Student centered learning strategies in higher education - scoping review and application to international learning collaboration

Health care education is nowadays based on student-centred learning methods. One reason is that these methods seem to support the integration of theoretical knowledge and practical skills and help students to develop into proactive learners. They also seem to produce better-motivated students and improve satisfaction (Hung, Lam & Chow, 2020), student engagement, empowerment and responsibility (Healy, Flint & Harrington, 2016), produce deeper learning (Carrick, 2011) and better clinical reasoning skills (van Wyngaarden, Leech & Coetzee, 2019). The purpose of this research based education project was summarize the evidence regarding the outcomes and benefits of student-centred learning strategies, particularly when used in health care higher education institution settings and to use this knowledge to create a pedagogic framework for an international learning project between Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences Finland (Metropolia).

At the first stage of the project scoping review was performed during spring 2020 by using databases PubMed, Science Direct, CINAHL via EBSCO Host and OATD, a database of academic dissertations. The modified version of the STROBE v4 checklist for cohort, case control and cross-sectional studies was used for quality assessment of the selected studies. Based on the results of the review one student centered learning strategy was implemented for an international learning collaboration project.

According to the selected studies (Makhoul et al, 2018; Rodríguez, Pérez, Núñez, Baños & Carrió, 2019; Carstensen, Kjaer, Möller & Bloksgaard, 2020) the use of collaborative or inquiry-based learning strategies resulted in higher scores or otherwise improved performance as well as effective learning (Naylor, 2011). However, in some studies (Mueller-Joseph & Nappo-Dattoma, 2013; Schoening et al, 2015) the use of collaborative learning during course implementation did not reflect a larger proportion of students passing the course compared to the use of traditional learning strategies. The use of collaborative learning and inquiry-based learning was found to improve several types of skills: nursing and clinical skills (Chang & Cui, 2018; Jackson, Bilich & Skuza, 2018; Männistö et al, 2020), communication and presentation skills (Naylor, 2011; Rodríguez et. al, 2019), holistic thinking and information synthesis skills (Ignacio & Chen, 2020; Naylor, 2011), critical thinking skills (Naylor, 2011; Rodríguez et. al, 2019; Schoening et al, 2015; Carstensen et al, 2020), independent learning skills (Mueller-Joseph & Nappo-Dattoma, 2013; Naylor, 2011, Rodríguez et al, 2019) interpersonal and interprofessional skills, (Chang & Cui, 2018; Jackson et al, 2018; Rodríguez et al, 2019) as well as teamwork and collaboration skills (Jackson et al, 2018; Männistö et al, 2020; Naylor 2011). A study by Rodriquez et al. (Rodríguez et al, 2019) mentioned that inquiry-based learning developed creativity. Based on the results of this scoping review, a co-creative learning approach was selected as pedagogic framework for international learning collaboration in the project ‘’AI-based solutions in dose management (Dosis)’’. In the project, volunteer radiography, radiotherapy and ICT students and professors of both higher education institutions organize regular online meetings to counter the challenges brought by COVID-19 and work collaboratively amongst topic around artificial intelligence (AI) based solutions in dose management in radiography. The project has been success both from the students and professors viewpoints.

The results of the scoping review suggested that using student centered learning approaches improves learning with respect to many generic and health care-specific skills and enhances student satisfaction and motivation. The experiences received from the Dosis-project where co-creative learning approach was implemented, this pedagogic framework seems to work very well also in international learning project, where there are students and professors from different professional and cultural backgrounds.