A student’s previous knowledge helps them establish new learning. By creating connections to this old material, they are able to build off it and solidify the new content in their minds.
While teaching in the emergency department, this can be done by asking them to use their prior knowledge to make a prediction. They then test this prediction by seeing if it comes true or not. Whether they predicted correctly or not, it can be used as a teaching point later.
- “Do you think this patient will be admitted or discharged? Why? Let’s see what happens and talk about it later.”
- “Do you think this troponin on will be positive or negative? Let’s see and talk about use of troponins when it comes back.”
Try it out during a shift and let me know how it worked.
my peripheral brain 