Continued Multidisciplinary Project-based Learning – Implementation in Health Informatics

Summary

Objectives: Problem- and project-based learning are approved methods to train students, graduates and post-graduates in scientific and other professional skills. The students are trained on realistic scenarios in a broader context. For students specializing in health informatics we introduced continued multidisciplinary project-based learning (CM-PBL) at a department of medical informatics. The training approach addresses both students of medicine and students of computer science.

Methods: The students are full members of an ongoing research project and develop a project-related application or module, or explore or evaluate a sub-project. Two teachers guide and review the students’ work. The training on scientific work follows a workflow with defined milestones. The team acts as peer group. By participating in the research team’s work the students are trained on professional skills.

Results: A research project on a web-based information system on hospitals built the scenario for the realistic context. The research team consisted of up to 14 active members at a time, who were scientists and students of computer science and medicine. The well communicated educational approach and team policy fostered the participation of the students. Formative assessment and evaluation showed a considerable improvement of the students’ skills and a high participant satisfaction.

Conclusions: Alternative education approaches such as project-based learning empower students to acquire scientific knowledge and professional skills, especially the ability of life-long learning, multidisciplinary team work and social responsibility.

Keywords

Education - learning models - project-based learning - problem-based Learning - medical informatics

• References

• 1 Recommendations of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) on Education in Health and Medical Informatics. Methods Inf Med 2000; 39: 267-277.
• 2 Staggers N, Gassert CA, Skiba DJ. Health Professionals’ Views of Informatics Education: Findings from the AMIA 1999 Spring Conference. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2000; 7: 550-558.
• 3 Rugarcia A, Felder RM, Woods DR, Stice JE. The Future of Engineering Education I. A Vision for a New Century. Chem Engr Education 2000; 34: 16-25.
• 4 Moehr JR, Berenji GR, Green CJ, Kagolovsky Y. Project-Based Teaching in Health Informatics: A Course on Health Care Quality Improvement. In: Patel V, Rogers R, Haux R. (eds). MEDINFO 2001. Proceedings of the 10th World Congress on Medical Informatics. Amsterdam: IOS; 2001. pp 1061-1065.
• 5 Haux R, Ammenwerth E, Häber A, Hübner-Bloder G, Knaup-Gregori P, Lechleitner G, Leiner F, Weber R, Winter A, Wolff AC. Medical Informatics Education needs Information System Practicums in Health Care Settings Experiences and Lessons Learnt from 32 Practicums at Four Universities in Two Countries. Methods Inf Med 2006; 45: 294-299.
• 6 Donnelly R, Fitzmaurice M. Collaborative project-based learning and problem-based learning in higher education: A consideration of tutor and student roles in learner-focused strategies. In: O’Neill G, Moore S, McMullin B. (eds). Emerging Issues in the Practice of University Learning and Teaching. Dublin: AISHE; 2005. pp 87-98.
• 7 Weßel C, Karakas G, Ißler L, Weymann F, Palm S, Spreckelsen C, Spitzer K. Ceres – ein Instrument zur webbasierten Darstellung, Pflege und Visualisie-rung von Krankenhausinformationen. In: Koepcke W. (ed). Informatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie in Medizin und Biologie. Abstracts der 48. Jahrestagung der GMDS, 14.-19. Sept. 2003. Jena: Urban und Fischer Verlag; 2003. pp 361-362.
• 8 Weßel C, Weymann F, Spreckelsen C. A Framework for the Web-based Multi-method Evaluation of a Web-based Information System on Hospitals. In: Löffler M, Winter A. (eds). 51. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie (GMDS). Klinische Forschung vernetzen. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2006. Doc 06gmds015. http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/gmds2006/06gmds226.shtml. Published: 01-09–2006.
