Strategies for creativity development in biomedical education through inquiry

Els avenços tecnològics i científics que s’han produït durant les últimes dècades han constituït la recerca biomèdica tal i com la coneixem avui en dia. Per poder afrontar els reptes que proposa la ciència, en un futur proper, és necessari formar professionals innovadors en el camp de la biomedicina. Així doncs, la indagació ha estat identificada com una aproximació pedagògica òptima per desenvolupar les competències del segle XXI, com ara el pensament creatiu. En aquesta tesi, hem examinat com es desenvolupa la creativitat en quatre models d’indagació diferents (des de més guiats i disciplinaris fins a més oberts i transdisciplinaris), i també com els estudiants han viscut la implementació d’aquests models. Aquest estudi aporta resultats positius respecte al desenvolupament de la creativitat en els quatre models d’indagació, així com alts nivells de satisfacció amb la metodologia. Aquesta tesi proporciona noves idees sobre com fomentar l’adquisició de competències complexes. A més a més, ofereix uns indicadors i guies per dissenyar activitats d’indagació destinades a la formació en creativitat en l’àmbit de l’educació biomèdica.Technological and scientific advances produced during the last decades have constituted what scientific research is today. Biomedicine needs innovative professionals to face the challenges raised during this century. Inquiry has been identified as an optimal pedagogical approach to develop 21st century higher order thinking skills such as creativity. In this thesis, we examine how creativity is developed in four different inquiry models (from more guided and subject-based to more open and transdisciplinary) as well as how students’ have experienced them. The findings of this thesis evidences positive results regarding creativity development in the four inquiry models, as well as high levels of satisfaction with the learning experience. This thesis provides an insight on how inquiry fosters the acquisition of complex skills. Moreover, this study offers indicators to design inquiry activities devoted to train creativity in biomedical education

Comparison of the effect of two hybrid models of problem-based learning implementation on the development of transversal and research skills and the learning experience

Problem-based learning (PBL) provides an encouraging learning environment to develop transversal and research thinking skills. However, how PBL is implemented into a curriculum can be critical for achieving these outcomes. This study compares two hybrid PBL implementation models applied in a health sciences school: a PBL-module integrated into the subjects of a traditional curriculum and full interdisciplinary PBL-courses. 651 students were involved, with 330 taking the PBL-module and 277 taking the PBL-courses. Students’ and tutors’ perceptions about the acquisition of the skills as well as their satisfaction with the learning experience were compared. The results showed that in the interdisciplinary PBL-courses, both students and tutors perceived a significantly higher acquisition of these skills. In addition, they also find the methodology more useful and are more satisfied with the learning experience than in the PBL-modules. A strong correlation was also observed between the acquisition of transversal and research skills and the perceived usefulness of PBL and overall satisfaction with the experience. This study provides new evidence on the characteristics of PBL that favor the development of these skills