Reflections and Digital Storytelling

Amy Pittenger

Rationale for ProjectStudent’s personal journey is a primary component of the learning objectives of the course

• Medical controversies course– Three sections– One reflection for each section

• Create a mechanism for students to convey– Pair images and narration to reflections

Section 1 : Drugs: Introduction to Drugs and the U.S. Healthcare SystemWeek 1 Writing Instruction and Drug Use and Drug InformationWeek 2 Drug Use and Drug Information continuedWeek 3. The Pharmaceutical Industry – Drug Regulation and DevelopmentWeek 4 The Pharmaceutical Industry-AdvertisingSection II: Patients: Access and utilization of healthcareWeek 5 Types of Health and Medication InsuranceWeek 6 Government Healthcare SystemsWeek 7 Medication Misadventures/Role of the Healthcare Team Week 8 Health Disparities in Medication UseWeek 9 Drug Pricing/ Learning from Non US Medication Systems – online role playSection III: Pharmacists: Controversies and Challenges of Drugs and HealthcareWeek 10 Medical Tourism and Counterfeit DrugsWeek 11 Plan B and Conscientious ObjectionWeek 12 Plan B and conscientious objection – online role playWeek 13 Medicine as PoliticsWeek 14 Presenting final projects

Excerpt from Student Guidelines - Rationale• Reflecting on our learning processes can be one of the most

invaluable learning tools in understanding how and what we retain, in discerning how we have arrived at the understanding and conclusions we have of ideas and concepts, as well as thinking about what we have gained and how to improve on our strengths and weaknesses in the future.

• We also believe that reflection forces us to take a few minutes to dwell on our experiences as learners because we must identify the things that worked and did not work for us in the process, while at the same time, asking ourselves why?

• What changes in my role as a learner could have helped me gain the most from this experience? Too often as learners, we focus only on the goal and not the process that got us there.

Example of Reflection Guidelines – Writing the Reflection

• Over the past four weeks, we have discussed drug development, regulation, and promotion.

• What were your views prior to going through this section? • How have your views been strengthened or challenged?

(mention specific readings or discussion postings)• Please reflect on how your knowledge of the previous

section (s) has impacted your understanding of the issues presented within this section. (mention specific readings or discussion postings)

Example of Reflection Guidelines – Pairing Images to Reflection

• Utilize images which enhance and extend the ideas expressed in reflection

• Pair images with your written reflection script – add narration using VoiceThread

• To prepare for this assignment, students are asked to create an introduction to the class using VoiceThread

• We have created VoiceThread tutorials

Grading Rubric – to receive full points

Use of image and narration• Author finds images which convey the emotion the section

issues and own personal conflict. • Images extend the viewer’s understanding of author’s

journey and human component of the issues discussed. • Image and narration are seamlessly blended. • Evidence that reflection was written first before images

applied.

IRB approval – working with Cassie Scharber

• The IRB: Human Subjects Committee determined that the referenced study is exempt from review under federal guidelines 45 CFR Part 46.101(b) category #1 INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS.

Principal Investigator: Amy PittengerTitle(s): Situated Identity in an online discussion class