title: Using tablets to support self-regulated learning in a longitudinal integrated clerkship.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The need to train physicians committed to learning throughout their careers has prompted medical schools to encourage the development and practice of self-regulated learning by students. Longitudinal integrated clerkships (LICs) require students to exercise self-regulated learning skills. As mobile tools, tablets can potentially support self-regulation among LIC students.
  
  
  METHODS
  We provided 15 LIC students with tablet computers with access to the electronic health record (EHR), to track their patient cohort, and a multiplatform online notebook, to support documentation and retrieval of self-identified clinical learning issues. Students received a 1-hour workshop on the relevant features of the tablet and online notebook. Two focus groups with the students were used to evaluate the program, one early and one late in the year and were coded by two raters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students used the tablet to support their self-regulated learning in ways that were unique to their learning styles and increased access to resources and utilization of down-time. Students who used the tablet to self-monitor and target learning demonstrated the utility of tablets as learning tools.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LICs are environments rich in opportunity for self-regulated learning. Tablets can enhance students' ability to develop and employ self-regulatory skills in a clinical context.
authors.affiliation: Office of Technology Enhanced Learning, School of Medicine, University of California- San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Research and Development in Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; dylan.alegria@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Dylan Archbold Hufty
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Alegría
authors.affiliation: Office of Technology Enhanced Learning, School of Medicine, University of California- San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Research and Development in Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Christy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boscardin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poncelet
authors.affiliation: Office of Technology Enhanced Learning, School of Medicine, University of California- San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Research and Development in Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Chandler
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mayfield
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wamsley
mesh_terms: D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000379:methods*; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D013337:Students, Medical
keywords: clinical learning; longitudinal integrated clerkship; mobile learning; self-regulated learning; workplace learning