A model for curricular quality assessment and improvement

The article describes a systematic assessment model and its potential application to a college's ongoing curricular assessment activities. Each component of the continuous quality improvement model is discussed, including (1) the definition of a competent practitioner, (2) development of the core curricular competencies and course objectives, (3) students' baseline characteristics and educational attainment, (4) implementation of the curriculum, (5) data collection about the students' actual performance on the curriculum, and (6) reassessment of the model and curricular outcomes. Over time, faculty members involved in curricular assessment should routinely reassess the rationale for selecting outcomes; continually explore reliable and valid methods of assessing whether students have reached their learning goals; get legitimate support for assessment activities from faculty members and administration; routinely review curricular content related to attitudinal, behavioral, and knowledge-learning outcomes; and determine what to do with the collected assessment data.     

A multi-instructor, team-based, active-learning exercise to integrate basic and clinical sciences content

Objectives. To introduce a multiple-instructor, team-based, active-learning exercise to promote the integration of basic sciences (pathophysiology, pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry) and clinical sciences in a doctor of pharmacy curriculum.Design. A team-based learning activity that involved pre-class reading assignments, individual-and team-answered multiple-choice questions, and evaluation and discussion of a clinical case, was designed, implemented, and moderated by 3 faculty members from the pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy practice departments.Assessment. Student performance was assessed using a multiple-choice examination, an individual readiness assurance test (IRAT), a team readiness assurance test (TRAT), and a subjective, objective, assessment, and plan (SOAP) note. Student attitudes were assessed using a pre- and post-exercise survey instrument. Students’ understanding of possible correct treatment strategies for depression improved. Students were appreciative of this true integration of basic sciences knowledge in a pharmacotherapy course and to have faculty members from both disciplines present to answer questions. Mean student score on the on depression module for the examination was 80.4%, indicating mastery of the content.Conclusions. An exercise led by multiple instructors improved student perceptions of the importance of team-based teaching. Integrated teaching and learning may be achieved when instructors from multiple disciplines work together in the classroom using proven team-based, active-learning exercises.     

An Assessment Model for Multidisciplinary, Team-Taught Integrated Pharmacy Courses

Objective. To design and implement an assessment model to effectively deliver integrated multidisciplinary team-taught pharmacy courses.Design. An assessment model was developed for an integrated pharmacotherapeutics course that focused on writing detailed learning objectives and matching them to examination questions. Qualitative assessment of learning objectives, course-embedded quantitative assessment, and objective assessments of examinations by subdiscipline were performed.Assessment. This model was assessed through course evaluations, faculty and course coordinator perceptions, and faculty and student focus groups, which provided data that facilitated effective integration and identified gaps and overlaps in content. The assessment of the examinations by discipline and the embedded quantitative assessment results identified previously unassessed and poorly performing objectives. Students believed the course contributed significantly to their professional growth and that it was one of the best-integrated courses, based in part on the improved teaching methods.Conclusions. A systematic assessment model that was developed for the effective delivery of multidisciplinary team-taught courses can be standardized and delivered despite changes in instructors for subsequent course offerings.     

Best Practices Assessment to Guide Curricular Change in a Bachelor of Pharmacy Program

Objectives

To identify best practices in global pharmacy education and curriculum design as the basis for decisions about major curriculum change in an existing 4-year bachelor of pharmacy curriculum.

Design

We investigated international best-practice standards, conducted semi-structured interviews with faculty members, and used standardized instruments to investigate student perceptions of the existing curriculum and how they approached their learning.

Assessment

Faculty recommendations included horizontal and vertical integration of curriculum content to replace the previous discipline-based approach; and a theme-based structure underpinned by a detailed statement of learning outcomes that describe the knowledge, skills, and attitudinal milestones to be achieved each year and by the time of graduation. The triangulation of student survey data highlighted issues that needed to be addressed at the individual course unit level, with a particular focus on feedback, assessment, and workload.

Conclusions

The results of the curriculum review provided clear guidance for decisions relating to major curriculum change. An ongoing program of staff development will address the wide range of learning and teaching issues identified by both staff members and students. The results of our investigation of students'' approaches to learning will also be used to guide staff development workshops, focusing on strategies to promote “meaningful learning.”     

Curriculum Reform in Finnish Pharmacy Education

Objective

To improve pharmacy education through integrating theory and practice, coherent constructively aligned course entities, and enhanced deep-level learning.

Design

The reform was conducted collaboratively with faculty and staff members, students, and stakeholders in pharmacy. The curriculum, syllabus, and teaching methods were assessed through evaluations and research, conducting core content analyses, and measuring the workload of pharmacy education courses. The new curriculum, launched in August 2005, consists of 6 strands, comprised of different courses which run through the entire program.

