Educator Update - FALL 2016

EU

FALL ‘16

UPDATE

by bill r. young, NRP, M.S., Ed. D (c)

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IN THIS ISSUE National Association of EMS Educators 250 Mount Lebanon Boulevard Suite 209 Pittsburgh, PA 15234 Phone: 412-343-4775 Fax: 412-343-4770 www.naemse.org

2016

2016-2017 Board of Directors Dr. Christopher Nollette, EdD, NRP, LP President Linda Abrahamson, MA, ECRN, EMT-P, NCEE Vice President James Dinsch, MS, NRP, CCEMTP Treasurer

WHAT’S INSIDE

Rebecca Valentine, BS, NRP, NCEE, I/C Secretary Leaugeay Barnes, MS, NRP Joe Grafft, MS, NREMT, EMS Mgr (Rt)

PAGE 3 NAEMSE NEWS

PAGE 4 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT PAGE 5

Lindi Holt, PhD, NRP, NCEE John Karduck, MD Connie Mattera, MS, RN, EMT-P Michael Nemeth, AEMCA(f), EMT-P, ICP, MA

2016 NAEMSE Symposium Recap

Dr. Nerina Stepanovsky, PhD, MSN, CTRN, PM

by Brandon Ciampaglia, NAEMSE Staff

PAGE 7

Dr. Walt Alan Stoy, PhD, EMT-P

NAEMSE: The Future is Before Us

National Office Staff

by Dr. Chris Nollette, NAEMSE President

Joann Freel, BS, CMP Executive Director, Editor

PAGE 9 DOMAIN3

Stephen Perdziola, BS Business Manager Brandon Ciampaglia, AS Communications Coordinator

PAGE 15 SURVEY SAYS: NAEMSE Membership & Millennials

Vicki McPherson Membership Coordinator Laurie Davin, AS Education Coordinator

by Joann Freel, NAEMSE Executive Director

PAGE 17

Patti Page Administrative Assistant

NAEMSE On the Brain / Committee Update

William Raynovich, MPH, NREMT-P, Ed.D Editor, Domain3

Reprinting Information

Interested in reprinting one of the articles you find in this publication? If so, please contact Brandon Ciampaglia via e-mail at brandon.ciampaglia@naemse.org or by phone at (412)343-4775 ext. 29

Submission Guidelines

Unsolicited submissions are welcomed. Members of the NAEMSE Publications Committee review Domain3 manuscripts. Acceptance of a manuscript for publication is contingent upon completion of the editing process.

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Manuscripts should be e-mailed to brandon.ciampaglia@ naemse.org. Submit a cover letter with each manuscript indicating: Author name, credentials, title, and affiliation.

A title letter should also be included disclosing any commercial associations that could post a conflict of interest. If you have an idea brewing that you’d like to submit, please contact us. We would be happy to discuss it.

New authors are welcome and encouraged.

NAEMSE NEWS

NAEMSE NEWS NAEMSE Congratulates Members on Earning PhDs The National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) would like to take a moment to acknowledge and congratulate the following members of the association on earning their PhDs: Kim McKenna, St. Peters, MO (St. Charles Co. Ambulance District) Tre Rodriguez, Columbus, OH (NREMT) Bill R. Young, Nicholasville, KY (Eastern Kentucky University) Competency of EMS Educators and the Psychomotor Exam

Congratulations to all of you on this wonderful accomplishment!

NAEMSE Board of Director, Leaugeay Barnes, Awarded 2016 NAEMT/Jones & Bartlett Learning EMS Educator of the Year Leaugeay Barnes, EMS Program Director at Tulsa Community College, helped develop TCC’s online hybrid and traditional EMS programs and training partnerships with local fire and police agencies. She has guided paramedic students to become instructors, was involved in the National Registry of EMT’s (NREMT) psychomotor competency portfolio project, and has served on the National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) Board of Directors and as a representative to the NREMT Board.

Join us in congratulating Leaugeay on this wonderful achievement!

INSTRUCTOR COURSE DATES NAEMSE continues to bring its heralded EMS instructor course to all corners of the country.

If you have never attended, you can reserve your spot online. If you’re an instructor, spread the good news to your colleagues in the EMS community.

The following is a complete listing of all upcoming Fall ‘16 & Winter ‘17 courses:

INSTRUCTOR COURSE I Louisville, KY: December 12-14, 2014 Niceville, FL: December 2-4, 2016 Held in partnership with Louisville Metro EMS Held in partnership with Ft. Walton Beach Medical Center

Nashville, TN: January 13-45, 2017 Held in partnership with the Nashville Fire Dept.

Training Academy

St. Peters, MO: January 20-22, 2017 Held in partnership with St. Charles County Ambulance District

Thomasville, NC: January 27-29, 2017 Held in partnership with Davidson County Community College

Atlanta, GA: February 10-12, 2017 Held in partnership with Grady EMS Education Academy

Edison, NJ: March 17-19, 2017 Held in partnership with JFK EMS Training Center

For more information, please visit

NAEMSE.ORG

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

NAEMSE MEMBER

SPOTLIGHT

Most Rewarding Job Aspect?

The most rewarding aspect to me is the opportunity to be part of an amazing team of educators and support staff to create engaging education, tackling important elements on how to deliver education to different generational learners while knowing that the education my team delivers is touching our patients’ lives in their time of need through our ems providers across the globe.

Hardest/Most Challenging Job Aspect?

The hardest aspect of my job and the most challenging is grappling with new and rapidly changing medicince and how to deliver EMS education to the different generations while ensuring that 123,000 students a year get high quality ems education.

Why Did You Join NAEMSE? I felt becoming a member of NAEMSE would allow me to network and share my knowledge with ems educators; to help as we move towards making our profession more recognized as a healthcare profession and not just a technical role within healthcare.

JUDSON SMITH, MHA, Paramedic Hometown Potosi, Missouri Current Employer/s I am the Vice President of Code3 CME/Medic-CE and also work for/in the United States Air Force.

What Activites Do You Enjoy Participating In? I live in Colorado so I love hiking, being outdoors, quiet time with family, and making new friends.

Who Would Play You In a Movie?

[Joseph] Gordon Levitt. An underdog. There’s nothing about him that would particularly stand out. He is the average guy around, but he is the one that you would like to approach and talk to.

What is Your Refrigerator Never Without?

Milk!!! Skim of course.

What Else Should We Know About You? I am an Officer in the United States Air Force Reserves – 34th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and I am currently in school working towards a PhD in Education with a focus on Content Design and Technology.

Hardest/Most Challenging Job Aspect?

The hardest aspect of my job and the most challenging is grappling with new and rapidly changing medicince and how to deliver EMS education to the different generations while ensuring that 123,000 students a year get high quality ems education.

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2016 NAEMSE SYMPOSIUM RECAP: FT. WORTH, TX - AUG. 1-6, 2016

2016 NAEMSE Educator Symposium Recap By: Brandon Ciampaglia, NAEMSE Staff

Fort Worth, Texas played host to the 21st Annual NAEMSE Educator Symposium & Trade Show and, following the path of event’s past, was another tremendous success. Wonderful Breakouts, great exhibitors, and unparalleled networking opportunities aided in the overall triumph of the symposium in spite of a reacord-breaking heatwave that saw 100+ temperatures on a regular basis. No matter. It was not enough to stop the show!

The NAEMSE Symposium’s rich history in EMS excellence was on full display, yet again, as the 3-day Pre-Conference kicked things off with an abundance of informative sessions. The highly successful NAEMSE Instructor Courses led the charge as educators from around the country sat in on course after insightful course, garnering wonderful feedback en route to the 3-Day Breakout and General Sessions.

The great David Page (MS, NRP - Director, Prehospital Care Research Forum at UCLA) kicked things off with his Opening Session on Australian EMS, which then seemlessly navigated into the beginning breakouts. While educators sat in their respective classrooms, intently attentive to their presenter’s tips for bettering the classroom, exhibitors prepped the Exhibit Hall for the steady stream of educators soon heading their way.

Armed with handouts, freebies and more, the 50+ exhibitors that lined the hall were ready to engage in thoughtful conversations with our willing attendance; to showcase who they are and what they can offer each in their attempts to attract new business and focus from our elite group of presenters and attendees. As some in the hall enjoyed a complimentary lunch or snack, others could be seen smiling and enjoying the various discussion/s they were having with such popular groups as Laerdal and PEPID to newbies like Career Step/Code 3 CME and Virtual Education Systems. It was a bustling hub of EMS networking.

Continuing in that theme, NAEMSE/NREMT presented their annual Welcome Reception, which this year featured fantastic live music from a local Ft. Worth band.

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It was toe-tapping fun with wonderful food and opportunities for attendees to kick back and enjoy some downtime. The atmosphere was contagiously lively, so much so that even our Executive Director, Joann Freel, could not resist the urge to dance... and dance she did! It was fun time for all!

As part of the annual confernece NAEMSE recognizes those individuals who have excelled at their profession, along with acnowledging those we have lost, via the Hero Awards and James O. Page Scholarship. The 2016 recipents were awarded during a special presentation at the general membership meeting. The recipients were: 2016 Legends that Walk Among Us Award Dr. George Hatch, Jr., EdD, LP, EMT-P 2016 Unsung Hero Award Casey Quake, NR-P, CCP, EMS-I, NCEE THE 2016 FALLEN HEROES OF EMS EDUCATION The Fallen Heroes award was created to honor individuals in EMS Education who, though no longer with us, had an incredible impact on the EMS education community.

Richard Beebe - New York Sharon Davis - Georgia William W. Goding - Massachusetts Charles H. Kelley - Illinois Corey S. Pittman - North Carolina John Jay Powell - Pennsylvania

For more information on the Annual Hero Awards/James O. Page Scholarship, 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award please visit the Drew Dawson - Director, Office of EMS official NAEMSE website.

2016 James O. Page Scholarship Keito Ortiz (Jamaica, NY)

The final day of 6-Day Conference came as quickly as it began, ushering in a new chapter of NAEMSE’s storied history as we welcomed incoming President, Dr. Chris Nollette.

Thank you to everyone who participated and we hope that you will join us next year in Washington, D.C. for the 2017 Symposium & Trade Show on August 7th-12th.

In situ simulation is a rapidly evolving tool with the potential to improve patient safety.1

On the Move SimMan® ALS is a mobile, durable patient simulator that will allow you to conduct training in varying clinical environments. Designed for the unique training needs of pre-hospital and in-hospital emergency care providers, SimMan ALS will help deliver a realistic training experience that can improve clinical skills, communication, and teamwork through simulation.

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1. Patterson MD, Blike GT, Nadkarni VM. In Situ Simulation: Challenges and Results. In: Henriksen K, Battles JB, Keyes MA, et al., editors. Advances in Patient Safety: New Directions and Alternative Approaches (Vol. 3: Performance and Tools). Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2008 Aug. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK43682/ ©2016 Laerdal Medical. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. #16-15466

NAEMSE: THE FUTURE IS BEFORE US

NAEMSE: The Future is Before Us

By: Dr. Chris Nollette, NAEMSE President “It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena: whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood: who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

- Theodore Roosevelt

The National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) was conceived by courageous men and women who were committed to changing the future of EMS education. Their commitment put them in the arena that Teddy Roosevelt spoke so passionately about as he described “…the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause….”. These men and women refused to accept that our profession could go no further or could not make a difference. They envisioned that NAEMSE could help build the future of EMS education and they were willing to take the risk. In the end, they realized it was far riskier to fail without “…daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat”. This article is written to continue to define what is important to NAEMSE and how this organization will strive valiantly to bring a voice to the men and women who train and educate the future of prehospital medicine.

NAMESE We must lead with vision – Proverbs states that a people without vision will perish. We believe that our profession is at a crossroad in our community, state, nation and as a people. We are facing tremendous challenges that lie before us – the world is changing and the American dream will be redefined for all of us. Unfortunately, the world if filled with leaders who lack vision. For it is through true vision that we must see the world not as what it is but what it can become. Great leaders have had visions that many thought not wise to think about and even more unwise to pursue. Are we better today for those men and women who took their leadership to a visionary stage and made great change? It was their vision that galvanized mankind to address social issues that rekindled the human spirit and created a future of great possibilities - NAEMSE must be a place that embraces dreams – for the dreams of today are the realities of tomorrow.

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NAEMSE must inspire EMS educators – we must allow our actions and our words to be the example that speaks for us. In other words, our lives will be defined by what we do not what we say. We must inspire the people around us with our unique style - our actions must become our vocabulary and it is through our spirited movement others will be inspired to follow. NAEMSE must not be afraid to inspire and empower educators and our organization to take risks. It is through the taking of risks and the commitment to a cause that inspiration is born. So let us commit ourselves to achieve what others may regard as the unachievable and imagine not what we are but what we can be.

NAEMSE must be authentic – so many people lack clarity because they lack authenticity. They construct their messages for the consumption of the masses. They do not share their real feelings and are not true to themselves and those around them. In time, we believe that they are lost and are confused by the many messages and images that they have constructed. Nathaniel Hawthorn recognized this when he wrote, ““No man for any considerable period can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true”. NAEMSE must maintain a transparent and clear message that is consistent with the values of the organization and the profession as a whole.

We must put aside the pettiness of politics and stand by what we believe is the right course for the organization and our profession.

NAEMSE must be committed to our values Researchers have shown us that we are all strongly influenced and want to belong even if it means doing something that goes against what is right – counter to our values. We must remain committed to our values and stay the course even if it creates risk. The danger is that no risk leads to no gain – no great discovery was made without ample criticism – no progress has ever been recorded without those who cautioned about trying to hard or caring to much – no life-no civilization thrived on status-quo – no traveler has reached their destination without steadily following their compass and persevering against many trials and tribulations. In other words, our values become the blueprint that guides us forward on our journey.

NAEMSE must be courageous and bring forth courage in others - Opportunities for courage come to us many times a day and some fail to seize the moment.

We believe that real courage is putting our physical lives on the line for another and yet this is only one part of courage. We propose that another part of courage equally powerful is one whereby a leader sacrifices their reputation to defend another. Defending a friend, an idea or a dream from the onslaught of those who are not builders in life but destroyer of great things and great people – is the truest form of courage.

NAEMSE: THE FUTURE IS BEFORE US We can only sacrifice ourselves physically once or a few times on our lifetime but to we can sacrifice ourselves daily in the service of others by giving a piece of our heart – our values to save another. Too many leaders simply remain silent so they do not lose their acceptance in the group. Being afraid that their personal fortune may be lost – standing in the organization – or their carefully crafted reputation. True courage is understanding that life is filled with moments that test our resolve and our principles. NAEMSE is committed to doing what is right and having the courage to move boldly forward.

NAEMSE must commit itself to mentoring We must reach out and become more of a mentoring organization to tackle the challenges of today – national accreditation, educational standards, low pay, classroom performance, professional respect – by providing the physical resources and NAEMSE experts from across our great nation to partner up with other educators to help them reach their goals. No EMS educator should stand alone – we must be concerned not only with the quality of our own programs but that of our fellow colleagues wherever and whenever a need arises.

NAEMSE must lead with passion - We are a passionate people who need to have a purpose for which to frame our lives and yet, so many leaders have turned their passion to only a flicker. They see passion as a dangerous emotion that if out of control can sweep through an organization and burn sacred piles of dry areas. These dry areas while not productive have been allowed to hold back new growth because of the time they have spent covering the ground. We believe that there is a need to rekindle a passionate flame and burn away old ways of thinking that keep people and ideas from growing – from flourishing. When we accept that great leadership is sacrifice and we must create a servant’s heart – for where we find our passion we find our purpose.

In the end, NAEMSE has a bold and aggressive agenda carved out for the future. As an organization, the successful implementation of this agenda can only be achieved when we join hands with other organizations that are committed to moving our profession forward in a positive direction. For if we are to fail let is be said that we failed forward with the hearts of lions reaching for the stars.

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DOMAIN FALL ‘16

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Providing a Voice for EMS Educators

Official Publication of the National Association of EMS Educators

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They’re Not Kids Anymore: A Close Look at the Theory of Andragogy and the Adult Learner by: Bill R. Young, NRP, M.S., Ed. D (c)

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Program Dir., Paramedicine Dept.

Editorial Review Board William Raynovich Les R.Becker Bruce Butterfras Todd Cage Deb Cason

Lynne Dees Kim McKenna Mike G. Miller Kelly Wanzek

MISSION STATEMENT: To inspire and promote excellence in EMS education and lifelong learning within the global community.

Reprinting Information

Interested in reprinting this article? If so, please contact Brandon Ciampaglia via e-mail at brandon.ciampaglia@ naemse.org or by phone at (412) 343-4775 ext. 29

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DOMAIN3

To inspire and promote excellence in EMS education and lifelong learning within the global community

They’re Not Kids Anymore: A Close Look at the Theory of Andragogy and the Adult Learner By: Bill R. Young, NRP, M.S., Ed. D (c) Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Program Director - Paramedicine Dept.

Introduction

O

ne of the tantamount principles of the emergency medical care of pediatric and infant patients is the mantra that “they are not little adults”. As educators are increasingly called upon to provide instruction for adults of all ages, a similar thought holds true as well: Adults must not be viewed as “big children” when planning for and executing their educational offerings. For the educator to do so ignores important factors that may impact the success or failure of any future educational experience that the adult student may attempt. This paper takes a focused look at some of the challenges that the adult learner of the 21st century will face as well as the corresponding options that their instructor may employ to create a more favorable learning environment for them.

Pedagogy vs. Andragogy The evolution of pedagogy developed within the church-operated schools of the seventh century and was primarily located in the wealthy cities of Europe.

The word pedagogy literally means, “leader of children” (Knowles, 1973). Observations form the religious leaders who functioned as teachers formed the basis of pedagogical science and was introduced in North America in the 19th century. The study of the teaching process accelerated around the beginning of the 20th century with the work of Holmes and Abington-Cooper, but was limited to that of children and, occasionally, that of animals (Knowles, 1980).

As Malcom Knowles developed the theory of the adult learner, he focused on said student as one who is focused and values self-direction. However, not all learning theories fit neatly inside Knowles’ observations. For those outside the United States, the theory of andragogy is often seen as an “American” theory, as the lone person who succeeds against all odds by depending upon him or herself.

In 1996, Van Gent said that a major issue with andragogy was that it is not a generalized theory but one of a, “specific, prescriptive approach” (p. 116).

Another issue that I can see is that not all the concepts of pedagogy should be discarded. For example, the issue of gamification within today’s education. The addition of games to that of strong academic teaching may be the best thing since peanut butter met chocolate! For some, the inclusion of games to fortify education as well as be a formative evaluation tool may seem counterintuitive, almost childlike. However, the research does not hold this to be true (Hanley, 2011).

Combining the pedagogical tool of gaming with the andragogical theory of self-directed learning brings about - for many adult learners - a method that decreases the intimidation of learning, thus making it much more effective.

The theory of andragogy is a very valid one and should be applied in the adult learner classroom today. Educators cannot, from a wholesale perspective, teach adults as they would a group of 10-13 year olds. However, I firmly believe that it would also be detrimental to toss out all of the aspects of pedagogy in favor of a one-size-fits-none approach. Today’s culture is the “Have It Your Way” mentality. Education of adults should be that, as well.

In looking at the study of adult education researchers began to notice some discrepancies when using the pedagogical model for their older students. In particular, the pedagogical tenant that the primary purpose of learning was for the instructor to deliver the particular content to his or her adult students seemed to conflict with those adults who brought a different purpose and values system for learning. Researchers noted that many of the practices of pedagogical proponents actually led to an increased dropout rate for their adult students (Knowles, 1980). As a result of his research, Knowles identified six intrinsic motivators that affected the learning patterns of adults. These were: 1. Adults have a desire to know why something is important. This stems from the importance that they place upon time constraints. For most adult learners, in addition to any learning taking place, responsibilities of family and work weigh heavily upon them. In an effort to triage the things that demand their time, adults tend to place a higher value upon items that they perceive as being valuable and worthy of their time and to discard everything else.

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DOMAIN3

To inspire and promote excellence in EMS education and lifelong learning within the global community

The Theory of Margins relays this well in that the broader the margin, the more likely learning is to take place. The thinner the margin, or the more demands that the student has on him, the less likely that learning will take place (Merriam, Caffarella, Baumgartner, 2007). This leads to the possibility that the student will give up on learning all together.

2. Adults bring a history of experience to the classroom. This experience is not only limited to those things that are perceived as being a success, but also those that might be viewed as a failure. For example, if a fire department officer with twenty years of experience is working towards a degree in fire administration, an introductory course in fire operations leadership is usually required. It could prove disastrous, for both the instructor of the course as well as the student, to approach this student the same way as you would the eighteen year old, traditional college student who has just graduated from high school.

The fire officer will probably be able to teach the class from the experiences that he has undergone from his last twenty years.

3. Adults need to be involved in the many aspects of their education. In particular, adult learners need to have input into the development, delivery and evaluation of any courses that they might enroll in. Adult learners need to have a sense of ownership in any learning that they are involved in. Of course, there are limitations to this since trying to deliver an individualized course for each student attending would soon become unwieldy and prove difficult to execute as well as evaluate. However, allowing the students some input into the aspects of the course that lend themselves to being changed has the effect of allowing ownership of the course by the student. Should adult students then fail to perform as well as they felt that they should have, the instructor of the class can point back to the areas in which the students made the objectives along with the inclusion of any evaluation tools used.

4. Adult learners need to know that what they are learning has, almost, immediate application to their world view. Through the use of pedagogy, students are told that what they are learning will be important to them someday. This tenant of andragogy takes the opposite approach and states that adults will buy into and get excited about those learning items that they can put into implementation immediately in their home, church or workplace.

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This is not to say that adults cannot put off immediate gratification in the learning process, but rather they view it as a much more meaningful experience if the new learning has immediate application.

5. Adults prefer learning that is centered on the solving of problems rather than lecture oriented or centered learning. According to Savery (2006), “Problem-centered learning is an instructional (and curricular) learner-entered approach that empowers learners to conduct research, integrate theory and practice, and apply knowledge and skills to develop a viable solution to a defined problem.” On the other hand, content-based learning focuses much more on the instructor and his/ her ability to share the information, primarily through lecture. Adults prefer the problem-based approach due to its inherent method of discovery of new information.

This method affords the student the right to claim both his successes as well as failures during the intensive learning process.

6. Adults view internal motivators as more effective to encouraging learning than external ones. According to Chao (2009) adult learners are motivated by two overarching stimuli: the individual learner and the learning environment. Thoms (2001) put forth that adult learners have set habits that have been ingrained in them over the course of their lives. This leads to a highly developed sense of pride in their work as well as their ability to take care of and provide for their families. In addition, she identified that these same learners have a framework of values, ideals, and attitudes that they use on a daily basis by which to make and execute decisions.

Andragogy was first used in the mid-19th century by the German educator, Alexander Kapp. He used this word to explain the theory of how Plato taught (Nottingham Andragogy Group, 1983). It was not widely considered a viable theory until the late 1920’s when it was re-introduced in America by Anderson and Linderman, who stressed that the adult had a commitment to a problem solving approach to learning (Davenport, 1987).

In 1994, Rachal determined that the, “evidence suggests an equivalence between androgogical approaches and pedagogical ones on both achievement and learner satisfaction.” He went one to surmise that educators would use the practices that worked for them and their students. Three basic problems with the use of pedagogy developed as a result of Rachel and Hartree’s research. First, it was not clear as to whether Knowles’ work was one of educational teaching or student learning.

DOMAIN3

To inspire and promote excellence in EMS education and lifelong learning within the global community

Secondly, there was a misunderstanding as to the relationships between the adult and child learning process. Lastly, it was not clear as to whether Knowles was advocating a theory or an educational best practice.

It is important for educators to stay cognizant of their preferences for working with adult learners. The Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory (PAEI) was developed to help those who teach adults to identify their personal beliefs about how they teach (Zinn, 1983).

Impact of the Aging Process on Learning In the past, the value of adult learning has varied among different cultural groups as well as individuals.

Heller et al. had this to say about aging: “As people grow older, their abilities change. This change includes a decline in cognitive, physical and sensory functions, each of which will decline at different rates relative to one another for each individual.” Until the last fifty years, it was thought that any additional education gained beyond the age of fifty was of little value. For many, it was thought that after this age the limited amount of life left for the person made this an exercise in futility at best and was often viewed as being extremely self-centered. Many of these views were derived from a study (Lowy and O’Connor, 1986) that adults viewed the value of learning from how much time (in years) that appeared to be left.

Recently, however, this view about aging and the value of learning in later life has undergone an evolution.

This can be pinpointed by the post-World War 2 era (Sheppard, 2002) and the proliference of veterans returning to college via the GI Bill. These adult learners have set the stage for a direction in the lifelong learning movement that continues today.

Many are the factors that affect the learning process, regardless of the age of the student. As one ages, there is an accompanying weakening of the ability to see and hear as well as when they were younger. As a person’s eyesight deteriorates, everything from the strain of attempting to distinguish details in small print to the flicker of a computer screen may add to the inability to read for long periods of time. In some cases, generalized macular degeneration may have a direct impact on the ability to see a clear field of vision. Of course, there are books on audio that can help alleviate this problem and allow the student to get the necessary information needed.

In addition, changes in the central nervous system may cause synapses to have a greater space between them thus increasing the ability to retain the material that is being presented (Merriam, Caffarella & Baumgartner, 2006). The brain begins to shrink and lose mass leading to a greater difficulty in comprehending and processing the necessary information. Because of this, older learners may be reticent to attempt to try to learn due to the perceived embarrassment and the psycho-social stigma attached to getting older in western culture.

Extensive research has been conducted on how the adult learning process is affected by insidious disease processes such as Alzheimer’s and the onset of dementia. As one ages, there does seem to be some loss of the short term, working memory portion of the brain as well as that of the long term memory (Berkauzer, 2011). As a result, educators will need to allow their older students more time to digest and process complex bits of information. Scaffolding plays an essential role in safeguarding the learning process. This allows the older learner to build upon previous bits of information, which provides said learner with the ability to “make sense” out of new material and use their previous knowledge/life experiences to assimilate new items.

The issue of technology and the older learner is usually a complex one. The instructor should take time to assess his class for the abilities and deficiencies of the use of software such as Microsoft Word and/or Excel.

For many older students, as well as some younger ones, it may be a bit over ambitious on the educator’s part to feel that they will be able to master these skills if they have never used them before.

This brings in the question of generational “profiling”. It is important to understand that not all older students are “technology-phobic”. Aspects of learning use of technology. As a result, the older learner may not explore the utilization of the computer and accompanying software required for a particular course simply because they do not know what to do; they are fearful that they may “break” something in the process (Dickenson, 2003). This may be compounded by the fact that most classrooms today contain a blend of traditional and non-traditional students. Each of these persons brings with them a certain amount of familiarity and comfort with the use, or non-use, of technology.

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DOMAIN3

To inspire and promote excellence in EMS education and lifelong learning within the global community

This then could lead to a less than ideal learning environment because now the instructor must be aware of any conflicts that may arise between generations of students.

Having laid out this scenario (cognitive, emotional, and physical obstacles notwithstanding), many adults want to continue to advance their education regardless of their chronological age. Due to the non-existence of employment security or the desire to take up a second career after retirement, a good number of adults want their education to continue (Crawford, 2004). Research has shown one of the best ways of fighting against Alzheimer’s and dementia is to continue to work the brain in the same way that one would continue to work the muscles of the body in order to stay flexible and limber. Crawford (2004) went on to report that the motivations of many older learners have, in addition to the flexibility of time allotment, more than compensated for the physiological changes that have been mentioned earlier in this essay.

In a remarkable research project completed by Emory University, scientists used a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine to map out the areas of the brain that are affected by continued education, in general, with emphasis placed on reading. This particular project examined the neural effects of reading a novel long after the participants had finished the assigned reading selection. The results of this experiment illustrate the important effect that learning continues to have on the brain long after the active phase of study has stopped.

A group of 21 undergraduates read the book, “Pompeii”. This reading was done over 19 days. The narrative of this text was based upon the eruption of the Mount Vesuvius volcano in ancient Italy. Each morning the subjects completed a baseline fMRI scan.

This was done while the student’s brains were in a resting state and with little to no stimulation. After this, they were told to read nine sections of the book, each section consisting of 30-35 pages. The students were restricted to reading the assigned section in the evening and return for another fMRI the following morning.

Upon return, the students completed a short quiz, which was done to ensure that they had indeed completed the reading assignment thus assuring the integrity of the research project.

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After reading the entire nine sections of the book the student came back for five more mornings to complete the fMRIs, again, in a resting state.

Once the study had been completed, it appeared as though the students showed increased activity in the left temporal cortex. This area of the brain is responsible for the reception and processing of language.

Although the students were doing no reading during the morning ritual of the fMRI, the increased activity of this part of the brain continued. According to Gregory Berns (2013), Chief Investigator for the project, “…this was dubbed the shadow activity, almost like muscle memory within the brain. The neural changes that we found associated with physical sensation and movement systems suggest that reading a novel can strengthen the power of the brain. We always suspected this, but now we’re seeing that something may be happening on a biological level as well.”

Research such as this holds great promise that learning in the later years of life is not something that is just “a nice thing to do,” but imperative to the health and function of the human brain. Higher educational facilities will need to recognize this and begin to plan for older, retired persons who have decided that now is the time for them to begin work on an undergraduate degree. According to Nancy Lemond, Executive Vice President of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), “Gone are the days when retiring meant packing up and moving to adults-only communities in Arizona or Florida.” Lemond says that boomers will want to continue to live in their communities and, among other items, continue to enhance their educational opportunities either from a desire for personal growth or from the need to continue to work past the traditional retirement age.

Structured Learning Experiences and the Adult Learner An important method of helping the adult learner to be successful is to encourage them to be as self-directed as possible in as many areas of learning as feasible. This will require the instructor to develop more learner-centered activities and move away from solely using lecture as the method of instruction. Ways in which of accomplishing this include: 1. Teaching students to take notes in a structured, systematic method.

DOMAIN3

To inspire and promote excellence in EMS education and lifelong learning within the global community

2. Developing psychomotor scenarios in which the students use the information that they have studied outside of class to solve real life problems in class, under the guidance of the educator.

About the author:

3. Providing consistent and frequent progress reports. This allows the adult learner, especially those of the baby boomer generation, time to make midcourse corrections and rectify problems before it is too late to do so.

Bill Young is the Program Director of the Paramedicine Department at Eastern Kentucky University. He has worked in emergency medical services since 1978. He began his career running calls for a small fire department near Williamsburg, Kentucky long before the term “first responder” existed. Young has worked as a street medic, training officer, supervisor, state regulator and educator.

4. Allow the adult learner to have input into the quality and evaluation of, not only their work, but also the work of others. The instructor must be cognizant that, although this is a benefit that can result in exponential learning for the adult student, certain federal, state and/or institutional laws, regulations or policies may require limitations on how much information the student is allowed.

His career has taken him to Tennessee, Colorado, Georgia and Kansas. He has lectured nationally and internationally. He also attended Cumberland College (now University of the Cumberlands) and graduated from Regis University with a Master’s Degree in Leadership.

He is enrolled at the University of the Cumberlands where he is seeking a Doctorate Degree in Educational Psychology.

Conclusion

References

With the aging of the baby boomer generation, centers of higher education and similar educational facilities will see an increase in the numbers of students that are older than the current definition of the non-traditional student. This brings with it both opportunity and risk. As these educational centers are looking to expand their offerings and specifically target this new pool of potential students, it will be imperative that the instructors of these classes understand that older learners are not the same as the traditional college student right out of high school; that they do not fit, demographically, with those who are currently defined as a non-traditional student. Adult learners will continue to want an enhanced learning experience, in that it fulfills not only the emotional needs but also the physiological and psychological areas as well.

Therein lies the risk. Failure of instructors and educational organizations to recognize the unique and inherent needs/methods of instruction that facilitate learning in the adult will bring potential loss. These schools and instructors will not be able to reach out to the adult learner on the level that is needed thus alienating and, potentially, making it more difficult for them to continue their educational pursuits. Organizations that recognize and implement the necessary steps to meet the needs of such learners will flourish as both the life expectancy of these students and their accompanying years of continuing education will experience a noticeable increase.

