Course name Clinical Practice 2(a) Normal year taken Semester 1 of Year 2 Course level (UG/PG) Undergraduate SCQF credits 15 SCQF level Level 9 Total contact teaching hours Lectures 35 hours Supervised practical/workshop/studio hours 60 hours Summative Assessment 4 hours Formative Assessment 15 hours Online Activities 16 hours Programme level learning & teaching hours 3 hours Directed & independent learning 17 hours Total 150 hours Short course description Students will continue to develop periodontal treatment skills on patient clinics (from semester two of year one) and begin carrying out treatment on paediatric clinics. Students will be introduced to restorative dentistry techniques within the remit of a Dental Hygiene Therapist in accordance with the General Dental Council (GDC) standards framework. Students will carry out practical skills in the phantom head suite. Students will be introduced to geriatric dentistry and the specific needs and considerations required to treat an ageing population. Learning outcomes taken from original course outline as in line with GDC standards framework ( I have added a 6th one) Be competent in the evaluation of caries and management of the teeth and supporting structures. Have knowledge and show understanding of the factors affecting oral healthcare of the ageing population. Have knowledge of the range of dental materials available and relevant indications for their use. Safely carry out caries removal and demonstrate use of appropriate dental materials to restore the dentition. Demonstrate competent dental management of the child patient using a range of communication and clinical skills. Be competent in the identification of patient factors and restoration failure. Components of assessment Written Examination Short answer test, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) 30% Coursework Reflective blogs, participation in online discussion. 10% Practical Examination Clinical assessment, OSCE, Structured Clinical Operative Tests (SCOTs) 60% Course description As students’ progress through the first semester of year two, there is an increase in the number of sessions on patient clinics treating periodontal disease. Students will continue to complete clinical competencies in treatment tasks and administration of local anaesthetic. Students will begin treatment on paediatric clinic, developing communication and management skills for the niche cohort of patients. Students will carry out oral hygiene instruction, give diet advice and apply fissure sealants for patients as necessary. Students will commence the theoretical and practical training in restorative dentistry as detailed in the of practice of the Dental Hygiene Therapist as set by the GDC. Students will attend lectures on biomaterials and caries management. Students will be required to view online video demonstrations in preparation for practical clinical skills sessions. Students will participate in an online reflective blog, sharing pictures of work they have carried out in clinical skills. In addition, students will be required to participate in peer assessment and give feedback to other students via comments on blogs. Students will also receive feedback from supervisors which will be recorded in the Identity System (Professionalism and Clinical marking record system). Collation of the Identity feedback and blogs will create a portfolio that students will utilise when organising their independent revision sessions and to reflect on areas of success. Students are required to achieve all periodontal clinical competencies prior to examinations in December. Students will be assessed in an OSCE format, 12 stations where candidates will be required to demonstrate a task, discuss a case or answer short written questions. Students will also be assessed on practical clinical ability in a SCOT. The marking criteria will assess the students’ professionalism, cavity design, use of protection, material selection, application and restoration presentation. Students will have access to the marking criteria for the SCOT in advance and will be given a mock examination in preparation.

 

What has changed since first writing the Personal Academic Development Plan (PADP)?

Towards the end of the first year of PGCAP, and more than six months from originally writing the PADP, there have been a few significant changes. I have been successful in obtaining a permanent contract as a lecturer with the University of Edinburgh, after previously being seconded for two years from NHS Lothian.

In preparation for the interview, I utilised the PADP and my recently gained knowledge from PGCAP by modifying the blog to supplement an Academic Teaching Portfolio (ATP) (Little-Wienert & Mazziotti, 2017).  An ATP is a document that demonstrates a;

“medical educator’s growth and development through documentation, reflection, evaluation, and change.” And “with careful advanced preparation, organized evidence collection of your educational work, proof of scholarship, and thorough documentation of self-reflection and change, you can produce a successful product that accurately represents your educational belief, accomplishments, and growth throughout your career.” (Little-Wienert & Mazziotti, 2017)

Little-Wienert & Mazziotti, outline ideas and tips on how to effectively formulate an ATP.

