Welcome to PDH 60:

Professional
Development in
Health Care
Education

Winter 2025

1
Teaching Faculty Contact Information

Pamela Bedard
[email protected]
519-972-2727 ext. 4984
Office hours by appointment
Health Sciences Building
Room 3314

2
Course Overview
• The focus of this course is to prepare students for
academic success in the healthcare education programs by
focusing on interpersonal skills as well as professional
development strategies. ​
• Students will use research to explore career opportunities in the health-
related fields including educational training, certifications, professional
associations, current issues and trends, as well as ways to stay well-
informed to the upcoming changes, technological advancements and
best practices. The course will emphasize the importance of self-
evaluation and reflection as tools for identifying academic and career
goals. ​Students will examine and develop, through practical sessions and
activities, skills and personal traits that can have a positive effect in their
career choices and professional development.
3
9/3/20XX 4
Soft Skills:
What is the Importance?

9/3/20XX 5
Course Outline Review
Weekly Schedule Review

9/3/20XX 6
Required
Textbook

7
Assessment Methods
• Group CAREER EXPLORATION PRESENTATION (25%)
• 4 In-Class Assignments (each worth 5% = 20%)​
• Written REFLECTIVE TIME SUMMARY (20%)​
• Test #1 (15%)
• Test #2 (20%)

Late Submissions
Late assignments will receive a 10% deduction after the due date/time, and then 10% per day up to 2 more
days (3 days in total=calendar days), before receiving a zero grade After 3 days late, the assignment will receive a
grade of zero. Further instructions for each written assignment are found in Blackboard.

8
 •Lectures​
•Classroom learning
activities and
interactive discussions
•Assigned
readings, web
Course Content resources, and class
presentations​
•Check Blackboard
course site and
email frequently​
 Other
Suggestions
•A reliable computer and internet
access (Blackboard functions
optimally utilizing the Chrome
browser)
•Separate workspace
•Online or paper calendar

10
 Keys to
Success
•Read your textbook and supplemental
readings prior to coming to class
•Attend class
•Take notes during class
•All class discussions and activities are
testable content​

11
Study
Strategies
PDH 60 Winter 2025
 • Compare strategies which can enhance information
retention and organization to reduce stress and
anxiety in performing academic and job-related
Learning tasks.
Outcome
• Apply skills in listening, note-taking, reading and
s time management to improve learning and
information retention efficiency.

• Discuss the roles and responsibilities of self-directed,

dependable, and accountable learners.

•Research resources available to support the learner.

• Explore effective strategies for managing/prioritizing

work-school-life balance to maintain personal
effectiveness.
Information Retention – How
it Works

You can change this outcome by reprocessing

Our brains are constantly recording information
the same chunk of information. This sends a
on a temporary basis: scraps of conversation
signal to the brain to hold onto that data. When
heard on the sidewalk or what the person in
the same information is repeated, your brain
front of you is wearing for instance. Because the
says, "Oh - there it is again, I better keep that."
information isn't necessary, and it doesn't come
When you are exposed to the same information
up again, our brains forget this information,
repeatedly, it takes less and less time to
along with the information that was learned
"activate" the information in your long-term
in the lecture that you actually do want to hold
memory and it becomes easier for you to
on to!
retrieve the information when you need it.

https://uwaterloo.ca/campus-wellness/curve-forgetting
 At the end of the lecture on day 1 you know 100%.
Information By day 2, if you have done nothing with the information in that lecture you will
Retention: have lost 50%-80% of what you learned.
By day 7, even less, by day 30, 2-3% of the original hour is retained, coinciding
The Curve of with midterm exams. You may need to re-learn the whole lecture from scratch.

Forgetting However, if 10 minutes is spent reviewing on day 2, the curve returns to almost
100%. Done each day by day 7, it takes 5 minutes to "reactivate" the same
material. Done each day, by day 30, 2-4 minutes retrieves the content.

https://uwaterloo.ca/campus-wellness/curve-forgetting
Information Retention – Changing
the Shape of the Curve!

• Invest time in review!

