‘Developing autonomy in student optical professionals’ was the fifth output of the Sector Partnership for Optical Knowledge and Education (Spoke), approved by the GOC.
The web-based toolkit focused on how to encourage and support students to become fully independent practitioners, and how mentorship and preceptorship might support them in roles as new registrants.
Research highlighted by the GOC showed that encouraging students to become autonomous learners through developing critical thinking, problem solving and decision-making skills, was an effective means of enhancing productivity.
Four strands of the project were highlighted in a downloadable template to embed the approach into curricula: self-leadership, independent learning, co-creation and mentorship and preceptorship. Professor Lizzy Ostler, director of education for The College of Optometrists, said that the toolkit captured and supported the shift in focus introduced by the GOC’s ETR.
‘Developing autonomy in learners as they progress to registration is an integral part of ETR courses, that will ensure new registrants are equipped to navigate progress in technology and healthcare throughout their careers,’ she said.