9.Think about educational goals and objectives

“A goal is an overarching principle that guides decision making and provides a framework for all your teaching activities.” (Little-Wienert & Mazziotti, 2017)

My educational goal, from the perspective of an academic educator, is to support students to create their own knowledge of the discipline. This will be achieved through a wide medium of teaching techniques and strategies from technology to peer assisted learning. Within my PDAP I have tried to set broad objectives such as the introduction of different teaching techniques to achieve my educational goal. Utilising my acquired knowledge and skills from block three Foundations of Academic Practice (FOAP), has led me to consider and adopt digital teaching resources which create the framework for my teaching objectives. (Little-Wienert & Mazziotti, 2017) Examples of resources I plan to employ are; online modules, the use of blogging and peer feedback on online formative submissions and video resources on media hopper. Integration of digital teaching techniques will further enhance student experience and engagement, which is difficult to achieve through traditional didactic teaching methods such as traditional lectures. In relation to my interview preparation, consideration of educational goals and objectives demonstrated my commitment to enhancing the BSc programme. The job description detailed that candidates should;

“be reflective in approach to identify areas for improvement in teaching and assessment.” And “contribute to the continued development of the curriculum as a member of the Oral Health Sciences team”. (The University of Edinburgh Vacancies, 2018)

Within my application and during the interview, objectives from my PADP and consideration of my ATP enabled me to demonstrate my abilities to support the continued development of curriculum for the BSc programme.

10. Write down your educational philosophy

Since the embarking on the study of FOAP, I have begun developing my individual educational philosophy. Little-Wienert & Mazziotti, state that;

“Your educational philosophy should guide and inspire you throughout your teaching career. It should demonstrate self-reflection and self-evaluation of your teaching and learning style.” (Little-Wienert & Mazziotti, 2017)

My educational philosophy is that students must be active learners in order to grasp theoretical concepts of the subject. It is my role as an academic educator to create diverse learning environments to meet the range of students learning needs. As a lecturer and personal tutor, I will give timely feedback and endeavour to support students’ academic, learning, and personal needs. In my role as a personal tutor, I will strive to identify students who require additional support before they reach a crisis point.

Within my PADP, I have linked my philosophy of education through my teaching and research objectives and will develop this further through future enrolment on the inclusive learning PGCAP course and through my continued professional development. Again, linking the use of PADP and ATP for the interview preparation, my educational philosophy accomplishes the following skills desired for the position;

“possess skills in managing, motivating and supporting students” and “ensure that innovative teaching materials and assessment methods are developed for the current academic year and developed for future delivery of the course.” (The University of Edinburgh Vacancies, 2018)

Achieving the permanent teaching position now allows me to expand the PADP past the current five-year time frame. In turn, this will allow me to be more aspirational in my objectives for example, consideration of future qualifications and potentially achieving a Master’s in Dental Education. PADP was also a useful tool when preparing for my yearly appraisal. I gave supported responses to the achieved objectives from the previous year including beginning PGCAP for example, the continued development of the Restorative Skills Handbook. My future objectives for 2019 have continued to be inspired by the objectives detailed in the PADP, such as continuing to develop academic writing skills and embarking on collaborative research.

UKPSF Linking and the PADP

For future edits of my PADP, I will endeavour to fulfil all domains of the UKPSF. When completing the proforma, I was pleased that I was able to identify many areas that I was already achieving or had scheduled activities which would lead to the domain criteria being met. I noted that domain V4;

“acknowledge the wider context in which higher education operates recognising the implications for professional practice” (UKPSF, 2011)

In achieving a permanent position, I expect to gain knowledge of the wider framework in which HE functions. At present, I am still establishing an understanding of academic process and university policies that are at an immediately applicable to BSc Oral Health Science (BSc OHS). In order to gain the desired knowledge to fully achieve this domain, I will seek opportunities to meet and collaborate with other disciplines at UoE and the wider HE community. BSc OHS is currently establishing Erasmus linkages with a University in Oslo to share teaching strategies and I am looking forward to joining the project this forthcoming year.

