Minimal effects of reduced teaching hours.pdf (448.02 kB)
Download fileMinimal effects of reduced teaching hours on undergraduate medical student learning outcomes and course evaluations
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posted on 21.01.2021, 05:35 authored by Derek L Choi-Lundberg, Hayder Al-AubaidyHayder Al-Aubaidy, John R Burgess, Christine A Clifford, William A Cuellar, Judi A Errey, Amanda J Harper, Roslyn C Malley, Renee M Ross, Anne-Marie M Williams, Richard Hays© 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Introduction: Various pressures exist for curricular change, including economic forces, burgeoning knowledge, broadening learning outcomes, and improving quality and outcomes of learning experiences. In an Australian 5-year undergraduate medical course, staff were asked to reduce teaching hours by 20% to alleviate perceived overcrowded preclinical curriculum, achieve operating efficiencies and liberate time for students’ self-directed learning. Methods: A case study design with mixed methods was used to evaluate outcomes. Results: Teaching hours were reduced by 198 hours (14%) overall, lectures by 153 hours (19%) and other learning activities by 45 hours (7%). Summative assessment scores did not change significantly after the reductions: 0.4% increase, 1.5% decrease and 1.7% increase in Years 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The percentage of students successfully completing their academic year did not change significantly: 94.4% before and 93.3% after the reductions. Student evaluations from eVALUate surveys changed little, except workload was perceived to be more reasonable. Conclusions: Teaching hours, particularly lectures, can be moderately reduced with little impact on student learning outcomes or satisfaction with an undergraduate medical course.
History
Publication Date
01/01/2020Journal
Medical TeacherVolume
42Issue
1Pagination
8p. (p. 58-65)Publisher
Taylor & FrancisISSN
0142-159XRights Statement
The Author reserves all moral rights over the deposited text and must be credited if any re-use occurs. Documents deposited in OPAL are the Open Access versions of outputs published elsewhere. Changes resulting from the publishing process may therefore not be reflected in this document. The final published version may be obtained via the publisher’s DOI. Please note that additional copyright and access restrictions may apply to the published version.Publisher DOI
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Social SciencesScience & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicineEducation, Scientific DisciplinesHealth Care Sciences & ServicesEducation & Educational ResearchEDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTHEALTH-PROFESSIONALSCURRICULUMTIMEWORKPERSPECTIVESPERCEPTIONSSCIENCECLIMATEQUALITYHumansAttitude of Health PersonnelLearningEducation, Medical, UndergraduateFaculty, MedicalStudents, MedicalOrganizational Case StudiesPersonnel Staffing and SchedulingWorkloadAustraliaSurveys and QuestionnairesMedical Informatics