Task-based learning: the answer to integration and problem-based learning in the clinical years

Abstract

Task-based learning: the answer to integration and problembased learning in the clinical years RM Harden, J Crosby, MH Davis, PW Howie & AD StruthersIntoduction Integrated teaching and problem-based learning (PBL) are powerful educational strategies. Dif®culties arise, however, in their application in the later years of the undergraduate medical curriculum, particularly in clinical attachments. Two solutions have been proposed ± the use of integrated clinical teaching teams and time allocated during the week for PBL separate from the clinical work. Both approaches have signi®cant disadvantages. Task-based learning (TBL) is a preferred strategy. In TBL, a range of tasks undertaken by a doctor are identi®ed, e.g. management of a patient with abdominal pain, and these are used as the focus for learning. Students have responsibility for integrating their learning round the tasks as they move through a range of clinical attachments in different disciplines. They are assisted in this process by study guides.Method The implementation of TBL is described in one medical school. One hundred and thirteen tasks, arranged in 16 groups, serve to integrate the student learning as they rotate through 10 clinical attachments.Results This trans-disciplinary approach to integration, which incorporates the principles of PBL offers advantages to both teachers and students. It recognizes that clinical attachments in individual disciplines can offer rich learning opportunities and that such attachments can play a role in an integrated, as well as in a traditional, curriculum. In TBL, the contributions of the clinical attachments to the curriculum learning outcomes must be clearly de®ned and tasks selected which will serve as a focus for the integration of the students' learning over the range of attachments.

Developing Students’ Critical Thinking Skills by Task-Based Learning in Chemistry Experiment Teaching

“…TBL was mainly applied in medical education (Harden, Crosby, Davis, & Struthers, 2000;Ozan, Karademir, Gursel, Tanskiran & Musal, 2005), language learning (Gass, Mackey, & Feldman, 2011;Hashemi, Azizinezhad, & Darvishi, 2012) and computer-aid learning (Whittington & Campbell, 1998;Lee & Shin, 2012). But there were few about the TBL applied in chemistry experiment teaching (Zhou et al, 2010c).…”

“…Knowledge is constructed through collaboration-interactions among students and between students and teachers, connected by task in TBL (Atwater, 1996). The learning results are not only the tasks but also the concepts and mechanisms underlying the tasks (Harden et al, 2000). Moreover, the cooperation in students is utilized fully and the team spirit is fostered through TBL.…”

Undergraduate medical curricula: are students being trained to meet future service needs?

“…10 Tomorrow's doctors also fostered collaboration on national initiatives: an agreed list of essential skills for medical graduates, 11 and essential learning outcomes for Scottish medical undergraduates. 12 Students are more likely to adopt a desirable deep approach to learning when curricula provide opportunities for them to exercise choice in the method and topic of study, but it is too early to evaluate the impact of new 'core and option' curricula on the skills and behaviour of the next generation of UK doctors.…”

Teaching strategies used by internal medicine residents on the wards

“…In our study, excellent teaching residents suggested five general themes to adhere by on the wards (Table 3): assuming the role of leader, creating a learning environment, taking advantage of teaching opportunities, empowering learners, and habituating the practice of teaching. Educational research has recognized the value of an instructor acting as a leader and role model in order to establish an effective working and teaching relationship with one's learners (Harden et al 2000). One study involving medical students and residents supported the idea of role modeling as an effective teaching strategy wherein the behaviors of residents were found to be more instructive than a resident simply providing facts on rounds (Wilkerson et al 1986).…”