Learning Between the Lines: The Application of an Educational Webinar Series to Promote Practical Learning in the Field of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Faculty Advisor Name
Carol Dudding
Department
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Description
During the COVID pandemic, we have been forced to rethink the delivery of quality education. In programs that emphasize professional experience, this has been especially challenging. The Communication Sciences and Disorders department at JMU includes Audiology and Speech Language Pathology graduate programs, both of which seek to provide clinical experience before students leave JMU to complete externships and fellowships in facilities across the U.S. During the COVID pandemic, closed schools and overwhelmed medical facilities in the Harrisonburg community have not been able to support hands-on education of budding speech language pathologists and audiologists. Previously, students had opportunities to form connections and learn from experienced professionals throughout the community. These in-person learning experiences shape the perspectives and judgement of future clinicians, and have been limited by the COVID pandemic.
To support “real-world” learning, Communication Sciences Department began the Spark Webinar Series. Led by Dr. Carol Dudding, and developed by graduate assistant Jennifer Lewis, the Spark Webinar Series aims to provide free practical webinars, presented by a variety of professionals, on student-driven topics. Over the course of Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, the series will have hosted 10 webinars, covering topics from what it’s like to live with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), to how to troubleshoot hearing aids, to end of life ethics. Presenters have included students, professional speech language pathologists, program alumni, JMU educators, a patient with MS and his family, and more. Webinars have casual formats with a focus on interaction and practical knowledge. Interactive components may range from discussion of case studies, use of zoom breakout rooms, interactive video, expert panels, and always time is allotted for students to ask questions.
The audience includes graduate level students and faculty in the Communication Sciences and Disorders department. The webinar series is free and completely optional. Webinar participation has ranged from 20 to 52 attendees and has included speech language pathology students, audiology students, clinical educators, and professors. While the series has had overall success, there are areas for improvement. The participation trend has been downward over the course of the year, inclusion of audiology topics has been challenging, and implementation through email and zoom meetings has posed some challenges. Spark’s success may be attributed to a pool of high-quality speakers willing to volunteer their time, student surveys conducted early in the program to determine preferred meeting times and topics of interest, and having a graduate student lead the program which lowered the barrier for students to contribute ideas and feedback. As Communication Sciences and Disorders grows as a field, programs like the Spark Webinar Series can fill in the cracks and offer students a more diverse education. Post-COVID plans for Spark include in-person workshops and study groups, in addition to the webinar series.
Learning Between the Lines: The Application of an Educational Webinar Series to Promote Practical Learning in the Field of Communication Sciences and Disorders
During the COVID pandemic, we have been forced to rethink the delivery of quality education. In programs that emphasize professional experience, this has been especially challenging. The Communication Sciences and Disorders department at JMU includes Audiology and Speech Language Pathology graduate programs, both of which seek to provide clinical experience before students leave JMU to complete externships and fellowships in facilities across the U.S. During the COVID pandemic, closed schools and overwhelmed medical facilities in the Harrisonburg community have not been able to support hands-on education of budding speech language pathologists and audiologists. Previously, students had opportunities to form connections and learn from experienced professionals throughout the community. These in-person learning experiences shape the perspectives and judgement of future clinicians, and have been limited by the COVID pandemic.
To support “real-world” learning, Communication Sciences Department began the Spark Webinar Series. Led by Dr. Carol Dudding, and developed by graduate assistant Jennifer Lewis, the Spark Webinar Series aims to provide free practical webinars, presented by a variety of professionals, on student-driven topics. Over the course of Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, the series will have hosted 10 webinars, covering topics from what it’s like to live with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), to how to troubleshoot hearing aids, to end of life ethics. Presenters have included students, professional speech language pathologists, program alumni, JMU educators, a patient with MS and his family, and more. Webinars have casual formats with a focus on interaction and practical knowledge. Interactive components may range from discussion of case studies, use of zoom breakout rooms, interactive video, expert panels, and always time is allotted for students to ask questions.
The audience includes graduate level students and faculty in the Communication Sciences and Disorders department. The webinar series is free and completely optional. Webinar participation has ranged from 20 to 52 attendees and has included speech language pathology students, audiology students, clinical educators, and professors. While the series has had overall success, there are areas for improvement. The participation trend has been downward over the course of the year, inclusion of audiology topics has been challenging, and implementation through email and zoom meetings has posed some challenges. Spark’s success may be attributed to a pool of high-quality speakers willing to volunteer their time, student surveys conducted early in the program to determine preferred meeting times and topics of interest, and having a graduate student lead the program which lowered the barrier for students to contribute ideas and feedback. As Communication Sciences and Disorders grows as a field, programs like the Spark Webinar Series can fill in the cracks and offer students a more diverse education. Post-COVID plans for Spark include in-person workshops and study groups, in addition to the webinar series.
