Supporting Beginning Supervisors through Distance Learning

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Supporting Beginning Supervisors through Distance
Learning

• Jennifer Mackey, M.A., CCC-SLP
• MGH Institute of Health Professions
• Denise Ambrosi, M.S., CCC-SLP
• Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
• MGH Institute of Health Professions
• Kathryn Violick Boole, M.S., CCC-SLP
• Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
• Boston, MA

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How can we support our new supervisors?

• Paucity of specific trainings
• Limited time in a busy SLPs work day
• New student new supervisor ???
• What are graduate schools doing to train their
  external supervisors?
• What are sites doing to prepare their SLPs to
  become supervisors?

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How are people learning how to supervise?

• Previous experiences as a student
• Observe supervisors in current environment
• Discussion with other SLPs
• Dive in/Be thrown-in to supervising

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I cant take a student

• Lack of info about requirements
• Lack of support in job
• Lack of info about philosophy
• Limited time and resources
• Limited physical space
• Apprehension
• Disinterest

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Why should one supervise?

• Helps me to stay current in the field
• I like being a mentor
• The students keep me on my toes and help me to
  think in different ways about my clients
• I learn something new from every student
• Its hard in the beginning, but then a student
  can often help me manage my large caseload
• This is the way we pass on our legacy. It is
  our duty to the profession to train new SLPs.

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Model for Learning at SRH

• SRH is a teaching hospital
• Mission patient care, teaching, research
• SLP Department expectations
• all SLPs will serve in supervisory capacity
• SLP must be on staff one year
• SLP coordinators review candidates with schools
• Potential SLP supervisors conduct interview and
  student assessment prior to commitment

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Model for Learning at SRH

• SLP Department Competency Program
• Development of Supervisory Competency
• Articles, readings
• Post-test
• Written guidelines regarding roles and
  responsibilities
• Student resource binder
• Student inservices
• Supervisor and Student Support/Mentoring

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The Pilot Project

• Support new mentors through face-to-face (F2F)
  and distance learning (online)
• Case discussion activities
• Readings
• Central theme to help focus discussions
• Use of questioning hierarchy to help students
  develop critical thinking skills

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Why Distance Learning?

• But I prefer a face-to-face interaction
• Time
• Schedules
• Investment
• Opportunity for all to participate

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Why Distance Learning?

• Participants self-select convenient times to read
  articles, read case discussions and post replies
  to discussion questions
• Can be done at work or homeno travel!
• Pace self according to learning style
• Opportunities to ask questions and discuss ideas
• Gain perspectives from participants working in
  different facilities
• Format requires participant interaction

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Format of the Course

• One F2F meeting (approx. 2 hours)
• 4 weeks of online activities
• Readings
• Case Discussions
• Response to colleagues postings
• Log sheets

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Format of the Course

• Participants for pilot project
• 6 SLPs from Spaulding Rehab Hospital
• 5 SLPs from MGH Institute of Health Professions,
  Speech-Language and Literacy Clinic
• Participants invited to participate

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F2F Meeting

• Connect with other participants
• Review course format and requirements
• Look at computer interface together
• Explain time logs and other forms

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F2F Meeting

• Serve dinner!
• Time set according to work schedules
• Activities and Discussion
• Best/worst experience as a student or mentor
• What do you hope to learn?
• What are your mentorship experiences so far?

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F2F Meeting

• Learning Styles Discussion
• Participants completed at least one learning
  style inventory (from online sites)
• How did you feel about your learning style
  analysis?
• How does this affect the way you mentor?
• What if a student had a different learning style?

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F2F Meeting

• Review of ASHA Position Statement on Clinical
  Supervision in Speech-Language Pathology and
  Audiology
• Discussion of Jean Andersons Continuum of
  Supervision
• Explain Theme Using questions to help students
  develop critical thinking skills

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Using Questions to Build Critical Thinking Skills

• Based on Blooms Taxonomy
• Lower Order Knowledge and Comprehension
• Higher Order ApplicationAnalysisSynthesisEval
  uation
• Sample Questions

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Thinking about a Case

• Sample case
• Jessica bright, answers questions about factual
  info, doesnt seem to challenge herself
• How would you use questioning to help move this
  student towards higher-level thinking?

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Paperwork

• Applied for CEUs through ASHA
• Sign in/out sheet
• Weekly time log for online activities
• Average time calculated for CEUs
• Pre and Post Test
• Course Evaluation (paper and/or online)

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Online Activities

• 4-6 weeks
• Readings from ASHA website or online sources
• Case to read
• Respond to case questions
• Respond to a colleagues posting

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Online Activities

• Cases
• Fearful Student
• Worried Student
• Overconfident Student
• Student with Professional Issues

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Online Activities

• Cases focused on common problems in a
  supervisory setting
• How would you handle this situation?
• How might you use different levels of questioning
  to help this student?
• How comfortable would you be supervising this
  type of student?

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Online Activities

• Sample discussion questions
• Where do you think William is on the Continuum
  of Supervision? How would you use questioning to
  help William feel more confident about his
  knowledge and comprehension of topics, as well as
  to help him move into application and other
  higher levels? Give some examples of questions
  that you might ask him. How would an individuals
  Style of Supervision affect how a student might
  learn best?

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Online Activities

• Cases can be tailored for specific work sites or
  patient populations
• Schools
• Early intervention
• Medical Settings
• Autism, TBI, etc.

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Logistics

• Time Logs
• Time spent reading articles
• Time spent reading case
• Time spent responding to case
• Time spent responding to colleagues case

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Logistics Challenges

• Scheduling
• Availability
• Commitment
• Vacations/busy work loads
• Computer skills
• Timely participation in discussions

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What We Learned

• Online activities provided unique opportunities
  for interaction among participants
• Not everyone has the same computer comfort level
• Peoples schedules presented challenges
• Establish time frames for activities
• Summary activity

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Feedback from Participants

• I had time to do the assignments at my own pace
• Lively discussion back and forth with other
  supervisors
• The online case discussions were productive and
  allowed us to gain new perspectives on
  supervision
• Responses and replies from other SLPs encouraged
  more divergent and innovative thinking

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Feedback from Participants

• Its always encouraging to know that other SLPs
  have the same concerns and are dealing with the
  same issues you are
• It was valuable to read the literature and
  research on supervision to form a stronger basis
  to develop and advance as a supervisor
• I liked coming together with a group of SLPs and
  thinking in a new way
• I liked that the online format was innovative
  and, once you got the hang of it, easy to use

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More Ideas

• Different populations Schools, EI
• Using an experienced supervisor from an external
  site to help moderate discussions
• Expanding time frame of course
• Offering course for graduate credit
• Run the course for experienced supervisors and
  for different levels of supervisees

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Thank You

• This was a collaborative project between the MGH
  Institute of Health Professions
• and
• Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.
• Special thanks to Dr. Gregory Lof and Lesley
  Maxwell.

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You can reach us at

• Jennifer Mackey jmackey_at_mghihp.edu
• Denise Ambrosi dambrosi_at_partners.org
• Kathy Boole kvboole_at_partners.org