GIC | What you've signed up for

Hi ,

Welcome to the GIC.

The APLS Generic Instructor Course (GIC) is aligned with the Advanced Life Support Group (ALSG) Generic Instructor Course. The 3 day program offers a practical structured approach to teaching and also immerses you into the culture of the APLS faculty.

Your invitation to join this program was because of key skills and attributes which are foundational for instructors who support APLS programs. These include your clinical credibility, ability to work as a team, communication skills, supportiveness and openness to learning.  

The GIC program includes

  1. The Pocket Guide to Teaching for Clinical Instructors - 3rd edition  (see separate email for your unique access code and instructions on how to view)
  2. Your pre-course preparation supported by online videos, journal articles and allocated teaching materials. 
  3. Full attendance at the 3 day program where you deliver/facilitate simulated teaching sessions, give and receive feedback and actively participate in peer-peer learning.

You will be allocated into a group of four during practice sessions, where you will demonstrate facilitating each of the course teaching modes. Feedback and formative assessment will be provided following each practice.  The feedback matrices are included in the resources.

All formative assessment will be taken into consideration prior to an invitation to join APLS faculty as an instructor candidate. Most of the candidates who complete the GIC go on to be APLS instructors, initially as instructor candidates.  Some candidates will given extra support to achieve this.

What you need to prepare for the face to face course.

The GIC is a practical course where you will  deliver or facilitate the following sessions:

  • a mini presentation (7 mins)
  • a teaching scenario (8 mins) and lead debriefing (4 mins)
  • a skills station (7 mins)
  • a workshop discussion (7 mins)
  • assessment of a candidate on a skill (7 mins)
  • assessment of a candidate on a scenario (12 mins)

Your audience will include instructors and fellow candidates. Instructors will role play a candidate amongst the group you are teaching. Another instructor will provide you with feedback according to the feedback matrices.  

These practice teaching sessions are a way of allowing you to put the principles of learner centred facilitation into practice. You will be demonstrating to the faculty that you are capable of achieving the educational aims of your sessions in the allocated time frame.

Please allow 6-8 hours preparation time.

Resources for your practice sessions - you have been allocated one set #A, #B, #C or #D

Please review what you have been allocated - March 2023 GIC Candidate Allocations

View and download resources for practice sessions.   Save your presentation and resources for the small group discussion to a USB for use via the APLS (Windows Microsoft v16) laptop computers.

When will I be practising facilitating teaching sessions?

You can see a sample course program here.   Practice sessions are on every day. Your first practise will be on Days 1 and 2. Day 3 is for repeated practise sessions (same content) with modifications you make following your self-reflection and suggestions from your peers and faculty.

Are there any tips to guide my preparation for practice sessions?

Yes - Tips for pre-course preparation for GIC.  Also - there are demonstrations within the Pre-course online learning

 Over the years, some candidates have arrived at the course unprepared for the active role expected of them facilitating practice sessions.  Each of the six practice sessions have different resources and they are numbered 1-6 to correlate with the face to face program.

You will be contacted by a member of the GIC faculty in the 1-2 weeks before the course to check in and see how you are going with your preparations. 

Please make use of their support so you can enjoy the opportunity the GIC gives you to practise:
 - learner-centred facilitation, in a time-limited setting for multi-disciplinary peers over a range of teaching modes.

Can I contact you before the course? 

If you are unsure about anything please ask. Jane Stanford can be contacted via 0421612217 or Jane.Stanford@apls.org.au.

I look forward to meeting you and participating in this course with you.

Jane Stanford

Course Educator

 

APLS uses the ALSi simulation units on GIC and APLS courses. If you're new to using this software, find our user guides and resources here.