Educational Mixology: A Pedagogical Approach to Promoting Adoption of Technology to Support New Learning Models in Health Science Disciplines

Abstract

For disciplines heavily reliant upon traditional classroom teaching, such as medicine and health sciences, incorporating new learning models may pose challenges for students and faculty. In an effort to innovate curricula, better align courses to required student learning outcomes, and address the call to redesign health professions education, Health Sciences Programs at The George Washington University (GW) embarked on two faculty development initiatives to encourage adoption of online, blended, and technology-enhanced courses. This article describes the Review, Refresh, Revise (R3) program, which relies on the evidenced-based Quality Matters Higher Education rubric, and resources from the Supported Media for Administration and Teaching (SMART) Lab to develop and promote a pedagogical approach to course redesign. It also presents preliminary data evaluating the programs in terms of faculty satisfaction, student satisfaction, learning outcomes, and learner engagement. Data analysis indicates faculty satisfaction with the R3 program and SMART Lab resources, despite faculty concerns regarding the time commitment of R3. It also indicated that both initiatives improved course quality, learning outcomes, and learner engagement. Analysis indicates student satisfaction with course revisions in online and technology-enhanced courses, although student satisfaction in the first fully blended course varied, particularly with regard to whether students found the use of technology engaging or essential to learning. Further research is required to understand student responses to blended learning in health sciences.

Empowering Your Students Satisfaction with Blended Learning: A Lesson from the Arabian Gulf University Distance Teaching and Training Program

“…In an effort to innovate curricula, better align courses to required student learning outcomes, and address the call to redesign health professions education, Health Sciences Programs at The George Washington University (GWU) embarked on two faculty development initiatives to encourage adoption of online, blended, and technology-enhanced courses. Authors [20] described the Review, Refresh, and Revise (R3) program, which relies on the evidenced-based Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric and resources from the Supported Media for Administration and Teaching (SMART) Lab to develop and promote a pedagogical approach to course redesign. It also presents preliminary data evaluating the programs in terms of faculty satisfaction, student satisfaction, learning outcomes, and learner engagement.…”

Discussing Discussions: Online Instructor Best Practices

“…Even when additional frameworks for understanding or improving one or more aspect of online instructor best practices are used, these are most often mentioned as informing a COI theory. For example, problem based learning is a way to "fully embrace online learning environment" and empower learners within a "natural state of learning" in a real world setting in a digital context [4], [5]. The online community is described within the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) as an 'ecological site' which can create diverse online learning spaces for "education in the margins"; allowing the "somewhat disparate and often isolate off-campus student" to feel more a part of the whole [6].…”

Functional and structural impact of the loss of the leucine-rich repeat protein LRIT1 in the mouse retina.

“…In opposition to these assumptions, McLaughlin et al found that one of the greatest barriers to implementing a successful flipped classroom was the estimate for faculty time and resources (10 (40). These findings suggest that we may vastly underestimate time, social skills, and resources needed to transition from traditional to online learning (47).…”

“…The implementation of online learning is assumed to result in increased faculty and student productivity and flexibility, decreased cost, student-centric teaching, and comparable student achievement (47). In opposition to these assumptions, McLaughlin et al found that one of the greatest barriers to implementing a successful flipped classroom was the estimate for faculty time and resources (10 (40).…”

“…This is not to say educators should tell students this is all you need to know but rather guide student learning in explicitly stating crucial points (12,32,44,47).…”