Flipped Classroom for Acupuncture

Abstract/Snapshot:

This project involved three courses taught in the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Chinese Medicine) as well as the Masters of Acupuncture. The aim of the project was to provide students with a blended learning environment consisting of online modules (equivalent to chapters), media resources such as videos, and technical illustrations as well as activities and exercises to strengthen the students’ understanding of the basic theories and principles of acupuncture. Each module is followed by a final quiz that students are required to work through, progressing to the next module once competency is demonstrated.

By developing the blended learning environment, the project aims to fully utilise face-to-face class time for more practical exercises and addressing clinically relevant issues.

Learning Context

This pattern is applicable to courses that have complex concepts that require constant engagement of the student to increase the understanding of the course content.

Rationale

The concepts taught in chinese medicine are quite complex and have revolved around the students memorizing large amounts of information. As a result this makes it quite difficult for students to learn these complex concepts with traditional face-to-face delivery modes.

This project aims to produce media based resources and a learning platform to improve the students learning experience. Additionally, the project also aims to give students online exercises and tests that the students can engage in on their own time to improve their skills.

By making these resources available in a blended learning environment it frees the students up to enable them to spend more time doing tutorial and practical work in the classroom.

In addition to this, the masters students have intensive workshops on campus but the remainder of the time studying remotely in the workplace so having these resources available to the students in a flexible delivery mode enables the students easier access to the course material.

Learning Design

Alignment with the course learning outcomes and program learning outcomes was completed prior to commencing
the project.

Conditions/Critical Success Factors

The creation of online training resources needs to be addressed independently to the implementation of this as a pattern.

This can be an time consuming exercise and it may be worthwhile first evaluating whether professional support is available to create media assets, or depending on the requirements whether staff can undertake PD to enable them to produce basic media assets themselves.

In this case, the professional support from the ODLT ensured that the project was completed to the project brief specifications.

Resources/Technology

All learning materials are available via Blackboard and are hosted on a site built by the ODLT staff. Students log onto Blackboard and a link takes the students to the relevant course material.

Case Studies/Implementation

Evaluate course content, assessment and PLO and CLOs.
Break down the course content into small chunks so that the content can easily be absorbed by the student and develop an activity that re-enforces the material covered.
Undertake a search of available resources and then develop a list of resources that need to be produced.
Devise a strategy platform in which to deliver the resources and then assess the students’ understanding of the content. This needs to interface with the RMIT LMS (Blackboard) as much as possible.
Build resources / assets and the course material and upload to the delivery platform.
Test and evaluate the process prior to roll out.

Outcomes

Two topics have been completed and tested as a proof of concept. The student feedback from the testing has
been very positive.

From the project we would like to see an improvement of the students’ knowledge base and an increased confidence
in the students’ understanding of concepts required in the practical environment.

This would be evaluated by a combination of the students’ results, the CES and regular student satisfaction surveys.

Course

Blackboard (online learning)

Learning engagement/activities

Flipped Classroom for Acupuncture.pdf

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Design Pattern

Flipped Classroom for Acupuncture

Flipped Classroom for Acupuncture.pdf