How Specific Instructional Design Elements Influence the Experience of Case-Based Collaborative Learning in a Mexican...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Instructional Design
• Active Learning Strategies

Background:

• Case-based collaborative learning (CBCL) promotes active learning (AL) by having students independently acquire knowledge and then collaboratively apply it to case scenarios.
• The implementation of AL strategies like CBCL is influenced by local and cultural contexts, posing challenges in higher education settings dominated by traditional lecture-based instruction.
• This study investigated the feasibility of implementing CBCL at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico, a context where passive learning methods are prevalent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility and impact of implementing Case-based collaborative learning (CBCL) in a virtual evidence-based medicine (EBM) course for medical students in Mexico.
• To assess the influence of CBCL on students' knowledge and attitudes compared to traditional lecture-based instruction.
• To identify instructional design (ID) elements within CBCL that foster student motivation, guided by self-determination theory.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design with an explanatory mixed-method approach was employed.
• Ninety-nine fourth-year medical students were divided into a CBCL group and a lecture-based comparison group, covering identical EBM content.
• Assessments included course exams, surveys, and focus groups to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and the intervention's impact and feasibility, followed by thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Both CBCL and lecture groups demonstrated comparable knowledge acquisition, with no significant difference in exam scores.
• Thematic analysis revealed that instructional design elements promoting autonomy, competence, and relatedness in CBCL were positively associated with students' intrinsic motivation.
• Specific ID elements like clear objectives, readiness assessments, problem-solving, and collaborative work were key factors influencing student perception and motivation.

Conclusions:

• Case-based collaborative learning (CBCL) is a feasible and valued instructional method for medical students in Mexico, even those accustomed to lecture-based learning.
• A conceptual model was developed, linking specific CBCL instructional design elements to motivational domains based on self-determination theory.
• This model provides guidance for educators aiming to adapt CBCL or similar active learning approaches to diverse local contexts and informs future research directions.