Implications of the New Standards for Curriculum
and Evaluation
in theDoctor of Audiology
ProgramDepartment of
Communication Sciences & Disorders
University of South Floridawww.usf.edu
USF Au.D. Program Developed by:
Theresa Hnath Chisolm (Director-Audiology)Patricia Blake-Rahter, Ph.D.Patricia Carr, M.S./Au.D. candidateSandra Graham, Ph.D. (Clinic Director)Arthur Guilford, Ph.D. (Dept. Chair)Raymond Hurley, Ph.D.Jennifer Lister, Ph.D.Nancy Patterson, M.S./Au.D. candidateKaren Richardson, M.S./Au.D candidateRobert Zelski, Au.D.
USF Au.D. program
Admitted 4 Student Cohort GroupsFall 1999
Master’s level Clinical Faculty Current Practitioners in the Community
Individualized Programs
Students in MS program who transferred to Au.D. program
First Year Au.D. students
Reviewed Curriculum
Whether or not the objectives and content of our current didactic and clinical courses were sufficient to prepare the students to meet the competencies specified by the New Standards?
“Mostly, but we could do better”
Example: No specific mechanism to meet - D4. Demonstrate the knowledge and
skills of determining the need for cerumen removal.
Assumption students learn through clinical experiences
Needed skill to do well in clinical courses
“Mostly, but we could do better”
Some students participated in “Cerumen Management” certification program at Bay Pines VAMC
These students would meet D4 Assure Competency D4 was met by all students Participation in the certification program A formal component of Clinical Practicum in
Year 2 of Au.D. program
Other Curricula Changes resulted from our
realization that …..
Depth of Course Content LimitedPrimarily due to need to cover “so
much” within 2 years of MS programAs a faculty we identified courses
whose content was in need for more “in-depth coverage”
Courses Changed
Example MS: Advanced Hearing Science Auditory Anatomy & Physiology Psychoacoustics
Courses Added Developed Several New Courses“Mathematical Foundations”
Semester I, First Year Linked to several competencies
B13. Demonstrates the knowledge of physical characteristics and measurement of acoustic stimuli
Courseware developed by Kewley-Port & Eddins
Courses Added
Another example relates to Competency….B20. Demonstrates the knowledge of laws, regulations,
policies, and management practices relevant to the profession of Audiology MS: Topics were primarily addressed in
Practicum Meetings Added:
History & Scope of Audiology, Year 1, Semester I
Business - Year 3, Semester II
Changes to Clinical Course Sequence
In the MS Program…….3 Semesters of Clinic at USF2 Semesters of Externship
Clinical Course Sequence AuD
Year 1 3 Semesters of Clinical
Laboratory Bridge gap between “didactic”
courses and Clinical Practice
Clinical Course Sequence AuD
Semester 1Academic Course: Psychoacoustics -
• Clinical Lab: Conduct Pure Tone testing• Related to topics such as Psychoacoustic
Methods, MAP, MAFAcademic Course: Anatomy & Physiology -
• Clinical Lab: Conduct immittance testing• Related to topics such as middle ear anatomy
and physiology
Clinical Course Sequence AuD
Year 2: In-house practica - 2 days/week (MS-4-6 hrs/week)
Year 3: Clerkships = Externships - 3 days/week (MS-2 days/week)
Year 4: Full time experience over two contiguous semesters
Clinical Course Meetings
MS program: Practicum meetings associated with Clinic I,
Clinic II, etc.AuD program:
Grand Rounds - IntroducedAll students/faculty meet on Biweekly basis
•Case presentations or Journal Club•Opportunities for Learning•Opportunities for Formative Assessment
In evaluating and developing the Au.D. curriculum…..
re: Jay Lubinsky’s earlier talkUse of a Cyclical approach by
introducing and re-introducing knowledge and skills
Use of Contextualization, wherein knowledge and skills are presented and gained within a set of cirucumstances
Opportunities for Synthesis or the “process of putting knowledge and skills together”
Exemplified by Course Sequencing
Hearing Aids Sequence In year 1, prior to courses/clinical practica Didactic course “Mathematics” –
• (e.g., foundation for understanding digital processing)
Didactic course: “Audiological Intervention”• Overview and Introduction to Hearing
Aids
Hearing Aids Sequence
Summer Year 1 – Didactic course “Hearing Aids I: Technical Aspects”
Fall Year II – Didactic course “Hearing Aids II: Evaluation and Fitting”
Fall , Spring, Summer of Year 2 – In-house clinic in which students evaluate and fit patients with hearing aids
Hearing Aids Sequence
Fall, Spring, Summer Year 3 – Off-site clinic clerkships provide more experience with hearing aids
Year 3 – Didactic course “Advanced Hearing Aid Seminar”
…..and Hearing Aids are also discussed in….
