Practice Makes Perfect: Using a Dress Rehearsal to Apply Team Based Learning Practices in a Dietetic Internship.

Abstract

Background: A dress rehearsal solidified training in Team Based Learning (TBL) for the instructors of the Dietetic Internship (DI) at Iowa State University (ISU). ISU offers the largest distance DI program in the country. Interns attend a 1-week orientation on campus before returning to their home locale to complete the 6-month program enabling their eligibility to be a Registered Dietitian. DI instructors wanted to convert traditional lectures to TBL as well as present a polished use of TBL for interns,utilizing the 4 –S’s approach. A dress rehearsal allowed concepts and pre-work to be modified in advance of interns arriving on campus. The TBL format was also used to provide a preceptor training. Description: Lectures on Nutrition Assessment were converted to activities using Readiness Assurance Process (RAP). Participants in the dress rehearsal included preceptors, department staff who were unfamiliar with TBL classroom as well as faculty and community dieticians both experienced and novice at using TBL. Delivery of the Individual Readiness Test (IRAT) utilized software to capture responses electronically allowing discussion to be adjusted on the fly. Using TBL with preceptors enabled better understanding of the concepts taught to the interns during the orientation week. Results: Following the dress rehearsal, Instructors included a guided worksheet to practice the 4-S. Interns reported significantly higher levels of self-confidence in applying the NCP after the TBL activities (pre-n=82, post-n=71, p.005). Preceptors found the TBL format to be fun and engaging. Conclusion: Interns demonstrated greater depth of understanding for on-site activities and with preceptors. Ties within their community of practice were strengthened. Instructors gained confidence in using TBL techniques and improved their facilitation of discussion.