Watching People Fail: Improving Diagnostic Competence by Peer Feedback on Erroneous Modeling Examples

• In Event: Designing Effective Learning Environments for Science and Medicine

Abstract

Teaching diagnostic competence consisting of diagnostic knowledge and error detection skills is a major task of medical education. This study investigated how cognitive modeling examples of differential diagnoses can be used to teach students these skills.
We varied (a) erroneous modeling example (yes/ no) and (b) peer feedback provision (yes/no). The control group studied textbook materials. Measures were learning gains and degree of elaboration. The sample included N=121 advanced medical students. Cognitive modeling examples were superior to textbook reading. Erroneous modeling examples were better for acquiring error detection skills, whereas providing feedback had a detrimental effect. For diagnostic knowledge errors did not matter. Providing peer feedback on modeled examples decreased learning. There was no interaction effect between errors and feedback

Authors

• Christian Guenther Strobel, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

• Martin Richard Fischer, Clinics LMU Munich

• Jan-Willem Strijbos, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

• Ingo Kollar, University of Munich

• Nicole Heitzmann, University of Munich