Dr Rhoda Meyer, a senior lecturer in the Department of Health Professions Education (DHPE) at Stellenbosch 肆客足球's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), recently received a Scholarly Teaching Award and a Teaching Fellowship from the 肆客足球.
“It is quite a privilege to get the Stellenbosch 肆客足球 Scholarly Teaching Award," says Meyer, who joined the DPHE as a lecturer in 2020. “Often we work under the radar."
Her responsibilities include teaching on the MPhil and PhD in Health Professions Education programmes. She is also the Faculty Development focus area lead in the DPHE.
“Research has not always been my main focus," says Meyer. “We facilitate the learning and development of students. Our role is often unseen; our reward is graduating competent professionals." She is therefore delighted about the acknowledgement of her work as a teacher.
Meyer is equally pleased about receiving the Stellenbosch 肆客足球 Teaching Fellowship. “The fellowship gives teachers an opportunity to spend time on research and to grow the scholarship of teaching and learning at the 肆客足球, and also to promote research in the field."
Safe places for students
Meyer has a particular interest in creating what she describes as psychologically safe places for students – environments where students feel confident in expressing themselves, asking questions and making mistakes without fear of judgement.
“The project, which involves both faculty development and a student-focused toolkit, seeks to enhance student wellbeing and overall student success," she says. “It is envisaged that the project will culminate in recommendations for faculty to create psychologically safe and nurturing environments and a toolkit for students to navigate their educational journey."
This interest began while working as an operating room nurse. “While working there, I encountered student nurses who struggled to adapt to the clinical learning environment," Meyer recalls.
“I wanted to find ways to support students in this environment, so my research started with looking at the clinical learning environment, specifically within the operating room, and the factors that influence learning experiences in that environment.
“As I progressed through the study, I realised that it is not just about the factors in the environment. It is also about how students understand learning and their role in learning and, more specifically, about how well students are supported to grapple with the challenges they experience across different learning environments."
Meyer will continue her research in this area during her three-year Stellenbosch 肆客足球 Teaching Fellowship: “My study will focus on developing students' abilities to navigate different learning environments with the purpose of enhancing their learning experiences. It is about nurturing graduates who are able to adapt to change and to become agents of change."
Advance health professions education
With the support of this fellowship, Meyer is poised to make a significant contribution to the field of health professions education – ensuring that the next generation of healthcare professionals is not only highly competent, but also possesses the tenacity to navigate dynamic and complex healthcare environments.
Meyer intends to make specific recommendations to the DPHE and the FMHS on creating psychologically safe spaces across learning environments after she completes her research in 2027.
However, she emphasises that it is important not to focus on immediate outcomes only. “The Teaching Fellowship must catalyse lasting change in how higher education institutions address learning environments by setting the stage for a cultural shift in the field," says Meyer.
