An instructional intervention to encourage effective deep collaborative learning in undergraduate veterinary students

In recent years, veterinary education has received an increased amount of attention directed at the value and application of collaborative case-based learning. The benefit of instilling deep learning practices in undergraduate veterinary students has also emerged as a powerful tool in encouraging continued professional education. However, research into the design and application of instructional strategies to encourage deep, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary undergraduates has been limited. This study focused on delivering an instructional intervention (via a 20-minute presentation and student handout) to foster productive, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary education. The aim was to instigate and encourage deep learning practices in a collaborative case-based assignment and to assess the impact of the intervention on students' group learning. Two cohorts of veterinary students were involved in the study. One cohort was exposed to an instructional intervention, and the other provided the control for the study. The instructional strategy was grounded in the collaborative learning literature and prior empirical studies with veterinary students. Results showed that the intervention cohort spent proportionally more time on understanding case content material than did the control cohort and rated their face-to-face discussions as more useful in achieving their learning outcomes than did their control counterparts. In addition, the perceived difficulty of the assignment evolved differently for the control and intervention students from start to end of the assignment. This study provides encouraging evidence that veterinary students can change and enhance the way they interact in a group setting to effectively engage in collaborative learning practices.     

Piloting interprofessional education interventions with veterinary and veterinary nursing students

Interprofessional education (IPE) has received little attention in veterinary education even though members of the veterinary and nursing professions work closely together. The present study investigates veterinary and veterinary nursing students' and practitioners' experiences with interprofessional issues and the potential benefits of IPE. Based on stakeholder consultations, two teaching interventions were modified or developed for use with veterinary and veterinary nursing students: Talking Walls, which aimed to increase individuals' understanding of each other's roles, and an Emergency-Case Role-Play Scenario, which aimed to improve teamwork. These interventions were piloted with volunteer veterinary and veterinary nursing students who were recruited through convenience sampling. A questionnaire (the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale [RIPLS]) was modified for use in veterinary education and used to investigate changes in attitudes toward IPE over time (pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and four to five months afterward). The results showed an immediate and significant positive change in attitude after the intervention, highlighting the students' willingness to learn collaboratively, their ability to recognize the benefits of IPE, a decreased sense of professional isolation, and reduced hierarchical views. Although nearly half of the students felt concerned about learning with students from another profession before the intervention, the majority (97%) enjoyed learning together. However, the positive change in attitude was not evident four to five months after the intervention, though attitudes remained above pre-intervention levels. The results of the pilot study were encouraging and emphasize the relevance and importance of veterinary IPE as well as the need for further investigation to explore methods of sustaining a change in attitude over time.     

Virtual international experiences in veterinary medicine: an evaluation of students' attitudes toward computer-based learning

While many studies have evaluated whether or not factual information can be effectively communicated using computer-aided tools, none has focused on establishing and changing students' attitudes toward international animal-health issues. The study reported here was designed to assess whether educational modules on an interactive computer CD elicited a change in veterinary students' interest in and attitudes toward international animal-health issues. Volunteer veterinary students at seven universities (first-year students at three universities, second-year at one, third-year at one, and fourth-year at two) were given by random assignment either an International Animal Health (IAH) CD or a control CD, ParasitoLog (PL). Participants completed a pre-CD survey to establish baseline information on interest and attitudes toward both computers and international animal-health issues. Four weeks later, a post-CD questionnaire was distributed. On the initial survey, most students expressed an interest in working in the field of veterinary medicine in another country. Responses to the three pre-CD questions relating to attitudes toward the globalization of veterinary medicine, interest in foreign animal disease, and inclusion of a core course on international health issues in the veterinary curriculum were all positive, with average values above 3 (on a five-point scale where 5 represented strong agreement or interest). Almost all students considered it beneficial to learn about animal-health issues in other countries. After students reviewed the IAH CD, we found a decrease at four universities, an increase at one university, and no change at the remaining two universities in students' interest in working in some area of international veterinary medicine. However, none of the differences was statistically significant.     

Attitudes of veterinary medical students and medical students toward collaborative learning: an experiment

This study measured the attitudes of 55 medical students and 30 veterinary medical students as they participated in an experiment of collaborative teaching and learning about basic surgical skills. Two parallel forms of an attitude questionnaire were developed, with three subscales: confidence in one's own surgical skill; collaboration with the other type of student; and inter-professional collaboration in general. These attitude scales were administered before and after an experiment involving the veterinary medical students teaching the medical students incision and exploratory laparoscopy in a laboratory setting using live rabbits. After the experiment, measures of the medical students' attitudes had increased significantly on all three subscales. Measures of the veterinary students' attitudes increased significantly on two subscales but declined on the subscale of inter-professional collaboration.     

