Funded Projects
| Project Title | Overview of the Project |
|---|---|
| Birth of Modules: Developing Interactive Web-Based Modules Orienting Medical Students to Labor and Delivery Samantha Kempner Medical School Adam Baruch Medical School $7275.00 |
The University of Michigan Labor and Delivery (L&D) unit presents a dynamic and unique educational environment for third year medical students. Due to the busy nature of the unit, students are often inadequately oriented to L&D and are therefore unable to take advantage of this learning opportunity. We are applying for a Faculty Development Fund grant from the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching to develop a series of innovative, interactive video-based modules to orient medical students to L&D. The ultimate goal of these modules is to increase students’ fluency in the workflow and content of L&D so that they can reach their learning potential during their rotation. The modules will be evaluated through a series of surveys and quizzes to assess their effect on medical students’ confidence and their objective mastery of the content of labor and delivery. |
| Electronic Health Record System Simulator for Inter-Professional Education Patricia Abbott Nursing Allen Flynn Information Johmarx Patton Medical School Larry Gruppen Medical School $10000.00 |
With the support of the CRLT faculty development fund, we propose to evaluate the deployment and use of an innovative simulated Electronic Health Record System (EHRS) across three schools at UM (Nursing, Medicine, & Information). EHRS have been shown to produce a myriad of benefits, including increased adherence to guidelines, efficiency gains, decrease in medication errors, improved surveillance, and enhanced communication. Concomitantly, the increasing adoption of EHRS has resulted in documented instances of negative unintended consequences due to technology-imposed changes in workflow and communication; improperly programmed or implemented systems; and poorly designed systems that fragment clinicians’ cognitive processes. These types of technology-facilitated errors create threats to patient safety and interrupt the communications that are vital to high quality and safe care. Grounded in the belief that EHRS and associated health IT are increasingly important resources for the practice of all professionals who interact in this space (and in light of the evidence of the impact that EHRS and other types of health IT has on workflow and communication) it is imperative that we prepare our students and faculty to safely adapt, interact with, and improve EHRS collaboratively as members of healthcare and clinical work redesign teams. We aim to use a simulated EHRS to teach these skills and lessons, to formatively evaluate our process and outcomes, and to create a shareable and sustainable resource for cross-disciplinary use across UM. This novel approach will transcend boundaries between academic programs and reduce barriers to inter-professional education at UM. |
| Integrating Trauma Informed Practices into Nursing Education Elizabeth Kuzma Nursing $10000.00 |
The University of Michigan School of Nursing (UMSN)’s primary mission is to improve the health of society through preparation of exceptional nurses who will grow to be leaders in healthcare. Nurses provide care to vulnerable people in all care settings, many of whom have experienced adverse childhood events (ACEs). Research demonstrates those with a history of multiple ACEs have increased risk of chronic physical and mental health problems. Our faculty are leading research on trauma-informed nursing care. We plan to incorporate trauma in coursework and involve students in our scholarship. Working with traumatized clients can bring great professional satisfaction and growth, but can also cause vicarious trauma or trigger traumatic stress in students with personal histories of trauma. While trauma-informed teaching practices are well established in fields such as social work and psychology, nursing has not systematically integrated this into teaching. The purpose of the project is to develop and pilot a feasible, effective process for preparing UMSN students to encounter trauma in their nursing education while preventing vicarious trauma. Following the integration of the trauma-informed education (“TIE”) process, graduates of the UMSN will be better prepared to be sensitive and reflective practitioners who can have a positive impact on the health of society. These aims will be accomplished through a scholarly team-building approach with a core group of UMSN faculty and students who will review current evidence and glean best practices from (1) other disciplines and (2) principles of trauma-informed care to translate into a TIE model for nursing. |
| Michigan Critical Care Project Cindy Hsu Medical School Ross Kessler Medical School Sage Whitmore Medical School $10000.00 |
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” - W. B. Yeats (1865-1939) Critical illness and injury pose tremendous societal and economic burden to global health care. Sepsis, cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, stroke, hemorrhage, and traumatic injuries represent a diverse and challenging set of disease processes with complex patient management. The care of critically-ill patients often begins in the prehospital setting and emergency department (ED), then continues through the intensive care unit (ICU), and often extends well beyond their hospital discharge. As such, critical care is provided by a diverse group of providers including paramedics, emergency physicians, intensivists, trainees of different specialties, advanced providers, and ancillary staff with varying levels of prior training and patient exposure. The variability in provider background, time restrictions posed by duty hour regulation, and increased administrative demands make traditional didactic format ineffective and inefficient for critical care education. To solve this problem, we propose the creation of an asynchronous education website called “Michigan Critical Care Project”. The aims of the Michigan Critical Care Project will be to: 1) Provide high quality, free, and asynchronous emergency critical care education material from the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) to foster adult learning and multidisciplinary collaboration and 2) Demonstrate its institutional, national, and global educational impact. |
| Digital Preservation of Ruthven Exhibits for Teaching Natural History $6000.00 |
