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Grijpma JW, de la Croix A, Kleinveld JH, et al. Appreciating small-group active learning: What do medical students want, and why? A Q-methodology study. Med Teach. 2020;43(4):411-420doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2020.1854705.
Grijpma, J. W., de la Croix, A., Kleinveld, J. H., Meeter, M., & Kusurkar, R. A. (2021). Appreciating small-group active learning: What do medical students want, and why? A Q-methodology study. Medical teacher, 43(4), 411-420. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2020.1854705
Grijpma, J W, et al. "Appreciating small-group active learning: What do medical students want, and why? A Q-methodology study." Medical teacher vol. 43,4 (2021): 411-420. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2020.1854705
Grijpma JW, de la Croix A, Kleinveld JH, Meeter M, Kusurkar RA. Appreciating small-group active learning: What do medical students want, and why? A Q-methodology study. Med Teach. 2021 Apr;43(4):411-420. doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2020.1854705. Epub 2020 Dec 17. PMID: 33327835.
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Med Teach. 2021 Apr;43(4):411-420. doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2020.1854705. Epub 2020 Dec 17.

Appreciating small-group active learning: What do medical students want, and why? A Q-methodology study.

Medical teacher

J W Grijpma, A de la Croix, J H Kleinveld, M Meeter, R A Kusurkar

Affiliations

  1. Amsterdam UMC, Research in Education, Faculty of Medicine, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
  2. Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, LEARN! Academy, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
  3. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, LEARN! Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
  4. Department of Education Strategy and Policy, Faculty of Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
  5. Department of Clinical Genetics, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

PMID: 33327835 DOI: 10.1080/0142159X.2020.1854705

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: For Small-Group Active Learning (SMAL) to be effective, students need to engage meaningfully in learning activities to construct their knowledge. Teachers can have difficulty engaging their students in this process. To improve engagement, we aimed to identify the diversity in medical students' appreciation of SMAL, using the concepts of epistemic beliefs and approaches to learning.

METHOD: Q-methodology is a mixed-method research design used for the systematic study of subjectivity. We developed a set of 54 statements on active learning methods. In individual interviews, first-year medical students rank ordered their agreement with these statements and explained their reasons. Data were analyzed using a by-person factor analysis to group participants with shared viewpoints.

RESULTS: A four-factor solution (i.e. profiles) fit the data collected from 52 students best and explained 52% of the variance. Each profile describes a shared viewpoint on SMAL. We characterized the profiles as 'understanding-oriented', 'assessment-oriented', 'group-oriented', and 'practice-oriented'.

DISCUSSION: The four profiles describe how and why students differ in their appreciation of SMAL. Teachers can use the profiles to make better-informed decisions when designing and teaching their SMAL classes, by relating to students' epistemic beliefs, and approaches to learning. This may improve student motivation and engagement for SMAL.

Keywords: Faculty development; Q-methodology; instructional materials/methods; teaching & learning: small groups

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