Designing for student autonomy combining theory and clinical practice - a qualitative study with a faculty...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Extensive research on student clinical learning exists but is not effectively translated into practice.
• Lack of integration of research findings hinders improvements in student learning experiences.
• This study explores how clinical faculty learn to apply research on fostering student autonomy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the learning process of clinical faculty regarding the application of research on student autonomy.
• To understand how faculty interpret and implement educational interventions aimed at developing student autonomy in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• A course titled "Designing learning for students' development of autonomy in clinical practice" was conducted for clinical faculty.
• Participants designed and planned implementation of autonomy-focused projects.
• Projects (reports, oral presentations) were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and an abductive approach with 14 faculty participants.

Main Results:

• Faculty projects focused on "Preparing the soil for facilitating student autonomy" and "Cultivating opportunities for students to actively strive for autonomy."
• Faculty demonstrated an understanding of theories supporting autonomy development, recognizing the link between activities and autonomy.
• Themes included the self-evident connection between activities and autonomy and factors facilitating its development.

Conclusions:

• Educating clinical faculty on evidence-based approaches to student learning is productive.
• Successful implementation requires emphasizing faculty's understanding of research and learning theories.
• Organizational support, faculty mandate, and recognition are crucial for the sustainability of changes in clinical education.