Microburst Teaching and Learning

Amidst changes in the health care field with requirements for increased efficiency and limited time for teaching, there is a need for a teaching-learning model which maximizes the learning process and is exciting, fun, and motivating for both teacher and learner. Microburst Teaching and Learning is one strategy for combining various teaching styles and methods in 'bursts' with different learning styles to enhance the learning process.The model accommodates adult learning theory, adult attention span, learner motivation, the variety of learning styles found in learners, and the need for efficiency. Preliminary reactions to the Microburst Model indicate its appeal and motivating nature as a useful teaching-learning model.The next steps are to more critically evaluate the efficacy of the model for a broader range of clinical preceptors and to examine the variety of specific teaching strategies to determine which methods work best in specific settings. Because there are many potential teaching methods and teaching styles from which medical teachers can choose, a companion article outlining these specific methods and styles is currently in preparation.Weanticipate the article's publication within the next year.