Facilitating SoTL Engagement in Dentistry

Donald Cameron & Robert McKerlie

Introduction

• Background and context - Donald Cameron • Project proposal – Robert McKerlie

Dental Education Research Group

• Educational Research– Staffing & Staff Development– University of Glasgow LTDF & Chancellor’s Fund– NHS National Education Scotland

• Current projects– Scholarship– E-Learning research

• Strategy for the group

INTRODUCTION

Dental School Research Activity

To promote scholarship, in all its forms, and to expand the evidence base for teaching, learning and assessment in Dentistry.

Dental Education Research Group

Formed in December 2008

Twelve committee members

2 University Teachers 4 Senior Clinical University Teachers 2 Senior Clinical Lecturers Senior Lecturer Lecturer E-Learning Scientific Development Officer Clerk

Why a Dental Education Research Group?

• Developing, managing and ensuring educational quality (McKimm 2003. BMJ 326, 870-873)

• Identified as a key theme for dental and oral health research in Scotland

• Academic and NHS stakeholders• NHS Education for Scotland (NES)

– Investment– Expertise

NHS Education for Scotland

Dental Directorate• Postgraduate education and training• Undergraduate education

– Additional Cost of Teaching ACT (D)

• Two innovative national programmes funded by NES– Confederated Learning Environment Online (CLEO)– Work Programme for 2D and 3D Digital Visualisation

Past to Present

• Continuation of the established research – Database of educational research (2000 onward)

• 2000-09 (9 LTDF grants and 2 Chancellor's fund grants)

– Curriculum development (reflective practice)

• Learning and Teaching Development funded projects– Two current projects from LTDF 2009-10

• ‘An investigation of the utility of a form of syndicate learning within a pre-clinical course of the undergraduate dental curriculum’. Robert McKerlie, Donald Cameron, Andrea Sheriff & Catherine Bovill.

• ‘Peer Assisted Learning – an innovative approach for developing clinical and manual skills within Dentistry’. Donald Cameron, Andrew Crothers, Andrea Sherriff, Vivian Binnie.

Future

• Confederated Learning Environment Online (CLEO)

C

L EO

2D and 3D Digital Visualisation

Collaborative Learning Environment online (CLEO)

A fully collaborative venture between all Scottish dental schools/ institutes

The delivered resources are to be freely available to use by all institutions so must be relevant and useful to all.

This will be made accessible via the Scotland-wide (CLEO) project repository for sharing by all of those involved in delivering dental education across Scotland.

Glasgow Microbiology, Histology, Dental AnatomyDundee Physiology, Embryology and Developmental Biology, PharmacologyAberdeen Pathology, Geriatric Dentistry, virtual patient development Edinburgh Post Graduate clinical procedures, dental materials

Glasgow School of Art Digital Design Studio

The Digital Design Studio (DDS)at the Glasgow School of Art (GSA)

In the RAE 2008, GSA, returning 84% of research active staff, emerged asthe most significant research centre in Art & Design with the exception of the London Institute.

The DDS specialises in advanced 3D visualisation and interaction technologies. These technologies consist of haptics, 3D sound, advanced interfaces, tracking devices, gesture based interaction, 3D displays, machine vision and speech recognition.

Digital Design Studio

• In 2006, the DDS conducted a Feasibility Study funded by the SFC to establish a network of academics, clinicians, practitioners and scientists.

• Scottish Medical Visualisation Network (SMVN), led by the DDS, brought together 22 medical disciplines from 44 organisations across Scotland.

Work Packages

Work Package A• Three Dimensional Anatomical Model

Work Package B• Patient Safety

Work Package C• Health Inequalities

Work Package D• Common Disease Processes

3D Anatomical Data of the Head and Neck Region

• Suitable embalmed male Caucasian cadaver (salt embalmed cadaver)• Dissection and image capture of head and neck soft tissue • Scanning and photography performed to allow accurate

reconstruction of dental related anatomy

Skin and subcutaneous tissue – Superficial muscles, nerves, glands and blood vessels– Superficial muscles of mastication, including masseter and temporalis– Deeper dissection musculature including genioglossus, geniohyoid, mylohyoid,

lateral and medial pterygoids, digastric and buccinators.

Future

• Develop links/collaboration with stakeholders– Universities

• (Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Glasgow School of Art)

– NES

• Scottish Oral Health Research Strategy Group

The Project

The Quality Enhancement Theme

“To promote scholarship, in all its forms, and to expand the evidence base for teaching, learning and assessment in Dentistry.”

Improving the learning experience

Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

The Proposed Development

The aim of this proposal is to offer professional development opportunities to a group of academic staff at the dental school by supporting their engagement with SoTL.

This group will be taken through a structured process that will enable them to initiate, implement and disseminate a SoTL project

The Format

• Open to all academics• Meeting monthly

– Five workshops (getting started, adequate preparation, appropriate methods & significant results, dissemination, reflection) facilitated by the beSoTLed team.

– Seven project focused discussion sessions– Development space within Moodle

• Period of 12 months• Dissemination event

– Local event open to all staff– Opportunity to disseminate details of SoTL projects, making

them public.

• Publication of SoTL Project Case study– Peer-reviewed short case-study of project (not a barrier to

future journal publication.

Discussion Points

1. Do you see merit in looking at SOTL within a single subject/discipline area?

2. How do we encourage engagement in SoTL?

3. How do we maintain it?