Campfire Pedagogy: Stroke Camp Enlightens DPT Students and Community Members on Participation in Life Roles
Purpose: Camp settings have been demonstrated to provide transformative experiences for learning.1-5 Pro-Bono Stoke Camp is a novel setting where students learn about the community of individuals who have survived a stroke in an interprofessional setting. This camp setting is a novel environment allowing students, survivors of stroke (SOS), and caregivers to learn from, with, and about each other in achieving goals for participation in life roles. John Dewey suggests that education based on actual life experience is necessary to accomplish its ends for both individual learner and society.6 We hypothesize pro-bono stroke camp experiences deepen classroom learning through community engagement in actual lived experiences and enlightens community members about physical therapy. The purpose of this study was to examine lived experiences of DPT students and camp participants who participated in pro-bono stroke camp and lessons learned from camp.Methods/Description: SUBJECTS: 13 DPT students and 13 survivors of stroke METHODS AND MATERIALS: Phenomenology explored lived experiences of DPT students (n = 13) who engaged in a pro-bono stroke camp experience. Students reflected on pro-bono stroke camp experiences and lessons learned through a reflective essay. Reflections included three parts: 1) What happened at camp? 2) How did the experience relate to current coursework? 3) How will students use the experience in their future practice of physical therapy? Phenomenological interviews also explored lessons learned by the SOS and caregivers (n = 13)who had re-entering life and attended camp. ANALYSES: Reflections and interviews were analyzed and coded for themes or constituents.7-11Results/Outcomes: All students articulated the purpose of pro-bono stroke camp in helping survivors and caregivers return to full participation in life roles as campers: “It’s all about the campers!” Students were also able to discuss how the experience related to current and previous coursework. “We learned more at camp than from any classroom lecture or lab!” Finally, all students reported less fear of working with SOS and viewed neuro settings as viable career possibilities. “We’re excited about working in a neuro setting!” SoS at camp related how they focused on long term goals despite challenges; reclaimed their lives; and shared advice for future physical therapists.Conclusions/Relevance to the conference theme: Our Leadership Landscape: Perspectives from the Ground Level to 30,000 Feet: DPT students who engage in a pro-bono stroke camp learn about challenges faced by SOS and caregivers in a real-life setting. Student fears about working with patients who survived stroke were dismantled. Future career possibilities in a neurological setting were viewed in a positive and new light. SOS and caregivers articulated how life was, what happened, and what they are now most proud of accomplishing. SOS and caregivers also offered advice to the DPT students. Camp allowed SOS and caregivers to feel engaged in society as a whole person again.References: 1. Prober CG. Heath C. Lecture halls without lectures – A proposal for medical education. The New England Journal of Medicine. May 6, 2012; 366(18):1657-1659. http://arabic.hadassah-med.com/media/1904201/LectureHallsWithoutLecturesAProposalforMedicalEduc.pdf. Published May 3, 2012. Accessed May 14, 2016. 2. Diaz FM, Silveira J. Dimensions of flow in academic and social activities among summer music camp participants. International Journal of Music Education. 2012;31(3):310-320. 3. Henderson KA, Bialeschki MD. Spiritual development and camp experiences. Journal of Theoretical Social Psychology. 2008;2008(118):107-110. 4. Vogt MA, Chavez R, Schaffer B. Baccalaureate nursing student experiences at a camp for children with diabetes: The impact of a service-learning model. Pediatric Nursing. 2011:37(2):69-73. 5. Garst BA, Franz NK, Baughman S, Smith C, Peters B. Growing without limitations: Transformation among young adult camp staff. Journal of Youth Development. 2009:4(1):21-34. 6. Dewey J. Experience and Education. New York, NY: Touchstone Simon & Schuster, Inc.; 1938/1997. 7. Thomas SP, Pollio HR. Listening to Patients: A Phenomenological Approach to Nursing Research and Practice. New York, New York: Springer Publishing Company; 2002. 8. Dahlberg K, Drew N, Nyström M. Reflective Lifeworld Research. Lund, Sweden: Studentlitteratur; 2001. 9. Van Manen M. Researching Lived Experience: Human Science for an Action Sensitive Pedagogy. 2nd Ed. London, Canada: Althouse Press; 1997. 10. Giorgi A. An application of phenomenological method in psychology. In: Giorgi A, Fischer CT, Murray EL, editors. Duquesne Studies in Phenomenological Psychology. Vol. 2. Pittsburgh PA: Duquesne University Press; 1975. 11. Giorgi A. The theory, practice and evaluation of the phenomenological method as a qualitative research procedure. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology. 1997;28:235-260.