Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Jul 1:14:129.
doi: 10.1186/1472-6920-14-129.

Using an ACTIVE teaching format versus a standard lecture format for increasing resident interaction and knowledge achievement during noon conference: a prospective, controlled study

Adam P Sawatsky  1 , Kathryn Berlacher, Rosanne Granieri
Affiliations

Using an ACTIVE teaching format versus a standard lecture format for increasing resident interaction and knowledge achievement during noon conference: a prospective, controlled study

Adam P Sawatsky et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Background: The traditional lecture is used by many residency programs to fulfill the mandate for regular didactic sessions, despite limited evidence to demonstrate its effectiveness. Active teaching strategies have shown promise in improving medical knowledge but have been challenging to implement within the constraints of residency training. We developed and evaluated an innovative structured format for interactive teaching within the residency noon conference.

Methods: We developed an ACTIVE teaching format structured around the following steps: assemble (A) into groups, convey (C) learning objectives, teach (T) background information, inquire (I) through cases and questions, verify (V) understanding, and explain (E) answer choices and educate on the learning points. We conducted a prospective, controlled study of the ACTIVE teaching format versus the standard lecture format, comparing resident satisfaction, immediate knowledge achievement and long-term knowledge retention. We qualitatively assessed participating faculty members' perspectives on the faculty development efforts and the feasibility of teaching using the ACTIVE format.

Results: Sixty-nine internal medicine residents participated in the study. Overall, there was an improvement in perceived engagement using the ACTIVE teaching format (4.78 vs. 3.80, P < 0.01), with no increase in stress or decrement in break time. There was an improvement in initial knowledge achievement with the ACTIVE teaching format (overall absolute score increase of 11%, P = 0.04) and a trend toward improvement in long-term knowledge retention. Faculty members felt adequately prepared to use the ACTIVE teaching format, and enjoyed teaching with the ACTIVE teaching format more than the standard lecture.

Conclusions: A structured ACTIVE teaching format improved resident engagement and initial knowledge, and required minimal resources. The ACTIVE teaching format offers an exciting alternative to the standard lecture for resident noon conference and is easy to implement.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The Next Accreditation System: Milestones. http://www.acgme.org/acgmeweb/tabid/430/ProgramandInstitutionalAccredita....
    1. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Common Program Requirements. http://www.acgme.org/acgmeweb/Portals/0/PFAssets/ProgramRequirements/CPR....
    1. Hill SJ, Butler DJ, Guse C. Conference formats in family practice residencies. Fam Med. 2000;32(6):417–21. - PubMed
    1. Picciano A, Winter R, Ballan D, Birnberg B, Jacks M, Laing E. Resident acquisition of knowledge during a noontime conference series. Fam Med. 2003;35(6):418–22. - PubMed
    1. Warner S, Williams DE, Lukman R, Powell CC 2nd, Kundinger K. Classroom lectures do not influence family practice residents’ learning. Acad Med. 1998;73(3):347–8. - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources