Peer-learning enhances the learning experience of students, but little research in this area has studied medical students developing their clinical physical examination skills. This thesis describes two peer-learning processes to aid this skill development: peer???learning from advanced beginners to novices (vertical); and peer-to-peer learning (horizontal). The hypothesis was that the process would be effective and acceptable to tutors and tutees. Vertical Peer Teaching: After a successful pilot scheme using junior doctors to tutor medical students, senior medical students were engaged as tutors as the junior doctors were too busy. Following instruction in tutoring and defining teaching topics, they taught a group of junior students. Evaluation of both groups was by summative clinical examination scores, by interviews and questionnaires. Scores were compared with non-participating control subjects. Tutors showed a significantly superior examination performance compared with the control group. Tutees showed a non-significant improvement. Tutors considered their skills had improved, with increased confidence in both performance and teaching, particularly in the communication and metacognitive domains. Tutees indicated the process to be very useful, with increased opportunity for feedback and questioning. There was little evidence of a reduction in the barriers between the years, perhaps because the student tutors were viewed in the traditional role of 'experts' . Horizontal Peer Teaching: Same-level dyads using a videotaped examination skill and script were assessed by summative examination and subjectively. These skills showed a significant improvement when compared to a control group. Despite this effect and many positive aspects reported, there were some concerns with the process. Students felt that a videotape and a peer instead of an ???expert??? was not as good as a traditional tutorial. In conclusion, the peer-learning was successful in several domains. Vertical peer-learning was accepted by both tutors and tutees, and horizontal-peer learning had a positive influence upon examination results. Vertical peer-learning appears to conform to students??? expectations of the inequality between beginners and tutors who are advanced beginners or experts, while horizontal peer-learning is more challenging, even though it is effective. The latter may need careful introduction for the process to be acceptable to students.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/258502 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Thomas, Paul Simon, Public Health & Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW |
| Publisher | Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Public Health and Community Medicine |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | Copyright Paul Simon Thomas, http://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/copyright |
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