Development of Task Orientated Practicals (tops) to Encourage Active Learning in Anatomy

Abstract

The Task-Oriented Practical (TOP) is a learning session which comprises a series of tasks that are accomplished by groups of students at stations. A station is an area equipped with relevant learning resources designed to enable students to complete the task and achieve the specified learning outcomes. 139 first-year medical students took part in combined gross anatomy, histology and embryology TOP of the urinary system. In order to measure the effectiveness of the stations' design, post-learning tests were performed to assess students’ short-term retention of information. Student satisfaction surveys were also conducted before and after TOPs were introduced. A student focus group was also convened to further explore student perceptions. Results of the post-learning test revealed that the mean correct answer rate was 93%. Student satisfaction increased from 2.8/5.0 in a traditional approach to 4.1/5.0 in the TOP. Analysis of the focus group discussion revealed further potential areas for improvement. Students proposed that the ‘perfect TOPs station' should include: (1) a short introduction to the topic, e.g. two-minute long video, short background text or teacher presentation; (2) bespoke, high quality resources of diverse modalities, e.g. models, plastinated specimens, microscopic slides, conceptual diagrams, radiological images, low-fidelity models; (3) a task which would realistically be achievable in the timeframe provided e.g. solving the clinical problem, preparation of short video demonstration, sketching a diagram; (4) immediate feedback in order to confirm students’ learning, e.g. quiz, model answer, chatbot. These findings confirm that working in partnership with students adds value to the development of novel teaching techniques. The preparation of collaborative, student-centered, engaging TOPs stations is a demanding process which requires time, expertise and experience to develop and refine. This process will be further explored and evaluated in future studies.