Developing model for group work in phase I and II of the M.B.,Ch.B.-learning programme at the University of the Free State

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Date
2003-12
Authors
Raubenheimer, Daleen
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Drastic changes in the guidelines for medical education have taken place over the past few years which have resulted in the adjustment of undergraduate medical learning programmes of medical schools. One of the prerequisites for being regarded as competent medical practitioners is the ability to function effectively in a health care team. This implies that group work needs to be incorporated as an instructional learning method in undergraduate medical education. The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State (UFS) implemented a transformed M.B.,Ch.B.-Iearning programme in 2000, consisting of a hybrid curriculum with lectures, group work and directed self-study as the main components of instruction. However, group work was implemented without guidelines and it currently appears not to be reaching the objectives it was intended to. This study was conducted in an attempt to provide guidelines for the implementation and practice of group work through an appropriate model. An opinion survey was conducted amongst the students and staff involved in Phases I and II of the M.B.,Ch.B.- learning programme at the UFS, so as to determine the importance of various indicators for a group-work model, using the literature as a basis for the compiling of suitable questionnaires. The opinions of national and international experts in group work and medical education were also obtained through a Delphi study in an attempt to reach consensus amongst the experts on the importance of the indicators for the group-work model. The model was eventually designed by considering the literature and the results from these two investigations in order to determine its structure. The group, consisting of students, forms the centre of the model, whereas the roleplayers (i.e., students, lecturers and facilitators) are united through group-work sessions. The important input factors which could influence the effectiveness of group work include training, support and resources for group work. All aspects of group work need to be evaluated for various reasons: Not only should the group process and -task be evaluated and assessed, for students to receive marks and thus progress in their studies, but all the elements of group work should be reviewed as part of assuring the quality of group work. However, quality assurance also entails reflecting and reacting on the evaluations in order to ensure that the outcome of group work (i.e., learning in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes) is reached. The organisation (in this instance, the Faculty of Health Sciences, UFS) needs to provide a suitable environment and academic climate for group work to take place in. This study may therefore contribute to the quality of the undergraduate medical education at the UFS, assisting students to develop the skills necessary to function as competent health care professionals.
Afrikaans: Drastiese veranderinge in die riglyne vir mediese onderwys het oor die afgelope paar jaar plaasgevind wat aanleiding gegee het tot aanpassings van voorgraadse mediese leerprogramme van mediese skole. Een van die voorvereistes om as 'n bevoegde mediese praktisyn beskou te word, is die vermoë om effektief in 'n gesondheidsorg-span te kan funksioneer. Dit impliseer dat groepwerk as 'n onderrigmetode in voorgraadse mediese onderrig geïnkorporeer moet word. Die Fakulteit Gesondheidswetenskappe, Universiteit van die Vrystaat (UV) het in 2000 'n getransformeerde M.B.,Ch.B.-Ieerprogram geïmplementeer wat bestaan uit 'n hibride kurrikulum met lesings, groepwerk and gerigte selfstudie as die hoofkomponente van onderrig. Groepwerk was egter sonder riglyne geïmplementeer en huidiglik blyk dit dat die beoogde doelwitte daarvan nie bereik word nie. Hierdie studie was uitgevoer in 'n poging om d.m.V. 'n toepaslike model, riglyne vir die implementering en uitvoer van groepwerk te voorsien. 'n Opname van die opinies van die studente en personeel betrokke in Fases I en II van die M.B.,Ch.B.-Ieerprogram by die UV was gedoen om die belangrikheid van verskeie indikatore vir 'n groepwerkmodel te bepaal. Die bevindings van die literatuur was gebruik as 'n basis vir die opstel van toepaslike vraelyste. Die opinies van nasionale en internasionale kundiges in groepwerk en mediese onderwys was ook verkry d.m.v. 'n Delphi-studie in 'n poging om konsensus te bereik oor die belangrikheid van die indikatore vir die groepwerkmodel. Die model was uiteindelik ontwerp deur die literatuur sowel as die resultate van hierdie twee ondersoeke in ag te neem vir die bepaling van die struktuur van die model. Die groep, bestaande uit studente, vorm die middelpunt van die model en die rolspelers (m.a.w. die studente, dosente en fasiliteerders) word saamgebind deur groepwerksessies. Die belangrike inset faktore wat die effektiwiteit van groepwerk kan beïnvloed, sluit opleiding, ondersteuning en hulpbronne vir groepwerk in. Al die aspekte van groepwerk behoort geëvalueer te word vir verskeie redes: Nie net moet die groepproses en -taak geëvalueer en geassesseer word sodat studente punte kan verdien en kan vorder in hulle studies nie, maar alle elemente van groepwerk moet hersien word as deel van die versekering van die gehalte van groepwerk. Gehalteversekering impliseer egter ook oordenking van die evaluerings en reaksie daarop om te verseker dat die uitkoms van groepwerk (nl. leer in terme van kennis, vaardighede en houdings) bereik word. Die organisasie (in hierdie geval die Fakulteit Gesondheidswetenskappe, UV) moet 'n geskikte omgewing en akademiese klimaat voorsien waarin groepwerk kan plaasvind. Hierdie studie kan daarom bydra tot die kwaliteit van voorgraadse mediese onderrig by die UV deurdat dit die studente kan help om die nodige vaardighede te ontwikkelom as bekwame gesondheidsorgwerkers te kan funksioneer.
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Keywords
Group work, Small-group learning, Group-work model, Group-work methods, Problem-based learning, Cooperative learning, Undergraduate medical education, Delphi method, Group work in education, Medicine -- Study and teaching, Medical students -- Study and teaching, Thesis (Ph.D. (Health Professions Education))--University of the Free State, 2003
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