#TXCME15

Brian S McGowan, PhD Chief Learning Officer

ArcheMedX, Inc.

@briansmcgowan

Do CME Learners Really Differ Across Generations?

#TXCME15

Objectives:

Following this session attendees should be prepared to:

1. explore (through an interactive discussion) the question, how do CME learners really learn?

2. describe 4 natural actions learners rely on while consuming educational content

3. identify best practices to mitigate the extraneous load learners confront in traditional learning environments

4. design critical strategies that can be incorporated into your educational program/activities to support more effective and efficient learning

5. recognize similarities and differences of learners across generations

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Critical Take-Aways:

1. The Cognitive Load of learners is a critical bottleneck that limits the impact of educational interventions or learning experiences.

2. The Learning Actions Model is an novel instructional design technique that frees up working memory by minimizing extraneous load

3. Leveraging Agile Education Design ensures that the learning experience and the learning environment are refined and optimized over time

4. …apply these insights to decide whether generational differences materially impact learning effectiveness

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The Evolution of Educational Interventions

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The Evolution of Educational Interventions

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The Evolution of Educational Interventions

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The Evolution of Educational Interventions

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The Evolution of Educational Interventions

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The Challenges of Cognitive Load

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Subsystem model of memory (1968)

+ or -

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Working Memory and Cognitive Load (1988)

1. Working memory can only process seven elements of information at any given time.

2. Working memory creates a ‘‘bottleneck’’ for learning.

3. When the cognitive load associated with a task exceeds the learner’s WM capacity, performance and learning is impaired.

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Deconstructing the “Load” Bottleneck

Schemata construction:

1. Activating prior knowledge;

2. Comparing new information with what they already know

3. Elaborating knowledge

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Understanding why the firehose fails…

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What’s load got to do with it…

Intrinsic load: relationship between content and learner

Extraneous load: environment of learning/teaching

Germane load: attention or motivation

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Overcoming the “Load” Bottleneck

Intrinsic Load:

“intrinsic load cannot be altered by instructional interventions without either simplifying the task to be learned or first enhancing the expertise of the learners by providing preparatory training prior to the task.”

Extraneous Load:

1. Instructional Design

2. Structured Information

3. Content Presentation

4. Learning Environment

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Pacing Information Consumption: Rhythm

Rate and rhythm science

• Density • Intensity • Dead-spots • Complexity

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Reflection Point #1

Do you believe that the memory science is affected by

age/generational differences?

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Extraneous Load and The Natural Learning Actions

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One outstanding (undermining) assumption

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Do Learners Know How to Learn?

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RESEARCH: How do learners learn?

Interviewed ~300 clinician* learners to:

1. Deconstruct the‘process of learning’

2. Explore the how and when

3. Assess how effective and efficient learners were at the‘process of learning’

* Cohort included physicians, residents, medical students, specialists, generalist, & allied health professionals

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What Did We Find? = The Natural Learning Actions

There are 4 generally acknowledged actions learners believe drives effective learning

Education planning, development, and delivery that does not support the 4 Natural Learning Actions is at risk of remaining ‘minimally effective’

(2013)

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Natural Learning Actions: Note Taking

Learners acknowledge a jerry-rigged system of notebooks, index cards, post-its, and spare paper/pads.

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Natural Learning Actions: Reminders

Learners acknowledge a failed framework that includes calendars, to-do lists, dogged-eared notebook pages, and emails.

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Natural Learning Actions: Search

Learners acknowledge that as new questions arise within the learning process their attention becomes fragmented as they struggle to search for answers.

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Natural Learning Actions: Nudges

Learners acknowledge that they often look to faculty and/or other learners to nudge their own process of learning (how/when they take notes, set reminders, and search).

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The Natural Learning Actions: A Requisite, But Unevolved, Skillset

4 Natural Learning Actions

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Impact on Educational Planning

Experience must be structured to simplify learning and centralize the natural learning actions

Planners MUST measure if and how learning is occurring

Planners MUST react to what is or isn’t working…

Learning Actions Model

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Reflection Point #2

Do you believe that the process of learning is affected by

age/generational differences?

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Getting Better Over Time: The Advent of Agile Educational Design

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Educational Planning

Is educational planning an “end point” or a “process”?

VERSUS

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There’s never been a perfect activity…

Given the challenges of the cognitive learning process (i.e., intrinsic load, extraneous load, germane load…)

Given the complexity of instructional design, structured information, content presentation, learning environment, and unevolved natural learning actions

Given the heterogeneity of audiences, teams, and/or culture

Our activities will NEVER be perfect right out of the gate… ergo, it is a process!

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The Importance of “Agile Education Design”?

Agile Planning Loops

An umbrella term for a planning/operations approach that is viewed as ‘on-going’ and broken into smaller pieces flexible enough to be refined as data dictates…

Learning Actions Model

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1. You must be able to measure

2. You must be able to analyze

3. You must be able to adapt

3 Critical Elements of Agile Education Design

1. You must be able to measure

2. You must be able to analyze

3. You must be able to adapt

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1. The more (good) data, the better…

Pre- and post-test data

Intra-activity polling

Follow-on survey

Question-specific data

• Answer-option specific data

Learning action data

Social learning data

Team performance data?

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2. Data is not informative without analysis!

Predefine your intended datasets

Operate within your limitations.

Identify the requisite resources and competencies

Can you claim causality?

Are you generating new hypotheses?

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3. How ‘agile’ are your activities?

Is change possible? 1. Content 2. Experience (environment) 3. Measurements

Do you have requisite resources/competencies?

Productivity/Efficiency?

VERSUS

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Agile Design Ensures Improved Outcomes

Launch

Adapt 1

Adapt 2

Adapt 3

SMART Goal

Reconciliation TIME

IMPA

CT

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Summarize Agile Education Design in IPE

1. Measure – the more (good) data, the better

2. Analyze – but only if you are prepared to analyze and interpret these data

3. Adapt – and only if you are able to refine and enhance the activities

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Agile Design Ensures Optimal Load Reduction

Is extraneous load being minimized?

• Better design

• Better structure

• Better content

• Better environment

Are learners’ intrinsic loads being optimized?

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Reflection Point #3

Do you believe that an agile educational planning process can be used to identify, verify, and address

age/generational differences (efficiently)?

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(my) Summary and (your) Conclusions

Memory Science Deconstructed Process of Learning

Agile Educational Design

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Generational Differences?

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Brian S McGowan, PhD Chief Learning Officer

ArcheMedX, Inc.

@briansmcgowan

Do CME Learners Really Differ Across Generations?