MEDICAL EDUCATION
Notes for the Primary Care Teachers
THE EFFECTIVE TEACHER
EM Khoo MRCGP, FAFPM(Hon), FAMM, Department of Primary Care Medicine, University of Malaya, Malaysia
KS Teoh PhD, Monash University Malaysia
Address for correspondence: Professor Dr Khoo Ee Ming, Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Email: khooem@um.edu.my
Conflict of interest: None
Editor’s note: Dr Teoh Kok Soo was simultaneously Winner of the Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Awards of Monash University in Australia, as well as Monash University Malaysia, in the year 2005
Khoo EM, Teoh kS. The effective teacher. Malaysian Family Physician. 2007;2(3):123-4
Most of us are not taught to be a teacher but a clinician. The motto of ‘see one, do one and teach one’ is still very much practised in our settings. In order to become competent and caring doctors-cum-teachers while living in this era of information explosion, we must learn effective ways to teach. So how can we accomplish that?
Effective teaching emphasises the three-step process of planning, teaching and reflection.1 Planning teaching depends on the learners’ levels, because learners at different levels have different learning needs2 and learning settings. It is paramount to plan and organise teaching material and to present it cogently and imaginatively. Early planning can facilitate maximum student exposure and linkage to clinical practices. Teaching modules and lecture and tutorial material can be uploaded onto a website and updated regularly to reflect the relevance and advances in the topic. Internet-based interactive learning is becoming important now as it allows distance learning and accessibility.
A survey of students and residents in the US indicated that the most important characteristics of ambulatory care teachers were active involvement of learners, promotion of learner autonomy and demonstration of patient care skills.3 An understanding of the principle of adult learning helps the teacher facilitate the process of learning, individualise lessons, and make lessons more learner-centred, active and experiential.4
Learning to use different teaching aids and employing different teaching methods enable a teacher to develop his or her own style of presentation that interests the learners. These methods include clinical teaching, supervisory one-to-one teaching or preceptorship, videotaping consultations and feedback, chart reviews, group clinical audits, examination skills, procedural skills, small and large group teaching, tutorials, reflective practice, peer group discussions, and presentations. Formal training allows clinical teachers to explore the use of appropriate teaching methods.
In addition to this, the teacher needs to employ different teaching skills including establishing rapport, identifying learning opportunities, setting goals, questioning, feedback and reflection to enhance and facilitate teaching.4 In teaching a large group, good classroom management should be practised for all sessions and the seating plan changed for different learning outcomes.
During the process of teaching, the teacher needs to first create a warm atmosphere or establish learner-teacher rapport. Interact with learners but still have command of the class in a group setting and politely encourage learners’ participation, questions and opinions. Stay focused on the limited teaching agenda developed for each teaching encounter and remain learner-centered.5 The teacher has to remain clear in his or her delivery of content. Use questions, role modelling and observation with feedback to promote learning.5
Learners value immediate and clear corrective feedback and discussion on clinical reasoning.1,2,6 Teachers should be able to discuss based on evidence and recent studies and developments or provide references or resources where relevant to facilitate and encourage students to search for related subjects. The teacher should constantly check the students’ understanding of the subjects taught and students should be asked to give examples of application or other clinical scenarios. One should invite constructive criticism and challenge the thinking and ideas brought up while encouraging the students to emulate the same in a learned community and respond positively. Timely constructive feedback increases student motivation and drives learning. Positive suggestions about students’ work indicates both that the teacher cares for his or her students and that their work is worthy of the teacher’s attention, thus gaining students’ trust. This does not mean only praise should be given but any critical matters should be raised in an overall supportive context in which mutual trust and learning content are fulfilled.
