Utilizing Virtual Small Group Learning in Teaching the EBP Process Model Mark Giesler, PhD, LMSW Saginaw Valley State University Social Work Distance Education Conference 2015

Challenges of Online and Blended Learning  Lack of engaged participation  Difficulty in monitoring peer interaction  Effectively assessing student understanding of course concepts (Ko & Rossen, 2008; Thorman & Zimmerman, 2012)

SW 329: Research Methods and Social Work Practice  What is research?  EBP research  Ethics and research  Conceptualizing a research question  Literature reviews  Measurement: Reliability and validity  Sampling  Research methodologies (4)

Taking It Up a Notch: The EBP Presentation Assignment  Analyze a case.  Formulate a research question based on that case.  Conduct a literature review to access appropriate interventions.  Appraise the interventions for their effectiveness in addressing the case.  Choose and justify one intervention from those analyzed.

The EBP Presentation Assignment  “This semester-long small group assignment will culminate in a Power Point or Prezi presentation to be given to your classmates. You will apply course concepts to create a comprehensive, well-thought-out analysis of an effective intervention chosen for an assigned case study. Various checkpoints throughout the semester will allow you to get feedback from your peers and the instructor.”

Flipping the Script  What if they met in their EBP groups virtually instead of face-to-face?  Would they still retain the concepts?  Would student interaction increase, decrease, or stay the same?  Would it enhance anxiety levels?  What role would I play?

The EBP Presentation Assignment “Flipped”  “For 3 selected online weeks (Weeks 6, 10, and 12) you will work in your EBP Research presentation groups on specific tasks related to that assignment. Group members will participate in a “discussion,” using either the Chat Room, the class Wiki, or the Discussion and Private Messages Board. The results of that discussion (a “final product”) will be submitted to the instructor by the group leader selected for that week. In addition, each group member will produce a summary of the group discussion and submit it to the instructor in the Drop Box of V-Space.”

Addressing the Challenges  Lack of engaged participation  Direct application of concepts learned in class to EBP assignment  Required discussion questions during virtual meetings

Addressing the Challenges  Difficulty in monitoring peer interaction  Ad hoc leaders to summarize the virtual meetings, trouble shoot questions students had about the assignment, and communicate all of the above to the instructor  Focused my feedback/responses, saving me valuable instruction time

Addressing the Challenges  Effectively assess student understanding of course concepts  Required summary of online discussion from each student in the group  Allowed evaluation of process, as well as content

Sample Summary Statement #1  My group discussed the two types of therapy and how the therapy ties into our client, Sally. We discussed family therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. We analyzed different aspects of the two therapies. We talked a little about nutritional counseling as well. We discussed cognitive behavioral therapy in relation to anorexia nervosa and bulimia. We also discussed some aspects of family therapy.”

Sample Summary Statement #2  “I wish I would have brought up changing our interventions when I first realized I was having issues with finding articles. I did not say this because I figured maybe it was just me having this issue and I was using incorrect key words. It turns out everyone was having issues, but I still did not say anything about changing our interventions.”

Sample Summary Statement #3  “The only concern I had was that not all the group members seemed to be participating. I was worried that Nate was not going to join in and help with our discussion, but then after he added to the discussion on Wednesday and let us know that he was sorry and had been out of town, I felt better. As the group leader this past week I wanted to make sure I had involved all members in participation in order to have everyone’s input on our case.”

Conclusion  Blended format for teaching EBP allows for  Enhanced student interaction  More efficient monitoring by instructor  Greater satisfaction by students engaged in the small group learning process

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