Effectiveness of a computer-based tutorial for teaching how to make a blood smear

BACKGROUND: Computer-aided instruction (CAI) was developed to teach veterinary students how to make blood smears. This instruction was intended to replace the traditional instructional method in order to promote efficient use of faculty resources while maintaining learning outcomes and student satisfaction. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a computer-aided blood smear tutorial on 1) instructor's teaching time, 2) students' ability to make blood smears, and 3) students' ability to recognize smear quality. METHODS: Three laboratory sessions for senior veterinary students were taught using traditional methods (control group) and 4 sessions were taught using the CAI tutorial (experimental group). Students in the control group received a short demonstration and lecture by the instructor at the beginning of the laboratory and then practiced making blood smears. Students in the experimental group received their instruction through the self-paced, multimedia tutorial on a laptop computer and then practiced making blood smears. Data was collected from observation, interview, survey questionnaires, and smear evaluation by students and experts using a scoring rubric. RESULTS: Students using the CAI made better smears and were better able to recognize smear quality. The average time the instructor spent in the room was not significantly different between groups, but the quality of the instructor time was improved with the experimental instruction. CONCLUSIONS: The tutorial implementation effectively provided students and instructors with a teaching and learning experience superior to the traditional method of instruction. Using CAI is a viable method of teaching students to make blood smears.     

Understanding veterinary students' use of and attitudes toward the social networking site, Facebook, to assist in developing curricula to address online professionalism

Social media is an increasingly common form of communication, with Facebook being the preferred social-networking site among post-secondary students. Numerous studies suggest post-secondary students practice high self-disclosure on Facebook. Research evaluating veterinary students' use of social media found a notable proportion of student-posted content deemed inappropriate. Lack of discretion in posting content can have significant repercussions for aspiring veterinary professionals, their college of study, and the veterinary profession they represent. Veterinarians-in-training at three veterinary colleges across Canada were surveyed to explore their use of and attitude toward the social networking site, Facebook. Students were invited to complete an online survey with questions relating to their knowledge of privacy in relation to using Facebook, their views on the acceptability of posting certain types of information, and their level of professional accountability online. Linear regression modeling was used to further examine factors related to veterinary students' disclosure of personal information on Facebook. Need for popularity (p<.01) and awareness of consequences (p<.001) were found to be positively and negatively associated, respectively, with students' personal disclosure of information on Facebook. Understanding veterinary students' use of and attitudes toward social media, such as Facebook, reveals a need, and provides a basis, for developing educational programs to address online professionalism. Educators and administrators at veterinary schools may use this information to assist in developing veterinary curricula that addresses the escalating issue of online professionalism.     

ATLes: the strategic application of Web-based technology to address learning objectives and enhance classroom discussion in a veterinary pathology course

A case-based program called ATLes (Adaptive Teaching and Learning Environments) was designed for use in a systemic pathology course and implemented over a four-year period. Second-year veterinary students working in small collaborative learning groups used the program prior to their weekly pathology laboratory. The goals of ATLes were to better address specific learning objectives in the course (notably the appreciation of pathophysiology), to solve previously identified problems associated with information overload and information sorting that commonly occur as part of discovery-based processes, and to enhance classroom discussion. The program was also designed to model and allow students to practice the problem-oriented approach to clinical cases, thereby enabling them to study pathology in a relevant clinical context. Features included opportunities for students to obtain additional information on the case by requesting specific laboratory tests and/or diagnostic procedures. However, students were also required to justify their diagnostic plans and to provide mechanistic analyses. The use of ATLes met most of these objectives. Student acceptance was high, and students favorably reviewed the online 'Content Links' that made useful information more readily accessible and level appropriate. Students came to the lab better prepared to engage in an in-depth and high-quality discussion and were better able to connect clinical problems to underlying changes in tissue (lesions). However, many students indicated that the required time on task prior to lab might have been excessive relative to what they thought they learned. The classroom discussion, although improved, was not elevated to the expected level-most likely reflecting other missing elements of the learning environment, including the existing student culture and the students' current discussion skills. This article briefly discusses the lessons learned from ATLes and how similar case-based exercises might be combined with other approaches to enhance and enliven classroom discussions in the veterinary curriculum.     

