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Abstract
Background: The National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools (NCCMT) has a mandate to support capacity development among public health professionals in Canada in evidence-informed practice. One mechanism used to achieve this mandate is interactive workshops. i>clicker technology was implemented as a strategy to increase audience participation, and assess knowledge and learning in real time (during workshop sessions).
Objectives: To assess change in evidence-informed decision making (EIDM) knowledge among public health professionals using i>clicker technology.
Methods: At five separate workshops, each workshop participant received an i>clicker device and was instructed to use the device to answer questions related to evidence-informed practice, posed throughout the session. Questions were asked pre- and post-delivery of the content within each workshop. Change in knowledge was assessed using Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks test and McNemar test.
Results: Data from 106 participants were analyzed. Participants held a variety of positions (consultants, managers, front line service providers) and degrees (Bachelor’s, Master’s, doctorate). The majority of participants had worked in public health for 6+ years and reported poor to fair knowledge of evidence-informed practice at the time of the workshop. A statistically significant improvement in total score was observed via pre-post tests among participants (P < 0.001). Statistically significant increases within relative domains were found, specific to identifying scope of issue (P < 0.001) and search platforms (P < 0.001); appraising evidence (P < 0.001); interpreting statistical significance (odd ratios, risk ratios, confidence intervals, forest plots) (P < 0.05), and clinical significance (P < 0.001). Anecdotally, a number of participants reported that they liked using the i>clickers.
Conclusions: Interactive workshops are one strategy to support capacity development among public health professionals. The integration of i>clicker technology not only promotes increased participation among attendees, but also allows for immediate assessment of changes in knowledge within the workshop setting.
Objectives: To assess change in evidence-informed decision making (EIDM) knowledge among public health professionals using i>clicker technology.
Methods: At five separate workshops, each workshop participant received an i>clicker device and was instructed to use the device to answer questions related to evidence-informed practice, posed throughout the session. Questions were asked pre- and post-delivery of the content within each workshop. Change in knowledge was assessed using Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks test and McNemar test.
Results: Data from 106 participants were analyzed. Participants held a variety of positions (consultants, managers, front line service providers) and degrees (Bachelor’s, Master’s, doctorate). The majority of participants had worked in public health for 6+ years and reported poor to fair knowledge of evidence-informed practice at the time of the workshop. A statistically significant improvement in total score was observed via pre-post tests among participants (P < 0.001). Statistically significant increases within relative domains were found, specific to identifying scope of issue (P < 0.001) and search platforms (P < 0.001); appraising evidence (P < 0.001); interpreting statistical significance (odd ratios, risk ratios, confidence intervals, forest plots) (P < 0.05), and clinical significance (P < 0.001). Anecdotally, a number of participants reported that they liked using the i>clickers.
Conclusions: Interactive workshops are one strategy to support capacity development among public health professionals. The integration of i>clicker technology not only promotes increased participation among attendees, but also allows for immediate assessment of changes in knowledge within the workshop setting.