Berkauzer, A. (2011). The effects of age on short -term memory loss due to proactive interference. Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One Two, 4(1), Berns, G. (2013, January 6). Can reading a novel change your brain? The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/can-reading-a-novel-change-your-brain-a-study-of-brain-scans-suggestyes/2014/01/06/171d9e6e-7163-11e3-8b3f-b1666705ca3b_story.html Chao, R. (2009). A Holistic View towards Resistance to Mathematics Learning. EDULEARN09 the International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (s. 878-889). Barcelona: The International Association for Technology, Education and Development.

Crawford, D.(2004). School of Education at Johns Hopkins University. The Role of Aging in Adult Learning: Implications for Instructors in Higher Education. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/lifelonglearning/ higher-education/implications/ Davenport, J., III. (1987, March). A way out of the andragogy morass. Paper presented at the conference of the Georgia Adult Education Association, Savannah, GA Dickinson, A., Eisma, R., Gregor, P. (2003): Challenging Interfaces / Redesigning Users, Proceedings the Conference on Universal Usability, 10 – 11 November 2003, Vancouver, Canada, pp. 61 – 68.

Gent, van, Bastian (21996): ‘Andragogy’. In: A. C. Tuijnman (ed.): International Encyclopedia of Adult Education and Training. Oxford: Pergamon, p. 114-117.

Hainey, T., Connolly, T., Stansfield, M., & Boyle, L. (2011). The Use of Computer Games in Education: A Review of the Literature. In P. Felicia (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Improving Learning and Motivation through Educational Games: Multidisciplinary Approaches (pp. 29-50). Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. doi:10.4018/978-1-60960-495-0.ch002 Hartree, A. (1984). Malcolm Knowles’ theory of andragogy: A critique. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 3, 203210 Heller, R., Jorge, J., Guedj, R. (2001): EC/NSF Workshop on Universal Accessibility of Ubiquitous Computing: Providing for the Elderly Event Report, EC/NSF Workshop on Universal Accessibility of Ubiquitous Computing: Providing for the Elderly, 22 –25 May 2001, Alcacer do Sal, Portugal.

Holeywell, R. (2012, September). How will boomers reshape u.s. cities? . Retrieved from http://www.governing.com/generations/government-management/gov-howwill-boomers-reshape-cities.html Knowles, M. (1973). The adult learner: A neglected species. Houston: Gulf.

Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education. New York: Cambridge, the Adult Education Company.

Lowy, L., O’Connor, D. (1986). Why education in the later years? Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath and Company.

Merriam, S., Caffarella, R., & Baumgartner, L. (2007). Learning in adulthood. (3rd Ed.). San Francisco: Josey-Bass.

Rachal, J. R. (1994). Andragogical and pedagogical methods compared: A review of the experimental literature (Report). Hattisburg: University of Southern Mississippi.

(ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 380 566) Savery, J. R. (2006). Overview of problem-based learning: Definitions and distinctions. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem -based Learning, 1(1), Sheppard, T. (2002). “The learning journey.” Navy Supply Corps Newsletter. June-August, 2002. Retrieved July 4, 2004 from findarticles.com database.

Thoms, K. J. (2001). They’re Not Just Big Kids: Motivating Adult Learners. Annual Mid-South Instructional Technology Conference. Murfreesboro, TN. Zinn, L. (1983). Philosophy of adult education inventory. Dissertation Abstracts International, 44, 1667A-1668A.

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SURVEY SAYS: NAEMSE MEMBERSHIP & MILLENNIALS

Survey Says: NAEMSE Membership & Millennials By: Joann Freel, NAEMSE Executive Director

After 21 years of answering the question, “Why should I join NAEMSE?” the direction has shifted to the question of, “What does a membership in NAEMSE provide for me?”

The follow-up to that is then, “What social capital does NAEMSE provide for its members?” Those answers should come easy to me, right? After all, I am a trained professional in Leadership and Organizational Management plus a member of three professional associations! But here is the hard part for me: The answers are more different now than they were 20 years ago.

I find myself replying to these questions by listing the benefits of NAEMSE membership and stating that yes, we do have a presence in social media… because I am the Executive Director of the greatest association in EMS education: NAEMSE. As I am writing about these incidents, the song

by Adele (‘When We Were Young’) goes through my mind.

When we were younger, along with the association, we were eager to connect with each other face-to-face at various local and national meetings and conferences to share ideas, visions, resources and engage in networking as we all try our best to navigate through the constantly evolving field of Emergency Medicine.

Today, it’s very different and not news to anyone that the younger generation of professionals - the Millennials (those born between 1977- 1994) - love and use technology in their personal and professional lives on a daily basis; they rely on technology to make their lives easier. When it comes to their careers, millennials use social media to their benefit whether it’s to connect with colleagues, job hunting, seeking advice, trading presentations, etc. and it has replaced the old- fashioned era of professional organizations. To that end, it’s hard to find the facts to present to millennials on why they should join a professional organization such as NAEMSE. As a result of this, I went to work on researching articles on millennials in the workforce and found the following information that I hope will prove as useful to you as it has to me. In an article written by John Rampton, “Millennials Have Rediscovered the Benefits of Joining a Professional Organization”, featured within the pages of ‘Entrepreneur’, he states that the respondents ranked social capital as very important to their professional lives. Can you identify what social capital is? The article defined it as the technological footprint of an organization. In addition to this article’s information, I found some other interesting facts through a survey developed by the Buzz Marketing Group’s, “Professional Organizations Study 2015”, which shows that of millennials:

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- 92 percent believe that today’s professional groups provide great opportunities to network.

