gms | German Medical Science

Background: Practice guidance is mandated by legislators as a quality assurance measure to establish a close integration between theoretical and practical learning environments in midwifery programs. In the Applied Midwifery Science B.Sc. program at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, practice guidance is designed around six components, distinguished as a comprehensive concept by the fact that practice guidance is provided both in terms of personal and institutionally from one source.

Objective: The present concept aims to centralize the various learning environments within the midwifery program and create a network among the various stakeholders of these environments. The goal is to provide students with comprehensive opportunities for learning and to optimally achieve normative and individual learning objectives.

Methodology/concept: As a concept, practice guidance is curriculum-based within the Cologne program and linked to profession-related modules. Thus, practice guidance is the responsibility of the university-based learning environment. The concept consists of the following components:

1.

During theoretical study phases, students receive practical training from faculty and practice instructors in the form of skills and simulation training to prepare for practical study phases.

2.

Before each practical study phase, “practice partner meetings” are held, during which practice partners are informed about module context, learning objectives, and topics of practice instruction.

3.

During practical study phases, students are accompanied by faculty and practice instructors at the placement site. Depending on the specific module, different focuses on practical guidance are envisaged, including guidance during childbirth in the delivery room.

4.

Faculty and practice instructors are available as points of contact for practice instructors and support them in coordinating, instructing, and evaluating learners.

5.

Logbooks and learning portfolios serve as connecting tools for collaborative teaching, both in communication with students and between practice instruction and guidance.

6.

During the lecture period, students have access to extracurricular offerings for practice reflection, allowing them to theoretically contextualize their own experiences and individual learning experiences from practice.

Results: Faculty and practice instructors have observed that the traditional theory-practice gap is reduced through the integration of teaching and practice guidance. Practice instructors report feeling informed and prepared for upcoming practice phases. Students experience guidance that facilitates the integration of theoretical knowledge with practical learning experiences. Relevance the importance of a pedagogically meaningful practice guidance concept is essential to enable a strong integration of learning environments in a dual-profiled study program.

Recommendation/conclusion: Whether the Cologne practice guidance concept contributes to students optimally achieving normative and individual learning objectives must be explored through further evaluations.

Ethics and conflicts of interest: A vote on ethics was not necessary. The research was financed by third-party funds. There are no conflicts of interest.