 D Rubosky EDUC 533 – Spring 2012

 Creating an instructional foundation based on how individuals acquire knowledge and skills o Supplement lecture based instruction with student engaging activities such as concept maps  Creating an instructional method that improves student ability to apply theory in clinical context o Explore assignments such as concept maps to improve conceptual connections which leads to solid clinical reasoning.

 Clinical Instructors concerned with student ability to: o Critically think through possible patient diagnosis o Recall common pathology from sonographic images o Develop sound differential diagnosis based on clinical evidence and sonographic images  Student frustration with responsibility for instant recall of such large body of knowledge - pathology of multiple systems o Create links for concept pathways o Simplify pathology recall o Adopt additional instruction in problem-based learning

 Clinical Instructor Discussions o Frequent contact with Clinical Instructors indicate opportunity for improvement in clinical readiness to reduce staff and student frustrations. Demonstrates need to enhance instruction for improved clinical reasoning prior to clinical internship.  Employer & Graduate Surveys o Annual surveys indicate employers satisfied with level of performance. Demonstrates learned concepts through 10 months of clinical internship. o Annual surveys indicate graduates indicate clinical performance would benefit from additional critical thinking instruction. Demonstrates need to enhance instructional techniques prior to attending clinical internship.

 Integrate greater variety of instructional activities o Employ visual learning tools as a complement to lecture based instruction and assessment Concept maps provide graphical and visual methods for student learning  Develop assessment methods which simulate patient care activities o Employ teaching strategy for the development of critical thinking Concept maps have potential of providing an opportunity for student to organize and link information in a systematic manner

 Instructor awareness of current literature  Implementation scenarios to assure positive results  Access to computer lab for student to complete assignments

 Teacher/Trainer o Program Director and Instructors to develop examples for student instruction o Positive instructors with passion for well educated and competent sonographers o Share process with Clinical Instructors for reinforcement at the time of clinical internship  Curricula o Compare literature review to sonography courses for most opportune application of concept map assignments o Modify course assignments to implement concept maps o Assess student improvement in clinical skills

 Learning Resources o Perform literature search and provide students with medical based applications of concept mapping o Provide instruction in development and adoption of concept maps as a learning / assessment tool  Class Characteristics o 17 First year Diagnostic Medical Sonography students  Learning Community Philosophy o Literature review supports the utility of concept maps in medical education – physician and nursing o Concept maps encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and connection of theory with practice

 Students o Desire to reduce learning frustrations o Desire to apply knowledge in meaningful manner o Desire to gain competency  Clinical Instructors o Gain appreciation for learning process o Innovate on instructional concepts with a wide variety of diseases o Supplement classroom instruction with similar clinical process

Treatment Sonography Pathology Clinical Presentation Lab Tests Differential Diagnosis Anatomy & Physiology Malignant Benign Fever Pain Blood Urine X-Ray CT, MRI Radiation Chemo Surgery Normal Abnormal Vascular Structures How it works

 Beyer, D. (2010). Reverse case study: to think like a nurse. Educational Innovations. Doi: /  Daley, B., Torre, D. (2010). Concept maps in medical education: an analytical literature review. Medical Education. 44:  Freedman, A., et.al. (2011). Better learning through instructional science: a health literacy case study in how to teach so learners can learn. Health promotion practice. DOI: /  Kumar, S. (2011). Benefits of testable concept maps for learning about pathogenesis of disease. Teaching and learning in medicine, 23(2),  Mcmillan, W. (2010). Teaching for clinical reasoning – helping students make the conceptual links. DOI: /  Pottier, P., et. al. (2010). Exploring how students think: a new method combining think-aloud and concept mapping protocols. Medical Education. 44: