Growth as a Leader
My journey in to Lamar’s DLL (Digital Learning and Lead) master’s program began in August 2016, as a wide-eyed, ARRP member, ophthalmic technician. I hadn't developed a formal lesson plan in over thirty years and didn’t remember all the different teaching philosophies taught in 1979-1980. And what did I really know about digital technology? Running the program's online courses and aiding our part time faculty with Blackboard course design, didn’t make me a digital guru. As my digital reflection link will give you an insight of my digital knowledge.
I have trained, developed and devoted the last thirty-six years to be respected as an ophthalmic technician. I aspire to be one of the best instructors as I am the ophthalmic technician. A tremendous change of hats took place, learning new acronyms and terms meant for education versus medical terminology.
My first new acronym was COVA, an approach to promote active learning. (Harapnuik,Thibodeaux, Cummings). The approach gives the learners the Choice, Ownership, Voice, through Authentic learning. It puts the learning back into the hands of the learner. The choice of organization, structuring and presentation of their learning experience. The ownership of learning given to the learners, goes together with choice, taking ownership in selection of learning tools to be used to increase their learning experience. The learners can voice their experiences and knowledge with peers. Authentic learning gives the learners the opportunity to select and engage in real-world situations inside their own discipline or interest.
The next acronym that came into place is CSLE (Create a Significant Learning Environment). A design approach is creating a flexible, engaging and effective learning environment. The CSLE requires following several factors in a backward design process. The factors involve student control, teaching roles, ubiquitous access / social networking, instructional delivery format, instructional design, assessment/evaluation, academic quality/standards, and support/infrastructure.
So where and when did I first realize I could use the COVA approach in my own learning?
My oh-ho moment was in Spring 2017 in EDLD 5314 while researching local and global use of electronic medical records. The pros/cons with industry use and academic training programs in a blended learning environment.
I have always understood learning was each individual's responsibility, ownership and voice. But that understanding was only in my heart and head, not an educational approach or philosophy to follow and share out loud beyond the classroom. The realization has empowered me to question even more and resolve differences in managing the ophthalmic training program. It’s given me the tools to back-up my reasons for change and in some cases the why we are Yet ready for change.
I was a step ahead of my allied health colleagues last fall with the college mandated reading
Dweck's book Mindset: The new psychology of success. I was appointed as a co-presenter for chapter four: Sports: The Mindset of a Champion. When the department started the book club, it was noticeable who were the fixed mindset group versus the growth mindset. The fixed mind-setters came in complaining on how the book was a waste of their time. The book was a psychologist writing, not living the real world or at least in our world. They picked out things in the book which they felt were not authentic. While the growth mindsets viewed the book as a helpful guide and tool. They were able take the necessary tools to assist them in work and home challenges. Following the presentation on chapter four which shadowed the World Series win, there was a change in the fixed mind-setters. Our area was hit hard by Harvey, winning the world series was a welcomed mind changer for all those touched including non-baseball fans. I applied the motivation and winning attitude the team showed pre-season through the World Series into our own lives of work and play. A change in the room was experienced. Whether it was an opening to the growth mindset, H-town win, Texas strong or other met goals a change in the right direction occurred and continues to grow.
My facilitating learning falls in line with the COVA approach. My aspiration is for my learners to excel, take action and responsibility in their eye care training and life's lessons. The industry's on-the-job training philosophy of show one, do one and teach one is valuable tool to utilizes. The training program gives the learner ample time to be shown and do while giving them tools for teaching their peers. The program also teaches the learner the why. While the industry’s why is because that's how/what the doctor wants and/or learns the why on your own.
Difficult in taking control of my own voice comes with; which audience do I focusing on? Being in an accredited allied health program, the audiences to persuade comes in a maze of groups and individuals. The program must meet the accreditation standards and guidelines provided by the International Council for Accreditation (ICA). The ICA is an important audience in keeping the program accredited. At the annual Consortium of Ophthalmic Training Programs (COTP) meeting last fall, I voiced the concern of EMR training pre-clinical rotation and the cost of software to the ICA and COTP members. One of the COTP members announced; he was working with Modernizing Medicine CEO's in developing an EMR format supported by Blackboard. This was great news for the training programs. I was able to attended a Modernizing Medicine event that week to share my thoughts and support for the initiative.
