by Stephanie Walters, PharmD, PGY2 Geriatric
Pharmacy Pracitce Resident, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
Standardization seems to be defining our educational system,
from the Common Core in grade schools to standardized curriculum in graduate
schools. While it is valid and important to have quality standards, standardization risks minimizing
individuality, curiosity, and creativity. Sir Ken Robinson, leading creativity
expert in education, addresses these three principles for improving our
education system in his TED Talk, “How to escape
education’s death valley.”1 Sir
Robinson has been the featured speaker in several TED Talks, always
highlighting the importance of creativity and how to foster it. While Sir
Robinson focuses on childhood education; however, I believe we can relate these
same concepts to the adult learner.
Principle
1: Diversity and Individuality
It may seem obvious, but every person is different. While
standards in education
may be needed to ensure quality between different settings, at the same time it
can discount diversity and lessens the emphasis on individuality. I loved the
example Sir Robinson explains regarding the educational system in Finland: when
Americans asked how the Finnish educational system addressed dropouts they
responded, "Well,
we don't have one. Why would you drop out? If people are in trouble, we get to
them quite quickly and we help and support them."
Per
a report from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the average
attrition rate at US Colleges/Schools of Pharmacy is ~10.5%.2 This
same sentiment used in Finnish grade schools could definitely be utilized for
the pharmacy student as well. Pharmacy students come from a variety of
backgrounds. Whether it’s a second career choice or coming straight from high
school, there is wide diversity within this cohort. Understanding and embracing
these differences should create a thriving learning environment. One strategy
utilized in the Finnish educational system, is the idea of not focusing on standardization.
Instead, they take a broader approach to education (including arts, science,
humanities) and there is no standardized tests. This strategy individualizes
the learning environment and assigns responsibilities to the school level, as
opposed to mandates from the state or federal governments. Thus, providing
enough resources to address these diversities at a school level, as the Finns
do, is imperative to support the adult learners and provide a quality learning
environment.
Principle 2: Curiosity
and Learning
Curiosity
didn’t kill the cat. Instead, curiosity drives the act of learning. In a study
of college students in Hong Kong, China, students with
high levels of curiosity were shown to have more intrinsic motivation. External regulations (i.e. rules and university
policy) had no effect on improving students’ motivation.3 These
findings are quite striking when we look at the standardized structures and
regulations within graduate programs like pharmacy schools. Finding a balance
between meeting these standards and cultivating curiosity is a necessity.
Active learning strategies used in a variety of educational
settings might promote curiosity among learners. Curiosity is defined as a
desire to know or learn. In the large classroom setting, providing interesting,
interactive cases or group discussion on hot topics can foster this desire to
learn. Within an active, hands-on learning setting, such clinical practice
sites, the teacher can foster further curiosity by understanding the student’s
interests and providing opportunities for new experiences that align with those
interests. This approach empowers students through their own individual
interests, and thus fuels their curiosity.
Principle
3: Innate Creativity
Sir Robinson is most widely known for his advocacy of promoting
creativity in education. He believes we are all inherently creative, and this
creativity fosters diversity as well as inspires curiosity. It’s a cycle that creates
flourishing learning environments. For adult learners, a teacher can promote
creativity by using a creative problem solving model, like the Osborne-Parnes model.4
This model uses a creative thinking process (from mess-finding to
acceptance-finding) that can be used in a variety of adult learning experiences
and to promote problem solving.
Instruction should be designed to engage the learner using these
three important principles. The needs of teachers should not be overlooked! Teachers
need continuous professional development and support. Offering courses on
educational theory, workshops of active learning techniques, and encouraging
the use of technology with adult learners are just a few ways to help translate
these principles into practice. For
example, educating teachers about the different approaches and theories of
learning provides a variety of avenues (i.e. constructivism, mindset, or andragogy) that
can foster diversity, curiosity, and creativity.5-7
As Albert Einstein once said, “It is the supreme art of the
teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”
Bibliography
- Robinson K. How to escape education’s death valley [Internet Video]. TED Talks Education. 2013 April [cited 2015 Sept 29].
- Academic Pharmacy’s Vital Statistics [Internet]. American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. 2015 Oct [updated 2015 Oct 5; cited 2015 Oct 25].
- Hon-keung Y, Man-shan K, Lai-fong C. The Impact of Curiosity and External Regulation on Intrinsic Motivation: An Empirical Study in Hong Kong Education. Psychology Research. 2012 May;2(5):295-307.
- Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Model [Internet]. Teaching Creativity. 2009 Jun [updated 25 Jun 2009; cited 2015 Nov 6].
- Constructivism (philosophy of education) [Internet]. Wikipedia. 2015 Nov [updated 2015 Nov 6; cited 2015 Nov 6].
- Dweck C. Mindset [Internet]. Mindset Online. 2010 [updated 2010; cited 2015 Nov 6].
- Pappas C. The Adult Learning Theory – Andragogy [Internet]. eLearning Industry. 2013 May 9 [updated ; cited 6 Nov 2015].
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