How Am I Doing in Small Group? Student Perceptions of Feedback in Case-Based Learning Sessions.

INTRODUCTION

Small group case-based learning (CBL) facilitators are content experts that may provide feedback to students on cognitive reasoning skills and knowledge acquisition. However, student feedback-seeking behavior and response toward faculty feedback in CBL sessions are not known, and it is essential to maximize feedback in this setting where it can be a challenge to observe student performance while groups may have varied emphasis on individual versus team performance. We explored student perceptions of the effectiveness of faculty feedback processes during CBL sessions.

METHODS

This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with ten second year medical students enrolled in the Geisel School of Medicine preclinical neurology course. Investigator triangulation was used with interpretation comparisons that included independent content analysis. The constructed themes were discussed and final theme consensus was reached.

RESULTS

Three major themes arose: (1) students value frequent feedback on their understanding of key clinical case concepts; (2) the CBL learning environment is not conducive to individual feedback; and (3) student feedback-seeking behavior and response are influenced by self-perceived level of preparedness for the sessions and overall comfort with the CBL facilitator and learning environment.

CONCLUSIONS

Students value content-based feedback from CBL sessions and need more individualized feedback. The style of the facilitator and overall learning environment can vary widely in the small group setting and has direct impact on feedback opportunities and student feedback-seeking behavior.