Student perspectives on delivery of midwifery teaching
By Student Voice
delivery of teachingmidwiferyIntroduction
This blog post aims to look into the direct experiences and opinions of students studying midwifery, highlighting how their education has been impacted by a combination of inspirational teaching and the struggles posed by online learning environments. Starting their educational process amidst the shift towards more digital forms of delivery, midwifery students have faced both opportunities and significant hurdles. The balance between maintaining high-quality teaching standards in person and virtually presents a complex challenge. It is key to examine how well the current methods meet the needs of students. Engaging student voice through text analysis and surveys has been an important tool in understanding their concerns and successes. Evaluating these insights critically, this post explores not just the deficiencies but also the effective strategies that staff can leverage to enhance the learning experience effectively. This multifaceted approach offers a balanced perspective, ensuring that while some benefits of online platforms are recognised, the emphasis remains on how these tools serve the practical necessities of midwifery training.
Student Acclaims on Inspirational Teaching
Many students have celebrated the dynamic and supportive elements of their midwifery courses, providing valuable insights into what teaching strategies are resonating well. Engaging lectures and responsive teaching staff play an important role in enhancing the learning process. It is important to note that inspirational teaching not only stimulates the desire to learn but also importantly bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. This alignment is particularly important in areas like midwifery, where hands-on experience is critical. On the one hand, students appreciate when lecturers use real-life cases to illuminate complex concepts; conversely, a lack of such examples can make the learning appear disconnected from actual practice. Students often report that the most effective educators are those who actively involve them in the learning process, using not just lectures but also interactive discussions and practical workshops. These methods encourage deeper understanding and retention of key concepts essential for midwifery. Such feedback is instrumental for staff to adapt and tailor their teaching approaches, ensuring they meet the diverse needs of their students efficiently and effectively.
Challenges with Online Learning Platforms
One of the main concerns highlighted by midwifery students involves the organisation and ease of use of online learning platforms like Blackboard. Navigating these systems to locate necessary learning materials often proves cumbersome. Users note that a more intuitive design with better categorisation of resources could significantly enhance their learning process. Another challenge is the consistency and reliability of platform performance. Students report frequent technical disruptions that not only hinder the completion of coursework but also disrupt the flow of study, leading to increased stress and reduced satisfaction with the course handling. To address these issues, it is important for educational institutions to engage with both students and technological experts to create a more user-friendly and reliable online learning environment. Providing regular training sessions and clear guides on how to maximise the use of online tools will also play a crucial role in smoothing the transition to digital learning modalities. Moreover, there is a need for continuous evaluation and feedback mechanisms that allow students to report issues in real-time and help educational staff to make timely improvements, thus maintaining the quality of teaching and ensuring student success in coping with their academic responsibilities.
Audio and Interaction Issues in Online Sessions
A key challenge that has arisen as midwifery education shifts towards more online sessions involves audio quality and interaction difficulties. Many students have expressed frustration over poor sound clarity during live online lectures, which can significantly hamper their ability to grasp complex medical terms and procedures critical to their studies. This issue not only affects comprehension but can also diminish students' engagement, a particularly important aspect when studying a hands-on subject like midwifery. Additionally, the dynamic of student interaction changes in a virtual environment. Whereas physical classrooms allow for spontaneous discussion and immediate clarifications, online formats can feel less personal and often, students find it harder to voice their questions and opinions. This can lead to a sense of isolation and disconnect from the learning community, which is detrimental in a field that relies heavily on peer collaboration and learning through direct communication. Some institutions have attempted to alleviate these problems by utilising higher-quality microphones and encouraging interactive sessions using breakout rooms. However, ensuring all students’ voices are heard remains a continued area of focus. Midwifery staff are encouraged to frequently solicit feedback on these technical aspects and seek innovative solutions that could improve the interactivity and inclusivity of their online teaching strategies.
