Ideal Amount of Preparation Time

One of the questions on our survey asked what the students' ideal amount of preparation time is, and respondents overwhelmingly preferred 15-30 minutes per hour of class. Although other numbers have been cited as the ideal prep time for students, we implore instructors to remember that our curriculum does not currently provide enough time to accommodate several hours of prep time for each hour of class time simply because we already spend a large part of our day in class. We do understand the value of preparatory work, and we also strive to do all that is set out for us, but we feel frustrated because that often means we have no time left to review and consolidate what we have learned.

Online Modules

Online modules are a great way to present information in a manner that flows logically and concisely. We really appreciate the thought that goes into planning them. They tend to focus more on approaches to clinical situations, which is practical knowledge that we find especially valuable. In addition, they can incorporate both audio and visual elements in the forms of images, videos, and sound.

An example from the Queen's technical skills website is linked in here.

Narrated Powerpoints

Narrated powerpoints are essentially take-home lectures that we can listen to and view on our own time. We really enjoyed them as preparatory material, especially when they were used to present foundational knowledge that was then reinforced in class. They appeal to both auditory and visual learners with the added convenience of pausing and rewinding. However, we feel they should only be used as an adjuvant to teaching, and not a replacement for an entire class.

An example narrated powerpoint-type learning object developed by Dr. Lewis Tomalty can be viewed at http://meds.queensu.ca/courses/assets/presentations/pathogenesis/.