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Table 1 Overview of the meetings

From: Informal teacher communities enhancing the professional development of medical teachers: a qualitative study

Group 1 and Group 2

1. Start-up

The aim of the start-up meeting of both groups (prepared by the facilitators) were to get acquainted with each other and the goal of the teacher community. The initiative received acclaim from the tutors. Possible questions to discuss this semester were explored. Most mentioned questions were: How to give shape to the tutor role? How to assess students’ professional behaviour? The tutors were about to meet their student groups for the first time. They shared suggestions on how to start this first meeting.

Group 1

Group 2

2. Structured discussion of two videos

This meeting was prepared by two tutors, who had both made a video-recording of their student group, in which the students were expected to brainstorm (activate prior knowledge). Each of the tutors showed ten minutes of the video, and provided questions for the other tutors to observe it. The brainstorm in one video appeared to be rather chaotic, the other rather passive. The question that was discussed was what a tutor can do to stimulate the student-chair to take his/her role. Six suggestions were shared.

2. Structured reflection on an actual situation

The two preparing tutors brought in an actual case with which all tutors had wrestled that week: how to deal with resistance of students as a result of a change of policy by the organization? It turned out that the tutors themselves experienced resistance to this change as well. A structured reflection method was used to analyze the case. Six suggestions were shared how to deal with situations like these and agreements were made to take collective action.

3. Case discussion (session)

The preparing tutor brought in a case about a session in which students gave presentations, about which the tutor was not satisfied. The tutors collaboratively analysed the two underlying reasons and provided multiple suggestions for both.

3. Role play

The two preparing tutors chose the theme, “how to facilitate the weekly brainstorm sessions”, for this meeting. First, the tutors shared successes and difficulties on the white board. The group then did a short role play of a stagnant brainstorm. After the role play, possible causes were discussed, and multiple suggestions were exchanged. The tutors agreed to try some of these suggestions in their own groups coming weeks.

4. Successes and feedback to the organization

As the preparing tutors were late, the facilitators invited the other tutors to concisely share their successes of last month. Also two concerns were shared that proved to be relevant to all tutors. Actions were formulated about reporting this feedback to the organization.

Case discussion (student)

One of the two preparing tutors presented a case about the difficult behavior of one student. Several approaches were discussed for how to deal with this in the assessment of professional behavior that was planned for that week.

4. Looking back

First, the tutors reflected on suggestions given in last meeting which they had tried in their own groups. Three positive experiences were reported.

Structured discussion of a video and a text

The two preparing tutors had chosen \as the theme of this meeting. They showed a short video of a secondary school group. The tutors then analysed underlying problems and provided suggestions for possible solutions. Duos of tutors then read one part of a text on group dynamics. Each duo summarized the paragraph for the rest of the group. Finally, the group discussed the relevance of the text to their own situation.

5. Start-up/evaluation

This meeting was the last meeting of this group, and at the same time the first meeting of next semesters’ group, so both experienced and new tutors were present. The aim of the teacher community was clarified, and experienced tutors shared what the teacher community had brought them last semester.

Reflection on the role of tutor

The preparing tutor reflected on the processes in his last semester’s group, with which he was not completely satisfied. He wondered what he could have done better. The tutors explored the case and together formulated several suggestions, which also helped the new tutors to prepare for their role.

5. Start-up/evaluation

Like in group 1, both experienced and new tutors were present, as this was a combined start-up and evaluation meeting. The aim of the teacher community was clarified, and the experienced tutors shared what the teacher community had brought them last semester.

How to start?

The new tutors, who were about to meet their student groups for the first time, felt the urgent need to hear from the experienced ones how to start this first meeting. Several suggestions were shared.

Reflection on role of tutor

The two preparing tutors had chosen the theme “what went well last semester?” for this meeting. They asked the group to first reflect on the question, “what is a good tutor?”, and then invited them to share the interventions that had proven to be successful in that semester. Nine successful interventions were shared.