[Influence of sub-group discussion on the developing skills for critical reading of research papers]. / Influencia de la discusión subgrupal en el desarrollo de la aptitud de lectura crítica de documentos de investigación.

OBJECTIVE: To compare a three steps (3S) vs. two steps (2S) active participative promoting strategies (APPS) in critical reading of research papers in first degree residents. METHODS: An APPS educational intervention in 3S vs. 2S was developed. Two groups by simple random technique were study. The experimental group (A) with 13 residents and a control group (B) with 12. Three indicators were use (interpretation, judgement and proposal). The instrument had 120 items. In both groups, the educational strategies used were similar in contents. In-group A (3S) the subgroup discussion was emphasized. Group discussion and the resolution of extra classroom item guides performed was similar in both groups. Non parametric statistical tests were performed by a blind researcher. RESULTS: The reliability of the instrument was 0.89 by Kuder-Richardson procedure. The initial results were very low and showed an increase in the median in both groups. More students in-group A were located out of a random category. In both groups, Mc Nemar test results were significant. CONCLUSIONS: The 3S strategy is better than 2S in developing critical reading in research papers.

[Comparison of two educational strategies in teacher formation courses]. / Comparación de dos modalidades educativas en diplomados de formación docente.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the achievement of promotional strategies on the participation in two educational modalities for the development of skills for the elaboration of the knowledge (SSEK) in courses of teacher formation (TF). METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was performed in four courses of TF with similar contents and strategies with seven students each one. As independent variable the presence and semipresence modalities were considered. In order to measure the development of the SSEK reliable; a validated instrument were used. RESULTS: No significant differences were found among or between evaluations before and after interventions in the four groups. The students of the semipresencial course well as the presence advanced significantly in the development of the aptitudes and educative posture according to Wilcoxon test. CONCLUSIONS: Both modalities increase the SSKE to development therefore represents an option for medical education in health professionals.

[Small group discussion to promote self-learning]. / Discusión en pequeños grupos. Su influencia en el camino conocimiento.

OBJECTIVE: To emphasize the influence of small groups discussion to promote self-learning. METHODOLOGY: Educational strategies aimed at promoting active participation were designed, and evaluated through its effect in developing aptitude to read critically. The experimental group (EG) participated in a three-phased strategy (individual assignment, small group discussion and plenary); the control group participated in a two-phased strategy (individual assignment and plenary). Subjects in both groups were randomly selected. Previously, an instrument to measure the capability to read critically educational theory texts was developed and validated. The duration and the contents were equal in both strategies. RESULTS: At the baseline, there were no differences between groups. After participating in the strategies, both groups showed significant progress. CG increased its score from 16 to 33 and the EC from 20 to 48 (p < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Small group discussion proved to be effective to increase the capability to read critically educational theory texts, thus it use should be considered when implementing educational strategies aimed at promoting active participation.

[The evolution of teaching education in the health area]. / La evolución de la formación docente en el área de la salud.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the performance through time of the Centro de Investigación Educativa y Formación Docente (Educational Research and Teaching Education Center) at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (Mexican Institute of Social Security), Nuevo León Office using as an indicator the ability for critical reading of theoretical texts of education. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was made among professors with and without teaching education, as well as among the several generations of professors that took teaching education courses at the Centro de Investigación Educativa y Formación Docente. A previously validated instrument was used to measure the ability for critical reading. It was applied to 358 professors, 107 with teaching education at the Centro de Investigación Educativa y Formación Docente in Monterrey and 251 without teaching education, at the IMSS Nuevo León Office. RESULTS: It was found that the previous teaching education constitutes a "positive risk" with an odds ratio of 17.66 (CI 9.02-34.12). Statistically significant differences were also found between not educated professors (median of 15) and educated professors (median of 35). In the scale, the grades at random and very low predominated in not educated professors, while the educated ones were located in the low and average. CONCLUSION: Professors at the Centro de Investigación Educativa y Formación Docente are improving their teaching labor using research as a means of self-criticism.

[Critical reading ability in research during medical internship]. / Lectura crítica de investigación en el internado de pregrado en hospitales generales.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate level of development that medical interns achieve, before graduating, in critical reading ability during their internship in five general hospitals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During the academic year, we compared the initial and final scores of critical reading of medical interns before graduation in five general hospitals in IMSS. An instrument using 98 items that explored interpretation, judgment and proposal was developed and validated by four medical education researchers. In hospitals 1, 4, and 5, professors developed active-participative strategies related to critical reading in clinical research. In Hospital 2, no course was given and in Hospital 3, a traditional course (mainly clinical exposure) was offered. RESULTS: The final global scores were better for those students in Hospitals 1, 4 and 5 versus Hospitals 2 and 3 (median: 31, 29, 31 versus 9 and 24) (Kruskal-Wallis < 0.05). Initial and final differences in global and interpretation, judgment and proposal were also better in those same students. CONCLUSIONS: Active-participative educational strategies may develop the ability for critical reading of clinical research in internship and these strategies must be included in the curriculum during internship.

[Training of health professors. Role of discussion in small groups for the development of critical reading aptitude]. / La formación de profesores en el área de la salud. Papel de la discusión en pequeños grupos para el desarrollo de la aptitud para la lectura crítica.

OBJECTIVE: Compare the achievements of an educational strategy promoting participation of three phases (homework, discussion in small groups, plenary session) and other of two phases (homework and plenary session) for the development of critical reading of educational research reports in professors of medicine and other health care areas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An instrument was validated with summaries of 5 published articles and 114 sentences that explored the 3 indicators of critical reading: to interpret, judge and propose; balanced by indicators and options with true/false/don't know answers. The consistency of the instrument was 0.90 (Kuder-Richardson). Two groups of medical and no medical personnel were formed at random. The experimental group (GE) was exposed to the strategy promoting the participation of three phases and the control group (GC) to the strategy promoting the participation of two phases. The contents and duration were equal in both groups. RESULTS: Before the educative interventions there were no significant differences between the groups. After the interventions both groups advanced significantly in the global score, the GE from 32 to 82 (p < 0.005) and the GC from 28 to 52 (p < 0.01). When comparing between themselves statistically significant differences were found on behalf of the GE (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The achievement of the educational strategy promoting the participation of three phases was superior to the strategy of two phases and this difference is due to the discussion phase in small groups.

[The performance of professors of Medicine as an indicator of the influence of an educational training course]. / El desempeño de profesores de Medicina como indicador de la influencia de un curso de formación docente.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the educational environments created by the professors who attended the Regional Center of Teachers Training to those who did not attend it. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An instrument was developed to explore the educational environment that every professor creates for students with indirect technique, with double statements in accordance to the passive and participative focus of the education they approached of the type and frequency of activities carried on regularly in the educational process, validated by rounds of experts, with a final version of 60 statements and six indicators. The instrument was applied to 480 residents (students) from the different specialization courses in 10 hospitals from a Delegation of the Mexican Institute of Social Security corresponding to 82 professors evaluated. For the statistic analysis was used Chi 2 with Yates correction, the odds ratio with confidence intervals and the U of Mann Whitney. The Kuder Richardson test was used to determine the instruments consistency. RESULTS: There were no significant differences (p > .50) when comparing the educational environment created by the professors who attended the training courses at the Center and those who did not attend. The odds ratio to evaluate if training creates a more participative environment for students was of 1.84 (IC 0.94-2.92). CONCLUSION: There are limitations in the courses for teachers training and that is because a profound change has not been accomplished in the graduates to allow a turn in their teaching experience to an education that promotes the elaboration of knowledge (participative) by the students, when they return to their medical units. It is necessary to reorient the educational process.

El desempeño de profesores de Medicina como indicador de la influencia de un curso de formación docente / The performance of professors of Medicine as an indicator of the influence of an educational training course

OBJECTIVE: To compare the educational environments created by the professors who attended the Regional Center of Teachers Training to those who did not attend it. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An instrument was developed to explore the educational environment that every professor creates for students with indirect technique, with double statements in accordance to the passive and participative focus of the education they approached of the type and frequency of activities carried on regularly in the educational process, validated by rounds of experts, with a final version of 60 statements and six indicators. The instrument was applied to 480 residents (students) from the different specialization courses in 10 hospitals from a Delegation of the Mexican Institute of Social Security corresponding to 82 professors evaluated. For the statistic analysis was used Chi 2 with Yates correction, the odds ratio with confidence intervals and the U of Mann Whitney. The Kuder Richardson test was used to determine the instruments consistency. RESULTS: There were no significant differences (p > .50) when comparing the educational environment created by the professors who attended the training courses at the Center and those who did not attend. The odds ratio to evaluate if training creates a more participative environment for students was of 1.84 (IC 0.94-2.92). CONCLUSION: There are limitations in the courses for teachers training and that is because a profound change has not been accomplished in the graduates to allow a turn in their teaching experience to an education that promotes the elaboration of knowledge (participative) by the students, when they return to their medical units. It is necessary to reorient the educational process.