Asst. Dean, Undergraduate Education

Westbrook College of Health Professions

University of New England

Portland, ME

Scripted, formalized story-telling

Dramatic oral expression

Theater of the mind

Opportunity for individual interpretation

Grounded in education

Elementary and secondary schools

Promote fluency, literacy &

reading comprehension

Use of Scripts

No scenery, no props, no costumes

Reliance on the vocal ability of readers

Minimal exchange between characters,

off stage gaze with audience

Discovery of Self Yielding Connections with

Others

Intra- personal knowing

Inter-personal knowing

Ontological question: “Who am I”?

Epistemological question: “How do I come to know who I am”?

Practice question: “Do I know what I do”?

Latin & Greek for “Perception”

Identification of Meaning within Situation

Subtle, Invisible, Intuitive

Calls forth Personal Creativity, Transformation

Ontological question: “ What is the “art” of this practice”?

Epistemological question: “How do I come to know this “art””?

Practice question: “What does this encounter/ experience mean”?

Significant opportunity for empirical &

ethical knowing

Limited scope & exposure to personal and aesthetic knowing

Optimal functioning predicated on patterns of knowing: Empirical, Ethical, Personal and Aesthetic

Foundations for team communication through experiences in Personal & Aesthetic Knowing

Introductions

Briefing

De-Briefing

2-Way Conversation/ Exchange

Psychological Safety

Institute for Healthcare Improvement, 2009

Personal Clarification

Exploration of Meaning

Opportunity to model elements of InterProfessional communication

Narrative pedagogy (Diekelmann, 1995)

Phenomenological approach

Draws on the lived experiences of participants

Sharing of stories

Readers Theater stimulates personal reflection, role models storytelling,

supports elements of communication

Identify concept, theme you are

attempting to teach

Review play/script materials

Assemble cast

One rehearsal

Frame discussion

questions

Have fun! Be Dramatic! Enjoy each other!

Ignore errors in reading!

Role model all essential

communication elements

during discussion

Carl Toney, PA-C

Assistant Professor, Physician Assistant Program

Reading the role of Mr. Henry Pope

Nancy MacRae, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA

Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy Program

Reading the role of Mrs. Inez Pope

Joseph Wolfberg, MS

Physician Assistant Program

Reading the role of Narrator

Karen Pardue, MS, CNE, ANEF

Reading the role of Hannah Owen

Betsey Gray, MSW

School of Social Work

Reading the role of Ivy Lou

Read in the Spring, 2005 & Spring, 2006 in an interdisciplinary ethics course; College-wide Orientation reading 2007

N=148 completed evaluations

Ordinal scale ratings and qualitative comments

Concern for ethical care

Concern for empathy

Communication &

Learning community

Opportunity for reflection

Innovative teaching strategy

“Several ethical dilemmas were brought

up… informed consent, ethics & hospital policies.”

“How can we help people make choices…how do we know what will be

right or wrong for them?

“HIPAA and confidentiality!”

“Really made me think about the different

points of view. The giver & receiver each has different needs. I had not considered

this before the reading.”

“Hannah’s decision to donate her husband’s organs really affected her quality of life.”

“Really thinking about the whole family

and their various viewpoints.”

“Thinking about how to help people cope

with these very complex issues.”

“We had a chance to watch & hear the psycho-social impact of [medical]

work.”

“The discussion was the best part! We all participated as a group!”

“Hearing the different points of view was great. Made me think…made me feel.”

“We had so many people who wanted to speak & share their story or opinion.”

“[This] is a great way to increase

participation b/t all of us in discussion.”

“We were all really engaged as one.”

“It was valuable being able to watch [the play] & listen to the decisions being made & then be able to process those

decisions out as a group.”

“We all listened to one another, and

everyone shared their ideas”

“There was so much to think about… as there is not just one way to look at this. It was good for me to hear what others were

thinking”

“Some of the issues in this story made me think about experiences that I have had in the past.”

“I was left thinking: What would I do in this situation?”

“Now I would know to really focus on both families in the situation. I hadn’t thought of that before.”

“This was really outside-the-box! Got us to think.”

“This was much more interesting than a traditional lecture.”

“This is a very unique and engaging way to present information. Much food for thought!”

Aesthetic Learning Opportunity

Supports identification of Meaning of Experiences in Health & Illness

Encourages personal creativity, transformation

Personal Knowing Learning Opportunity

IPE communication elements: Introduction, Briefing, De-Briefing, 2-way conversation & Psychological Safety

Classroom Application

Clinical Setting Application

Community Application