• 9 Slavin RE. Research on Cooperative Learning and Achievement: What We Know, What We Need to Know. Contemporary Educational Psychology 1996; 21: 43-69.
• 10 Felder RM, Woods DR, Stice JE, Rugarcia A. The Future of Engineering Education II. Teaching Methods That Work. Chem Engr Education 2000; 34: 26-39.
• 11 Bleimann U. Atlantis University – A New Pedagogical Approach beyond E-Learning. In: Furmell S, Dowland P. (eds). INC 2004 Conference Proceedings. Plymouth, INC 2004. pp 553-560.
• 12 Merseth KK. The Early History of Case-Based Instruction: Insights for Teacher Education Today. Journal of Teacher Education 1991; 42: 243-249.
• 13 Neufeld VR, Barrows HS. The ‘McMaster Philosophy’: An Approach to Medical Education. Journal of Medical Education 1974; 49: 1040-1050.
• 14 Hasman A, Boshuizen HPA. Medical Informatics and Problem-based Learning. Methods Inf Med 2001; 40: 78-82.
• 15 Van der Vleuten CPM. et al. Education Research at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Maastricht: Fostering the interrelationship between professional and education practice. Academic Medicine 2004; 79: 990-996.
• 16 Pape B, Bleek WG, Jackewitz I, Janneck M. Requirements for Project-Based Learning – CommSy as an Exemplary Approach. In: Sprague RH. editor. Proceedings of the 35th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Los Alamitos: 2002
• 17 Haux R. et al. An international course on strategic information management for medical informatics students: aim, content, structure, and experiences. Int J Med Inf 2004; 73: 97-100.
• 18 Jaspers MWM. et al. An international course on strategic information management for medical informatics students: international perspectives and evaluation. Int J Med Inf 2004; 73: 807-815.
• 19 Demiris G. Interdisciplinary innovations in biomedical and health informatics graduate education. Methods Inf Med 2007; 46: 63-66.
• 20 Rosa RS. et al. Using Computer and Internet-based Resources to Teach Health Care Planning and Administration in an Undergraduate Medical Program. Methods Inf Med 2006; 45: 316-320.
• 21 Weßel C. ISG Research Group. Continued Multi-disciplinary Project-based Learning (CM-PBL) 2002-2007. Project Report. Aachen: RWTH Aachen, Department of Medical Informatics 2007
• 22 Seifert JK. Visualization, Presentation, Moderation. A Practical guide to successful presentation and the Facilitation of Business Processes. 2nd edition. NJ: Wiley; 2002
• 23 DeMarco T, Lister T. Peopleware. Productive Projects and Teams. 2nd Edition. New York: Dorset House Publishing Co.; 1998
• 24 Heinze A, Procter C. Online Communication and Information Technology Education. Journal of Information Technology Education 2006; 5: 235-249.
• 25 Deininger M, Lichter H, Ludewig J, Schneider K. Studien-Arbeiten: ein Leitfaden zur Vorbereitung, Durchführung und Betreuung von Studien-, Diplom- und Doktorarbeiten am Beispiel Informatik. 4. Auflage. Zürich: Vdf Hochschulverlag; 2002
• 26 Levi D. Group Dynamics for Teams. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 2007
• 27 Knaup P. et al. Medical Informatics Specialists: What are their Job Profiles? Results of a Study on the First 1024 Medical Informatics Graduates of the Universities of Heidelberg and Heilbronn. Methods Inf Med 2003; 42: 578-587.
• 28 Ißler L, Spreckelsen C, Weßel C. Implementing Software Development Guidelines in a Medical Informatics Research Project. Methods Inf Med 2007; 46: 641-645.
• 29 Weßel C, Christoph U, Geisler S. Efficient Quality Assurance in Process Models – An Example: The Combination of Team Reviews and Pass Arounds. In: Höhn R, Petrasch R, Linssen O. (eds). Vorgehensmodelle und der Product Life-cycle – Projekt und Betrieb von IT-Lösungen. 15. Workshop der Fachgruppe WI-VM der Gesellschaft für Informatik e. V. (GI). Aachen: Shaker; 2008. pp 176-189.
• 30 Lungeanu D. et al. Developing an interactive approach in teaching medical informatics. Stud Health Technol Inform 2006; 124: 885-890.