Krystina Clarke, MHSc.

At STEPS-program, we are dedicated to providing high-quality learning opportunities for adults seeking to expand their knowledge and skills in various fields. This project will be guided by two research questions: What is the most suitable educational design theory to support a program that prepares health science students to become simulation assistants? What are the structures (such as courses and experiences) to support the program’s curriculum? One of the key institutional constraints identified in the exploratory stages is that the STEPS program must be built on existing course offerings, with an addition of three core courses. Preliminary literature searches suggest that the infusion approach is the most suitable educational design approach to employ with such constraints. This approach will be applied by infusing the competencies underpinning the simulation assistants' competencies identified earlier within already existing courses within the BHSc program at Ontario Tech University. To accomplish this, I will conduct a series of course mapping exercises and develop experiential learning opportunities through interviews with program directors (n=5), individual course instructors (n=15-20), and institutional partners (n=10) to identify courses, course elements, and experiential learning opportunities to be integrated into the STEPS program. In addition, the STEPS program will include three core courses and a capstone experience.