Teaching in Hospital Educational Centers: Navigating Educational Dialogue in Multifaceted Context

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pediatric Oncology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Hospital teachers in pediatric oncology face challenges balancing clinical care with educational goals.
• The study examines the tension between the "logic of schooling" and the "logic of medicine" in this setting.
• Existing policies often conflict with the practical realities of hospital-based education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the professional experiences of hospital teachers in pediatric oncology.
• To identify strategies used to manage competing institutional demands.
• To understand how hospital pedagogy addresses the "student-patient conflict".

Main Methods:

• Qualitative-constructivist framework.
• Semi-structured interviews with 13 expert teachers and 1 national supervisor.
• Thematic analysis of interview data.

Main Results:

• The "student-patient conflict" is a central tension, stemming from a child's dual role.
• Teachers employ strategies: positioning learning as choice, clinical environment mastery, and using play/humor to reclaim the "healthy self".
• Hospital pedagogy in oncology emphasizes identity reclamation over academic instruction.

Conclusions:

• Hospital pedagogy in oncology focuses on restoring student identity and agency.
• There is a disconnect between Ministry of Education policies and ward realities.
• Recommends recognizing "pedagogical respite" and prioritizing flexibility and resilience for students in crisis.