Drive up to five principles and strategies (2-3 for each principle) on which you can build your teaching which you have derived your principles and suggest how they are likely to be of advantage to you in your teaching and your students in their learning (1200 words)
The five principles of teaching and learning have been derived from several theoretical frameworks like adult learning theory (Knowles, 1980), reflection on practice (Schon, 1987), experiential learning (Kolb, 1984), and constructivism learning theory (Piaget, 1950). The five principles have complimentary relation and the principles that are to be considered while teaching are derived majorly from but not limited to these frameworks while designing the curriculum to inculcate student-centered approach in teaching and learning.
The five principles are:
Learning should actively facilitate deep learning
With the great shift of medical education from teacher-centered approach to student-centered approach, the teaching and learning paradigms have altered. Knowles theory of adult learning (1980), states that with the maturity, the individual becomes more self dependent. Consequently, a mature individual is capable of identifying the learning needs and devising the strategies to attain the self-identified learning goal (Swanwick, 2010). Self-directed learning as defined by Spencer and Jordan (1999) involves the learner as an active participant and encourages the development of a deep approach to learning thus enabling learning for lifelong period.
Students learn both in superficial and in-depth manner. Superficial learning is learning to "solve the purpose". It happens in the event of learner accepting the information and memorizing it as isolated or unlinked facts to other memories of the brain that is information learned by the learner is not processed by the brain but is memorized temporarily till the attainment of the goal which is to pass an exam. Deep learning as defined by Higher Academy of Education (2011) is, " a learning that involves a critical analysis of new ideas, and liking them to already known concepts and principles, and leads to understanding and long term retention of concepts so that they can be uses for problem solving familiar contexts".
The advantages of encouraging deep learning in learners in my setting are based on the fact that, until today our teaching and learning system is still controlled by the teacher. Evidences indicates that self directed leaning is the educational strategy which is most likely to produce doctors prepared for lifelong learning and serving the changing needs of their patients through continued learning (Spencer & Jordan, 1999). This stands true for all the health professional staff.
Problem based learning is a classic example of student-centered or self-directed learning which uses cases to reveal information on a specific patient situation as learners work on it. The role of the learner is to verify the learned information as guided by the by the instructor, whose role will be to facilitate and guide students keeping minimal control on learning process (Swanwick, 2010). The strategy I would adopt to ensure deep learning in students is to provide cases which link the theoretical knowledge shared with the practical experience. Moreover, active participation by students in the learning process ensured by linking the knowledge to day to day life experience would facilitate deep learning for the students.
Teaching should be customized to the learning style
As teachers have preferred styles for teaching similarly students have preferred styles for learning. Successful medical teaching requires teachers understanding the variation in the style of learners (Vaughn & Baker, 2001). Teaching focuses on enabling the students to learn from the knowledge shared rather than teacher just sharing the knowledge for the sake of teaching. When adopting a particular teaching style; one must consider several factors like the learning style of the learner, capability of learner, maintenance of productive interpersonal relationship with learner, type of setting, content, and comfort or conceptual base of preceptor (Vaughn & Baker, 2001). Grasha, (1996), suggested using a variety of teaching styles to address the diverse needs of learner by stating that," using a variety of teaching methods and styles eventually may encourage adaptability and lifelong learning in the teaching-learning process" (Grasha, 1996). I have developed the strategy to use the methods to identify the preferred learning styles of the students and adoption of those methods to result in the complete attention and increased learning of the students. Moreover, the pre-test of student’s level of understanding of the subject would also enable me to decide the teaching level and would also assist students in learning.
Teaching should be build on prior learning and experiences
This principle is derived from the adult learning theory by Knowles (1980) which has originated from the constructivism learning theory of Piaget (1950). In adult learning theory, learners have prior experiences, knowledge, different interests, motivation level and expectations. These should be taken into consideration while planning a curriculum in order to identify learning needs of the learners and the curriculum should be constructed based on the existing knowledge of the learners which leads to setting of explicit goals for their learning. This aligns with the constructivism learning theory which believes that," knowledge is but gained through real life experiences not given but gained through real life experiences that have purpose and meaning to the learner, and the exchange of perspectives about the experience with others” (Piaget & Inhelder, 1969). Moreover, constructivism theory is believed to be effective because it emphasizes that, students have to construct knowledge, and suggests the learning activities which should be addressed by teachers to enable the students to achieve the desired outcomes (Biggs & Tang, 2007). Depending on students' prior experiences; cases related to learning and scaffolding may be deemed necessary for support. Teachers also need to provide an authentic context for tasks along with resources for information, cognitive and collaborative tools (Jonassen, 1999). My strategy to ensure increased learning would be to provide ample cases and practical experience which would enable students to implement their theoretical learning and would make them more focused and attentive during learning. The students would also be allowed to pursue cases of their choice with all the guidance to retain their interest in the learning.
