International Research in Higher Education
Adapting a Small Group Communication Quality Assessment to New Contexts
Abstract
Objectives: Small group learning is a well-established medical education strategy for cultivating essential communication skills. Yet, how best to measure communication quality in these groups remains understudied. The objective of this study was to adapt a communication methodology (Communication Quality Analysis) to medical education small group setting.
Methods: This was an observational study of Preclinical Medical Humanities small group discussions. Groups were recruited by convenience sampling. Audio-recordings of 12 sessions (3 groups; n=22 students and 3 facilitators) were transcribed and analyzed using Communication Quality Analysis. Three coders assessed communication quality by assigning numeric scores based on how well participants accomplished communication goals within five domains: content, engagement, relationship, emotion and identity. Dialogue was coded every five minutes for each domain, resulting in 2,658 data points for analysis. Coder reliability was assessed using intra-class correlations. Variance components were assessed using a generalized linear model.
Results: CQA was successfully adapted to the small group education context. High inter-rater reliability was established for each of five communication quality domains (ICC range 0.875 to 0.98). Variability in scores the relationship and identity scores was based primarily on the duration of class (ie. 5 minutes into class versus 35 minutes into class). Variability in the content, emotion, and engagement scores was based primarily on the the participant (who was speaking). Considerable variability in domain scores was observed between participants, suggesting that the assessment is sensitive enough to detect nuanced differences between participants.
Conclusions: Our study shows that CQA is reliable when adapted to medical education small groups.
Full Text:
PDFReferences
S. Kinkade, "A snapshot of the status of problem-based learning in U. S. medical schools, 2003-04," Acad Med, vol. 80, pp. 300-1, Mar 2005.
D. F. Christopher, K. Harte, and C. F. George, "The implementation of Tomorrow's Doctors," Med Educ, vol. 36, pp. 282-8, Mar 2002.
H. G. Schmidt, L. Vermeulen, and H. T. van der Molen, "Longterm effects of problem-based learning: a comparison of competencies acquired by graduates of a problem-based and a conventional medical school," Med Educ, vol. 40, pp. 562-7, Jun 2006.
G. C. Koh, H. E. Khoo, M. L. Wong, and D. Koh, "The effects of problem-based learning during medical school on physician competency: a systematic review," CMAJ, vol. 178, pp. 34-41, Jan 01 2008.
S. Edmunds and G. Brown, "Effective small group learning: AMEE Guide No. 48," Medical teacher, vol. 32, pp. 715-726, 2010.
H. A. Ferris, "The Use of Small Group Tutorials as an Educational Strategy in Medical Education," International Journal of Higher Education, vol. 4, p. 225, 2015.
R. Englander, T. Cameron, A. J. Ballard, J. Dodge, J. Bull, and C. A. Aschenbrener, "Toward a common taxonomy of competency domains for the health professions and competencies for physicians," Acad Med, vol. 88, pp. 1088-94, Aug 2013.
Z. de Jong, J. A. van Nies, S. W. Peters, S. Vink, F. W. Dekker, and A. Scherpbier, "Interactive seminars or small group tutorials in preclinical medical education: results of a randomized controlled trial," BMC medical education, vol. 10, p. 79, 2010.
D. L. Roter, J. A. Hall, D. E. Kern, L. R. Barker, K. A. Cole, and R. P. Roca, "Improving physicians' interviewing skills and reducing patients' emotional distress. A randomized clinical trial," Arch Intern Med, vol. 155, pp. 1877-84, Sep 25 1995.
A. Scott, "Communication about end-of-life health decisions," Communication Yearbook, vol. 38, pp. 242-277, 2014 2014.
D. A. Davis, P. E. Mazmanian, M. Fordis, R. Van Harrison, K. E. Thorpe, and L. Perrier, "Accuracy of physician self-assessment compared with observed measures of competence: a systematic review," JAMA, vol. 296, pp. 1094-102, Sep 06 2006.
J. P. Caughlin, "A multiple goals theory of personal relationships: Conceptual integration and program overview," Journal of social and personal relationships, vol. 27, p. 824, 09 2010.
A. M. Scott, & Caughlin, J. P., "Enacted goal attention in family conversations about end-of-life health decisions. ," Communication Monographs, vol. 81, pp. 261-284, 2014.
L. J. Van Scoy, A. M. Scott, J. M. Reading, C. H. Chuang, V. M. Chinchilli, B. H. Levi, et al., "From Theory to Practice: Measuring end-of-life communication quality using multiple goals theory," Patient Educ Couns, vol. 100, pp. 909-918, May 2017.
A. M. Scott and J. P. Caughlin, "Managing multiple goals in family discourse about end-of-life health decisions," Research on Aging, vol. 34, pp. 670-691, 2012-11-20 2012.
A. M. Scott, "Family conversations about end-of-life health decisions," AAI3452207, 2011.
K. D. Royal, "Four tenets of modern validity theory for medical education assessment and evaluation," Adv Med Educ Pract, vol. 8, pp. 567-570, 2017.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/irhe.v3n2p61
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
International Research in Higher Education ISSN 2380-9183 (Print) ISSN 2380-9205 (Online)
Copyright © Sciedu Press
To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add ‘sciedupress.com’ domain to your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', please check your 'spam' or 'junk' folder.