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WE HAVE ARRIVED!!

CHEERS! That time of year has rolled around–the end of a semester. This close feels a little bittersweet. I believe it is because a distance cohort gets to know each other in unique and personal ways. With Zoom, we have seen where each other resides and what our spaces look like. We have met each other’s pets, seen spouses and children in the background, and casually conversed from the comforts of our favorite chair. At the same time, we ate a quick meal after work while in session and snickered together as we navigated unpredictable, real-time technology issues. We have openly shared concerns and struggles with assignments and things unrelated to the program. Most importantly, we all learned to SCREEN SHARE without incident. *high-five*

From my first blog post (now embarrassing), personal and academic growth reflections, and all the modules in between, I meet the close of this semester with an abundance of gratitude. We covered a lot of material. This course facilitated us, as learners, in discovering another layer in our teaching style. My favorite thing about 7100 was the freedom to be creative and explore a lot of new things. It was a comfortable environment allowing students to ask tons of questions and try new things without judgment–actually, it was encouraged. I learned so much from my classmates. Their presentations and discussion leads were so well thought out. Our cohort is unique in that our ages and experience vary; providing insightful perspectives. I will never look at a syllabus, course design, or rubric the same. The syllabus is a piece of writing that an instructor crafts in order to imagine a classroom community into being. It is an opportunity to plot a story in which the students are the protagonists. The measurable rubric will make grading easier, eliminate “obvious” student questions about an assignment, and help students produce the highest quality work.

Irina & David– thank you for keeping the course content fresh and engaging. Each module was organized and easy to follow. Expectations were well defined, and learning activities were fantastic! Thank you! Thank you!

Flash forward a year from now–G R A D U A T I O N!

It is always a pleasure catching up.

Be well,

Cory ♥

In DH7100, we have explored and examined many instructional technologies. With technological advances, educators must adapt to meet students in their learning and stay current with teaching and clinical trends. Possessing a high level of knowledge of technologies and associated skills is required for personal and career growth and delivering optimal patient care. Superior instructional technology for dental anatomy or restorative course is 3D modeling + animation and simulation technique. During my career as a dental educator, I will experience a transformation in how we prepare our students for practice. Gone will be the days of floating typodonts and loose plastic teeth. Practice on entirely virtual patients inside a simulation lab will be standard in preclinical dental education. Such a transformation will genuinely be an immersive educational experience for future leaders of our profession.

Check it out! Simulator–https://youtu.be/BM4_htUiR0A

3D learning resources would benefit most dental hygiene courses, especially areas of detailed head & neck anatomy, administration of local anesthetic, EFDA, periodontology and associated clinical skills. A survey conducted with two dental hygiene student groups who used 3D application versus a plastic model revealed students are more engaged and understand the material better when using a 3D app.¹ Head and neck anatomy is a very unfamiliar subject for first-year students who have little knowledge of dental terminology. Students have difficulty learning material for the course because they have to learn

structures that are only visible by way of relying on 2D pictures.¹² It is not easy to properly develop the ability to apply to clinical practice under these circumstances—anatomy practice education is taught best and received well in a cadaver lab. Unfortunately, resource constraints do not always allow for such labs in dental hygiene education. Instructors are finding teaching methods to improve the quality of anatomy in dental education and overcome limitations. Digital technology such as computer simulation and 3D (three-dimensional) programs address the limitations of anatomical practice in education. The most appealing aspect of 3D apps is they pair with mobile or tablet devices, with which we are all familiar.² 3D apps at the students’ fingertips would increase understanding of anatomy, enhancing their success and motivation of learning. ¹² An additional benefit to simulation and 3D animation is calibration will no longer be in the hands of instructors. Grading will complete promptly and objectively by a machine. While excitement surrounds the technology in education a major drawback to apps and simulation technique as a teaching tool is the cost-related difficulties of devices.^1,2 

The future of dental and dental hygiene with 3D, animation, and simulation technique will provide controlled and risk-free clinical encounters that replicate real life scenarios allowing students to learn, rehearse, and apply skills before transferring these to clinical practice. Naturally, such advances will require additional training and foundational knowledge for instructors.

