Presented by Carl Kirkpatrick On behalf of Julie Stokes, Jacqui Bond, Judy Burrows, & Lisa Pulver

1. Enhancement of collaborative student learning through innovation in the delivery of the post-graduate Diploma of Clinical Pharmacy The PHRM7020 example Presented by Carl Kirkpatrick On behalf of Julie Stokes, Jacqui Bond, Judy Burrows, & Lisa Pulver School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland

2. Triggers for changes to Clinical Pharmacy program • Less time away from the workplace • Provide opportunities for better application of knowledge to practice • Need for more collaborative learning • Greater student numbers • Used PHRM 7020 as starting point • Some changes in other courses • Trial of CT&LC rooms • Use of Blackboard & Turnitin • Revision of learning objectives & assessment tasks

3. Starting point for PHRM7020 • 4 blocks with 4 assignments over 1 year • Problems with: • Sustaining work by students between blocks especially statistics • Student application of concepts taught in blocks • Negative student feedback about the course • took them out of their comfort zone • could not see future application in their practice • Student expectations of workload ≠ actual workload required to complete course

4. 2006 Design • 4 face-to-face teaching sessions • Clinical evidence – lectures + literature evaluation workshop • Quantitative research – lectures + analysis of 3 datasets • Survey research – lectures • Design of a research project – lectures on design, ethics, proposal writing, funding & publication • Self-directed learning guide (pdf) • Topics to cover, questions to direct learning & where to find information about the topics • Assessment – all individual assessment • Evaluation report on a new drug for formulary committee • Quantitative data analysis on a dataset • Design a survey instrument • Write a Quality Use of Medicines project research proposal

5. Changes introduced in 2007 • Learning objectives revised • Blackboard site established • Learning tasks devised to: • Cover content areas in less didactic way e.g. EBM, • Require less face-to-face time in blocks • Spread learning between blocks • Illustrate application to clinical pharmacy practice • Use of real life examples, data sets, research questions • Activities to promote self-directed learning and application of concepts • Promote collaboration and overcome distance/isolation issues • Anonymous discussion board • e-Discussion tasks • Group tasks using Wiki & blog tools • Use of mentoring via email/discussion lists/blogs

6. Anonymous discussion thread • Set up for 7020 but ad hoc use by students to discuss issues for all 1st year courses • Used for complaints, clarifications and collaborations • Technical problem – loss of posts prior to 29 May • No longer used by the end of the course

7. New between block learning activities • Initial research methods skills self-reflection blog • Online study module (RAPID with pharmacy specific examples) • On-line tutorial questions via discussion board • 3 on-line discussion tasks (EBM, qualitative methods & research into quality in health) • On-line quiz using Blackboard quiz tool (given datasets & need to analyse data to respond to questions) • On-line group work – survey design (using BB wiki & blog tools)

8. Discussion tasks • Groups of 10-13 students to discuss topic • Questions and readings to prompt discussion • Initially difficulties with e-conversations but collaboration developed

9. Online quiz

10. Group project – Design a survey instrument • Aim: to apply the principles of survey research in pharmacy practice research • Design a survey instrument for theoretical application in pharmacy practice research & justify the survey topic and design • specific study question within 1 of 3 broad topic areas • Groups of 3-4 students to collaborate remotely using wiki & blog tools in blackboard • Plus mentoring from coordinator on refinement of research question

11. Groups assigned & topics selected

12. Combine Wiki & Blog tool • Used Blog as communication tool • Not for marks • Allowed coordinator to mentor project development • Use Wiki to develop assignment to be submitted for assessment • Needed technical help to set up access for each group

13. Wiki assignment survey justification Shared editing of final submission From History Student 1 - 11 edits Student 2 - 13 edits Student 3 – 12 edits

14. Wiki survey page example

15. Reflections on 2007 experience • Some of new strategies effective • The change to more SDL was too fast • resource issues for development of new materials & learning tasks • Expectations dissonance • Students had unrealistic expectations about workload and standards for Post Graduate study • Staff expectations of student abilities at start of course may have been too high • Variable undergraduate experience in topic areas • Early in course, examples of expected output or standards not clearly outlined

16. Reflections on 2007 experience • Other • Included topics that did not belong in PHRM7020 • RAPID course & elements of Evidence Based Medicine • Too many learning tasks & assessment • Use of IT, computer/e-library foreign for some • Rusty “Exam skills” of practitioners returning to study • Technical IT problems with CT&LC for practice of key statistical software • Hospital-based practitioners are reluctant to travel to St Lucia • Class size CT&LC – small rooms too small & big rooms too big

17. Changes proposed for 2008 • Give students realistic expectations of program • Change duration to one semester • More intensive face-to-face sessions but use collaborative problem-oriented tasks & tutorials developed in 2007 within sessions • Have moved some course content

18. Changes proposed for 2008 • Retain health service research examples to illustrate application of research methods to pharmacy practice • Reduce assessment tasks • Retain group survey assessment task and add virtual ethics committee group task • Remaining Issue • Change to shorter blocks with more inter-block work not liked by the students, but appreciated by the employers • Needs more investment in staff to develop “on-line” learning tasks • Change in teaching application/methodology by course coordinators

19. Conclusions • All courses in the clinical pharmacy suite have been critically reviewed and changed to allow us to apply a more flexible and collaborative learning environment • we plan to role this out to the remaining 5 courses in the suite • PHRM7020 has undergone a significant change and will change again slightly in 2008 to fix “small mistakes” • collaboration and between block learning was achieved! • Employee vs employer expectations on times and blocks remains an issue