MARK RASMUSSEN

I use sociocultural theory, situated learning, and ecological perception in both clinical and classroom education to frame and orient my teaching and learning. This means opening as much space for the student to participate in a legitimate way in clinical encounters and intervening in a formally minimal way to both ensure the patient gets the correct care and that the optimal amount of in-the-moment feedback is given to the student. The intent is to optimize the potential for learning by identifying, as well as is possible, the division between what the student can do independently, with some assistance, and with more guidance. Because students are individuals and variable, I use a dynamic assessment method to prompt the student during clinical encounters to identify what level of mediation they specifically need in any given clinical moment.
 
In the classroom, I utilize sociocultural theoretic concept-based instruction, along with situated learning and dynamic assessment to guide the overall course content and how the theoretical concepts are applied clinically. I use the Explore-Examine-Extend framework to organize and plan each lesson. Each lesson is driven by Concept-Based Instruction, with the ultimate goal to devise easily graspable concepts that can be applied to real-world cases that move the concept from the interpersonal (between the subject and the student) to the intrapersonal (between the student and themselves) plane.