Daniel Tolks

An Introduction to the Inverted/Flipped Classroom Model in Education and Advanced Training in Medicine and in the Healthcare Professions

In describing the inverted classroom model (ICM), the following paper is meant to provide an introduction to the subject matter and to serve as a practical guide for those wishing to employ its methods in basic and advanced medical training and education. The ICM is a blended-learning method in which a self-directed learning phase (individual phase) precedes the classroom-instruction phase. During the online phase, factual knowledge is imparted that serves as a basis for the classroom phase. The classroom phase should subsequently be used to assimilate and implement the previously gained knowledge. In contrast, traditional course concepts impart factual knowledge in lectures, for example, or in other face-to-face teaching formats and are followed by the students’ self-instruction in order to assimilate this knowledge. The goal of the ICM is the shift from passive learning to accelerated learning in order to foster learning at cognitively demanding levels such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation. The concurrent increase in production and use of screencasts and educational videos, the Open Educational Resources “movement” and the widespread use of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS) have contributed to the increased dissemination of the inverted-classroom method. The intention of the present paper is to provide an introduction to the subject matter and simultaneously to offer a short overview of important projects and research results in the field of medical education and other health professions. Furthermore, an outline is given of the advantages and disadvantages of the model as well as its potential benefit to the future of medical education and training.

A qualitative analysis of virtual patient descriptions in healthcare education based on a systematic literature review

BackgroundVirtual Patients (VPs) have been in the focus of research in healthcare education for many years. The aim of our study was to analyze how virtual patients are described in the healthcare education literature, and how the identified concepts relate to each other.MethodsWe performed a literature review and extracted 185 descriptions of virtual patients from the articles. In a qualitative content analysis approach we inductively-deductively developed categories and deducted subcategories. We constructed a concept map to illustrate these concepts and their interrelations.ResultsWe developed the following five main categories: Patient, Teacher, Virtual Patient, Curriculum, and Learner. The concept map includes these categories and highlights aspects such as the under-valued role of patients in shaping their virtual representation and opposing concepts, such as standardization of learner activity versus learner-centeredness.ConclusionsThe presented concept map synthesizes VP descriptions and serves as a basis for both, VP use and discussions of research topics related to virtual patients.

eLearning in der medizinischen Aus-, Weiter- und Fortbildung

Nicht nur das Gesundheitswesen muss auf die veranderten Rahmenbedingungen und Herausforderungen der Digitalisierung reagieren, sondern auch die medizinische Ausbildung. Es gibt eine Vielzahl von Moglichkeiten im Bereich eLearning, welche die medizinische Ausbildung unterstutzen konnen. Dabei entstehen neue, (medien-)didaktische Handlungsspielraume auf den Ebenen der Kompetenz- und Wissensvermittlung. Hier stehen Lehrende, Lernende und Institutionen vor der Aufgabe, dem Umgang mit neuen Medien und dem dadurch veranderten Lernverhalten gezielt zu begegnen. Beginnend mit reinen eLearning-Angeboten wie Learning Management Systeme, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), Podcasts, Screencasts, Simulationen und Virtuellen Patienten, hin zu innovativeren Ansatzen wie das Inverted Classroom Model, Serious Games und Gamification wird ein Uberblick uber das Themenfeld gegeben. Dabei werden die innovativeren Konzepte genauer beschrieben.

Grenzen von „Serious Games for Health“

ZusammenfassungHintergrundDer Bereich Gesundheit ist eines der wichtigsten Anwendungsfelder für „Serious Games“ (digitale Spiele, deren Zweck über die reine Unterhaltung hinausgeht) und umgekehrt sind „Serious Games“ auch einer der zentralen aktuellen Ansätze in der digitalen Gesundheitskommunikation. Dies spiegelt sich u. a. in der großen und stetig wachsenden Anzahl an entsprechenden Spielen sowie Publikationen zu diesem Thema wieder.FragestellungWie ist die aktuelle Befundlage zur Nutzung und Wirkung von „Serious Games for Health“? Wofür sind „Serious Games for Health“ besonders gut geeignet? Wofür sind sie weniger gut geeignet oder evtl. sogar ungeeignet? Was bedeutet dies für die Entwicklung und den Einsatz dieser Spiele?ErgebnisseInsgesamt deuten die bisherigen Befunde darauf hin, dass der Einsatz von „Serious Games for Health“ in vielen Fällen gewinnbringend sein kann. Allerdings ist die methodische Qualität vieler Studien nicht optimal ist. Zudem sind „Serious Games for Health“ nicht für alle Anwendungsbereiche und Ziele gleich gut geeignet.SchlussfolgerungenUm eine informierte Entscheidung darüber zu treffen, ob sich die Entwicklung oder der Einsatz von „Serious Games for Health“ für einen bestimmten Bereich bzw. ein bestimmtes Ziel lohnen, sollten neben den Vorteilen und Möglichkeiten stets auch die (möglichen) Nachteile und Limitationen bedacht werden.AbstractBackgroundHealth is one of the most important application areas for Serious Games (i.e., games with a purposed beyond entertainment), and Serious Games are an important tool for digital health communication and education.ObjectivesWhat are the overall findings regarding Serious Games for Health? For which applications and goals are Serious Games for Health especially suitable? Where are they less suitable or maybe even unsuitable? What does this mean for the development and use of these games?ResultsOverall, findings from empirical studies suggest that the use of Serious Games for Health can be beneficial in many cases. However, the methodological quality of many studies in this area is not ideal. In addition, Serious Games are not equally suited for all application areas and goals.ConclusionsTo arrive at informed decisions whether the development or use of Serious Games for Health is worthwhile, it is important to not only consider their advantages and potentials, but also their (potential) disadvantages and limitations.