More videos!

3D Dental Anatomy–https://youtu.be/L-1fa5B_skI

Primal 3D–https://youtu.be/5vhkrNYfk9g

1. Ha JE, Choi DY. Educational effect of 3D applications as a teaching aid for anatomical practice for dental hygiene students. Anat Cell Biol. 2019 Dec;52(4):414-418. doi: 10.5115/acb.19.224. Epub 2019 Dec 31. PMID: 31949980; PMCID: PMC6952687.
2. Dhulipalla R, Marella Y, Katuri KK, Nagamani P, Talada K, Kakarlapudi A. Effect of 3D animation videos over 2D video projections in periodontal health education among dental students. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent. 2015 Nov-Dec;5(6):499-505. doi: 10.4103/2231-0762.170526. PMID: 26759805; PMCID: PMC4697236.

“There are three sides to every story—your side, my side, and the truth.” 

 How do we know if our learners are, in fact, learning? Even if the course design is superb, learning objectives are on point, our syllabus is on par with that of a billion-dollar deal contract, we execute with precision, and all goes perfectly; it is still possible that they do not learn what we intend for them learn. When planning, educators must think about what evidence we need to see or hear to know that learners are progressing. Educational assessments collect objective evidence that represents the truth about student performance. Quality assessments provide valid and reliable information about student achievement, and they assist educators in determining the effectiveness of their instructional outcomes.

Dental hygiene education involves teaching and assessing the achievement of domains that require superior communication, psychomotor, and cognitive skills. The assessment of these domains of competence requires multiple methods of assessment. 

Self-assessment is a skill students can benefit from learning early in pre-clinic. It can be used in both formative and summative activities and improve self-directed learning and cognitive skills. Why do we not hear a lot of buzz about this one?!  Self-assessment extends beyond the classroom and clinic. I place a lot of value on self-assessment and consider it an *essential*  life-skill. It is the ability to examine yourself to find out how much progress you have made. It is a skill that helps individuals monitor their own work or abilities, find out what their weaknesses and strengths are, and self-diagnose relevant solutions.

Performance assessment requires a student to demonstrate mastery beyond answering a question. Oral presentations, blogging, case studies, and research projects are acceptable performance assessments. While performance assessments are suited for higher-order thinking, they can be time-consuming to oversee and score. 

Psychomotor assessment involves observing students’ performance of their clinical skill-set, cognitive skills, and communication skills. This type of assessment is fundamental in dental hygiene practice as it is essential to safe and effective practice. Such assessment prepares learners for regional clinical board exams.  

Selected-response tests and quizzes are an ideal option for non-clinical assessments. For example, T or F, matching, and multiple-choice are easy to score, lend themselves to objective analysis, and cover a broad range of information. Selected-response tests help students prepare for NBDHE format questions, improve test-taking skills, time management, confidence, and accuracy. 

Constructed-response is a great way to assess knowledge by giving a lab quiz requiring a word, phrase, or sentence to answer the question. An essay prompt  encourages higher-order thinking, although it can be a time-consuming to grade. Can one remain objective with a constructive response? Indeed, when in doubt: FOLLOW THE RUBRIC! FOLLOW THE RUBRIC! FOLLOW THE RUBRIC! FOLLOW THE…(This advice was given to me on my first day as a clinical instructor. It seems so simple, right? I return to this advice time and time again and it always guides me out of my dilemma.)

Timely, specific, and goal-related feedback provides students with an opportunity to improve and expand their understanding. Additionally, it is a primary component in formative assessment. Feedback can move students toward improvement. As a clinical instructor, I have learned providing immediate feedback is a prime teaching/learning opportunity. It is personalized and creates student-instructor collaboration. Having an academic conversation post-procedure has proved to be an informative means to examine a student’s understanding and thinking. Exchanging ideas through dialogue and questions is an authentic way to gain valuable insights in real-time and provide support accordingly.

Cory

Online Instruction has never been more important and more widely used than it is today. We are all quickly learning how to channel digital dominance in a greater capacity than before the year that brought change for everyone. Online teaching and learning have been successfully trending at a steep incline for years. When face-to-face (F2F) courses abruptly ended in 2020, educational institutions turned to online course delivery as an alternative for nearly all courses. In my opinion, this has been the future of most courses in higher education, and the pandemic propelled change.

Online learning can be just as practical, if not more useful for students and instructors, if both parties commit to their roles. Instructors must set their students up for success. Content, resources, and ORGANIZATION are key when delivering information to an audience online. While learners have flexibility with online course work, commitment and meeting clearly defined expectations are not optional and require self-motivation and discipline. Scheduled synchronous meetings and activities help create a sense of community and engagement. Online education options increase enrollment for non-traditional students, allowing institutions to provide opportunities for a demographic of the population that may not have access otherwise. For instructors, online course preparation can be time-consuming to produce for the first time in a course. The most significant differences between F2F and online teaching and learning are collaboration and communication. If delivered poorly, online instruction will not create a peer-peer connection or between student-instructor. Lesson learned: instructors and learners must “show up” for their roles within a course. Dental hygiene education presents a unique challenge requiring students to provide personalized care and communication for their patients. An excellent hygienist is far more than their skillset—interpersonal skills, professionalism, empathy, and leadership are required. Students need in-person observation and guidance as they develop their expertise in those areas. Blending, hybrid, and hyflex models provide variation for courses with a need to meet in person beyond lab/clinic.

While the future of F2F instruction is unsure, the rise of online education is here to stay. A culture of working remotely for instructors has developed as a result of an increase in distance learning. The trend of online instruction and remote teaching days will likely parallel online course offerings. I am excited to be a part of it!

UPDATE: I am pleased to report I have shared my screen in zoom and hosted meetings. Without further ado, I am ready to teach my first class (joking!). I appreciate that 7100 is progressive in preparing graduate students for the current climate of higher education.

I’ve been honored to partake in the audience of a few remarkable lectures throughout my academic and professional career. Of the outstanding lectures I have heard, there is a commonality: passion. It is without feigning that the lecturer naturally shares their knowledge with a captivated audience. Within the first two minutes of the opening statement, it is clear that they have something their audience wants: knowledge. Have you ever listened to a speaker that moved you in a way that you did not want to exit until intermission, for fear that you would miss something outstanding? 

In my opinion, the transfer of knowledge via lecture can go four ways:

Remarkable lecturer—boring content

Boring lecturer—great content (it does happen!)

Boring lecturer—boring content (all the time, right?)

Remarkable lecturer—great content (Win-Win!)

The latter is the least common of all. Fortunately, when leaders and educators are overflowing with knowledge, the next best step is to share it with us. I had a professor of organic chemistry who brought it all together in harmony. Now, we can’t give him all the credit. I brought my learning style of auditory (45%), kinesthetic (40%), and visual (15%). Besides, the idea that organic chemistry is fascinating and out of this world, literally! The instructor tapped into his students learning style and guided our learning path. He was an expressive fella who kept class time enjoyable with slides of his life or content attractive to the audience’s demographic. He kept this tactic in his toolkit, and when he felt he might be losing his audience, he shifted gears with photos, quick videos, changing the scene of the room with lighting, passing out molecular model kits (kinesthetic!), music, or storytelling. He wore outrageous bow-ties and socks and never passed up an opportunity to relate organic chemistry to our everyday lives. He involved the students in moving around the lecture hall as if they were forming bonds with other molecules. During breaks and after the lecture, students would gather at his podium to discuss the course content. Students felt free to ask questions at any time. He would first open up the floor for other students to answer, which often lead to profound discovery and peer- instruction. There were multiple techniques to engage his students and deliver an engaging lecture. Most of all, he cared: about the subject, about his role as an instructor, about his students, about success.