The second audience to persuade is the program’s advisory board, which is an smaller group of local eye care professionals and clinics. This group represents the program's clinical practicum rotations in training and hiring the students upon completion.
The next group is the college; program director, allied health department chair, up to the college regents. The college freely gives the program latitude in following accreditation guidelines and advisor board recommendations to keep the program accredited. As long as those changes follow state regulations including the WECM (workforce educational course manual) and GIPWE (guidelines instructional programs in workforce education).
The final group is the learners entering the program, to have them understand the why and how the program prepares them to be valuable employees in the workforce. To give them choice, ownership, voice through authentic learning (COVA) in achieving their degree, certifications, dreams and goals for their future.
I realized the program director is my main audience. I must persuade her of the changes to move forward with my disruptive innovation plan. To sway her into the why we need to add electronic medical records ophthalmic techniques course is not the hard job. It's how can the program efficiently and effectively add an expensive software format to our programs budget? After long research and benchmarking other training programs throughout the country, I had the evidence to present to the advisory board. With the board’s approval and recommendations, the innovation plan to add electronic medical records, flipped classroom and rotational lab into the courses became a reality. The innovation was a big step in CSLE for the eye care program. A step need for the continued success of the program and it’s learners. An authentic innovation plan inspired by industry demands, government mandates, student needs for success and retention.
I applied the COVA approach to create significant learning environments in developing the fall 2017 courses outcome and design.
The addition of reflection assignments alongside the already discussion board assignments. The reflection assignments gives the learner a chance to review their growth, see how far they have advanced in their ophthalmic knowledge, understanding, and application. In the assignment the learner has a choice and voice on which topic to reflect on, whether it be the experience from a service learning event, an ophthalmic skill, or an eye disease process.
Discussion board assignment, a tool ,used in the past in which students made little effort. To make the assignments more meaningful, I've added more direction in the discussion and requiring more input from the learners. The learner must do research on the topic whether it’s another article, video or clinical trial study to include in their discussion. The use of industry webinars is still a very usefully tool, the learner can first hand hear from their peers, reflect and discuss the webinar amongst themselves.
Along with the online assignments mentioned above, another CSLE tool used are lab worksheets. The learner is given up to seven skills to complete in the rotational lab atmosphere within the allotted time. The learner has a choice of the order to complete the worksheet. They may choose to start with their hardest task to the easiest or vice of verse. It is their choice in the rotation. Some of the rotations are individual task while others can be in collaboration with classmate(s). Again, a learner’s choice to either collaborate or not on those tasks. The learner is taking ownership in their work, with mastering the individual skills, and tasks each worksheet is requires.The skills and tasks are authentic learning; not just required to complete a course worksheet but to compete in the workforce.
Most of my allied health partners have the similar ideas, approaches, philosophy and teaching methods as eye care instructors. The introduction of the COVA approach and CSLE will be accepted, recognized and put into play. We are not just faculty but mentors, learning facilitators to the learners in our discipline pursuing a healthcare profession.
The 3-C theories, Cognitivism, Constructivism, Connectivism are used in educating medical professionals. The need to know didactic elements while actively experiencing the learning and connecting the information into real time.
The biggest obstacle to achieve is to get the learners to understand COVA approach, for them to create learning by an open heart and mind to the knowledge, take ownership and voice of their authentic learning in school and more importantly their future career. As I tell my learners, the program provides you the water, but You must drink and replenish.
What will be my next disruptive innovation plan? To set-up a "live" clinic in the Eye Care Suite. A BHAG, an initiative with a long term plan, that follows the college's vision, mission and values.
What's next for me and my learning? I am attending the Texas Community College Teachers Association (TCCTA) conference next month. My first step into the educational arena outside ophthalmology. I am very excited to learn from the leaders at the conference. And in hopes the continuing growth of Texas ophthalmic programs will encourage TCCTA to recognize and add a session for our discipline in the future. Secondly, as a part-time faculty ambassador, I am leading a session on digital citizenship for the fall 2018 conference. To continue my learning by obtaining certification as a National Contact Lens Examiner.
Most importantly to continue to learn from my peers and students, who give me hope in SavingSight in our global communities.
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education. - Martin L. King, Jr
References
Dweck, C.S., (2016). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House Books, New York.
Harapnuik, D., Thibodeaux, T., and Cummings, C., (2018). COVA Choice, Ownership, Voice through Authentic Learning. Creative Commons License.