Study of a COVID-19 induced transition from Face-to-Face to Online Team-Based Learning in Undergraduate Family Medicine

Abstract

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Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has been presenting new challenges for medical schools worldwide. Medical educators are coming-up with creative solutions to address those unprecedented challenges. The purpose of this study is to reflect upon an experience of an online TBL in a Family Medicine Clerkship.

Methods: This study relied on a qualitative descriptive design. A phenomenological approach was adapted to capture the perception of students regarding online TBL as part of Family Medicine clerkship, using a survey of open-ended questions. The data were inductively analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: The results of the study revealed that the students, overall, reacted positively to the experience. Five themes of text fragments emerged from the analysis: Equivalency of experience, Efficiency and Ease-of-use, Organization, Novelty, and Design. The students also noted some minor difficulties, that they faced at the beginning of their experience, indicating the existence of a learning curve. They also identified a few opportunities for improvement.

Discussion: This study demonstrated that combining videoconferencing and lesson delivery software together for TBL enables remote facilitation of the Family Medicine curriculum, and that the students value the experience as such. From the COI perspective, all three factors, namely: social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence, are met by such a set-up for distance learning. The students also felt validated and that their voice is heard. The central coordination of the TBL process proved to be crucial to ensure continuity, and also to support individuals' mental health and team spirit.

Conclusion: This study concludes that TBL enables rapid transition to distance learning; it promotes analytical and self-directed learning even in extreme circumstances. Moreover, the TBL sessions allow for the facilitators, including the Discipline Lead, to get to know the students, on a personal level, and to monitor and evaluate their performance, over time.

Keywords: Community of Inquiry; Distance Learning; Family Medicine; Remote Emergency Teaching; TBL; Team-Based Learning.