Beginning in the summer of 2017, the exhibits of the UM Museum of Natural History (UMMNH) currently in the Ruthven Museums Building will be relocated to the Biological Science Building (BSB, now under construction). Many of the items that are currently on display will be “retired” and that will have a significant impact on the teaching of several courses by faculty in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences including EARTH 103, 125, 115, 313 418/419, 431, 432, 437. However, lack of direct access to these retired exhibits need not impact their use in teaching: the digital revolution has made it possible to easily produce 3D digital models from real objects. The primary goal of this proposal is to enhance teaching of LSA courses that focus on natural history, specifically those courses listed above, by generating 3D models of UMMNH exhibits. (see examples: https://umorf.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/wp/dpre) To accomplish the above goal, we will employ photogrammetry, an effective and efficient technique in which a series of overlapping photos are used to generate a 3D model of the surface of an object. Although our focus is to enhance teaching of LSA courses, the 3D models will also become accessible to a much broader community of students, researchers and the general public. |
| Three-Dimensional Virtual Reality Patient Model for Enhanced Student Learning Hera Kim-Berman Dentistry $6000.00 |
This project will establish the extent to which a Virtual Reality Patient Model (VRPM) using 3D advanced visualization technology can improve student’s knowledge acquisition and analysis in diagnosis and treatment planning of complex dental cases involving orthodontics and jaw surgery. Conventional method for teaching surgical-orthodontic cases has not changed significantly since the inception of this combined treatment modality many decades ago. The introduction of 3D imaging technology, including cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images and advances in digital technology, allows for the development of more advanced visualization techniques and learning strategies in this complex clinical domain. In this project we will utilize a recently developed 3D virtual reality patient model and determine if use of this 3D model enhances student learning in the diagnosis and treatment planning of complex orthodontic surgical cases, when compared to the conventional 2D method. We will also examine differences in time and type of student-teacher interactions when comparing conventional and virtual reality teaching methods. continued in protect objectives... |
| Development of an Integrative, Hands-on Health Data Analysis Course Matthew Davis Nursing $10000.00 |
With growing access to massive amounts of data, the research paradigm has shifted from collecting data among a few subjects to using large data sources to efficiently produce impactful research on health and healthcare. Trainees across the health sciences are in need of access to high quality data. In our opinion, the limiting factor is not what data are available but rather the skills required to utilize them. Therefore, we propose to develop and implement a novel, hands-on data course designed to teach health science trainees how to obtain and analyze pre-existing large US health data. This course will integrate practical research skills (e.g., applied statistics, data management and programming,research question development, creation of publication-quality tables/figures) in a format that progressively builds research independence. We have carefully selected a variety of publicly available, national health data sources based on content and complexity (i.e., the data sources used in the course will increase in complexity throughout the term). We anticipate this course will lead to a shift in how students effectively learn about data management and analysis and the extent to which national US health data are used across the university. |
| M-Write Electronic Materials Science Rachel Goldman Engineering John Heron Engineering Manos Kioupakis Engineering Timothy Chambers Engineering $10000.00 |
We propose to develop and implement a “spiral” approach to the instruction of quantum mechanical concepts central to student learning of electronic materials science in a 3-course sequence. “Writing to learn” approaches will be used to enable learning and reinforcement of critical concepts such as the photoelectric effect, wave/particle duality, statistical descriptions of particles, and electronic energy bands. Funding from the Faculty Development Fund will be used to support the stipends of Writing Fellows for the 3-course sequence during a 2-year period. The Writing Fellows will be co-supervised by the three PIs in conjunction with the M-Write II Team at the Sweetland Writing Center. In addition to traditional measures of course evaluation, the project will be evaluated using a combination of pre- and post-course/sequence tests of conceptual knowledge, as well as surveys of student self-efficacy, engagement, and identity. The anticipated annual course sequence enrollment is ~100 undergraduate and ~100 graduate students. |
| Studies in Dalcroze Eurhythmics Christian Mecca Music, Theatre & Dance $6000.00 |
The Faculty Development Fund award will allow me to study Dalcroze Eurhythmics at Carnegie Mellon University’s Marta Sanchez Dalcroze Training Center with a goal to apply for the Dalcroze Certificate and License. I will apply these studies to the course Dance 242 – The Integration of Music and Movement, and a broader range of music and movement courses within UM. Upon certification, the Department of Dance can elect to advertise Dalcroze Eurhythmics as part of its curriculum. This methodology allows dancers to effectively learn and embody the principles of music within the limited time available in the BFA Dance program. The implementation of this curriculum will allow the Dance Department to offer a proven and effective methodology that informs our students’ contemporary practices in dance technique and composition through a syllabus that has its origins in the dance training of the early twentieth-century, and provides a link to historical practices within the concert dance tradition. Also, the integration of vocabulary and movement with meter and syncopation can provide dancers with musical skills that can be applied to virtually any form or genre of western and non-western music. This methodology is a proven and effective curriculum that enables dancers to more thoroughly engage with music and provide them with a comprehensive understanding of rhythm and meter. |
