Learner Assessment b.)

Create engaging learning solutions to improve health professions education.

Artifact Reflection:

Performance Appraisal File/Professional Project from the Univeristy of Iowa

For this artifact, I drew heavily on my professional experience at the University of Iowa, as well as the knowledge and skills I developed in my Instructional Design for Health Professions Education course. This project allowed me to apply principles of design, the design process, and thoughtful consideration of learning environments and modalities to create a more engaging and functional solution for health professions education. Specifically, I focused on improving and modernizing the Performance Appraisal File used for students enrolled in Clinical Internship courses.

The previous appraisal process was inefficient, confusing, and difficult for both educators and students to navigate. It required pulling information from three separate platforms and relied on outdated Microsoft Word functions to calculate grades. In practice, this meant educators were manually dragging clip art circles over numbers to indicate scores, then compiling everything into a PDF “binder” for students to review. Recognizing how cumbersome and error-prone this process was, I took ownership of the project in my role as clinical coordinator to streamline and improve the system.

The updated Performance Appraisal File now functions as a true one-stop solution using Microsoft Excel. The new format incorporates point-and-click features, drop-down menus, automatic calculations, and built-in formulas that significantly reduce grading time and improve accuracy. One of the most impactful updates was the development of a checkbox tracking system for exam proficiencies. Because tracking competencies is essential for graduation eligibility, this system automatically counts completed requirements and clearly indicates student compliance with program standards.

An added benefit of this redesign is transparency for students. The document can be shared as “view only,” allowing students to monitor their progress toward required exams and competencies at any time, rather than waiting for scheduled meetings. Overall, this project reflects my commitment to thoughtful instructional design, efficiency, and learner-centered transparency in clinical education.

Artifact Reflection:

Applying Science of Learning Activity/HPTT 802 Instructional Design for Health ProfessionsEducation

The Applying Science of Learning Activity required me to reflect on key concepts from the article Twelve Tips for Applying Science of Learning to Health Professions Education and intentionally connect those ideas to strategies I had observed and used in my own clinical work (Gooding et al., 2017). Through this activity, I focused on evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of three major themes presented in the article: Learning in Relationship and Context, Harnessing the Power of Emotions for Learning, and Promoting Effortful Learning. To deepen my understanding of these themes, I researched two scholarly articles for each topic that related directly to my field. This process helped me better understand the role of authentic clinical experiences, psychologically safe learning environments, and evidence-based teaching strategies such as spacing and interleaving content.

At the time I originally wrote this reflection, I was not yet teaching in a formal classroom setting or instructing clinical skills at an academic level. However, I was able to apply many of these principles in my role as a clinical preceptor. For example, I intentionally challenged students during scanning sessions and encouraged them to engage in practice that closely mirrored real-world clinical experiences. This helped build confidence while maintaining high expectations.

Now, I regularly apply effortful learning strategies, such as spacing and interleaving content throughout my lectures, which have proven invaluable for supporting long-term knowledge retention. This activity helped bridge my clinical teaching experience with academic instruction and has had a lasting impact on how I design learning experiences for my students.

Gooding, H. C., Mann, K., & Armstrong, E. (2017). Twelve tips for applying the science of learning to health professions education. Medical teacher, 39(1), 26–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2016.1231913