Background
Novel strategies for enhancing student learning in areas such as assessment and communication are required to advance beyond role play and in classroom rehearsal. Experiential learning offers opportunities for individual reflection and creative outcomes designed to meet a variety of students’ requirements simultaneously. Visual Intelligence strategies in classroom, lab and art gallery offer educators a wide variety of intentional methods to achieve objectives to 1. Explore observation skills, 2. Critique use of intentional language in communication, 3.Examine visual intelligence effect on perception, 4. Investigate the role visual intelligence plays in identifying bias and stigma in healthcare and 5. Discuss how observation, assumptions and communication impact leadership capacity. This Visual Intelligence strategy is an established method in our nursing doctoral, pre-licensure masters and bachelors programs. Each program has a unique method of utilizing various aspects of Visual Intelligence with successful student outcomes. Competencies in each program and specifically in the master’s program (ie. Demonstrate professional and effective communication skills, including verbal, non-verbal, written, and virtual abilities) align well with this intervention. Integration of these strategies with Health Care Management and Policy students creates an interprofessional experience highlighting communication, ethics, role and teamwork.
Methods: Kolb’s Cycle of experiential learning plays a key role in the success of this novel strategy. Using repetition and variation, his stages of concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation are intentionally a part of the education design. Visual intelligence activities with two dimensional art are created by faculty and art museum educators. The activities include 1. word count 2. Ten x two 3. Describe and Draw 4. Timed observation and 5. See/Think/Wonder.
Results: Students from four programs have experience with Visual Intelligence through Experiential Learning. Student reflections include four themes: disbelief (insecurity), new openness; slowing down; and change. Dynamic group interaction expands during the sessions, leading to additional opportunities for peer engagement and learning.
Conclusions: Integration of these experiential learning strategies in all areas of our programs create opportunities to further enhance: interprofessional education with attention to enhanced safety and medical error reduction, communication skills – listening and awareness; leadership skills – enhanced emotional intelligence, awareness and communication; and unconscious bias awareness.