Thesis (MPhil)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Introduction: The close interrelation between the processes of learning, assessment and feedback has been recognized and supported extensively in the educational field for many decades. The benefits of the feedback as a strong tool for facilitating learning have been corroborated by learning theories and educational research. The introduction of Problem- Based Learning (PBL) approaches to higher education programmes, especially in medical training, is a worldwide trend. The PBL approach to learning brings new perspectives to the specific characteristics and values of feedback on learning and the quality of learning and thus, more especially to the role of the tutor as learning facilitator. Purpose: To explore the medical students’ perception of the role and utility of the verbal feedback provided by the tutor to students during the PBL tutorial sessions; and the students’ perceptions on how to improve the effectiveness of the feedback. Methodology: This study used a qualitative and interpretive methodological approach. The qualitative data collection tool used was the focus group discussion. The study was conducted at the Walter Sisulu University in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, where the faculty of Health Sciences has implemented the PBL approach for training. The research targeted the students in the third year of the MBChB program. Results: Students’ perceptions on the role of the tutorial feedback suggested that they strongly acknowledge its value: they see it as a tool for improving their learning skills and also as an enhancer of their learning motivation and regulation. The students also perceived it as instrumental in the modelling of programme-specific professional skills which would be required in their future medical practice. Students’ expectations from PBL-tutors feedback are quite high and comprehensive regarding both the kind and the nature of the feedback. Students perceived that the imperfections in the feedback received during tutorial sessions were a source of emotional discomfort and a hindrance to their learning success. The students’ need for clear, timely and regular provision of feedback, based on specific learning outcomes, was also highlighted. The participants’ recommendations for improving the efficient use of feedback included the regularization of the feedback practices across the different tutors and an increase in the allotted time for self-directed learning in their schedule. Conclusions: The results of this study support the need for a socio-constructive learning environment to ensure successful learning in PBL. Among other conditions, the harmonious provision of balanced, supportive and motivating feedback is a complement for the establishment of a learning environment conducive to learning. Similarly, students highlighted the need for highly skilled PBL-trained tutors, to enable them to self-monitor and self-regulate their learning, and ensure learning success via the facilitation and feedback. Higher Education Institutions using PBL training must identify and address factors limiting the effectiveness of the feedback and the overall quality of learning such as increased staff workload, increased demand for resources and modularization of courses. Recommendations: Higher education institutions using PBL training should address the need for training of tutors in the different aspects and practices of the feedback in the specific settings of the small group tutorial. External factors interfering with the effective use of tutors’ feedback should also be considered to minimize their negative impact on students’ learning. A regular process of curriculum enquiry is required to ensure the constructivist alignment of the different curricular components and overall design as a condition for the successful implementation of PBL.

Thesis (MPhil)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: At the core of clinical education, within the allied health professions, is the teaching-learning relationship between the clinical educator and the student which is reinforced by and grounded in the explanatory theories of socio-constructivism, experiential learning and positioning. A good teaching-learning relationship is fundamental to the success of the students’ learning in the clinical environment. Clinical educators fulfil a dual role as mentors and assessors to students. The purpose of this study is to explore the students’ and clinical educators’ perceptions of the dual role of a clinical educator of students in the physiotherapy clinical environment, and how the perceptions of both parties influence the teaching-learning relationship. By following a phenomenological qualitative research approach with an interpretivist paradigm the researcher obtained data from focus groups and individual interviews. Data analysis involved a contextualised interpretive content analysis paradigm. The perceptions of the participants in the teaching-learning relationship, their particular expectations, challenges and preferences, reflect their experiences and are presented in the findings of the study. The findings of this study are comprehensively discussed and recommendations are made to transform the teaching-learning relationship by repositioning the participants (both students and clinical educators) in order to enhance the quality of the clinical learning experience within the physiotherapy clinical environment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die onderrig-leerproses-verhouding tussen die kliniese dosent en die student vorm die kern van kliniese onderrig, ondersteun deur en op grond van die verduidelikende teorieë van sosiale konstruktivisme, leerervaring en posisionering, vir verwante gesondheidsberoepe. Die onderrigleerproses- verhouding word daarom beskou as die grondslag vir die sukses van leergeleenthede, aangesien die kwalitiet van die verhouding deurslagggewend is om studente se leerproses in die kliniese omgewing te ondersteun. Kliniese dosente speel ‘n dubbele rol as mentors en assessore vir studente. Die doel van die studie is om studente en kliniese dosente se sienings van die dubbele rol van ‘n kliniese dosent van studente binne die kliniese onderrigveld van fisioterapie in die kliniese omgewing te ondersoek, asook hoe die persepsies van albei partye die onderigleerproses- verhouding beinvloed. Die data word verkry van fokusgroepe en individuele onderhoude deur ‘n fenomenologiese kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering met ‘n interpreterende paradigma te volg. Die data is ontleed volgens ‘n kontekstuele interpreterende inhoudsontledingsproses. Die persepsies van die deelnemers aan die onderrig-leerprosesverhouding, hul spesifieke verwagtinge, uitdagings en voorkeure as drie breë temas van hierdie tesis, weerspieël hul ervarings en word weergegee in die bevindings van die studie. Die navorsing bespreek hierdie bevindings en doen regstellende aanbevelings oor die bevindings. Hierdeur kan die onderrig-leerproses-verhouding, deur herposisionering van albei partye (studente sowel as kliniese dosente), getransformeer word en die gehalte van die kliniese leerervaring in die fisioterapeutiese kliniese omgewing verbeter word.

Thesis (MPhil)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Anatomy remains a foundational subject in the preclinical years of medical and other allied health sciences courses, with exceptionally large volumes of content, and a unique practical aspect: conducting cadaveric dissection and the use of pre-dissected cadaver specimens. The educational climate can be set by incorporating a suitable introduction to the subject, addressing academically and emotionally underprepared students before the formal commencement of the Anatomy curriculum. The literature does not mention what such an Introduction Module should entail. Quantitative means such as questionnaires have been used to evaluate the perceptions and the emotional and psychological influence of Anatomy. It is often assumed that through words meaning is conveyed, providing researchers with data that can be objectively interpreted. But questionnaires are rather pre-emptive of what students might say about what they experience, and the number of possible answers is restricted. The use of drawings might be an opportunity for the students to express their unmediated feelings; strong emotions could appear in the form of images instead of words, allowing students to experience rather than verbalize feelings especially with a limited vocabulary. Qualitative data analysis enables the researcher to get at complex layers of meaning, interprets human behaviour and experiences beyond the surface appearance, provides rich evidence of this behaviour and/or experiences and consequently builds theory inductively from the data source. The primary purpose of this study is to establish the feasibility of using drawings to explore how a diverse group of students from the University of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus, view Anatomy and what insights can be gained from these drawings to inform the Introduction Module. Students were asked to draw their perceptions of Anatomy after approximately 10 weeks of allocated contact time, which includes lectures as well as practical sessions. A total of 74% (134 out of 181) drawings were handed in. A matrix-type method of analysis based on existing literature was formulated to analyse the drawings. Three dimensions were identified for each of the drawings: “what” is illustrated, then “how” is the message conveyed or illustrated, and lastly, the “emotion” communicated through the drawing. The reliability was increased with two interpreters who analysed the drawings. Learning approaches, orientation on human life and death, the general emotional state of individuals influenced by Anatomy, their course of study, the influence of family and friends are some of the aspects that were depicted in the drawings. The rich data encountered through the drawings provided curriculum organisers with insights enabling them to implement necessary changes to the Introduction Module in order to improve student preparedness for what is to follow during the Anatomy curriculum. Further studies are recommended on how student drawings can be utilised to inform curricula and in other educational contexts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Anatomie bly 'n fundamentele vakgebied in die prekliniese jare van mediese en ander verwante gesondheidswetenskappe kursusse, met besonder groot volumes van die studieinhoud en 'n unieke praktiese aspek: die uitvoer van kadawer disseksie en die gebruik van voorafgedissekteerde kadawer monsters. Die opvoedkundige klimaat kan ingestel word deur 'n geskikte Inleiding Module tot die kurrikulum te voeg wat akademies en emosioneel swak voorbereide studente kan voorberei vir die formele Anatomie kurrikulum. Literatuur noem nie wat so 'n Inleiding Module moet behels nie. Kwantitatiewe praktyke soos vraelyste is voorheen gebruik om die persepsies en die emosionele en sielkundige invloed van Anatomie te evalueer. Dit word dikwels aanvaar dat deur woorde betekenis oorgedra word wat navorsers van data voorsien wat objektief vertolk kan word. Maar vraelyste is vooropgestel ten opsigte van dit wat studente mag ervaar, en die aantal moontlike antwoorde is beperk. Sterk emosies kan na vore kom in die vorm van beelde in plaas van woorde, wat studente in staat stel om te ervaar, eerder as om gevoelens te verwoord, veral met 'n beperkte woordeskat. Die gebruik van tekeninge is 'n geleentheid vir die student om hul onverdeelde gevoelens