Exploring student attitudes to directed self-learning online through evaluation of an Internet-based biomolecular sciences resource

RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY: In 2000, funding was awarded by the University of Glasgow's Learning and Teaching Development Fund (L&TDF) for the authors to develop an interactive, online learning resource for veterinary biomolecular sciences teaching. This course is a core component of the veterinary undergraduate curriculum at the university. Evaluations were carried out to gauge students' experiences of using the resource as a basis for exploring students' attitudes toward online, independent learning. METHODOLOGY: Peers were asked to review the design and content of four modules, also evaluated by students using questionnaires and focus group discussions. Additionally, students were observed using the modules. Both first-year students and second-year direct-entry students (i.e., students entering the veterinary program with advanced training) participated in the evaluation, which allowed for some comparison between the groups. One cohort used the modules independently, and their responses were compared with the cohorts that used the modules in scheduled classes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The evaluations indicate that this is a useful resource that could act as a template for other courses within the veterinary undergraduate curriculum, particularly for learning of basic sciences. On average, first-year and timetabled students rated the program more highly overall, rated the program more highly in relation to previous instruction, and rated tutor presence as more important than second-year direct-entry and independent students did. The lower rating given to tutor presence by second-year direct-entry and independent students indicates that they are more confident using the modules without tutor supervision.     

The use of information and communication technology in veterinary education

The internet provides new opportunities to deliver distance and e-learning to the veterinary profession both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. There are now numerous examples of successful computer-based educational projects in UK higher education, which provide useful models for veterinary science. This will present challenges for academics who will need to adapt their teaching methodologies and students who will have to develop new ways of learning. The future of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the veterinary sector is difficult to predict but it is likely to have far reaching effects on the profession.     

ALTERNATIVES FOR IMPROVING VETERINARY MEDICAL STUDENTS' LEARNING OF CLINICAL SONOGRAPHY

With the widespread clinical use of sonography there is a need to introduce the topic into the curriculum. A new problem-based course in clinical sonography without lectures was developed to emphasise experiential learning, and engage students actively in individual and collective acts of discovery. Four different approaches were used to deliver the new course to 141 veterinary medical students over four semesters. The physical principles of sonography were taught by computer-assisted instruction and a practical class, clinical examinations were introduced during a session with a tutor, and finally each student wrote an essay on a sonographic topic of their choice. To evaluate the new course, students' responses to a questionnaire were analyzed. Students gained reasonable understanding of the physical principles of sonography and had some confidence in conducting a sonographic examination of an animal. Of most use to student learning was discussion with the teachers. Surprisingly, half the students thought the topic should also be taught by lectures. The students learned the material and acquired the sonographic skills through processes which required more independence and self-responsibility than traditional teaching methods. The teachers' interaction with students on an individual basis, as they encountered individual problems, was the most important resource in learning about sonography. The continued request for lectures suggests an insecurity in some students caught between two different paradigms of teaching and learning (experiential, problem-based learning versus lectures).     

What is it like to be an international student at veterinary school? Perception and performance in first year-a case study at a UK veterinary school

Transition into higher education requires students to adjust to a new environment while showing greater independence in managing their own academic and personal life. This is often more difficult for international students who have to adjust to a different country, culture, and potentially another language. A cohort of first-year veterinary medicine students (17% international students) was investigated at a UK university using qualitative and quantitative questionnaires rating first-year experience and support services and statistical analysis of students' assessment performance. While the overall undergraduate perception was that they had learned a lot and progressed well, students in both groups struggled to cope with the workload. The non-UK educated students and students with English as a foreign language also struggled more with teaching delivery in lectures and participation in self-directed group learning and were more likely to feel that the veterinary degree program was too difficult. There was no statistical difference in how British and international students perceived the support system, although it was noticeable that the level of tutorial support was perceived as tutor-dependent. The international students particularly struggled with the assessments in early modules and also with the spot assessment method. However, in the practical assessments, using observed, structured practical exam stations, international and British students performed equally well. Increased support in the initial transition time, especially with regard to communication skills and confidence required for interactive teaching and learning environments such as small-group teaching, as well as increased time for specific assessment types, might benefit the needs of many international students.     

Evaluation of student attitudes to cooperative learning in undergraduate veterinary medicine

RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY: Recent studies have demonstrated that collaborative or cooperative learning (CL) provides students and teachers with a variety of advantages over traditional instructional methods. To explore the possibility of introducing CL into the veterinary undergraduate curriculum on a larger scale-to facilitate the development of professional competencies-a cooperative learning assignment (CLA) was introduced into the fourth year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVMS) degree course at the University of Glasgow. An evaluation was carried out as a basis for optimizing subsequent CL activities in the undergraduate course. METHODOLOGY: Evaluation of student attitudes to the CLA was conducted using pre- and post-task questionnaires and a focusgroup discussion involving student representatives from several of the small groups. Quantitative questionnaire data were imported into SPSS and a statistical test was used to identify any significant shifts in student attitudes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the quantitative questionnaire results indicates that students-who regarded themselves generally as team players rather than competing individuals-had few concerns before or after the CLA. There were some significant shifts (negative and positive) in response to some of the questions, but generally the results were encouraging. However, a number of issues emerged from the focus-group discussion with regards to the administration of CL and matching students' expectations to their experiences. In particular, students need to be adequately informed at the outset about the CL process and about how it will be assessed, have access to the required facilities, and be comfortable with learning different skills sets from those their peers are learning. Staff facilitators require adequate guidance on what they are expected to contribute to the CL process.     

