A case-study exploring the role of affect and culture in communicating bad news: technology triggers for problem based learning and practice

Abstract

A case study is presented of an international technology rich learning module that uses a problem based learning video based approach to trigger student learning issues about giving bad news to HIV patients. The role of emotion and culture is explored in this context. Mixed groups of medical students from Canada and Hong Kong work with facilitators from each country. Technology supports PBL through the use of transparent examples of how experts solve cases involving physician-patient communication. Adobe connect supports the international model through synchronous video interaction and shared applications. After the instructional sessions, each student practices giving bad news to standardized patients using video-conferencing tools. Students receive feedback on their physician-patient communication from experts assessing their performance. The case study supports several types of data analyses. Pre-post test measures address students’ motivation and ability to identify the important aspects of physician-patient communication. The instructional discourse will be analyzed for: the type of affective content considered pertinent to each case, cultural differences between Canada and Hong Kong students, and types of instructor facilitation. The practice discourse with standardized patients examines student ability to transfer what they have learned from the instructional models to patient communication skills. We anticipate that medical students will improve their ability to regulate physician-patient communication. Such regulation will include cognitive, metacognitive, and emotional regulation of knowing what to do and when to do it, and knowing how to communicate in a manner that is most appropriate given a set of circumstances.