141 General discussion and deciding on a course of action to facilitate the active learning process. While these findings acknowledge the need for extensive general competencies, they also demonstrate the need for contextual awareness, since teachers themselves, their students, and the courses they are involved in may influence student engagement in an active learning process. Taken together, the theory we constructed encourages faculty development initiatives to adopt a comprehensive, context-sensitive approach to prepare (new) medical teachers to teach in ways that engage students optimally. Faculty development perspective on active learning The faculty development perspective on active learning was addressed in Chapter 6. This chapter reported on a Design-Based Research study in which we designed, implemented, and evaluated a training for new medical teachers in a small-group active learning course (36). The design of the training was informed by findings from our previous studies. We collected quantitative data through surveys and qualitative data through observations and interviews. The training focused on stimulating the transfer of knowledge and skills from the training to participants’ teaching practice, as previous research identified that transfer is often less than optimal. We integrated Self-Directed Learning with on-thejob and off-the-job learning activities and found that this approach stimulated transfer in three ways: 1) autonomy in creating personal learning objectives and learning process increased motivation to transfer, 2) peer, supervisor, and student support encouraged the adoption of new teaching strategies, 3) integrating on-the-job experiences and off-the-job meetings promoted a continuous learning cycle of experiencing, reflecting, understanding, and applying. Based on the findings, we concluded that the design was feasible, effective, and responsive to the needs of the participants. It stimulated the transfer of active learning competencies to the teaching practices of new medical teachers. This study provided insights into how faculty development initiatives can efficiently support teachers in implementing active learning. Synthesis of findings: an integrated perspective on active learning implementation The findings from the three perspectives underscore the central problem addressed in this thesis: while active learning can enhance student learning in medical education, it requires student engagement, which can be difficult to achieve. However, our findings also inform a way forward. The interaction between students and teachers was repeatedly identified as a critical factor for optimal student engagement. We have uncovered new insights that can enhance this process. Faculty development can support teachers in developing their competencies in this interaction process through targeted training. Figure 7.1 visualizes how we combined the findings from the three perspectives into an integrated perspective. 7
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