Filed under: Uncategorized
While preparing to teach a semester-course on Innovations in Appropriate Biomedical Technology in Nicaragua this fall, we have had a chance to further analyze some of the lessons learned from the focus group in Esteli.
The previous post describes our ideas for overcoming the challenges of social construct and professional hierarchy within the class room while teaching the MEDIK (Medical Education & Design Invention Kit) modules. Along with brainstorming about ways to balance the professional differences of participants through class structure, we have also thought through ways to design and present the MEDIK exercises to increase participation of all of the students.
Within the drug delivery kit, the most well recieved exercises were the bike-pump-powered nebulizer and the inhaler modeled after a toy helicopter motor. With both of these exercises students were able to grasp the function of the inhaler and nebulizer and replicate those using material provided.
Nursing students and professionals making a nebulizer powered by a bike pump.
Student finalizing the inhaler prototype.
Another observation from Esteli is the importance of finding an optimal group number for the participants. With more than 7-8 students the exercises became a bit chaotic and the more timid participants avoided participation by watching the participants with the stronger, dominant personalities. For example, when we asked the participants to construct the function of an auto-disable syringe in teams of 2, only one of the teams was actively constructing while the other three teams watched in confusion. This may also be a reflection of how the exercise was presented, as well as the hierarchial differences between nursing students and professionals.
Overall, the students really enjoyed the workshop, we even recruited some potential students for the Innovation course at CIES this fall! The focus groups were an excellent opportunity to introduce the medical community in Esteli to the art of innovating through the MEDIK modules and also for our team to continue to learn about the challenges we will face in the classroom and how to improve the design of the MEDIK exercises.
Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment
