University of Technology Sydney

92848 Facilitation of Clinical Learning

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Health
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Description

This subject has been designed for health clinicians who have, or will have, responsibility for the successful transition of health care graduates into the clinical environment. Through the application of adult learning principles, participants become aware of the conditions that encourage and promote effective and efficient clinical learning. In addition, they have the opportunity to design a program of clinical teaching, and are encouraged to evaluate their own development as preceptors and facilitators of clinical learning.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
A. Evaluate established theories and models of learning and teaching used within preceptorship and clinical facilitation.
B. Analyse factors which could either enhance or impede teaching and learning in the clinical learning environment including a focus on communicating to a variety of audiences.
C. Integrate relevant professional knowledge in the healthcare environment to support culturally sensitive leadership when assisting transition of new practitioners and new staff members.
D. Reflect critically on their development as preceptors and facilitators of clinical learning.
E. Plan, develop, implement and evaluate a program of clinical teaching.
F. Give and receive constructive feedback about teaching skills to enable and inform ongoing improvements in teaching performance.

Teaching and learning strategies

In this subject, students participate in a range of teaching and learning strategies that are designed to help facilitate clinical teaching skills and ability. This subject is taken in a blended approach to learning with students attending three full days on campus accompanied by integrated learning in the online environment. This approach to teaching and learning is responsive to the needs of a postgraduate student cohort who need to balance study around their professional and personal commitments.

Orientation activities
Preparation for the Session - students are expected to undertake activities prior to the first week. These activities include online readings, videos, interaction with peers, and are important in helping students prepare for the subject's assessment tasks. This also provides students with an opportunity to meet and interact with peers. Students will learn through independent learning activities, group work, peer review, and participation in the workshops.

Independent learning activities
Relevant readings, videos and activities will be made available online relevant to the topic of the week. Students are expected to come to Workshops prepared. This will enhance the students’ ability to progress successfully throughout the subject and complete assessment items effectively. The online material aims to enhance students’ understanding of the topic or delve deeper into a more specific area, compare experiences and ideas with others, and gain feedback. Information and links to all these learning activities can be accessed via UTSOnline as well as the subject outline.

Workshops
Workshops will provide opportunities for group activities and discussion, self-assessment, peer review and formative feedback from the subject coordinator. Students are strongly encouraged to attend all workshops to engage with experts in the field of education theory and practice, who help them gain an understanding of the relevant theories and contemporary theorists related to teaching and learning. The guest education experts will prompt research inspired group discussion about national and international health education perspectives. The workshops will also help students collaborate on case based teaching and learning scenarios.

Feedback
Feedback will be frequent and takes several forms including self-assessment, peer review, and from the subject coordinator. Guided self-evaluation experiences help students recognise the connections between their prior knowledge of teaching and learning and how they integrate experiences and new information. Students receive feedback on their teaching session from health education experts from the student’s area of clinical practice. Formative feedback throughout the subject aims to increase student performance at summative assessments.

Content (topics)

In this subject you will address the following topics in the contect of clinical teaching and education in Nursing:

  • Learning theories & models used within preceptorship and clinical facilitation
  • Diversity in the classroom
  • Students with special needs
  • Giving and Receiving Feedback
  • The use of technology in education
  • Learning needs of indigenous students & Cultural sensitivity in Teaching and Learning
  • Challenges in the transition to practice

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Outline of Designing and Planning Clinical Teaching

Intent:

This assessment will assess your ability to design and plan a session or program of clinical teaching. The assessment allows for early low stakes feedback regarding your propsed design and plan.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

B, C, E and F

This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s):

.0, .0 and .0

Weight: 15%
Length:

500 words +/- 10% (excluding references and appendices)

Assessment task 2: Designing and Planning Clinical Teaching

Intent:

This assessment will assess your ability to design and plan a session or program of clinical teaching. It will allow you to draw on the material presented in the first two study days and encourages you to be creative in the application of this material to your own circumstances. This assessment also provides an opportunity for you to design and plan a session or program of clinical teaching of direct relevance to you, and test your ideas in a safe environment.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

A, B, D, E and F

This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s):

.0, .0 and .0

Weight: 25%
Length:

Word limit: 1500 words +/- 10% (excluding references and appendices)

Assessment task 3: Seminar Presentation: How to Teach a Clinical Skill

Intent:

Students will work in groups and give feedback to other students and receive feedback on their ability to teach a clinical skill to the class group. As a student learning to teach in the clinical environment and facilitate student learning, it is important to be able to give and receive appropriate and constructive critique regarding performance. Vicarious learning is an important concept to consider, as changes in behaviour brought about by observing other people’s actions and their consequences is the most undervalued mode of learning.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

A, B, D, E and F

This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s):

.0, .0 and .0

Weight: 20%
Criteria:

Please note: This is a session about skill deconstruction and re-construction whereby you teach a clinical skill to the class and teacher. It is not designed to be a session where you just present information on your chosen topic.

  • Identify the target audience
  • Outline the importance / relevance of the skill to be taught
  • Break the skill down into smaller components / rationale
  • The use of relevant theories related to skill acquisition
  • What information does the learner need to know (eg anatomy/physiology) to fully understand the skill.
  • Consider the problematic aspects of a learner attempting to learn this skill
  • Identify strategies to assess that learning has occurred / how will you assess competency in skill development/acquisition?
  • Presentation - presenters speak clearly, audibly, and are engaged with awareness of the audience; can answer questions from the class. Not reading the presentation.

Assessment task 4: Critical Evaluation of the Clinical Teaching Plan and Teaching Session

Intent:

This assessment allows you to operationalise your teaching plan by presenting your teaching session to a group of people. You will have the opportunity to critically evaluate your planned session or program of clinical teaching in terms of the literature in this area. You are required to receive formal feedback about your teaching from established educators, therefore this assignment provides you with an opportunity to evaluate your development as a clinical educator.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

A, B, D, E and F

This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s):

.0, .0 and .0

Weight: 40%
Length:

2000 words +/- 10% (excluding references and appendices)

Required texts

There are no required texts for this subject. Students are encouraged to draw upon the latest research in peer-reviewed journals and evidence-based reviews. Throughout the subject a number of preparatory readings will be made available via UTSOnline to facilitate in-class learning activities. These readings are collated from journal articles, reviews, or reports on areas that are pertinent to the subject. It is strongly recommended that students access and use these readings as a means of enhancing participation in the Workshops.

Recommended texts

The following are some recommended tests for this subject:

Emerson, R. J. (2007). Nursing education in the clinical setting.Mosby.

Gaberson, K. B., & Oermann, M.H. (2007). Clinical teaching strategies in nursing (2nd ed.). Springer.

Lynch, L., Hancox, K., Happell, B., & Parker, J. (2008) Clinical supervision for nurses. Wiley Blackwell.

O’Connor, A. B. (2006). Clinical instruction and evaluation: A teaching resource. (2nd ed.). Jones and Bartlett.

Young, L. E., & Paterson, B. L. (2007). Teaching nursing: Developing a student-centered learning environment, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

References

Refer to UTSOnline for access to up to date references for this subject.

A comprehensive list of references has been included in eReadings accessible through the UTS Library. However, this list is not intended to be exhaustive and students are expected to search the literature independently and to read widely.

Additional material will be available through the library eReadings - this can be accessed via UTSOnline.

Other resources

UTS Student Centre
Building 10

Monday to Friday: 9am - 5pm
Tel: 1300 ASK UTS (1300 275 887)

Details for student centres: www.uts.edu.au/current-students/contacts/general-contacts

For other resources/ information refer to the Faculty of Health website (www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-health), the Health Student Guide (www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/uts-health-student-guide.pdf) and UTSOnline at: https://online.uts.edu.au/webapps/login/

UTS Library
The Library has a wide range of resources, facilities and services to support you including textbooks, subject readings, health literature databases, workshops and bookable study rooms. There is also a team of librarians to help you with your questions available via online chat, phone and in person. W: lib.uts.edu.au, Facebook: utslibrary, Twitter: @utslibrary Tel: (02) 9514 3666.

Improve your academic and English language skills
Marks for all assessment tasks such as assignments and examinations are given not only for what you write but also for how you write. If you would like the opportunity to improve your academic and English language skills, make an appointment with the HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support) Service in Student Services.

HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support)
HELPS provides assistance with English language proficiency and academic language. Students who need to develop their written and/or spoken English should make use of the free services offered by HELPS, including academic language workshops, vacation intensive courses, drop-in consultations, individual appointments and Conversations@UTS (www.ssu.uts.edu.au/helps). HELPS staff are also available for drop-in consultations at the UTS Library. Phone (02) 9514 9733.

Please see www.uts.edu.au for additional information on other resources provided to students by UTS.