How can communicative competence instruction in medical studies be improved through digitalization?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Communication Skills Training
• E-learning Technologies

Background:

• Communicative competence is crucial in medical education.
• Traditional teaching methods are augmented by technology, particularly videos of doctor-patient interactions.
• Assessing communicative competence traditionally relies on direct observation, with limited research on standardized online tests.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the benefits of technology-based learning and assessment for clinical communicative competence in medical studies.
• To introduce the voLeA project, focusing on developing video-based teaching and assessment modules.
• To investigate the potential of Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) for assessing communicative competence.

Main Methods:

• Development of e-learning modules incorporating video content for teaching communicative competence.
• Creation of a Situational Judgement Test (SJT) for assessing communicative competence.
• Utilizing video-based materials for both instruction and reflection activities.

Main Results:

• Technology-based approaches, including videos, enhance the demonstration and reflection of clinical communication skills.
• Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) present a promising method for standardized online assessment of communicative competence.
• The voLeA project exemplifies the integration of video-based learning and SJTs in medical education.

Conclusions:

• Video-based e-learning modules and SJTs offer effective tools for enhancing and assessing communicative competence in medical students.
• Technology-driven educational strategies are vital for modern medical training.
• Further research into online assessment methods like SJTs is warranted.