The effect of a specialized content knowledge workshop on teaching and learning Basic Life Support in elementary school: a cluster randomized controlled trial

Background: Research investigating the effect of specialised content knowledge (SCK) on teaching and learning Basic Life Support (BLS) is lacking. Purpose: To investigate the effect of a specialised content knowledge workshop on teaching behaviour, lesson context and student learning of BLS. Specialised content knowledge comprises knowledge of content progressions, skill analysis, and how to correct common errors. Methods: A cluster randomized controlled trial. Ten elementary teachers from three schools were assigned to a common content knowledge (n = 4) and specialized content knowledge condition (n = 6). Common content knowledge teachers received a 50-min BLS workshop focused on learning BLS. Next to learning BLS, specialised content knowledge teachers also practised the teaching of BLS focussing on skill progressions, skill analysis and how to correct common errors children would likely make. Teachers then taught one BLS lesson and their behaviour together with lesson context was collected through direct observation. BLS performance of 203 children (mean age: 11.3 years) was individually assessed immediately after the lesson. Results: Students taught by specialised content knowledge teachers spent more time practising BLS (57% vs 30%), were less engaged in cognitive activities (29% vs 55%) and achieved a significantly higher BLS performance (62% vs 57%) compared to students taught by common content knowledge teachers, P <.05. Specialised content knowledge teachers on average gave more feedback (31 vs 19). Discussion and conclusion: This study demonstrates that a 50-min workshop with a focus on specialised content knowledge impacted teachers' in-class behaviour, which in turn significantly improved students' BLS performance. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.