Whiteboard mini lectures (WMLs) are interactive, small group didactics using the whiteboard as the primary teaching tool. 1 Clinical teachers can use WMLs to reinforce learning from patient cases, encourage clinical reasoning and role model effective teaching skills. 2 These sessions are sometimes referred to as 'chalk talks', though this term is less specific, encompassing a variety of teaching methods and settings in medical education. 3,4 The ideal length for WMLs is 10-15 min, which best captures learners' attention and allows for easy integration into busy clinical learning environments. 5,6 Learners across medical specialties have appraised WMLs as an effective and engaging teaching tool. [7][8][9] A distinguishing feature of WMLs is the flexibility to creatively teach material by combining written text with novel, hand-drawn visuals such as diagrams, tables, flow charts and graphics. Despite its potential, clinical teachers far too often deliver text-only WMLs, missing out on an important opportunity to take advantage of multimedia learning principles. This tendency is perhaps due in part to a gap in training on multimedia design best practices. This toolbox details seven strategies for elevating the design and delivery of WMLs, namely, simplify the text, organise with headings, integrate labels, divide the whiteboard, familiarise the terms, create an advance organiser and engage the audience (Table 1). These strategies are grounded in principles of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) conceptual framework. 10 Throughout this guide, we provide specific examples for each of these seven strategies. These visuals are derived from the first author's WML teaching portfolio, and they have been tested amongst hundreds of learners on inpatient medicine teams. We also include a WML case study (Box 1) illustrating the synergy of combining multiple strategies to enhance a WML's design.
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