Coursera - Instructional Methods in Health Professions Education

Instructional Methods in Health Professions Education
About the Course

This course provides those involved in educating members of the health professions an asynchronous, interdisciplinary, and interactive way to obtain, expand, and improve their teaching skills. These skills can then be applied within their own professional context, with a variety of learners, extending across many stages.

After completing this course, learners will:

1. Understand educational theory as it relates to health professions education
2. Match instructional methods with desired educational outcomes
3. Learn a variety of applied teaching techniques
4. Share successful teaching strategies

Suggested resources will include educational videos, individual readings, recommended
reference books, and crowd-sourced recommendations. All students should have
dependable access to the internet with video streaming capabilities. Some students
may want the ability to utilize on-line video conferencing as well.

Work Expectations

This 8 week course is comprised of podcasts, reading, and on-line discussions.
Students should anticipate a moderate workload (approximately 6-8 hours/week) that
incorporates individual reading assignments, on-line discussion, and group work. Basic
assessments of understanding take the form of on-line thought questions, reflections,
and brief multiple choice questions. Participants will also provide examples of teaching
within their own contexts, working together to solve educational challenges. While no
specific pre-requisite knowledge is required, this course will be most beneficial to
individuals who are actively engaged in a health professions setting such as medicine,
nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, social work, and public health.

Course Syllabus

The course will begin with a general discussion of adult learning theory followed by an overview of the development of intended learning outcomes and the assessment of those outcomes. This background will serve as the foundation for creating intentional educational interventions and facilitate the selection of instructional techniques. Videos and links to other educational resources will be provided within each Module. However, the following resources will be referenced throughout the course and individuals may wish to purchase their own copies of the following:
       
1. Curriculum Development for Medical Education: A Six-step approach. Edited by Kern DS, Thomas PA, and Hughes MT.The Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore. 2009. http://www.chegg.com/textbooks/curriculum-development-for-medical-educat...
2. Understanding Medical Education: Evidence, theory, and practice. Edited by Swanwick T. Association for the Study of Medical Education. Wiley-Blackwell. 2010. http://www.chegg.com/textbooks/understanding-medical-education-1st-editi...
3. A Practical Guide for Medical Teachers. Edited by Dent JA and Harden RM. Churchill Livingstone. Elsevier. 2009.  http://www.chegg.com/textbooks/a-practical-guide-for-medical-teachers-3r...

Course Format

Module 1 Adult Learning Theory

• Learning styles and motivation
• Metacognition
• Social learning
• Professional identity formation

Module 2 Intended Learning Outcomes

• Bloom’s taxonomy
• Miller’s pyramid and clinical competence
• Kolb’s cycle of experiential learning
• Dreyfus model of skill acquisition

Module 3 Instructional design and individual assessment

• Multiple-choice question writing
• Skill assessment
• Oral presentations
• Rubrics and standardization

Module 4 Instructional techniques: Knowledge Transfer

• Active learning in large lecture formats
• Supportive questioning
• “Big Ticket” technique

Module 5 Instructional techniques: Skill Development

• Simulation
• Teaching with data
• Clinical reasoning

Module 6 Instructional techniques: Attitudes

• Reflection
• Feedback
• Incorporating art, music, and theater

Module 7 Instructional techniques: Teaching with technology

• Large lecture formats
• Synchronous vs. asynchronous formats
• High fidelity clinical simulations

Module 8 Application of instructional methods (capstone)

• Within learners’ specific context
• Sharing best practices with others