Impact of the transition from a conventional to an integrated contextual medical curriculum on students' learning patterns: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Until now, most research studying the impact of curriculum innovations on student learning patterns was restricted to short term or cross-sectional research. AIM: Studying longitudinal changes in student learning patterns parallel to the implementation of a curriculum innovation from a discipline based to an integrated contextual medical curriculum (ICMC).
METHODS: A post hoc study applying General Linear Model ANOVA one-way repeated-measures. The inventory of learning styles(126-item version) is used to determine changes in student learning patterns.
RESULTS: Though not all hypotheses could be accepted, the results suggest a significant impact of the ICMC on learning processing strategies; regulation strategies; and on learning orientations. The clear build-up of the curriculum and vertical and horizontal integration of subject knowledge seem to have significantly reduced lack of regulation and promoted at an earlier stage structuring, relating, critical processing and vocational-orientation. The effect on use of sources of knowledge, self-regulation of learning content and certificate-orientation was less important than expected. It was yet not possible to confirm the hypothesis that ICMC students become better in translating study topics into their own phrasing or expressions; and neither the expected impact on vocation-orientation could be confirmed.
CONCLUSIONS: There is little doubt that the present results are important to curriculum (re)designers and those interested in the evaluation of curriculum reforms.