Clinical Health Sciences Education (P.Grad.Dip) – (Grad.Dip.)

Contents

The course comprises five modules:

* the theory and practice of health sciences education;
* facilitating learning in a practice setting;
* the psychology of education;
* curriculum issues in health sciences education and
* quality improvement in education.

The programme starts with one full study week and continues with 6 hours of class contact per week, on one to two days, for the academic year. Students must undertake a minimum of 135 hours of teaching practice throughout the course. The assessment process used is a combination of written and practical assignments. Students must pass independently the assessed teaching practice and the written assignments. The pass grade is 50%. Students who do not undertake the required amount of teaching practice will not be eligible to receive the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Health Sciences Education.This course takes place over one academic year on a part-time basis. The student is required to attend the University for one full study week at the commencement of the course and continue to attend for the equivalent of one to two days study per week. To enable the student to develop the skills of teaching, students are required to undertake a total of 135 hours of teaching practice. For nurses and midwives intending to register as RNT - of the 135 teaching hours, 100 hours is classroom teaching and 35 hours is teaching in a practice environment (clinical area). For other students - of the 135 teaching hours, 80-100 hours is classroom teaching and 35-55 hours is teaching in a practice environment (clinical area).

It is the student´s responsibility to secure all teaching hours prior to commencing the course. Students are required to confirm their teaching arrangements in writing with their application.

Educational Strategies In keeping with the curriculum philosophy the teaching/learning strategies are student-centred. Students are encouraged to actively engage in the learning process and take responsibility for their own learning. A variety of teaching methods such as lectures, practical work, group work, seminars, tutorials, discussion groups, student presentations and micro-teaching with video playback, are used to facilitate students´ different learning styles. Emphasis is also placed on the skills required to effectively use and integrate technology into the teaching/ learning environment.

Experiential learning methods (role-play, reflective diaries, critical incidents, practical exercises, problem-based learning) and clinical facilitation will be used as appropriate. Account is taken of the suitability of the various teaching methods to the topic, resources, the time available and desired outcome. Students will also be facilitated to present project work in progress and receive feedback from peers. Students are also encouraged to reflect on their teaching from the beginning of the course. This requires that the student engages affectively as well as at a cognitive and behavioural level.

Outline of Course Content Module 1: The Theory and Practice of Health Sciences Education

RNT: 100 teaching practice hours (classroom area)
Others: 80-100 teaching practice hours (classroom area)

The aim of this module is to provide the student with opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills required to design, deliver, assess and evaluate educational sessions in a classroom context in order that s/he will use this knowledge to help learners construct meaning and achieve the intended learning outcomes.

Module 2: Facilitating Learning in a Practice Setting

RNT: 35 teaching practice hours (clinical area)
Others: 35-55 teaching practice hours (clinical area)

The aim of this module are to provide the student with an opportunity to critique the literature on teaching, assessment and supervision in order that s/he may develop the knowledge and skills necessary to create a quality learning environment for students in practice settings.

Module 3: The Psychology of Education

The aim of this module is to provide the student with opportunities to explore some key issues from educational psychology in order that he/she may develop the knowledge and skills necessary to plan and implement educational encounters in a clinical health sciences environment based on best practice.

Module 4: Curriculum Issues in Health Sciences Education

The aim of this module is to provide the student with an opportunity to explore, debate and evaluate various models and theories of curriculum design and development in order that s/he may be enabled to design, implement and critically appraise curricula for health sciences education.

Module 5: Quality Improvement in Health Sciences Education

The aim of this module is to provide the students with an opportunity to debate and critique literature on quality initiatives in health science teaching/ learning and health science educational research in order that they may become reflective educators who facilitate the development of articulate, analytical, self directed, life long learners in the area of health sciences.

Extra module (nursing and midwifery only)Advancing the Theoretical Foundations for Nursing / Midwifery

This module builds on the students´ prior knowledge of nursing theory and models in nursing practice. Students are expected to be able to analyse theory critically and to explore issues that contribute to the development of theory. Students also explore their area of practice and strengthen their expertise through reflection.

It is expected that for every hour of class contact students
will undertake 2-3 hours of independent study.

Assessment The assessment methods utilised in the course attempt to facilitate student learning and increase teacher/student feedback with the aim of developing skills and attributes. The assessments used will be varied and include essays, projects, group work and portfolios. In keeping with the philosophy of the programme and the belief that the practice of teaching holds equal importance to the theory of teaching, students will be required to undertake supervised teaching practice during which assessments of teaching skills will be completed.

Individual modules of the programme will be assessed in accordance with the details provided as follows:

Module 1: The Theory and Practice of Health Sciences Education

* An Essay
* 2 Practical assessments of classroom teaching skills
* Portfolio of classroom teaching

Module 2: Facilitating Learning in a Practice Setting

* An Essay
* 1 Assessment of teaching skills in the practice (clinical) environment
* Portfolio of clinical teaching

Module 3: The Psychology of Education

* An Essay

Module 4: Curriculum Issues in Health Sciences Education

* Group Project

Module 5: Quality Improvement in Health Sciences Education

* An essay on utilisation of action research

Extra Module: Advancing the Theoretical Foundations of Nursing / Midwifery

* Two Essays

The pass mark is 50%. Compensation of 5% is permitted in the following two modules: Psychology of Education and Quality Improvement in Health Science Education. Students must pass independently in the assessed teaching practice and in the written assignments. Two attempts will be permitted for each assignment and for each assessed teaching session.

Students who do not undertake the required amount of teaching practice will not be eligible to receive the Diploma.