When a problem-based learning tutor decides to intervene.
OBJECTIVE
To appropriately contribute to group discussion, tutors should be experts in their field and possess facilitative skills. However, knowing when to interject is always a difficult question. This study investigated the specific scenarios or cues during group tutorial sessions that prompted or motivated tutors to interject and participate in the group discussion.


METHODS
From 2005 through 2008, the authors, using the interpersonal process recall method, videotaped 40 tutorial discussions led by eight experienced tutors from the departments of medicine, nursing, and clinical psychology. The tutors were later shown the tapes and asked to explore their intentions and analyze the contexts for the 636 episodes in which they had intervened in the discussions.


RESULTS
Qualitative analyses revealed three themes for the tutors' interventions: (1) Tutorial group process included 10 categories related to discussion sequence, students' roles, and group dynamics, (2) quality of discussion included nine categories related to clarity and accuracy of the information brought forward by the students, and relevance and critical appraisal of the information in relation to the major objectives, and (3) quality and quantity of the materials discussed included eight categories related to amount, datedness, accuracy, representativeness, and source (whether primary or secondary).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings provide valuable insights into the contextual situations that lead problem-based learning tutors to intervene and provide material to build a framework for training new tutors.
Lee
Gin-Hong
GH
Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lin
Yu-Hua
YH
Tsou
Kuo-Inn
KI
Shiau
Shu-Jen
SJ
Lin
Chaou-Shune
CS
D000328:Adult; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D011586:Psychology, Clinical / Q000193:education; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013337:Students, Medical; D013338:Students, Nursing; D055815:Young Adult