Page 5 - JRCERT Update Articles

JRCERT Update

Every component of the service-learning experience ƒ Did you think only in the radiologic science
is planned and delivered by the students; every com- context, or did you think more broadly to other
ponent includes contacting and meeting with the health professions?
community entity and writing reflections connecting ƒ Would you like the radiologic technologist in your
the experience with course content. description to be you?
Students reported gaining practical experience and Role playing can prepare students for what to expect
benefited from engaging in educationally purposeful while serving an underserved population, such as a shel-
activities that prepared them for their career. The ter for the homeless or a shelter for women who have
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reflection on the realistic experience can be used as experienced domestic violence. Much detail should be
a measurement tool for a student-learning outcome. provided for each role students might have so they have
Clinical practicums are designed to prepare radio- guidance for providing support as well as achieving the
logic technology students for a career in the radiologic desired learning outcomes of the course. 20
sciences. Internships also provide realistic life experi- Direct evidence of student learning from high-
ences for college students to gain job skills needed for impact practices can be demonstrated on the
employment. Similarly, clinical practicums are designed assessment using rubrics. Rubrics can be created
for radiologic science students to prepare for a career in or adapted from Valid Assessment of Learning in
radiologic sciences. These practicums are essential to Undergraduate Education (VALUE) rubrics devel-
student success, offering a method to successfully mea- oped by the American Association of Colleges and
sure student-learning outcomes. 10 Universities. 21,22 VALUE rubrics can be adapted into
grading rubrics for specific courses and activities.
Critical Reflection and Rubrics Indirect measures also can be used by developing sur-
Critical reflection develops critical thinking skills veys, conducting focus groups, and using comments
by challenging students’ current beliefs and raising new from course evaluations that pertain to high-impact
questions or ideas to be explored. Reflection before, learning practices. 13
during, and after the experience provides the greatest
benefit to student learning. Students can recognize For more information in VALUE rubrics,
what they learned, how what they learned relates to visit asrt.org/as.rt?nVsXih.
their current thinking, and what they might explore in
the future. Radiologic sciences program faculty want
to know whether their desired learning outcomes were ePortfolios
achieved and use the data for program improvement. Implementing ePortfolios in a radiologic technol-
The Table provides a student self-reflection service- ogy program can create a metacognitive learning
learning rubric. experiences for students. Metacognitive learning
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Reflection as an assessment tool can take many is recognizing concepts one does not understand and
forms, such as oral reflection in the form of presenta- selecting learning strategies to improve critical think-
tions, interviews, storytelling, or teaching a class. ing. Students in radiologic sciences can initiate
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6,23
Spoken reflection also can occur at the service site. their ePortfolios in introductory radiologic sciences
Written reflections offer students the opportunity to courses and capture continued learning throughout
connect their experiences with didactic coursework by the entire curriculum. Students archive artifacts and
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organizing their thoughts to make valid arguments. reflections (eg, class projects, research papers, class
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Continued critical reflection in the radiologic sci- notes) throughout the curriculum, build transforma-
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ences requires questioning routines, values, and belief tive learning, link didactic and clinical practice, and
systems. Guided reflection provides a richer, vivid pic- assimilate new knowledge with previous knowledge as
ture of the experience. Guided reflection can include their worldviews evolve and mature. Reflective writ-
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these questions: ing allows the learner to think critically about their

RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY, January/February 2023, Volume 94, Number 3 233
Reprinted with permission from the American Society of Radiologic Technologists for educational purposes. ©2022. All rights reserved.