[PD Test]Interactive learning styles provide optimal learning opportunities

Interactive teaching strategies can improve medical education in rehabilitation medicine, according to Dr. Ian Cameron, chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sydney Medical School - University of Sydney.

“There is a scientific literature between education and learning in health care, and it finds lectures are not particularly effective as a learning medium … . Overall, a more interactive style is better,” said Cameron.

The speaker presented some strategies that he found effective in teaching various rehabilitation medicine topics. One strategy discussed was case-based learning, in which a brief case is given to the students to serve as a trigger. The students will then develop their own learning paths by formulating individual diagnostic and management plans for the case. This strategy is particularly useful in areas where there are a limited number of rehabilitation medicine tutors.

Another strategy that Cameron discussed was entitled SCORPIO, which stands for Structured, Clinical, Object Referenced, Problem-based, Integrated and Organized. In this strategy, a short introductory lecture is given before students rotate among different stations in small groups. The stations are strategically set-up to provide the students with a problem-based integrated learning experience. Assessment stations may be included before, during or after the teaching circuit. This strategy has been found to be very effective as a teaching medium; however, it requires a large number of rehabilitation medicine teachers and is more expensive.

The trend towards employing more interactive teaching strategies is observed not just among medical schools, but also in residency programs and continuing medical education for medical professionals. Inter-professional learning is a form of learning activity that is widely used internationally.

In this strategy, discussions are conducted by a group of professionals so that more insights can be garnered from each of the health professional participants. It has been found to be an effective strategy to promote learning among adult participants.

Cameron explained that adult learners tend to be internally motivated, self-directed, practical, goal oriented and relevance oriented. Adults like to be respected and prefer to take responsibility for their own learning. This characterization would explain why lectures, wherein learners are passive recipients, are not as effective as interactive teaching strategies in which adult learners can participate and form their own learning paths.

“There are a number of different adult learning styles. It is important to recognize this because each of us learns a different way … so we need flexibility,” added Cameron. Learning styles can be classified visual, aural, written or kinesthetic. The speaker concluded that to promote effective learning, it is important to know your own learning style, to be aware of the learning styles of others, and to design appropriate strategies to enhance the learning of all the participants involved.