• It is recommended to spend 30 minutes every weekday, and 1.5 to 2 hours

every weekend in review activity (depending on course load).

https://uwaterloo.ca/campus-wellness/curve-forgetting
How to
NOT • If you don't review, you will need to spend 40-50 minutes
re-learning each hour of material later because by day 30,
only 2-3% of the original hour of lecture is retained,
change coinciding with midterm exams. You will need to actually
re-learn the lecture from scratch.
the
shape • Cramming rarely stores information in your long-term
memory successfully, which makes it harder to access the
of the material for assignments during the term and exam
preparation.

Curve!

https://uwaterloo.ca/campus-wellness/curve-forgetting
Five Strategies to
Improve Memory
1. Chunk the Information – Find a pattern in the content to
place it together in a “chunk” so that 45 PowerPoint slides
become 8 chunks of content for example.
2. Create Mnemonics – Create a word to represent content
you are trying to recall. For example, HOMES to recall
the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie,
Superior)
3. Engage in Self-Referent Encoding – Connect your learning
to a personal story
4. Practice and Overlearn – Test yourself, solve problems
without looking at your notes, summarize key points,
join a study group
5. Use Distributed Practice – Study the content over a longer
period of time
 Roles and
Responsibil The role of learners is to attend class to earn an
ities of education that will assist in their future personal
life and career.
Different
Types of The responsibility of learners is to take action by
Learners paying attention during class, taking good notes in
order to understand content, and achieving
educational goals.
• _______________ learners require the ability to prioritize
what is important and then to independently be motivated to
meet those goals and deadlines.
• __________ learners can be counted upon to complete tasks.
• __________ learners are responsible for their actions and are
prepared.
Learnin
g Styles
•Methods individuals prefer
and find most effective for
processing and absorbing
information include:

• Auditory
• Kinesthetic
• Visual
Learning Style Scenarios

Reflect on what you

think is your preferred
learning style.

What can you do to

improve your
academic success?
 Active Listening – is the act of processing what a person says so
the message can be comprehended

Listening with Purpose – Before you go to class, define what the

purpose is of the class. Find out as much as possible about what
you are going to hear BEFORE you arrive by reviewing the
PowerPoint, reading what was assigned and completing
homework.
Listening
How to Apply Listening Techniques:
Skills • Sit at the front of the class or if online, be attentive to the
instructor
• Illustrate your attention through participation and engagement
• Address internal distractions such as wandering thoughts and
external distractions such as looking at cell phones
• Provide feedback to the instructor by asking relevant questions
• Summarize important information after the lecture has ended to
assist with tests
 • Note taking is the process of writing _____
_____________ down from a lecture, text or other
sources on paper or a digital device. These notes, along
with other sources, can serve as a resource when
Note studying for tests.

Taking How to Apply Taking Effective Notes:

• Write down only what is important and what you might
Skills not remember
• Organize your notes as you write
• Use abbreviations and symbols
• Avoid repeating information that appears in handouts
• Write down the main point of visual aids
• Ask questions if something is not clear
• Pay attention to any content the instructor deems as
important
 • Reading comprehension is the ability to understand what
has been read.
How to Apply Reading Skillfully:
• _______content when you are not sure what is in the
material. This will provide an overview by noticing titles
and headings, key words that are in bold or a different
Reading color, phrases, boxes and visuals. Review the beginning
of the chapters learning outcomes and the end of the
Skills chapter summaries.
• _______content for specific information when you know
the information you need is there, and you just want to
find it. If your material is an e-textbook, press “Home”
and then “Find” to search specific words.
• _______content for detail when you are reinforcing
concepts that are being taught.
SQ3R Reading
Strategy
SQ3R is a reading strategy to assist with reading
comprehension.
• Survey - Skim the material
• Question – Turn each heading into a review question then
answer the question you created
• Read - Actively read the material
• Recite – Use your own words and summarize what you
have read
• Review – Use distributed practice to keep the content in
your memory
SQ3R

SURVEY QUESTION READ RECITE REVIEW

 Time An important component of study skills is
learning how to manage time to be
Management organized.
and • Maintain a calendar

