A Randomized, Crossover Pilot Study of a Novel Web-Based/Mobile Platform for Collaborative Small Group Practice in...

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Medical Education Technology
• Clinical Reasoning Development

Background:

• Therapeutic reasoning is crucial for healthcare professionals and is typically developed through knowledge acquisition and practical experience.
• Collaborative small group work is a common pedagogical strategy in health professions education to enhance therapeutic reasoning skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot a web-based/mobile tool, Practice Improvement using Virtual Online Training (PIVOT), for collaborative case work in therapeutic reasoning.
• To compare the impact of the PIVOT platform versus usual practice on student perceptions and performance in therapeutic reasoning.

Main Methods:

• Student teams were randomly assigned to either usual workshop preparation (group SOAP sheet) or preparation using the PIVOT platform.
• The PIVOT platform was also used during the workshop for case review and discussion; conditions were crossed over the following week.
• Student perceptions were assessed via surveys, and performance was evaluated using examination items related to workshop topics.

Main Results:

• A majority of students (57%) preferred the PIVOT platform for collaborative case work.
• Examination performance was comparable between the PIVOT platform and usual practice (P = .29).
• Students valued PIVOT's efficiency and visibility into peers' thought processes but noted frustrations with the user interface and anonymity.

Conclusions:

• The PIVOT platform offers a favorable and preferred approach for collaborative therapeutic reasoning case discussions in small groups.
• Virtual collaboration tools can support health professions education, particularly during shifts to online learning environments.
• While PIVOT enhances collaboration, addressing user interface and anonymity concerns is important for future development.