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Description
This project is focused on strengthening the inter-institutional collaboration between Czech National Centre for Evidence-Based Healthcare and Knowledge Translation, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University (hereinafter CEBHCKT) and Centre for Evidence-Based Practice, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (hereinafter CEBP) to increase knowledge and improve teaching skills in Evidence-Based Critical Thinking and Evidence-Based Meta-Research. Critical Thinking forms the basis of an approach Evidence-Based Healthcare (EBHC), which stresses the examination of evidence from clinical research. Meta-Research (research on research) is a systematic reviewing of evidence of what is already known.
The specific objectives of the project include two-way knowledge transfer in Evidence-Based Critical Thinking and Evidence-Based Meta-Research between partnering organisations through meetings, peer-learning activities and multiplier events; and cooperation on development of comprehensive teaching modules of “Evidence-Based Critical Thinking” and “Evidence-Based Meta-Research”. Participants of the project are academicians and lecturers from both partnering institutions.
In the short-term, the project is designed to achieve increased knowledge, skills and teaching competencies of academicians and lecturers at both partnering institutions in Evidence-Based Critical Thinking and Evidence-Based Meta-Research (primary target group), and undergraduate and postgraduate students (secondary target group). The project will also enable postgraduate medical and healthcare students to design their early-career research activities according to the best available evidence.
In the long-term, the project is designed to achieve the transfer of knowledge and skills of Evidence-Based Critical Thinking and Evidence-Based Meta-Research between the academicians of the partnering universities (primary target group).
Summary of project results
Critical Thinking plays a key role in healthcare. Every decision of physicians and healthcare professionals should be based on the best available research evidence, their clinical experiences and patients’ preferences. Identifying the best available evidence requires the ability to assess information, prioritise, select, exclude, reconsider and question. People’s health and lives are at stake, after all. So, Critical Thinking is the crucial part of every-day decision making process. Central to the concept of Evidence-Based Meta-Research is the use of already existing and published research, especially systematic reviews, when justifying new research and when placing the results of the new study in the context of existing knowledge. It is the most efficient approach to avoid research waste and plan new research wisely. Courses dealing with teaching methods in these areas were completely missing world-wide.
We jointly developed two comprehensive educational modules “Teaching of Evidence-Based Approaches 1” and “Teaching of Evidence-Based Approaches 2” focused on teaching approaches in Evidence-Based “Critical Thinking” and “Meta-research”, because these are common interest of both partnering institutions Masaryk university in Brno and University of Applied Sciences in Bergen. These two comprehensive teaching modules were developed through two face-to-face peer-learning activities and two face-to-face project meetings, and both of them were successfully disseminated and promoted via two workshops. Both modules were also successfully piloted in Czech Applicant and Norwegian Partner´s institutions.
COVID-19 pandemic situation caused us a lot of difficulties and obstacles. On the other hand, the pandemic situation forced us to cooperate even more closely and to be more creative. So, beyond the original plan to simply develop study material and presentations for two classical education modules, we developed a very comprehensive and interactive educational module, and the majority is in stand-alone mode using CANVAS platform to be sure that the course will be possible to deliver in any circumstances including pandemic situations.
The intellectual outputs were more specified on needs of the primary target group of this project which were academics, and specifically focused on teaching approaches, overcoming barriers and solving issues during teaching of Evidence-Based Critical Thinking and Meta-research. Thanks to this they will be able to more effectively deliver their knowledge and skill in these areas to the pre-graduate and postgraduate students. Both modules were also already implemented into curricula of study programmes at both partnering institutions, and also into the educational process of the academic staff.
Summary of bilateral results
Norwegian project partner is very experienced in Evidence-Based principles, especially in the development and publication of systematic reviews and is also strongly focused on the Evidence-Based Research approach. The Norwegian partner has also a longer tradition in teaching Evidence-Based principles generally within all study programmes at HVL. The main result of this three years long intensive bilateral cooperation was increased and deepened knowledge and skill of both partners in “Evidence-Based Critical Thinking” and "Evidence-Based Meta-research” through sharing know-how and interactive very intensive discussion, especially improving teaching approaches in these areas.