Springer Publishing Company Fostering Learning in Small Groups: A Practical Guide (Springer Series on Medical Education)

Drawing on years of experience, the authors address the questions that educators may have about teaching small groups in the health professions. The first half of the book focuses on practical strategies involved in planning and facilitating learning in small groups. The authors discuss the characteristics of effective groups and emphasize the importance of using a collaborative approach. The second half focuses on planning for leading small groups that have specific purposes, such as providing a forum for discussion and dialogue, teaching communication skills, and helping learners to reflect on their patient care experience, and more. The book's broad orientation and practical emphasis will be useful to all educator in health care. From the Inside Flap Drawing on years of experience, the authors address the questions that educators may have about teaching small groups in the health professions. The first half of the book focuses on practical strategies involved in planning and facilitating learning in small groups. The authors discuss the characteristics of effective groups and emphasize the importance of using a collaborative approach. The second half focuses on planning for leading small groups that have specific purposes such as providing a forum for discussion and dialogue, teaching communication skills, and helping learners to reflect on their patient care experiences, and more. The book's broad orientation and practical emphasis will be useful to all educators in health care. From the Back Cover " Drawing on years of experience, the authors address the questions that educators may have about teaching small groups in the health professions. The first half of the book focuses on practical strategies involved in planning and facilitating learning in small groups. The authors discuss the characteristics of effective groups and emphasize the importance of using a collaborative approach. The second half focuses on planning for leading small groups that have specific purposes, such as providing a forum for discussion and dialogue, teaching communication skills, and helping learners to reflect on their patient care experience, and more. The book's broad orientation and practical emphasis will be useful to all educator in health care. " About the Author Jane Westberg, PhD, is Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Faculty Associate in the Ethics and Humanities Program at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. She is also Associate Editor of Education for Health and Co-Director of the Center for Instructional Support in Boulder, Colorado. Previously, she served on the faculties of the University of Miami School of Medicine (where she was Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Associate Director of the National Center for Faculty Development) and George Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Westberg has consulted with, and designed and facilitated workshops for, thousands of health professions educators in a wide range of areas, particularly teaching, learning and communication in education and health care. She has written numerous articles, chapters, and instructional materials for health professionals and is senior author (coauthor Hilliard Jason) of the CIS GuideBooks: Providing Constructive Feedback (1991) and Making Presentations (1991), and of the Springer Publishing Company books: Collaborative Clinical Education: The Foundation of Effective Health Care (1993), Teaching Creatively with Video: Fostering Reflection, Communication and Other Clinical Skills (1994), and Fostering Learning in Small Groups: A Practical Guide (1996), all with Hilliard Jason. She is co-author, also with Jason, of Teachers and Teaching in U.S. Medical Schools and lead writer and producer-director of more than 40 educational video programs and an audiotape program and set of manuals entitled, Spanish in Health Care, which is designed to help students and professionals learn