Prior to writing this blog a collegue and I have discussed where on the Flexibility grid (Casey & Wilson, 2005) a specific experience each of us have had during our teaching within a course offered as part of the Bachelor of Midwifery sits. I intend to describe where on the grid my experience sits in relation to the five dimensions of flexibility of the Flexibility grid (Casey & Wilson, 2005), incorporating the Three-step reflective framework and template proposed by Hegarty (2011) as a guide to writing this blog post. My writing will centre around the practical skill of learning the anatomy and physiology of the pelvis.
According to Collis & Moonen (2001) the main idea about flexible learning is that it is centred on learner choice -the learner has a range of options to choose from. The five dimensions of the Flexibility grid (time, content, instructional approaches and resources, entry requirements and delivery and logistics) each contain a continuum along which details of how each course which is offered can sit (Casey & Wilson, 2005) determining for whom the learning is flexible -myself or the students involved.
Entry requirements; The group consists of 8 1st year BM students undertaking their degree fulltime and living in the geographical area that my Student Practice Facilitator (SPF) group draws from. They are in my group soley based on geography -there are another two groups in the area for their peers on the same programme whose membership is also soley geographically determined.
Time; the 8 students in the group involved meet every week at a set predetermined time for four hours with myself as their SPF. There was some flexibility at the beginning of the year for the students to determine the time the group would commit to meeting at for the year, but this was limited by the constraints of their childcare requirements, other course requirements in their course planner and room availablity. However within these constraints the members of the group had some choice and have been able to commit to and attend the group sessions with minimal absence for anything other than attendance at labour and births or sickness. There is one hour of the four hour SPF session devoted to the practice of a new skill and while the order these skills are introduced into their course is predetermined, there is some degree of flexibility as to which order specifically the students would like them taught. Together at the end of the session, the skill to be covered at the next session is decided and agreed apon. The students have to have a skills sheet for the pelvis signed off by the end of the year, however within this timeframe they determine when they are ready to be assessed and have this skill sheet signed off. They also determine who assesses them -either me or a midwife they work with on placement.
Content; Information on the pelvis opens up in a module on the students' moodle site at a time in the course predetermined by the course coordinator. Links to other resources are on this site including recommended text reading around the topic. The students have a year course overview as well as a specific course outline so are aware of when this information is posted. They then have the opportunity to reinforce their online learning using the model of the pelvis within the SPF session after an interactive discussion facilitated by me going over the key points they need to know and answering any queries they may have. We also have two pelvic models which the students can borrow and take home to practice on to further reinforce their learning until they are at the stage of feeling ready to be assessed against the skill sheet.
Delivery and logistics; the opportunity for learning this skill takes place in several ways as part of the blended learning mode of course delivery. There is a combination of online learning, accessing textbooks, the model being available and discussed and practiced on in the SPF session, the model being able to be taken home by the students to practice on, peer practical demonstrations in a supportive, non threatening environment plus any opportunities they get to demonstrate this skill in practice situations.
Instructional approach and resources; the students have the opportunity to read the modular content on moodle surrounding the pelvis plus textbook and pelvic model resources. They are able to learn at home, within the group and again out on placement before being assessed against a skill sheet once they feel competent. The skill is practiced regularly within the SPF group to ensure the knowledge is retained and that as time goes by more understanding of the importance of knowing the anatomy and physiology of the pelvis in relation to labour and birth occurs as the students gain more practical experiences so can relate their learning to the practical situation.
It would appear from using the example of learning the anatomy and physiology of the pelvis in relation to the Flexibility grid that medium learning flexibility dimensions are available with a small move to very flexible in areas within the five dimensions. While showing areas for improvement it is gratifying to see we have progressed some way down the continuum! The challenge is to look at other aspects of the programme papers and apply the five dimensions to each in order to determine programme flexiblity overall.
References;
Casey, J.,& Wilson, P. (2005). A practical guide to providing flexible learining in further and higher education. Retrieved from http://www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk/documents/flexibledelivery/fd_flexible_learning_jcaseyfinalweb.pdf
Collis, B., & Moonen, J. (2001). Flexible learning in a digital world: Open and distance learning series. London, UK: Kogan Page Ltd.
Hegarty, B. (2011). Hegarty reflective framework and template. Retrieved from http://wikieducator.org/GCTLTThree-step_Refleceive_framework_template.pdf
Wednesday 27 July 2011
Monday 4 July 2011
Onwards and upwards...
Well yes there has been a little gap since I wrote last. Four months is a little gap in the whole scheme of things I tell myself! I have been tied up with my parts in the delivery of the Bachelor of Midwifery (BM) degree to our students. It has been a busy year so far delivering this model flexibly through a process of blended delivery through my homebase in Whitby. I am determined to complete this paper however -not completing is not an option for me, hence being back here tonight. I am looking forward to having the time to engage with it again.
I had a discussion with Suzanne today. We talked about what flexible learning meant to each of us. I do believe we are living it on a daily basis. Being flexible is not only an attribute we use every day in our work with OP but also everyday in supporting the women in our caseload whom we are the Lead Maternity Carer's for. Working in midwifery by it's nature involves a great degree of flexibility, so I believe this concept is well entrenched in midwifery practice.
Suzanne sees flexible learning as being the ability the students have for being able to pick and choose how and when they are going to learn. In the BM programme there is a lot of room to be able to do this, enabling students to work their study around their home committments. She also believes it is important to recognise different learning styles and to present different ways of learning so that everyone has the opportunity to learn in the style which best suits them. This applies to either face to face or on line learning through modules or elluminates. Using a variety of styles enables connection with the information presented by each student. Suzanne pointed out an excellent example of flexible learning which is all too current...when the Feb 22 Christchurch earthquake occured, our midwifery programme (a collaboration between CPIT and OP) could be kept going because of the nature of how it is delivered -flexible learning via blended delivery. It could continue being delivered despite the main Christchurch infrastructure being nonfunctional and there being no classroom availablity. In fact the programme was run from a lecturer's home utilising available halls for contact time with the students until CPIT was considered safe to return too. Consequently the disruption to student learning was minimal compared to other schools which were unable to function for several weeks. That is a great example of flexible learning as a lived experience! Thanks Suzanne. Chris
I had a discussion with Suzanne today. We talked about what flexible learning meant to each of us. I do believe we are living it on a daily basis. Being flexible is not only an attribute we use every day in our work with OP but also everyday in supporting the women in our caseload whom we are the Lead Maternity Carer's for. Working in midwifery by it's nature involves a great degree of flexibility, so I believe this concept is well entrenched in midwifery practice.
Suzanne sees flexible learning as being the ability the students have for being able to pick and choose how and when they are going to learn. In the BM programme there is a lot of room to be able to do this, enabling students to work their study around their home committments. She also believes it is important to recognise different learning styles and to present different ways of learning so that everyone has the opportunity to learn in the style which best suits them. This applies to either face to face or on line learning through modules or elluminates. Using a variety of styles enables connection with the information presented by each student. Suzanne pointed out an excellent example of flexible learning which is all too current...when the Feb 22 Christchurch earthquake occured, our midwifery programme (a collaboration between CPIT and OP) could be kept going because of the nature of how it is delivered -flexible learning via blended delivery. It could continue being delivered despite the main Christchurch infrastructure being nonfunctional and there being no classroom availablity. In fact the programme was run from a lecturer's home utilising available halls for contact time with the students until CPIT was considered safe to return too. Consequently the disruption to student learning was minimal compared to other schools which were unable to function for several weeks. That is a great example of flexible learning as a lived experience! Thanks Suzanne. Chris
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