Applying EQ-influenced concepts to create a learner-centered environment
supportive of learner-centered teaching can help faculty comprehend,
develop, and shape this interactive process. Enhancing learner
engagement, allowing more introspection and reflection during feedback,
and accounting for biases in learner assessment are essential. While
ongoing research explores the practical applications of EQ in medical
education and its impact on learning outcomes, the conceptual model of
creating more individualized learning experiences is one we should
embrace now.
EQ emphasizes the fact that all of us have preferred styles of
interaction. Receiving instruction and feedback is a stressful
experience for many learners, so when stressed, learners will tend to
retreat to the comfort of their basic style preference. A trainee who is
most comfortable with facts will provide increasingly detailed data
when pressed by an attending on rounds, whereas a trainee who is more
comfortable with personal interactions may dive deeper into the
patient's social history and story. Similarly, a learner who values
facts may find a faculty member sharing personal stories about patient
interactions distracting and noninformative, whereas another learner may
consider it the best teaching moment of the day. By respecting learner
preferences, the instructor can minimize this type of cognitive bias,
termed “framing,” where similar situations receive different responses.
customizing the message specifically to those struggling learners may
help. These learners may benefit from individual assessments of style
preferences. By understanding learners' preferences, educators can then
hone a more meaningful individualized lesson plan.
lecturers need to account for the learning preferences of all 4 major styles: THINKERS, FEELERS, PLANNERS, DREAMERS.