Using Slack to Facilitate Virtual Small Groups for Individualized Interactive Instruction

Abstract

Individualized interactive instruction provides an opportunity for significant innovation and advances in curriculum design. We describe the development and implementation of virtual small group exercises into the curriculum of an emergency medicine residency training program using a free social media and communication platform (Slack). Two virtual small group exercises, one case-based and one open-ended, were trialed during the 2016 to 2017 academic year. We found that the exercises were feasible to implement in a learner group where 66% (41/ 62) had little or no prior experience with Slack. There was a trend toward a more favorable rating of the quality of the dialogue and of the task-technology fit for the case-based format as opposed to the open-ended educational activity.

Reimagining Residency Selection: Part 1—A Practical Guide to Recruitment in the Post-COVID-19 Era

“…Several specialties have adopted virtual rotation experiences, including emergency medicine, 36 neurological surgery, 37 and otolaryngology. 38 Social enterprise networks such as Slack have been previously used to provide asynchronous curricula for medical students 39 and residents, 40 and could also be opened to potential applicants. 31 Programs can consider strategies to connect with applicants who are selected for interviews prior to the actual interview.…”

Converting to Connect: A Rapid RE‐AIM Evaluation of the Digital Conversion of a Clerkship Curriculum in the Age of COVID‐19

“…Enterprise‐level closed social media networks (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) are one form of an online communication platform used for digital asynchronous teaching curricula 4,8,21,22 . Similar to the curriculum delivered on practical interpretation images for EM residents, various topics in any specialty in medicine can be easily delivered via the Slack platform without the cost of money or didactic time 21 .…”

“…20 Enterprise-level closed social media networks (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) are one form of an online communication platform used for digital asynchronous teaching curricula. 4,8,21,22 Similar to the curriculum delivered on practical interpretation images for EM residents, various topics in any specialty in medicine can be easily delivered via the Slack platform without the cost of money or didactic time. 21 Digital platforms of teaching may provide a unique opportunity for medical education given the COVID-19 pandemic comes with the requirement of physical distancing, which precludes any in-person teaching sessions and the added challenge of distributed sites.…”

Thinking Outside the Inbox: Use of Slack in Clinical Groups as a Collaborative Team Communication Platform

“…Slack has been successfully used by many collaborative groups in a variety of settings, including undergraduate medical education, 17 graduate medical education, 18 course communication, 19 conference discussions, 20 clinician wellness 21 and coordination of institutional research 22 . In one survey of users conducted by Slack, 32% of respondents agreed that Slack increased team productivity, with a decrease in team meetings by over 25% and intranetwork e‐mails by over 48% 23 .…”

“…This will reduce the likelihood that many channels will be added by individual team members. Consider the organization's most common activities (e.g., shift trades, COVID-19 18,41 Push notifications from learners may be overwhelming for faculty and vice versa. Developing a routine and setting notification preferences may address this challenge.…”