Learners like to know where they are going. They need some navigational aid (verbal or visual) at the very start of the course or lesson which maps out, or hints at, the response route they are going to take. In the world of design at the micro level, this is often called an ‘overview’. This overview can, in a subtle way, anticipate things which later in the course or lesson will be very critical. Like an overture, an overview creates a mood and a reason for wanting to start and to go on. An overview must convey why it’s worthwhile to be attentive and to do what will be asked of you as a learner. Below is one example. It is the overview to the refresher course for young GPs on the subject of dermatology in general practice. This course was the subject of case study no. 3 in Chapter 3. The overview begins with a statement to motivate the learner’s interest. The statement is a reflection of an experienced physician on the profile of a ‘good doctor’. He formulates this profile for all GP’s out of the qualities he would like in a doctor treating a member of his own family.
Introduction
‘If I ask a colleague to look after a member of my family, I ask these sorts of questions: Does he care? Does he try? Does he visit patients? Does he get up at night? Does he listen? Does he examine? Does he talk with patients’ relatives? Does he know?’ (John Horder, President, Royal College of General Practitioners, London.)
We hope the exercises and information which you are asked to work through in this book will help you ‘know’ something more about the recognition, assessment and treatment of skin disorders (dermatoses) in general practice.
In each exercise you are asked to do something: answer a question, make a diagnosis, decide a treatment, study a diagram, look some-thing up or process some information. Most times, but not always, you will be given feedback information. This information is for use after you have done what has been asked of you. It will help you evaluate the ‘correctness’ of your own response.
Together the exercises are designed to refresh your knowledge of dermatology and to stimulate more fruitful discussion around patient problems in our group sessions.
Without an overview, learners are too often thinking and listening in their own frame of reference and the teacher is thinking and teaching in her or his. There may be no communication because wrong associations are being made on both sides. The overview is very critical in establishing a common frame of reference. Out of this frame of reference the teaching-learning process can begin with student and teacher understanding its purpose, knowing its end goal and understanding each other.