UM Healthcare Students Learn Visual Thinking Strategies at the Lowe Art Museum

August 12, 2010 — Coral Gables — This fall, the University of Miami (UM) Lowe Art Museum will present a series of three workshops for students majoring in graduate programs in healthcare. Through the ‘Fine Art of Healthcare’ workshop, participants will learn Visual Thinking Strategies and have the opportunity to collaboratively look at works of art in detail to hone their observation, listening, and communication skills. Dates are September 2, October 7 and November 4 at 4 pm at the Lowe.

The workshops are based on the success of last year’s program. Under the tutelage of UM professor Dr. Sherrill Hayes, doctoral students from UM’s Department of Physical Therapy spent an afternoon at the Lowe Art Museum in 2009. For three hours they were given an overview of the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) program, a research-based, student-centered curriculum primarily used in K-8 education to teach a variety of skills. Throughout the country, medical schools like Harvard, the University of Minneapolis, and the University of Southern California have begun to adapt VTS for use in medical therapy programs. But for the first time, at the Lowe, physical therapy students tested the VTS methodology to improve their observational and diagnostic skills by looking at art with a scrupulous eye through group discussions and peer learning.

“Working in small groups, the UM students closely examined artwork on display at the Lowe, discussed details they observed, and shared their interpretations. By using a VTS approach to this process, the importance of evidentiary reasoning becomes paramount,” said Dr. Hayes. “Students not only express convergent and divergent opinions and build upon each other’s ideas in the evaluation and understanding of works of art, but they must also use the details they observe to support the validity of their arguments.”

Through their participation in this workshop at the Lowe, both students and faculty left with a better sense of the evaluative process. Since then, the Lowe has also hosted a number of workshops, including the medical, nursing, and psychology schools.

To register for a fall workshop or for more information, contact Hope Torrents, School Programs Coordinator, Lowe Art Museum, 305-284-8049 or htorrents@miami.edu .

The Lowe Art Museum is located at the University of Miami at 1301 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables.

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The University of Miami’s mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of our diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world. http://www.miami.edu.

FALL WORKSHOP DATES:

Fine Art of Healthcare workshops
The Lowe Art Museum presents a series of three workshops for students majoring in graduate programs in healthcare. Participants will learn Visual Thinking Strategies, a method shown to improve important skills needed in all healthcare professions. Students will have the opportunity to collaboratively look at works of art in detail to hone their observation, listening, and communication skills. To register for a fall workshop or for more information, contact Hope Torrents, School Programs Coordinator, Lowe Art Museum, 305-284-8049 or htorrents@miami.edu .

Following the workshop(s) students will receive FREE entry (valued at $10 per person) to the LoweDown.
* Limit of 10 students per program.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

4:00 pm to 7:00 pm Workshop

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm LoweDown
Enjoy 5,000 years of World Art in one night of culture and
leisure with music, art, mingling, tours, hors d’oeuvres, and refreshments.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

4:00 pm to 7:00 pm Workshop

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm LoweDown
Enjoy 5,000 years of World Art in one night of culture and
leisure with music, art, mingling, tours, hors d’oeuvres, and refreshments.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

4:00 pm to 7:00 pm Workshop

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm LoweDown
Enjoy 5,000 years of World Art in one night of culture and
leisure with music, art, mingling, tours, hors d’oeuvres, and refreshments.