Organizationa • Create a to-do list

• Prioritize tasks
l Strategies • Setting goals
• Schedule in free time
• Evaluate progress
• Be flexible
• Limit interruptions
Effective Strategies for
Managing/Prioritizing Work-
School-Life Balance
Focus on Self-Health by:
• Identifying stress triggers to anticipate
and plan to cope effectively
• Attend to physical needs such as sleep,
nutrition and exercise
• Practice time management by sticking to
a schedule and planning for breaks
• Set realistic goals and find balance
between school, work life and personal
life
Resources at St. Clair College to Support
Learners

Student Life at St. Clair

Library
College
Student
Representative Council
St Clair College
Windsor Campus

Student Services Health Center Services

Professionalis
m
Chapter 1
 •Explain how hard and soft skills play
Learning a role in professionalism​.
Outcome
s •Define positive attitude​.

•Discuss the importance of a

professional image.
Vocabulary

Emotional
Employability
Attitude intelligence Empathy
skills
quotient (EQ)

Professional
Hard skills Image Networking
image

Professionalis Professional
Resilience Skill
m networking

Soft skills
What is
Professionalism?

 The act of exhibiting

appropriate __________,
__________, and __________.
 Conducting oneself in a
manner that exhibits
__________, __________,and
__________.
 Professionalism (continued)
Professionals:
 Are known for their ________

 Have made a deep commitment to develop and improve

their ________

 Work in a serious, thoughtful, and sustained way to master

the specialized knowledge needed to succeed in their field

 Keep their knowledge ______________

 Professionalism (continued)
Professionals:
 Complete assigned tasks

 Are ________ and keep their promises

 Do not make ________ and focus on finding ________

 Do not compromise their ________

 Are ________, and not afraid to ask for help

 Are ___________ for their thoughts, words, and actions

Skills
 What is a skill?

 There are “______ skills” and “______ skills”

 Hard Skills
 Critical essential skills required to perform the
required work-related task

 _____-specific knowledge and skills

 Teachable, clearly defined and can be

___________

 Acquired through work, education, or a

combination
Soft Skills
 Skills used to ___________ and work
well with others

 Essential ___________ skills

 Developed through _________________

__ and social interaction in
professional situations

 Not specific to one career, can be

used in any type of position
 Soft Skills (continued)
 People who find soft skills easy to develop
often have a high Emotional Intelligence
Quotient (EQ)
 This is the ability of a person to perceive
___________ in themselves and others
 Theyuse this information to guide social
behaviour
 Can ___________ needs and meet them
appropriately
 Have ___________
 Soft Skills
(Figure 1-2 page 3)

• Active • Ethical • Reading

• Work
listening decision- independentl
making
• Reliability y
• Adaptability
• Goal setting
• Respectfulness • Writing
• Assertiveness
• Leadership
• Self-confident
• Collaboration
• Negotiating
• Self-motivation
• Conflict
resolution • Patience
• Thinking on
skills your feet
• Positive
• Courteousnes attitude
• Time
s management
• Professional
• Critical image
• Trustworthines
thinking s
Attitude
How personal thoughts and feelings
affect a person’s outward behaviour

Combination of:
• How you Feel
• What you Think

• What you Do
Positive
Attitude
A positive attitude allows for a person
to look at the big picture, identify
what can and cannot be changed, and
make good decisions. They are
enthusiastic and show interest in what
they do.

 Positive people are:

 ___________
 ___________ and learn from their
mistakes
 ___________
 ___________ and ___________
 Do not dwell on the bad
 Realize there are ___________ to
everything
 Offer solutions not complaints
Optimist Pessimist

(Sean Liu, 2017)

Professional
Image
 The image a person projects
in the professional world
 Is based on the person's
dress, behaviour, and
communication
 How Can You
Promote a
Professional Image?
 What can you do to promote a
professional image as a
student currently in the pre-
health program, and in the
future (when you are enrolled
in a specific health care
program)?
Any questions?

Thank you!