UKPSF covered – A2, A5, K2, K5, V2 and V4

References

LITTLE-WIENERT, K., MAZZIOTTI, M,. (2017) Twelve tips for creating an academic teaching portfolio. Medical Teacher. 40:1, pages 26-30. [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2017.1364356 [Accessed: 17 Dec 2017]

THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH VACANCIES. (2018). Job description: Lecturer in Oral Health Sciences. [online] Available at: https://www.vacancies.ed.ac.uk/pls/corehrrecruit/erq_jobspec_details_form.display_form [Accessed Oct 2018].

HIGHER EDUCATION ACADEMY. (2015) UKPSF Dimensions of the framework. Higher Education Academy. [online] Available at: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/downloads/ukpsf_dimensions_of_the_framework.pdf [Accessed Sept 2018]

 

Personal Academic Development Plan

Academic (research and teaching) vision for the next five years

My vision for the next 5 years is to complete PGCAP and become a fellow of the HEA. On completion I hope to obtain a permanent lecturing contract with the University of Edinburgh. To further support my application for a lecturing position, I wish to embark on research project or an MSc concerning BSc Oral Health Sciences (OHS) student diversity. I have an interest in the educational background of students who embark on the course and the factors that affect their success within the discipline. I would hope that this research could be utilised to target and support students and reduce dropout rates.

My teaching vision is to make a positive impact and contribution to the development of the course, by introducing techniques and technologies that will advance education deliverance and assessment style.

Teaching and Research Objectives

• Introduction of different teaching techniques
• Improve formative feedback skills
• Develop academic writing skills
• Embark on collaborative research
• Improve and develop supportive skills as a Personal Tutor

In 2016, I was appointed as a lecturer for BSc OHS on a secondment basis. Meanwhile, I have had opportunities to teach in a variety of mediums; “traditional” lecturing (Åkerlind, 2004), clinical practical skills, and clinical patient supervision. Students generally engage well in the practical aspects of the curriculum, as highlighted in the BSc (Hons) OHS Student Midterm feedback (Y1-3):

Clinical skills sessions; “helps build confidence” and “closely resembles treatment you will carry out”. (Student Y2 BSc OHS 2017)

However, in other theoretically heavy “threshold concepts” (Cousin, 2006) such as Health and Disease, students reported;

“Overwhelming amount of information” and requested “more interactive lectures” such as “short quizzes”.

In response to requests for interactive teaching, I plan to introduce different techniques for teaching and supporting learning in the theoretical concepts of the discipline. This is of high priority within my academic plan. At present my lecturing experience is limited and I am concerned that I do not possess the skills and techniques necessary to support the diverse student learning needs. My own literature-based research into teaching styles such as “learning environments” (Biggs, 2017) will help address the deficit in my teaching techniques. This will in turn aid my portfolio when applying for permanent positions.

An estimated 30% of my teaching time is occupied supervising students on patient clinics. Feedback is given privately to students for each appointment immediately following completion of treatment. My second teaching objective is to further improve my formative feedback skills, ensuring that students have specific and achievable targets to strive towards.

During my undergraduate studies, academic writing opportunities were limited due to the absence of an honours year.  I am now required to develop my skills writing at an academic level to enable myself to provide constructive and appropriate support to my undergraduate students. When advising students on their dissertations and literature reviews, I often consult my experienced colleagues for advice on delivering summative feedback.  I hope that as my experience of writing assignments for PGCAP progress, I will need to rely less on my colleagues for continual support.

Boyd and Smith state that;

“the majority of university lecturers in the health professions have been appointed on the basis of their successful first career in clinical practice” and have “little or no direct experience of involvement in research activity” (2016).

I identify with this statement as it accurately depicts my clinical professional experience before entering academia. Therefore, my third objective is to embark on collaborative research with colleagues in my discipline to examine student diversity issues within BSc OHS and resulting employment as Dental Care Professionals. I hope that research on these issues will indicate further developments in curriculum and teaching, thus assisting undergraduates to achieve employment following graduation.

This year I have been appointed as Personal Tutor to 2017-2018 Y1 BSc OHS students. During the last academic year, a significant number of our students embarked on the appeal process. This led the discipline to reflect on the standards of our Euclid notes and how we approach student’s academic and personal issues. We are fortunate to have very small cohorts of students, improving our ability to recognise quickly when issues arise. My fourth teaching objective is to improve my knowledge of the support services available for students and how to engage with them. I am confident in my ability to recognise when students are struggling, due to the regular face to face contact with BSc cohorts. However, when issues are complex, it is vital that I am aware of the services available and how these can be accessed.

Campaign plan for achieving these objectives

In response to student feedback, my campaign plan includes the implementation of newly researched teaching techniques such as Top Hat (Galloway, 2017), Qwectures and flipped lectures (McQueen, 2016). I will continue to attend IAD development courses and utilise the ‘teaching matters’ blog for advice and examples of these techniques in action. I will share successful techniques with my team to collectively improve student engagement, thus making my colleagues key beneficiaries within my plan. During student summer breaks, I will attend IAD courses and create lesson plans to integrate the acquired techniques in preparation for forthcoming semesters.

Oral Health Sciences curriculum involves the teaching of practical restorative dentistry. I plan to utilise a video camera in clinical skills to create video teaching materials. To achieve this, I will allocate protected time to receive training on use of these technical facilities. I will also collaborate with the BSc teaching team in the shared creation of the teaching materials. The key beneficiaries for the implementation of video resources are the BSc students and teaching team. The students will benefit, as they will have access to the video demonstrations in advance of the practical tutorial, optimising the time to experience hands on practice. The BSc teaching team will benefit from the time saved when giving repeated demonstrations, with more time to give one-to-one feedback on students’ restorative work.

Last semester, I trialled a restorative handbook for semester one of Y2. From experience of the previous academic cycle, I noticed gaps in continuity and uniformity when teaching students restorative skills, as more than one lecturer is involved in teaching the module. The handbook contains diagrams, examples, tasks and lectures that are delivered throughout the semester. I included space for students to reflect on each session within clinical skills, however I rarely witnessed this being utilised. My campaign plan is to obtain feedback from colleagues and students on how to improve the handbook’s efficiency. Personally, I have already identified the need for lecturers to give formative written feedback on tasks carried out, which may in turn encourage students to utilise the written space for reflection. When the handbook is used next semester, I will request feedback from staff and students on the updates that were added. My future ambition for the handbook, is for it to be a fundamental educational online resource and portfolio for students. I would like to achieve this within the next three years, theoretically this should be achievable. I am aware of similar educational tools currently being used by other disciplines within the University, I will contact my colleagues from other schools, for advice on how to create and implement such a resource. An obstacle to achieving this goal within the desired time-frame, will be my training needs in order to develop an electronic resource.

In addition to developing the handbook, during the summer, I can attend training on the use of Top Hat, Qwectures, and Flipped Classroom. The IAD provide face-to-face training and online resources, which makes my objective easily achievable. The objective is also an ongoing process that I expect will continue, for at least, the next two and a half years of my secondment.

Regarding formative feedback, I plan to develop a template for use on clinics. Feedback is currently given verbally by the supervisor and is recorded by the student. The supervisor must electronically sign off the reflective account but there is only room for comment if a low grade has been given. When I think back to my undergraduate training, I valued direction and used it to improve, however positive comments were verbal and rarely recorded. Allowing the supervisor to add comment, regardless of the grade outcome, may support those students who often feel they are only ever given critical feedback. Similarly, this is a task that can be put in place within the summer months when course development activities occur. An obstacle to the implementation of this system, is the addition to the already full workload of the BSc core teaching team. A trial period of supervisor feedback recording can measure the demands on staff workload, but also gauge the benefit to student development, via feedback and audit.

