I was given the assignment to teach RTT 213 beginning Fall 2009. Resources were made available from the previous instructor which consisted of a syllabus, lecture outlines, overheads, and textbooks. Step #1 was to evaluate resources as the college bookstore had imposed a timeline. A decision was made to not require a new text but rather repurpose texts that the students already had. An early result of this decision was to stress that a professional did not need to carry ALL information in his head but rather to utilize available resources. A pocket sized reference and liberal use of internet resources were integrated into the course. Step #2 began by organizing the contents of the class into manageable chunks of informaton. The content was then matched to potential reading assignments. As I had never taught this class before, I spent an extraordinary amount of time learning much of the content I would be teaching. It wasn't that I didn't know the content, but that I didn't know it at a depth as would be required for teaching. Step #3 was to design a comprehensive and detailed syllabus and weekly schedule. The old syllabus was very broad; I wanted to design an interactive syllabus as was taught in the Distance Learning course. There was much overlap between steps #2 and #3.
Background note: The RTT program has recently undergone a change in leadership. In January, the new Program Director and the new Clinical Director met to organize content delivered in each of the courses. It was decided that the RTT 213 course was a logical place for additional content and enhanced critical thinking skills. This course was renamed "Management of the Critically Ill Patient" to encompass the more comprehensive approach.
July
Once I had the major content sections complete and documented on the syllabus, I began drilling down to a more detailed PowerPoint version of the contents. As I got into this level of subject matter, the syllabus became a very fluid yet grounding document. It was my plan of action. Based on previous course research, I knew that simply changing overheads to powerpoint would not solve the dilemma of active learing. However, it did lend itself well to the learning environment. Since I had students in a wide geographic area, I did not want to be constrained by paper documents that may or may not be available in a timely manner. By putting the lectures online, the material would always be available. I am still using a suggestion that I had from a previous student: making the lecture notes available. So, based on research, I constructed PowerPoint slides with clear and easy to read text, pertinent pictures and/or diagrams, and the lecture notes "hidden" below. This format seems to work well for different student styles - some students want to take notes, some want to print slides, and others do well by simply listening in class and then going back over the slides and lecure notes with their own methods. All of the items were designed to be easily accessible via a learning management system (in this case Angel).
Additional opportunities for assessment were also included in the syllabus. Prior courses relied soley on exams. This semester I wanted to explore a variety of methods including homework (writing assignments, worksheets, web quests), patient synthesis activities, and a journal review oral presentation. This variety has several purposes. 1) the students love the variety 2) less pressure is put on test taking skills 3) evaluation of oral and written communication can be established and 4) higher level processing skills are required. In-class activities are being explored but nothing has been developed at this stage.
August
Work continued on PowerPoints content. The LMS used in previous versions of this course was single purpose: tests were online because that is how the program operated. Otherwise, no documentation was available. I wanted to utilize this powerful resource as a cornerstone of the course. A very easy but never-before-done fix was to put the syllabus online. I posted a welcome to class note also on the main page. The grade book was set up to match the syllabus. The bulk of my time on this area was spent uploading documents into well organized folders in accessible formats (i.e. pdf rather than docx).
The last week of August was when the students arrived on campus. I had the LMS set up and ready to go. To maximize use of the new resources, I spent additional time going over the syllabus and LMS. We explored how to print slides in different formats. Students practiced accessing the system from home. I did check with each student about their internet access at home. 14 students had high speed internet at home. One student did have internet access but no computer. He was able to browse with a Wii game console but any sort of text application was difficult. One student had dial-up access. No students were disconnected. Multiple forms of communication was offered including text messaging, email, and virtual office hours (Adobe Connect) in addition to traditional office hours and phone numbers. All necessary documents were available online for ready access. Assignments could be submitted in a variety of ways: handing in, email, scanned documents. The students were encouraged to find creative solutions to bridge the distance barrier.
They were also informed of this project and that multiple methods would be tried to enhance their understanding and application of course content. Since they had a previous class with me and had submitted course evaluations, I wanted to let them know that I had heard their concerns and was planning to meet their needs.
I spent the end of August gathering documents for Jury Two and put my thoughts and research into an official Design Doc. I am looking forward to planning and implementing some specific instructional treatments. After reflecting on my own time in this program with the Jury Two process, I am excited to see how the implementation will impact my student's learning.
September
Implementation of active learning.
Begin informal formative evaluations via discussion, clinical visits, and CATs.
Page last updated Sept. 20, 2009
© 2009 Gina M Mason
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville