Curricular Innovations

Team-Based Learning

IUSM is currently transitioning to a Team-Based Learning (TBL) teaching methodology in several courses throughout MS1-MS4. The TBL methodology promotes active learning and effective team skills without requiring intensive faculty resources. The case-based, application-focused format of TBL also allows the incorporation of behavioral, social science, and other IUSM competency content at a foundational level within basic and clinical science courses. To date, IUSM has piloted TBL during Spring 2006 in three sessions of our MS1 Physiology. We plan to expand the number of sessions in 2006-2007 to include five sessions in Immunology, seven sessions in Physiology, and additional sessions in MS2 Introduction to Clinical Medicine II and Pharmacology.

Primary Resource:

• Michaelson LK, Knight AB, Fink LD. Team-Based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups in College Teaching. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, 2004.

  This book describes team-based learning (TBL), an unusually powerful and versatile teaching strategy that enables teachers to take small group learning to a new level of effectiveness. It is the only pedagogical use of small groups that is based on a recognition of the critical difference between ‘groups’ and ‘teams,’ and intentionally employs specific procedures to transform newly formed groups into high performance learning teams. It is a complete guide to implementing TBL in a way that will promote the deep learning all teachers strive for: critical thinking, collaboration, mastery of discipline knowledge, and the ability to apply it.

Online Resources:

• Baylor College of Medicine’s Faculty Education Initiatives
• University of Oklahoma Team Learning Website

Additional Resources:

• Haidet P, O’Malley KJ, Richards B. An initial experience with “team learning” in medical education. Acad Med. 2002;77:40-4.
• Levine RE, O’Boyle M, Haidet P. Transforming a clinical clerkship with team learning. Teaching and Learning in Medicine. 2004;16:270-5.
• Michaelson LK, Black RH. Building learning teams: the key to harnessing the power of small groups in higher education. In: Collaborative Learning: A Sourcebook for Higher Education. State College, PA: National Center for Teaching, Learning and Assessment. 1994;2.
• Searle NS, Haidet P, Kelly PA, Schneider VF, Seidel CL, Richards BF. Team learning in medical education: Initial experiences at ten institutions. Acad Med 2003;78(10 Suppl):S55-8.

Education Portfolios

Medical schools throughout the country are seeking information about the use of education portfolios in undergraduate medical training. Early research reveals many positive reasons to collect evidence of learning experiences in this manner. The method is self-directed and provides students the opportunity to engage in reflective thinking about impactful experiences. The method paves the way for important feedback and discussions with mentors about personal values, recognition of levels of competence and identifying learning needs. Creative expression is encouraged.

IUSM:

Electronic portfolio—IUSM is actively engaged in exploring the best system for uploading and utilizing student e-portfolios across the state for a variety of uses. The Terre Haute campus is already using an electronic system. Students can create personal portfolio folders and share individual learning products with persons of their choosing. The primary use of the Terre Haute system is to showcase competency-related work to IUSM faculty.

Non-electronic portfolio—The following portfolio checklist is currently used in Introduction to Medicine I at the Lafayette campus. The project is not presently uploaded to an e-portfolio system but it does serve as a valuable example of how students can record personal growth and reflection (competency #5) over the course of a semester.

First year medical students are asked to include the following items in a personal portfolio:

• Biweekly WebCT assignments
• Two learning issues along with outlines of student teaching presentations
• A narrative summary of service learning assignment—The Good Neighbor Project
• Artwork that represents the service learning project and/or personal growth during the semester (to include song lyrics, drawing, photography, etc.)
• Copies of research materials that demonstrate commitment to lifelong learning, competency #4
• Reflections that identify how course experiences might be used to demonstrate competencies #1-9
• Written reflection on how the course reading assignments have aided in perception and understanding of the role of healer. Expanded comments on how experiences may have changed preconceived notions of what it means to become a physician or changed personal interactions during the Good Neighbor project.

Foundational Resources:

• Driessen EW, van Tartwijk J, Vermunt JD, van der Vleuten CP. Use of portfolios in early undergraduate medical training. Med Teach. 2003;25(1):18-23.
• Friedman BD, Davis MH, Harden RM, Howie PW, Ker J, Pippard MJ. AMEE Medical Education Guide No. 24: Portfolios as a method of student assessment. Med Teach. 2001;23(6):535-551.
• Scholes J, Webb C, Gray M, Endacott R, Miller C, Jasper M, McMullan M. Making portfolios work in practice. J Adv Nursing. 2004;46(6):595-603.
• Snadden D, Thomas M. The use of portfolio learning in medical education. Med Teach. 1998;20(3):192-199.