GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE
DEVELOPMENT GRANT
“When change invades our
life against our will, or when we must let go against our desires, something
can happen to our feelings…” (Miller, 1995, p. 36)
Proposed new course:
Nurs:
xxxW Exploring transitions in end of life: A multicultural interdisciplinary
experience
Submitted by faculty of the
Lynn
Allchin ,Assistant Professor,lynn.allchin@uconn.edu; Arthur Engler, Assistant
Professor, Arthur.engler@uconn.edu; Kathryn.Hegedus,Associate Professor,Kathryn.hegedus@uconn.edu;
John McNulty,Lecturer,John.McNulty@uconn.edu; E. Carol Polifroni, Associate
Professor, carol.polifroni@uconn.edu
Goals of proposal:
1. Design, implement and evaluate a new general education course offering: Exploring transitions in end of life: A multicultural interdisciplinary experience.
2. Design,
implement and evaluate a train the trainer model for the development of future
interdisciplinary courses
addressing universals of the human experience.
Student objectives:
Through
a multicultural lens, enhance students’ understanding of the human experience
of end of life.
Grant activities:
During
the 2005-2006 academic year, the course will be
developed, approved through GEOC, and scheduled for offering in Fall 2006 and
Spring 2007. The activities begin with the convening of the interdisciplinary
group from Nursing, Allied Health, Business, Family Studies, Pharmacy and CLAS
and addressing the proposed project (the course and the train the trainer
model) and its related goals. The purpose of this activity is to both design
the specific course as well as to develop a model for training the trainer for
future interdisciplinary course development. Once buy-in is achieved, the
project development will begin with all elements of course design, content,
evaluation and pedagogical approach to be addressed.
The
proposed course is envisioned to be a three-credit interactive course meeting
twice per week in 1.5-hour sessions; most likely offered during the evening to
maximize participation across a myriad of disciplines. The identified faculty
will explore whether it is feasible to offer this course at the Regional
campuses as well as
The pedagogical approach to be proposed is a combination of lecture, discussion, and classroom and out-of-classroom interactive strategies (museum docents, films (Whose life is it anyway?; WIT), writing obituaries, cemetery visits, photography, sympathy cards, as a few examples).
Fit with general education system: Diversity
and Multiculturalism/ W skill code
Interdisciplinary
education is “an educational approach in which two or more disciplines
collaborate in the learning process with the goal of fostering
interprofessional interactions that enhance the practice of each discipline. Such interdisciplinary education is based on mutual understanding
and respect for the actual and potential contributions of the disciplines” (www.aacn.nche.edu/Publications/positions/interdis.htm).
Furthermore, given that “professional socialization occurs early and often
before career choices are made, …that socialization occurs in the context of
other professions and third that skills needed for interdisciplinary
collaboration ( negotiation, team building, joint decision making and problem
solving) are learnable” (www.aacn.nche.edu/Publications/positions/interdis.htm),
it is important to introduce interdisciplinary education early and within the
liberal arts core of professional studies (www.aacn.nche.edu/Publications/positions/interdis.htm).
Consistent
with offering such a course early in one’s academic program, the proposed
course will meet the specific goals of UCONN’s General Education Program:
acquisition of intellectual breadth and versatility, critical judgment, moral
sensitivity, awareness of their era and society, consciousness of the human
culture and experience and the ability to acquire and consistently use
knowledge.
End
of life is a universal experience. It is not restricted to those within the
health professions but, rather, a universal experience that each of us will
address for ourselves as well as for our loved ones. End of life is often
conceptualized within the context of the elderly, but the advancement of
society with the challenges and risks therein, makes end of life a topic for
all ages. End of life is intimately related to the goals of the General
Education Program by its natural need to examine the experience of end of life
and enhancing awareness through a societal, personal and multicultural lens, to
address moral sensitivity by examining issues of withholding fluids and food
versus using technology at whatever human cost, and by exposing the human
conscious through examination of cultural approaches, beliefs, and values on
end of life.
The
course, offered with a nursing number (we are open to an INTD number as well)
but created by an interdisciplinary team, will assist individuals to address
end of life from a myriad of perspectives…the provision of care as well as the
receipt of care, the legal issues, the moral issues, the societal
challenges/opportunities and the personal growth associated wherewith.
