Teaching What Is Current or What is Standard?
I teach in the healthcare arena. While there are certainly standard, typical pieces of information that must be imparted to my students, my area of expertise is ever-changing. So, it is crucial that the content for my course be more dependent on scholarly articles and recent research, rather than merely depending on a published textbook, no matter how well vetted. In other words, my curriculum must be dynamic and pliable, as changes in the healthcare landscape occur constantly. Relying on only one source of information, e.g., a textbook, would be counterproductive, as the changes in healthcare are constant, often immediate, and always salient and of great importance.
Casey,
Interesting! As you move outside of traditional textbook, you are also modeling life long learning!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Kenneth,
You have the opportunity to bring real world to your students that others may not be able to. You have to keep them current.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I am noticing that when teaching from the ebook that is provided for the class, it is not fully up to date. Many of the examples found in the book are from a long time ago. I have to move outside of the traditional textbook and implement current examples to reiterate my points.
The healthcare landscape is a very regular environment which does not create a lot of flexibility. However, engaging in academic freedom it is the charge of the facilitator to be create and include scholarly articles along with the textbook approach.
Ken
Susan,
Great answer! You are also instructing them to be life long learners; isn't that a skill we want them to have.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Michael - I agree - and regardless of the healthcare course know that a text can only provide so much information in an ever changing environment. I encourage and often require students to research for newer approaches or technology needed to be successful when they leave! Dynamic and pliable are definitely watchwords for successful courses in this environment!
Susan
Harry,
I am sure you do! You have challenges regarding what has to be done in the workplace!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Sara,
I do have them to research on careers because they need to know where the career is going in the future. Ironically, we are training students for careers that don't exist now. Who knew that we would be teaching online and it would be so. . . student centered.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
This is also highly relevant to food service. I stick to things that cannot change, i.e. cooking methods, how flavors balance, and then relate those items to some contemporary situation.
Michael,
Great point! You really ave to be "plugged into" your discipline. It also means that you have to be creative in your assignments as they must be current also!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hi Michael, :-)
That is so true. Students need to get the basics of a particular subject, i.e., "learn the facts," but at some point there are only so many facts to learn. They also need to be exposed to pertinent references and the latest research. Students should be kept up-to-date with the latest information in their fields. I always include these items as part of my discussion board responses, class announcements, and instructor files. Do you encourage students to do their own research into what's new in their majors?
Kind regards,
Sara Fine
Online Instructor
