Teaching Geriatrics in the Classroom: Small Groups

Teaching in a small group setting encourages learners to become engaged in the process of learning. This type of learning has several advantages including improved knowledge retention, communication skills, and real-time feedback. A variety of strategies and techniques can be employed in the small group setting that promote discussion and problem solving. Additionally, some small group teaching techniques can even be applied to larger group settings in order to allow for learner participation and, thus, increased engagement with the material. Small group teaching is particularly well suited to geriatrics principles because geriatrics topics are often complex, and discussion allows for exploration of nuanced clinical challenges.