Subproblems in the Project Curriculum Design Obstetrics

1. The institute want to upgrade there courses to academic level. In this they want/must cooperate with the Medical Faculty VU and of McMasters. What will this mean for the competences, the subject matter and the curriculum program(schedule)? Main reason: the birth death was to high in the Netherlands. By raising the level of the HBO-obstetric workers and optimizing the cooperation with the specialists this problem could be counteracted.
2. How to cooperate with the other institutes Obstetrics in higher education? How to cooperate with the working field?
3. How to modernize the educational approach? How to include the teachers in the innovation process?

ad.1. The approach choosen  to answer this need  is the Koninklijk proces van curriculum ontwikkeling. (1) analyse trends and  the consequences.  (2) analyse new academic competences besides the HBO+ competences. (3) prepare an educational program concept using the approach of the medical academic education in the Netherlands (het Raamplan) (4) analyse the concept of the VUmc program and also Galgary and prepare a separate program Academic Obstetrics which is overlapping as much as possible with the existing VUmc program, because the teaching staff of the VUmc could involved as academic teachers in the program Academic Obstetrics. (separate questions were answered: how to use ICT, how to design the Internships, how to involve and support the teachers, how to assess the students, necessary information for the request for a new curriculum (5) prepare the short description of all courses in the new curriculum (like a study guide)

ad.2. In the same period  the professional association start with a procedure to formulate a new professional image. In this procedure two Educational institutes were involved besides members of the professional association. Unfortunately the timing of the development of the professional images did not fit the planning of the project Academic Obsterics. The project developed an own professional image which is discussed more or less informal with colleagues in the professional association.

ad.3. In the existing HBO+-program there were a number of modern education approaches implemented. Also the possibilities of ICT in e education were studied.
Approach:(1)  discuss various new didactical approaches on the question: is a approach  useful in related to the existing and new competences, are the available experiences and opinions with the method positive? Are the teachers able and willing to use these methods. (2) collect information and summarize in a first draft of the didactical concept. For example a presentation of the VUmc curriculum by one of the educational founders. But also other evidence based ideas.(3) adjust didactical concept and include a short description how a certain principle will be translated in specific educational activities. (4) organize informal and formal discussions with the management and the teachers