Mater Dei: Face-to-face workshops

Mater Dei Hospital (contact Nicola Yarnell to book)

Workshop descriptions 

Active learning in lectures: (by request)
We know that learning is an active process that can be enhanced or diminished by the actions of the teacher. This workshop will summarise some principles of active learning and how to enhance them during the delivery of a lecture.

Active learning in the clinical environment:
The clinical learning environment is unique and can be challenging. This workshop will explore ways of making sure that students do not feel like they are “the ghost at the back” on the ward-round or clinic.

An introduction to Mentimeter
This workshop will explore different approaches to interactive teaching in general and then focus on how to use the digital polling system “mentimeter”.

Educational portfolios
You teach students, attend faculty development workshops, collect evaluations of your teaching and even think about how you could improve. This workshop will help you to organise this information into a portfolio, focused in helping you improve as a teacher, and to showcase your teaching excellence for job interviews and promotion!

Evaluating teaching:
How do you know if your teaching is any good? How might you know what areas you could improve? How can you get the student feedback that you need, and how else might you assess the quality of your teaching?

Effective teaching/Best evidence education: (by request)
Highlighting strategies to find and apply the best evidence in education, including free systematic reviews and resources. You will leave with practical tips to make your teaching more evidence-based.

Giving feedback to learners
Giving great feedback is one of the hardest, and most important, parts of teaching. This interactive workshop explores what feedback really is (and what it isn’t), looks at practical models for delivering it well, and helps you develop key principles you can apply straight away. You will leave with a toolkit for feedback that is clear, constructive, and effective.

Lesson planning:
A practical workshop giving an introduction to lesson planning and getting participants to adapt to their own needs.

Managing difficult student behaviours & teaching challenges
In this interactive workshop we will explore some of the most bothersome teaching challenges and share options for managing them with grace and professionalism.

Mentoring & supervising students
Coaching and mentoring techniques are useful in supporting students and colleagues in transitions and development. This workshop will explore the similarities and differences between coaching and mentoring, when each is most useful, and practical ways to strengthen your mentoring skills.'

Motivating learners:
A practical workshop generating tips and tricks to maximise interest and intrinsic motivation in a mixed group of learners.

Online teaching:
Challenges and tips for online teaching. Interactive, borrowing from the experience of the participants, the session organisers and the literature.

Problem Based Learning, what and why?
Problem based learning is a very specific way of delivering teaching and constructing a curriculum. Each of its 7 steps has its own justification based on what we know about how individuals learn. Through looking at PBL, participants will also gain an understanding of some wider aspects of how to improve student learning.

Reflective practice as a teacher
Reflective practice is a useful tool for personal and professional growth, especially in clinical education. This session will explore how structured reflection can enhance learning and support continuous development in healthcare settings.

Supporting students in difficulty:
An introduction to supporting students who may be in difficulty, and may be presenting as a “difficult student.” We will explore how they present, why they struggle and what to do to help.

Teaching on the run/when time is short:
One of the top reasons stated for not teaching is lack of time. This workshop, particularly focused on the clinical environment, will help participants generate ideas for brief but effective ‘learning moments.’

Teaching That Clicks: High-Impact Strategies:
This workshop explores small, evidence-based interventions that make a big difference to student learning. Participants will discover practical, high-impact teaching strategies – from focusing on key sub-skills to using quick wins that boost engagement and understanding – and will leave with a toolkit of approaches to apply immediately in their own teaching.

 Teaching with patients/Bedside teaching/:
Covering the why’s and how’s of teaching with patients — from selecting appropriate patients to structuring the encounter. We will discuss practical tips to make bedside teaching effective, safe, and memorable for both students and patients.

The patient doesn't speak English - strategies for effective teaching
Using a “toolkit approach” we will explore the different approaches used by clinical tutors when the patient and doctor share a language that the student does not. You will leave the workshop with new approaches to add to your teaching repertoire.

Using AI to improve your teaching
AI tools like ChatGPT are transforming how we prepare teaching materials, generate ideas, and give feedback. This workshop explores practical, time-saving ways to use AI in education while avoiding common pitfalls like confirmation bias and over-automation. Participants will experiment with prompts, explore case studies, and leave with strategies to make AI a helpful partner rather than a shortcut that bypasses learning.