SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING IN A PSYCHOPATHOLOGY COURSE

Self-directed learning has been identified as an essential element of professional development. In this approach, students receive in advanc e a complete set of objectives and didactic knowledge (cognitive) lear ning materials, are provided opportunities to develop skills with actu al or simulated clinical experiences, and adapt a broad and flexible a way of educational media to their individual learning styles. In the d evelopment of a self-directed psychopathology course for second-year m edical students, the authors incorporated four modifications to the tr aditional lecture and small group (faculty-directed) approach: 1) inde pendent (self-directed) learning with no prescribed study times or seq uence to the material, 2) use of student and faculty-directed intervie ws of patients, 3) greater freedom for selecting teaching methods in s mall groups, and 4) elimination of formal lectures. The authors descri be the educational results with such an approach.