Teaching and Learning Topics

The concept of formative assessment involves the use of information on the level of achievement for planning the steps to be used net in the process of learning and teaching. The formative process looks into the future of the learning process rather than considering the past learning success (In Information Resources Management Association, 2017).  The aim is to assist students to identify their strengths and weakness and specific areas where work is needed, and help the educator to identify areas where the student is struggling and address such problems.

The summative assessment concept is more retrospective, whereby the aim is to assess the student learning after an instructional unit through a comparison with some benchmark or standard (In Information Resources Management Association, 2017). The information from the assessment is used by the student or educator in guiding their efforts and actions in the learning process.

Instructional scaffolding theory involves the short-term supporting structures established by a faculty to help students to accomplish new tasks and various concepts that normally, they could not succeed on their own (In Chan & In Pawlina, 2015).  After the learner has mastered the task and can complete it, the educator gradually removes the scaffolding or it fades away so that learning responsibility shifts to the learner from the instructor. The instructor takes the role of a mentor and knowledge facilitator rather than just a content expert.

Learning objective refers to the overall purpose of participating in an educational activity and involves a statement describing that the instructor want the student to learn after undertaking a course. The statement can be useful in the structuring the content of the activity. Learning outcomes involves a statement indicating what the learner will do while taking part in the educational activity and is identifies through gap analysis (In Chan & In Pawlina, 2015). It addresses the skills, knowledge or practices that bring about the gap in professional practice and the attainment of learning outcome lead to the narrowing or closure of the gap.

Instructional language refers to the language a teacher uses to impart educational content into the learner. The target language improves the extent of exposure the learner obtains and the opportunities for communicating in it and has their control of it. Communication is at the center of the learning and teaching process and the university instructor is able to link with the student (Mottet, Richmond, & McCroskey, 2015). The professional educator at the university level can use the communication in the most effective manner in instructional settings to improve the learning of the student.

The student-centered learning is founded on constructivist theories of learning which have contributed to valuable ideas through which current understandings have been shaped. The concept laces the learner at the center of the learning process and should be actively engaged while searching for and constructing the meaning (In Information Resources Management Association, 2017). When the instructor is designing a learning process centered on university student, he or she should integrate a reflective, authentic and collaborative process.

Blended / online learning normally involves using technology by teachers to enable student access their courses remotely. The students are allowed to complete the learning activities and then do their assessments online, the same as course offered in campus (Stacey & Gerbic, 2009). Blended learning involves a flexible technique of designing, developing and delivering learning and teaching process (Stacey & Gerbic, 2009). In a university setting, the educator may provide instruction online, in classroom or in the two settings. The model does not include a specific pedagogical framework but can support learning approaches that are centered on the student.

Team-based learning involves a structured of learning which is undertaken in small groups and focus on out of class preparation and knowledge application for the student. The technique involves collaborative learning theory where teaching and learning process is undertaken in groups who work together to find solution for a problem; task completion or production creation (Komives et al. 2011). The instructor at the university can apply this technique to allow students to follow a process that is well structured and to improve their engagement and learning quality.

Transformative pedagogy relates to constructivism theory, where the learning is perceived to be an active process that allows the learner to build information and create subjective depictions of objective reality (In Lopez & In Olan, 2018). At the university, the educational activities are not limited to the classroom but include contextualizing the issues through involving the surrounding people and areas into the learning environment.

 

Experiential learning is a theory in itself that integrates one’s experience, opinion, cognition ability and behavior (In Chan & In Pawlina, 2015). The university instructor can make the learning process relatable to his or her students by allowing them to build on their existing knowledge and utilize opportunities provided to draw connections but existing and new concepts.

 

Lesson plan

Outcomes

• Effectiveness of communication strategy in verbal and non-verbal communication
• Communication strategy and its influence and persuasion in oral health
• How communication strategy helps in understanding personality type
• How to interpret non- verbal communication from the patient

 Lesson 1 summary

Students should understand that communication is very important in promoting oral health including preventing oral diseases. The programs implemented for oral health need particular communication strategies to raise awareness of the need for oral health and wellness. The communication strategies adopted should enhance evidence-based interventions that will prevent oral diseases. The ability to understand both the verbal and non-verbal cues used by patients is of utmost importance and is needed for successful health outcomes. The oral health practitioners should use strategies that help them in communicating the patient’s needs and at the same time respect the economic survival of their practice (Koo et al.2016).

