Kelly, thank you for sharing your approach here with us.
Michele Deck
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.
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.
Bindu, thank you for sharing your success story!
Michele Deck
I started the Macarena song and students remembered it more
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.
Kyle, calling a for a break can give students s chance to think about what they have learned and recall what is most important.
Michele Deck
Take a break, when the students return go over briefly what was discussed and ask the students what they learned or what stood out to them.
I stop do some type of game to help reiterate the learning process.
I use the summary at end of class. I ask each student to pick one point they learned today with no repeats. This way almost all points are covered.
William, showing appreciation for hard work is a skill that needs more modeling in clinical settings. Thank you for sharing this positive method!
Michele Deck
I debrief or round my students at the end of a long clinical period. We (faculty) try to focus on the things that went well, and build upon the things that did not go so well. During this time I like to thank my students for their hard work and remind them about the importance of their professionalism/dedication to their education.
Lisa, I like that you have applied this to your anesthesia landmarks.
Michele Deck
As a clinical instructor, I don't usually experience this particular situation. However, I do like the idea of Macarena song which can be uesful to help students to recite anesthesia landmarks.
I usually have them stand up, take a second and stretch and we all do it together. Then we can talk about what we've learned and continue on.
Denise, I'm glad it has offered you ideas you can use.
Michele Deck
I cann't wait to try baseball in the class. We play jeporady as a reveiw and as the classes move through all get excited to play. But I am anxious to try something different. this course has given me alot of new ideas. Thanks
MARIANNE, I like the label the parts idea you have described here.
Michele Deck
Always review some of the previous days information and then have students add to it. We have used the "bone" song, hip bone connected to the knee bone, etc. Pin the label on the skeleton, name the lumps, bumps and grooves on the skeleton. Label all parts of the electric circuit for the production of x-rays. The students enjoys getting up and challenging their peers.
Denise, using critical thinking questions in a fun format, equals successful learning.
Michele Deck
