Physiotherapy

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The use of online conferencing/managed learning
environments to support problem-based learning
Alec Rickard Lecturer in Physiotherapy University
of Plymouth alec.rickard_at_plymouth.ac.uk
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Content

• Background information
• Problem based learning (PBL)
• Potential issues/concerns
• ePBL project
• Aims
• Development
• Pilot
• Year roll-out
• ePBL v2.0?
• evaluation

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Background information PBL

• PBL is
• an educational method which uses carefully
  constructed clinical problems as a context for
  students to learn problem-solving skills and
  acquire knowledge about the basic and clinical
  sciences.
• (Albanese and Mitchell, 1993 cited by Johnson and
  Finucane, 2000 281)

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Background information PBL

• PBL has become increasingly popular in health
  education (Reynolds, 2003)
• Educational philosophy for School of Nursing,
  Midwifery and Community Health at Glasgow
  Caledonian University (Docherty et al, 2005)
• Peninsula Medical School (PMS) incorporated it
  into its curriculum from inception (PMS, 2006)
• BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy programme at UoP
  designed around a PBL approach.

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Background information Potential issues with PBL

• Discrepancies in groups and individuals
  performances
• Potentially useful information not disseminated
  to all groups
• Do students reflect effectively on their
  contribution/performance?

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Background information Potential issues with PBL

• Johnson et al (2000)
• Group dynamics in PBL may powerfully influence
  its efficacy
• Ineffective group members may seriously
  compromise their learning
• The need for active participation in tutorials.

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ePBL Project

• Could learning technologies be utilised?
• E-mail
• Web-based
• Online conferencing
• Managed learning environment (MLE) / portal.

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Project Aims

• To explore how existing strengths of PBL can be
  maximised
• To facilitate the overall learning experience
• By
• Facilitating the storage, retrieval and
  dissemination of the information derived from
  groups' objectives.

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Project Aims

• Salmon (2002) suggests online conferencers are
  often more willing to try things out than they
  would in face-to-face situations
• Can also be more fun/playful and still promote
  learning and reflection.

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Project Development

• Readily available/accessible options
• E-mail online conferencing software
• Outlook Web Access
• Managed learning environment (MLE)
• EMILY (Blackboard platform).

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Pilot

• One 2nd year PBL group (8 students)
• Convenience
• Outlook Web Access
• Familiar environment
• Simple (?)
• Set-up (sub-folders)
• Control of permissions

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Results of Pilot

• 7/8 completed the questionnaire
• All 7 stated
• the online conference was a useful addition to
  their PBL experience
• facilitated their access to and exchange of
  information
• was easy to use.

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Results of Pilot

• 3 had initial access problems
• 2 continuing intermittent
• Mainly when off campus

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Results of Pilot

• 6 would be useful for accessing other groups
  information at the end of a scenario
• 1 concerned it would affect the amount of work
  individuals completed, knowing they could
  potentially just wait until the end and use
  everyone elses.

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Results of Pilot

• I thought it was an excellent addition... You
  are always limited by time in the Friday PBL
  session, there is so much information to
  disseminate in 2 hours being able to share
  'full-text' type research is extremely helpful
  and definitely enhances the depth of knowledge
  you can gain.

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Results of Pilot

• I enjoyed participating in the online
  conferencing as it enabled group members who
  maybe are more of reflective learners and
  therefore less vocal within the seminar session
  to be able to place information up on the folder
  to enable the rest of the group the opportunity
  to view the work that they might not have seen
  otherwise.

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Results of Pilot

• I think this system works well as long as
  everyone contributes and puts information up in
  the folders and continues to do so throughout the
  module or year.

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Roll-out

• To whole year group
• Well received by those who could access it!
• Problem with different student accounts/
  different servers
• '_at_students.plymouth.ac.uk' or '_at_students.pahc.ac.u
  k'

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ePBL v2.0?

• Readily available/accessible options
• E-mail online conferencing software
• Outlook Web Access
• Managed learning environment (MLE)
• EMILY (Blackboard platform).

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Full Evaluation

• Focus groups
• Staff
• Students (1-2 reps from each PBL groups)
• Questionnaire to year group

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Focus Group key objectives

• Staff
• Change in group working/PBL sessions as a result?
• How much it is utilised by the students and
  themselves?
• Any particular features/improvements?

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Focus Group key objectives

• Students
• Has it improved the PBL experience?
• How much is it utilised?
• Any particular features/improvements?

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References

• Docherty, C. Hoy, D. Topp, H. and Trinder, K.
  (2005) eLearning techniques supporting problem
  based learning in clinical simulation.
  International Journal of Medical Informatics,
  74(7-8) 527-533.
• Johnson, S.M. and Finucane, P.M. (2000) The
  emergence of problem-based learning in medical
  education. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical
  Practice, 6(3) 281-291.
• Peninsula Medical School (2006) Undergraduate
  Prospectus 2007. Plymouth Peninsula Medical
  School.
• Reynolds, F. (2003) Initial experiences of
  interprofessional problem-based learning A
  comparison of male and female students' views.
  Journal of Interprofessional Care, 17(1) 35-44.
• Salmon, G. (2002) E-tivities The key to active
  online learning. London RoutledgeFalmer.