Creating an Effective Learning Environment

The creation of an effective learning environment will start with assuring that the learner is able to provide for his or her basic needs. The clinical educator can contribute to this by ensuring there are adequate breaks and being mindful of the physical environment in regards to temperature, comfortable seating and space. While workspace in many health care sites can be a challenge, it is helpful for students to have at least some small space that is their own, even if that has to change throughout the externship when desk space becomes available due to staff vacations etc. At there very least, students need some space to put their belongings – their own drawer or a locker for example. If workspace is tight – be sure to have a conversation with the student about how they can best share the space with the others on the team. Aiming to meet the physiologic needs of the student might be considered “the basics”, but if overlooked it can lead to distractions that impair learning.

A good learning environment is one where students should feel safe and supported to ask questions, experiment, voice their concerns, and discuss their learning goals. It may seem obvious that the increased stress caused by feeling unsafe would be counterproductive for learning. While it is rare for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology students to feel concerned about physical safety in their externships, remember that feeling the potential for humiliation or harassment may also compromise the sense of safety. Safety is enhanced when the clinical educator acknowledges the learner’s level of knowledge and skill, works together with the student to determine gaps in learning and sets clear goals and plans to address them. In addition, feedback about student performance can be done in way that shows respect for their progress and effort. The clinical educator and student can agree upon the format for feedback discussions so that the student has knowledge of what kind of feedback to expect and when to expect it. (For additional information about giving feedback – see our module “Giving and Receiving Feedback” on the Community of Practice site. https://clinicaled.audiospeech.ubc.ca/giving-and-receiving-feedback-focus-on-knowledge-skills-and-attitude/. Additional information can also be found in your Externship Handbook in the section entitled “Feedback Conversation”)

Also, consider that being in new or unexpected situations can sometimes lead to concerns related to feeling safe. To mitigate this, as much as possible give the student time to prepare for sessions that will require them to use a new skill: have a discussion of how the session might go, have the student develop a written session plan or allow them to practice in a simulated situation.

It is important to know that UBC has a policy that ensures students have the right to a safe, respectful and productive work environment. For further information about this, there is an online training program related to the prevention of bully and harassment: https://bullyingandharassment.ubc.ca/training-events

Building on Maslow’s hierarchy, the sense of belonging is important in fostering clinical learning. Consider a student who has an externship for 5-7 weeks. How can you help the student to feel a valued part of the team in such a short amount of time? A student arriving on the first day of externship has a great deal to figure out – not the least of which is trying to make sense of the workplace culture and routines. The experience of belongingness may happen over time as the student gains experience with each member of the team, but as time is short, it is helpful if the Clinical Educator takes some actions to promote belongingness, rather than just hoping it will occur passively.

Some of the suggestions about how to do this may seem basic – but can be overlooked with busy work schedules. Here is a checklist that may help Clinical Educators:

1) Make sure to introduce the student to everyone on the team. If it is a large team, consider that it can be difficult to remember everyone’s name and provide a team list or organizational chart if that is available. Prepare your team for the student’s arrival before the externship. Let them know when the student is coming and the students name so that everyone is prepared to welcome the student on the first day.
2) Discuss the different roles and responsibilities on the team and which team member the student can go to for various types of support.
3) Try to make the workplace culture explicit – talk about what you see as the team’s values in very concrete ways. Think about what it is important for a person to know if order to “fit in” at your worksite and describe it for the student. For example, “It is very important that we are all here at 8:00 to help set up the clinic for the day”; “We take lunch from 12:00 – 12:45 and sometimes eat in the coffee room, you are welcome to join us”; “It is important that we have all our documentation completed before we go home for the day. “
4) Include the student in social conversations and events when appropriate. Ask them about their interests and hobbies -make an effort find out who they are beyond just a student clinician.
5) Ask the student’s opinion on clinical cases or in team meetings; encourage them to share their knowledge with you.
6) Be sure to acknowledge the student’s contributions to the team.

Maslow refers to self-esteem originating from two sources: a) one’s own achievements and abilities and b) recognition and respect from others. When we all look back at our days as a student, it is usually easy to recall moments that presented challenges to our self-esteem. In the initial stage of externships, students are typically in the “conscious incompetence“ phase of the learning cycle, meaning that they are acutely aware of all that they do not know and this can be a place of great discomfort. As a Clinical Educator, you can be active in creating an environment where a student receives praise for a job well done, acknowledgement for improvements in performance, and constructive feedback with an underlying message of, “I know you can do this – you’ve got this!” And remember to express appreciation for the hard work the student is doing!

This is our ultimate hope and dream for our students. Some of the characteristics of a person on their way to self-actualization include: curiosity about the unknown or misunderstood; strong problem solving skills; willing to try new approaches; highly creative.

This is where we want our students to end up. If we have paid attention to all of the building blocks in creating an effective learning environment, we are helping to set the stage so that our students can get there.

It is important to note that self-actualization is a continual process of becoming rather than a state of perfection. We know that we all are lifelong learners and so we should consider that we may actually have a lot in common with our student clinicians.