Personal Written Objectives and Reflective Journaling
This week we are posting personal objectives, which are to be achieved during the clinical and didactic teaching practicum during my Teaching Methodologies class. As you can see one of my first objectives in each area is to become more comfortable with writing objectives! Objectives are important. They offer the teacher and the learner a guide for what will be covered and how. Bastable and Doody (2008) note, “Together, objectives and goals form a map that provides directions (objectives) as to how to arrive at a particular destination (goal) (p.286). Below I have written my clinical and didactic objectives. On a side note, it is harder than it looks!
Clinical Objectives:
When planning for clinical, I will write clear objectives by utilizing our teaching texts.
In the clinical environment, I will make appropriate assignments after reviewing the dynamics of the setting.
Prior to clinical practice, I will organize an effective pre-conference by addressing student orientation needs.
After clinical practice, I will choose relevant post-conference topics to review and reinforce situational learning.
In the clinical environment, I will recognize student needs for support and reassurance by observing the students and checking with their nurses.
In the clinical environment, I will demonstrate leadership and direction by being available and involved with the students and nurses.
In the clinical environment, I will evaluate student-nursing care by assessing patient care and charting.
In the clinical environment, I will demonstrate understanding of the legal responsibility of the instructor by reviewing hospital and school protocols.
Finally, my preceptor and the students will assess all these objectives. They will observe my performance in the clinical environment and critique my abilities with a final written evaluation.
Didactic Objectives:
Prior to class, I will write clear objectives for class instruction by referencing our class texts.
Prior to class, I will organize and plan didactic instruction by reviewing the material to be taught.
Prior to class, I will create lesson plans by expanding upon the material to be taught.
During class, I will generate excitement and interest in the presented material by involving students in class discussion.
During class, I will foster activities to create critical thinking by introducing relevant case studies.
During class, I will demonstrate professional and caring behavior by coming to class prepared.
During class, I will foster understanding versus memorization with the utilization of real case studies.
Following class, I will evaluate student comprehension and retention by inviting discussion.
As with the clinical portion, the didactic portion of the class will be evaluated by the preceptor and the students. This will be accomplished with a written critique.
Reflection
I feel a bit better since I met with my preceptor. Together we have tentatively mapped out the didactic portion of my teaching project. She has sent me her PowerPoints and I will be supplementing her teaching with appropriate case studies. These will allow the students to practice some critical thinking skills. The three classes will be devoted to the muscular/skeletal system, the gastrointestinal tract and the genitourinary tract. Each class session I will have an hour to teach. I really would like to find ways to help the students interact with the material. That is why I felt that case studies could provide this essential link between the written material and nursing care.
The picture featured in this post is by Alan Levine. It was taken at Keene State College and it speaks volumes about learning. The verb enter can be substituted with many others: read to learn, study to learn, write to learn, compute to learn...the key is that learning is linked with an action verb, as are objectives! Consequently, to learn one must take action.
References
Bastable, S., & Doody, J. (2008). Behavioral Objectives. In S. Bastable (Ed.), Nurse as educator: Principles of teaching and learning for nursing practice (3rd ed., pp. 383-427). Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
