Thoughts on Teaching Public Health and the Health Work Force University of Medical Sciences Thimphu February 26, 2015

Objectives in Teaching Communicating Content BUT ALSO Problem Solving Leadership/Working in Teams Becoming Change Agents Communicating with Disparate Groups – Written – Oral Basis for Life Long Learning

A Shift in How We Teach Moving Away from the Lecture – Dates to Medieval Times – Modern Version—Death by PowerPoint – Still Valuable When Done Well Towards Active, Student Centered Learning – Clear Teaching Objectives – “Flipping the Classroom” – Interacting with the Class – Using the Case Method When Appropriate – Team-Based Problem Solving Projects – Individual Papers and Presentations – Students Reflect on What They Have Learned – Student Evaluations

Clear Teaching Objectives For the Course – State in the Syllabus – What Skills/Competencies will the Students Develop? – A “Road Map for Learning” For Individual Lectures or Class Sessions – Relate to Course Objectives and Previous Sessions Assessment Methodologies – How Do We Know the Students Have Developed the Competency? – Don’t Just Rely on Exams

“Flipping the Classroom” Lecture Content Before Class – On-line Videos Creative Use of U-tube – Professional Journal Articles – Textbook Materials “Electronic Textbooks” Hyperlinks to Examples and Sources On Line Glossary of Key Terms – Pre-Class Quizzes to Be Sure Students Do the Work Electronic Learning Management Systems (Blackboard, etc) – Links to Readings – Pre-class Quizzes – Submission of Assignments – Online Discussion Boards – Supplementary Materials

Interacting with the Class Ask Students to Explain a Reading or Show a Problem Solution Interrogating a Student (Socratic method): – Non-threatening Allow time for response – Challenge the Student to Support Statements – Build on what student may have misunderstood Encourage Questions from the Students “I don’t understand why it works this way” The Teachable Moment – Use Current Events or Student Inquiries to Make a Point – Recent Local Case of Hospital Acquired Infection – Ebola outbreak Epidemiology Infection Control Behavioral Health

Teaching with the Case Method Works in many areas – Epidemiology (case finding) – Differential Diagnosis – Monitoring and Evaluation – Management and Finance – Nursing Administration Write Your Own---Particularize to Bhutan – Don’t Just Tell a Story – Sequence Information and Force Students to Make Decisions Leading the Class Discussion – Don’t Tell the Students What the Case Proves – Get the Students to Make the Learning Points Should Students Prepare Individually or in Groups?

Team Based Problem Solving Set Each Group a Problem: – Design a Monitoring System – Develop a Health Education Program – Analyze this Data Base – Prepare a Budget – Decide Which Drugs to Add to an Essential Medicines List – How to Supervise/Motivate/Discipline a Difficult Employee Students must: – Divide up the Work – Collect the Evidence (literature, maybe field data) – Develop Conclusions – Prepare the Product Structure as a Consulting Assignment in Support of Existing Health Professionals? – Would MOH provide “Clients”?

Team Based Problem Solving (2) This is the Essence of Active, Student Centered Learning BUT What About the Student Who Does Not Pull His Weight: – Rely on Peer Pressure? Hard to Assess if Individual Students Have Developed the Competence – Even if the Result is Good

Individual Papers and Presentations Example: The Classic Clinical Case Presentation Develops: – Ability to Acquire and Use Information – Communication Skills Of Little Value without Feedback – Don’t Just Give a Grade – Comment: Substance---Strength of Evidence and Argument Written---Structure, Organization, Clarity Oral---Emphasis, Speaking style – Draft and Final for Some Assignments – Labor Intensive for the Teacher

Students Reflect on What They Have Learned Journals? Weekly Comments on Readings---What did you Learn from Article X or Y? Encourage Students to Admit When They Are Confused: – Diagnose Misunderstandings – Try to Understand Why the Student does not Understand – Develop New Examples or Alter Readings and Lecture Examples

Student Evaluations Not Just a Popularity Contest – Sometimes, a Painful Part of Teaching – Rankings Less Important than Comments What Worked for the Students, What Did Not: – Readings and Materials – Exercises and Papers – Guest Lectures – Did Course Develop Skills as Promised? Use this Feedback to Improve the Next Offering

Teaching the Teachers to Teach (T5) Program for New Public Health Faculty in India Program Objectives – Strengthen Curriculum – Broaden Teaching Perspective and Techniques – Develop Faculty Leadership – Strengthen Institution Techniques (with Guidance) – New Faculty Prepare Curriculum Modules – Peer Review of Practice Teaching Peer Review an Underused Technique Students are Harder on Teaching Quality than Peers – Action Plan to Improve Learning Environment

Conclusion With active, student centered learning we can: IMPROVE STUDENT COMPETENCE PREPARE THEM FOR PRACTICE MAKE OUR COURSES MORE ENGAGING