Librarians as facilitators in problem based case studies

Librarian’s Role in Problem Based Learning, Possible Application in a Veterinary College

Erik Fausak, MA, MSLIS, LVT, RLAT

public domain image by Barefootvet~commonswiki retrieved from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Veterinary_Students.jpg July 20, 2018

     One of the most impressive examples of the tireless effort of the faculty at UC Davis Veterinary School of Medicine to improve content is to completely overhaul the veterinary education which moves away from the strict didactic model to give students clinical exposure and self-directed learning opportunities very early in their career(Ilkiw et al., 2017; Chigerwe, Ilkiw and Boudreaux, 2011; Chigerwe, Boudreaux and Ilkiw, 2017; Gutierrez et al., 2017).  The effort was gargantuan and probably why UC Davis ends up as the #1 Vet School in the world on a regular basis(10 Best Universities in the World for Veterinary Science, no date; Best Veterinary Medicine Programs & Top Veterinary Medicine Schools - US News Rankings, no date; Top Veterinary Schools in 2017 | Top Universities, no date).  Of particular help was the publication of the process of this curriculum overhaul which was impressively transparent(Ilkiw et al., 2017; Chigerwe, Ilkiw and Boudreaux, 2011; Chigerwe, Boudreaux and Ilkiw, 2017; Gutierrez et al., 2017).  As the new health sciences librarian, it is my hope to help further the vet school in any way possible which I believe may be involved with the problem-based case studies learning aspect of the curriculum. Below is the summary of the research I have found in the librarian’s role in problem-based case studies learning (not exhaustive but illustrates strategy).  

Table 1:  Search strategies for evidence of librarian’s role in problem based learning environments.

Database	Search terms	Relevant articles	Article titles
Ebsco Education Source	Problem based learning AND librarian role	1/2	Carder, L, Willingham, P, & Bibb, D 2001, 'Case-based, problem-based learning Information literacy for the real world', Research Strategies, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 181-190. Available from: 10.1016/S0734-3310(02)00087-3. [16 July 2018].
Pubmed	librarian problem based learning	5/18	Krasne, S., Stevens, C.D. and Wilkerson, L., 2014. Improving medical literature sourcing by first-year medical students in problem-based learning: outcomes of early interventions. Academic Medicine, 89(7), pp.1069-1074. Eldredge, J. D., Heskett, K. M., Henner, T., & Tan, J. P. (2013). Current practices in library/informatics instruction in academic libraries serving medical schools in the western United States: a three-phase action research study. BMC Medical Education, 13, 119. http://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-13-119 Carroll, A. J., Tchangalova, N., & Harrington, E. G. (2016). Flipping one-shot library instruction: using Canvas and Pecha Kucha for peer teaching. Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 104(2), 125–130.  C. Andrew Youngkin (2014) The Flipped Classroom: Practices and Opportunities for Health Sciences Librarians, Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 33:4, 367-374, DOI: 10.1080/02763869.2014.957073 Njie-Carr, V. P., Ludeman, E., Lee, M. C., Dordunoo, D., Trocky, N. M., & Jenkins, L. S. (2017). An integrative review of flipped classroom teaching models in nursing education. Journal of Professional Nursing, 33(2), 133-144.

Giuseppe Arcimboldo [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons retrieved July 20,2018

There is an impressive precedent of librarianship involved in problem-based case studies(Eldredge et al., 2013; Butera, Gomes and Kakar, 2014).  It makes sense.  The librarian’s primary job is helping students achieve adequate information seeking behavior.  Librarians would be well placed to help students in self-directed learning opportunities.  It seems that this concept goes hand in hand with the idea of the “flipped classroom”. The flipped classroom is where the student will “attend” the lecture and do the legwork prior to class so the hands-on activities can be done in class.  Lectures can be done as slide presentations(narrated Powerpoint) or videos (like YouTube)(Youngkin, 2014; Carroll, Tchangalova and Harrington, 2016; Njie-Carr et al., 2017). The problem with the model of flipped classrooms is that there is high variability in terms of its implementation and even more difficulty properly quantifying such data.  However, in a few quantitative studies that do examine student outcome with the flipped classroom, a majority of them have found students in flipped classrooms outperform the straight didactic model in tests(Njie-Carr et al., 2017).  As an educator, I can see the benefit in this model, while it will be a lot of work on the front end, it would guarantee I complete the content that I would need covered – it may also be more engaging to the student.  Additional benefit can be seen with the idea of class as reinforcement of content already learned.  Clearly identifying quality resources in early phases also seems to have benefit, as evidence by the medical school at UCLA where students started by using websites and highly abstracted references as their primary resource to utilizing higher levels of evidence as they progressed(Krasne, Stevens and Wilkerson, 2014).  Unfortunately, there seems to be a consistent theme that one-off information seeking behavior interventions are rarely sufficient and quite clearly an obstacle to good self-directed learning skills(Eldredge et al., 2013; Butera, Gomes and Kakar, 2014; Krasne, Stevens and Wilkerson, 2014).  Library liaisons in problem based case studies appears to have a large benefit on the human medical school side which could be applied to the veterinary side. The liaisons can play a number of roles in problem-based case studies by facilitating students information seeking behaviors, asking strategic questions, and ensuring professional and ethical conduct occurs in student communication(Butera, Gomes and Kakar, 2014).   

