The Clumsy Horse: A Professional Development Tool for Facilitators of Self-Directed, Case-Based Learning.

This study presents the development of a tool, the Clumsy Horse Case, to train faculty in facilitating self-directed, case-based learning, especially suitable for medical education settings. Through this novel tool, the study’s authors aim to cultivate continuous learning habits among future physicians, and the results show a high level of faculty engagement and satisfaction.

Understanding the Clumsy Horse Case

• The Clumsy Horse Case was conceptualized as part of a faculty development program. It was used to train teachers who are involved in case-based and self-directed learning methodologies. These methods are particularly relevant in medical education, which requires continuous learning owing to constant scientific advancements and evolving healthcare environments.
• Recognising that future physicians would need to be adept at identifying gaps in their knowledge and addressing them through an independent pursuit of new information, the authors designed this tool to cater to these educational needs.
• This educational method involves presenting an unusual case from veterinary medicine to the faculty, regardless of their respective specialty areas. This approach is intended to level the ground for them, ensuring that all faculty will have the same unfamiliarity with the topic, thus providing an authentic self-directed learning experience.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Clumsy Horse Case

• To test the effectiveness of this learning tool, faculty participants were asked to complete an eight-question evaluation survey after the Clumsy Horse Case session.
• Furthermore, student feedback was gathered at the end of each semester via standard faculty evaluation forms. This double-sided feedback mechanism provided insights both from the facilitator’s and the learner’s perspectives.
• The students’ ratings indicated that the faculty were adequately prepared to facilitate their learning effectively, thus confirming the success of the Clumsy Horse Case in achieving its objectives.

Implications and Generalizability

• More than 60 faculty members participated in the training using the Clumsy Horse Case, finding it an engaging tool for learning.
• The faculty’s evaluation of the experience revealed a high level of engagement and satisfaction, further strengthening the case’s perceived effectiveness.
• This tool has been proven to be adaptable for a range of curricula that include case-based and self-directed learning components. This demonstrates that the Clumsy Horse Case is a versatile tool that can be integrated into diverse professional development programs across various education sectors, beyond medical education.