Flipping the expert: faculty educator sensemaking during transition to an active learning-based curriculum

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Curriculum Development
• Faculty Development

Background:

• Medical schools are increasingly adopting curricular reforms to meet evolving learner needs.
• Implementing significant curriculum changes can be challenging for faculty educators, particularly when role expectations shift.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how faculty educators navigated the transition to a new Active, Competency-Based, and Excellence-Driven (ACE) curriculum.
• To understand the faculty sensemaking process during a major curricular overhaul.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive design utilizing thematic analysis.
• Individual, in-depth interviews were conducted with 21 faculty educators and administrators involved in first-year medical student education.
• Data were analyzed inductively to identify faculty sensemaking processes.

Main Results:

• Four distinct phases of faculty adaptation were identified: Making Sense of the Change, Grieving the Lecturer Educator Role, Risking an Active Learning Educator Role, and Identifying the Rewards of Active Learning-based Teaching.
• Faculty experienced a range of emotions and challenges during the transition, including grief over the loss of traditional roles.
• Despite initial difficulties, most faculty eventually found enjoyment in the new interactive teaching methods that promoted critical thinking.

Conclusions:

• Faculty buy-in is crucial for successful curricular change implementation.
• Faculty development programs should address the specific concerns and emotional phases faculty experience during role transitions.
• Effective support for faculty during curriculum reform must acknowledge the emotional aspects, including grief and risk, alongside skill development.