Dissertation Defense Announcement Ed.D. Program: Ruth Perez “Medical Laboratory Science Simulation Learning Environment: Designed Through a Cognitive Apprenticeship Approach”

Simulation-based learning has grown at an astronomical rate and has become an important tool in healthcare education. However, its implementation and incorporation into a learning environment have been inconsistent within different healthcare professions, more so in medical laboratory science (MLS) education. Guided by the cognitive apprenticeship framework and scaffolding design principles, this sequential mixed methods study examined the ways the internal and external scaffolds supported students’ disciplinary knowledge and evidence-based reasoning within a computer-based bacteriology case simulator. Eleven MLS students across two cohorts within an undergraduate MLS program were asked to record their think-alouds as they completed two bacteriology cases. One focus group interview was conducted from the participants to assess their perceived usefulness of the simulation and feedback on their learning experiences.

Findings revealed that students relied most on the step-by-step guidance provided by the flow chart, which was most accessible and user friendly. The side-by-side comparison scaffold was used infrequently by the students and appeared to require stronger disciplinary knowledge to be applied effectively. Expert discussion videos were primarily used as a summative tool for reflection and debriefing but were not mandatory and were missed by some students. The external scaffold, which was the instructor’s bacteriology guide, emerged as a valuable secondary scaffold, particularly when students needed additional guidance.

Overall, the study demonstrates the need for scaffolded simulation environments to strengthen MLS students’ evidence-based reasoning by making expert strategies visible, supporting explicit disciplinary strategies, and encouraging reflection on disciplinary practices. These findings suggest that simulation design in MLS education should prioritize clear procedural scaffolds, embedded expert guidance, summative debriefing with expert rationale, and opportunities for articulation to better support novice learners. The MLS students were supported with the available scaffolds but there is room for improvement to better serve the development of their disciplinary knowledge, strategies, and evidence-based reasoning.