Instructor Insights | With Kimberly Bergen

Based on your experience, what advice would you offer to educators who are new to teaching adult learners?

Becoming a new instructor was exciting but came with plenty of apprehension. Prior to beginning the PIDP (Provincial Instructor Diploma Program), I felt very unsure of myself as an instructor. I knew my material well, but sharing my knowledge with adult learners in a way that was conducive to their learning was a huge learning experience in itself. I cannot emphasize enough taking the PIDP courses as early as possible to get started in teaching with the practical course skills and knowledge, but also to experience what it feels like to be an adult learner oneself again.

Can you share an example of a time when feedback from students or colleagues prompted you to adjust your teaching techniques?

Yes, it was very humbling! I had a student give written feedback that I seemed to be relatively new to instructing and that the way I taught and the way this student learned was very different. This feedback was not what I had hoped for, but it was so important for me to understand that there was so much opportunity for me to learn how I could instruct better, and the need to be keen and teachable myself. Using this feedback to work on my course, I came up with some achievable changes to try, and I look forward to receiving the feedback from future students.?

In what ways do you incorporate real-world relevance and practical application into your instruction?

I like to include a lot of examples in my instructing and explain some of the interesting scenarios I have encountered in my work. Some are mistakes that I've made in my job, and some are the impactful conversations with patients. Sharing these tidbits throughout the course gives students a glimpse into the workplace they will be entering and lets me share my passion with them as to why I have found being an MOA to be such a rewarding career. I also have found through the student's feedback, that they really enjoy the real-world examples, and a highlight for me is the engagement that comes from sharing my experiences and then giving students opportunities to share theirs.?

About Kimberly:

Kimberly has been a practicing MOA for over a decade, working in family practice clinics and with specialists. She currently works part-time for the Mission Division of Family Practice along with instructing at University of the Fraser Valley , CE department. She has always enjoyed training practicum students in her job, and when the opportunity to teach for UFV's CE came about, it was an exciting opportunity to share her experiences and knowledge. Kimberly has a passion for helping train up MOA's that enter into the workplace, confident that they can make a difference for the practitioners they work for, and the patients they encounter with kindness and competence. She is currently in the PIDP program, working towards her diploma.