uit te druk. Kwalitatiewe data-ontleding stel die navorser in staat om komplekse lae van betekenis te interpreteer, menslike gedrag en ervarings buite die oppervlak te analiseer, bied voldoende bewyse van hierdie gedrag en ervarings en kan gevolglik teorie induktief uit die data bron bou. Die primêre doel van hierdie studie is om die lewensvatbaarheid van die gebruik van tekeninge te verken in hoe 'n diverse groep studente aan die Universiteit van Limpopo, Medunsa-kampus, Anatomie sien en watter insigte kan verkry word uit hierdie tekeninge om die temas wat in die Inleiding Module aangespreek moet word, vas te stel. Studente is gevra om hul persepsies van Anatomie uit te beeld na ongeveer tien weke se formele kontaktyd, wat lesings, sowel as praktiese sessies insluit. 'n Totaal van 74% (134 uit 181) tekeninge is ingehandig. 'n Matriks-tipe metode van analise gebaseer op bestaande literatuur is geformuleer om die tekeninge te ontleed. Drie dimensies is geïdentifiseer vir elk van die tekeninge: "wat" is geteken, dan "hoe" is die boodskap wat oorgedra word geïllustreer, en laastens die “emosie” gekommunikeer deur die tekening. Die betroubaarheid is verhoog met twee individue wat die tekeninge ontleed. Leerbenaderings, oriëntering op die menslike lewe en die dood, die algemene emosionele toestand van individue en hoe dit hul persepsies van Anatomie beinvloed, die studiekursus waarvoor hul ingeskryf is, die invloed van familie en vriende, is 'n paar aspekte wat in die tekeninge uitgebeeld is. Die ryk data teëgekom in die tekeninge kan kurrikulum organiseerders in staat te stel om die nodige veranderinge aan die Inleiding Module te implementeer ten einde die voorbereiding van studente te verbeter vir wat gaan volg tydens die Anatomy kurrikulum. Verdere studies word aanbeveel oor hoe student tekeninge gebruik kan word om leerplanne en in ander opvoedkundige kontekste in te lig.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / INTRODUCTION: For this MPhil research assignment, I have chosen to write an article based on a small scale research project conducted in the Clinical Skills Centre (CSC) at Stellenbosch University. Medical students’ perceptions were gathered in order to evaluate the usefulness and relevance of the Clinical Skills module and the different components thereof as experienced by the students themselves. This in the end led to valuable feedback that were given to the course coordinators which in turn may lead to curricula changes being made to improve the overall teaching and learning experience for future medical students rotating through the CSC.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background - Student nurses indicated that the clinical environment was not conducive to learning because they were part of the ward staff ratio and clinical supervision was inadequate. Upon observations by the researcher and feedback from student nurses’ a study was planned to identify the clinical experiences and supervision. The study itself was conducted within private health care settings in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Objectives - The objective of this study was to determine the experiences of student nurses of the clinical learning environment. To also identify the support and clinical supervision that the student nurses received from ward staff, clinical facilitators and lecturers. Methods and analysis - The CLES+T is a reliable and valid evaluation scale for the gathering of information on the clinical learning environment and supervision of student nurses. The CLES+T evaluation scale was completed by 234 student nurses within the selected sites. A quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted by making use of the CLES+T evaluation scale. The CLES+T evaluation scale is subdivided into three main sections with additional sub-sections: (1) the Learning environment, (2) the Supervisory relationship and (3) the Role of the nurse teacher (lecturer). Results - The clinical learning environment was experienced as mostly positive by the student nurses; however the format and type of clinical accompaniment and supervision students received varied. Conclusion - This study gave valuable insights into the status of the clinical learning environment, the clinical accompaniment and supervision of student nurses which can be useful to the nursing school in order to enhance existing nursing programmes.