Learning should be contextual and relevant
Environment or context plays a great role in learning process. Learning occurs as a result of interaction between the learner and the environment (Geisler-Brenstein et al., 1996). Therefore, providing learner with a relevant learning experience is a key element of adult learning (Knowles, 1980). Inter-professional learning is one of the most effective teaching strategies in which health professional students are provided with a structured learning opportunities for shared learning by giving them a specific problem, described from the perspective of other health care professionals. The students have to devise their own strategy to understand the complexities of working in a multi-professional environment (Margaret et al., 2001). Moreover, Oandasan and Reeves (2005), states that learners are more satisfied with IPE when they see a direct relevance between their educational experiences and their current or future practices (Parsell & Bright, 1998; Pirrie et al., 1998). Working in collective manner also energizes the health care workers and results in new and effective ways of handling problems in patient care (Margaret et al, 2001). I plan to make students realize the relevance of their learning by forming groups which would provide aid and advices to people and would also promote the students to share their interests areas and then prepare one interactive participatory project in it.
Learner should be given opportunity to practice and reflect on their practice through self-assessment that is by analyzing their own performance
Students need to be given opportunity to practice and reflect on their own practices to gain experience and improve their practice. Both Dewey (1938) and Kolb (1984), agree that, experiential leaning is the outcome of reflection on experience which is very significant to the student learning. Reflection on practice is considered to be an important task for health care workers. Reflective practice can be used along with other measures to bridge the gap between teaching and its implementation by the learner (Swanwick, 2010). Swanwick (2010) described reflection of practice as "an effective way to help health professional students develop new ideas and perspectives about their profession which then believed to help in fostering lifelong learning, improving own skills, and eventually improve patient outcome". Schon (1987) urged the health care practitioners to adopt reflective practice and use it as a problem solving mechanism. According to him, practitioners define and restructure their experiences by reflecting on problematic situations and experiment with theories they construct through the thoughts occurred to them earlier, during and after action and practice. This is considered as core practice for health care workers. To support principle, I will be using the critical event analysis as a leaning strategy for teaching.
I plan to implement strategies which would enable the students to examine their progress with timely pre-tests and post-tests, moreover discussion of common errors and identifying its source is utmost important and would be achieved by asking students to identify their mistakes at the initial level, under my guidance.
References
E. Geisler-Brenstein, R.R. Schmeck & J. Hetherington, 1996. An Individual difference perspective on student diversity. Higher Education.
Grasha, A.F., 1996. Teaching With Style. Pittsburgh: Alliance Publishers.
H. Margaret, R. Lamdin & E. Williamson, 2001. Multiprofessional learning: the attitudes of medical, nursing, and pharmacy students to shared learning. Medical Education, 35, pp.876-83.
Higher Education Academy, 2011. Deep and surface approaches to learning. [Online] Available at: http://www.engsc.ac.uk/learning-and-teaching-theory-guide/deep-and- surface approaches to learning [Accessed 06 October 2011].
I. Oandasan & S. Reeves, 2005. Key Elements for interpofessional education: part1: The Learner, the Educator, and the Learning Context. Journal of Interpofessional Care, 1, pp.21-38.
J. A. Spencer & R. K. Jordan, 1999. Learner centered approaches in medical education. BMJ, 318, pp.1280-83.
J. Biggs & C. Tang., 2007. Teaching for Quality Learning at University. 3rd ed. Open University Press.
J. Piaget & B. Inhelder, 1969. The Psychology of Child. New York: Basic Books. Inc.
Jonassen, D.H., 1999. Constructing learning environment on the web. Engaging students in meaningful learning. educational technology conference & exhibition.
Knowles, M., 1980. The modern practice of adult education- from pedagogy to androgogy. Chicago: Follett Publishing Co..
Kolb, D., 1984. Experiential learning-Experience as the source of Learning and Development. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Swanwick, T., 2011. Understanding Medical Education: Evidence, Theory & Practice. Willey-Blackwell.
V' Lisa & R. Baker, 2001. Teaching in Medical Setting: Balancing Teaching Styles, Learning Styles and Teaching Methods. Mediacl Teacher, 23(6), pp.610-12.