The Gap in Practical Skill Preparation
A significant area that requires attention in midwifery education is the preparation of students for practical skills. Feedback from students highlights a split in their readiness to perform tasks such as cannulation and suturing, which are essential in their professional roles. The shift towards theory-based online teaching has raised concerns about its effectiveness in providing sufficient practical skill training. On one hand, theoretical knowledge is integral, yet, on the other, the lack of hands-on practice can leave students feeling underprepared for real-world scenarios. To bridge this gap, it is key for educational institutions to integrate more simulation-based learning, where theoretical online sessions are complemented by practical exercises in controlled environments. This approach ensures that students gain the confidence needed to apply their skills effectively in their professional practice. Enhancing simulation facilities and increasing the frequency of practical sessions could serve as a pivotal step to equip midwifery students with the comprehensive skill set required. Engaging the 'student voice' in designing these practical modules could also ensure that the learning outcomes align closely with the needs and expectations of the students, thereby improving both skill competence and student satisfaction.
Simulation-Based Learning: A Mixed Reception
Simulation-based learning in midwifery education has garnered a mixed reception from students, who recognise its importance but also pinpoint its limitations. On one hand, simulations allow learners to practice in a controlled environment, which is especially helpful for mastering complex procedures without the pressure of real-life consequences. These sessions often utilise manikins and virtual reality to mimic real-world scenarios, providing students with a taste of hands-on medical processes. However, conversely, some students feel that simulations cannot fully replicate the subtleties and unpredictability of actual patient interactions. These learners argue that while the basic skills can be honed, there is a gap in learning that can only be filled by real-life practice. This viewpoint underlines a key issue that staff must address: balancing the use of technology in education with the necessity for students to gain live experience. To mitigate this, educational staff are exploring ways to enhance simulation technology and integrate it with limited yet crucial real-patient encounters. This adjustment aims to combine the safety and repeatability of simulations with the invaluable insights that only true clinical environments can provide, thus striving for a rounded approach to teaching and learning in midwifery.
Demand for Increased On-Site Learning
The preference for face-to-face instruction remains strong among midwifery students, who are advocating for more on-site learning opportunities. This demand highlights how certain key aspects of midwifery education, particularly those involving direct patient care and hands-on techniques, are felt to be better conveyed in a physical setting. Extended time in clinics and hospitals allows students not only to apply their theoretical knowledge but also to observe and learn nuanced skills that are difficult to fully grasp through online or simulated environments.
In response, educational institutions are looking at ways to safely increase the amount of in-person teaching while still respecting potential health guidelines. Some are expanding the capacity of their facilities to allow more students to attend classes and practical sessions simultaneously. Others are reorganising timetables to maximise the use of on-site days, focusing especially on those activities that require direct observation or physical practice. It is important for midwifery staff to continue involving students in these scheduling decisions, ensuring their educational needs and safety concerns are both adequately addressed.
Facilitating enhanced on-site learning not only supports student learning outcomes but also assists in maintaining the high standards expected in midwifery training. The human touch in patient handling and the on-the-spot decision-making processes are some of the crucial competencies that students need to develop, which are effectively honed in a live clinical environment.
Conclusion and Recommendations
To conclude, the adaptation to online learning formats, while initially essential, mandates ongoing enhancement, particularly in the spheres of practical training and technological finesse to support midwifery students effectively on their educational process. It is key to embrace a continuous dialogue with students - valuing and integrating the student voice into the development of teaching methodologies. Proactively refining online resources and their accessibility can markedly elevate the quality of education delivered.
A balanced approach is recommended, incorporating both digital and physical teaching mediums. This would include a strategic increase in on-site sessions that are critical for developing hands-on competencies, alongside improving and perhaps simplifying online interfaces to cater to core learning needs. Also, fostering a culture of regular feedback and adaptability can ensure that the teaching delivery keeps pace with student expectations and the rigorous requirements of midwifery.
Staff should particularly focus on enhancing simulation-based learning as well as ensuring that all students have adequate opportunities to practise crucial skills in realistic settings, thereby addressing any gaps between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Ultimately, by aligning teaching strategies directly with student feedback and sector demands, midwifery education can progress comprehensively towards preparing fully competent and confident practitioners.
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