Exchange Report – Teacher
Home University: Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Study programme: Midwifery
Exchange Programme: Linnaeus –Palme
Semester: Spring Semester
Duration: 21 days
Teacher Akao Mary Grace
E-mail Address: akaomg22@yahoo.com
Preparation
This programme has been on going for some time between the Makerere university and Karolinska Institutet and some of our staff have participated in teachers exchange programme. I got to know about this programme through the Head of department Nursing and Midwifery at Makerere University and the incoming teachers from Karolinska Institutet. Information concerning my visit reached me in good time. All the arrangements for travel i.e. visa, air ticket and permission were done in good time. However, I was not told in advance as to what materials to prepare for my presentations. Therefore I had to carry some text books and CD memory stick to aid my presentation.
Accommodation
The accommodation was arranged with the help of the international coordinator who sent for me the email link to the university accommodation centre. It was a self catering apartment which was well situated near hospital and a bus station which connects to Karolinska Institutet. The standard of the apartment was good, the place was clean, well managed maintained in a quiet environment. I was provided with television and wireless internet and laundry facilities which was very convenient.
Teaching
I participated in the teaching through discussions, demonstrations using models and presentations The teaching methods are similar to those at home University (Makerere University College of Health Sciences).
The teaching difference
The students were more involved in the learning process and showed more responsibility for their own learning while in our university, they need supervision all the time. Makerere University is using Problem Based learning and the attachment to the clinical areas under supervision of the relevant module While for Karolinska is more of a lectures and seminars. Karolinska Institutet (KI) has better facilities and I wish we had also similar facilities for our students. Time management on both sides of the student and teacher is strictly observed.
Teaching hours
Teaching hours were more than 10 hours per week, especially in presentation and practical training with midwifery students. And amount of hours were spent for other activities for instance dissertation on severe asphyxia due to sub standard care during labour, baby worries. I also attended presentation on the psychology of pregnancy and internal re-organization which was very fascinating and stimulating. Lastly, I attended post experience conference with students from Uganda, England and Chile. It was quite interesting.
Other activities
I visited the antenatal clinic, labour and postnatal areas at Sodersjukhuset, and antenatal clinic at Gamlastan. We had a study tour to the Archipelago with Sabine Blix-Lindström I think study visits with guide can also be good so that we can compare the activities done by both Institutes. I also visited centre for Disease Control at the institute.
Language and Culture
For all the sessions, I attended the teaching was conducted in English. However sometime Swedish language is used for some student who cannot express themselves very well in English. There are some cultural differences when one compares the culture of Sweden and the one of Uganda.
In Sweden
Too many people smoke freely regardless of age and gender; lovers express their feelings anywhere; whether on the road, bus, train , market places and done by both old aged and young age.
Leisure time
We were invited by the head of the department of Reproductive Health and Perinatal Health, together with other members of staff for lunch. We were also invited for lunch and dinner by several members of staff. We sailed to archipelago to sabines summer house, it was very fascinating.
Reflections
I have learnt a lot from this exchange programme. Some of the things were quite new to me and some were just the way we implement them at home. I am going to adapt some of the things I have learnt especially pain relief during labour for instance non-pharmacological pain relief techniques like acupuncture and intra cutaneous injection of sterile water in sacral area. I have started to make a report with suggestions to head of department with the aim of getting them adopted and implemented by our department.
Miscellaneous
This program is very good and very helpful. This program helps us to compare our systems, materials, tools, methods etc with other institutions in order to adopt new strategies or even improve our current standards.