Table 1. New Teaching Paradigm for Communication Skills.
Characteristic | Old Paradigm | New Paradigm |
---|---|---|
Role of teacher | Expert | Coach |
Teaching approach | “Watch the expert in action” | “Let me set you up for a successful encounter” |
Learning aids | Teacher lists desirable communication behaviors | Teacher builds strategy with learner on basis of what oncologist needs to accomplish with this particular patient in this visit |
Work of teaching | Teacher has primary communication responsibility, and explains his or her thinking to learner afterward | Before encounter, teacher engages learner in goal setting and problem solving Learner has some primary communication responsibility After encounter, teacher debriefs learner |
Outcome of feedback | Learner thinks, “ I should have said…” | Learner thinks, “Next time, I am going to…” |
What teacher knows | “This is the right way to do it” | Novices are different from experts, and learner is moving along developmental path |
Evaluation of learner | Summative judgment about learner's competence (or incompetence) | Formative judgment about learner's professional development |