The clear and present problem of this model is time commitment of limited resources.  In the model where librarians worked with 10-12 students weekly, they had 12 librarians available.  That being said, they said their resources are limited to only first year medical students.  Most health science libraries may have a difficult time with that sort of demand on manpower.  Is there a way to embed without fully embedding?  That is the question.  Embedding has clear benefit but also has some serious time commitment to one function, which is difficult when a librarian often has to wear many hats and fulfill a number of functions.  

Bottomline:  The evidence seems to suggest that librarians have an active role to play as liaisons or facilitators in problem-based case studies.  This can be a valuable contribution to also continue strong information seeking behavior to reinforce good self-directed learning practices.    Being able to explore more avenues of problem-based case studies may necessitate the utilization of the “flipped classroom” so the content can be learned in advance of the self-directed learning aspect.  Ultimately, empirical testing has been difficult because of the high variation of implementation of both problem based case studies and developing a flipped classroom.

Works Cited:

10 Best Universities in the World for Veterinary Science(no date). Available at: https://www.vmdtoday.com/news/10-best-universities-in-the-world-for-veterinary-science?p=10 (Accessed: 16 July 2018).

Best Veterinary Medicine Programs & Top Veterinary Medicine Schools - US News Rankings(no date). Available at: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings (Accessed: 16 July 2018).

Butera, G., Gomes, A. W. and Kakar, S. (2014) ‘Expanding our roles: embedded in curriculum design.’, Medical reference services quarterly. United States, 33(3), pp. 292–301. doi: 10.1080/02763869.2014.925688.

Carroll, A. J., Tchangalova, N. and Harrington, E. G. (2016) ‘Flipping one-shot library instruction: using Canvas and Pecha Kucha for peer teaching.’, Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA. United States, 104(2), pp. 125–130. doi: 10.3163/1536-5050.104.2.006.

Chigerwe, M., Boudreaux, K. A. and Ilkiw, J. E. (2017) ‘Self-directed learning in veterinary medicine: are the students ready?’, International Journal of Medical Education, 8, pp. 229–230. doi: 10.5116/ijme.5929.402f.

Chigerwe, M., Ilkiw, J. E. and Boudreaux, K. A. (2011) ‘Influence of a veterinary curriculum on the approaches and study skills of veterinary medical students.’, Journal of veterinary medical education. Canada, 38(4), pp. 384–394. doi: 10.3138/jvme.38.4.384.

Eldredge, J. D. et al.(2013) ‘Current practices in library/informatics instruction in academic libraries serving medical schools in the Western United States: a three-phase action research study.’, BMC medical education. England, 13, p. 119. doi: 10.1186/1472-6920-13-119.

Gutierrez, J. C. et al.(2017) ‘Spatial and Visual Reasoning: Do These Abilities Improve in First-Year Veterinary Medical Students Exposed to an Integrated Curriculum?’, Journal of veterinary medical education. Canada, 44(4), pp. 669–675. doi: 10.3138/jvme.0915-158R3.

Ilkiw, J. E. et al.(2017) ‘Curricular Revision and Reform: The Process, What Was Important, and Lessons Learned.’, Journal of veterinary medical education. Canada, 44(3), pp. 480–489. doi: 10.3138/jvme.0316-068R.

Krasne, S., Stevens, C. D. and Wilkerson, L. (2014) ‘Improving medical literature sourcing by first-year medical students in problem-based learning: outcomes of early interventions.’, Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges. United States, 89(7), pp. 1069–1074. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000000288.

Njie-Carr, V. P. S. et al.(2017) ‘An Integrative Review of Flipped Classroom Teaching Models in Nursing Education’, Journal of Professional Nursing. W.B. Saunders, 33(2), pp. 133–144. doi: 10.1016/J.PROFNURS.2016.07.001.

Top Veterinary Schools in 2017 | Top Universities(no date). Available at: https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/university-subject-rankings/top-veterinary-schools-2017 (Accessed: 16 July 2018).

Youngkin, C. A. (2014) ‘The flipped classroom: practices and opportunities for health sciences librarians.’,Medical reference services quarterly. United States, 33(4), pp. 367–374. doi: 10.1080/02763869.2014.957073.

Zamor, E. et al.(no date) ‘Approaches and Study Skills of Veterinary Medical Students: Effects of a Curricular Revision.’, Journal of veterinary medical education. Canada, 44(3), pp. 490–501. doi: 10.3138/jvme.1015-176R1.

Addendum:

bibliography software used was Mendeley and graphic was made on Canva.com