Clinical Teaching vs. Didactic Teaching
There are many differences between the traditional classroom setting and the hands-on clinical setting. Even between the classroom and the lab, we see many differences. The biggest difference to me is the interaction level. Although didactic teaching is changing, most classrooms are still structured with students sitting in desks while the instructor presents material, and they take notes. In the clinical and lab settings, students are up moving around, seeing and touching instruments, talking to patients, and actually seeing the material from didactic courses come to life. It gives them a first sense of real-life application. These two environments appeal to different types of learners. Some people will learn best from seeing and hearing material in the didactic courses, and some will prefer to be hands-on in the clinic/lab. Another difference is the way students prepare for what setting they will be in. Students often think they can come into a classroom setting with a lack of sleep or think they can just sit quietly or browse the internet during the presentation. In a clinical setting, this is far from opposite. Each patient is different, and will present with a different situation. Students must be ready to use their critical thinking and draw on what they have learned in the didactic courses to make effective decisions for each patient.
However, there are also some similarities. When you are in the hygiene program, you are surrounded by the same students in both the clinic and the classroom. This may give some students a sense of comfort, knowing they can turn to their classmates for answers or advice in either setting. At Ohio State, many didactic instructors are also clinical instructors, so the personnel can feel similar. Both settings take preparation, just of different natures. In either setting, students should be actively engaged and ready to learn.
Change can be hard for anyone to deal with, no matter what age, background, gender, race, etc. No one wants change to happen, because things are comfortable. However, it is necessary to keep up with changes to provide the best care for patients, and ensure hygienists have top knowledge.
Changes in technology are typically more difficult for older individuals, who did not grow up with technology at their fingertips. Younger adults (and even kids) tend to grasp these changes and even be excited about them. It is hard for large institutions (like Ohio State) to incorporate technology changes due to size, cost, and environment. The school is working to go digital with radiographs, but it has been a long process. It is not practical to put a computer in each operatory, and the building is not set up for that. However, I think we can address this by exposing students to digital software when possible. There are a few clinics within the school that are digital, so if students could rotate through those, they would at least have some knowledge of the system. There are also outside rotations, such as the Columbus Health Department, that use digital software. Even when students cannot be hands-on with this, it is important to educate them on different systems and how they have changed.
Research is key for students and graduates to stay up to date with the changes in treatment recommendations. In school, students learn what is effective at that time. As more research is conducted, recommendations and guidelines change, and they will continue to do so. We must instill in students the importance of continuing to investigate these changes, so they have a drive to do so when they are on their own. Just recently, the ADA changed their guidelines on pre-medications and when they are necessary. This directly affects patient care, and it is important to notice such changes.
Lauren,
I too found it interesting that most preferred face-to face lecture and little group work. I wondered if those thoughts were influenced by the depth of the nursing program. We all know that dental hygiene (especially an Associate’s Degree) is so driven and focused on the core principles that there is little information not necessary to learn. Dental hygiene programs are set to prepare us to be able to practice immediately upon licensure, giving all faculty an important task to guide students. Personally, in respect to dental hygiene, I would not want to complete the program online. From my experience, there was one maybe two classes that I would’ve felt comfortable taking online when I was a student; yet I will have completed two degrees after entirely online. I believe preference along with curriculum influences the remarks in the “Journal of Nursing Education” article.
I too, found it interesting that Gen X and Y students preferred lecture. As Shawna stated, it may be the student population of nursing that could have influenced that. It may be the self-directed learning an online course requires that discourages these students. If it is up to the student to direct their learning, rather than the instructor to feed the information, the student may not get as much out of the class. But it is quite interesting that the most technology advanced generations do not prefer web-based learning.
I enjoyed your discussion about interaction. As you said, didactic teaching is slowly changing towards a more interactive format, but lecture remains to be the leading platform. Through this program, I have learned that I do not want to be a lecturer. I want my students to learn from each other. The Khan Academy really showed me how much students can benefit, when the instructor plays the single role of facilitator. One of my favorite alternative teaching methods is in-person discussion forums. Even though they can become debates, I think this type of conflict is healthy and it expands the students’ minds. Even in this very blog, I have learned things that I never thought of when I wrote my own blog. We have so much to offer each other!
A prime example of you teaching me is your discussion about preparation. I had not considered the differences in necessary sleep and focus from one type of instructor to the other. Students cannot come to clinic dazed and confused and properly take care of patients. They must be alert and on their toes at all times. No sleeping and no internet!
You made valid points when you discussed the integration of new technologies into programs. It is very costly and slow. However, you mention creative solutions to that problem. I liked the idea of students rotating, both internally and externally, to facilities equipped with digital radiography.
Currently, through my thesis, I am attempting to find out how much and what kind of research is being taught in dental hygiene programs. I too think research is key for students and I think many programs (including my own) are deficient in this area. I regret that I was not taught the importance of research, because it is something I have come to enjoy and appreciate.
Last semester, I mentored a single mother of a two year old. When I saw that she had received a couple of zeroes in clinic, I was disappointed. However, I was not disappointed in her. I was disappointed in the faculty. Each zero she received was because she was called to retrieve her daughter. Penalizing her for such a “real world” situation seemed out of line, especially since she was still in her first year. The zeroes did not help her. They discouraged her and left her feeling as if she wasn’t meant for the program.
I too found it odd that Gen-X & Gen-Y students preferred lecture format over other types of instruction. I immediately began to question the validity of that statistic. I wonder what biases and flaws exist in that study! I was also surprised to read about the lack of interest in group work. Although, when I consider it further, I understand students not enjoying group work if they have partners who do not pull their own weight.
Danielle,
I literally shed a tear reading your post about the single mother who received zeros for tending to her child. That’s not fair. It is easy to get discouraged in such a strenuous program and feel like your not meant to be in the program. I’m glad she had you as a mentor because I’m sure you were very encouraging to her.
Lauren,
You made a very valid point when discussing the difference in preparation for didactic learning and clinical learning. You definitely have to be prepared for clinic, you can’t come tired and unprepared. You have to be focused and ready to take care of patients. It’s not ok to come to class tired and not pay attention, but it is something you can get away with. You can get notes from a classmate, or read over the course material on your own later but this is not true for clinic.
Parenting is also a type of non-traditional student that sticks out to me. During my undergraduate experience I was traditional student, but in this program I am experiencing first hand being a nontraditional student (although we are all nontraditional) with being a mother, working full time and being a student. Even though I am not a single mother, I can relate to a single working mother going to school. My husband and my schedules are opposite, while I get off at 3 some days and 5 some days, he doesn’t get off until 8 or 8:30 in the evening, so in a sense, I am a single mother in the evenings. I must say, its definitely a challenge being a student and mother to a almost 2yr old. I try to plan my days so I have a set schedule for school work, but its tough with a child because my schedule of daily events is never the same. If my daughter is sick, I have to be sure she’s ok, even if that means I have to postpone schoolwork. This means plenty of late nights and early mornings for me because of my Monday-Friday work schedule. I missed multiple assignment deadlines last year due to me taking care of my daughter. So I love that you, as an instructor, will respect the fact that life happens and be flexible in certain situations. I couldn’t imagine being in the undergraduate dental hygiene program now. I met a girl who is currently in the program and she has twin 4yr olds and It amazes me that she will be graduating this year in May.
Lauren, your assessment of the differences between clinic and the classroom were spot on! One difference that I did not pay as much attention to until reading your blog post was the preparation that clinic requires as opposed to the classroom. Especially lectures, students can come into class half asleep and browse Pinterest until the lecture is over with the idea that they’ll just study the powerpoint later. In clinic, you have to not only be alert but also ready to apply the knowledge you have learned in class. Any weaknesses in a student’s foundational knowledge can be very apparent in clinic if they are unable to assess or react to a situation in the correct way. Students are unprepared, sleepy, or slacking are easily spotted by clinic instructors; however, going off of Danielle’s post, it is incredibly hard to see a student receive poor clinic grades because of situations truly outside of their control. I hope that I can remain as fair and understanding as possible when I am a clinical instructor and work with students to accommodate the outside factors that many of our nontraditional students are dealing with.