To change or not to change, but especially why, that is the question

From the new MHPE director Pascal van Gerven:

University teachers are not always fond of educational change. They may be convinced that change leads to more work or they may simply think: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

What makes things worse is that these naysayers may actually have a point. Therefore, educational innovators – of all sorts – better have a good story if they want to overcome this reluctance. One of the most convincing arguments in favor of change is that things will truly get better: that change will lead to a better educational experience – both from the perspective of the teacher and that of the student – and, most importantly, that it will lead to better learning. Coming up with such convincing arguments requires knowledge of good educational research. After all, it is good research that may lift an educational novelty beyond the hype.

This is where the Master of Health Professions Education (MHPE) comes in. The MHPE not only offers knowledge of educational research, it also provides the tools to conduct and appraise this type of research. From knowledge of fundamental learning theories to implementing evidence-based instructional design, from designing a single course to designing a full curriculum, from different forms of student-centered and collaborative learning to innovative assessment and evaluation, it is all covered by the MHPE. In times where opinions tend to be valued increasingly more than facts, we believe that it is the facts that eventually make things work. This is of crucial importance to a valuable domain like medical education.

Pascal van Gerven (program director MHPE)