Assessment

Three years after the introduction of the reformed curriculum, the results of the reform are being evaluated. Ongoing assessments of teaching and learning will reveal how the education at the faculty level has developed since the reform. These assessment procedures are an integral part of the faculty''s quality assurance program.

Conclusion

The integration of practical training and theoretical studies was improved with personal study plans introduced to enhance students’ learning.     

Health Promotion Integrated Into a Thai PharmD Curriculum to Improve Pharmacy Practice Skills

Objective

To implement and evaluate 5 integrated teaching modules in the fifth-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum to increase students'' ability to promote patients'' health as part of their pharmacy practice.

Design

Activity-based learning was added to each module: (1) a practice experience in which students provided health information and counseling to the public; (2) academic debates on current issues in pharmacy (3) journal clubs on articles from the pharmacy literature; and (4) research projects relating to ongoing faculty research on diabetes. Students on 12-week practice experiences had visits to patients in inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, and either primary care units or community pharmacies.

Assessment

Practice examinations at the end of the first semester, the average student score was above 80% as determined by preceptors in experience sites and from faculty members. Group interviews found that students were positive about the benefits of integrated teaching.

Conclusion

The integration of the teaching between modules in the same semester is possible and greatly benefits student learning.     

A Capstone Course with a Comprehensive and Integrated Review of the Pharmacy Curriculum and Student Assessment as a Preparation for Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences

Objective. To create a capstone course that provides a comprehensive and integrated review of the pharmacy curriculum with a broad range of assessment tools to evaluate student knowledge and skills as a final preparation prior to beginning fourth-year advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs).Design. The capstone course was a 4 credit-hour, case-based course. Eight comprehensive cases were assigned to students over the course of the term. The cases were designed to mimic complex clinical scenarios that students were likely to encounter during an APPE. Students were required to prepare a written and oral presentation for each case and were assessed on material covered during the cases. Faculty members presented weekly reviews on selected topics such as calculations, pharmacokinetics, and pharmaceutical compounding. At the end of the course, students took an observed structured clinical examination (OSCE), which simulated the Georgia Board of Pharmacy Practical Examination, and a comprehensive examination designed to mimic the NAPLEX (North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination).Assessment. Evaluation of student outcomes was based on written and verbal presentations of the cases, multiple-choice examinations, a short-answer calculations examination, an “Errors and Omissions” examination, a standardized patient encounter, and pharmaceutical compounding examinations. Ninety-five percent of students successfully passed the course on their first attempt. Student feedback indicated satisfaction with the depth, breadth, and organization of material covered and felt that the course helped prepare them for APPEs.Conclusion. The culminating experience of the capstone course gave students a thorough review of practical, clinical, and communication skills and provided faculty members with feedback regarding the curriculum through robust assessment.     

A Multiyear Analysis of Team-Based Learning in a Pharmacotherapeutics Course

Objectives. To evaluate the impact of team-based learning (TBL) in a pharmacotherapeutics course on pharmacy students’ ratings of faculty instructors and the course, and to assess students’ performance after implementation of team-taught TBL.Design. Teaching methodology in a pharmacotherapeutics course was changed from a lecture with recitation approach in 2 semesters of a 6 credit-hour course to a TBL framework in a 3-semester 3+4+5 credit hour course. The distribution of faculty of instruction was changed from 4 faculty members per week to 1 faculty per 1-credit-hour module. TBL consisted of preclass study preparation, readiness assurance (Individual Readiness Assessment Test and Group Readiness Assessment Test), and in-class application exercises requiring simultaneous team responses.Assessment. Retrospective analysis of student ratings of faculty and instructional methods was conducted for the 2 years pre-TBL and 4 years during TBL. Final course grades were evaluated during the same time period. Student ratings showed progressive improvements over 4 years after the introduction of team-based learning. When aggregated, ratings in the “excellent teacher” category were unchanged with TBL compared to pre-TBL. Improvements in faculty instructor approaches to teaching were noted during TBL. Group grades were consistently higher than individual grades, and aggregate course grades were similar to those prior to TBL implementation.Conclusion. Implementation of TBL in a pharmacotherapeutics course series demonstrated the value of team performance over individual performance, indicated positive student perceptions of teaching approaches by course faculty, and resulted in comparable student performance in final course grades compared to the previous teaching method.     

An Integrated Course in Pain Management and Palliative Care Bridging the Basic Sciences and Pharmacy Practice

Objective. To describe the development of an integrated pain and palliative care course and to investigate the long-term effectiveness of the course during doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students’ advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) and in their practice after graduation.Design. Roseman University College of Pharmacy faculty developed a 3-week elective course in pain and palliative care by integrating relevant clinical and pharmaceutical sciences. Instructional strategies included lectures, team and individual activities, case studies, and student presentations.Assessment. Students who participated in the course in 2010 and 2011 were surveyed anonymously to gain their perception about the class as well as the utility of the course during their APPEs and in their everyday practice. Traditional and nontraditional assessment of students confirmed that the learning outcomes objectives were achieved.Conclusions. Students taking the integrated course on pain management and palliative care achieved mastery of the learning outcome objectives. Surveys of students and practicing pharmacists who completed the course showed that the learning experience as well as retention was improved with the integrated mode of teaching. Integrating basic and clinical sciences in therapeutic courses is an effective learning strategy.     

