Enabling learning when class is done
Purpose
If you remember Index Medicus then chances are you, like us, are trying to keep up with the digital natives that are now filling our classrooms. This Millennial generation approach and utilize technology in a much different way than times gone by and it is now the responsibility of faculty to not simply rely on engaging students within the classroom but to engage learning when class is done. By and large, physical therapy programs have changed little with regard to the way that information is conveyed from faculty to student. There are still lecture based courses, lab based courses and those that integrate the two. There is an expectation that students will absorb information during these teaching sessions, only to spend some additional time at a later date reviewing and learning that information.
What is taught in the classroom is still learned in the dorm room, however the approach to that dorm room learning is different than it has ever been. Today’s students are no longer confined to studying from hand written notes and instantly outdated text books. Today’s students live in a digital age where content can not only be written down, but it can be captured in either audio, video or a combination of the two. Advances in technology have meant that today’s students are not reliant on an exceptional memory or an unnatural skill in note taking to be able to accurately review a particular class content. Today’s students want to be able to review exactly what was actually taught in the classroom and not simply a vague recollection of what was taught – and technology has made that possible.
As well as the desire to engage with previously recorded information, today’s students engage more with information that they help create. Today’s students expect to not only be recipients of information for learning but also to be creators in the learning process. This generation of students are content creators and not just content consumers.
Methods and/or Description of Project
Students today thrive on reviewing their class material through technological advances such as podcasts and vodcasts. Podcasting is in its most basic form an audio recording of a particular amount of content that is made available at a later date. Vodcasting is the video equivalent of podcasting where students can not only hear what was said, but can either see the instructor or the visuals that were used during the presentation. In our session, we describe 3 courses that contained a significant technology component in both the content delivery and in assignments submitted by the students.
Results/Outcomes
Student survey data revealed pocasts and vodcasts improved student's perception of knowledge retention. Students also reported "ease of access to course materials", "ability to review at my own pace",and "efficient use of time" were among the top reasons for using podcasts and vodcasts.
Conclusions/Relevance to the conference theme: Shaping the Future of Physical Therapy Education
Technology platforms create an opportunity for students to access, absorb, and create content that can not only assist them in their own studies but can assist others through local and global collaborations.
References
Podcasting Advantages & Disadvantages in Education PROCEEDINGS
Michele Langbein, Point Park University, United States
World Conference on Educational Media and Technology, Jun 29, 2010 in Toronto, Canada
Podcasts in Higher Education: What Students Want, What They Really Need, and How This Might be Supported PROCEEDINGS
Rasmus Blok, Aarhus University, Denmark ; Mikkel Godsk, Aarhus Universitet, Denmark
World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education, Oct 26, 2009 in Vancouver,
Podcasting in medical education: can we turn this toy into an effective learning tool?
Zanussi L1, Paget M, Tworek J, McLaughlin K. Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract. 2012 Oct;17(4):597-600. doi: 10.1007/s10459-011-9300-9. Epub 2011 May 5.
Evaluation of a web-based asynchronous pediatric emergency medicine learning tool for residents and medical students.
Burnette K1, Ramundo M, Stevenson M, Beeson MS.
Acad Emerg Med. 2009 Dec;16 Suppl 2:S46-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1553-2712.2009.00598.x.
Morning report blog: a web-based tool to enhance case-based learning.
Bogoch II1, Frost DW, Bridge S, Lee TC, Gold WL, Panisko DM, Cavalcanti RB.
Teach Learn Med. 2012;24(3):238-41. doi: 10.1080/10401334.2012.692273.
Course Objectives
By the end of this session participants will:
1. understand the usefulness of using technology to enhance education – both within universities and within the clinic.
2. be familiar with using various technology platforms such as wikis and blogs to foster collaboration
3. be exposed to several types of technology platforms that are useful in education both in and out of the classroom including podcasts and vodcasts
Instructional Methods
This session will be a practical session based on real world examples that even a novice faculty member can implement and engage learning not only within the class setting, but long after the class is done.
We will talk about and demonstrate practical applications that can be readily employed to turn any teaching session into a podcast and vodcast ready for instant review.
Instructional methods will be:
Lecture
small group discussions
Q & A
hands on practice with some platforms/apps
Tentative Outline/Schedule
30 min- Introduction to learning outside the classroom
30 min- Demonstration of apps/websites/wikis/blogs
15 min how to on vodcast and podcast
15 min Q & A