HLSC666 - Advanced Simulation Practice

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Unit rationale, description and aim

Simulation is playing a key role in the pedagogical shift from didactic-based to participation-based (active) learning in higher and health professional education. Educators using simulation as a learning and teaching method have a responsibility to design, deliver and evaluate simulation activities that are informed by scholarly evidence to address a need, are of high quality, and are sustainable. This unit helps students to learn about and apply educationally sound processes and practices required to design, deliver and evaluate effective simulation programs in the context of higher and health professional education. To that end, students will first develop knowledge and understanding of advanced simulation techniques through a critique of contemporary simulation and education literature. Students will then advance their understanding by synthesising this knowledge through the construction of a session plan for a simulation activity informed by scholarly evidence. Finally, students will develop the ability to apply this knowledge and understanding by employing selected models and theories of learning, exploring educator and learner characteristics, and considering ethical, moral and legal issues relating to simulation-based learning in higher and health professional education. Scholarly evidence will be combined with practical community wisdom as important sources of student learning. The overall aim of the unit is therefore to prepare students to optimise the learner and learning experience of simulation as a theoretically and practice-informed learning and teaching method in higher and health professional education.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Describe the main features and applications of simulation in higher and health professional education, including applications of simulation to learning and teaching practice, advanced facilitation techniques, and the critical role of scholarly evidence in advancing quality simulation practice (GA5)

LO2 - Critically analyse the use of models and theories of teaching and learning to inform the design of learner-centred simulation in higher and health professional education locally and internationally (GA2, GA6)

LO3 - Design, deliver and evaluate evidence-based learner centred simulation activities that facilitate collaborative learning, and take into account ethical, moral and legal risk (GA3, GA5, GA7, GA10)

Graduate attributes

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA3 - apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Topics will include:

Features and applications of contemporary simulation in higher and health professional education

• The role of scholarly activity in contemporary simulation practice
• Features of contemporary simulation practice in higher and health professional education
• Applications of simulation in higher education and healthcare organisations, for example
• teaching, learning and assessment
• research and evaluation
• interprofessional education and team training
• service quality improvement
• environment and systems testing

Advancing simulation practice in higher and health professional education

• Application of education models and theories to inform simulation design
• Exploring cultural, social, ethical and legal dimensions of community through simulation

Advanced facilitation techniques

• Learner and educator characteristics
• Instruction and facilitation

Integrating reflective learning into simulation design

• Differentiating between feedback, debriefing, reflective learning and reflective practice
• Integrating models and frameworks of reflective learning into simulation design
• Constructive alignment: Aligning learning outcomes, debriefing and reflective learning

Facilitating reflective conversations

• Communication and interpersonal techniques
• Behaviour modification techniques
• Facilitating conversations involving different levels of reflection: Balancing feedback, debriefing, and reflective learning.

Evaluation of simulation plan and activity

• Models, strategies and levels of evaluation
• Aligning evaluation process with strategic priorities
• Self-review and peer-review
• Using evaluation data

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit is delivered online and uses an active learning approach to support students in their exploration and acquisition of the essential knowledge associated with contemporary simulation practice in health professional education. Using a blended learning strategy, students will acquire and explore the essential knowledge underpinning contemporary simulation practice in a series of online interactive lessons. Students will also be supported in the construction and synthesis of this knowledge through participation in synchronous online webinars. Students will be required to demonstrate understanding and application of this knowledge through the development and delivery of a simulation activity. This activity will be informed by student's comprehension of relevant scholarly evidence combined with practical community wisdom

Additional learning opportunities will be provided via an optional two-day face-to-face workshop in which students will further assimilate and apply this knowledge through the development and delivery of a simulation activity. Students who wish to refine their simulation practice, or are seeking further feedback, can opt to attend this face-to-face workshop.

This blended learning approach allows flexibility and uses expert support to draw upon face-to-face learning experiences that are essential for required skill development.

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment strategy used aims to progressively develop student knowledge and skills to enable them to meet the learning outcomes for this unit; in other words, it supports student learning as well as providing a means to demonstrate learning. In order to develop the knowledge, comprehension and skills required to achieve the learning outcomes and Graduate Attributes, students will:

• first, demonstrate knowledge and understanding of advanced simulation techniques through a critique of contemporary simulation and education literature (for example, a short answer format paper),
• second, advance understanding by synthesising this knowledge through the construction of a session plan for a simulation activity, and
• finally, as a hurdle requirement, apply knowledge and understanding through the delivery of designed simulation activity. 

Each assessment task in this unit will be assessed according to criteria and standards that are simplified and summarised in the form of a rubric. The rationale for the use of rubrics in this unit is to provide students with a clear statement of the performance expectations for each assessment task, and to provide clarity around what students need to do to succeed. Further, the use of rubrics aims to provide students with helpful feedback about the quality of their work. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Billett, S., & Henderson, A. (Eds.). (2011). Developing learning professionals. Integrating experiences in university and practice settings. Springer.

Hellaby, M. (2013). Healthcare simulation in practice. M&K Publishing

Levine, A.I., DeMaria Jr., S., Schwartz, A.D., & Sim, A.J. (Eds.). (2013). The comprehensive textbook of healthcare simulation. Springer.

Nestel, D., Kelly, M., Jolly, B. & Watson, M. (Eds.) (2018). Healthcare simulation education: Evidence, theory and practice. Wiley Blackwell.

Sherwood, G.D., & Horton-Deutsch, S. (Eds.). (2017). Reflective practice. Transforming education and improving outcomes. Sigma Theta Tau International.