Structured packs for independent learning: a comparison of learning outcome and acceptability with conventional teaching

Objectives The GMC recommends that students become independent learners, wh ile tutor time is an increasingly precious resource. A set of structured le arning materials requiring students to undertake and reflect on practical t asks in five learning areas was developed. Design The study used a randomized control trial to evaluate the effectiven ess of using these structured learning materials in place of conventional t eaching for 228 third-year undergraduate students and 55 teachers, on both hospital and community based medical and general practice firms. Evaluation involved assessing student performance on an examination question and a wr iting task, together with a student and tutor satisfaction questionnaire. Setting King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London. Subjects Third-year medical (first-year clinical) undergraduates Results No significant difference in learning outcome was found for student s on community- and hospital-based medical and general practice firms betwe en students who had used the structured materials and those who had had con ventional teaching on the same topic. The packs were acceptable to tutors a nd students. Conclusions Such resources represent a mid-point between formal didactic te aching and self-directed learning. They may be particularly suitable for pr omoting independent learning for students on traditional medical courses. T hey offer an appropriate way to cover certain topics in the clinical curric ulum and help to protect tutor time for topics which cannot be effectively taught in other ways.