Utilising medical investigation techniques to understand holistic support and care in higher education

other

Boardgame – 50 minutes (or 1hr 10 minutes if possible but can also be done in 50 mins if needed). There would need to be grouped tables of 4-5 people.

Abstract

Supporting our students can be challenging in an ever-changing and complicated world. With a wide range of options and services available in the University and externally, and to protect our own wellbeing, we need to understand the nature of the beast rather than being devoured by it. Through a medical investigation game, this session gives staff the opportunity to combine their compassion, curiosity, and critical thinking skills, to identify issues and the most effective ways to ‘treat’ them.

Session and activities

Using a medical investigation game, over the course of four turns, teams will have to read information presented to them and make decisions for either treatment (referral) or further investigation, in order to provide the best and timely aid to their patients. The teams will need to be co-operative, and decisions will be made via discussions, and team resource management. A game controller (member of the SLE team) will be present to describe the rules to each team and allow positive progression of the game. The game controller can also help translate the game dynamics into a higher education setting to showcase the relevance of the game.

At the end of the session, the game controller will share feedback with the participants on how they dealt with the situation and how similar processes and decisions impact on our students and how they can, as learning teams, understand the complex nature of student needs. As well as demonstrating to staff that, initial facts, while true, can cover other facts and situations which maybe more complex requiring a holistic approach.

Participants will leave the session with an awareness into how they make decisions and judgements based on the, sometimes limited, information they have, and how they may challenge their own ideas and assumptions to potentially lead to more positive outcomes.