Grand RoundsOpportunity for integration of knowledge
and demonstration of critical thinking skills, problem solving, & decision making skills related to hearing aids
Grand Rounds is part of
Developing our Formative Assessment
“Good teaching is inseparable from good assessing” (Wiggins, 1992)
Research on Human Learning: Optimize learning, ASSESSMENT
approaches should promote reflection, construction of meaning, and self-monitoring of learning
– (e.g., Moscovici et al., 1996)
Formative Assessment
Formative Assessment is ongoing and periodic
Involves monitoring students’ acquisition of knowledge and skills specific to goals and objectives defined within Academic Courses Laboratory Courses Clinical Practicum Assignments
Formative Assessment
STUDENT PORTFOLIO Student Managed Faculty Monitored and Assessed Begin the Portfolio as a part of course
“History & Scope of Audiology” Completed at end of Year 4 Portfolio Evaluation becomes part of …..
Summative Assessment
Measuring the end result of the educational training process
Allows student to demonstrate mastery of Knowledge Clinical Concepts Clinical Skill
Student PortfolioInitial Components
Biographical Sketch Self-rating of Development of Proficiency in the
Competencies Section for Representative Sample of Work Section for Feedback on Clinical Experiences Section for Faculty Feedback Section for REFLECTIONS
Student Portfolio
Biographical Sketch Section Student expresses his/her personal
commitment to graduate education Discusses why he/she chose the profession
of AudiologyRequires “Reflection” and
introspection
Student PortfolioSelf-rating of Competency Proficiency
Rate perceived level of competence on a 5-point scale
Beginning and End of Semester I and then at end of each academic year
Faculty member/student review “Opportunity for Self-Monitoring”
Student Portfolio Section: Representative Samples of
Student WorkStudents select examples of tests,
papers, other assignments throughout the semester/year to provide support for the demonstration of progress in acquisition of the various competencies
“Opportunity for self-monitoring”
Student Portfolio Clinical Feedback Section
Contains Several Components• Semester I
– Reports on Clinical Shadowing Experiences– Activity designed to provide students with early
real-world knowledge and experience about practice of Audiology in variety of settings
– Reports on “what was learned” in each Grand Rounds meeting
Student Portfolio Clinical Feedback Section also includes s
copies of each semester’s Clinical Competency Checklist
Always used but needed to updateTask coordinated by Karen
Richardson Professional Research Project (Au.D.
requirement)
Given our curriculum and the need to assess progress towards meeting the competencies...
What level of Clinical Proficiency should be expected at the End of 2nd and 3rd Years of Program?
Conducted Focus Groups of Faculty and Practicing Audiologist from community
Student Portfolio Faculty Feedback
Faculty meet to discuss students progressWrite a short report, relating evaluation to
progress student is making in meeting the competencies
• Mid-term Semester I• Annually
Student meets with Faculty Advisors (One Academic and One Clinical) to discuss report
Student Portfolio REFLECTIONS
End of Semester I and annually thereafterStudent writes an essay in conjunction withUp-dating Competency Self-RatingStudent describes educational experiences that
support the changes made in the self-ratingWe believe this allows the student to demonstrate
the “construction of meaning” across a variety of experiences
Student PortfolioAdditional Sections
Scholarly InformationPresentations at Professional MeetingsPublicationsProfessional Research Project
Professional DataWorkshops/conferencesResume
Student PortfolioServes two purposes:
Mechanism for Formative Assessment of progress towards meeting competencies
As one component of Summative Assessment in which the student provides evidence of achieving the new competencies
In summary…….Implementation of New Standards
Focus on when and where students gain knowledge and experience to meet the new competencies
Continuous student evaluation by the Faculty as a whole
Awareness of the need to document progress as the student becomes a
Doctor of Audiology