Evolving from Didactic to Dialogic: An Action Research for Improving Teaching Practices in the mini-CEX Workshops

Abstract BackgroundFaculty development is imperative to ensure successful outcomes in the training of competent physicians. However, how faculty developers can improve the delivery of an assessment workshop through researching their individual teaching practices remains unexplored.MethodsIn 2016, the authors conducted four cycles of action research in the context of mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (mini-CEX) workshops. Multiple sources of qualitative data, including a faculty developer’s reflective journal, field notes taken by a researcher-observer, and post-workshop written reflection and feedback from fourteen workshop attendees, were collected and analyzed thematically.ResultsBy doing action research, the faculty developer scrutinized each step as an opportunity for change, enacted adaptive practice and reflection on teaching practices and formulated action plans to transform a workshop design. In so doing, a workshop evolved from didactic to dialogic with continuous improvement on enhanced engagement, focused discussion and participant empowerment through a collaborative inquiry into feedback practice. These action research cycles also supported development of adaptive practice and identity formation in the faculty developer.ConclusionsThe systematic approach of action research serves as a vehicle to enable faculty developers to investigate individual teaching practices as a self-reflective inquiry, to examine, rectify, and transform processes of program delivery, and ultimately introduce themselves as agents for change and improvement.