I recently met with my personal tutor for PGCAP to discuss the optional courses. I appreciated the advice and guidance given and have chosen the optional course “Researching your teaching” where I hope to develop my research skills. The course assignment is to write a research proposal, my research domain will be student diversity in dental education. I will seek advice from colleagues who have completed their Masters in Dental Education, on how to develop my research proposal to benefit BSc programme. I hope there will be future opportunities for collaboration on a research project with my colleagues, post my PGCAP completion. In terms of time frame, I project that I will have embarked on a collaborative research project within the next five years. This will be subject to employment opportunities and my performance in my current role.

Identification of key beneficiaries, collaborators and partners

In no hierarchical order, the key beneficiaries within my plan are the BSc programme, colleagues, students and myself.

Conceivably, the most important beneficiaries of my personal plan are the BSc OHS students. Evidence of course adaptations made in response to student feedback, will ensure students feel their opinion is valued and encourage an “ethos of respect” (Kreber, 2010) between lecturers and students. Through improvements in teaching styles using the technology previously mentioned, verbatim “mimicry” (Cousin, 2006) of lecture content by students should decline, as they begin demonstrating a deeper level of understanding in assessments. Students often express an overwhelming feeling of stress, regarding coping with discipline content especially before examinations. Through further PT training and collaboration with colleagues, I will be better equipped to assist and support students in need of academic and personal guidance at exam times.

Personally, I feel I will benefit from the opportunity to begin building my academic identity (Kreber, 2010) and reputation within dental education. I have entered a post in academia relatively early in my career and plan to utilise PGCAP as an opportunity for further academic development and employment.

Key challenges, opportunities and funding

September 2020 is the expected completion date of my secondment. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to complete PGCAP during this time frame however, I expect that the progression of research may extend beyond this date. By securing research funding and collaborating with colleagues who have research experience, I hope to build a robust portfolio to apply for a secured academic position.

Development of the course content is necessary and continuous as the discipline is governed by the General Dental Council (GDC) standards framework. Curriculum is set by the GDC and must be accurately taught, currently in the format of traditional lectures. When adopting new teaching methods, the challenge is to ensure accuracy of information students receive, whilst encouraging them to further their learning through independent research.

 

UKPSF Framework Dimensions covered – K4, K5, V1, V3, V4

 

References

Åkerlind, S. (2004) A new dimension to understanding university teaching. Teaching in Higher Education. 9:3, pages 363-375. [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/1356251042000216679 [Accessed: 07 Dec 2017]

Boyd, P., smith, C. (2016) The contemporary academic: orientation towards research work and researcher identity of higher education lecturers in the health professions. Studies in Higher Education. 41:4, pages 678-695. [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2014.943657 [Accessed: 07 Dec 2017]

Cousin, G. (2006) An introduction to threshold concepts. Planet. 17:1, 4-5, pages 4-5. [online]. Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.11120/plan.2006.00170004?needAccess=true [Accessed: 14 Dec 2017]

Biggs, J (2017), ‘Aligning teaching for constructing learning’, The Higher Education Academy. Available at: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/resources/id477_aligning_teaching_for_constructing_learning.pdf  (Accessed: 06 Feb 2018).