Team-based Learning in Therapeutics Workshop Sessions

Objectives

To implement team-based learning in the workshop portion of a pathophysiology and therapeutics sequence of courses to promote integration of concepts across the pharmacy curriculum, provide a consistent problem-solving approach to patient care, and determine the impact on student perceptions of professionalism and teamwork.

Design

Team-based learning was incorporated into the workshop portion of 3 of 6 pathophysiology and therapeutics courses. Assignments that promoted team-building and application of key concepts were created.

Assessment

Readiness assurance tests were used to assess individual and team understanding of course materials. Students consistently scored 20% higher on team assessments compared with individual assessments. Mean professionalism and teamwork scores were significantly higher after implementation of team-based learning; however, this improvement was not considered educationally significant. Approximately 91% of students felt team-based learning improved understanding of course materials and 93% of students felt teamwork should continue in workshops.

Conclusion

Team-based learning is an effective teaching method to ensure a consistent approach to problem-solving and curriculum integration in workshop sessions for a pathophysiology and therapeutics course sequence.     

Measuring PreAdvanced Practice Experience Outcomes as Part of a PharmD Capstone Experience

Objective: To describe a capstone experience to: 1) assess student preparedness for Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE) and 2) provide program-level assessment data.Design: A capstone course was added immediately prior to APPEs. All capstone activities emphasized application and integration and were mapped to ACPE Appendix D, which details performance abilities expected of students prior to APPEs. Eleven learning activities comprising 20 assessments were created. Each assessment was pass/fail; students had to pass 15 of 20 assessments to pass the capstone course. Evaluation rubrics emphasized formative feedback for students.Assessment: The capstone experience was delivered 4 times over 4 consecutive years. One student did not pass; 55-68% of the students passed all activities. Program-level assessment data provided details on individual student preparedness prior to APPE, important information for accreditation, and basis for curriculum revisions.Conclusion: A capstone experience can be a valuable addition to a PharmD curriculum. Capstone activities incorporating authentic assessments provide important program-level assessment data for colleges/schools of pharmacy.     

天然药物化学课程改革的实践与探讨

针对天然药物化学理论知识抽象、难懂等特点及传统课程教学存在的问题,结合军队院校特点,本文从不同方面提出了相关改革策略.通过教学内容的与时俱进、教学手段的丰富多样及考核方式形成性评价的引用,提高了学员的积极性,期末及格率、优秀率均高于去年,学员满意率100％,教员教学评价排名领先.为今后的天然药物化学金课建设提供了新的思...     

Incorporating Ethics Content Throughout an Integrated Pharmacy Curriculum

Objective. To incorporate ethics content into nine courses across three years of the didactic pharmacy curriculum and in introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences to ensure Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students are prepared to address ethical issues.Methods. A free-standing, one-credit ethics course from the existing curriculum was eliminated. Partnering with course directors from nine required PharmD courses across all three years of the didactic curriculum and with the Office of Experiential Education, an Integrated Ethics syllabus was created that provided each class of approximately 170 students with at least one credit of didactic ethics instruction and added ethics activities to the experiential curriculum. Learning approaches included lecture, case analysis, and discussion with preceptors. Assessment approaches included written case analyses, tests with multiple-choice and true/false questions, case vignette-based short-answer essay questions, and student discussions with preceptors.Results. The newly integrated curriculum provided students with opportunities to discuss and apply ethics concepts several times throughout their coursework. The integration also ensured that ethics topics were relevant to the material students were learning in the host course at the time. The majority of students consistently rated the ethics sessions as useful, but some found the repeated application of the ethics problem-solving framework to be tedious and duplicative.Conclusion. It is possible to embed ethics topics within different courses in the PharmD curriculum rather than offering a stand-alone ethics course at a single point in the curriculum. Challenges remain to assessing students’ ability to apply ethics principles once they are presented.     

