1. The Reluctant Learner Shoumita Dasgupta, PhD Associate Professor of Medicine Angela Jackson, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Karen Symes, PhD Associate Professor of Biochemistry

2. Goals of the session: Define Reluctant Learner “Diagnose” the reluctant learner Discuss effective approaches to engage the reluctant learner

3. The Reluctant Learner Definition: –A learner who appears not to be eager, willing and ready to learn what you want to teach

4. Reluctance is not a permanent personality “trait”, but a modifiable “state”

5. Approach the reluctant learner as you would an experiment

6. STEP 1- Generate a hypothesis STEP 2 –Use intervention to test the hypothesis STEP 3- If intervention is not working, modify the hypothesis

7. 1- Generate a hypothesis You are in the middle of facilitating a small group discussion when one student takes out her cell phone to send a text message. Later on, she appears to be staring out the window.

8. The Learning Process TEACHERLEARNER CONTENT Teacher Learners Content

9. The Learning Process TEACHERLEARNER CONTENT

10. 1- Generate a hypothesis: Diagnose the Learner: “ASK”

11. Does the learner: Have a problem with Attitude? - judgmental - “bleeding heart” who can’t set limits Lack Skill? - unable to put knowledge to practical use - uncomfortable asking the questions Lack Knowledge? - clinical relevance of material - missing some “background information”

12. Example:TeacherLearnerContent Appears Bored Too longwinded? Monotone? Exhausted from all-nighter Just reviewed this in another class? Distracted by life? Scientific relevance not clear? Background knowledge missing? Generate a hypothesis for Educators:

13. STEP 2 – Use intervention to test the hypothesis It usually takes more than one try Keep the focus on the behavior Keep your goal realistic

14. What the student is doing that works against their learning Educational intervention strategy The Bored/Disinterested Learner: You are in the middle of facilitating a small group discussion when one student takes out her cell phone to send a text message. Later on, she appears to be staring out the window.

15. STEP 3 – If intervention is not working, modify the hypothesis Seek help from other colleagues

16. Take Home Points: “Reluctance is in the eye of the beholder” The same systematic approach and the same skills that work with challenging experiments, work with challenging (reluctant) learners

17. Examples of reluctant learners… –Disinterested/Bored –The Shy Learner –The Know It All –The Minimizer –The Lazy Learner –Passive-Aggressive –The Head Bobber