Continuity or team-teaching approach for midwifery education? An exploratory qualitative study of student and academic preferences.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The content of midwifery courses is very similar across universities. The teaching approach is not, with universities adopting a variety of pedagogical methods. AIM: To explore views of midwifery students, midwifery academics and senior academic managers comparing a continuity approach where one main academic provides the majority of midwifery content plus pastoral care compared with a team-teaching approach of midwifery education where lecturers change throughout the course. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were used to discover thoughts, benefits and disadvantages of two teaching approaches. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. FINDINGS: Midwifery students and academics valued relationship building, consistency of advice and assessment expectations of the continuity approach but also appreciated a variety of teaching styles and content found in the team-teaching approach. Senior academic managers favoured a team-teaching approach due to workload concerns. DISCUSSION: Continuity and team-teaching pedagogical approaches offer different advantages. Continuity in midwifery education may provide students with a meaningful trusting relationship with their teacher and consistency of information, which could aid learning. A team-teaching approach provides students with diversity of teaching styles and midwifery 'stories'. A combination of both pedagogies offering both a mix of teachers and a named 'go-to' mentor might help meet student requirements for both continuity and variety. CONCLUSION: Relationship building, consistency and trust, were all evident in the continuity approach whereas the team-teaching approach was considered to be a more sustainable workload model.