Enhancement of collaborative student learning through innovation in the delivery of the post-graduate Diploma of Clinical Pharmacy The PHRM7020 example Presented by Carl Kirkpatrick On behalf of Julie Stokes, Jacqui Bond, Judy Burrows, & Lisa Pulver School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland

Triggers for changes to Clinical Pharmacy program Less time away from the workplace Provide opportunities for better application of knowledge to practice Need for more collaborative learning Greater student numbers Used PHRM 7020 as starting point –Some changes in other courses Trial of CT&LC rooms Use of Blackboard & Turnitin Revision of learning objectives & assessment tasks

Starting point for PHRM blocks with 4 assignments over 1 year Problems with: –Sustaining work by students between blocks especially statistics –Student application of concepts taught in blocks –Negative student feedback about the course took them out of their comfort zone could not see future application in their practice –Student expectations of workload ≠ actual workload required to complete course

2006 Design 4 face-to-face teaching sessions –Clinical evidence – lectures + literature evaluation workshop –Quantitative research – lectures + analysis of 3 datasets –Survey research – lectures –Design of a research project – lectures on design, ethics, proposal writing, funding & publication Self-directed learning guide (pdf) –Topics to cover, questions to direct learning & where to find information about the topics Assessment – all individual assessment –Evaluation report on a new drug for formulary committee –Quantitative data analysis on a dataset –Design a survey instrument –Write a Quality Use of Medicines project research proposal

Changes introduced in 2007 Learning objectives revised Blackboard site established Learning tasks devised to: –Cover content areas in less didactic way e.g. EBM, –Require less face-to-face time in blocks –Spread learning between blocks –Illustrate application to clinical pharmacy practice Use of real life examples, data sets, research questions Activities to promote self-directed learning and application of concepts –Promote collaboration and overcome distance/isolation issues Anonymous discussion board e-Discussion tasks Group tasks using Wiki & blog tools Use of mentoring via /discussion lists/blogs

Anonymous discussion thread Set up for 7020 but ad hoc use by students to discuss issues for all 1 st year courses Used for complaints, clarifications and collaborations Technical problem – loss of posts prior to 29 May No longer used by the end of the course

New between block learning activities Initial research methods skills self-reflection blog Online study module (RAPID with pharmacy specific examples) On-line tutorial questions via discussion board 3 on-line discussion tasks (EBM, qualitative methods & research into quality in health) On-line quiz using Blackboard quiz tool (given datasets & need to analyse data to respond to questions) On-line group work – survey design (using BB wiki & blog tools)

Discussion tasks Groups of students to discuss topic –Questions and readings to prompt discussion –Initially difficulties with e-conversations but collaboration developed

Online quiz

Group project – Design a survey instrument Aim: to apply the principles of survey research in pharmacy practice research Design a survey instrument for theoretical application in pharmacy practice research & justify the survey topic and design –specific study question within 1 of 3 broad topic areas Groups of 3-4 students to collaborate remotely using wiki & blog tools in blackboard Plus mentoring from coordinator on refinement of research question

Groups assigned & topics selected

Combine Wiki & Blog tool Used Blog as communication tool –Not for marks –Allowed coordinator to mentor project development Use Wiki to develop assignment to be submitted for assessment Needed technical help to set up access for each group

Wiki assignment survey justification Shared editing of final submission From History Student edits Student edits Student 3 – 12 edits

Wiki survey page example

Reflections on 2007 experience Some of new strategies effective The change to more SDL was too fast –resource issues for development of new materials & learning tasks Expectations dissonance –Students had unrealistic expectations about workload and standards for Post Graduate study –Staff expectations of student abilities at start of course may have been too high Variable undergraduate experience in topic areas Early in course, examples of expected output or standards not clearly outlined

Reflections on 2007 experience Other –Included topics that did not belong in PHRM7020 RAPID course & elements of Evidence Based Medicine –Too many learning tasks & assessment –Use of IT, computer/e-library foreign for some –Rusty “Exam skills” of practitioners returning to study –Technical IT problems with CT&LC for practice of key statistical software –Hospital-based practitioners are reluctant to travel to St Lucia –Class size CT&LC – small rooms too small & big rooms too big

Changes proposed for 2008 Give students realistic expectations of program Change duration to one semester More intensive face-to-face sessions but use collaborative problem-oriented tasks & tutorials developed in 2007 within sessions Have moved some course content

Changes proposed for 2008 Retain health service research examples to illustrate application of research methods to pharmacy practice Reduce assessment tasks Retain group survey assessment task and add virtual ethics committee group task Remaining Issue –Change to shorter blocks with more inter-block work not liked by the students, but appreciated by the employers Needs more investment in staff to develop “on-line” learning tasks Change in teaching application/methodology by course coordinators

Conclusions All courses in the clinical pharmacy suite have been critically reviewed and changed to allow us to apply a more flexible and collaborative learning environment –we plan to role this out to the remaining 5 courses in the suite PHRM7020 has undergone a significant change and will change again slightly in 2008 to fix “small mistakes” –collaboration and between block learning was achieved! Employee vs employer expectations on times and blocks remains an issue