The Connected Educator: Sustaining the Momentum


In chapter eight of The Connected Educator, the authors discuss the importance of sustaining the momentum in learning communities and networks. While in the context of maintaining connected learning communities, I related to the topics discussed on a more individualized level between myself and future patients I will have as an occupational therapist.

The first method the authors suggest is through appreciative inquiry, in which learners work from a strength perspective rather than a deficit perspective (Nussbaum-Beach and Ritter 111). As a future occupational therapist, my goal is to help restore certain skills or aspects of life for my patients. While it may be easy to see that as a way to focus on their weaknesses, it is also an opportunity to use their strengths in order to help them improve in those other areas. Many times occupational therapists have to help patients utilize skills they do have so that they can regain old skills or even develop new ones (like using certain objects in a way that wasn’t initially intended in order to accomplish something, such as reaching something on a high shelf). One of the frameworks for this approach is the 4-D model. This model is a cycle that outlines four of the positive highlights of appreciative inquiry.
They are:
  • Discover
  • Dream 
  • Design
  • Destiny 

As put by Nussbaum-Beach and Ritter (p. 113), “Shared stories become the basis for envisioning the future; from that vision, the team creates a plan, which, when implemented, allows the community to move forward.” (I particularly like this on a personal level, as well. I see it as an effective way to envision my goals and then create a plan that will help me achieve them).

In comparison with appreciative inquiry, there is also action research, which involves looking for answers to everyday problems.
The typical steps of this process are:
  1. Identify an issue
  2. Collect information on the issue
  3. Interpret the information and find a way to address the issue
  4. Collect data after addressing the issue to determine if it succeeded
  5. Restart the cycle
I believe this method can be directly incorporated into my future career because, as an occupational therapist, I will have to work with patients to determine their areas of weakness, come up with a plan to acknowledge and resolve it, and ensure that it will continue to help my patients be successful.


Overall, I see the benefits behind both methods, and I believe that they can be used together to help accomplish a successful plan for each individual patient.


Source:
Nussbaum-Beach, Sheryl, and Lani Ritter. Hall. The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading
in a Digital Age. Solution Tree Press, 2012.

Comments

  1. Christina TalloneApril 7, 2018 at 12:25 PM

    As a future health care provider, I also see myself using action research directly in my work as a PA. All my patients will present an issue and it is my job to address it. Also, you made a great point by connecting appreciative inquiry to occupational therapy. Approaching your patients from a stength prospective is a great way to have the patient feel more independent and less frustated with their circumstances.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousApril 11, 2018 at 7:34 PM

    Jenna, I found a lot of what you wrote in your post similar to mine, but what I did not think of when writing my post was using the 4-D Model for personal use. Being a CRIM major and perusing Law Enforcement, I can see myself using the model plus your idea of using it to achieve personal goals when planning out my future career path and what it will take.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sheridan RaeApril 11, 2018 at 9:00 PM

    Hi Jenna! I liked how you mentioned that it is important work on the patients strengths and not just their weaknesses. I am going for Forensic Psychology and I will ned my patients to use their strengths in order to overcome their weaknesses. It gives them more motivation to see that they are capable of more than they think.

    ReplyDelete

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