Do students learn more about physical examination of the shoulder if they attend a blended learning module compared to 'traditional' teaching methods?
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN13061552 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN13061552 |
- Submission date
- 24/09/2020
- Registration date
- 02/11/2020
- Last edited
- 09/09/2024
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
The study aims to create better evidence on the role of activating competency-based didactics in course development of physical examination skills in preclinical students. It will find out whether integrating clinical investigation techniques and professional posture in an activating competency-based training session will lead to a greater increase in student competence compared to traditional teaching methods with lecture and case demonstrations. Competencies in the above-mentioned areas are assessed with an examination in which the student is asked to examine a patient with shoulder problems.
Who can participate?
All students of the preclinical semesters who are enrolled at the Medical Faculty of Tübingen University
What does the study involve?
Participants will be randomly allocated to either activating competency-based (intervention group) or traditional teaching curriculum (control group). The activating competency-based intervention comprises a 1.5-hour e-learning module on professional posture and clinical examination as well as the functional anatomy of the shoulder. Next, students in the intervention group attend a 1.5-hour peer learning seminar in which they train examining their peers and give mutual feedback. Participants in the control group will receive a 1.5-hour lecture on shoulder anatomy combined with a patient demonstration by a GP. Next, students in the control group are offered 1.5 hours of free training where shoulder models are available. Participants take an exam after 8 weeks. The exam takes about 25 minutes. Participants are given questionnaires at the start of the study and after the exam. The questionnaires take about
15 minutes to complete.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There is no risk for the participants. A personal benefit for the participants is the learning opportunity (clinical elements for pre-clinicians). In order to compensate for any additional time expenditure, students who have participated in the study and passed the examination may partake in a lottery drawing one iPad in each intervention and control group. Furthermore, all participants will receive two cinema vouchers.
Where is the study run from?
University of Tuebingen at the Tübingen University Hospital (Germany)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
December 2019 to August 2021
Who is funding the study?
Faculty internal ProfilPlus funding University of Tuebingen at the Tübingen University Hospital (Germany)
Who is the main contact?
Dr Roland Koch
roland.koch@med.uni-tuebingen.de
Contact information
Scientific
Institute for General Practice and Interprofessional Care
Osianderstr. 5
Tübingen
72076
Germany
 ORCID ID |
0000-0001-5748-8463 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +49 (0)1758065961 |
| roland.koch@med.uni-tuebingen.de |
Study information
| Study design | Two-armed randomized observer-blinded interventional trial |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study setting(s) | Other |
| Study type | Other |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Transfer of anatomical knowledge in the examination situation for pre-clinical medical students (TraceX): a randomized, controlled study comparing face-to-face teaching and blended learning |
| Study acronym | TraceX |
| Study objectives | Current hypothesis as of 24/03/2021: Preclinical medical students who have completed an activating competency-based learning unit on professional posture, clinical examination skills and basic anatomical knowledge achieve a higher competency score in a simulated shoulder examination than students who have completed the same amount of time in learning modules following traditional teaching methods. Previous hypothesis: Preclinical medical students who have completed a blended learning unit on professional posture, clinical examination skills and basic anatomical knowledge achieve a higher competency score in a simulated shoulder examination than students who have completed the same amount of time in face-to-face learning modules. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Assessed 04/05/2020, the study does not require ethic approval (Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty, Gartenstraße 47, 72074 Tübingen, Germany; +49 7071 29 77661; ethik.kommission@med.uni-tuebingen.de), ref: 231/202BO1 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Effect of activating competency-based learning on a complex shoulder examination requiring professional posture, transfer of anatomical knowledge and clinical examination skills |
