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Educators and Birth Professionals
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Virtual Symposium Sessions

From Evidence to Practice: Opportunities for Childbirth Education

10:10 - 10:40 a.m.

Jennifer Vanderlaan, PhD, MPH, CNM

From Evidence to Practice will review recent evidence that demonstrates childbirth education is a strategy to achieve state and national health objectives. This presentation will review evidence about inequities in access and disparities in outcomes that may be occurring in your program. Attendees will learn to use the Structure Content Function framework to identify opportunities to achieve health equity and improve the quality of their childbirth education program.

Repairing the Disconnect: Opening Childbirth Education Silos

10:45-11:45 a.m.

Debbie Young, MSL, LCCE, CLC, ICCE, ICPD, IAT

This session is an in-depth discussion about breaking down the barriers and silos among childbirth educators that prevent information sharing and collaboration. When this can occur at an individual and organizational level, community and connection opportunities are created between childbirth education professionals. Maternal and infant morbidity and mortality is at an all-time high in the United States and more parent education can help solve this issue. Part of the education problem is that childbirth educators often operate in silos where they have an inability to share evidence, and ideas, brainstorm, and connect families to services where they need them. Opening the door to the silos will allow for collaboration. This session will be a collaborative dialogue, involving a discussion of the history, brainstorming, and creating concrete ideas to take forward.

Flipped Learning and Online Flipped Learning in Childbirth Education

11:55 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.

Marjaana Siivola, LCCE, AdvBD(DONA), BDT(DONA), MS, Lis, PhD Candidate  

In this 30-minute session, participants will dive into flipped classrooms and learn how they can implement flipped learning in their childbirth education classes. Flipped Classroom (FC) brings flexibility to childbirth education (CBE) while keeping it interactive. It allows participants to take an active role in learning. In FC there is lower-order learning tasks before or after face-to-face live meetings and the meeting time can be used for higher-order interactive engagement elements. In Online FC (OFC) the live meeting is online via videoconferencing bringing even more flexibility to the CBE.

TINY CUBS: The Creation of a Unique Baby Shower for Perinatal Education

12:30-1:30 p.m.

Melissa DeFoor, MSN, BSN, PhD
Ann-Marie Irons, DNP, MSN, BSN

Join us for an interactive discussion on ways to host a community-wide baby shower aimed at improving perinatal education. This session will discuss the perceived benefits of a service-based learning opportunity in the reduction of risks associated with perinatal and infant mortality. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about innovative ways to conduct a childbirth class and utilize potentially "untapped" resources.

Make it Stick: The Science and Psychology of Successful Learning

2:00-3:00 p.m.

Mary Jo Podgurski, RNC, EdD, LCCE, FACCE, CSE

As educators, we all want our lessons to "stick" and become relevant to our students. Drawing on recent discoveries in cognitive psychology and other disciplines, this session will provide insights into how memory is encoded, consolidated, and later retrieved. This session will appeal to anyone interested in the challenge of learning.

Power Up PowerPoint - Utilizing Slide Decks for Interactive, Engaging
Learning Opportunities

3:10-4:10 p.m.

Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
Mallory Emerson, LCCE, CD(PALS), CFSD-BADT


Online presentation platforms. such as PowerPoint. are tools that are often used as a supplement to instructor-led lectures in childbirth classes. Many of their most powerful and engaging features are ignored in favor of a simple slideshow approach. In this session, educators will leave with seven innovative and interactive ways to use their presentation software to meet learning objectives, engage families, and create memorable learning opportunities and takeaways.