Learning from the Experts: Stimulating Student Engagement in Small-group Active Learning

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Student engagement in active learning is crucial but challenging for medical educators.
• Teachers often struggle to maintain student participation, leading to passive learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify strategies expert medical teachers use to effectively stimulate student engagement.
• To inform faculty development programs for improved medical teaching.

Main Methods:

• Constructivist grounded theory approach with appreciative inquiry elements.
• Interviews with 11 highly-rated medical teachers.
• Constant comparative analysis of transcribed interviews until theoretical saturation.

Main Results:

• A grounded theory of expert teaching practice emerged.
• Student engagement is an integrated process with three core components: supportive environment, personal educational approach, and active learning facilitation.

Conclusions:

• Multiple strategies exist to stimulate student engagement.
• A supportive environment and active learning facilitation are consistently important.
• Effective engagement requires a reflective, context-sensitive approach by educators.