Welcome to Day #6 of the Blog Carnival honoring
the International Week for Respecting Childbirth.
We are focusing this Blog Carnival on the importance of childbirth education.
The Blending and Balancing of High Touch and High Tech:
A New Way of Learning
By Dianne Moran
My
professional career began in 1974 and has been dedicated to helping, teaching
and empowering expectant mothers and their partners. As much as I have
given of myself over the years, I am always surprised what I have received back
two-fold.
A few
years have passed since I began my career, but my passion for childbirth
education is just as strong. Every day I speak to colleagues who are
worried about their jobs as prenatal, childbirth, breastfeeding and baby care
educators. They are fearful their departments will not survive cutbacks
and budget woes. They ask, "How do we get the higher-ups to
understand that what we do is so important, not only to the community but to
the hospital's bottom line"?
We, as a
group of passionate educators, need to rethink how we teach this new generation
of expectant parents and that involves change. Today's learners are much
different than they were 40 years ago! Not only do we have to change, but
we also have to understand how this generation prefers to learn and get their
information.
Change is
scary to all of us, however, as educators we have to step out of our comfort
zones. I do not want to see us losing “touch” with parents-to-be.
The basic information is the same, but it has to be taught differently in order
to sustain their attention. I believe now is the perfect time to blend
high touch and high tech. My goal and passion is to attract more
participants and I truly believe with the ideas that float around in my head,
it will!
Research
tells us that Gen Y’ers are a group of people, used to exercising
control. They are experts at how they consume information. They
want to get in, get the information they desire and get out as quickly as
possible. Through research, I have learned:
This
group:
- Are
digital natives where their parents are not
- Have
very short attention spans
- Are
resistant to lectures
- Prefer
instructors that are in action and not just talking
They
prefer:
- Visual
stimulation
- Creative
thinking
- Not
to be locked in to straight lecture
- Engaging,
gaming activities
- Sharing
openly with others
So I had
an "Aha!" moment…I was listening to Connie Livingston, a renowned
researcher in the field of childbirth education, speak to educators about how
we are losing that high touch aspect we all are passionate about as educators,
to online learning and social media and how we are missing the mark with
today’s learners. Immediately a vision of bringing technology into the classroom
setting came to me. I saw each learner with their own device in the
classroom, following along with the instructor. They were involved and
engaged because they had been provided with interactive tools. They were
using technology to learn and view evidence-based materials, along with
information about their birthing facility. It was at that moment I knew
change was not only needed, but necessary!
I am
piloting this idea in five prestigious facilities. I want to know and
understand from these learners, first hand, what they need to know and how they
want to learn. It will be interesting and I am up for the challenge to
not only to learn for myself, but so I can share this valuable wisdom with my
peers.
I know
change is hard, but we have to keep reminding ourselves as educators, that is
not about us – but those individuals we are so passionate about teaching.
Dianne Moran RN, LCCE, ICD is the manager of Program Development for Customized Communications Inc. where she develops new products for the company, which involves constantly learning new things, thinking of cutting-edge materials and programs, and acting as a visionary for the future success of the company. Her passion for what she does matches the passion of the women she talks with on a daily basis in the field of obstetrics. As a former labor and delivery nurse and childbirth educator, she can relate to my peers. Dianne loves to help them problem-solve and develop new and unique educational products for their patients. One of Dianne's favorite roles with the company is traveling and meeting with the educators and managers at hospitals all over the country. There are special bonds and friendships made that have enriched her life as well as inspired her to continue strong in what she does: educate patients to enhance their lives.
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