Engaging the hands, heads, and hearts in a medical simulation informal learning environment

Abstract

We investigated the characteristics of a medical simulation‐based informal learning environment (MSBE) of a science center—an environment not yet studied—to understand its uniqueness and its impact on visiting students. In the MSBE, students interact with, and operate, sophisticated simulators which demonstrate a range of medical situations. Visiting students comprised mainly high school students, who do not commonly visit science centers. They included Jewish and Arab students of diverse socioeconomic statuses. Data collection in this mixed‐method study comprised pre‐post open‐ended views and content questionnaires, a semantic difference survey and interviews. To scrutinize student learning and attitude change, we compared the visiting students with a comparison group who did not visit the MSBE. The MSBE enabled mainly collaborative and active/hands‐on learning that helped students visualize and experience abstract ideas and yielded a variety of learning outcomes. We present evidence that the students improved their attitudes toward biology and medicine and improved their understanding of biological principles related to the human body. Addressing both museum learning literature and literature on different types of scientific and health literacies, we highlight the value to student engagement and learning of this unique medical simulation learning environment.

“I've Always Thought That I Was Not Good at Experiments…”—The Benefit of Non-formal Learning in Terms of Students' Perceived Competence

“…In the fields of biology, OSLs mainly focus on teaching methodological skills, such as practical laboratory work (Euler and Schüttler, 2020 ). Regarding pedagogical support, at an international level, there are science educational outreach programs in which the local staff (e.g., “Bristol ChemLabS,” Shallcross et al, 2013 ; “PHIRE,” Hanauer et al, 2006 ; “Medical Simulation-Based Environment,” Tal and Dallashe, 2019 ) or the students' regular teachers lead the laboratory workshop and provide pedagogical support (e.g., “UHasselt@school,” Guedens and Reynders, 2012 ; “teacher-led outreach laboratories,” Stolarsky Ben-Yun and Yarden, 2009 ). However, in German OSLs, students are usually supervised by research assistants or university student assistants (tutor; Garner et al, 2014 ; Scharfenberg et al, 2019 ; Euler and Schüttler, 2020 ).…”

“…The non-formal atmosphere of an OSL may provide multifaceted and intensive experiences (see Hofstein and Lunetta, 2004 ; Mohr-Schroeder et al, 2014 ; Roberts et al, 2018 ), including enjoyable, entertaining learning experiences (e.g., Tal and Dallashe, 2019 ; Tsybulsky, 2019 ) that can be described as “valuable for its own sake, regardless of the presence or absence of learning outcome” (Packer, 2006 , p. 341; see also Schwan et al, 2014 ). These motivational experiences are depicted in various related motivational constructs, such as intrinsic motivation (Ryan and Deci, 2017 ), flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 2000 ; Engeser et al, 2021 ), and situational interest (Renninger and Hidi, 2016 ).…”

“…As a result, many studies have focused on out-of-school learning in science educational outreach programs in recent years (e.g., Salmi, 2012 ; Schütte and Köller, 2015 ; Clark et al, 2016 ; Roberts et al, 2018 ; Tsybulsky et al, 2018 ; Tal and Dallashe, 2019 ; Tsybulsky, 2019 ; Maiorca et al, 2021 ; Solis et al, 2021 ). To complement formal science learning at school, informal and non-formal science learning can make valuable contributions to student learning due to, among other things, authentic hands-on learning experiences (Tal and Dallashe, 2019 ; Maiorca et al, 2021 ).…”

“…As a result, many studies have focused on out-of-school learning in science educational outreach programs in recent years (e.g., Salmi, 2012 ; Schütte and Köller, 2015 ; Clark et al, 2016 ; Roberts et al, 2018 ; Tsybulsky et al, 2018 ; Tal and Dallashe, 2019 ; Tsybulsky, 2019 ; Maiorca et al, 2021 ; Solis et al, 2021 ). To complement formal science learning at school, informal and non-formal science learning can make valuable contributions to student learning due to, among other things, authentic hands-on learning experiences (Tal and Dallashe, 2019 ; Maiorca et al, 2021 ). Science learning in informal and non-formal contexts can be beneficial for student engagement in science classes (Roberts et al, 2018 ), the acquisition of skills and knowledge (Berg et al, 2021 ; Solis et al, 2021 ), and the promotion of student motivation and interest in the fields of STEM (Mohr-Schroeder et al, 2014 ; Schütte and Köller, 2015 ; Clark et al, 2016 ; Tal and Dallashe, 2019 ).…”

“…To complement formal science learning at school, informal and non-formal science learning can make valuable contributions to student learning due to, among other things, authentic hands-on learning experiences (Tal and Dallashe, 2019 ; Maiorca et al, 2021 ). Science learning in informal and non-formal contexts can be beneficial for student engagement in science classes (Roberts et al, 2018 ), the acquisition of skills and knowledge (Berg et al, 2021 ; Solis et al, 2021 ), and the promotion of student motivation and interest in the fields of STEM (Mohr-Schroeder et al, 2014 ; Schütte and Köller, 2015 ; Clark et al, 2016 ; Tal and Dallashe, 2019 ). Against this backdrop, outreach science labs (OSLs) have been established in Germany.…”