AV Recording 1

AV Recording 2

AV Recordings: A Reflection

Watching oneself on video is a discombobulating sort of experience. One’s voice (is that really how I sound?), mannerisms (“Do I always fidget like that?”), and wardrobe choices (nailed it!) are among the superficial distractions that can detract from a substantive self-evaluation. Nonetheless, watching oneself ‘objectively’ can provide fundamental insights into the teaching process.

After my first AV session, I was quite pleased at how I tried to keep my learner engaged with Socratic questioning and regular “check-ins.” It was particularly validating to see that my peer evaluator felt the same way. Indeed many of our scores lined up, which provided some evidence that I am attuned to my own strengths and limitations. Observing differences in ratings across similar categories can draw attention to potential “blind spots” in our own teaching methods.

What I found particularly helpful about this exercise was that the first AV recording had me asking more fundamental questions about how I was teaching and, more specifically, what I wanted to get out of my practicum. As has been noted, much of my teaching practicum has been focused on improving the integration of basic science into clinical teaching. After watching my first session, while effective in its own right, I wasn’t convinced it was capturing my personal teaching philosophy very well. While there was reference to physiology, it scarcely framed the discussion. In many ways, it seemed like any other one-on-one teaching jam. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with that, but I felt like I wanted a bit more from the experience.

Watching myself give a talk therefore provided a powerful impetus to change how I imbued my “pre-fab” lectures with my personal teaching philosophy that values integration. Thus, when I designed my second talk on hyperkalemia, I made a conscious effort to frame every part of the discussion, from objectives to etiology to treatment, with an overarching physiological structure rooted in potassium metabolism and pathobiology. I could see myself deliberately coming back to the idea that understanding physiology informs our approach to and management of this common clinical problem. I also witnessed the learner returning to core biological principles when answering questions about treatment. She was clearly able to make links between underlying causes (e.g., hyperkalemia) and management considerations (e.g., administering insulin). Seeing this integration proceed on camera was rather rewarding and spoke to the importance of ensuring basic science is woven throughout the fabric of a talk rather than presented as a pretext for a subsequent clinical discussion (Baghdady MT, 2009) (Woods NN, 2005).

In closing, I found these AV recordings an excellent tool for reflecting on my teaching. Juxtaposing self- and peer-evaluations can highlight areas for improvement, while the overall experience allows one to correct subtle bad habits such as unnecessary pauses and focus on bigger questions about what we’re trying to achieve when we teach. Oh…and apparently, that really is how I sound!

Bibliography

Baghdady MT, P. M. (2009). The role of basic sciences in diagnostic oral radiology. J Dent Educ, 73(10), 1187-1193.

Woods NN, B. L. (2005). The value of basic science in clinical diagnosis: Creating coherence among signs and symptoms. Med Educ, 39(1), 107-112.