14 Chapter 1 initiatives in medical education regularly address this topic (5,72). Research shows that faculty development can indeed develop relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes of teachers (72–74). However, additional literature shows that it can be difficult for teachers to implement the lessons learned from these initiatives in their teaching practice (75). Various factors have been identified that contribute to this difficulty, such as that teachers may not receive the necessary time or support to apply their newly acquired competencies or that classrooms are not designed to accommodate active learning (5,76). Thus, even when teachers have mastered competencies related to active learning, other factors can hinder its implementation. In conclusion, active learning has been adopted by medical education, leading to enhanced student learning. However, its implementation could be improved. To fully harness the benefits of active learning in medical education, it is imperative to delve deeper into the challenges of student engagement from the three perspectives described in this section. First, by investigating the students’ perspectives on active learning: given that students generally appreciate active learning, but their engagement may vary, how can their engagement be optimized? Second, by investigating the teachers’ perspectives: given their pivotal role in student engagement, which knowledge, skills, and attitudes are essential for engaging students in active learning methods? Third, by investigating a faculty development perspective: given that faculty development can be effective in developing teachers’ competencies, how can the transfer of these competencies from training to practice be stimulated? By addressing the challenges highlighted here, we can fill knowledge gaps and medical teachers can better stimulate the learning of their students and prepare them for a future as healthcare professionals. Overarching aim and central research question The overarching aim of this thesis is to further enhance student learning in medical education through the implementation of active learning, focusing on student engagement in small-group learning settings. To this end, the central research question of this thesis is: “How can medical teachers be supported in implementing small-group active learning into their teaching practices in such a way that student engagement is optimized?” Context of the research Medical education in the Netherlands starts with a three-year Bachelor’s program, followed by a three-year Master’s program (77). The programs are designed to meet the end qualifications outlined in a national framework (78). These end qualifications integrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and are aligned with the CanMEDS framework (79). The studies in this thesis were conducted in the Bachelor’s phase of medical training at the Medical Faculty of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
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