ONWARD!

As we finish out the semester, it is crazy to think we are halfway through the program! From reading classmates posts and syllabi, and hearing how they talk about their future classrooms, I am confident we all have bright futures ahead of us. Many of us have an interest in didactic teaching, so I am excited to see what feelings develop for clinical teaching, and how they vary.

It should come as no surprise, but my favorite and most valuable part of this course was..

designing a syllabus!

This assignment was one that I underestimated in time, and did not realize how valuable it could be. I was unsure about creating a syllabus for a fake class, and designing course topics and assignments. It seemed like there should be something guiding this assignment, but I really appreciated that there was not. This gave me a chance to really think about myself as an instructor and see how I wanted my course to go. I had the freedom to discuss whatever topics I felt necessary, design my grading system, and choose from numerous assignments for what I felt worked best in my course.

One thing I know I will use from this assignment is my grading scale. When I was in undergrad, I hated courses that I could not figure out what each assignment was worth and how my grade was calculated. Some instructors made such a complicated system–but that is not what I want. Each of my assignments will be worth a certain number of points. Writing workshops, which are quick and easy, are worth 2 points each, and there are a total of 5 of these. That is 10 points. My midterm, for example, is worth 20 points. 10 points=10%. 20 points=20%. If a student earns 80 points in the class, their final grade will be an 80%. I think this will help students and myself to see where the weight of the course lies and what students need to do to be successful.

I think I appreciated this assignment, as well as the rubrics and course alignment, because it gave me a glimpse of myself in my own classroom. This course has by far taught me the most about how to be an effective instructor, and engage my students to drive their success. I have a better understanding of how to incorporate the flipped classroom, which is something I have always considered. I have also learned of a few things I did not like, and would not use (Voicethread, debates..)  

Thank you to Mrs. Henry, Amy, and all of my classmates for great discussions! This next year will be stressful and nerve-wrecking and rewarding.. and I’m excited for every bit. This is how I feel.. growing into an instructor:

CLICKERS!

The use of clickers in the classroom is something I plan to incorporate into my classroom. I have had two different experiences with them as a student, and I think these have helped me determine how I could use them in my courses.

MY EXPERIENCES

I took two courses that used clickers in the classroom: Microbiology and Oral Radiography. The two experience could not be any different.

The first time I used one was in Microbiology 509, and I had no idea what it was.. All I knew was that it was required on the syllabus and I better go buy one before the first class. This lecture was in Independence 100. Any student who attended OSU  is likely to have had a 500+ person course in this room. It is large, loud, and tightly packed with a small platform up front. Anyway, I purchased a new clicker from Barnes and Noble for $30 (I think). I used it maybe two times for each lecture. The instructor more or less used it to take an attendance/participation grade. She did ask questions relevant to the material being presented, but the questions were simple and we did not spend much time with them. I still have my clicker…

In Oral Radiography, I was provided with a clicker that was assigned to me. It was passed out and collected at the beginning and end of each class session. Each day we had class, we were asked to 10-20 questions with our clickers. This class was much smaller, made up of only my dental hygiene class. The purpose was not to take attendance–the instructor and rest of the class knew who was missing. The clickers were used to assess our learning and understanding, and to keep us alert in class.

WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY?

Most research I found supports the use of clickers not only in higher education, but at all levels. The first study showed that clickers have a positive impact on students’ final grades. In fact, students who used clickers scored 4.7% higher on average than students who did not (1). The next study looked at the use of clickers in a college psychology course. What I found important about this study is that students perceived their understanding level to be greater with the use of clickers (2). If students think they are learning more, aren’t they? I would think so. In this same study, only 1/3 of the students thought the clickers were worth their financial investment. This is another interesting point, and something I struggled with as a jobless college sophomore. A third study looked at the viewpoints on clickers from instructors and students. The instructors appreciated the immediate feedback, improved attendance, and improved participation. The students in this study also felt more engaged, and felt they were learning more than without clickers. These students requested to use them more (3)!

CLICKERS IN MY CLASSROOM

I think clickers, or any student response systems, are great for both formative and summative assessments. I would use them during the course when I have lecture, to keep students alert and increase their understanding. This provides feedback for me and allows me to see what concepts students fully grasp and which may need clarification. For summative assessments, the limitation would be that questions could only be multiple choice. However, they are great for quizzes and those kinds of assessments. If the university allowed, I would provide students with clickers to borrow while they are in the classroom. Like the second article found, students do not want to buy their own clickers to use for one course. If I could not provide them, I would require students to purchase them. I would recommend the class sell their clickers to the next class of students, or sell them online. I know plenty of people (now) that had clickers to sell… even my brother! I could have looked into that option more, and would encourage my students to do the same. Clickers are a great, anonymous way for students to actively participate in what may otherwise be a boring part of the course.

1. Bojinova, Emma, and James Oigara. “Teaching and Learning with Clickers in Higher Education.” International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 25.2 (2013): 154-65. ERIC. Web. 14 Apr. 2015

2. Powell, Selma, Carrie Straub, Jacqueline Rodriguez, and Barbara VanHorn. “Using Clickers in Large College Psychology Classes: Academic Achievement and Perceptions.” Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 11.4 (2011): 1-11. ERIC. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

3. Gok, Tolga. “An Evaluation of Student Response Systems from the Viewpoint of Instructors and Students.” The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology 10.4 (2011): 67-83. ERIC. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

Assessment is one of the most important steps of learning. Not only is it required for accreditation, but also as a tool to make a program successful. There are many types of necessary assessment: self assessment for students and instructors, assessment of students, assessment of staff, and many more. This is the way we learn and make corrections, no matter what level of education we are going through. As individuals, we can expect to be assessed our entire lives. Some may be formal and graded, while others may be just one person’s judgement.

Both formative and summative assessments are important for effective learning for entry level dental hygiene students. With formative evaluations, students have the opportunity to show their knowledge in an informal way throughout the course. They can reflect on themselves, test their own knowledge, and provide feedback that can be helpful for the instructor.

Summative assessments provide a formal evaluation of learning. With it being graded and at the conclusion of the course, students are expected to perform well and demonstrate their knowledge to the best of their abilities. It reinforces the material learned throughout the entire semester or quarter, rather than at just a moment in time like formative assessment.

I thought it was interesting in Amy’s presentation that formative assessment is often spur of the moment. I think as instructors, we are constantly performing formative assessments, even if we do not realize. It can be as simple as, ‘Would you rather create a PowerPoint or an infographic?’ We may not think of this as assessment, but it actually is a way to improve the course and accommodate students.

I think the most effective formative assessments for entry level students are short response papers (timed) and classroom discussions. When writing these papers on various topics, students can self-assess and identify their strengths and weaknesses. This gives an opportunity to complete this without the pressure of being right or wrong, so I think students are more likely to be open and really expand on what they have to say. The muddiest point helps them and the instructor realize what topics may need a little more attention. This is also a great opportunity for students to give the instructor feedback to improve the course. Class discussions lead to opening of minds and bringing new ideas into the thoughts of other students. It is always interesting to hear another side of an issue or different ways to approach clinical situations. It can encourage critical thinking outside of the box.

Summative assessments need to be clear and effective. I think the most important summative assessments are short answer questions in the classroom and competency skill assessments in the clinic. In the classroom, short answer questions provide students the chance to expand on their own thoughts and prove why they think the way they do. Multiple choice questions can be very one-sided, with one correct answer. Short answer questions encourage critical thinking, and make students elaborate on concepts. In the clinic, it is important for entry level hygienists to acquire the skills to effectively treat patients. The best way to evaluate their effectiveness is to watch them perform a skill. It would be most effective on a live patient, rather than a typodont.