A pragmatic approach to introducing mixed methods research training for pharmacy students in Namibia.
Health research training
Mixed methods
Pharmacy education
Qualitative
Quantitative
Journal
Currents in pharmacy teaching & learning
ISSN: 1877-1300
Titre abrégé: Curr Pharm Teach Learn
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101560815
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
02 2020
02 2020
Historique:
received:
25
10
2018
revised:
30
07
2019
accepted:
09
11
2019
entrez:
10
3
2020
pubmed:
10
3
2020
medline:
5
5
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Pharmacy and medical training were introduced for the first time in Namibia in 2011 and 2010 respectively. All students must complete a research project as part of their training, which is supported by various courses in the respective curricula including research methods. Following a revision of the medical curriculum, there was an opportunity to review the way research methods was taught for both degrees, piloting in pharmacy then expanding to other disciplines. An educational activity that was part of the research methods course for training pharmacy students in Namibia is described. The activity described related to a new approach in the running of the research methods course for pharmacy students and included, in a portfolio-based approach, a group project. Students were tasked to collect qualitative data from medical student colleagues that they then needed to codify and ultimately articulate into a survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was subsequently sent out to collect responses on medicines-related items that could be analyzed quantitatively in subsequent teaching sessions. Supportive lectures, tutorials and portfolio assignments were provided during the project. Data were collected the following year to create a more substantive dataset and a screencast video made to benefit future students in the course. Through the course of this activity students developed a questionnaire survey tool based on qualitative responses to brief interviews with medical students and emergent themes based on qualitative analyses. A dataset was created that allowed demonstration of quantitative analyses and extraction of sub-scales from the questionnaire. Further educational resources were developed to ensure sustainability of this educational resource and retention in the taught curriculum. The current article discusses the development, implementation and evaluation of this research methods course component. The application of data collected as part of the activity and its relevance to the educational activity is examined as well as lessons learned for the future running of the project and further evaluation.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Pharmacy and medical training were introduced for the first time in Namibia in 2011 and 2010 respectively. All students must complete a research project as part of their training, which is supported by various courses in the respective curricula including research methods. Following a revision of the medical curriculum, there was an opportunity to review the way research methods was taught for both degrees, piloting in pharmacy then expanding to other disciplines. An educational activity that was part of the research methods course for training pharmacy students in Namibia is described.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING
The activity described related to a new approach in the running of the research methods course for pharmacy students and included, in a portfolio-based approach, a group project. Students were tasked to collect qualitative data from medical student colleagues that they then needed to codify and ultimately articulate into a survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was subsequently sent out to collect responses on medicines-related items that could be analyzed quantitatively in subsequent teaching sessions. Supportive lectures, tutorials and portfolio assignments were provided during the project. Data were collected the following year to create a more substantive dataset and a screencast video made to benefit future students in the course.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Through the course of this activity students developed a questionnaire survey tool based on qualitative responses to brief interviews with medical students and emergent themes based on qualitative analyses. A dataset was created that allowed demonstration of quantitative analyses and extraction of sub-scales from the questionnaire. Further educational resources were developed to ensure sustainability of this educational resource and retention in the taught curriculum.
SUMMARY
The current article discusses the development, implementation and evaluation of this research methods course component. The application of data collected as part of the activity and its relevance to the educational activity is examined as well as lessons learned for the future running of the project and further evaluation.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32147164
pii: S1877-1297(18)30372-1
doi: 10.1016/j.cptl.2019.11.017
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
213-219Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of competing interest None.