Health Professions Educational Research Symposium

Online Course to Stimulate Critical Thinking Using Print and Film Media

Melnick

For the past 4 years, an online elective course has been offered in the College of Pharmacy entitled, Pharmacists, Pharmaceuticals, and the Media. This course explores how various forms of media have portrayed pharmacists over the years. It also investigates how pharmaceuticals and other drugs are reported by the press and are presented by entertainment industry. The phenomena and occurrence of drug effects (drug-taking experiences) are examined, integrating information from both pharmaceutical and social sciences, to study how and why drugs are used. Among the course objectives are that the student should be able to develop observational, reflective, and self-analysis skills Students read relevant articles and view related films on germane topics. Specific learning activities were designed so that the student would be able to glean independently the information necessary to develop critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills. Learning tactics are used that minimize the usefulness of Internet searches so that the students must immerse themselves in the media. This presentation will focus on the types of learning exercises that promote the development of critical thinking skills, the rubric used to grade these activities, and how to prevent Internet search engines from coopting the students’ reasoning skills. This presentation will use audience response cards to engage session attendees as well as other active learning techniques (e.g., modified Socratic Method).