Lesson 2 summary

People are always influencing their behavior and other peoples’ behavior and this involves various principles that are observable and measurable. The principles that can enhance the chance for oral healthcare workers influence and persuasion in offering their services include reciprocation, authority, commitment and consistency, scarcity, liking and social proof. Effective communication strategies should observe authority, social proof, commitment and consistency to align the information provided to the patient with their informational needs to promote oral health. The lesson will involve learning the effectiveness of messages “theory of planned behavior” in oral health such as understanding the routine dental check-up behavior and intention. The use of planned behavior theory helps supporting the application of subjective norm-based messages that prompt dental check-ups. An oral health communication campaign encourages routine dental check-ups for people in any age groups.

 Lesson 3 summary

Effective communication strategy in oral health enables the use of various self-reporting measures by the patients in order to efficiently improve the public oral health outcomes. The lesson involves understanding the idea of self-reporting in oral health especially when single-item and multiple-item measures are used. In the communication process, what is required of the correspondent, rating statements or answering single question especially when information about the oral health needs is being sought from the patients.  Effective communication strategy has to consider that individuals may have different interpretation for similar reports and the observer or practitioner has to understand the interpersonal differences when health states are being interpreted (Thomson et al.2011).

Lesson 4 summary

Non-verbal communication consists of body language, including face and hands, body attitude and space usage. The student has to learning the need for non-verbal communication in achieving optimum healthcare outcomes. The communication strategy has to incorporate information on the behavior of both the patient and health care provider. The lesson also entails learning the need for improving the non-verbal communication to avoid hostile environment in offering the right oral healthcare. The details of external appearance and emotional elements are important in addressing oral healthcare needs for the patient.  When engaging with caregivers or interviewing the patients , in the waiting rooms or other environments , the communication strategy should ensure that patient’s problem are well-understood even when non-verbal cues are used.

Formative assessment methods

• Discussion

Discussion in classrooms will assist the instructor to learn more about the learners including their understanding of specific concepts

• Questioning

Asking questions will provide an opportunity for student to engage in deeper thinking and offers the instructors or educator great insight into the level of learner’s understanding of concepts. Students are engaged in classroom dialogue and this expands their learning process.

• Kinesthetic assessments

These assessments will require the learners to incorporate movements while demonstrating their understanding of various concepts especially in non-verbal communication

Time and Resources

The learning process will involve a two months program in which students will engage in formative assessment and a final summative assessment. The resources required for the program includes education resource manual and resource kit including puppets and books, oral health videos , laptops and projectors for presenting power-point learning templates.

 

 

References

Mottet, T., Richmond, V. P., & McCroskey, J. C. (2015). Handbook of instructional communication: Rhetorical and relational perspectives. Routledge.

 

In Chan, L. K., & In Pawlina, W. (2015). Teaching Anatomy: A Practical Guide. Cham : Springer International Publishing 17-19.

In Information Resources Management Association,. (2017). Blended learning: Concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications.

Stacey, E., & Gerbic, P. (2009). Effective blended learning practices: Evidence-based perspectives in ICT-facilitated education. Hershey, Pa: IGI Global.

Komives, S. R., Dugan, J. P., Owen, J. E., Slack, C., Wagner, W., & (NCLP), N. C. L. P. (2011). The Handbook for Student Leadership Development. Hoboken: Wiley.

In Lopez, A. E., & In Olan, E. L. (2018). Transformative pedagogies for teacher education: Moving towards praxis in an era of change. Charlotte, NC : Information Age Publishing, Inc.. 77-81

Thomson, W. M., Caspi, A., Poulton, R., Moffitt, T. E., & Broadbent, J. M. (2011). Personality and oral health. European journal of oral sciences, 119(5), 366-372.

 

Koo, L. W., Horowitz, A. M., Radice, S. D., Wang, M. Q., & Kleinman, D. V. (2016). Nurse practitioners' use of communication techniques: results of a Maryland Oral Health Literacy Survey. PloS one, 11(1), e0146545.