Do virtual patients prepare medical students for the real world? Development and application of a framework to compare a virtual patient collection with population data

BackgroundAn important aspect of virtual patients (VPs), which are interactive computer-based patient scenarios, is authenticity. This includes design aspects, but also how a VP collection represents a patient population and how a patient is presented in a VP scenario. Therefore, our aim was to analyze VP scenarios integrated into the combined internal medicine and surgery curriculum at the University of Munich (LMU) and compare the results with data from the population in Germany.MethodWe developed a coding framework with four main categories: patient data, patient representation, diagnoses, and setting. Based on the framework we analyzed 66 VP and compared the results with data from the German healthcare system.ResultsEspecially in the categories of patient data and patient representation, the VPs presented an unrealistic image of the real world; topics such as unemployment, disability, or migration background were almost non-existent. The diagnoses of the VPs and the onset of diseases were comparable with the healthcare data.ConclusionsAn explanation for the lack of representativeness of the patient data and representation might be a trend to create VPs based on fictional patient stories with VP authors trying to minimize complexity and cognitive load for the students.We suggest raising awareness among VP authors concerning personalized representations of patients without overwhelming their students. Our framework can support educators to assess the authenticity and diversity of a VP collection.

Teaching load – A barrier to digitalisation in higher education?: A position paper on the framework surrounding higher education medical teaching in the digital age using bavaria, germany as an example

This position paper describes the legal framework requirements when crediting digital teaching formats towards the teaching load in higher education medical teaching, as exemplified by the Federal State of Bavaria in Germany. It reveals the need for precise rules adapted to the advances in technology, if the process of digitalisation in higher education (HE) is not to come to a halt. If HE institutions are to act as centres of innovation with respect to the implementation of digital teaching and learning formats, then structural and strategic positioning with regard to e- and blended learning above all is called for in addition to financial resources, as well as the distribution and sustainable incorporation of digital offerings in faculties and HE institutions. There is a great deal of insecurity however with respect to the legal framework requirements and how best to count digital teaching towards one’s own teaching load. This results to some extent from the complexity of current laws and regulations partially overtaken by didactic and methodological changes in education, with decentralised educational federalism only adding to the complexity. Bearing in mind teaching and learning formats that are undergoing change or have already been transformed, ways of adapting the (legal) framework to the digital shift need to be found, last but not least in order to offer enthusiastic teaching staff incentives to develop and expand digital formats.

Eine Einführung in die Inverted-Classroom-Methode in der medizinischen Ausbildung

Zielgruppe: Der Workshop richtet sich an alle Personen, die sich fur die Inverted Classroom Methode(ICM) interessieren und diese ggf. fur eigene Lehrprojekte anwenden mochten Lernziele: Ziel des Workshops ist es, die Teilnehmer zu befahigen, die ICM auf die eigene Lehre anzuwenden. Inhalt: Der Workshop gibt eine Einfuhrung in die ICM, skizziert ihre Vor- und Nachteile unter Einbeziehung aktueller Forschungsergebnisse und vermittelt praktische Fertigkeiten, um eigene Konzept fur die Lehre entwickeln zu konnen. Dabei werden zusatzlich Themen wie Video-und Screencasterstellung, Open Educational Resources und Urheberrechte skizziert. Ablauf: Der Workshop selbst ist nach der ICM konzipiert. Das bedeutet, dass sich die Teilnehmer bereits im Vorfeld in einer Online-Phase das notwendige Faktenwissen aneignen, um in der Prasenzphase das erlernte Wissen in Kleingruppen anzuwenden und ICM-Konzepte fur die eigene Lehre zu entwickeln. Diese Konzepte werden am Ende in der Gruppe vorgestellt und diskutiert