People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.

As a future educator, I aspire to be leader who points the way for dental hygiene leaders of the future. Reality is the innovation of today is tomorrow’s old news. Innovation and design are more than adopting the latest teaching technology, trends, and tricks. It means staying relevant and meeting our students where they are, learning, keeping current, relearning, and better meeting students needs. Innovation is creating an environment where students feel liberated to communicate freely with peers and instructors. An environment where students feel safe to make mistakes and show up as their authentic selves. To be innovative in education means to engage students and improve their learning outcomes. We all may have different ideas of what an innovative learning environment may look like, and that is acceptable and encouraged. Educators individually create teaching spaces that complement their styles and skills. An innovative and creative teaching/learning space can look different depending on the content, audience, or instructor. Learning to deliver content to students in creative and innovative ways in more important than ever as we navigate the pandemic.  While reading and researching content as the discussion leader for this week, I quickly realized innovation in ones educational practice is limitless. For those who thrive in creative outlets and find satisfaction implementing new ideas, this is where the magic happens! This is what can set educators apart–what defines game changers in education. There are obvious tangible innovative strategies: technology and content delivery. The less obvious, intangible teaching strategies related to leadership, communication, individuality, and commitment to professional excellence are innovative, too!

The MDH program is unique in that a tremendous amount of our course work focuses on learning of the teacher, not just the student. Rising educators need guidance developing the powers of their teaching philosophy and revising it throughout their career in academia. There are major ideas coming from literature on how the mind works, what it means to learn effectively, and all of the social and personal motivations that influence learning and teaching. I am thankful for the opportunity to explore, process, and apply this information in innovative dental hygiene education.

Being a leader is empowering people to make effective decisions for themselves.

Welcome! I am Cory Williams, a practicing RDH + EFDA, obtaining an MDH degree at The Ohio State University.  I am a mama to one lovely little lady, a new part-time clinical instructor, empowered health and wellness seeker, and I am all in for fashion, food, sleep hygiene, hilarious folks, and any human getting precisely what they want out of life. I find joy and fulfillment in helping others uncover their potential and live a life that radiates. As a future educator or educoach, I want to lead, inspire, and empower others to take action towards improvement. How does one accomplish this? By building relationships, asking guiding questions, and having a genuine interest in people and what they do in their lives. Think more of a coach rather than a teacher or lecturer. I want to coach my students to excellence. Sure, it is a strategy built upon a foundation of education methodology, but it is so much more! In my master’s program, I am creating an innovative teaching philosophy rooted in my values, combined with evidence-based teaching methods, experience, advice, failures, and ah-ha moments. Follow along this semester!

Thoughts on 7100:

How am I going to deliver content to students when I feel anxious about technology? Full disclosure: I even have trouble changing my name display on zoom, resulting in my attendance in recent meetings appearing under the name of my daughter and her Girl Scout meeting the evening prior. Furthermore, I accidentally ‘reply all’ more than I like to admit. At one point in my master’s program, I had to take my shiny new mac computer to the program director’s office and ask for help. We had an IT support session, and it was glorious, and I felt only slightly inadequate. She understood my grad student flurry made up of equal parts frustration and humor. I have committed to growth in technology this year. 2021 will be my year–I will get to know all of the devices, sites, apps, and sizzle when it comes to all things related to education, technology, and content delivery. For my grand finale, I may even host a zoom meeting AND use the screen share feature. Phew! I am sweating.

In 7100, I am looking forward to gaining knowledge in technology and content delivery. Last semester in 6100, we learned how to create objectives and assessments. How do I create a syllabus that reflects all of the planned content? I am curious to hear from instructors and others in the cohort about their experiences with innovative mentors and educators and what made the experience successful. What resources are available to dental hygiene educators to keep current on both clinical trends and educational advancements? Lastly, I would like to learn more about captivating an audience and maintaining their attention.