Galloway, R. (2017) Teaching Matters blog [online]. The University of Edinburgh. Available from: http://www.teaching-matters-blog.ed.ac.uk/?p=1533 [Accessed: 19 Dec 2017]  

Kreber, C. (2010) Academics’ teacher identities, authenticity and pedagogy. Studies in Higher Education. 35:2, pages 171-194. [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070902953058 [Accessed: 06 Dec 2017]

 

Mcqueen, H. (2016) Teaching Matters blog [online]. The University of Edinburgh. Available from: http://www.teaching-matters-blog.ed.ac.uk/?p=888 [Accessed: 19 Dec 2017]  

 

Further Reading

Bomberg, E. (2016) Teaching Matters blog [online]. The University of Edinburgh. Available from: http://www.teaching-matters-blog.ed.ac.uk/?p=198 [Accessed 06 Dec 2017]

Brew, A. (2010) Imperatives and challenges in integrating teaching and research. Higher Education Research & Development. 29:2, pages 139-150. [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360903552451[Accessed: 07 Dec 2017]

Vitae. (2018) Applying for academic jobs. [online]. Available from: https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researcher-careers/pursuing-an-academic-career/applying-for-academic-jobs [Accessed: 21 Feb 2018]

Herrington and Kervin discuss the principles of authentic learning with technology in the 2007 paper “Authentic learning supported by technology: Ten suggestions and cases of integration in classrooms.” The use of cases within the literature assists my visualisation and understanding of how I can implement these principles in my own teaching.

One principle that I can utilise to create an authentic digital experience for students is the expert performance. Expert performance is the opportunity for students to witness a task/procedure being demonstrated by a professional (for example a clinician), prior to it being practised independently by the candidate. Students’ of BSc Oral Health Sciences often echo Herrington and Kervin’s (2017) observation that it is;

“Much easier to learn a skill or concept when they see it demonstrated by an expert.”  (Herrington, Kervin, 2007)

When students begin learning the process of tooth restoration, I have previously tried to demonstrate the technique using a mannequin situated in front of small groups.  Visibility is lessened by using water from the high-speed drill and the limitations of the camera equipment. Students observing the demonstration may only be able to view the tooth clearly after a stage of restoration is completed. This diminishes the effectiveness the video demonstration as it fails to allow the student to see how the cavity preparation is achieved. Expert performance on a small group has been used to some degree but it has not been as successful without use of technology. Due to the confined nature of the working environment, an ideal location for recording equipment is mounting a camera on an overhead light with the ability to zoom in on the active working site. It is also important that the lecturer demonstrating can view what is being recorded on a screen. When carrying out dental procedures hands and equipment frequently obscure the direct view of the camera. Utilising a teaching screen allows the clinical demonstrator to adjust their position thus ensuring an uninterrupted view for students.

The creation of a well filmed video/vodcast would eliminate the visual difficulties that students are currently experiencing.  The video would demonstrate the clinical procedure using a camera in a fixed position that would capture all movements by the “expert”(Herrington, Kervin, 2007). This vodcast/video would be posted to LEARN for students to watch prior to the practical skills session which would include a voice over description and rationale for actions and steps within the procedure. Students that utilise this resource will benefit from the opportunity to view the process in advance, thus allowing more ti

me to physically practice the skill without a significant proportion of the clinical skills session being used up by a lecture.

(Pictured is a mannequin that students practice skills on. A camera could be mounted on the microscope pictured above the head to allow uninterrupted filming of the procedure.)

After viewing the video, a question would be posted to promote student discussion of patient factors that may impact on the procedure. It is important that students can identify human variants and their impact on the process and how it is carried out. This is vital as variants such as saliva contamination cannot be emulated on a mannequin head but pose a significant issue that must be managed by the students when handling real patient cases.

Following the practical skills session students would have the opportunity to post photographs of practical work they have carried out on their mannequin and share within an online discussion board. In addition, students would also give feedback on the work of their peers. This would promote reflection, critical analysis and development of students’ abilities to recognise potential failings of restorations. In addition it would provide an opportunity to commend, encourage and support their peers.

UKPSF Dimensions covered – A1, A2, A3, A4, V1, K1, K2, and K4.

