
Professional Development
Welcome to my professional e-Portfolio page. The information provided here highlights my learning and professional development. This page is intended to showcase my learning during my Masters in Education, Health Sciences Education program through the Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.
This page will continue to develop as learning continues to influence my teaching and professional development. Please continue to follow my journey.
Reflection
The University of Alberta's Master of Education in Health Sciences Education program is a comprehensive and dynamic academic endeavour designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and critical perspectives necessary to excel in the field of health sciences education. Throughout the program, I have engaged in a curriculum that encompasses a wide range of topics, fostering a deep understanding of both the educational and health sciences domains.
I learned through the Philosophy of Education Inventory that I identify most closely with a progressive adult education philosophy, which I continue to believe as we have progressed through our learning. The philosophy is most associated with Spencer, Dewey, and others. The purpose of the philosophy is more about individuals and their effect on society and for learners to practically apply their learning and knowledge to practically problem solve through experiences, and that learning is a lifelong skill. As instructors working within this philosophy, we organise, challenge, and stimulate learning to make the experience valuable to the learner.
One key aspect of the program is its emphasis on pedagogical theory and practice. We have explored foundational theories of education and explore how these principles apply specifically to health sciences education, and we will continue to return to these theories as we advance through the curriculum. These include an understanding of learning styles, curriculum design, assessment strategies, and the integration of technology into teaching. In curriculum design and the integration of technology across the curriculum, I have learned the importance of reflection and assessment of learner needs. The importance of the learner assessment to design and evaluate the greatest of ideas and technology is not able to move forward without many factors. The assessment of what a learner wants and needs to learn becomes the focus, not the idea of what we as educators believe to be the best information or way of presenting information. In the program we continue to gain an in-depth understanding of the healthcare system and its complexities. We explore the interplay between education and healthcare, addressing issues such as patient education, interprofessional collaboration, and the ethical considerations inherent in health sciences education. The Med HSE program has us work collaboratively with other health disciplines. This has proven to be an incredibly valuable learning experience, as different health educators across multiple fields and institutions have different ways of learning, assessments, and resources available for instruction. As nurses, we regularly work collaboratively, and a question often explored in health education is how valuable it is and how to implement multidisciplinary education into a single course that would benefit multiple disciplines, thereby learning from each other and then, in practice, being able to use the appropriate discipline to best provide patient care. In addition to theoretical and research-based learning, the program recognises the importance of practical experience. Students engage in hands-on teaching experiences through group projects, presentations, and small group engagement activities where active participation is necessary. These practical components have provided opportunities for applying theoretical knowledge and a platform for us to showcase our learning and application of theory and to question and learn from others learning, experience, and real-world application of our learning. I have learned better and am better engaged in group work and small group discussions. This project has offered rewards of its own. It has allowed me to review all the learning that we have participated in, and the journey has truly been very rewarding. I look forward to continued success and completion of the program. The journey has also allowed me to follow some passions, to offer some challenges about what I will do as a capping project, and to select courses that do not limit what should be a passion project.
Theme # 1: Philosophy of Education
In this introductory course, we examined our own personal philosophy of education. This then provided us with a base to build on what we believe as educators. This philosophy provided a foundation for us to apply later as we developed as educators and explored different pedagogies and theories to support our philosophy. In practical terms, for me as a SCUBA instructor, I challenge instructor candidates to apply their knowledge of theory and skills to real-world application, not just in preparation for their examination but rather to think like instructors and plan for the realities of diver education. As a nursing educator, I challenge students to think about the priority of care and, through a Science of Caring lens, about patient care and the important role nurses play in not just the physical care of patients but also the emotional and spiritual well-being of each individual within the context of a family. In a time-restrictive world, this can be difficult; however, the application of caring moments becomes important in every interaction with a patient and family, allowing for a moment of whole-person health and care. Click below to see examples of my work.
Theme # 2: Curriculum Design & Evaluation
The curriculum design and evaluation course was one of my favourites. It ignited a passion for me that curriculum design is something that interests me and all the components necessary to design a course that is valid, interesting, engaging, and meets learner needs through multiple media (of which we were missing some, i.e., technology options). I reflect on whether the curriculum design course should happen after we have additional skills from the Integration of Technology course to better design a curriculum, or if perhaps this would have been too overwhelming and distracting from the foundational learning of curriculum design. For myself, I would have enjoyed seeing some of the technology that allowed me to integrate new and engaging ideas into my curriculum design project. Click below to see examples of my work.
Theme # 3: Technology
Integrating technology across the curriculum has been a very insightful course. Being aware of technology, the changes that it presents, and the opportunities that it can give to our classrooms has been invaluable. As part of a generation that has seen technology evolve but perhaps not been fully engaged in its power and changes This course offered an opportunity to explore on our own, highlight some technologies, present technologies that we found helpful to our own practice, and participate in other presentations that might enhance our instructional abilities. Self-learning some of the technologies was a great excuse to spend hours of time trying to harness the power of what is available and what will be available to us in the future—a watch this space sort of excited anticipation. I was fortunate enough to have a demonstration of the power of AI. I was able to connect with a colleague who is a ChatGTP expert and has written a book on the subject. During our meeting, we provided a scenario about the end of life, and AI was able to have a relatively accurate discussion with empathy about my end-of-life scenario. AI has previously been limited by the number of characters for a response where the ideas will eventually recycle; however, these characters have increased and information is now being formulated. Immersive AI technology is on the horizon, and I anticipate that the chat conversation that I had with the chatbot will eventually be able to transition to an interactive avatar for learning and discussing a variety of subject matter. Click below to see examples of my work.
Contact
I am always interested in sharing my learning and professional development. I am keen to share knowledge and exchange ideas and teaching & learning strategies for higher education.
WhatsApp +62 87761042438