ASSessment and prior work

The module-assessed material consists of three pieces of work as well as completion of the end of SSC sign off form.



(We do not expect you to complete the QMUL SEED application by the end of the SSC but we would expect you to start drafting your application and you will have extra time to complete your final application form.)

Reflection

Students must complete a 1500-word reflection on their experience during this module. We encourage you to reflect on your challenges, accomplishments and how you have developed as an educator and mentor. As part of the reflection, we ask students also include at least one paragraph discussing their creative enquiry.

Students often use the contents of their reflections for their SEED application. Given that SEED requires applicants to reference at least one piece of scholarly literature, we recommend that students include at least one piece of scholarly literature in their reflections for this module.

Below is an excerpt from a reflection written by Varshan Karunakaran, a Year 5 SSC student who taught at Ecclesbourne Practise.


"The sessions I taught were on angina and acute coronary syndrome as well as shortness of breath and the respiratory exam. I used PowerPoint slides as a teaching tool and I specifically included details which I thought would have helped me when I was in third year. I found that teaching helped me also consolidate my own revision but also helped me work on my techniques to teach others by making sure the audience were engaged and keeping the sessions interactive. I definitely think this should be a part of the fifth year GP rotation in the future." 


Varshan Karunakaran

Year 5 Medical Student, Near-Peer SSC 2021

Reflection of teaching session organised at the Ecclesbourne Practice for Year 3 Students.





Creative enquiry

Reflective practise is the continuous process of exploring what we have learnt, how we are impacted by, and what we feel during different situations, people, and events [ref]. Creative enquiry is creative-reflective work where individuals explore their experiences through the arts. This work may involve poetry, drama, photography, painting or any art form coupled with reflection. Creative enquiry allows for imaginative engagement with your own experiences alongside empathising with other people's experiences [ref]. Students may find that through creative enquiry they may connect with an artform they may have otherwise not engaged with, encouraging experimentation and students to flourish in a way that differs from traditional reflection [ref].

Harris Nageswaran details on their website, Creative Reflections, a four step method developing a creative enquiry:




1. Setting the Scene

The first step is creating a reflective space: a concept formed by your subject, format, and participants (you may want to involve others besides yourself) alongside adequate time for reflection. Students may choose a format based on practicality, available resources, and comfort, however, others may pick based on other conditions, such as the desire for experimentation. It is entirely your decision, but students can find it can take time to settle on a format they are satisfied with.



2. Asking questions

Once you are happy with the other components of your scene, further consider your subject. Focus on the events/series or events or general theme which will inspire your reflection. Some students may find it easier to focus by asking questions to direct their reflection, whether this questioning occurs in their head or on paper as a spider diagram. 



Charles Darwin 1983 - Jean-Michel Basquiat.

3. Experimenting & having fun

This stage is where you finally start conveying the events you experienced and your reflection using your chosen medium. You may find that your first attempt might not match what you wanted to express, and often there is a trial and error aspect to this stage, with some students reconsidering their previously chosen format. We encourage you to keep experimenting with your idea until you're satisfied with both your process and the end result.



4. Share your work

Although optional, sharing your enquiry with others can prove rewarding as it is an opportunity to show off your hard work and to collaborate with others. Collaboration can allow those you share your work with to find meaning or symbolism that you yourself may not have noticed and can inspire others to create their own enquiry or reflect on their own practice.




Below are two creative enquiry pieces from Ayaa Alqallaf and Andrew Whitehead.


A guide is a light

That shows you the path

No...

A guide is a manual

That directs and instructs

No...

A guide is a book, a novel

That tells stories with a lesson to be learned 

No...

But can we agree that a guide is always right.

No...

Because a guide must also be guided and there are always lessons to be learnt

Research to be done

Stories to be told

And the best prizes are found in mistakes

And the best guides are found in the greatest of students 



Ayaa Alqallaf

Year 5 Medical Student, Near-Peer SSC 2023

A short poem titled A Guide.







Andrew Whitehead 

Year 5 Medical Student, Near-Peer Elective 2022

"For my creative enquiry, I chose to explore psychological safety. My interpretation of this concept is that it is the responsibility of an educator to create a learning environment where students feel safe to contribute and engage without fear of getting answers wrong, being ridiculed or feeling embarrassed. I developed an interest for this topic after attending the Great Programme and NUGGETS discussions on student participation in teaching & learning opportunities.

I reflected on my own experiences (and emotions) of teaching opportunities where I did not feel comfortable engaging with questions or volunteering my thoughts or participation, and I considered what I could do as an educator to avoid my students feeling a similar way. I asked students and doctors about times when they have felt that they did not have this psychological safety. They responded with (i) negative thoughts that they have had and/or (ii) quotes from educators who have said something to them that made them feel any of the above ways."






Teaching portfolio

Your Teaching Portfolio supports the reflective documents discussed above and evidences the work you complete during this module. Students are free to organise their portfolios as they see fit, however, please ensure that the portfolio is easy to navigate and that all documents and folders are clearly labelled. Examples of software available for portfolio creation include Google Drive and Office 365. Alternatively, students can send their work in a collated folder over email.

Below is an example of a Google Drive Teaching Portfolio that was created by Serena Ramjee, a Year 5 SSC student.



Serena Ramjee

Year 5 Medical Student, Near-Peer SSC 2023