort e-learning applications. The key feature approach with special short case
studies was developed by Page & Bordage in the mid-nineties for the testing
of clinical decision making skills in high stakes licensing exams in Canada.
This approach allows for a highly reliable testing of candidates by just using
questions focusing on key issues or issues related to frequent errors with
respect to the clinical problem. The key feature problems were delivered on
paper using MC or short menu answer formats and needed manual scoring.
We have created an
online key feature assessment tool based on the CASUS learning system using
short or long menu answer formats. This approach allowed for fully automated
processing of scores and media enriched problem presentations. With 15 cases
presented to 4th year medical students (n=40) a reliability of 0.65 was
reached. Acceptance and motivation of students to use this kind of assessment
was reasonably high. Further elaboration of answer mechanisms and the creation
of key feature problems for a variety of domains are planned. It is planned to
use the assessment tool routinely at various German medical schools in the
summer of 2004. In conclusion, the online key feature assessment approach
offers an attractive alternative for the testing of decision making skills in
clinical undergraduate training.
BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION:
Attendees will learn
about different settings in which the CASUS system has been introduced during
the past ten years. The focus of part II will be on a new form of online
assessment. The key feature problems offer an opportunity to support online
learning with the various available case-based learning systems. A
collaborative effort to jointly create a portfolio of valid key feature
problems for an online assessment initiative will be discussed.
Martin Fischer
AG Medizinische
Lernprogramme, Klinikum der Universitaet Muenchen Ziemssenstr.1, 80336
Muenchen, Germany
Phone: +49 89 5160
2159
Martin.Fischer@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
Website: http://www.casus.net/
CO-AUTHORS:
*Inga Hege
**Martin Adler
*Matthias Holzer
*Veronika Kopp
* same as primary
author
** Instruct AG,
Keferloherstr.109, 80807 Muenchen, Germany
Inga.Hege@instruct.de
Martin
Adler@instruct.de
Matthias.Holzer@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
Veronika.Kopp@med.uni-muenchen.de