The
course will naturally ‘fit’ into the DIVERSITY and MULTICULTURALISM category by
addressing the human experience (thoughts, values and perceptions) of end of
life from a variety of cultures examining the similarities and differences
between and among cultures as well as the development of a sensitivity and
understanding about end of life from a multicultural perspective. It will be
offered as a W option to assure a class size for appropriate discussion, and it
will meet the criteria of a W course by having writing assignments that enhance
the understanding of end of life, and a minimum of 15 pages of text that will be
submitted for feedback and edited and revised as appropriate throughout the
course. The written assignments will be scholarly as well as deeply personal.
Add to current offerings:
Currently,
there is one university course, HDFS 252, on Death, dying and bereavement. This
course is not interdisciplinary; it is not focused on the transitions
surrounding end of life per se, but rather the death aspect of the process. In
contrast, the “Exploring transitions in end of life: A multicultural
interdisciplinary experience” proposed course will focus on the entire
experience of end of life from the perspectives identified above. Additionally,
the proposed course is being proposed as a train the trainer model for
interdisciplinary education and collaboration. The processes used to initiate
this course offering will be assessed and evaluated as well as the course
itself. Train the trainer is important so that the design of new courses using
an interdisciplinary framework need not be so cumbersome or time intensive.
Evaluation:
The
success of the course will be evaluated in several ways: use of standardized
instruments assessing knowledge of end of life from a multicultural
perspective, student course evaluations using standard UCONN forms as well as a
portfolio review of their submitted works over the semester, faculty evaluation
of the course, success of the train the trainer model, and interest in future enrollment by
others.
Program Director:
Laura Dzurec, Dean and Professor,
Violet is used as our shading as it is the
color for healing, energy and unitary human experiences.
School of Nursing
GEOC PROPOSAL: Clarification information
Exploring transitions in end of life: A multicultural interdisciplinary experience
Teaching objectives:
Examples
have been added to these objectives to clarify our intent.
Through
a multicultural lens, enhance students’ understanding of the human experience
of end of life.
Evaluation methods:
Several evaluative tools will be used to meet the objectives above as well as evaluate the course overall.
1.
Pre and post measures on values, cultural competency and
interdisciplinary work (team building, joint decision making, collaboration and
negotiation specifically)
In
communication with ITL, we are searching for measures of interdisciplinary
learning outcomes.
Train the trainer:
We’ve
revised our original plan re train the trainer. We will now subscribe to the
“Training-of-Trainers” (TOT) methodology first initiated with the world’s first
peacetime hospital ship, the SS Hope.
The primary goal of this approach is to achieve sustainability by: 1)
utilizing expert teachers to identify and provide program content and, 2)
incorporate principles of adult learning in all aspects of the program. In
other words, it is our goal that the students who complete this course will
serve as trainers/facilitators for others in end of life transitions, thus
meeting a major societal need.
Faculty will deliver substantive content through guided care/case studies, group projects and identification of current resources. We will utilize Knowles’ concept of andragogy in planning content and learning goals.
The focus will be on independent and self directed learning activities. In addition, we will strive to provide interactive learning modules that utilize experiential techniques and problem-centered approaches.
Involvement of faculty from
other schools:
Faculty and leaders from HDFS, Art & art history, Music, and individuals representing various religions have been contacted about working with us. A letter from HDFS follows. Letters from Music and Art are forthcoming. These individuals from many disciplines will be invited to a planning meeting in mid-summer 2005 and will hear about the plans to date, suggest modifications, define their role and work with us to teach this course as well as evaluate the strategies used including student assignments.
April 1, 2005
Re: General Education Course Development Grant
Exploring transitions in end of life: A multicultural interdisciplinary experience
To Whom It May Concern:
I have reviewed the above-mentioned proposal for the new interdisciplinary course offering. As a Certified Thanatologist, not only do I support the adoption of this course, I would welcome the opportunity to participate in the development and offering of this course.
In addition to being a doctoral student in the School of Family Studies, I am also the instructor of record for the HDFS 252 Death, Dying, and Bereavement course. I have taught the course fourteen times (fall and spring semesters, as well as the winter and summer intersession) here at the University of Connecticut. Based on the content and nature of the course, it is very much in demand.
Sincerely,
Bonnie J. Dickey, MS, CT