Evaluation of a dental model for training veterinary students

Periodontal disease has deleterious effects on an animal's health and potentially serious implications for its welfare. Consequently, veterinarians frequently perform routine periodontal treatment in small-animal practice. One would therefore assume that small-animal dentistry would constitute a core component of a veterinary curriculum. However, most practitioners received little or no formal training in dentistry during their veterinary degrees, and the amount of instruction students currently receive is variable, often with limited opportunities to practice. At the Royal Veterinary College, a prototype dental model was developed to address the lack of practical training; it was made using ceramic tiles, silicone sealant, and grout to emulate teeth, gingiva, and calculus, respectively. A study was conducted with third-year veterinary students to compare the outcomes of learning to perform a professional dental cleaning using a model (group A) or a video (group B). Performance was assessed using an objective structured clinical examination. Students in group A scored significantly better than those in group B (p<.001). All students also completed a questionnaire evaluating attitudes toward the use of a dental model in learning dentistry-related skills. All students identified a model as a potentially valuable learning tool to supplement existing teaching methods and facilitate the acquisition of small-animal dentistry skills. The dental model has the potential to equip students with useful, practical skills in a safe and risk-free environment.     

Cultural awareness in veterinary practice: student perceptions

Australian veterinary classrooms are increasingly diverse and their growing internal diversity is a result of migration and large numbers of international students. Graduates interact with other students and increasingly with clients whose attitudes, beliefs, values, and behaviors differ from their own. An understanding and respect for these differences has an impact on client communication and health care outcomes. The present study explored how students understand and are likely to deal with issues of cultural diversity in veterinary professional practice as well as the educational needs that students feel should be met in regard to preparation to engage productively with diversity in professional practice. The present study also explored the extent to which the rich diversity of the undergraduate student population constitutes an educational resource. A class of final-year veterinary students was invited to participate in a workshop exploring intercultural confidence in veterinary consultation. Twelve groups of six to eight students discussed a fictitious scenario involving a challenging clinical encounter with a client from a different culture. Students were reticent to see the scenario in terms of cultural difference, although they generally recognized that awareness of cultural issues in veterinary practice was important. They also tended to not see their own ethnicity as relevant to their practice. While some felt that veterinary practice should be culture blind, most recognized a need to orient to cultural difference and to respond sensitively. Their suggestions for curricular improvements to address these issues are also included.     

Rethinking the learning and evaluation environment of a veterinary course in gross anatomy: the implementation of an assessment and development center and an E-learning platform

Today's students belong to an interactive generation and receive information through multiple channels. In addition, veterinary medicine curricula are changing due to trends such as student-centered education and competence-based learning. In consequence, we were stimulated to rethink the way in which veterinary gross anatomy was taught and assessed. As a first step, the learning goals for the students participating in the veterinary gross anatomy course were clearly defined. Students had to acquire knowledge of and insight into the structure, the function, and the interrelationships of gross anatomical structures in various species. They also had to be competent in observing, palpating, and exposing the anatomical structures. Additionally, they had to attain some general skills and attitudes. Next, a learning environment was developed enabling students to accomplish these goals. The three main components of this new environment were, first, the reorientation of classic cadaveric dissections towards attaching an increased importance to the attainment of course-specific and general skills and attitudes; second, the incorporation of an e-learning platform; and third, an increase in the number of student-lecturer interactions during lecture hours. Finally, the assessment and examination were adjusted to complement the goals defined earlier and the redesigned learning environment. An assessment and development center (ADC) was introduced, where students demonstrated their skills and insights by completing job-relevant assignments within a set time limit. This ADC was used as a means of evaluating students as well as of giving them feedback. Students were enthusiastic about this way of teaching although they experienced it as difficult.     

