To redesign two nutrition care courses to enhance student satisfaction with: (1) teaching and learning, and (2) preparation for practicum.

This project arose from extensive stakeholder feedback about issues students can face in clinical practicum settings with foundational knowledge recall, clinical reasoning, and confidence. Student feedback also revealed a need for nutrition care course redesign to address teaching and learning issues. A team-led redesign process was informed by a needs assessment, including a review of teaching and learning literature, scan of approaches used by others, and stakeholder consultation. Resultant priorities were to enhance course organization, avoid information overload, utilize dietitians as guest facilitators, enhance student assessment and feedback strategies, and expand opportunities for active learning. A survey of students following implementation of the first revised course indicated improved satisfaction from baseline in key areas related to teaching and learning, including: organization (21% to 86%) and volume (29% to 75%) of lecture content, and effectiveness of lecture content for learning (24% to 96%). Adequacy of feedback on class assignments was identified as an area for further improvement. Survey findings were used to inform plans for the second course, which is now in progress. Evaluation of students’ perceived preparation for practicum placements is beyond the timeline of the project, but will be assessed into the future using established program surveys.

Systematic approach used: The project utilized an evidence-informed, collaborative approach to course redesign.

Student feedback confirms that these systematic course redesign efforts have had a positive impact on the student course experience. Next steps
are to assess broader outcomes over time, and develop an ongoing stakeholder advisory mechanism to ensure that the courses are refined on an ongoing basis to meet stakeholder needs.

UBC Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund