Heeneman studied Health Sciences and obtained her PhD at UM. She was involved in the design of the Physician–Clinical Investigator (A-KO) master’s programme in 2007 and has over 25 years of experience as a teacher and researcher. Together with her colleagues Judith Sieben, Loes van Bokhoven and the curriculum board, she reviewed the teaching method used in the medical programme. “The changes are quite profound”, she says. “That’s why we implemented the new system in the English track first. As it has about 50 students, it’s easier to organise and evaluate. If all goes well—and we’re all working hard to ensure that it does—the Dutch-language bachelor’s will follow in one or two years.”

Better teams

What does she mean by ‘profound’? “In the new system, learning teams of 10 students work together with the same coach for a year. Teaching is based on an authentic professional task, like how to take care of a person found unconscious on the street. Learning teams meet weekly to work on all possible aspects and learning outcomes of the task, supported by teaching and learning activities such as skills labs, workshops and assignments. The students are new to working with the same group for a whole year. They’re used to course periods of eight weeks, each focusing on a specific topic and taught by a different tutor. We’ve seen that working together over a longer period helps students become well-functioning teams, as they come up with solutions together if things aren’t running smoothly. The contact with their coach is more intensive. And they must address conflicts that may arise; they can’t just wait it out for eight weeks.”

Assessment

The second profound change concerns the assessment method. Usually, each eight-week course period ends with an exam. “In the new system, students are responsible for collecting information and feedback on their performance in a portfolio. They receive feedback from peers, teachers and their coach. There are self-evaluation tests they can take to identify any gaps in their knowledge. The emphasis is on learning, rather than studying for a grade, and they have to adjust their learning trajectory themselves if they need to pay more attention to this or that skill, for example. The Progress Test is still part of the portfolio; it’s a good way of measuring knowledge. The coaches play an important role in supervision, self-management and professional development. They get to know their students well and have a good sense of their progress. At the end of the academic year, they give an advice to the assessment committee who decides  whether students have achieved the learning outcomes.”

Coaches               

In sum, Heeneman says, it’s all about collaborative and self-regulated learning. “These are two important principles of Problem-Based Learning—the teaching method that has proven its worth in Maastricht—and taken one step further. And not just for the students. Coaches will also have more contact with one another. The medical programme currently has many tutors. In the new system, we’ll have a smaller, core group of coaches, whom we can train and support, and who can learn from one another.”

Evaluation

In June, the students of the English track will complete their first year of the new and revised Bachelor of Medicine. The initial feedback from both students and coaches has been constructive and positive, Heeneman says. “Obviously, we’ve been conducting evaluations. I think we’re making good progress towards a great programme.”

Text: Jos Cortenraad
Photography: Harry Heuts