Reflections on learning in communities

I have a dream of setting up an open learning community or network for students learning ultrasound in my institution. Here are some of the reasons why i think this could be useful:

  1. The topic in question currently does not have dedicated time allocated to it in the course structure and it is difficult to find the time in an already packed course.
  2. I think that a lot of the learning will therefore have to occur asynchronously using a flipped classroom model, with time in the classroom dedicated to practical sessions.
  3. It appears to me that learning in communities is great. It would be fantastic to have an online space where students could interact and discuss learning material. Ultrasound learning involves looking at and interpreting images, so it would be wonderful and highly accessible for students if this could be done online.
  4. It would also be wonderful to see how the online platform develops or grows over the years. Would it be well used, or become just another online space that nobody uses. The design of the space would need to be considered carefully. I feel that getting students to engage in online discussion spaces or forums is very challenging.
  5. This would also be a new method of teaching or learning for the students.

Let’s see how this works out….to be continued

 

What is my own Personal Learning Network currently ? I have a twitter account which i use primarily for learning ultrasound related content. There are many professionals on this network that regularly post useful educational content. I try to post some of my own material and share some of my knowledge too. I have also made many professional connections here and have invited some to give talks to my department over zoom. The world is a lot smaller with digital technology. I am also amazed at how helpful and responsive these people have been, often taking time out of their busy schedules to prepare and deliver online talks.

Thanks for reading

 

 

1 Comment

Add Yours →

Hi Suresh,

You certainly have set a very good and relevant goal! I agree that your plan to offer open online resources holds great potential. While I am not familiar with the medical field, I imagine that you will enjoy successful and rewarding flipped meetings with your students learning about ultrasound reading. In addition, in the context of telehealth, which seems to be increasingly relevant today, I’d assume that your approach is welcomed by students and your colleagues alike.

Best,
Christoph

Leave a Reply