Table 3 Student perceptions deducted from the interviews on community-based service learning in public health
From: Assessing the implementation of community-based learning in public health: a mixed methods approach
Students’ perception | Narrative illustrations |
|---|---|
1. Benefits of the programme perceived by the students | |
Evolution towards a better perception of the programme | S15-1 ‘I think all the students at first were a bit reticent about that; and now I see everyone is pretty supportive and involved in this thing.’ |
A better understanding of public health issues | S17-2 ‘I think that is not a bad thing, as in the second and third years, we don’t know much about public health except health economics… which is not really representative of the whole the subject. So, it helps to show that aspect of public health.’ |
The communication about the objectives of the programme was not clear for students | S15-1 ‘They just told us that we had to do that, but we did not really know why, what it would bring us in the process […] I think that if they had explained to us the whole process of our training, before telling us to do the e-learning, I would certainly have done it more assiduously.’ |
2. E-learning as a new way to learn | |
Great benefits from the students’ point of view | S2-1 ‘I think it is not bad, because it allows you to do it at your own pace … at home, quietly. […] so you are sure you can do it.’ |
Limitations of the e-learning teaching in the programme | S18-1 ‘And on top of that, the fact of not knowing what we answered was more or less right or wrong … It was a bit … not frustrating but […] I said to myself "in fact I don’t know", and after validating (exercises), I still don’t know if what I did was right or not’ |
3. Interactive seminars | |
Allow a better understanding of the programme | S2-1 ‘I found it was really much more concrete. Already, this is where they really explained what we were going to do …’ |
A way to improve student confidence for their actions in schools | S14-1 ‘And I think that reassured me a lot; well for me it reassured me that we already have the ability to do this kind of thing, even if we didn’t necessarily realize it before.’ |
A lack of scientific knowledge about the theme | S20-1 ‘There was perhaps a lack of training for the notions that we have to deal with. We have training on the form, but not at all on the basic notions’ |
Participative tools seem useless for students involved in subject of dirst aid procedures actions | S11-1 ‘Because the first part, on how to run a workshop, I think everyone actually should do it. But using the post-its animations, or the moving debate animation, etc.: they seem useless for these in first aid procedures …’ |
4. Action in schools | |
Students’ fears | S1-1 ‘And after the worry that will remain until the action, it will be more the question of not losing our means in front of a class.’ |
Competence in health education | S9-2 ‘Learning how to tell a patient why he should stop smoking or change his behaviour with a different approach: this is more difficult and we don’t necessarily learn that outside of this programme. I think it’s by doing that you actually learn how to do it’ |
A way to work on communication skills | S7-1 ‘I think it brought me some self-confidence for talking with people and especially in front of a group of people. It was a real training course. And to communicate and interact with our colleagues too.’ |
Developing human skills, including empathy | S18-2 ‘It is a way of being a bit of a teacher, yes, but also of remaining in our role as a doctor; in fact, not only to provide concrete knowledge, but also to relate to the lives of patients.’ S5-1 ‘It pushed me to see things from other people’s points of view […] and then I learned that a lot of people think differently from me […] it forces me to question everything I know and pay attention to what people want.’ S6-2 ‘I want to have contact with humans, and not beds… and have a more global approach with people.’ |
Other kinds of skills gained or improved | S2-1 ‘I think it gave me the ability to work in a group, it was nice to work with other students […] We had to organize everything, to work together and communicate; and it seems important to me that we learn all of that.’ S4-2 ‘We met to discuss and decided what activities we were going to use. It was a bit harsh to agree on them and on the subjects or questions we wanted to address […] We obviously didn’t have the same wishes at the start, but step by step we learned how to deal with that and managed to all get together and agree.’ |
Students’ empowerment | S12-1 ‘And the fact of carrying out these small public health actions, I think that makes sense in our curriculum. It is even empowering in fact.’ |
5. Future for the programme | |
Common prevention culture with other health sectors of the University | S12-1 ‘It would be a great opportunity to meet colleagues from other health sectors. So, whether they might be a pharmacist, or a nurse or a dentist, we wouldn’t have the same sensitivities or perspectives on the subjects we deal with, so it would have been an added value for us to be able to exchange in this context.’ |