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Using tablets to support self-regulated learning in a longitudinal integrated clerkship
Dylan Archbold Hufty Alegría1, Christy Boscardin2, Ann Poncelet3
1Office of Technology Enhanced Learning, School of Medicine, University of California- San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Research and Development in Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; dylan.alegria@ucsf.edu.
Tablets can help medical students in longitudinal integrated clerkships (LICs) develop self-regulated learning skills. These mobile tools enhance resource access and learning, supporting lifelong physician education.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Digital Learning Tools
- Physician Training
Background:
- Medical schools increasingly emphasize lifelong learning and self-regulated learning (SRL) skills for physicians.
- Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships (LICs) inherently require students to utilize SRL skills.
- Mobile technology, specifically tablets, presents a potential avenue to support SRL in LIC students.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the utility of tablet computers in supporting self-regulated learning among medical students in a Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC).
- To evaluate how tablets can enhance resource accessibility and learning for students in a clinical context.
Main Methods:
- 15 LIC students were provided with tablets featuring electronic health record (EHR) access and an online notebook.
- A 1-hour workshop introduced tablet features for patient cohort tracking and clinical learning documentation.
- Two student focus groups, early and late in the academic year, evaluated the program's effectiveness.
Main Results:
- Students utilized tablets in personalized ways to support their self-regulated learning and optimize resource access.
- Tablets facilitated increased utilization of learning opportunities during downtime.
- Self-monitoring and targeted learning were enhanced through tablet use, demonstrating their value as educational tools.
Conclusions:
- Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships (LICs) provide a fertile environment for developing self-regulated learning.
- Tablets can effectively augment students' capacity to build and apply self-regulatory skills within clinical settings.
