Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Teaching, Learning and Education
Year: 2024
DOI:
[PDF]
Simulation and Technology Innovations in Competence-Based Professional Education
Dr. Mark Ragg, Dr. Hailee Laurtizen, Paul Majeske
ABSTRACT:
Health and human service professions have long relied on simulation-based learning especially in the advent of competency outcomes. Simulation-based learning requires educators to construct interactive learning activities that closely approximate actual client or patient realities. In particular, professional education programs have been challenged to develop foundational skill-sets prior to entering their internships or field placements (Allemang et al., 2022; Broski et al., 2023). In simulation-based learning, there are two continua that influence how the simulations are used: these include a continuum of complexity and a continuum of repetition. First, highly complex simulations that include multiple professions or factors are useful in exposing students to aspects of the professional role to build awareness and appreciation (Acquavita et al., 2023; Broski et al, 2023; Morrow, Camel & Capers, 2023; Parks & Worthy, 2023). These limited event simulations require high levels of coordination and planning rendering repeated simulations or incremental learning unfeasible (Chen et al., 2024; Hui-Chen et al., 2022). In competence-based learning, emersion and repetition are critical elements because students require feedback and opportunities to apply the feedback in future skill applications (Gjestvang et al., 2021; Kourgiantakis et al., 2019). Concurrently, students ideally should be required to be thoughtful in how they interpret and formulate their response to the person playing the client role (Chih-Pu et al., 2022). This requires both careful scripting and sequencing to incrementally build the competencies (Egonsdotter & Bengtsson, 2023; Keeney et al., 2022; Tan, Campbell & Lindsey, 2023) Often, peer-to peer-role plays are the most common simulation used (Bogo et al., 2014; Chernikova et al., 2020). One benefit of peer-based role-play simulations is that peers fulfill a secondary role as observers of, and partners in, the skill development process (Tufford et al., 2022). That notwithstanding, peers do not understand professional competency standards, consequently instructors ideally provide feedback after each skill performance (Kourgiantakis et al., 2019). Progressive session-by-session building of competencies, effectively makes the course a complex simulation with each class serving as an episode. Such structure allows students to practice professional skills and receive feedback on their skill performance without endangering clients (Kourgiantakis et al., 2019). Such structures also build confidence and competence in students (Banach et al., 2020; Osborn & Costas, 2012). The main challenge of such courses is the amount of time required throughout the semester. One solution to the time demands of competence-based learning has been fully online simulations. However, fully online simulations are also high on the complexity continuum given that they often involve collaboration between the professional educators and computer engineers to produce a highly polished and resource rich learning package. Such learning programs often focus on limited skill-sets with minimal opportunity for repetition (Chia-Hui, Hui-Chen, & Shu-Ling, 2024; Flaherty, 2023). Increasingly, professional education programs have turned to flipped pedagogy blending online and face-to-face learning to effectively build professional competencies (Hui-Chen et al., 2023). Flipped course make optimal use of both online and face-to-face learning activities sequenced to incrementally build professional skill-sets (Lee, Bowles & Kourgiantakis, 2021; Merlin-Knoblich et al., 2022). This presentation outlines a modularized flipped course designed to develop professional skill-sets in social work students in preparation for practice learning. Participants will learn how to sequence and dovetail online and face-to-face activities to maximize skill-set development based on the current research findings. Outcomes from a two-year implementation will demonstrate how sequenced asynchronous, synchronous, and face-to-face learning modules can simulate a practice sequence for building professional-level interpersonal skills. Repeated measures demonstrate student growth curves throughout the semester.
keywords: Flipped course pedagogy, Professional Education, Sequenced simulation-based learning