Theory and application of learning cycles and learning styles in education of traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a relatively new subject in higher education in the UK and Europe, but this area has been growing since the first BSc (Hons) degree started at Middlesex University in 1997.
From the very beginning, TCM education was modelled on the curricular system that was used in Chinese TCM medicine schools, such as the one used at Middlesex. There are many difficulties in implementing the Chinese TCM curricular system in the UK and Europe. One of the most striking difficulties is the lack of clinical practice placements and the lack of clinical cases of sufficient quantity and variety. Overcoming this problem is essential in achieving the aim of TCM education – to produce competent, safe and caring TCM practitioners.
In the last year, a study was carried out to find a way of enhancing students’ clinical experience by using the learning cycle concepts in TCM clinical case studies. In this article, the results of the study are reported, and the applications of the learning cycle concept in TCM education are discussed.
The research design is centred on compiled TCM clinical cases. The method can be summed up as “Case Study Cycles”. The students who took part in this study were the final year TCM students at Middlesex University.
Two Case Study Cycles were used, Cycle A and Cycle B.
At the end of the academic year, when the students have completed the study of 10 cases they were given both Figure A which represent Cycle A and Figure B which represent Cycle B, and asked to answer 14 questions.
All answers from individual students are collated and analysed.
The results demonstrate that students understand both learning cycles, but they prefer Cycle B. They have found Cycle B suits their learning styles. The role plays, being either the patient or the doctor, help them significantly in their clinical learning. We have found that with the electronic age upon us, we can use the internet, email and specific teaching tools within a university’s electronic network, to enhance the learning experience of students, in this case, final year Chinese medicine students.