Reference List

HERRINGTON, J., KERVIN, L. (2007). Authentic learning supported by technology: Ten suggestions and cases of integration in classrooms. Educational Media International. 44(3). Pages 216-236.  [online]. Available from: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.657.1044&rep=rep1&type=pdf  [Accessed 18 Feb 2018]

 

Picture taken by Lucy Wands – Clinical Skills Room 1, 2nd Floor, Edinburgh Dental Institute.

Within BSc OHS there are many assessment styles I have experienced as an assessor. Our students are assessed in the well-recognised written summative paper style demonstrating factual knowledge. In other areas of the subject, we assess students via a simulated patient case where candidates utilise experience and knowledge to demonstrate ability to treat patients effectively.

Sambell et al. discusses the “principle of authenticity” in chapter 1 of Assessment for Learning in Higher Education 2013, which has led to me consider which attributes of authenticity our assessments promote. I will discuss the authenticity of one of the assessments we set for the year three cohort.

Within the module of Preparation for Practice we now assess students by assigning a public health topic which the student must research and design a poster on.  A date is then set where the posters are presented by the candidate in a ten-minute presentation. Students are graded not only on the poster content and appearance, but also on their presentation skills i.e.. eye contact and audience engagement.

Using the Prism of assessment design (Saunders, 2014) I want to measure the “authenticity” (Sambell et al., 2013) of this approach to assessment.

Meaningful

A meaningful assessment is one that assists students to achieve the learning objectives (Biggs, 1996). One of the learning objectives for Preparation for Practice;

“Communicate appropriately, effectively and sensitively by spoken, written and electronic methods and maintain and develop these skills.”

In my opinion the poster assessment is an opportunity to develop communication skills when presenting to the assessors and peers. It is also an opportunity for students to think creatively using digital methods to convey a health message and information which is an integral role of a Dental Hygienist and Therapist.

Equitable

An equitable assessment is one which the “reward is proportional to the effort put in and the skills demonstrated”(Saunders, 2014). In my opinion, students feel motivated to produce high quality work as it is assessed by their peers, lecturers and external examiners. The marks awarded for this assessment count towards the students’ degree classification, thus again motivating students to produce high quality work and presentations. The students may wish to include the poster within a portfolio for future employment applications. It could also be used as an example of independent literature-based research which would support discussions within an interview setting. The BSc programme is often contacted by dental companies and professional bodies offering students opportunities to showcase academic work in a competition. In addition to the prestige of placing in a competition, students may benefit from recognition of their work by the judge (dental/professional body) being detailed within a portfolio for employment applications.

Manageable

For an assessment to be deemed “manageable” it must be “completed and marked in a timely manner, without undue stress for staff and students”(Saunders, 2014).  As a team we collectively developed a marking criterion which was shared with students indicating what is required to perform well in this type of assessment. Staff utilise this grid when first viewing the posters and whilst listening to the presentations. A team meeting is held immediately after the presentations and staff discuss their comments and agree on a mark for each category.  Having protected time soon after the presentation aids marking as it is still fresh in the assessor’s memory. The only time issue in giving results is the timing of exam board as no results are issued until after ratification.

I feel this is assessment succeeds in many aspects of the Prism of assessment design, however there are many other assessment styles that are utilised in the discipline that do not fulfil the criteria. As I progress through block three I hope to develop a deeper understanding of assessment design that can be used to improve all our undergraduate assessments to emulate authentic attributes.

UKPSF Dimensions covered – A3, A5, V3, V4

References

Biggs, J (1996), ‘Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment’, Higher Education Research & Development, 32(3), pp. 347-364. Available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/citedby/10.1080/0729436990180105?scroll=top&needAccess=true (Accessed: 06 Feb 2018).

Sambell, K., McDowell, L., and Montgomery, C (2013), ‘Chapter 1. Designing Authentic Assessment’, Assessment for learning in higher education [electronic resource], pp. 10-31. Available at: https://www.dawsonera.com/readonline/9780203818268 (Accessed: 14 Feb 2018).

