Learning Outcomes from the Educational Droid Use Award

Learning Outcomes from the Educational Droid Use Award

Assignment One: Self Reflection Blog

Student Instructions

1.  Analyze a patient encounter from your current clinical rotation that was uncomfortable, difficult or otherwise memorable.
2. Create a blog on www.wordpress.com
3. Explain what specific portions of the encounter were memorable and justify what specific clinical care was given.
4. Describe what you learned form the patient encounter and propose any changes that you would make for the next case in a similar scenario.
5. Comment on three of your classmate’s blogs after analyzing their clinical scenario and give constructive criticism.

Outcomes:

Student will analyze a clinical scenario, justify care that patient received and then propose changes for future practice.  Student will demonstrate understanding of the  importance of self reflection and self evaluation in care of patients.  Student will demonstrate knowledge of use of blogging software and writing in a blog narrative form.

Assignment Two:  Find and Evaluate Podcast

Student Instructions

1. Research podcasts on the internet and select one that has relevance to your current clinical site.
2. Analyze the podcast based on content, timeliness, and how professional the recording was produced.
3. Discuss your findings in a blog format.

Outcomes:

Student will select and examine a podcast that is appropriate to clinical site.  Student will analyze the podcast for level of medical content and quality of production.  Student will demonstrate ability to evaluate online resources for high accuracy medical information and high quality digital recording.  Student will demonstrate knowledge of use of blogging software and writing in a blog narrative form.

Assignment Three: Using Web based word processing,  audio and video Sharing Websites

Student Instructions:

1. Using the Clinical Year student handbook, follow the instructions for writing a case report with clinical synthesis.
2. The document is to be written in Google Docs and then send via email to a designated faculty member.
3. In addition, please reference at least 2 high quality podcasts or on-line videos that you used for this paper.

Outcomes:

Student will write a case report and clinical synthesis that demonstrates their knowledge, integration and application of medicine in a clinical setting.  Student will show proficiency with Google Docs, and evaluate online medical information for content.   Student will demonstrate knowledge of using the search function of the internet, viewing audio and video files and correctly citing them in a reference paper.

Assignment Four: Using On-line Database

Student Instructions:

1. Create a Clinical Site Logging database on Google Docs including the following information: patient name, date of birth, date of service, diagnoses, procedures, treatment, referral and disposition.
2. Update the database with each patient seen on the clinical rotation.
3. At the end of each rotation, analyze the information and send a detailed report to the designated faculty member regarding the number of patients seen, types of disease treated (most and least), and compile a detailed list of procedure performed with dates.

Outcomes:

Student will demonstrate proficiency in creation and use of an online database and of Google docs.  Student will demonstration skills of data collection, organization of date and analysis for creation of the report.  Student will use content for production of document that may be published in a peer reviewed journal.

An example of Clinical Site Logging database:http://www.screenr.com/embed/prUs

Outcomes without Technology:

All of the above web applications could use conventional tools to achieve a similar, but inferior educational outcome.  Instead of using blogs, students could write with a pencil and paper, typewriter, word processor or word processing software depending on what tools are available to them. They could still reflect on medical professionalism and on a case or patient situation that was difficult.

The students could still create a case report and clincal synthesis using the methods described above and textbooks for clinical sources.  The content could be emailed or mailed via post depending on what tools are available to them in the rural district clinical sites.

The database could be replicated using Excel or pen and paper.  The calculations of data would need to be done manually, however, the same data could be collected in a much less efficient manner.

Clearly, the use of web based tools to accomplish the aforementioned learning outcomes is an ideal situation.  The collaborative nature of web based tools and skills that are acquired when students must evaluate online information for content is not an easily replicated learning environment and one that is necessary for learning excellence in 2011.  Especially for this cohort of students, who must practice medicine in a rural setting at times without libraries or even computers, a web based software system allowing collaboration and an international learning environment is an ideal use of the Education Droid Use system.  The number of people who could indirectly benefit from this award is incalculable.

Using Web 2.0 tools to develop constructivism in Clinical Associate Education

The are many types of computer based tools that can be used to exhibit constructivism in a hands-on clinical setting similar to what the Clinical Associate students are experiencing in South Africa.  However, because of the nature of the program and the student placement in rural areas, a web based curriculum would be most effective in ensuring that educational goals are met.

One tool, a web log or blog as it is more commonly known, is an especially useful tool.  A blog is used to write a narrative about a specific topic which readers are then able to comment on.  There are several uses for blogs by this cohort of students.  Blogs should be created using WordPress for the ease of use and affordable price.

1. Blogs for self reflection – In the clinical year the Clinical Associate student undergoes a transformation from a student learning diseases from a text to a healer who must use interpersonal skills, previously learned medical knowledge and integrate them with the recently acquired clinical knowledge to evaluate, treat and counsel patients with a myriad of health problems, including cancer and HIV/AIDS.  Students will use the blog as an online journal to describe a difficult patient encounter and how they were able to learn from the experience and assist the patient.  The will also describe their reaction to the patient encounter and what they learned.  One blog is required during each 6 week rotation and they must leave 3 comments on their classmates’ blogs each rotation.  See here for an example.
2. In addition, during each clinical rotation the students will be required to find and evaluate a podcast of possible clinical significance to their current clinical site.  They will they blog about the podcast noting a  description of podcast and why they chose it and whether or not the podcast information will be incorporated into their clinical practice with defense of response.  See here for an example.

A longstanding requirement of each clinical rotation is a case review with clinical synthesis.  If the past, the program has accepted handwritten submissions, however with the Educational Droid Use device each student could type the case review on a word processing tool such as Google Docs and then email the document to the faculty.  Another type of Web 2.0 tool that would be an added resource to the papers, audio and video websites, allow for sharing, uploading and viewing files.  To assist the ability to develop constructivism, students need multiple resources that they can pull medical information from and incorporate into their hands on learning. Some of the podcasts that would be helpful for this group of students include: Texas Heart Institute Heart Sounds Podcast and Emergency Medicine Cases.  An examples of a video website is Youtube, which shows videos of physical examination and abnormal physical findings.

The last web tool that will be examined in this proposal is web based database software.  The recommended software for students to use is Google Docs.  Students will use this software to log all clinical patient encounter.  The information will be shared with the program for accrediation purposes, used by students for employment verification of experience and most importantly to encourage the student to use the data for research or to write a case report in a peer reviewed journal.

This is only a taste of what could be accomplished with the Educational Droid Use award.  Other web based applications, include social networking with the Clinical Associates out on rotations to share ideas, clinical experiences and collaboration as well as web based presentation software to continue aspects of faculty driven didactic education in a remote setting.

Alternative Applications

Blogger is another web application that could be used to make blogs.  Blogger is easier to set up initially, however WordPress has more functions and plug-ins.  Blogger would be an acceptable alternative, however training in WordPress would occur during the didactic year so that all students are able to use the same software.  Vimeo is a video sharing software application that could be used to share medical files.  However, the ease of use and extensive medical files on Youtube make it a superior choice for video file sharing.  An alternative for data base creation and analysis is Zoho, however, this program is much more difficult to use and personalize for the purposes of this program.

The theory behind the proposal… Constructivism in the Framework of Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy

In Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools, Gwen Solomon and Lynne Schrum define constructivism as  when the “learner actively constructs or generates new ideas or concepts based on current and past knowledge.”  This theory is used broadly in Physician Assistant education, especially in the last year of the program, which is based in a clinical setting where the student takes the basic medical knowledge that she has comprehended, then adds the clinical application and experience and begins to analyze and evaluate the medical care that is delivered.

It is also important to understand that at this stage of the student’s education, they should be at the level of  higher order of thinking skills, as described in Bloom’s Taxonomy.  Knowledge, comprehension, basic application and the early stages of analysis should be the lower order of thinking skills that have been successfully completed prior to advancement to the clinical year.

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy by Andrew Churches describes some practical applications of technology that incorporate constructivism into the higher order of thinking skills using Web 2.0 tools.  These tools can be utilized by the Clinical Associate students at the University of Pretoria through the Educational Droid Use Award.

There are multiple web based tools that would allow students to demonstrate constructivism and higher order of thinking skills.  One such tool is the use of blogging.  Blogging in its simplest form demonstrates understanding of content, but when used to analyze and evaluate a medical case  using past knowledge and  current clinical experience, the higher order thinking skills apply.  Blogs can also be used by this cohort of students for reflection of their educational experience and significance of patient encounters.

In addition to blogging, audio and visual instruction via podcasts and Youtube  that reinforce the information taught prior to the clinical year could be used for its portability in remote areas.    Another web based tool that would allow for data tabulation and analysis is Google Docs database software.   Data collection could be used when the student applies for a job or even with the creation of a study or peer reviewed publication.

Generation of new ideas based on previous and new knowledge not only describes constructivism, but also the underlying theory of the clinical year of the Clinical Associate education.  With the Education Droid Use award, the University of Pretoria Clinical Associate program could continue this method of education and add the collaborative benefits of Web 2.0 tools.

Clinical Associates – the Next Generation of Health Care in South Africa

In many areas of rural South Africa, people have extremely limited access to high quality healthcare.  This is largely due to the weak district health systems and lack of competent trained medical professionals.  In response,  the South African National Department of Health assembled a task force and a new mid-level healthcare provider, the Clinical Associate was created.  Similar to Physician Assistants in the United States, Clinical Associates are university trained medical professionals who work primarily at district hospitals throughout South Africa.

During the initial year, the training takes place in a university setting and the rest of the three years is spent with hands on learning through actual practice at clinical sites – mostly hospitals in rural clinics.  With the goal of ensuring that its Clinical Associate students stay and serve in rural areas where they are most needed, the admission process of the university favors individuals of rural origin as they believe that the main determinant of rural practice is the background of the student.  Arcadia University’s Physician Assistant Program is partnering with the University of Pretoria to strengthen the Clinical Associate Program with funding from HIV/AIDS Twinning Center Partnerships.

The students are often poor and have difficulty arranging transportation back and forth from the university.  In order to ensure that each student is undergoing sufficient clinical experiences and obtaining the proper education a creative solution must be obtained.  As the recipient of Google’s Education Droid Use Award, we could connect these students with the university on a daily basis to augment their education and ensure proper clinical experiences to allow for a fully trained and developed Clinical Associate student.  The following blog submissions will describe the proposal for Educational Droid Use Award.