Context / probleemstelling of aanleiding

Probleemstelling (inclusief theoretische onderbouwing en onderzoeksvraag/vragen):
Critical thinking and clinical reasoning are pivotal for healthcare professionals, particularly in clinical pharmacology, where decision-making has a direct impact on patient outcomes. Effective clinical decisions require an appropriate balance of intuitive and analytical thinking, which is vital for minimizing errors and improving safety. However, current literature highlights a gap in understanding how best to cultivate these skills. Traditional theory-driven teaching approaches often fail to adequately prepare learners for the complexities of real-world clinical practice, underscoring the urgency for innovative educational strategies in pharmacology. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to map and critically examine the evidence on authentic learning environments in healthcare education and their role in fostering critical thinking and clinical reasoning in pharmacology.
Methode:
This review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidance (2020) and employed the Authentic Learning Environments in Higher Education framework of Herrington and Herrington (2006) to identify key characteristics of authentic learning environments across studies. This framework aims to provide a concrete means to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, thereby fostering deeper engagement and supporting the development of critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills central to this study. A systematic search of four electronic databases, including Medline (PubMed), ERIC (Ovid), Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, was undertaken to identify relevant primary research. The analysis focused on studies evaluating critical thinking and clinical reasoning within authentic learning contexts, and findings were structured and reported in accordance with the extension of Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for scoping reviews (Prisma-Scr).
Resultaten (en conclusie):
The search strategy yielded 141 articles after duplicates were removed. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 57 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 31 were included in the final analysis. This analysis of authenticity highlights how different learning environments uniquely contribute to the development of critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills in pharmacology. Case-based and simulation-based methods emerged as the most frequently used teaching strategies across the included studies. These strategies, along with collaborative activities, were consistently associated with significant improvements in critical thinking and clinical reasoning. Furthermore, variations in implementation influenced their effectiveness, suggesting that deeper integration of authentic characteristics within the learning environment can enhance students’ clinical decision-making capabilities. Overall, the findings indicate that authentic learning environments have substantial potential to improve the application of clinical knowledge in real-world practice.
Discussie (beschouwing resultaten en conclusie in het kader van de theorie):
This scoping review has advanced our understanding of how authentic learning environments can be implemented to foster critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills among healthcare students, particularly in clinical pharmacology. It provides insights into both the challenges and opportunities in this area of education. Teachers could enhance learning authenticity by integrating real-world contexts, complex tasks, collaboration, expert modelling, interdisciplinary perspectives, reflection, and authentic assessment into their instructional design. Future research should focus on developing theory-based methods that reliably assess how authentic learning contexts support these skills. Transparency in the use of frameworks and measurement approaches will enable meaningful cross-study comparisons and contribute to building a stronger educational foundation for authentic learning in pharmacology.
Referenties:
Herrington T, Herrington J. Authentic learning environments in higher education [Internet]. Hershey, PA: Information Science Pub.; 2006. Available from: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=136233
Peters MDJ, Marnie C, Tricco AC, Pollock D, Munn Z, Alexander L, et al. Updated methodological guidance for the conduct of scoping reviews. JBI Evidence Synthesis [Internet]. 2020 Oct;18(10):2119. Available from: https://journals.lww.com/jbisrir/fulltext/2020/10000/Updated_methodological_guidance_for_the_conduct_of.4.aspx/1000