Teaching intervision: Overcoming student resistance by using e-learning

Abstract

Intervision, a peer-led group reflection method, is regarded as an important instrument for continuing professional development.¹ Therefore, students in all master programmes of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM) at Utrecht University (UU) are taught how to conduct intervision in four 2-hour sessions during their outpatient clinic work. In teaching this method to students, we encountered two main problems: (1) students showing resistance to share personal issues with each other, and (2) some veterinary medicine staff being underqualified to teach intervision.

To address both problems at once, we decided to flip the classroom and develop an e-learning on the ULearning platform, made possible by an UU Education Innovation Grant. This e-learning consists of five modules explaining the why, what and how of intervision, and illustrating how to apply three different intervision models. Powerful learning activities in the e-learning are the many short videos in which veterinary medicine alumni explain why they participate in intervision, what they share and learn, and which pitfalls to avoid. Their testimonials clarify to students that intervision is a relevant and ordinary method for expertise development. Powerful are also the comprehensive examples of how to structure an intervision meeting and the actual practice with a virtual coach (DialogueTrainer tool). Due to this e-learning, students became less dependent of their teacher. They all received the same comprehensive explanation about the intervision method and knew what to do during meetings because they could immediately apply what they had learned online. Student resistance decreased as shown by teacher observations and student evaluations, and teachers felt more equipped for the job. Hence, the e-learning had the intended effect.

Although the e-learning was successful and can be used for years, even in master programmes outside FVM, it did not happen overnight. We started off enthusiastically, but soon discovered that we had been overly optimistic about the time and effort it would take to build the e-learning and naive about the skills required to successfully complete the project. An e-learning is like an interactive book. It not only requires good writing skills, but also software skills to design interactive content and multimedia skills, such as video production and infographic design. We learned that it is no unnecessary luxury to have such expertise in the design team. Thanks to student feedback, we also learned that less is more. Rather than providing the complete guide to intervision, we limited ourselves to information beginners need to start with intervision and added further reading tips for anyone interested. Although the e-learning turned-out to be concise and appealing, we still needed a student tracking system to motivate students to complete the e-learning in time. Apart from the e-learning, we learned that circumstances matter to reduce student resistance, i.e. to pay attention to group composition and not schedule meetings on Friday afternoons, when students are tired after a week of outpatient clinic work. Lastly, we still would like to employ more qualified teachers to further deepen students' learning.

Approved by Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences of Utrecht University, number 24-0085.

Richta C. IJntema: Writing—original draft; writing—review and editing. Nicole J. J. M. Mastenbroek: Writing—review and editing.

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