| Intervention | Current interventions as of 24/03/2021: Participants (preclinical medical students) will be randomly assigned to either activating competency-based learning (intervention group) or traditional teaching methods. The blended learning intervention comprises a 1.5-h e-learning module on professional posture and clinical examination as well as functional anatomy of the shoulder. Next, students in the intervention arm attend a 1.5-h peer learning seminar in which they train examining their peers and give mutual feedback. Participants in the control arm will receive a 1.5 h lecture on shoulder anatomy combined with a patient demonstration by a GP. Next, students in the control arm are offered 1.5 h of free training where shoulder models are available. Intervention and control at T2 (T0+6 weeks) run parallel and will last 2 weeks in total. They are followed by a 2-day formative exam at T3 (T0+ 8 weeks). For each participant, the exam takes about 25 minutes. In the exam, the effect of the intervention is measured. Participants are given questionnaires at allocation (T0) and after the exam (T4). The questionnaires take about 15 minutes to complete. The randomization is provided using an open-source online randomization tool (RANDI). Previous interventions: Participants (preclinical medical students) will be randomly assigned to either blended-learning (intervention group) or a face-to-face curriculum. The blended learning intervention comprises a 1.5-h e-learning module on professional posture and clinical examination as well as functional anatomy of the shoulder. Next, students in the intervention arm attend a 1.5-h peer learning seminar in which they train examining their peers and give mutual feedback. Participants in the control arm will receive a 1.5 h lecture on shoulder anatomy combined with a patient demonstration by a GP. Next, students in the control arm are offered 1.5 h of free training where shoulder models are available. Intervention and control at T2 (T0+6 weeks) run parallel and will last 2 weeks in total. They are followed by a 2-day formative exam at T3 (T0+ 8 weeks). For each participant, the exam takes about 25 minutes. In the exam, the effect of the intervention is measured. Participants are given questionnaires at allocation (T0) and after the exam (T4). The questionnaires take about 15 minutes to complete. The randomization is provided using an open-source online randomization tool (RANDI). |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | Competency in professional posture, physical examination and anatomical knowledge measured as a combined score of maximum 45 points in an examination situation with an actor patient at T3 (8 weeks) |
| Secondary outcome measures | A newly developed and piloted questionnaire measures the following items at T0 and T4 and uses a pseudonym to measure pre-post development in the following domains: 1. Self-assessed competency level in the three domains (professional posture, anatomical knowledge and clinical examination skills) 2. German inventory on attitudes and assessment of blended learning at T0 and T4 3. Perceived stress questionnaire (PSYINDEX) at T0 and T4 4. Technology affinity (ATI) at T0 only 5. Sociodemographic characteristics at T0 only 6. Attitudes to e-learning and ways to improve the experience, assessed using focus groups with participants at T4 |
| Overall study start date | 01/12/2019 |
| Completion date | 30/08/2021 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Health professional |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 80 (40 per study arm) |
| Total final enrolment | 36 |
| Key inclusion criteria | All preclinical students aged >18 years enrolled at the Medical Faculty of the University of Tübingen |
| Key exclusion criteria | Health status does not allow participation |
| Date of first enrolment | 03/05/2021 |
| Date of final enrolment | 28/05/2021 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Germany
Study participating centres
Medizinische Fakultät
VITA Gebäude
Osianderstr. 5
Tübingen
72076
Germany
Oesterbergstrasse 3
Tübingen
72074
Germany
Sponsor information
Hospital/treatment centre
Medical Faculty
Geissweg 5/1
Tübingen
72076
Germany
| Phone | +49 (0)7071 29 73884 |
|---|---|
| forschung.allgemeinmedizin@med.uni-tuebingen.de | |
| Website | https://www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/en/Homepage.html |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/00pjgxh97 |
Funders
Funder type
Hospital/treatment centre
No information available
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 01/01/2025 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Not expected to be made available |
| Publication and dissemination plan | Planned publication in a high-impact peer-reviewed journal on medical education. Aside from the main article, the researchers plan to publish a study protocol and a mixed-methods evaluation of the secondary outcomes. |
| IPD sharing plan | The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are not expected to be made available due to privacy reasons of the participants. It can be made available upon resonable personal request. It will be saved on user-restricted, ISO27001 certified servers at UKT. |
Editorial Notes
09/09/2024: The intention to publish date was changed from 31/03/2024 to 01/01/2025.
11/12/2023: The intention to publish date was changed from 31/12/2023 to 31/03/2024.
04/09/2023: The intention to publish date was changed from 30/08/2023 to 31/12/2023.
04/07/2023: The intention to publish date was changed from 31/01/2023 to 30/08/2023.
01/12/2022: The intention to publish date was changed from 30/09/2022 to 31/01/2023.
17/12/2021: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The intention to publish date was changed from 31/12/2021 to 30/09/2022.
2. The total final enrolment was added.
24/03/2021: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The condition was changed from "Effect of blended learning on a complex shoulder examination requiring professional posture, transfer of anatomical knowledge and clinical examination skills" to "Effect of activating competency-based learning on a complex shoulder examination requiring professional posture, transfer of anatomical knowledge and clinical examination skills".
2. The interventions were changed.
3. The recruitment end date was changed from 04/05/2021 to 28/05/2021.
4. The recruitment start date was changed from 12/04/2021 to 03/05/2021.
5. The hypothesis was changed.
6. The plain English summary was updated to reflect these changes.
25/09/2020: Trial’s existence confirmed by Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty Universitätsklinikum Tübingen