| The Molecular Biology Video Project Director: Title: $6000.00 |
Following the huge success of a limited project last year, videos will be created that cover the bulk of the advanced Molecular Biology course (MCDB 427). The videos will be created by past students and GSIs with editing and supervision by the PI. They will be available internationally on YouTube and organized for UM students on a dedicated web site that will include other course specific aids. |
| Strengthening Education for Justice and Diversity Beth Reed Social Work Jorge Delva Social Work $10000.00 |
In fall, 2015, the School of Social Work (SSW) implemented a required first term course in the Masters of Social Work (MSW) program (N-360 students/year) focused specifically on Justice and Diversity. Goals for this project are to: a) examine systematically how the course’s 15 sections were implemented, with what impacts, and b) use this knowledge and additional resource development to • Inform future implementations of this course, • Contribute to knowledge development about education for social justice, and • Develop methodologies for curricular assessment. Specific components: 1) identify key elements within each section, with systematic analysis of syllabi and course descriptions, and interviews with instructors, emphasizing similarities and differences; 2) develop and implement procedures for assessing student skills and knowledge related to justice and diversity; 3) determine whether different course elements are related to particular clusters of student knowledge and skills; 4) use this research to inform resource development and preparation of instructors for for fall, 2016; and 5) put in place on-going process and formative evaluation measures for future iterations of this course. What we learn will be helpful for faculty and curricular development as well as for the effectiveness of this particular course. The leadership team is comprised of all ranks and types of faculty, the Associate Dean for Educational Programs (ADEP) and the Chairs the Multicultural and Gender Affairs (MGA) Committee, and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee (creating the SSW component of the President’s DEI strategic planning, working closely with the Curriculum Committee and student groups. |
| Engaging Psychology Students through The Case Method Approach $6000.00 |
Students are engaged by opportunities to act, and interact, in class, a challenging goal for the large (n=450) Introduction to Psychology courses at Michigan. One successful model for “4C” instruction (Critical thinking (problem solving), Communication, Collaboration and Creativity/innovation) is the Case Study Method. Predominant in law and business school instruction, the case method organizes the class session around a real case study with characters, dialogue, and a relatable scenario. A dilemma is presented requiring decisions to be made by the characters (students). Students are assigned roles, and go on to accomplish specific open-ended tasks through interaction. Studies show that students’ attitudes, attendance and essay exam performanced improve under this pedagogy. The proposed project aims to produce and test case exercises that capture key elements in the Psychology curriculum and actively engage students through interaction. The project plan involves initial training in case method teaching, development of a set of psychology cases, pilot testing and revision, and a trial run in a large lecture Introduction to Psychology course including assessments by GSIs and students. The results will inform us about the feasbility of student interactions in a large lecture setting, determine whether this method can be rolled out in other instructors’ introductory psychology courses, and perhaps serve as a model for other programs. This project will contribute substantially to the teaching and learning environment in the large-scale Introduction to Psychology courses (with over 2700 students enrolled each year), and will dramatically change the learning experience for our students. |
| Faculty Development in Critical Reflection Michelle Daniel Medical School Joseph House Medical School Fatema Haque LSA - General Studies Heather Wagenschutz Medical School Paula Ross Medical School $9990.00 |
Critical reflection, the process of analyzing, questioning, and reframing an experience in order to derive learning and improve future practice, has been identified as an effective way of developing the self-directed, lifelong learning skills essential for today’s health professional. It has also been shown to improve clinical reasoning, diagnostic accuracy, interactions with patients, and intangible attributes such as empathy, humanism, professionalism, and self-awareness. Faculty trained in critical reflection can help students foster reflective capacity, that is, the ability to generate learning (articulate questions, confront bias, examine causality, contrast theory with practice, point to systemic issues), deepen learning (challenge simplistic conclusions, invite alternative perspectives, ask “why” iteratively), and document learning (produce tangible expressions of new understandings for evaluation). Furthermore, well-trained faculty can skillfully support and challenge learners using quality feedback that helps learners recognize reflective moments, make sense of experiences, tolerate uncertainty, and gain insight. However, most faculty are underprepared to do all of these things, as they have not had development in the area of critical reflection. Additionally, new curricular elements within the Medical School and in other health professional schools across the University have introduced reflective practice into the general curriculum, making faculty development in critical reflection an urgent need. The purpose of our project is to increase faculty capacity in designing, giving feedback on, and evaluating student reflections in the health professions. |
| Ecology & Religion: Sustaining Visions for Earth's Future Rolf Bouma LSA $6000.00 |
Developing a 300/400-level Program in the Environment course in Ecology and Religion that a) explores world religious traditions for principles, teachings, practices and worldviews connecting humans to the natural world; b) exposes students to the teachings and practices of a variety of contemporary religious communities and individuals on environmental issues; and c) identifies in religious visions the ambiguous potential – a rigorous assessment of prospective goods and ills – for moving to a sustainable ecological future. Continued in project objectives |
