Course syllabus
The GMC defines an educational supervisor as a trainer who is responsible for the ‘overall supervision and management of a trainee’s trajectory of learning and educational progress during a placement or series of placements’, going on to note that they help the trainee ‘plan their training and achieve agreed learning outcomes’ GMC (2013)[1] . This description also closely fits the expectations for experienced General Dental Practitioners who act as educational supervisors for foundation dentists.[2]
This two-day course focusses on the development of medical and dental trainers as educational supervisors able to fulfil the expectations above. We welcome applications from trainers interested in becoming educational supervisors as well as existing educational supervisors seeking new insights and wishing to hone their skills.
Aims:
The emphasis of this course is upon strategies for effective educational supervision.
At the end of this course, participants will
- Be equipped to differentiate approaches to training based on trainee learning needs
- Adopt strategies that maximise the educational value of workplace based assessments
- Developed their supervision and coaching skills
Content:
The course provides an opportunity to consider and develop approaches to educational supervision. We will consider the ways in which educational supervision is about having ‘evidence informed developmental conversations.’ We will consider the role of the educational supervisor in evaluating performance, monitoring progress and supporting development. Our emphasis will be on strategies to maximise trainee development, irrespective of their starting point.
The emphasis of the practical work will be on ‘contracting’ for conversations, and strategies that invite an authentic exchange about performance, progress and development.
Presentation of the course:
This interactive two-day course has a highly practical emphasis and workshop format. There will be opportunities to observe, discuss and rehearse a range of approaches to educational supervision. We will use a range of scenario-based activities, including those generated by participants.
[2] Health Education England, East of England (undated) Becoming an educational supervisor. Accessed at: https://heeoe.hee.nhs.uk/Becoming_an_Educational_Supervisor
Day 1
09:30 Coffee and registration
10:00 Introduction: what is educational supervision and why does it matter?
11:15 Break
11:45 Identifying learning needs: aligning to learning opportunities
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Making workplace based assessment work: exploring and maximising their educational value
15:15 Break
15:30 Scenario based work: strategies for evidence-informed developmental conversations
16:45 End of day 1
Day 2
09:30 Coffee
10:00 Mentoring, coaching, supervision: what do they have in common. Contracting for conversations.
11:15 Coffee
11:45 Peer triad work: developmental conversations
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Peer group work. Coacing and supervision strategies.
15:15 Break
15:45 Potentially difficult, vitally important conversations
16:45 Course round-up
