Guest guest Posted August 29, 2004 Report Share Posted August 29, 2004 I would state the critical thinking issue a little differently. We teach critical thinking by teaching our students to evaluate and synthesize. Most people do have the ability to think critically. They do it all the time in their everyday lives, but they need practice in applying it to the learning situation. When my colleagues and I began to use problem based learning in our classes, we immediately saw several things happen: (1) many students were not happy with it, because they wanted to be told the answers, not have to figure them out themselves; (2) some students picked it right up and loved the challenge; and (3) critical thinking skills improved exponentially. Problem based learning is best employed through problem solving groups, or team learning, I believe. Carefully structured teams can enhance everyone's learning experience, but this requires very careful observation and interaction by the instructor. Ideally this is done in a classroom with computer/internet availability and the use of open ended scenario based lessons. Also, students must have a clear understanding of the process. For example, I have had students who resented the requirement that they organize and lead their own learning, engage in teaching within the group, and have to ferret out answers to problems that were not in their book. These students I described as little birds who want to open their beaks and have mama drop the worm of knowledge directly into their little mouths. There is excellent material available on the internet that describes problem based learning and techniques such as team learning, pyramiding, and so forth. Performance on multiple choice exams may not improve with problem based learning; however, overall performance ought to improve. Multiple choice exams are the poorest evaluation tool. They are used only for convenience. Passing a multiple choice exam is only the beginning point for learning. Unfortunately, it is usually the end point. Extensive use of scenario training is essential to development of critical thinking skills. Many students leave EMT courses without ever having had the opportunity to practice problem solving in real time. Courses who do not afford students the opportunity to practice problem solving are defrauding their students and the public. Many folks who do employ scenario based learning don't really know how to do it. This is not the place for a primer on how to run scenarios, but for those who want to know more, email me privately and I'll tell you some of the best kept secrets. These techniques require much more time than standard classroom lecture. Many programs do not want to spend that time due to pressures to " get em in and get em out. " Critical thinking can be taught, and it should be. G. G. In a message dated 8/29/04 21:58:38 Central Daylight Time, scotterems@... writes: > Subj:RE: Entrance testing > Date:8/29/04 21:58:38 Central Daylight Time > From:scotterems@... > Reply-to: > To: > Sent from the Internet > > > > > Phil- > > It really becomes an expectations game. If you only expect mediocrity, your > students certainly aren't going to give you anything more than that. I > believe some of it does have to do with the current curriculum. Instead of > teaching students that beta blockade is useful in ischemic chest pain, they > need to be challenged to understand WHY it is useful in ischemic chest pain. > This isn't about teaching individuals to think critically- if they can't do > that they have no business in EMS. It is about requiring some synthesis and > evaluation instead of just requiring them to regurgitate some worthless > little saying like " All chest pain gets MONA " . > > I suppose everything comes down to expectations. As Dr. Bledsoe pointed > out, most EMS companies only expect a patch and a pulse. You have the > problem of the best and brightest choosing NOT to enter a field where they > will consistently make between $9 and $15 per hour, so it is a perpetual > cycle. Let's not be mistaken here- high schools are still turning out some > VERY intelligent people. There isn't a vacuum in that regard. They just > don't want to think about EMS as a career. > > I have decided to go back and get my bachelors degree in EMS. But do you > think anyone I will work for will give a damn whether I have a baccalaureate > degree vs. a certificate from the local mom and pop? NO! Nobody cares, and > so there is no incentive. Because there is no incentive, I don't think it > will change. > > - > > > > RE: Entrance testing > > > --- scotterems@... wrote: > > The individuals who fail the > > National Registry exam with a 69% > > do not fail it by 1 percentage point. They > > fail it by 31 points. If you > > can find a couple of questions that you do not > > consider to be appropriate, > > there are still 29 or 30 that were perfectly > > legitimate. > > Nicely stated. My very first EMT instructor told > me 20 years ago that a standardized test only > tests about 70% of the curriculum anyway, so if a > candidate writes a perfect score, s/he has > demonstrated knowledge on only 70% of the > curriculum. I don't know if that's true or not, > but it lead nicely into his very next statement, > which was " so keep studying forever. " > > > So where is the problem? I believe it > > originates from both the students and > > faculty of paramedic training programs. > > Maybe. I'll argue that it is not the Paramedic > Program's job to teach a student to read and > write English. A student should have those basic > skills when they graduate from 6th grade. What I > disagree with, however, is that (a) a program > should test at the 6th grade level, and ( that > a 6th grade level should be acceptable > performance for a Paramedic student. > > After all, I don't want my 6th-grade daughter > making life-and-death decisions, [ALL UNITS: > Stand by for Proud Daddy moment] even though she > reads at the 12.8 grade level, according to > standardized tests. > > > > However, I also believe that > > instructors have failed miserably in requiring > > at least some degree of > > critical thinking from students. > > I hate having to teach adults to think. > Thinking, in my opinion, should be a basic skill. > That's like saying I'll give you a tool set and > then teach you to work on cars. > > You mentioned > > that " Not any one > > protocol... will fit every system " . That is > > very true, and it clearly > > represents why the emphasis must be placed on > > understanding the rationale > > behind the protocol rather than merely > > memorizing the protocol itself. > > Well said. > > > There is probably not one protocol that is > > appropriate for every EMS system- > > at least not one I have seen. But if you teach > > students to understand the > > fundamental concepts that underlie the > > protocols, they can take those > > concepts and use them to develop a basic > > understanding that can be applied > > to almost any protocol or treatment strategy. > > Again, well said. > > The > > cream floats to the top and the sludge sinks to > > the bottom, and when you > > only expect a sixth grade level of reasoning, > > you are dragging the bottom of > > the bucket. > > You don't suppose that bears any relation to the > generally sorry pay scales, do you? I wonder... > > stay safe - phil > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Wes, That is a gret idea, however, because of the pay of someone just starting out in EMS, the foilks who can pass the entrance examsm will go for education that will make them a living. We unfortunately have to deal with what we get, and try to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear. Entrance testing > I've been considering the discussions on the list about the NR exam problems > that many applicants are having. I cannot help but think that part of the > problem is that many EMS education programs will literally take any applicant > who pays the tuition. > > Texas law requires that college students take the Texas Academic Skills > Program test prior to determine whether or not students need remedial coursework > before attempting college. > > What would be the pros and cons of the state adopting a rule mandating the > same requirement for EMS education programs, whether college-based or other > wise? It seems to me that it would at least attempt to ensure a baseline > standard relating to mathematics, reading comprehension, and written communication. > > Thanks, > Wes Ogilvie > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Wes, That is a gret idea, however, because of the pay of someone just starting out in EMS, the foilks who can pass the entrance examsm will go for education that will make them a living. We unfortunately have to deal with what we get, and try to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear. Entrance testing > I've been considering the discussions on the list about the NR exam problems > that many applicants are having. I cannot help but think that part of the > problem is that many EMS education programs will literally take any applicant > who pays the tuition. > > Texas law requires that college students take the Texas Academic Skills > Program test prior to determine whether or not students need remedial coursework > before attempting college. > > What would be the pros and cons of the state adopting a rule mandating the > same requirement for EMS education programs, whether college-based or other > wise? It seems to me that it would at least attempt to ensure a baseline > standard relating to mathematics, reading comprehension, and written communication. > > Thanks, > Wes Ogilvie > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Wes, That is a gret idea, however, because of the pay of someone just starting out in EMS, the foilks who can pass the entrance examsm will go for education that will make them a living. We unfortunately have to deal with what we get, and try to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear. Entrance testing > I've been considering the discussions on the list about the NR exam problems > that many applicants are having. I cannot help but think that part of the > problem is that many EMS education programs will literally take any applicant > who pays the tuition. > > Texas law requires that college students take the Texas Academic Skills > Program test prior to determine whether or not students need remedial coursework > before attempting college. > > What would be the pros and cons of the state adopting a rule mandating the > same requirement for EMS education programs, whether college-based or other > wise? It seems to me that it would at least attempt to ensure a baseline > standard relating to mathematics, reading comprehension, and written communication. > > Thanks, > Wes Ogilvie > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2004 Report Share Posted August 30, 2004 Using HS GPAs would be great if they all meant the same thing. A student's GPA may be low to moderate because they took precal, AP Chem, AP Physics, and AP English. Another student may have a 4.0 because they took lower level courses. Considering HS, and I teach health sciences in HS right now, for the most part students graduate very unprepared for college level work. Most teachers give worksheets as the primary methodology of learning. Most students demand test study guides(the answers before the test) and worksheets from me, which I do not give. I teach juniors and seniors. I treat them as young adults and try my best to prepare them for success college. That is sometimes more critical than the health science curriculum -mikey >>> blee@... 8/30/04 10:38:49 AM >>> How about using high school GPA's and/or references along with a entrance exam? I've noticed that it's not all the student fault, but sometimes the instructor. Many courses in my area are weak because all the instructor does is read the slides and has no interaction with the ones needing the knowledge and scenario training. The students may say they understand but in all actuality they don't. Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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