Workshops

AMEE Meeting, Prague, Czech Republic, 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2007

Evaluating the Evidence

Presenters: Alex Haig (NHS Education for Scotland, UK) and Marilyn Hammick (Education and Research Consultant, UK)

Critical appraisal of research studies is an accepted part of clinical practice. This workshop looks at how this is done for non-experimental research, especially in the field of educational evaluation. It will draw upon the latest work of the BEME Collaboration and other key organisations that are interpreting and synthesising research in health care sciences education to inform best practice and assist with policy decisions. Sessions will include an overview of approaches to critical appraisal, its role in evidence informed practice and policy making and identifying the challenges educators face judging evaluation designs from a variety of research paradigms, using both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Participants will work in small groups with the most recently developed instruments and techniques to analyse signifi cant papers. The session is relevant to faculty at all levels: those wishing to embark upon a systematic review, the teacher or practitioner wishing to evaluate a single paper to inform their own practice and senior managers planning to base future changes in educational policy on evidence.