title: Development of an instrument (the COLT) to measure conceptions on learning and teaching of teachers, in student-centred medical education.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conceptions of medical teachers regarding learning and teaching affect their teaching practice. Therefore conceptions should be addressed in faculty development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To facilitate this, we constructed the Conceptions Of Learning and Teaching (COLT) instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  The COLT was adapted based on experts' comments during a meeting and interviews, followed by a Delphi procedure (Part I). It was administered to teachers from two Dutch medical schools with different traditions in student-centred education (Part II; N=646). The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  324 Teachers (50.2%) completed the questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis did not confirm the underlying theoretical model, but an alternative model demonstrated a good fit. This led to an instrument with eighteen items reflecting three underlying factors: 'teacher centredness', 'appreciation of active learning', and 'orientation to professional practice'. We found significant differences in COLT scores between the faculty of the two medical schools.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The COLT appears to be a construct valid tool resulting in reliable scores of teachers' conceptions of learning and teaching, in student-centred medical education. Two of the three factors are new and may be specific for student-centred medical education. The COLT may be a promising tool to improve faculty development.
authors: VU University Medical Centre, St Lucas Andreas Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.jacobs@vumc.nl
authors: Johanna C G
authors: JC
authors: Jacobs
authors: Scheltus J
authors: SJ
authors: Van Luijk
authors: Henk
authors: H
authors: Van Berkel
authors: Cees P M
authors: CP
authors: Van der Vleuten
authors: Gerda
authors: G
authors: Croiset
authors: Fedde
authors: F
authors: Scheele
mesh_terms: D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D011588:Psychology, Educational; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013192:Staff Development / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*