Blended learning

Blended learning refers to an educational program that uses a mixed teaching methods approach, where the face-to-face event is preceded by a number of online, precourse educational activities. The blended learning concept ensures that participants come to a course with comparable levels of relevant prior knowledge and therefore allows the time spent at the course to be more focused and efficient. It also lets participants decide individually on when and where to complete the precourse activities.

Module information

The new AOSpine MIS module has been realized due to the enormous effort made by Dr Roger Härtl, with support from Dr Daniel Gelb, AOSpine International, the AO Education Institute, and AO North America.

The module was developed to require about three hours of studying. The module’s precourse learning material is made available for participants to study one month before the face-to-face event. This extensive online material includes:

• Pre-course reading (chapters from the book Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery—Techniques, Evidence, and Controversies)
• Videos of Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF)
• Illustrated step-by-step guide of the TLIF procedure
• Online case discussion
• Archived webinar: Nuances of MIS TLIF
• Archived MIS lectures
• Pre-course self-assessment questions and feedback (created by faculty members)

Trial courses

Two very successful trials of the new module have been completed during the past six months at the "Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery and Navigation" course in Phoenix (US), and Tampa (US). The course in Phoenix was chaired by Dr Roger Härtl and Dr Daniel Gelb. The course in Tampa was chaired by Dr Dean Chou and Dr Steven Ludwig. Through an extensive evaluation process, it became clear that both the participants and faculty members thought that the blended learning concept worked extremely well and had a very positive impact on the overall learning experience. It was highly valued that the face-to-face course could be focused on the essentials, since the precourse material ensured that participants came to the course with similar levels of basic, course relevant knowledge.

Some of the most significant insights that came out of the evaluation process were:

"As a result of the blended learning concept, we were able to focus less on lecturing and more on interactive case discussions,"

said Course Chairperson Dr Daniel Gelb.

"Having shorter, more intense and interactive face-to-face courses, which means less time away from your hospital and your family, is something that I think is appealing to most surgeons,"

concluded Course Chairperson Dr Roger Härtl.