Evaluating the stages of veterinary practitioner learning for continuing education needs assessment and program evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
Recent behavioral change theory suggests that individuals go through stages of readiness for change. This theory has been applied to continuing medical education as a four stage theory of physician learning. The purpose of this project was to test a method that used the four-stage learning theory to evaluate differences between continuing veterinary medical education (CVME) program attendees and non-attendees and to evaluate movement from one stage to another after a continuing education activity.


METHODS
A survey using eight clinical scenarios was used to elucidate the stage of learning of dairy practitioner participants before and after a CVME course and of non-participating dairy practitioners. Differences in response rates before and after the course and between participants and non-participants were analyzed using chi-square contingency table analysis.


RESULTS
Responses to six of the eight scenarios were different between participants and non-participants (p < 0.10). Attendees were more likely to report needing to update to solve the specific problems. Depending on the scenario, participants changed their responses after completing the continuing education course (range 31-81% change).


CONCLUSIONS
The four stage theory of learning can be used for continuing education needs assessment, for understanding program participation, and for program evaluation. A continuing education activity can move practitioners from one stage of learning to another.
VMTRC, University of California, 18830 Rd 112, Tulare, CA 93274, USA. dmoore@vmtrc.ucdavis.edu
Dale A
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Moore
D000818:Animals; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000592:standards*; D004520:Education, Veterinary / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015397:Program Evaluation