Sauders, F (2014), ‘Designing assessments that are meaningful, equitable and manageable in UK higher education’, Higher Education Academy. Available at: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/blog/designing-assessments-are-meaningful-equitable-and-manageable-uk-higher-education [Accessed 14: Feb 2018]

 

For this blog I want to consider the following;

How can the principle of Constructive Alignment (Biggs, 1999) (CA) be implemented in teaching of BSc Oral Health Sciences?

The concept of CA is one in which the student “constructs his or her own learning” and the teacher creates a “Learning Environment”(LE) thus ensuring that the teaching and assessment are parallel with the “desired learning outcomes.”(Biggs, 2017)

The BSc Oral Health Sciences programme, as I have mentioned in other blogs, is required to deliver the curriculum framework set by General Dental Council. Historically this has been delivered solely in lecture format and, on reflection, I consider myself to be managing lecture content rather than “facilitating” student learning.(Biggs,1999) In the module Health and Disease (H&D) the factual content of the subject is weighty and most of the material is completely new information for the student. It is also one of the first modules introduced to students via lectures where the learning outcomes are stated and the lecture slides contain all content necessary for passing examinations and meeting GDC requirements.

H&D module, in my opinion, does not achieve the concept of constructive alignment. The first element of constructive alignment is that the students create their own understanding of the concept. This creation of knowledge, which is specific to each student, is facilitated by a “learning activity”. (Biggs, 2017) Current lecturing and teaching methods of H&D do not deliver an effective “learning activity”. Without prior knowledge, students struggle to engage with the content of the lecture and the session is an information overload. Students find the lecture environment overwhelming and do not feel comfortable enough to participate in discussion or questions, because they have not had enough time to process the information delivered.

The second element, alignment, is not fully achieved in the teaching and assessment of H&D. As discussed above, teaching style utilised in H&D is not conducive to student understanding and construction of knowledge. The current assessment format for the module H&D does not align with the desired learning outcomes. The assessment comprises of a written paper with six 20-mark question and students lose significant marks if they are questioned on a topic that they may not have learned at an adequate depth. They often resort to learning lecture slides verbatim, which they regurgitate in the exam. The questions are designed for students to showcase their memory skills, while understanding would be assessed more efficiently with a problem-based scenario. This would allow examiners to determine student’s depth of knowledge by their ability to apply their understanding to solve the issue posed. (Biggs, 2017)

I will begin to implement new teaching techniques, as learned from PGCAP to ensure my teaching is critically aligned. After experiencing my first online collaboration with PGCAP, I now identify this as a possible LE to utilise in course design. I felt the use of online conversation, as well as audio interaction, allowed discussion to flourish within the group.  Inclusion of this within the LE would promote peer learning through discussion particularly with students who struggle to find their voice in class.

An integral part of engaging with the LE is the preparation by the student. As a teacher, I would pose a question to be considered and each student would be invited to present their findings and opinions. This is an opportunity for students to develop skills in critical analysis and reflect on the feedback they receive from peers. I anticipate that, as a result of these changes, students will develop a deeper knowledge of the subject area than they would in a passive lecture.

I will continue to research other methods of assessment so that I can holistically achieve constructive alignment by employing teaching activities and realistic assessment styles.

UKPSF areas covered: A1, A4, K2, K4, V2

References

Biggs, J (2017), ‘Aligning teaching for constructing learning’, The Higher Education Academy. Available at: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/resources/id477_aligning_teaching_for_constructing_learning.pdf  (Accessed: 06 Feb 2018).

Biggs, J (1999), ‘What the Student Does: teaching for enhanced learning’, Higher Education Research & Development, 1(18), pp. 57-75. Available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/citedby/10.1080/0729436990180105?scroll=top&needAccess=true (Accessed 06 Feb 2018).

Additional Reading 

Medhat, K. (2017) ‘Teaching Matters blog’, The University of Edinburgh. Available at: https://www.teaching-matters-blog.ed.ac.uk/?p=2087 (Accessed: 09 Feb 2018).