- 52 percent reported that they are more likely to join a group that is invite-only.

- 58 percent already belong to a professional organization.

- 77 percent of respondents who are not members of a professional organization intend to join one.

With this information in mind, I have crafted a response aimed directly at millennials: Social Capital - Professional organizations such as NAEMSE have a technological footprint within social media. NAEMSE offers a Facebook page, a LinkedIn group, Twitter, a membership blog and more, all of which are considered social capital. Use this benefit to connect with members who can become a mentor or an advisor to you and others. This is an opportunity to hear and learn from their advice concerning the roads they have traveled in their professional career. By establishing a networking path with industry leaders and colleagues, you can reach your professional goals.

Learn - When you join a professional organization such as NAEMSE, you gain access to educational resources such as industry research, newsletters, seminars, courses and educational events where the knowledge experts and thought-leaders share insights into the latest trends, innovations, technology and best practices. Members of professional organizations further their careers by staying ahead of their competitors.

Job Opportunities - NAEMSE has a wide-ranging online Career Center, which is zero cost for members to review and post their cv/resume. The newly formed network you have established with other members can be an advantage because it can connect you with individuals and programs searching for someone with your specific talents. On the flip side of this, if you are in a position to hire other educators you can readily view resumes of colleagues that match your criteria.

Develop Leadership Skills - As a member of a professional organization, you will have the opportunity to develop your leadership skills by speaking at educational events, answering questions on forums or contributing content to a specifically focused group’s newsletter or website. This practice allows you to become a stronger leader that will help you achieve your professional goals.

You will become a trusted and respected addition to the group of EMS and its educational leaders.

SURVEY SAYS: NAEMSE MEMBERSHIP & MILLENNIALS Exclusive services and benefits: Being a member of a professional group such as NAEMSE provides you with many benefits such as access to educational resources at The Trading Post; educational webinars and educational workshops. The rewards are priceless!

I would also give this advice to anyone considering a membership within a professional organization such as NAEMSE: “You will get what you put into it as long as you are committed to the mission of the organization.”

Also, the following is wonderful advice to take note of and it is from a baby-boomer: “You [always] want to be an active and productive member who mingles with other members and contributes to the community in various ways.” ______________________________________

You know what it means to save lives and that proper training makes the difference between good and bad outcomes. Teach Safe Sitter

®

to young teens who are home alone, sibling sitting, or babysitting.

REFERENCES:

Help them know what to do.

John Rampton “ Millennials Have Rediscovered the Benefits of Joining a Professional Organization” https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/246691 Buzz Marketing Group’s, “Professional Organizations Study 2015, https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/246691

safesitter.org | 317.596.5001

got research?

Call for Abstracts Now Accepting Research Abstracts for Presentation.

Submit your abstract or learn more via online at: www.pcrf.mednet.ucla.edu Category: Deadline: Presented at:

Clinical, system, management, or personnel October 31st, 2016 EMS Today Conference Salt Lake City, UT February 23-25, 2017

Category: Deadline: Presented at:

Educational March 31st, 2017 NAEMSE Conference Washington, DC August 7-12, 2017

For additional questions contact the Prehospital Care Research Forum at: Telephone: (310) 312-9308 Email: pcrf@mednet.ucIa.edu www.naemse.org | Educator Update |

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NAEMSE ON THE BRAIN / NAEMSE COMMITTEES

NAEMSE ON THE BRAIN Fun factoids to engage your mind.

• The typical brain is about 2% of a body’s weight but uses 20% of its total energy and oxygen intake.

• Your brain is 73% water. It takes only 2% dehydration to affect your attention, memory and other cognitive skills.

• Ninety minutes of sweating can temporarily shrink the brain as much as one year of aging.

• Humans don’t have the biggest brains. That honor belongs to sperm whales with 17 pound brains.

• The more senses you stimulate when learning, the more information the brain will retain.

• The human brain only has about a 10-minute attention span.

NAEMSE Establishes NEW Committee Co-Chairs On behalf of NAEMSE President, Dr. Chris Nollette, and Board of Directors we are proud to share with you the updated listing of official Association Committee Chairs & Co-Chairs:

COMMITTEE

CO- CHAIR

CO-CHAIR

Communication Bill Toon, AR Todd Cage, MN Cultural Competency Mark Kunimune, HI Sahaj Khalsa, NM Education Rusty Gilpin, OK Anthony Guerne, NY Educational Technology Doug Gadomski, NM Judson Smith, CO Finance Jeff McDonald, TX John Creech, TX Jill Oblak, PA Governance Stephen Blackburn, NC International

Robert Henderson, MD Wayne Perry, VA Membership

Gabe Romero, CA Steven Mountfort, FL Program Bryan Ericson, FL Recognition Travis Howe, NY Casey Quake, CT Research Elliot Carhart, FL Justin Hunter, OK State Chapters Jeff McDonald, TX Dan Carlascio, IL If you are interested in participating in one of (or a few) committees listed above, please visit the official NAEMSE website or call the main association office at (412) 343-4775. We look forward to having your voice shape the future of NAEMSE and EMS Education!

Educator Update| | |Educator Update 1718

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“we don’t ‘rise to the occasion,’ we ‘sink to the level of our training.’ ” REMEMBER: When crisis strikes, — “On Combat” Lt Col David Grossman (ret)

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