Using learning designs to represent and assess reflective learning for undergraduate medical students

Naismith, Laura Michelle (2007). Using learning designs to represent and assess reflective learning for undergraduate medical students. University of Birmingham. M.Phil.

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Abstract

Situated within the broader context of demonstrating professionalism amongst doctors in the UK, this thesis investigates the feasibility of using the IMS Learning Design (LD) specification as a framework for creating and assessing the personal development plans (PDPs) of undergraduate medical students. PDPs provide a documentary representation of the students’ internal reflections on their previous experiences and future learning needs and LD supports the sharing and reuse of learning designs by providing a conceptual vocabulary for describing the active nature of teaching and learning processes. Two main research activities are presented in this thesis. Firstly, a grounded theory analysis of the PDPs of final year medical students at the University of Birmingham was undertaken in order to develop a descriptive activity model of the activities that the students self-select for their own professional development. Secondly, a gap analysis of this model against the LD specification demonstrated that LD provides a sufficiently flexible conceptual vocabulary to describe the students’ PDPs students as learning designs, with some limitations. The findings of these research activities were then considered with respect to how they may be used to inform the design of an LD-based assessment system to facilitate the assessment of reflective learning.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Masters by Research > M.Phil.)

Award Type:

Masters by Research > M.Phil.

Supervisor(s):