Getting the Show On the Road

It is all well and good making these lovely plans isn’t it. Finding time to pull it all together is another story.

The sistech system is good while it is running. I have used it only once. There were issues with the computer in the classroom and it didn’t run as well as I had hoped. The I T department has now sorted these issues so I am ready for another crack at it next year. I have one set of cards (40 novice level) made up already and from there  it should be a mornings work to pull together another set (intermediate). Revisiting the activity later in the year.

There may well be an issue with the computer systems at block course venues not being up to scratch. Perhaps we could bring a laptop to block course. But how much stuff fits in the block course box?  The game could work with out the clickers; however the students do seem to enjoy the interaction the technology allows.

Getting the Moodle Course up and running would not be too laborious, most of the resources are there already, just a matter of putting them all in one place and writing the multi choice tests.

The word of the week would depend a fair bit on me keeping the momentum going. There has been much talk about encouraging group interaction on the forums. I think those students who do enjoy the format would contribute, hopefully taking some of the work. Those who just read will just read. They will be familiar with 40 more words by the end of the year.

The way for me to manage it would be too put a weekly alert on my computer. 5 minutes once a week is manageable

Activities

As it Stands

Distance Learners

The distance CVN students have completed a Cert in Animal Care part time the previous year. They have had more of an introduction to terminology through A&P. They have participated in a block course terminology activity at block course one.

These learners are mostly out in practice at least two days a week, some fulltime trainee VN’s. These students are at a great advantage in this respect. It is the students that lack a reasonable quantity of good quality work experience that require the support with this subject. 

Distance learners do have problems with pronunciation.

Fulltime Class

The fulltime class do lack quantity of work placement hours and come to do the Cert of Animal Care with the A&P component followed by the VN units. They have the advantage of the classroom being a safe (hopefully) place to test the language.

There is currently one lesson formally dedicated to terminology which involves a powerpoint. It is very technical and not much fun.

Proposed Learning Activities

Terminology Game

Using the sistech clicker (who wants to be a millionaire) equipment, a terminology game for use in the classroom and at block course one (and possibly two). Every student gets a clicker on which they can choose an answer.  

Distribute cards with a word on one side, and three possible answers (A,B & C) on the other side. One true, one humorous and one possible but not true.  

Each student says their word (pronunciation website free dictionary to assist  over the speaker system if they request) and the whole class is encouraged to say the word together.

The student reads out the answers and the class chooses their answer with the clickers.

The result is shown on the board along with the % of each answer chosen by the class.

Open Access Moodle Resources & MCQ Tests

A brief powerpoint and written notes on the logistics of the language.

Printable flashcards.

Links to relevant youtube songs and lessons

Links to relevant ipad apps.

Visual guides to anatomical directions (from A&P notes)

MCQ test for self assessment

Word of the Week

In the classroom weekly for the full timers  and on the moodle forum once a week for the distance students. Encourage the groups to come up with a word of the week to share. Interesting, technical, unusual or funny the word and its definition.  Perhaps publish the fulltime word on the distance forum and vice versa encouraging interaction between the groups.

learning the lingo...

So, how to get the distance student engaged with this. To encourage confidence to use this language in practice. A language is built over years, there is no expectation that the CVN students would come out after one year of study and have fully functional understanding and use. A student can effectively pass this course and go out into practice and be reasonably functional as a technician with a very basic knowledge of terminology. As I say it is picked up along the way. However, to provide high levels of care as a veterinary nurse it is essential to fully understand what is going on with our patients.  To know this we must know the language of our game.

Talking with the fulltime students,  it is something they have identified as lacking. What they said was that they wanted some more specific guidance on terminology. Although it is peppered throughout the course, the only resource for terminology is an arduous wordy power point and the one activity limited to anatomical direction at the block course (for distance students only).

What I am trying to do here I suppose is to encourage deep learning, the information is there, its freely available in a number of formats. The trick is to want to know it enough to spend a few minutes looking it up. The eternal question, how to inspire a passion for the subject. With Veterinary Nursing this is where the distance students are at an advantage, they are out in practice, they are linking their theory with the practical on a daily basis. The passion for this job lies at the kennel side, caring for our patients. It is convincing the students that a sound understanding of the theory is linked to this place.

So, how to get the distance student engaged with this. To encourage confidence to use this language in practice. A language is built over years, there is no expectation that the CVN students would come out after one year of study and have fully functional understanding and use. A student can effectively pass this course and go out into practice and be reasonably functional as a technician with a very basic knowledge of terminology. As I say it is picked up along the way. However, to provide high levels of care as a veterinary nurse it is essential to fully understand what is going on with our patients.  To know this we must know the language of our game.

Talking with the fulltime students,  it is something they have identified as lacking. What they said was that they wanted some more specific guidance on terminology. Although it is peppered throughout the course, the only resource for terminology is an arduous wordy power point and the one activity limited to anatomical direction at the block course (for distance students only).

What I am trying to do here I suppose is to encourage deep learning, the information is there, its freely available in a number of formats. The trick is to want to know it enough to spend a few minutes looking it up. The eternal question, how to inspire a passion for the subject. With Veterinary Nursing this is where the distance students are at an advantage, they are out in practice, they are linking their theory with the practical on a daily basis. The passion for this job lies at the kennel side, caring for our patients. It is convincing the students that a sound understanding of the theory is linked to this place.

As it Stands

Distance Learners

The distance CVN students have completed a Cert in Animal Care part time the previous year. They have had more of an introduction to terminology through A&P. These learners are mostly out in practice at least two days a week, some fulltime trainee VN’s. These students are at a great advantage in this respect. It is the students that lack a reasonable quantity of good quality work experience that require the support with this subject. 

Distance learners do have problems with pronunciation.

Fulltime Class

The fulltime class do lack quantity of work placement hours and come to do the Cert of Animal Care with the A&P component followed by the VN units. They have the advantage of the classroom being a safe (hopefully) place to test the language.

Constructing Courses Blog

Hello, welcome to my Constructing courses blog…

I am trying to inspire veterinary terminology joy. A hard task I know, it can seem a pretty dull subject. Some of my plan hinges on finding the funny side of the words. Epiploon and gubernaculum spring to mind as examples that can usually crack a smirk. Other parts of the plan…. Making the connection that many of the terms and parts of words are already known it’s a matter of breaking the words down and working it out. Listening to the language out in practice and finding out the meanings. That’s the hard part I think because it’s about having the confidence to ask…

FlexibleLearning Plan Presentation

Flexible Learning Plan Presentation

Activity 12

The flexible learning plan I have put together fits with the Otago Polytechnic Strategy through the humanistic vision statement,

‘Our personalised approach to vocational learning motivates students and

staff to reach their full potential, and to master new skills and knowledge’

(OP 2008-2012)

The organisation promotes learner centered learning and with this approach aims to ‘inspire capability’.

Otago Polytech (2008 – 2012) aims to ‘respect the knowledge that learners bring.’

With the diverse range of learners on the Certificate in Veterinary Nursing course a key element of my plan is to encourage the more experienced class members to share their knowledge and build on it as a group.

The statement in the strategy document that is most important to me is that,

‘Our graduates are sought after/preferred by employers’

For me, the aim of developing the flexible learning plan is to provide a suitably varied and engaging learning environment where it is possible for OP VN students, in all their glorious diversity, can be inspired and motivated to become a Veterinary Nurse. A professional in the industry with best practice standards and a dedication to life long learning. These are the graduates the industry requires.

Otago Polytechnic Strategy 2008 – 2012.