Confidence as a barrier to the use of problem-based learning in veterinary undergraduate students

Problem-based or case-based learning is a popular method of instruction in clinical degrees such as veterinary science, nursing, and medicine. It is difficult, however, for students to adapt to this learning method, and this difficulty has been well described. The present study surveyed first-year undergraduate veterinary students at the University of Nottingham about the challenges they faced upon beginning problem-based learning sessions. A surprisingly large percentage of students (36% of females and 38% of males) reported a lack of confidence in speaking in front of the other students as a concern they experienced during their first term. Conversely, only 10% of the female students (and none of the male students) reported overconfidence as a problem. This is in contrast to the perceptions of the staff members who facilitated the sessions who reported that 14% of the students exhibited underconfidence and 14% exhibited overconfidence. The difference between the female and male students' responses as well as the difference between the perceptions of students and those of facilitators is statistically significant (G-test p<.05).     

Veterinary students' perceptions of their day-one abilities before and after final-year clinical practice-based training

The present study evaluated the impact of final-year clinical practice-based training on veterinary students' perceptions of competence in "Day One" abilities by administering a pre- and post-training self-assessment checklist. This study also investigated the influence of student demographics on their perceptions of satisfaction about their own knowledge and skills and preparedness for practice. Perceptions regarding the usefulness of the checklist as a self-audit tool were also sought. Final year students (N=85) were surveyed on commencement and upon completion of the training using a checklist that had been adapted from the list of essential new-graduate abilities that was developed by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and adopted by the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council. Significant improvements in student perceptions of competence were observed for 38 of the 41 abilities. Students' satisfaction with their knowledge and skill base and their perceptions of preparedness for practice were only weakly correlated with overall perceptions of competence for individual ability items and did not vary significantly with student age, gender, background, intended field and location of work, or with their work experience as veterinary nurses-if any-while studying. Two thirds of students believed that access to the self-assessment checklist on commencement of the training helped them identify areas for improvement before graduation. This article concludes that clinical practice-based training results in considerable improvement in senior veterinary students' perceptions of competence in Day One abilities and that a self-assessment checklist may help students guide their learning. Results from the present study may be useful for veterinary schools as they develop or enhance strategies used for outcomes assessment.     

Evolution of a course in veterinary clinical pathology: the application of case-based writing assignments to focus on skill development and facilitation of learning

RATIONALE FOR STUDY: To encourage application and critical thinking, case-based writing assignments and grading rubrics were developed for use in a second-year core clinical pathology course. Objectives were to describe how this teaching technique was adapted to a large-class setting and how student perceptions of the learning experience guided modifications of this teaching technique over two presentations of the course and plans for a third presentation. Our goal was to enhance learning by encouraging application of course material to clinical situations and thereby improve students' ability to organize and communicate information. Furthermore, we evaluated the influence of instructor feedback on the learning process. METHODS: With assistance from the University of Minnesota Center for Writing, assignments and grading rubrics were developed. Students completed course evaluation surveys designed to elicit feedback on the impact of the assignments. RESULTS: Increased learner confidence was reflected in larger self-reported increases in understanding of the material and ability to apply information and in increased feelings of preparedness for class and examinations. A large majority of students advocated the use of such assignments in the course in future years, and modifications to make grading and evaluation of assignments more efficient are underway. CONCLUSIONS: Investment of faculty and student time in case-based writing assignments in the veterinary clinical pathology curriculum appears to increase student engagement with material and learner confidence. Future studies should address the impact of this type of assignment more specifically on clinical reasoning and communication skills and on long-term retention of material.     

Informative evaluation of the teaching skills of the faculty at Alfort veterinary school

A quantitative method for the informative evaluation of teaching activities was devised using a survey from 33 experts. It is based on an evaluation, by students and two peers, of the four steps of the instructional methodology: analysis of training needs, statement of learning objectives, delivery of teaching session, and testing of student performance. Faculty evaluation is optional, and results are strictly confidential. Results of a three-year trial of this protocol at the Alfort veterinary school are presented and discussed. Each year the method has been assessed and some changes have been implemented. It is now felt that evaluation questionnaires for lectures and tutorial sessions have been validated, while those for laboratories and clinical teaching have to be tested through a larger number of settings. A the same time, a change from informative to summative evaluation is under consideration.     

Teaching implications of different educational theories and approaches

Educational theory can and should form the basis for teaching in veterinary medicine. Nevertheless, formal training for teachers in veterinary medicine is uncommon and rarely includes study of different educational theories or perspectives, leaving educators to rely on informal or "hidden" educational constructs to guide them in their everyday teaching. Using a modified case-based format, we present critiques of a hypothetical teaching scenario from four different educational viewpoints: behaviorist, cognitive, social learning, and inspired teaching approaches. The importance and utility of formal educational theory in faculty development is discussed.