Assessment of Students’ Critical-Thinking and Problem-Solving Abilities Across a 6-Year Doctor of Pharmacy Program

Objective. To determine the feasibility of using a validated set of assessment rubrics to assess students’ critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities across a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum.Methods. Trained faculty assessors used validated rubrics to assess student work samples for critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities. Assessment scores were collected and analyzed to determine student achievement of these 2 ability outcomes across the curriculum. Feasibility of the process was evaluated in terms of time and resources used.Results. One hundred sixty-one samples were assessed for critical thinking, and 159 samples were assessed for problem-solving. Rubric scoring allowed assessors to evaluate four 5- to 7-page work samples per hour. The analysis indicated that overall critical-thinking scores improved over the curriculum. Although low yield for problem-solving samples precluded meaningful data analysis, it was informative for identifying potentially needed curricular improvements.Conclusions. Use of assessment rubrics for program ability outcomes was deemed authentic and feasible. Problem-solving was identified as a curricular area that may need improving. This assessment method has great potential to inform continuous quality improvement of a PharmD program.     

A Self‐Assessment Guide for Resident Teaching Experiences

The 2015 American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Educational Affairs Committee was charged with developing a self‐assessment guide for residency programs to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the outcomes of resident teaching curricula. After extensively reviewing the literature, the committee developed assessment rubrics modeled after the 2013 ACCP white paper titled “Guidelines for Resident Teaching Experiences” and the revised American Society of Health‐System Pharmacists (ASHP) 2014 accreditation standards for PGY1 residencies, which place greater emphasis on the teaching and learning curriculum (TLC) than the previous accreditation standards. The self‐assessment guide developed by the present committee can serve as an assessment tool for both basic and expanded TLCs. It provides the criteria for program goals, mentoring, directed readings with topic discussions, teaching experiences, and assessment methodology. For an expanded TLC, the committee has provided additional guidance on developing a teaching philosophy, becoming involved in interactive seminars, expanding teaching experiences, developing courses, and serving on academic committees. All the guidelines listed in the present paper use the measures “not present,” “developing,” and “well developed” so that residency program directors can self‐assess along the continuum and identify areas of excellence and areas for improvement. Residency program directors should consider using this new assessment tool to measure program quality and outcomes of residency teaching experiences. Results of the assessment will help residency programs focus on areas within the TLC that will potentially benefit from additional attention and possible modification.     

Heart of Pharmacy: A Course Exploring the Psychosocial Issues of Patient Care

Objective

To implement and assess the impact of a course utilizing reflective learning to explore the complex, psychosocial human issues encountered in pharmacy practice.

Design

A 1-credit-hour elective course, The Heart of Pharmacy, was offered to all pharmacy students. The course utilized both content and reflective techniques to produce a mutual exploratory learning experience for students, staff, and faculty members. Faculty and staff facilitators observed competencies and used a single group posttest design to assess students’ attitudes. In year four, students’ written reflections for each session were added and reviewed on a continuous basis throughout the course.

Assessment

Faculty and staff observations indicated that educational outcomes were achieved and student perceptions and evaluations of the course were highly positive. Three major themes were identified in the students’ qualitative responses: a recognition of communal support among student and faculty colleagues; a grounding for personal growth and professional formation; a deeper insight into and experience with the role of the pharmacist as compassionate listener and caregiver.

Conclusion

Faculty observations of student competencies and students’ perceptions of this course point to the need for pharmacy education to provide organized, structured reflective learning opportunities for students and faculty members to explore the deeper human issues of pharmacy practice and patient care.     

Redesign and Evaluation of a Patient Assessment Course

Objectives

To redesign a patient assessment course using a structured instructional design process and evaluate student learning.

Design

Course coordinators collaborated with an instructional design and development expert to incorporate new pedagogical approaches (eg, Web-based self-tests), create new learning activities (eg, peer collaboration on worksheets, SOAP note writing), and develop grading rubrics.

Assessment

Formative and summative surveys were administered for student self-assessment and course evaluation. Seventy-six students (78%) completed the summative survey. The mean course grade was 91.8% ± 3.6%, with more than 75% of students reporting achievement of primary course learning objectives. All of the additional learning activities helped students meet the learning objectives with the exception of the written drug information response.

Conclusion

The use of a structured instructional design process to redesign a patient assessment course was successful in creating a curriculum that succeeded in teaching students the specified learning objectives. Other colleges and schools are encouraged to collaborate with an instructional design and development expert to improve the pharmacy curriculum.     

Substance Abuse Integration in Nursing Education: An Innovative Collaborative Model

This paper reports the outcomes of a 3-year faculty development project, the Nursing School Education Collaborative (NSEC), implemented in four baccalaureate schools of nursing. The focus of the NSEC was to strengthen educational programs through faculty development and curriculum integration in the area of substance abuse and addictions education. A comprehensive needs assessment process is outlined, and faculty development and curriculum integration activities are detailed. Faculty development has resulted in significant improvements in each school's substance abuse curriculum. Outcomes at each participating school have included continuing education activities, acquisition of additional teaching resources, the development of an integration model, and increased curriculum and clinical contact hours. With the increasing recognition of substance abuse as a number one public health problem and nursing as a major health workforce, this project serves as a model for replication.