My interaction with each dental hygiene student is limited to a maximum of ten minutes and that is usually at the complete exam appointment...So it's difficult for me to use props or visual aids, etc. However, if the student seems to be losing the overall perspective of the exam and just starts reciting data to me, I try to refocus the student with a verbal variation of ABG Go Fishing. I may focus on the clinical parameters around the patient's periodontal risk and ask for the student's analysis. For instance pocket depths, mobility, furcation involvments and what relation these have to the patient's medical condition (diabetes, osteoporosis, etc.) Matching parameters with analysis usually gets them mentally involved again in the task at hand which is to help patients become healthier.
I started the Macarena song and students remembered it more
Bindu, thank you for sharing your success story!
Michele Deck
We break up our 7 hour pre-clinic didactic and pre-clinic hands on day with alternating teaching modules of each activity. For instance, each of the hands on concepts to be learned are first presented in the classroom followed by a hands on demonstration by the clinic instructors and then a formative activity by each student is demonstrated back to the instructors using the Tell, Show, Do model. During the term they must then also demonstrate a formal competency exercise for each skill to be assessed.
I have had students break up into groups and answer questions about a case study that relates to the particular lecture content. Then each group takes turns sharing it with the rest of the class. This helps the students to refocus from sitting and listening to a lecture to actively applying information that was learned to real-life situations that may occur in the clinical setting.
Kelly, thank you for sharing your approach here with us.
Michele Deck
I will use the ABG go fish next time I teach ABGs.
Giving them a defined list of objectives to complete and turn in
If I have several procedures to cover during a lab, we focus on one procedure at a time. We watch the procedure on video first and discuss it. Questions are usually generated, and they usually begin to critique the actors in the video. We then practice the hands on skills in the lab. The students are generally excited for the hands on skills and I don't find that I have to refocus too often. I am looking forward to doing the Macarena song with the pulse sites, because some students do have difficulty remembering all of them. I think the hygiene excercise will be beneficial as well. Therese
therese, I'm so glad you have identified some helpful activities for you.
Michele Deck
Break the lessons up with group activites and individual activites. This allows the learner to work alone and as a group. I also add a few quick 15 minute lecture tips on the hands-on activites that we are doing for the class.
In the nursing program, this would apply to clinicals or skills lab. Instructors cannot expect students to just look at a task and be able to perform it. Just practicing the task can be tedious as well. Using other activites such as case studies, videos, demonstrations, and presentations can break up the kinesthetic activities.
Heather, I like the variety you have described here. Variety is the key to success.
Michele Deck
Kim, I like that multiple approaches are available and utilized.
Michele Deck
I try to vary the delivery method and engage the learners by asking questions and discussing "real-life" situations.
In one of my cardiovascular anatomy classes, I had my students come up with a creation of a song or poem on the best way to understand the cirulcation of the heart, the order, etc. and as always I said step outside of the box. They were in teams. When they submitted their songs, we all took a vote, and the best team won pizza of any choice and from any pizza vendor. But when we announced the winning team, the winners said they couldn't eat the pizza without sharing with everyone, because everyone did great. It was great to see humble students and caring students.
I personally think any strategies should at least be implemented once just to test the waters and see if it works, go for it...or perhaps you or the students will come up with enhanced suggestions as well.
Love it.
Chemo, students are the gauge of success, so I am always open to trying new things. That is how I discover new ideas that work.
Michele Deck
For a long series of steps that students need to learn I like to take small steps at a time, so we start with step 1 and 2, get those steps down. Then do steps 1, 2, and 3, get those down. Then do steps 1, 2, 3, and 4, get those down. Keep doing this until all the steps are complete. Repetition is how we learn, so the keep repeating the steps and slowly adding the new steps.
role playing and doing scenarios always do for me, but i will incorporate stuff that i have learned in the course, (e.g. ABG, Hygiene, etc) which i think can give a fresh approach in my class.
One of the strategies I use is to have students stand up, stretch, and then throw out a NERF ball. Whoever catches the ball must make a statement of something new they have learned during that segment, throw the ball to another student and are then able to sit down. I like to challenge them to each have a different statement. This continues untill all have verbalized something they have learned.
