Deep Learning Strategies

by Grace Orman, PharmD, PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Resident, North Mississippi Medical Center

We have all been there. The night before a big test. Maybe the week was busy. Maybe time got lost. Maybe this was the plan all along — to wait until the last minute. The next handful of hours are dedicated to quickly reviewing weeks’ worth of lectures and somehow manage to retain all those details to successfully pass the test. You may be great at cramming. You might even pass that test. But will you remember the information in a year? A month? Even this afternoon?

This is an example of surface learning. A form of learning where there is no understanding or application, only rote memorization.¹ The information gathered during “cramming” or last-minute studying for a test is not elaborated nor is the knowledge applied in any way. Often, the information is retained for only a brief period of time, if at all.² Surface, or shallow learning, is maybe the first step when learning new vocabulary or concepts, but it should not be the last step. Surface learning might get a student through an exam, a class, and maybe even a series of courses. But as teachers, we should encourage students to get beyond shallow learning and provide them with strategies for deep learning.³

Healthcare workers should possess a broad knowledge base, flexibility, problem-solving ability, and be pro-active.¹ Rote recall of an expansive fund of knowledge is not enough to excel in the professional and personal world post-graduation.² The ability to retain core knowledge is the minimum requirement in the world today. The ability to communicate knowledge and integrate that knowledge to solve problems is critical.  Moreover, all health professionals must be in charge of their own continuing education as knowledge is constantly evolving.^3,4 Thus deep learning is needed.  The fundamentals must be applied and repeated to re-enforce concepts. To achieve deeper learning, we have to change the way we educate. There are a handful of strategies to help facilitate deeper learning. These strategies align with three domains: cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.

The cognitive domain is where the basis of deeper learning stems: the mastery of core academic content and incorporating critical thinking skills. The Hewlett Foundation defines the mastery of this domain as the skillset to “develop and draw from a baseline understanding of knowledge in an academic discipline and to transfer knowledge to other situations.” Thus fundamental knowledge is used and applied in new situations.^2,3,4 This would incorporate “problem-based learning,” where the student would need to know the basics of the subject but then apply it to a series of cases (simulated “real-world” situations). This not only merges together the student’s core knowledge but also draws upon their experiences and imagination. Incorporating internship opportunities outside of school is another great way to practice and solidify one’s fundamental knowledge in a real-world environment. Other strategies to enhance the cognitive domain are self-check quizzing and discussion boards.

The second domain to promote deep learning is the interpersonal domain. This domain requires communication and collaboration. The ability to effectively communicate complex ideas to others and to collaborate together is essential in the world post-graduation. Effective communication can be achieved through peer teaching and presenting information to others. This can also foster peer-to-peer review and feedback. Group projects with alternating leaders allow for both communication and collaborative effects, allowing students to see the benefits and outcomes of working together. Internships can also help foster this domain. Incorporating these into the curriculum, whereby students are placed in real-work environments several days a week could solidify collaborative work between team-mates and co-workers.

Lastly, the intrapersonal domain consists of learning how to learn over a lifetime. Continuing education is a critical component of a life-long learner. It is essential to stay “in the know” of new concepts, information, and guidelines in healthcare. Being able to develop a process for self-directed learning is a key to staying current throughout one’s career. Students must be responsible for determining own their goals and assessing their progress. This could be achieved by self-management and self-evaluations. Teachers can help the student find their strengths and weaknesses and help guide them to self-reflection after group work or other activities. Instead of enforcing strict deadlines, letting students progress at their own pace while encouraging deeper learning, can foster the skills needed to continue to grow outside of the classroom.⁴

To become deeper learners, students must be active and engaged in their learning. Bringing together these three domains — the cognitive, the interpersonal, and the intrapersonal — can have a profound impact not only on their academic performance but preparing students for the life they must outside of the classroom. As teachers and mentors, we want our students to thrive in life as well as in class. Providing students with strategies that foster deeper learning can prepare them for life.

References: 

1. Lombardi P. Instructional Methods, Strategies, and Technologies to Meet the Needs of All Learners [Internet]. Montreal: Pressbooks; 2019. [cited 2021 Jan 24].
2. Peng M, Chen C. The Effect of Instructor’s Learning Modes on Deep Approach to Student Learning and Learning Outcomes. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice. 2019;19(3):65-85.
3. Hailikari T, Katajavuori N, Ylanne S. The Relevance of Prior Knowledge in Learning and Institutional Design. Am J Pharm Educ 2008;72(5): Article 113.
4. Huberman M, Bitter C, Anthony J, O’Day J. The Shape of Deeper Learning: Strategies, Structures and Cultures in Deeper Learning Network High Schools [Internet]. Washington, DC. American Institutes for Research. 2014, 1-38. [cited 2020 Jan 17]