ALERT CONTENT PLACEHOLDER

The Michener Institute of Education of UHN's Learning, Innovation and Research portfolio at the St. Patrick Campus works to support continuous learning, seeking to close the gap between theory and practice and to anticipate and respond to change in health care and education. The portfolio is comprised of four departments: Applied Educational Research (AER), the Centre for Learning, Innovation and Simulation (CLIS), the Centre for the Advancement of Simulation and Education (CASE), Strategic Partnerships and Procurement and the Michener Simulated Participant Program.

Our commitment to innovative programming and curriculum design and evaluation allows us to face these challenges head-on. Increasingly, that means using practice-based learning and simulation. At its core, simulation lets students experience realistic patient scenarios and practice responding to them, something that a traditional curriculum doesn't allow. Through direct observation from instructors and peers, learners are given immediate feedback and opportunities to practice and repeat activities, which gives them the chance to build their confidence in a low-stakes environment. Practicing key skills in a supportive learning environment encourages recall when you're in the moment.

Through CASE and CLIS, The Michener Institute of Education of UHN works with health care leads and faculty on all aspects of curriculum design, from research and needs analysis all the way to device procurement. Collaborating in this way to create simulations has taught The Michener Institute of Education of UHN to plan forward for disruptive technologies. Simulation-based learning is changing the way we think about professional development.

Applied Educational Research

Reporting to the Senior Director, Learning, Innovation and Research, Applied Educational Research (AER) collects, analyzes and interprets data to support internal stakeholders with planning, decision-making, and continuous quality improvement. Applied Educational Research also provides consultative support to faculty and staff at the School of Applied Health Sciences who are engaged in scholarship of inquiry. Some of AER's primary functions related to these include:

  • Conducting and reporting on annual Key Performance Indicator Surveys for our diploma programs (e.g. Student Satisfaction, Graduate Satisfaction, and Employer Satisfaction)
  • Collecting, processing, and disseminating course-faculty evaluation results each semester
  • Conducting ad hoc research and analysis, including studies that support strategic planning
  • Advising faculty or staff at the School of Applied Health Sciences about access to institutional data and research ethics for their scholarly work
  • Consulting with faculty or staff engaged in scholarly inquiry about research design, analysis, and interpretation
  • Consulting with service departments at the School of Applied Health Sciences about survey and evaluation design, analysis, and interpretation

The mission of Applied Educational Research is to provide timely, accurate, and value-added data, analysis, and information to members of The Michener Institute of Education of the UHN community to support evidence-based decision-making and scholarship of inquiry.

Applied Educational Research (AER) endeavours to advance a culture of scholarly inquiry by integrating collaboratively with its partners The Centre for Learning, Innovation and Simulation (CLIS) and The Centre for Advancement in Simulation and Education (CASE).

AER is committed to assisting faculty and staff with their scholarly endeavours. We provide integrated consultation services in collaboration with CLIS and CASE on scholarly activity, research ethics, and course evaluation. Faculty and staff are encouraged to contact Applied Educational Research with their project questions.

Centre for Learning, Innovation and Simulation

The Centre for Learning, Innovation and Simulation (CLIS) has a mandate to support the vision and direction of the academic area at the School of Applied Health Sciences. The CLIS instructional designers, learning specialists and support staff function primarily to work with stakeholders towards the development and delivery of effective curriculum in an optimal student environment to maximize student learning. CLIS coordinates the curriculum development, faculty development and organizational development related to the interprofessional collaboration and education initiatives (IPC and IPE) at the School of Applied Health Sciences, and provides expertise on competency-based, simulation-enhanced curriculum design and evaluation.

To this end, CLIS:

  • Educates faculty regarding current pedagogical thinking and direction
  • Assists with the continuous review and development of effective curriculum through consultation, advisement and coaching
  • Serves as consultant at the St. Patrick Campus on all aspects of teaching and learning
  • Serves as an incubator for new ideas and innovative program development
  • Participates in research related to the scholarship of teaching and learning
  • Provides resources and support for media development and AV production

Strategic Partnerships and Procurement

This department supports the School of Applied Health Sciences' full-time programs and Continuing Education programs by establishing partnerships with medical equipment manufacturers/suppliers, building alliances with clinical partners and other academic organizations, facilitating the procurement of major capital equipment, and providing expertise and support for the comprehensive program review process at the School of Applied Health Sciences. 

The activities of this department have expanded in scope and volume with Michener's integration with UHN.  However, the primary focus remains in the following three areas:

Strategic Partnerships

  • Identifying, vetting and evaluating partnership opportunities
  • Developing and Implementing vendor/alliance partner agreements, including
    • Identifying strengths that will enhance the strategic initiatives of The Michener Institute of Education of UHN and the vendor/alliance partner;
    • Determining the specific contributions that The Michener Institute of Education of UHN and the vendor/alliance partner bring to the agreement; and
    • Determining metrics for assessing impacts of vendor/alliance partner agreements.
  • Engaging in networking activities to foster current and new partnerships and to promote The Michener Institute of Education at UHN and The Research Institute of Health Care Education
  • Collaborating with the Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation to promote gift-in-kind and philanthropic opportunities
  • Collecting intelligence from alliance partners to identify new technologies, processes/procedures, and the emergence of new health professions
  • Identifying curriculum needs/solutions for vendor/alliance partners

Procurement

  • Assisting the full-time and continuing education programs as well as new programming areas (i.e. 12th-floor simulation centre) in procuring major capital equipment including:
    • Identifying gift-in-kind opportunities with alliance partners or other vendors;
    • Negotiating favourable pricing/educational discounts;
    • Identifying and negotiating alternative access to equipment (i.e. use of UHN facilities);
    • Drafting business cases and/or requests for proposals for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC);
    • Working with education leadership to establish a capital priority list; and
    • Liaising with vendors and programs during the installation/implementation of new equipment.

Analysis

  • Providing expertise, analysis and synthesis for the comprehensive program review process at the School of Applied Health Sciences, and report to MOHLTC:
    • Analysis of the current state of programs undergoing review;
    • Analysis of internal/external risk factors that impact the program sustainability (labour market, competitive programs, technological/clinical practice changes, change in profession scope of practice/legislative changes, etc.); and
    • Developing recommendations to enhance the program's sustainability.
  • Conducting competitive analysis and providing recommendations for new program offerings
  • Conducting labour market assessments and analysis of results for programs under review

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