Teaching in the medical setting: balancing teaching styles, learning styles and teaching methods

Abstract

This article discusses the process by which a questionnaire was developed specifically to measure attitude to shared learning. Over a three-year period the attitude questionnaire was developed and tested using pre-registration students who were engaged in a shared learning programme. These pre-registration students were from three professional groups, namely occupational therapy (OT), diagnostic radiography (DR), and therapeutic radiography (TR). While the study hypothesis was that shared learning would improve attitudes over the three-year period, the focus of this article is to discuss the process by which the research instrument was developed. The rationale for focusing on the process is a simple one. After a diligent literature search it was clear that there were no attitude questionnaires specific to attitude measurement in relation to shared learning. Thus without an already validated attitude to a shared learning questionnaire, it became imperative to create systematically a credible attitude measure of shared learning. The process centred on understanding how monadic scales are constructed and used to measure attitudes and perceptions of participants. Amongst a number of processes to be followed was the need also to check the reliability of the developed questionnaire. This was done using the Cronbach alpha coefficient. A Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.7 was set as a minimum reliability requirement, which was duly satisfied. The outcome of this process was that it very useful to learn how to produce a suitable instrument to measure attitude to shared learning and to add in a small way to the range of attitude questionnaires available.

Do Different Pairings of Teaching Styles and Learning Styles Make a Difference? Preceptor and Resident Perceptions

“…(These styles have been summarized in more detail in other references. 11,12 ) According to Montauk and Grasha's model, Expert preceptors are likely to possess knowledge and expertise. They tend to direct learners and emphasize factual information.…”

“…All teaching styles have particular advantages and disadvantages, which have been described elsewhere. 11,12 Consciously adopting a particular teaching style requires consideration of learning style of learner, capability of learner, maintenance of productive interpersonal relationship with learner, type of setting, content, available time, and comfort/conceptual base of preceptor. Adaptability to all teaching styles is an important tool that prepares preceptors for a variety of teaching conditions where they can appeal to a greater variety of learners and their learning styles.…”

The Impact of Preceptor and Student Learning Styles on Experiential Performance Measures

“…1 These have been evaluated in the literature by several different disciplines including engineering, pharmacy, nursing, allied health, and others. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Learning style instruments include the Kolb Learning Style Inventory, 18 Honey and Mumford's Learning Style Questionnaire, 19 and the commonly used Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. 20 Of the instruments available, few have been validated or based on sound educational theory.…”

A survey of problem-based learning and traditional methods of teaching anatomy to 200 level pharmacy students of the University of Lagos, Nigeria

“…Researchers in medical and pharmaceutical education are therefore becoming increasingly aware that using a variety of teaching methods may ultimately improve retention of material, as well as enhance students' adaptability in problem-solving situations (Vaughn and Baker, 2001).…”