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Embracing Active Learning: A Novel Approach to Teaching Embryology at the Larner College of Medicine
Author(s) -
McCarthy Sarah A.,
Holterman Leigh Ann
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.366.1
Subject(s) - timeline , session (web analytics) , curriculum , embryology , mathematics education , class (philosophy) , medical education , psychology , computer science , medicine , pedagogy , world wide web , artificial intelligence , anatomy , archaeology , history
The Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont is in the process of transitioning to an entirely active learning‐based curriculum by 2019. With this goal in mind, we flipped all of the embryology lectures given in our Foundations of Clinical Science course to large group workshops. We replaced 12 hours of lecture material with 8 self‐directed learning modules and 5 large group workshops. After each learning module, students were given a multiple‐choice quiz. During the workshops, students were asked to develop a linear timeline of embryological development and work through clinical questions related to each topic. We hypothesized that these active learning sessions would assist students in better understanding the main concepts of embryology. Student groups (n=17) each developed a timeline based on embryological development in a OneNote notebook shared by the entire class. Each group's timeline was visible to other groups and faculty. A master timeline was then assembled using parts from each group's timeline and then groups worked together to answer clinically‐relevant questions. Examination scores and end‐of‐course evaluations between 2016, when only traditional lectures were given, and 2017, with the new active learning curriculum, were compared. There was no difference in overall examination scores between 2016 and 2017. While the sessions were well‐reviewed by the students, they would have preferred to have more time during the session to compile the timeline. The students reported that the clinical questions were helpful in integrating embryology. To our knowledge, this is an innovative approach to teaching embryology as well as utilizing OneNote within the classroom. In the future, students will complete a version of their own timeline before each session to better utilize class time. In conclusion, this type of workshop is an excellent approach to teaching a difficult topic and the development of a timeline allows for a better overall view of human development. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .