Interprofessional education and collaboration: A simulation-based learning experience focused on common and complementary skills in an acute care environment.

PubMed

Cunningham, S; Foote, L; Sowder, M; Cunningham, C

2018-05-01

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore from the participant's perspective the influence of an interprofessional simulation-based learning experience on understanding the roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals in the acute care setting, interprofessional collaboration, and communication. Participating students from two professional programs completed the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) prior to and following the simulation experience to explore the influence of the simulation experience on students' perceptions of readiness to learn together. A Wilcoxon signed rank analysis was performed for each of the four subscales of the RIPLS: shared learning (<.001), teamwork and collaboration (<.001), professional identity (.042), and roles and responsibilities (.001). In addition, participating students were invited to participate in focus group interviews to discuss the effectiveness of the simulation experience. Three key themes were discovered: interprofessional teamwork, discovering roles and responsibilities, and increased confidence in treatment skills. The integration of interprofessional education through a simulation-based learning experience within the nursing and physical therapy professional programs provided a positive experience for the students. Simulation-based learning experiences may provide an opportunity for institutions to collaborate and provide additional engagement with healthcare professions that may not be represented within a single institution.

Experiences of Practice-Based Learning in Phenomenographic Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rovio-Johansson, Airi

2018-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to examine, within the context of professional practice and learning, how designers collaboratively working in international teams experience practice-based learning and how such occasions contribute to professional development. Design/methodology/approach: The paper introduces the cooperation project between Tibro Training…

Taking a Measure of Impact: 2 Colorado Districts Calibrate the Effects of High Quality Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Linda

2016-01-01

Snapshots of two Colorado districts in the Redesign PD Community of Practice: Denver Public Schools' professional learning partners help subject-matter experts and others provide educators with a high-quality learning experience. In Jefferson County, Learning Forward's Standards for Professional Learning guide educators to make teacher…

Professional International Service Learning as an International Service Learning Opportunity Appropriate for Graduate or Professional Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lightfoot, Elizabeth; Lee, Hee Yun

2015-01-01

Graduate and professional schools are increasingly using short-term international study abroad courses as one way for internationalizing their curriculum. While international service learning can be a means for improving students' engagement in international learning experiences and providing a structure for learning, it is difficult to design…

Provide for Student Safety. Second Edition. Module E-5 of Category E--Instructional Management. Professional Teacher Education Module Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

One in a series of 127 performance-based teacher education learning packages focusing on specific professional competencies of vocational teachers, this learning module deals with providing for student safety. It consists of four learning experiences. Covered in the individual learning experiences are the following topics: providing for student…

Employ Simulation Techniques. Second Edition. Module C-5 of Category C--Instructional Execution. Professional Teacher Education Module Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

One of a series of performance-based teacher education learning packages focusing upon specific professional competencies of vocational teachers, this learning module deals with employing simulation techniques. It consists of an introduction and four learning experiences. Covered in the first learning experience are various types of simulation…

Understanding the optimal learning environment in palliative care.

PubMed

Connell, Shirley E; Yates, Patsy; Barrett, Linda

2011-07-01

The learning experiences of student nurses undertaking clinical placement are reported widely, however little is known about the learning experiences of health professionals undertaking continuing professional development (CPD) in a clinical setting, especially in palliative care. The aim of this study, which was conducted as part of the national evaluation of a professional development program involving clinical attachments with palliative care services (The Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach [PEPA]), was to explore factors influencing the learning experiences of participants over time. Thirteen semi-structured, one-to-one telephone interviews were conducted with five participants throughout their PEPA experience. The analysis was informed by the traditions of adult, social and psychological learning theories and relevant literature. The participants' learning was enhanced by engaging interactively with host site staff and patients, and by the validation of their personal and professional life experiences together with the reciprocation of their knowledge with host site staff. Self-directed learning strategies maximised the participants' learning outcomes. Inclusion in team activities aided the participants to feel accepted within the host site. Personal interactions with host site staff and patients shaped this social/cultural environment of the host site. Optimal learning was promoted when participants were actively engaged, felt accepted and supported by, and experienced positive interpersonal interactions with, the host site staff. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating Work and Learning through Complex Adaptive Organisations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lizier, Amanda Louise

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to outline an empirical study of how professionals experience work and learning in complex adaptive organisations. The study uses a complex adaptive systems approach, which forms the basis of a specifically developed conceptual framework for explaining professionals' experiences of work and learning.…

Preservice Teachers as Change Agents: Going the Extra Mile in Service-Learning Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marchel, Carol A.; Shields, Carol; Winter, Linda

2011-01-01

Educational psychologists involved in teacher education are expected to develop professional teacher dispositions of preservice students. The professional disposition "teacher as change agent" is used to frame actions in service-learning field experiences in a teacher preparation program. Preservice teacher service-learning journals, self-ratings,…

Professional Identity Formation in an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Emphasizing Self-Authorship.

PubMed

Johnson, Jessica L; Chauvin, Sheila

2016-12-25

Objective. To examine the extent to which reflective essays written by graduating pharmacy students revealed professional identity formation and self-authorship development. Design. Following a six-week advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) grounded in Baxter-Magolda's Learning Partnerships Model of self-authorship development, students completed a culminating reflective essay on their rotation experiences and professional identity formation. Assessment. Thematic and categorical analysis of 41 de-identified essays revealed nine themes and evidence of all Baxter-Magolda's domains and phases of self-authorship. Analysis also suggested relationships between self-authorship and pharmacist professional identity formation. Conclusion. Results suggest that purposeful structuring of learning experiences can facilitate professional identity formation. Further, Baxter-Magolda's framework for self-authorship and use of the Learning Partnership Model seem to align well with pharmacist professional identify formation. Results of this study could be used by pharmacy faculty members when considering how to fill gaps in professional identity formation in future course and curriculum development.

Professional Identity Formation in an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Emphasizing Self-Authorship

PubMed Central

Chauvin, Sheila

2016-01-01

Objective. To examine the extent to which reflective essays written by graduating pharmacy students revealed professional identity formation and self-authorship development. Design. Following a six-week advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) grounded in Baxter-Magolda’s Learning Partnerships Model of self-authorship development, students completed a culminating reflective essay on their rotation experiences and professional identity formation. Assessment. Thematic and categorical analysis of 41 de-identified essays revealed nine themes and evidence of all Baxter-Magolda’s domains and phases of self-authorship. Analysis also suggested relationships between self-authorship and pharmacist professional identity formation. Conclusion. Results suggest that purposeful structuring of learning experiences can facilitate professional identity formation. Further, Baxter-Magolda’s framework for self-authorship and use of the Learning Partnership Model seem to align well with pharmacist professional identify formation. Results of this study could be used by pharmacy faculty members when considering how to fill gaps in professional identity formation in future course and curriculum development. PMID:28179721

Learning Processes in the Professional Development of Mental Health Counselors: Knowledge Restructuring and Illness Script Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strasser, Josef; Gruber, Hans

2015-01-01

An important part of learning processes in the professional development of counselors is the integration of declarative knowledge and professional experience. It was investigated in-how-far mental health counselors at different levels of expertise (experts, intermediates, novices) differ in their availability of experience-based knowledge…

From Professional Practice to Practical Leader: Teacher Leadership in Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Adrianne

2016-01-01

The primary purpose of this research is to illuminate perceptions and lived experiences of secondary teachers through their involvement in a Professional Learning Community (PLC). Teachers' experiences within a PLC were examined for patterns of cultivated leadership. The second purpose of the study was to identify variables that either promote or…

International Experience: An Opportunity for Professional Development in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamza, Aswan

2010-01-01

This qualitative study examines the role of international experience in the transformative learning of female educators as it relates to professional development in a higher education context. It also investigates how the learning productions of these experiences were transferred to the participants' home country. Nine American female faculty and…

Learning processes in the professional development of mental health counselors: knowledge restructuring and illness script formation.

PubMed

Strasser, Josef; Gruber, Hans

2015-05-01

An important part of learning processes in the professional development of counselors is the integration of declarative knowledge and professional experience. It was investigated in-how-far mental health counselors at different levels of expertise (experts, intermediates, novices) differ in their availability of experience-based knowledge structures. Participants were prompted with 20 client problems. They had to explain those problems, the explanations were analyzed using think-aloud protocols. The results show that experts' knowledge is organized in script-like structures that integrate declarative knowledge and professional experience and help experts in accessing relevant information about cases. Novices revealed less integrated knowledge structures. It is concluded that knowledge restructuring and illness script formation are crucial parts of the professional learning of counselors.

Physiotherapists' stories about professional development.

PubMed

Pettersson, Anna F; Bolander Laksov, Klara; Fjellström, Mona

2015-01-01

A professional career may extend over a period of 40 years. Although learning is a feature of professional competence, little is known about learning and development after professional entry education. Narrative inquiry was used to understand how physiotherapists learned and developed over time, and stories from a purposeful sample of 12 physiotherapists were collected. Stories were thematically analyzed with regard to key elements related to learning and development, and common themes were identified across stories. Four themes emerged from the analysis where physiotherapists learned and developed in working life: (1) facing challenges; (2) contrasting perspectives; (3) drawing on hundreds of educators; and (4) building on personal experience. Non-formal ways of learning in working life may help physiotherapists learn and develop confidence, communication strategies and different approaches to treatment. Besides reflection on personal experience and patient encounters, learning and development may be promoted and supported by taking on challenges and changing settings.

Fostering Self-Reflection and Meaningful Learning: Earth Science Professional Development for Middle School Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monet, Julie A.; Etkina, Eugenia

2008-10-01

This paper describes the analysis of teachers’ journal reflections during an inquiry-based professional development program. As a part of their learning experience, participants reflected on what they learned and how they learned. Progress of subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge was assessed though surveys and pre- and posttests. We found that teachers have difficulties reflecting on their learning and posing meaningful questions. The teachers who could describe how they reasoned from evidence to understand a concept had the highest learning gains. In contrast those teachers who seldom or never described learning a concept by reasoning from evidence showed the smallest learning gains. This analysis suggests that learning to reflect on one’s learning should be an integral part of teachers’ professional development experiences.

Nurses on a mission: a professional service learning experience with the inner-city homeless.

PubMed

Lashley, Mary

2007-01-01

Nursing students can play a vital role in addressing the health care needs of the homeless. Through professional service learning experiences in community-based settings, students learn how to partner with key community leaders and agencies to meet the needs of underserved populations and provide culturally competent care to diverse populations. This article describes the development of a professional service learning experience with the homeless in which a community-academic partnership was created to meet community needs. In an era of declining health care resources, such innovative partnerships serve to reduce health disparities and improve access to care while preparing students for community-based practice with at-risk and vulnerable populations.

Implementing Action Research and Professional Learning Communities in a Professional Development School Setting to Support Teacher Candidate Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shanks, Joyce

2016-01-01

The paper reviews teacher candidates' use of action research and the Professional Learning Community (PLC) concept to support their work in their pre-student teaching field experience. In this research study, teacher candidates are involved in a professional development school relationship that uses action research and PLCs to support candidate…

Learning from Educator Experiences in a Hawaiian School: Peak Professional Learning and A'O

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seto, Laurie U'ilani

2016-01-01

Due to rapid advancements in the world and shifting priorities at the school level, educators must keep abreast of current developments and how to continue to engage and challenge students in creative ways. This study examined the experiences 21 Kamehameha Schools educators indicated best support their professional learning to gain further…

UK Health-Care Professionals' Experience of On-Line Learning Techniques: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Christopher; Booth, Andrew; Papaioannou, Diana; Sutton, Anthea; Wong, Ruth

2009-01-01

Introduction: Continuing professional development and education is vital to the provision of better health services and outcomes. The aim of this study is to contribute to the evidence base by performing a systematic review of qualitative data from studies reporting health professionals' experience of e-learning. No such previous review has been…

GP and pharmacist inter-professional learning - a grounded theory study.

PubMed

Cunningham, David E; Ferguson, Julie; Wakeling, Judy; Zlotos, Leon; Power, Ailsa

2016-05-01

Practice Based Small Group Learning (PBSGL) is an established learning resource for primary care clinicians in Scotland and is used by one-third of general practitioners (GPs). Scottish Government and UK professional bodies have called for GPs and pharmacists to work more closely together to improve care. To gain GPs' and pharmacists' perceptions and experiences of learning together in an inter-professional PBSGL pilot. Qualitative research methods involving established GP PBSGL groups in NHS Scotland recruiting one or two pharmacists to join them. A grounded theory method was used. GPs were interviewed in focus groups by a fellow GP, and pharmacists were interviewed individually by two researchers, neither being a GP or a pharmacist. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using grounded theory methods. Data saturation was achieved and confirmed. Three themes were identified: GPs' and pharmacists' perceptions and experiences of inter-professional learning; Inter-professional relationships and team-working; Group identity and purpose of existing GP groups. Pharmacists were welcomed into GP groups and both professions valued inter-professional PBSGL learning. Participants learned from each other and both professions gained a wider perspective of the NHS and of each others' roles in the organisation. Inter-professional relationships, communication and team-working were strengthened and professionals regarded each other as peers and friends.

Practice Stories in Natural Resource Management Continuing Professional Education: Springboards for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stummann, Cathy Brown

2014-01-01

The use of stories from professional experience in continuing professional education has been on the rise in many fields, often aimed at bolstering capacity through sharing professional knowledge and/or supporting reflective practice. Practice stories are also suggested to be beneficial in supporting professional learning of new concepts. These…

Moving from "Students Can't" to "How Students Can": A Learning Design Anchored in the Standards for Professional Learning Puts the Focus on Equity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Janice; Rorrer, Andrea; McKinney, Ashley; Groth, Cori

2017-01-01

What happens when a university-based education policy center uses the Standards for Professional Learning to design purposeful professional learning experiences for teachers, community members, principals, central office administrators, superintendents, and university faculty to re-engage in the meaning and creation of equitable and excellent…

Student midwives and paramedic students' experiences of shared learning in pre-hospital childbirth.

PubMed

Feltham, Christina; Foster, Julie; Davidson, Tom; Ralph, Stewart

2016-06-01

To explore the experiences of midwifery and paramedic students undertaking interprofessional learning. A one day interprofessional learning workshop incorporating peer assisted learning for undergraduate pre-registration midwifery and paramedic students was developed based on collaborative practice theory and simulation based learning. Twenty-five student midwives and thirty-one paramedic students participated in one of two identical workshops conducted over separate days. Videoed focus group sessions were held following the workshop sessions in order to obtain qualitative data around student experience. Qualitative data analysis software (ATLAS.ti) was used to collate the transcriptions from the focus group sessions and the video recordings were scrutinised. Thematic analysis was adopted. Four main themes were identified around the understanding of each other's roles and responsibilities, the value of interprofessional learning, organisation and future learning. Students appeared to benefit from a variety of learning opportunities including interprofessional learning and peer assisted learning through the adoption of both formal and informal teaching methods, including simulation based learning. A positive regard for each other's profession including professional practice, professional governing bodies, professional codes and scope of practice was apparent. Students expressed a desire to undertake similar workshops with other professional students. Interprofessional learning workshops were found to be a positive experience for the students involved. Consideration needs to be given to developing interprofessional learning with other student groups aligned with midwifery at appropriate times in relation to stage of education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Literacy Training in an Urban High School Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross-Norris, Vicki

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the essence of professional learning experiences shared by teachers who participated in a professional learning community (PLC) at a New York City high school in the South Bronx. Guided by Hord's PLC characteristics and Bruner's constructivism theories, this phenomenological study addressed the research…

Rethinking Reflection: Using Online Reflective Learning in Professional Practice for Indigenous Health Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Miranda; Devonshire, Elizabeth

2004-01-01

This paper reports on an innovative use of online learning, within a distributed learning environment (DLE), to support students in an undergraduate programme in Indigenous health and community development to reflect on their experiences in professional placements. The professional practice curriculum at Yooroang Garang School of Indigenous Health…

Personalized Workplace Learning: An Exploratory Study on Digital Badging within a Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamrat, Christopher; Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Dudek, Jaclyn; Peck, Kyle

2014-01-01

To provide customized workplace learning opportunities, a digital badge system was designed by a university, governmental agency and national professional association to support teachers' implementation of professional development (PD). Teacher Learning Journeys (TLJ) is an approach that allows for teachers to customize their PD experience to…

Understanding Students' Experiences of Professionalism Learning: A "Threshold" Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neve, Hilary; Lloyd, Helen; Collett, Tracey

2017-01-01

Professionalism is a core element of curricula in many disciplines but can be difficult to teach and learn. This study used audio-diary methodology to identify professionalism threshold concepts in a small group learning setting in undergraduate medicine and to understand factors that might facilitate students to "get" such concepts.…

Mastering the Blend: A Professional Development Program for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Michelle; Robinson, Heather A.; Sheffield, Anneliese; Phillips, Alana S.

2017-01-01

Blended learning is an instructional approach meant to enhance students' learning experiences by merging and deliberately integrating online technology into a face-to-face learning environment. With the increase in online instruction and blended learning comes the need for quality professional development programs that foster learning and…

Early Career Teacher Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormack, Ann; Gore, Jennifer; Thomas, Kaye

2006-01-01

Becoming a teacher requires not only the development of a professional identity but the construction of professional knowledge and practice through continued professional learning. This study tracked a sample group of 16 early career teachers through their first year of teaching. The participants were encouraged to write about their experiences in…

Learning beyond graduation: exploring newly qualified specialists' entrance into daily practice from a learning perspective.

PubMed

Cuyvers, Katrien; Donche, Vincent; Van den Bossche, Piet

2016-05-01

The entrance of newly qualified medical specialists into daily practice is considered to be a stressful period in which curriculum support is absent. Although engaging in both personal and professional learning and development activities is recognized fundamental for lifelong professional competence, research on medical professionals' entrance into practice is scarce. This research aims to contribute to the framework of medical professionals' informal learning and outlines the results of an exploratory study on the nature of learning in daily practice beyond postgraduate training. Eleven newly qualified physicians from different specialized backgrounds participated in a phenomenographic study, using a critical incident method and a grounded theory approach. Results demonstrated that learning in the workplace is, to a large extent, informal and associated with a variety of learning experiences. Analysis shows that experiences related to diagnostics and treatments are important sources for learning. Furthermore, incidents related to communication, changing roles, policy and organization offer learning opportunities, and therefore categorized as learning experiences. A broad range of learning activities are identified in dealing with these learning experiences. More specifically, actively engaging in actions and interactions, especially with colleagues of the same specialty, are the most mentioned. Observing others, consulting written sources, and recognizing uncertainties, are also referred to as learning activities. In the study, interaction, solely or combined with other learning activities, are deemed as very important by specialists in the initial entrance into practice. These insights can be used to develop workplace structures to support the entrance into practice following postgraduate training.

Through the eyes of professional developers: Understanding the design of learning experiences for science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higgins, Tara Eileen

Professional development is important for improving teacher practice and student learning, particularly in inquiry-oriented and technology-enhanced science instruction. This study examines professional developers' practices and their impact on teachers' classroom instruction and student achievement. It analyzes professional developers designing and implementing a five-year professional development program designed to support middle school science teachers. The professional developers are four university-based researchers who worked with sixteen science teachers over three years, setting program goals, facilitating workshops, providing in-classroom support for teachers, and continually refining the program. The analysis is guided by the knowledge integration perspective, a sociocognitive framework for understanding how teachers and professional developers integrate their ideas about teaching and learning. The study investigates the professional developers' goals and teachers' interpretations of those goals. It documents how professional developers plan teacher learning experiences and explores the connection between professional development activities and teachers' classroom practice. Results are based on two rounds of interviews with professional developers, audio recordings of professional developers' planning meetings and videotaped professional development activities. Data include classroom observations, teacher interviews, teacher reflections during professional development activities, and results from student assessments. The study shows the benefit of a professional development approach that relies on an integrated cycle of setting goals, understanding teachers' interpretations, and refining implementation. The professional developers based their design on making inquiry and technology accessible, situating professional development in teachers' work, supporting collaboration, and sustaining learning. The findings reflect alignment of the design goals with the perspective guiding the curriculum design, and consider multiple goals for student and teacher learning. The study has implications for professional development design, particularly in supporting inquiry-oriented science and technology-enhanced instruction. Effective professional developers formulate coherent conceptions of program goals, use evidence of teacher outcomes to refine their goals and practices, and connect student and teacher learning. This study illustrates the value of research on the individuals who design and lead professional development programs.

Micro-Credentials for Impact: Holding Professional Learning to High Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crow, Tracy

2017-01-01

This paper seeks to chart a course for leveraging a micro-credentialing system to enable more educators to achieve the potential of professional learning. The paper uses the Standards for Professional Learning as a frame to provide guidance to everyone involved in micro-credentials to ensure that learners experience the research-based elements of…

Pastors and the "Perpetuum Mobile": The Dynamics of Professional Learning in Times of Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reite, Ingrid Chr.

2015-01-01

In a changing knowledge society, many workplaces experience a great number of reforms, implying improvement, new ways of working and professional learning. When a reform is introduced, however, does a professional act as an ever-moving machine--a "perpetuum mobile"--always learning with full energy? In this article, I ask the following:…

Professional Learning for a New English Curriculum: Catholic Education Melbourne Primary School Teachers and AusVELS English F-10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albright, James; Knezevic, Lisa

2017-01-01

Teachers of subject English across Australia have been involved in a wide range of professional learning experiences to support implementation of the "Australian Curriculum: English" since its introduction in 2010. This article investigates the professional learning experienced by a small number of primary school teachers in two Catholic…

Considering a Twitter-Based Professional Learning Network in Literacy Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colwell, Jamie; Hutchison, Amy C.

2018-01-01

This study explored how 26 preservice secondary content teachers perceived their experiences participating in and developing a Twitter-based professional learning network focused on disciplinary literacy. Participants completed blog reflections and anonymous online surveys to reflect on their experiences, which served as data for this study. A…

Serving PE Teachers' Professional Learning Experiences in Social Circus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Chung

2010-01-01

Background: Social circus has long been the folklore in the Chinese culture. Recently, initiatives have been undergoing to introduce it in the school physical education curriculum in Hong Kong. Aims: This article reports a study on 38 PE teachers' professional learning experiences while attending two 2-day workshops respectively concerning…

Science and Mathematics Teachers' Experiences, Needs, and Expectations regarding Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chval, Kathryn; Abell, Sandra; Pareja, Enrique; Musikul, Kusalin; Ritzka, Gerard

2008-01-01

High quality teachers are essential to improving the teaching and learning of mathematics and science, necessitating effective professional development (PD) and learning environments for teachers. However, many PD programs for science and mathematics teachers fall short because they fail to consider teacher background, experience, knowledge,…

Academic credit and professional experience.

PubMed

Welsh, I

Accreditation of experiential learning is being promoted as a legitimate cost-effective method of short-cutting professional degree courses for qualified practitioners. While there are benefits in giving academic recognition for learning gained from experience, there is a danger that the pressure of market forces may devalue the status of nursing degrees.

Opportunities and Challenges for Teacher Professional Development: A Case of Collaborative Learning Community in South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Minjeong; So, Kyunghee

2014-01-01

This study investigates how characteristics of a collaborative professional learning activity support and hinder teacher learning and growth by examining the experiences of three Korean secondary teachers who participated in a school-initiated collaborative teacher learning project. The findings demonstrated that this learning opportunity…

Teachers' Personal Learning Networks (PLNs): Exploring the Nature of Self-Initiated Professional Learning Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tour, Ekaterina

2017-01-01

In the field of Literacy Studies, online spaces have been recognised as providing many opportunities for spontaneous and self-initiated learning. While some progress has been made in understanding these important learning experiences, little attention has been paid to teachers' self-initiated professional learning. Contributing to the debates…

Designing Professional Development That Works.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birman, Beatrice F.; Desimone, Laura; Porter, Andrew C.; Garet, Michael S.

2000-01-01

By studying survey data from 1,000 teachers participating in a Title II workshop, researchers identified three structural features (form, duration, and collective participation) that set a proper context for professional development. Three core features of professional-development learning experience include content focus, active learning, and…

Adoption, adaptation, and abandonment: Appropriation of science education professional development learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longhurst, Max L.

Understanding factors that impact teacher utilization of learning from professional development is critical in order maximize the educational and financial investment in teacher professional learning. This study used a multicase mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology to investigate the factors that influence teacher adoption, adaption, or abandonment of learning from science teacher professional development. The theoretical framework of activity theory was identified as a useful way to investigate the phenomenon of teacher appropriation of pedagogical practices from professional development. This framework has the capacity to account for a multitude of elements in the context of a learning experience. In this study educational appropriation is understood through a continuum of how an educator acquires and implements both practical and conceptual aspects of learning from professional development within localized context. The variability associated with instructional changes made from professional development drives this inquiry to search for better understandings of the appropriation of pedagogical practices. Purposeful sampling was used to identify two participants from a group of eighth-grade science teachers engaged in professional development designed to investigate how cyber-enabled technologies might enhance instruction and learning in integrated science classrooms. The data from this investigation add to the literature of appropriation of instructional practices by connecting eight factors that influence conceptual and practical tools with the development of ownership of pedagogical practices in the appropriation hierarchy. Recommendations are shared with professional development developers, providers, and participants in anticipation that future science teaching experiences might be informed by findings from this study.

A Tale of Two Experiences: Teacher Learning in Self-Directed Teams and Other-Designed Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, David

2017-01-01

The main purpose of this research study was to fill gaps in existing research on the comparative forms and qualities of learning that emerge from formal professional development and from more self-directed teacher teams. This research study also described the extent to which both align to recommendations for professional learning and the extent…

Learning to teach mathematics with technology: A survey of professional development needs, experiences and impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennison, Anne; Goos, Merrilyn

2010-04-01

The potential for digital technologies to enhance students' mathematics learning is widely recognised, and use of computers and graphics calculators is now encouraged or required by secondary school mathematics curriculum documents throughout Australia. However, previous research indicates that effective integration of technology into classroom practice remains patchy, with factors such as teacher knowledge, confidence, experience and beliefs, access to resources, and participation in professional development influencing uptake and implementation. This paper reports on a large-scale survey of technology-related professional development experiences and needs of Queensland secondary mathematics teachers. Teachers who had participated in professional development were found to be more confident in using technology and more convinced of its benefits in supporting students' learning of mathematics. Experienced, specialist mathematics teachers in large metropolitan schools were more likely than others to have attended technology-related professional development, with lack of time and limited access to resources acting as hindrances to many. Teachers expressed a clear preference for professional development that helps them meaningfully integrate technology into lessons to improve student learning of specific mathematical topics. These findings have implications for the design and delivery of professional development that improves teachers' knowledge, understanding, and skills in a diverse range of contexts.

Turning Experience into Learning: Educational Contributions of Collaborative Peer Songwriting during Music Therapy Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Felicity; Krout, Robert

2012-01-01

This article reports on a study of 21 Australian and United States (US) tertiary/university students involved in training to become professional music therapists. The study aimed to identify the learning outcomes--musical, professional, and personal--that occurred when students participated in collaborative peer songwriting experiences. Student…

A Professional Experience Learning Community for Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanagh, Michael S.; Garvey, Thomas

2012-01-01

This paper reports the development and implementation of a collaborative professional experience learning community for a group of nine pre-service secondary mathematics teachers. The pre-service teachers and their methods lecturer made 12 school visits over one academic year to a local secondary school. The pre-service teachers observed and…

Using Role-Play for Expert Science Communication with Professional Stakeholders in Flood Risk Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McEwen, Lindsey; Stokes, Alison; Crowley, Kate; Roberts, Carolyn

2014-01-01

This paper explores role-play pedagogies in learning and communicating about cutting-edge flood science by flood risk management professionals in local government. It outlines role-play process/structure and evaluates participant perceptions of their learning experiences. Issues were impacts of prior role-play experience on attitudes brought to…

The ePortfolio: A Tool for Professional Development, Engagement, and Lifelong Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guder, Christopher

2013-01-01

Professional development is, in essence, a form of lifelong learning, and as such, can be viewed within the context of pedagogical concepts. More specifically, professional development is a process that builds on the experiences of the professional through assessment and reflection. The library as an organization acts like a teacher or instructor…

Facilitation for Professional Learning Community Conversations in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salleh, Hairon

2016-01-01

Professional Learning Community (PLC) has steadily grown in importance over the last decade. The growing importance of PLCs lies in its potential to act as a lever for school-based curriculum development and innovation so as to provide diverse learning experiences to satisfy broader learning outcomes beyond academic achievements (e.g., the…

Environmental Impact: Reinforce a Culture of Continuous Learning with These Key Elements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Brian; Gammell, Jessica

2017-01-01

Fostering a robust professional learning culture in schools is vital for attracting and retaining high-caliber talent. Education leaders are looking for guidance on how to establish and sustain an environment that fosters continuous learning. Based on their experience in helping educators design and implement professional learning systems, the…

Nimble Navigation: A Constant Cycle Assessment Keeps Learning on Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Wendy; Johanson, Terry

2016-01-01

Just like in a classroom, a professional learning facilitator needs to base planning and instruction on assessment. Adult learners need the learning experience to be as focused as possible on their questions and their teaching circumstances. Whether the professional learning is a half-day session or extends over multiple school years, leaders can…

Examination of the teaching styles of nursing professional development specialists, part II: correlational study on teaching styles and use of adult learning theory.

PubMed

Curran, Mary K

2014-08-01

This article, the second in a two-part series, details a correlational study that examined the effects of four variables (graduate degrees in nursing education, professional development training in adult learning theory, nursing professional development [NPD] certification, and NPD specialist experience) on the use of adult learning theory to guide curriculum development. Using the Principles of Adult Learning Scale, 114 NPD specialists tested the hypothesis that NPD specialists with graduate degrees in nursing education, professional development training in adult learning theory, NPD certification, and NPD experience would use higher levels of adult learning theory in their teaching practices to guide curriculum development than those without these attributes. This hypothesis was rejected as regression analysis revealed only one statistically significant predictor variable, NPD certification, influenced the use of adult learning theory. In addition, analysis revealed NPD specialists tended to support a teacher-centered rather than a learner-centered teaching style, indicating NPD educators are not using adult learning theory to guide teaching practices and curriculum development.

Professional Learning: Lessons for Supervision from Doctoral Examining

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisker, Gina; Kiley, Margaret

2014-01-01

Most research into research supervision practice focuses on functional, collegial or problematic power-related experiences. Work developing the supervisory role concentrates on new supervisors, and on taught development and support programmes. Most literature on academics' professional learning concentrates on learning to be a university teacher…

Understanding the Development of a Hybrid Practice of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction and Language Development: A Case Study of One Teacher's Journey Through Reflections on Classroom Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capitelli, Sarah; Hooper, Paula; Rankin, Lynn; Austin, Marilyn; Caven, Gennifer

2016-04-01

This qualitative case study looks closely at an elementary teacher who participated in professional development experiences that helped her develop a hybrid practice of using inquiry-based science to teach both science content and English language development (ELD) to her students, many of whom are English language learners (ELLs). This case study examines the teacher's reflections on her teaching and her students' learning as she engaged her students in science learning and supported their developing language skills. It explicates the professional learning experiences that supported the development of this hybrid practice. Closely examining the pedagogical practice and reflections of a teacher who is developing an inquiry-based approach to both science learning and language development can provide insights into how teachers come to integrate their professional development experiences with their classroom expertise in order to create a hybrid inquiry-based science ELD practice. This qualitative case study contributes to the emerging scholarship on the development of teacher practice of inquiry-based science instruction as a vehicle for both science instruction and ELD for ELLs. This study demonstrates how an effective teaching practice that supports both the science and language learning of students can develop from ongoing professional learning experiences that are grounded in current perspectives about language development and that immerse teachers in an inquiry-based approach to learning and instruction. Additionally, this case study also underscores the important role that professional learning opportunities can play in supporting teachers in developing a deeper understanding of the affordances that inquiry-based science can provide for language development.

Neonatal nurses' perceptions of a work-based learning approach.

PubMed

Stanley, Helen; Simmons, Susanne

2011-09-01

To examine how senior neonatal nurses perceive their experience of a continuing professional development module on their practice. A qualitative approach was used. Focus group interviews were held with five senior neonatal nurses at band 6 and 7. Discussions were taped and transcribed verbatim and field notes captured non-verbal communication. Four themes emerged: work-based learning as a new way of learning; barriers to learning at work; professional role development; and complexities of evaluating such learning. Work-based learning emerged as an active form of learning that can develop personal and professional skills required in the neonatal workforce.

Embedded Experiences, Critical Conversations: Learning about Teaching in a Professional Development School Cohort Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuchart, Daphne

2012-01-01

Using qualitative research techniques, the researcher explored preservice teacher learning among traditional college-age students engaged in a semester-long early field experience in an urban elementary school within a Literacy Education Professional Development School (LEPrDS) cohort setting. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (a) to explore…

The Textual Representation of Professionalism: Problematising Professional Standards for Teachers in the UK Lifelong Learning Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tummons, Jonathan

2014-01-01

The problematisation of the professional standards for teachers in the UK lifelong learning sector tends to focus on the discourses that the standards embody: discourses that are posited as being based on a restricted or technicist model of professionalism, that fail sufficiently to recognise the lived experiences of teachers within the sector…

Expanding the Reach of Continuing Educational Offerings Through a Web-Based Virtual Network: The Experience of InspireNet.

PubMed

Frisch, Noreen C; Atherton, Pat; Borycki, Elizabeth M; Mickelson, Grace; Black, Agnes; Novak Lauscher, Helen; Cordeiro, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Virtual platforms using webinars, e-posters, e-newsletters, wikis and blogs connect people who have common interests in new ways. When those individuals are healthcare providers, a professional network that operates on a virtual platform can support their needs for learning, professional development and information currency. The practice of e-learning for continuing professional development is emerging , particularly in nursing where shift work shift inhibits their ability to attend conferences and classes. This article reports the experience of the InspireNet network that provided e-learning models to: 1) provide opportunities for healthcare providers to organize themselves into learning communities through development of electronic communities of practice; 2) support learning on demand; and 3) dramatically increase the reach of educational offerings.

Understanding Health Professionals' Informal Learning in Online Social Networks: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

PubMed

Li, Xin; Verspoor, Karin; Gray, Kathleen; Barnett, Stephen

2017-01-01

Online social networks (OSNs) enable health professionals to learn informally, for example by sharing medical knowledge, or discussing practice management challenges and clinical issues. Understanding how learning occurs in OSNs is necessary to better support this type of learning. Through a cross-sectional survey, this study found that learning interaction in OSNs is low in general, with a small number of active users. Some health professionals actively used OSNs to support their practice, including sharing practical and experiential knowledge, benchmarking themselves, and to keep up-to-date on policy, advanced information and news in the field. These health professionals had an overall positive learning experience in OSNs.

Fostering Self-Reflection and Meaningful Learning: Earth Science Professional Development for Middle School Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monet, Julie A.; Etkina, Eugenia

2008-01-01

This paper describes the analysis of teachers' journal reflections during an inquiry-based professional development program. As a part of their learning experience, participants reflected on what they learned and how they learned. Progress of subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge was assessed though surveys and pre- and posttests. We…

Using Technology, Bioinformatics and Health Informatics Approaches to Improve Learning Experiences in Optometry Education, Research and Practice.

PubMed

Gupta, Vivek K; Gupta, Veer B

2016-11-15

Rapid advances in ocular diagnostic approaches and emerging links of pathological changes in the eye with systemic disorders have widened the scope of optometry as the front line of eye health care. Expanding professional requirements stipulate that optometry students get a meticulous training in relevant information and communication technologies (ICT) and various bioinformatics and health informatics software to meet current and future challenges. Greater incorporation of ICT approaches in optometry education can facilitate increased student engagement in shared learning experiences and improve collaborative learning. This, in turn, will enable students to participate in and prepare for the complex real-world situations. A judicious use of ICTs by teachers in learning endeavors can help students develop innovative patterns of thinking to be a successful optometry professional. ICT-facilitated learning enables students and professionals to carry out their own research and take initiatives and thus shifts the equilibrium towards self-education. It is important that optometry and allied vision science schools adapt to the changing professional requirements with pedagogical evolution and react appropriately to provide the best educational experience for the students and teachers. This review aims to highlight the scope of ICT applications in optometry education and professional development drawing from similar experiences in other disciplines. Further, while enhanced use of ICT in optometry has the potential to create opportunities for transformative learning experiences, many schools use it merely to reinforce conventional teaching practices. Tremendous developments in ICT should allow educators to consider using ICT tools to enhance communication as well as providing a novel, richer, and more meaningful medium for the comprehensive knowledge construction in optometry and allied health disciplines.

Using Technology, Bioinformatics and Health Informatics Approaches to Improve Learning Experiences in Optometry Education, Research and Practice

PubMed Central

Gupta, Vivek K.; Gupta, Veer B.

2016-01-01

Rapid advances in ocular diagnostic approaches and emerging links of pathological changes in the eye with systemic disorders have widened the scope of optometry as the front line of eye health care. Expanding professional requirements stipulate that optometry students get a meticulous training in relevant information and communication technologies (ICT) and various bioinformatics and health informatics software to meet current and future challenges. Greater incorporation of ICT approaches in optometry education can facilitate increased student engagement in shared learning experiences and improve collaborative learning. This, in turn, will enable students to participate in and prepare for the complex real-world situations. A judicious use of ICTs by teachers in learning endeavors can help students develop innovative patterns of thinking to be a successful optometry professional. ICT-facilitated learning enables students and professionals to carry out their own research and take initiatives and thus shifts the equilibrium towards self-education. It is important that optometry and allied vision science schools adapt to the changing professional requirements with pedagogical evolution and react appropriately to provide the best educational experience for the students and teachers. This review aims to highlight the scope of ICT applications in optometry education and professional development drawing from similar experiences in other disciplines. Further, while enhanced use of ICT in optometry has the potential to create opportunities for transformative learning experiences, many schools use it merely to reinforce conventional teaching practices. Tremendous developments in ICT should allow educators to consider using ICT tools to enhance communication as well as providing a novel, richer, and more meaningful medium for the comprehensive knowledge construction in optometry and allied health disciplines. PMID:27854266

Learning Together: The Role of the Online Community in Army Professional Education

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-05-26

Kolb , Experiential Learning : Experience as the Source of Learning and Development... Experiential Learning One model frequently discussed is experiential learning .15 Kolb develops this model through analysis of older models. One of the...observations about the experience. Kolb develops several characteristics of adult learning . Kolb discusses his model of experiential learning

Women Teachers' Experiences of Learning Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Gill

2013-01-01

Continued concern over attainment and participation in secondary school mathematics has led to a focus on improving the quality of teaching and student outcomes through a variety of professional learning opportunities. A study of teacher professional identity serves to illuminate this learning; this constant process of sensemaking (Day and Kington…

Using Non-Extension Volunteering as an Experiential Learning Activity for Extension Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Kevin B.; Lockett, Landry L.

2013-01-01

Extension professionals can gain much-needed competencies in volunteer administration through experiential learning by participating in volunteer activities. Experiential learning is a means of behavior change that allows the individual learner to reflect on, abstract, and apply their experiences to new situations. This article expands on…

Investigating the Effectiveness of Professional Learning Communities in South Florida Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novak, Renata Pessoa

2017-01-01

This applied dissertation was designed to verify the effectiveness of professional learning communities (PLC), as it relates to the participation of administrators and teachers. Prior studies have emphasized the importance of continuing learning experiences for school administrators while working. Chiptin (2013) pointed out the importance of a…

Power Plays: Proven Methods of Professional Learning Pack a Force

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Easton, Lois Brown

2005-01-01

Powerful professional learning is more than a one-shot workshop. It involves educators working collegially on a matter they care about with content arising directly from their classroom experiences. Educators know which strategies offer more powerful learning. Choosing the appropriate strategy requires answering just three questions.

Assessment and Classification of Service Learning: A Case Study of CS/EE Students

PubMed Central

Wang, Yu-Tseng; Lai, Pao-Lien; Chen, Jen-Yeu

2014-01-01

This study investigates the undergraduate students in computer science/electric engineering (CS/EE) in Taiwan to measure their perceived benefits from the experiences in service learning coursework. In addition, the confidence of their professional disciplines and its correlation with service learning experiences are examined. The results show that students take positive attitudes toward service learning and their perceived benefits from service learning are correlated with their confidence in professional disciplines. Furthermore, this study designs the knowledge model by Bayesian network (BN) classifiers and term frequency-inverse document frequency (TFIDF) for counseling students on the optimal choice of service learning. PMID:25295294

It takes a village: supporting inquiry- and equity-oriented computer science pedagogy through a professional learning community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryoo, Jean; Goode, Joanna; Margolis, Jane

2015-10-01

This article describes the importance that high school computer science teachers place on a teachers' professional learning community designed around an inquiry- and equity-oriented approach for broadening participation in computing. Using grounded theory to analyze four years of teacher surveys and interviews from the Exploring Computer Science (ECS) program in the Los Angeles Unified School District, this article describes how participating in professional development activities purposefully aimed at fostering a teachers' professional learning community helps ECS teachers make the transition to an inquiry-based classroom culture and break professional isolation. This professional learning community also provides experiences that challenge prevalent deficit notions and stereotypes about which students can or cannot excel in computer science.

Professional Development for Adjunct Teaching Faculty in a Research-Intensive University: Engagement in Scholarly Approaches to Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Andrea S.; Wong, Tracy J.; Hubball, Harry T.

2013-01-01

Research-intensive universities around the world are increasingly drawing upon leading practitioners in professional fields as adjunct faculty to deliver high quality student learning experiences in diverse undergraduate and graduate program contexts. To support effective professional development in these contexts, many universities have developed…

Teachers' Professional Growth through Engagement with Lesson Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Widjaja, Wanty; Vale, Colleen; Groves, Susie; Doig, Brian

2017-01-01

Lesson study is highly regarded as a model for professional learning, yet remains under-theorised. This article examines the professional learning experiences of teachers and numeracy coaches from three schools in a local network of schools, participating in a lesson study project over two research cycles in 2012. It maps the interconnections…

Novice Music Teachers Learning to Improvise in an Improvisation Professional Development Workshop

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Filsinger, Mark H.

2013-01-01

With the intent of improving music improvisation pedagogy, the purpose of this research was to examine experiences of six novice music teachers and a professional development facilitator in an eight-week Improvisation Professional Development Workshop (IPDW). The research questions were: 1. How do teachers learn to improvise within the context of…

Incorporating Practitioner Inquiry into an Online Professional Development Program: The Prime Online Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dana, Nancy Fichtman; Pape, Stephen J.; Griffin, Cynthia C.; Prosser, Sherri Kay

2017-01-01

Engagement in practitioner inquiry by classroom teachers is a promising mechanism for teacher professional learning. While much has been learned about the positive role inquiry can play in traditional professional development efforts, we know less about the impact of inquiry in a rapidly advancing technological age that includes the proliferation…

Opening the Classroom Door: Professional Learning Communities in the Math and Science Partnership Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamos, James E.; Bergin, Kathleen B.; Maki, Daniel P.; Perez, Lance C.; Prival, Joan T.; Rainey, Daphne Y.; Rowell, Ginger H.; VanderPutten, Elizabeth

2009-01-01

This article looks at how professional learning communities (PLCs) have become an operational approach for professional development with potential to de-isolate the teaching experience in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The authors offer a short synopsis of the intellectual origins of PLCs, provide multiple…

NASA GSFC Opportunities for STEM Professionals Using the Vantage Point of Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meeson, Blanche W.; Robbins, Geraldine B.

2012-01-01

NASA has a variety of learning opportunities for STEM professionals. Three opportunities at GSFC are examined in this chapter: 1) standard summer research and development internship for undergraduates, 2) senior internship for undergraduate and graduate students and 3) a workshop series for informal learning center professionals. We describe these programs, examine their evolution with respect to most effective education practices and their assessment and evaluation, and identify the similarities and differences between them. The internship programs highlight authentic project-based research and development experiences with the senior internship providing a richer, deeper, and more demanding experience that has greater professional value. The workshops for informal learning center professionals on-the-other hand, focus on building knowledge of GSFC s science and engineering strengths among these professionals, and on building enduring partnerships between individuals (participants and GSFC scientist, engineers and educators) and between organizations (GSFC and the informal learning center). Finally, we examine the characteristics of these programs from a design and management perspective. Through this examination we identify a general structure that provides insight into more effective design and management of similar education programs.

Professional Conduct: What can we learn from recent events?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-03-01

Recent evidence of professional misconduct in two different areas of physics has caused the community to think deeply about such issues. In November, the APS Council approved two new statements on professional ethics and a revised ``Guidelines for Professional Conduct." The panelists have all been involved in dealing with these issues; in particular, one served on the Berkeley review committee and another on the Lucent review committee. APS leadership is anxious to hear the views of the physics community and there will be considerable time for discussion. Moderator: Miriam Sarachik, CCNY-CUNY, APS President Panelists: Pierre Hohenberg, Yale University (2003 Lars Onsager Prize Recipient) ``What can we learn from other sciences?" Arthur Bienenstock, Stanford University ``APS response to recent events" George Trilling, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ``What can we learn from the Berkeley experience?" Malcolm Beasley, Stanford University ``What can we learn from the Lucent experience?"

Evidences of Validity of a Scale for Mapping Professional as Defining Competences and Performance by Brazilian Tutors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coelho, Francisco Antonio, Jr.; Ferreira, Rodrigo Rezende; Paschoal, Tatiane; Faiad, Cristiane; Meneses, Paulo Murce

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was twofold: to assess evidences of construct validity of the Brazilian Scale of Tutors Competences in the field of Open and Distance Learning and to examine if variables such as professional experience, perception of the student´s learning performance and prior experience influence the development of technical and…

Building Personal Learning Environments by Using and Mixing ICT Tools in a Professional Way

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castaneda, Linda; Soto, Javier

2010-01-01

This paper reports on a teaching experience of the introduction of ICT to higher education students in a complementary professional approach and a Personal Learning Environment (PLE) development approach, as well as a naturalistic study based on this experience. The central focus of this methodology was the use of hands-on sessions to introduce…

Storytelling and professional learning: a phenomenographic study of students' experience of patient digital stories in nurse education.

PubMed

Christiansen, Angela

2011-04-01

This paper reports the findings of a phenomenographic study which sought to identify the different ways in which patient digital stories influence students' professional learning. Patient digital stories are short multimedia presentations that combine personal narratives, images and music to create a unique and often emotional story of a patients' experience of health care. While these are increasingly used in professional education little is known about how and what students learn through engagement with patient digital stories. Drawing upon interviews with 20 students within a pre-registration nursing programme in the UK, the study identifies four qualitatively different ways in which students approach and make sense of patient digital stories with implications for learning and professional identity development. Through an identification of the critical aspects of this variation valuable insights are generated into the pedagogic principles likely to engender transformational learning and patient centred practice. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the role of classroom-based learning in professional identity formation of family practice residents using the experiences, trajectories, and reifications framework.

PubMed

Chen, Luke Y C; Hubinette, Maria M

2017-08-01

Classroom-based learning such as academic half day has undervalued social aspects. We sought to explore its role in the professional identity development of family medicine residents. In this case study, residents and faculty from four training sites in the University of British Columbia Department of Family Practice were interviewed. The "experiences, trajectories, and reifications (ETR) framework" was used as a sensitizing tool for modified inductive (thematic) analysis of the transcripts. Classroom-based learning provided a different context for residents' interpretation of their clinical experiences, characterized as a "home base" for rotating urban residents, and a connection to a larger academic community for residents in rural training sites. Both these aspects were important in creating a positive trajectory of professional identity formation. Teaching directed at the learning needs of family physicians, and participation of family practice faculty as teachers and role models was a precipitation of a curriculum "centered in family medicine." Interactions between family medicine residents and faculty in the classroom facilitated the necessary engagements to reify a shared understanding of the discipline of family practice. Classroom-based learning has substantial impact on professional identity formation at an individual and collective level.

Measuring students' self-regulated learning in professional education: bridging the gap between event and aptitude measurements.

PubMed

Endedijk, Maaike D; Brekelmans, Mieke; Sleegers, Peter; Vermunt, Jan D

Self-regulated learning has benefits for students' academic performance in school, but also for expertise development during their professional career. This study examined the validity of an instrument to measure student teachers' regulation of their learning to teach across multiple and different kinds of learning events in the context of a postgraduate professional teacher education programme. Based on an analysis of the literature, we developed a log with structured questions that could be used as a multiple-event instrument to determine the quality of student teachers' regulation of learning by combining data from multiple learning experiences. The findings showed that this structured version of the instrument measured student teachers' regulation of their learning in a valid and reliable way. Furthermore, with the aid of the Structured Learning Report individual differences in student teachers' regulation of learning could be discerned. Together the findings indicate that a multiple-event instrument can be used to measure regulation of learning in multiple contexts for various learning experiences at the same time, without the necessity of relying on students' ability to rate themselves across all these different experiences. In this way, this instrument can make an important contribution to bridging the gap between two dominant approaches to measure SRL, the traditional aptitude and event measurement approach.

Professional Learning in Canada: Learning Forward Releases a Landmark Study and Call to Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Learning Professional, 2017

2017-01-01

Learning Forward recently released findings from a new study that fills a long-standing gap in existing Pan-Canadian research, identifying key components of effective professional learning based on findings from educators' experiences in Canada. Accompanying the study is a call to action by Michael Fullan and Andy Hargreaves making the case for a…

Examination of the Teaching Styles of Nursing Professional Development Specialists, Part II: Correlational Study on Teaching Styles and Use of Adult Learning Theory.

PubMed

Curran, Mary K

2014-07-16

This article, the second in a two-part series, details a correlational study that examined the effects of four variables (graduate degrees in nursing education, professional development training in adult learning theory, nursing professional development [NPD] certification, and NPD specialist experience) on the use of adult learning theory to guide curriculum development. Using the Principles of Adult Learning Scale, 114 NPD specialists tested the hypothesis that NPD specialists with graduate degrees in nursing education, professional development training in adult learning theory, NPD certification, and NPD experience would use higher levels of adult learning theory in their teaching practices to guide curriculum development than those without these attributes. This hypothesis was rejected as regression analysis revealed only one statistically significant predictor variable, NPD certification, influenced the use of adult learning theory. In addition, analysis revealed NPD specialists tended to support a teacher-centered rather than a learner-centered teaching style, indicating NPD educators are not using adult learning theory to guide teaching practices and curriculum development. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2014;45(8):xxx-xxx. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Transitioning to Inquiry-Based Teaching: Exploring Science Teachers' Professional Development Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazempour, Mahsa; Amirshokoohi, Aidin

2014-01-01

The literature on professional development is replete with studies that utilize survey, interview, and classroom observation data, primarily collected post professional development experience, to explore teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and actions; however, we lack a clear understanding of teachers' learning process and reflections during the…

An interactive learning environment for health care professionals.

PubMed Central

Cobbs, E.; Pincetl, P.; Silverman, B.; Liao, R. L.; Motta, C.

1994-01-01

This article summarizes experiences to date with building and deploying a clinical simulator that medical students use as part of a 3rd year primary care rotation. The simulated microworld helps students and health care professionals gain experience with and learn meta-cognitive skills for the care of complex patient populations that require treatment in the biopsychosocial-value dimensions. We explain lessons learned and next steps resulting from use of the program by over 300 users to date. PMID:7949975

Brazilian experiments in Mobile Learning for Health Professionals.

PubMed

Pereira, Samáris Ramiro; Loddi, Sueli Aparecida; Larangeira, Valmir Aparecido; Labrada, Luis; Bandiera-Paiva, Paulo

2013-01-01

The Distance Education has evolved with the available technology in each new decade. The evolution and spread of mobile technology from year 2000s enabled their migration to this new platform: The Mobile Learning. Making it possible for professionals and students can carry with multimedia tools with Internet access to learning tools or professional references. This new concept fits very well the needs of Health, in which students must absorb and put into practice large amounts of technical knowledge, and also professionals must stay constantly updated. Distance Education in Health has received prominence in Brazil. A country of a geographically dispersed group of professionals, and research & training centers concentrated in the capitals. Updating field teams is a difficult task, but the information has access to modern technologies, which contribute to the teachers who use them. This paper, through the methodology of literature review, presents technology experiments in health environments and their considerations.

Experiences of pre-licensure or pre-registration health professional students and their educators in working with intra-professional teams: a qualitative systematic review.

PubMed

Butcher, Diane L; MacKinnon, Karen; Bruce, Anne; Gordon, Carol; Koning, Clare

2017-04-01

Inter-professional initiatives are prevalent in the healthcare landscape, requiring professionals to collaborate effectively to provide quality patient care. Little attention has been given to intra-professional relationships, where professionals within one disciplinary domain (such as degree and diploma nursing students) collaborate to provide care. New care models are being introduced where baccalaureate and diploma students of a particular discipline (such as nursing, occupational therapy, dentistry or physiotherapy) work closely together in teams to deliver care. Questions thus arise as to how students and educators learn to work on intra-professional teams. To identify and synthesize evidence regarding experiences of pre-licensure health professional students and their educators on intra-professional teams and to draw recommendations to enhance policy and/or curriculum development. Pre-licensure students and educators, focusing on regulated health professions that have had more than one point of entry into practice. Experiences of intra-professional team learning or teaching within various entry-to-practice categories of a particular health-related discipline. Eight qualitative studies were included in the review. Seven studies were descriptive in nature; one study was a critical analysis. A comprehensive search of various databases was conducted between June 2, 2015 and August 16, 2015, and repeated in March 2016. The search considered all studies reported and published from January 1, 2001 to March 7, 2016. Only studies published in English were included in this review. Included papers were of low-to-moderate quality; however, it is important to consider that post-positivist assumptions underpinned much of the primary research, which could explain why researcher positionality and/or influence on the research would not be addressed. Data were extracted using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). The data extracted included descriptive details about the phenomenon of interest, populations and study methods. Research findings were pooled using the JBI-QARI. Sixty-eight findings were organized into nine categories based on similarity in meaning. Four synthesized findings reveal how students value intra-professional learning experiences. These experiences build positive collaborative relationships (including trust and respect); however, educator and staff attitudes and conversations create hierarchies in academic and clinical contexts resulting in tension between student groups. Despite its challenges, shared learning experiences assist students to understand each other's roles, develop communication and collaborative competencies, develop comprehensive care plans, provide more efficient care and help prepare them for their future roles as healthcare professionals. Various contextual elements could either hinder or facilitate shared learning experiences.

Beginning Teachers' Experiential Learning in the Era of Common Core: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dakwa, Loy

2016-01-01

This qualitative, single-case study described the professional learning experiences of a group of beginning teachers who participated in a California teacher induction program. The study contributes to an understanding of factors that form the foundation of professional learning as perceived by the participants. Furthermore, the study adds to…

Introducing Case-Based Peer-Assisted Learning in a Professional Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgson, Yvonne; Brack, Charlotte; Benson, Robyn

2014-01-01

This paper describes students' experience of participating in a case-based peer-assisted learning (PAL) program in order to examine whether the approach is pedagogically effective and likely to contribute to students' professional development. It presents the findings of a study which examined the integration of PAL and case-based learning (CBL)…

Creating Meaningful Partnerships: Connecting Teaching Candidates with Professional Development Schools through Service Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Lisa; Reiser, Cortney; Hawk, Robin

2016-01-01

Through the use of constructed narratives, this article shares the experiences of two preservice teachers and their university professor in implementing service learning projects that took place within their Professional Development School partnerships. Findings suggest that (1) service learning was a valuable instructional strategy to enhance the…

Growing into Equity: Professional Learning and Personalization in High-Achieving Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gleason, Sonia Caus; Gerzon, Nancy

2013-01-01

What makes a Title I school high-achieving, and what can we all learn from that experience? Professional learning and leadership that supports personalized instruction makes the difference, as captured in the ground-breaking research of authors Sonia Caus Gleason and Nancy Gerzon. This illuminating book shows how four outstanding schools are…

Teachers' Views of School-Based Professional Learning in Six High-Performing, High-Poverty, Urban Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinhorn, Stefanie Karchmer

2015-01-01

Policy makers, practitioners and scholars agree that teachers need sustained job-embedded professional learning experiences to help students meet the demands of new accountability systems, higher education, and the workforce (Smylie, Miretzky, & Konkol, 2004; Valli & Buese, 2007). Research shows that job-embedded learning for teachers can…

[Facing, accepting, growing and expecting: the practical experience of nursing students during their first clinical practice].

PubMed

Sun, Jia-Jing; Sun, Hui-Lin

2011-04-01

Clinical practice experiences, while important, can be highly stressful for nursing students and have a deep effect on their subsequent professional development. This study explored nursing student experiences during their first clinical practice. The study used exploratory and descriptive research methodologies, and researchers selected a phenomenological approach to analysis. Nine nursing students described experiences centered on their first clinical practices using daily dairies and assignments. Transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four major themes emerged from the data, including: (1) Joining an exciting and intimidating journey in which participants anticipated a precious learning opportunity while fearing failure; (2) Identifying professional role models in which participants learned about nursing content from nursing staff and through step by step instruction from teachers; (3) Growing into caring relationships in which participants increasingly realized the importance of communication, gave empathy and caring to patients, and discovered that patients are the best teachers; and (4) Insight into self-professional capacity and the expectation of their future learning in which participants learned from actual experience, evaluated self-performance and encouraged themselves. Such facilitated self-improvement and instilled the learning necessary to advance to the next stage. Nursing student clinical practice experiences may be used to both advance academic studies and enhance understanding of student feelings, difficulties and experiences. Such can assist nursing students to gain greater positive experiences in their profession.

New Professionalism in Austere Times: The Employment Experiences of Early Career Teachers in Scotland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hulme, Moira; Menter, Ian

2014-01-01

International concern to raise educational standards and improve teacher quality has directed attention to the need to sustain career-long professional learning. Teacher induction and early professional learning (during years 2-6) have been associated with patterns of attrition and improved pupil outcomes. As the economic crisis impacts on public…

10 Good Ways to Ensure Bad Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Laura R.

2013-01-01

The author spends a lot of time thinking about good professional learning vs. typical professional development. Based on her 20-plus years of experience, as well as a bit of inspiration from Reuben Duncan, assistant superintendent in School Administrative Unit 29 in Keene, N.H., she shares what she considers to be the ten best ways to waste…

Teacher Experience, Learning, and Change: An Investigation of the Effects of Long-Term Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coffino, Kara Lee

2012-01-01

As US public schools become increasingly diverse and teachers are expected to teach across cultural differences, teacher educators must consider how different professional development models shape teacher learning and practice. This study explores how a cohort of 55 P-12 teachers experienced and perceived long-term professional development focused…

Depicting the Possible Self: Work-Integrated Learning Students' Narratives on Learning to Become a Professional

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Tracey

2016-01-01

Professionalism is not easily defined for newcomers to the workforce. While much of the work-ready research focuses on desired graduate attributes and skills, the larger issue is the ways in which students conceptualize professionalism from their observations and experiences of others, and how these conceptualizations affect their professional…

A professional learning community model: a case study of primary teachers community in west Bandung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, A.; Suryadi, D.; Syaodih, E.

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study is to provide an alternative model of professional learning community for primary school teachers in improving the knowledge and professional skills. This study is a qualitative research with case study method with data collection is an interview, observation and document and triangulation technique for validation data that focuses on thirteen people 5th grade elementary school teacher. The results showed that by joining a professional learning community, teachers can share both experience and knowledge to other colleagues so that they can be able to continue to improve and enhance the quality of their learning. This happens because of the reflection done together before, during and after the learning activities. It was also revealed that by learning in a professional learning community, teachers can learn in their own way, according to need, and can collaborate with their colleagues in improving the effectiveness of learning. Based on the implementation of professional learning community primary school teachers can be concluded that teachers can develop the curriculum, the students understand the development, overcome learning difficulties faced by students and can make learning design more effective and efficient.

Understanding the Emotional Reactions and Exploring the Professional Development of College Students Based on Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Su, Yuling; Chung, Ya-hui

2015-01-01

It remains ambiguous how college students form perceptions of professional development by identifying their emotional reactions and reflecting on their experiences in a situated setting. College students undergo professional development by participating in field experiences and reflecting on their experiential learning. In addition, researchers…

Remembering Reflection in Pre-Service Teachers' Professional Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ditchburn, Geraldine M.

2015-01-01

In an Australian education policy environment where professional standards are determining the parameters of effective teaching and learning, it is important that we revisit ways to ensure reflection and collegial engagement are embedded in pre-service teachers' professional experience. This article reports on a university program initiative that…

Learning in Out-of-Class Experiences: The Importance of Professional Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hund, Alycia M.; Bueno, Daisy

2015-01-01

Our goal was to document professional skills and attitudes gained via out-of-class teaching and research experiences during the undergraduate years. Qualitative analysis of reflection papers revealed that students noted gains in professional skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, and intrapersonal skills. Importantly, students also…

Continuing professional education: Motivations and experiences of health and social care professional's part-time study in higher education. A qualitative literature review.

PubMed

Burrow, Simon; Mairs, Hilary; Pusey, Helen; Bradshaw, Timothy; Keady, John

2016-11-01

To understand the motivations and experiences of health and social care professionals undertaking part-time, accredited, continuing professional education in higher education. A review following systematic principles. Systematic searches for literature published between January 2000 and December 2015 using the databases: SCOPUS, Web of Science, Medline, PsychINFO, Social Policy and Practice and CINAHL. Studies were included if they were published in the English language and were qualitative in design, focussing on the motivations and experiences of staff engaged in part-time, accredited, higher education study. Three reviewers appraised the quality of the selected studies. Thirteen qualitative studies were identified for the review. Motivating factors for staff to engage in part-time, accredited, continuing professional development study included: personal and professional drivers, influence of workplace/management and funding and availability. Key themes in relation to how staff experienced study included: the demands of adjusting to the academic requirements of higher education study; the experience of juggling competing demands of study, work and family; and the presence or absence of support for part-time study in the personal and professional arenas. Health and social care professionals experience a number of challenges when engaging in part-time, continuing professional education in higher education institutions. A significant challenge is the juggling of competing demands of study, work and family, and this may have a negative impact on learning. Research is needed to inform how higher education can address the specific learning needs of this population and develop pedagogic approaches that are both responsive to need and support of effective learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Professional Learning Experiences Used in Student Teaching as a Vehicle for Transformational Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matamala, Shana L.

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the extent of transformational learning for teacher candidates during student teaching. This study further examined the influence of values, beliefs, role expectations, personnel, programs, life changes, and educational experiences on transformational learning during student teaching. Methodology:…

Students' Experiences of Learning Manual Clinical Skills through Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johannesson, Eva; Silen, Charlotte; Kvist, Joanna; Hult, Hakan

2013-01-01

Learning manual skills is a fundamental part of health care education, and motor, sensory and cognitive learning processes are essential aspects of professional development. Simulator training has been shown to enhance factors that facilitate motor and cognitive learning. The present study aimed to investigate the students' experiences and…

Building Future Directions for Teacher Learning in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Kathy; Lindsay, Simon

2016-04-01

In 2013, as part of a process to renew an overall sector vision for science education, Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) undertook a review of its existing teacher in-service professional development programs in science. This review led to some data analysis being conducted in relation to two of these programs where participant teachers were positioned as active learners undertaking critical reflection in relation to their science teaching practice. The conditions in these programs encouraged teachers to notice critical aspects of their teaching practice. The analysis illustrates that as teachers worked in this way, their understandings about effective science pedagogy began to shift, in particular, teachers recognised how their thinking not only influenced their professional practice but also ultimately shaped the quality of their students' learning. The data from these programs delivers compelling evidence of the learning experience from a teacher perspective. This article explores the impact of this experience on teacher thinking about the relationship between pedagogical choices and quality learning in science. The findings highlight that purposeful, teacher-centred in-service professional learning can significantly contribute to enabling teachers to think differently about science teaching and learning and ultimately become confident pedagogical leaders in science. The future of quality school-based science education therefore relies on a new vision for teacher professional learning, where practice explicitly recognises, values and attends to teachers as professionals and supports them to articulate and share the professional knowledge they have about effective science teaching practice.

Experiences of Elementary Music Teachers in a Subject-Specific Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Amy K.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify ways in which teachers' participation in a subject-specific music professional learning community (PLC) impacts instruction and assessment of musical skills. Previous studies have provided evidence of PLCs' impact on teaching and student learning in many subject areas, but little has been…

Inservice Science Teachers' Views of a Professional Development Workshop and Their Learning of Force and Motion Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramlo, Susan

2012-01-01

Teacher attitudes affect their instruction such that positive teacher attitudes enhance the teaching and learning process. The purpose of this study was to explore inservice science teachers' views of learning physics within the context of a professional development experience and to investigate the relationship between those views and the…

How Do Professional Learning Communities Foster Strong Career and Technical Education Programs of Study in Illinois Public High Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Custable, Wendy

2013-01-01

This research study examines how Illinois public high school Career and Technical Education educational leaders employ best practices in providing all students rigorous, relevant, and equitable learning experiences within a professional learning community structure. This study utilized a mixed method two-tier case study methodology. Tier one…

Open Doors, Open Minds: Empowered Teachers Work and Learn Shoulder to Shoulder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Marcia; Childs, Lauren; Carver, Cynthia L.

2016-01-01

In this article the authors share their experience of Teacher Lab, a job-embedded form of professional learning that has been a critical addition to professional learning practice for nearly a decade in the Avondale School District in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Using a full-day released time format, Teacher Lab combines preobservation dialogue and…

Reworking or Reaffirming Practice? Perceptions of Professional Learning in Alternative and Flexible Education Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plows, Vicky

2017-01-01

The success of alternative and flexible education settings, serving young people for whom mainstream schooling has not worked well, rests on the practices of their staff. This paper explores interview and survey data on the professional learning experiences and perceptions of staff working in flexible learning programmes across Victoria,…

Rethinking Models of Professional Learning as Tools: A Conceptual Analysis to Inform Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boylan, Mark; Coldwell, Mike; Maxwell, Bronwen; Jordan, Julie

2018-01-01

One approach to designing, researching or evaluating professional learning experiences is to use models of learning processes. Here we analyse and critique five significant contemporary analytical models: three variations on path models, proposed by Guskey, by Desimone and by Clarke and Hollingsworth; a model using a systemic conceptualisation of…

Engaging Ocean Grads As Interdisciplinary Professional Problem Solvers: Why Preparing Our Future Ocean Leaders Means Inspiring Them to Look Beyond Their Academic Learning.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Good, L. H.; Erickson, A.

2016-02-01

Academic learning and research experiences alone cannot prepare our emerging ocean leaders to take on the challenges facing our oceans. Developing solutions that incorporate environmental and ocean sciences necessitates an interdisciplinary approach, requiring emerging leaders to be able to work in collaborative knowledge to action systems, rather than on micro-discipline islands. Professional and informal learning experiences can enhance graduate marine education by helping learners gain the communication, collaboration, and innovative problem-solving skills necessary for them to interact with peers at the interface of science and policy. These rich experiences can also provide case-based and hands-on opportunities for graduate learners to explore real-world examples of ocean science, policy, and management in action. However, academic programs are often limited in their capacity to offer such experiences as a part of a traditional curriculum. Rather than expecting learners to rely on their academic training, one approach is to encourage and support graduates to seek professional development beyond their university's walls, and think more holistically about their learning as it relates to their career interests. During this session we discuss current thinking around the professional learning needs of emerging ocean leaders, what this means for academic epistemologies, and examine initial evaluation outcomes from activities in our cross-campus consortium model in Monterey Bay, California. This innovative model includes seven regional academic institutions working together to develop an interdisciplinary ocean community and increase access to professional development opportunities to better prepare regional ocean-interested graduate students and early career researchers as future leaders.

Medical professionalism in the formal curriculum: 5th year medical students' experiences.

PubMed

Stockley, Amelia J; Forbes, Karen

2014-11-30

The standards and outcomes outlined in the General Medical Council's publication 'Tomorrow's Doctors' include proposals that medical professionalism be included in undergraduate curricula. Learning the values and attitudes necessary to become a 'doctor as a professional' has traditionally been left largely to the informal and hidden curricula. There remains no consensus or confirmed evidence upon which to base best practice for teaching in this area. In 2010, as part of a revision of the fifth year curriculum the University of Bristol Medical School introduced tutorials which focused on students' achievement of the learning objectives in 'Tomorrow's Doctors Outcomes 3: the doctor as a professional'. This study sought to explore the students' experiences of these tutorials in order to develop the evidence base further. Sixteen medical students participated in three focus-group interviews exploring their experiences of medical professionalism tutorials. A course evaluation questionnaire to all fifth year students also provided data. Data were analysed using the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four main themes were identified: students' aversion to 'ticking-boxes', lack of engagement by the students, lack of engagement by the tutors and students' views on how medical professionalism should be taught. A curriculum innovation which placed the achievement of medical professionalism in the formal curriculum was not unanimously embraced by students or faculty. Further consideration of the students' aversion to 'ticking-boxes' is warranted. With continued demand for increased accountability and transparency in medical education, detailed check-lists of specific learning objectives will continue to feature as a means by which medical schools and learners demonstrate attainment. Students' experiences and acceptance of these check-lists deserves attention in order to inform teaching and learning in this area. Learner and faculty 'buy in' are imperative to the success of curriculum change and vital if the students are to attain the intended learning objectives. Effective faculty development and student induction programmes could be employed to facilitate engagement by both parties.

Reflective education for professional practice: discovering knowledge from experience.

PubMed

Lyons, J

1999-01-01

To continually develop as a discipline, a profession needs to generate a knowledge base that can evolve from education and practice. Midwifery reflective practitioners have the potential to develop clinical expertise directed towards achieving desirable, safe and effective practice. Midwives are 'with woman', providing the family with supportive and helpful relationships as they share the deep and profound experiences of childbirth. To become skilled helpers students need to develop reflective skills and valid midwifery knowledge grounded in their personal experiences and practice. Midwife educators and practitioners can assist students and enhance their learning by expanding the scope of practice, encouraging self-assessment and the development of reflective and professional skills. This paper explores journal writing as a learning strategy for the development of reflective skills within midwifery and explores its value for midwifery education. It also examines, through the use of critical social theory and adult learning principles, how midwives can assist and thus enhance students learning through the development of professional and reflective skills for midwifery practice.

"Experiential" Professional Development: Improving World Language Pedagogy inside Spanish Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Brigid Moira

2012-01-01

"Experiential" professional development (EPD), influenced by Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound design, was integrated in the classrooms of secondary Spanish teachers to create opportunities for them to learn to use communicative language teaching (CLT) through experience. Teachers collaborated with colleagues, students, and a…

Experience preferred: insights from our newest public health professionals on how internships/practicums promote career development.

PubMed

Hernandez, Kristen E; Bejarano, Sandra; Reyes, Francis J; Chavez, Margarita; Mata, Holly

2014-01-01

Universities offering undergraduate degrees in health promotion or health education and/or graduate degrees in public health typically require an internship, practicum, or fieldwork experience. This type of mentored experience is an important aspect of career development for the next generation of public health professionals and benefits not only the students but also the profession and the communities in which they work. This article provides perspectives from four public health professionals who have recently graduated from designated minority-serving institutions and highlights the ways in which internship, practicum, or fieldwork experiences have contributed to their career development. From a career development perspective, internships provide unique opportunities to develop professional networks, practice competencies learned in the classroom, gain experience in different environments, and share lessons learned with others in our field. The diversification of the public health research and practice workforce is increasingly recognized as crucial in building health equity. Internship programs that focus specifically on the academic and professional development of students underrepresented in public health provide experiences that meet or supplement academic requirements, and provide students with real-world experience and an expanded network of mentors and role models.

Responsibly managing students' learning experiences in student-run clinics: a virtues-based ethical framework.

PubMed

Coverdale, John H; McCullough, Laurence B

2014-01-01

Many medical schools now offer students a distinctive clinical and learning opportunity, the student-run clinic (SRC), in which generalist physicians often play the major role. Although SRCs have become popular, they pose as-yet unexplored ethical challenges for the learning experiences of students. In SRCs students not only take on a significant administrative role especially in coordinating care, but also provide direct patient care for a clinically challenging, biopsychosocially vulnerable, medically indigent population of patients. SRCs provide an exemplar of the ethical challenges of care for such patients. The ethical framework proposed in this article emphasizes that these valued learning opportunities for students should occur in the context of professional formation, with explicit attention to developing the professional virtues, with faculty as role models for these virtues. The valued learning opportunities for students in SRCs should occur in the context of professional formation, with explicit attention to developing the professional virtues of integrity, compassion, self-effacement, self-sacrifice, and courage, which are required for the appropriate care of the vulnerable populations served by SRCs.

International service learning and interprofessional education in Ecuador: Findings from a phenomenology study with students from four professions.

PubMed

Johnson, Audrey M; Howell, Dana M

2017-03-01

Combined international service learning (ISL) and interprofessional education (IPE) experiences can move health professional student learning beyond the traditional confines of the classroom and outside uniprofessional ethos. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the shared experience of health professional students participating in an ISL trip to a small community in Ecuador. The study focused on the learning and collaboration that occurred among students from multiple health professions during the trip and the cross-cultural exchange between the students and the patients in Ecuador. Participants included 15 students from 4 health professional programmes (pharmacy, medicine, physical therapy, and nursing). Data included interviews, focus groups, observation, and written documents. The essential meaning that emerged from this study was that the ISL/IPE learning opportunity created a practical opportunity for demystifying other healthcare professions in the context of a resource-limited international patient care setting, while supporting students' personal and professional development. Four structural themes emerged to describe the student experiences. Students had to negotiate the language barrier, limited resources, and unexpected diagnoses, while simultaneously learning about the roles and scope of other professions on the team and how to communicate effectively. Student's perseverance when facing the challenges resulted in their personal growth. The interprofessional component strengthened the students' knowledge of interprofessional collaboration and communication through real-world application.

Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Efforts to Improve Math and Science Learning Opportunities in Early Childhood Classrooms.

PubMed

Piasta, Shayne B; Logan, Jessica A R; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Capps, Janet L; Petrill, Stephen A

2015-05-01

Because recent initiatives highlight the need to better support preschool-aged children's math and science learning, the present study investigated the impact of professional development in these domains for early childhood educators. Sixty-five educators were randomly assigned to experience 10.5 days (64 hours) of training on math and science or on an alternative topic. Educators' provision of math and science learning opportunities were documented, as were the fall-to-spring math and science learning gains of children ( n = 385) enrolled in their classrooms. Professional development significantly impacted provision of science, but not math, learning opportunities. Professional development did not directly impact children's math or science learning, although science learning was indirectly affected via the increase in science learning opportunities. Both math and science learning opportunities were positively associated with children's learning. Results suggest that substantive efforts are necessary to ensure that children have opportunities to learn math and science from a young age.

Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Efforts to Improve Math and Science Learning Opportunities in Early Childhood Classrooms

PubMed Central

Piasta, Shayne B.; Logan, Jessica A. R.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Capps, Janet L.; Petrill, Stephen A.

2014-01-01

Because recent initiatives highlight the need to better support preschool-aged children’s math and science learning, the present study investigated the impact of professional development in these domains for early childhood educators. Sixty-five educators were randomly assigned to experience 10.5 days (64 hours) of training on math and science or on an alternative topic. Educators’ provision of math and science learning opportunities were documented, as were the fall-to-spring math and science learning gains of children (n = 385) enrolled in their classrooms. Professional development significantly impacted provision of science, but not math, learning opportunities. Professional development did not directly impact children’s math or science learning, although science learning was indirectly affected via the increase in science learning opportunities. Both math and science learning opportunities were positively associated with children’s learning. Results suggest that substantive efforts are necessary to ensure that children have opportunities to learn math and science from a young age. PMID:26257434

Comparison of Students' Perceptions of Their Teaching-Learning Environments in Three Professional Academic Disciplines: A Valuable Tool for Quality Enhancement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haarala-Muhonen, Anne; Ruohoniemi, Mirja; Katajavuori, Nina; Lindblom-Ylanne, Sari

2011-01-01

The present study explored differences in students' perceptions of their teaching-learning environments in three professional academic disciplines at the University of Helsinki, using a modified version of the Experiences of Teaching & Learning Questionnaire. A total of 426 first-year students from the Faculties of Law, Pharmacy and Veterinary…

Web-based learning in professional development: experiences of Finnish nurse managers.

PubMed

Korhonen, Teija; Lammintakanen, Johanna

2005-11-01

The aim of this article is to describe the nurse managers' expectations, attitudes and experiences on web-based learning before and after participation in a web-based course. Information technology has rapidly become more common in health care settings. However, little is known about nurse managers' experiences on web-based learning, although they have a crucial role in promoting the professional development of their staff. Diagnostic assignments (n = 18) written before and interviews (n = 8) taken after the web-based education. The data were analysed by inductive content analysis. Nurse managers found web-based education to be a suitable and modern method of learning. On the basis of their experience they found multiple ways to utilize web-based learning environments in health care. Information technology skills, equipment, support and time were considered essential in web-based learning. Additionally, they found that their own experience might lead to more widespread implementation of web-based learning in health care settings. Information technology skills of nurse managers and staff need to be developed in order to use information technology effectively. In order to learn in a web-based environment, everyone needs the opportunity and access to required resources. Additionally, nurse managers' own experiences are important to promote wider utilization of web-based learning.

Professionals' and Parents' Shared Learning in Blended Learning Networks Related to Communication and Augmentative and Alternative Communication for People with Severe Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilder, Jenny; Magnusson, Lennart; Hanson, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

People with severe disabilities (SD) communicate in complex ways, and their teachers, parents and other involved professionals find it difficult to gain knowledge and share their experiences regarding the person with SD's communication methods. The purpose of this study is to contribute to our understanding of how parents and professionals share…

Learning from Fellow Engineering Students Who Have Current Professional Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, John W.; Rutherford, Ursula

2012-01-01

This paper presents an investigation of how experience-led content in an engineering degree can be strengthened by creating opportunities for engineering students to benefit from the knowledge, skills and resources of students with current professional experience. Students who study civil engineering part-time at Coventry University (while also…

Decline in medical students' attitudes to interprofessional learning and patient-centredness.

PubMed

Hudson, Judith N; Lethbridge, Alistair; Vella, Susan; Caputi, Peter

2016-05-01

Interprofessional learning (IPL) is valuable in preparing health care students to work collaboratively in teams, with patients' needs at the core. Patient-centredness is the impetus for communication and collaboration in health care. Debate continues on when it is best to develop positive student attitudes towards these aspects of care. Should IPL commence early before attitudes to patients, professional stereotypes and identity are formed, or later for advanced learners with greater experience of their roles and responsibility in health care? This study explores graduate-entry medical students' attitudes to IPL and patient-centred care, on programme entry and after an early interdisciplinary clinical experience (ICE). An extended version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was administered to four cohorts of medical students (n = 279) on entry and after the 3-week placement. This 26-item RIPLS comprised four subscales: team work and collaboration; professional identity; roles and responsibilities; and patient-centredness. The impact of the placement on students' attitudes was assessed by using repeated measures analysis of variance to compare pre- and post-ICE subscale scores. There were significant main effects of time (pre- versus post-ICE) for the subscales of teamwork and collaboration, professional identity and patient-centredness, but not for roles and responsibilities. Scores for teamwork and collaboration, professional identity and patient-centredness were all lower post-ICE. The students' less positive attitudes to teamwork and collaboration and professional identity may be due to the experience itself, or because it reinforced negative beliefs about the value of learning from non-medical health professionals. Perhaps the students' idealised view of their future role as a doctor was challenged by the experience, or they had an underdeveloped professional identity. Limited student experience of patients having an active role in their own health care may explain the decrease in attitudes to patient-centredness. A longitudinal qualitative study will explore these results. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Factors that Affect Science Teachers' Participation in Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roux, Judi Ann

Scientific literacy for our students and the possibilities for careers available in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas are important topics for economic growth as well as global competitiveness. The achievement of students in science learning is dependent upon the science teachers' effectiveness and experienced science teachers depend upon relevant professional development experiences to support their learning. In order to understand how to improve student learning in science, the learning of science teachers must also be understood. Previous research studies on teacher professional development have been conducted in other states, but Minnesota science teachers comprised a new and different population from those previously studied. The purpose of this two-phase mixed methods study was to identify the current types of professional development in which experienced, Minnesota secondary science teachers participated and the factors that affect their participation in professional development activities. The mixed-methods approach s utilized an initial online survey followed by qualitative interviews with five survey respondents. The results of the quantitative survey and the qualitative interviews indicated the quality of professional development experiences and the factors which affected the science teachers' participation in professional development activities. The supporting and inhibiting factors involved the availability of resources such as time and money, external relationships with school administrators, teacher colleagues, and family members, and personal intrinsic attributes such as desires to learn and help students. This study also describes implications for science teachers, school administrators, policymakers, and professional development providers. Recommendations for future research include the following areas: relationships between and among intrinsic and extrinsic factors, science-related professional development activities within local school districts, the use of formal and informal professional development, and the needs of rural science teachers compared to urban and suburban teachers.

Continuing Professional Development and Learning in Primary Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Christine A.

2010-01-01

This article explores the effects of continuing professional development (CPD) on teachers' and pupils' experiences of learning and teaching science in primary classrooms. During 2006-2007, quantitative and qualitative data were elicited from two primary teachers in Scotland using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and video-stimulated…

The Arts Connection: The Arts and Transformative Learning in Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cain, Beverlyn; Dixon, John A.

2013-01-01

Artist-in-residency experiences (puppetry, creative drama, music, and movement) indicated a connection with emotional transformative learning as a venue for professional development. This small teacher practitioner-based study involved teacher participants engaged in four-weeklong artist residencies at four childcare centers. Thirteen teachers…

Experiences of Pioneers Facilitating Teacher Networks for Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanraets, Irene; Hulsebosch, Joitske; de Laat, Maarten

2011-01-01

This study presents an exploration into facilitation practices of teacher professional development networks. Stimulating networked learning amongst teachers is a powerful way of creating an informal practice-based learning space driven by teacher needs. As such, it presents an additional channel (besides more formal traditional professional…

Professional Identity Development Through Service Learning: A Qualitative Study of First-Year Medical Students Volunteering at a Medical Specialty Camp.

PubMed

Beck, Jimmy; Chretien, Katherine; Kind, Terry

2015-11-01

To describe the experience of medical students volunteering at a camp for children with a variety of medical conditions. Rising second-year medical students who had served as counselors for 1 week at a medical specialty camp were invited to participate. We conducted a 2-part qualitative study using on-site focus groups and follow-up individual interviews. Nine medical students participated. Students described their experience as motivating and career reinforcing. It helped them "move beyond the textbook" and deepened their commitment to serving future patients with compassion. One theme that emerged was the idea that their camp experience fostered the development of their professional identities. A 1-week, immersive community service experience at a medical specialty camp played a role in influencing the early formative professional identities of rising second-year medical students. Medical schools could use camps as a promising community service-learning experiences to foster professional identity. © The Author(s) 2015.

Learning from Experience: From Case-Based Teaching to Experience-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Steen, Martijn; Van Twist, Mark; Frissen, Paul

2017-01-01

Senior-level civil servants can learn a lot from methods such as theory-lectures and case-teaching, but there is another resource of knowledge and insight that can be utilized more for teaching public administration: the professional experience of participants in training programmes. This paper argues that it is possible to use the professional…

Work-based learning: supporting advanced perioperative practice.

PubMed

Quick, Julie

2010-07-01

The arrival of work-based learning awards in professional education offers an alternative route for healthcare professionals looking to undertake post-registration education. The unique way that work-based learning integrates individual learning needs with that of role requirements makes the award an ideal choice for the advanced perioperative practitioner (APP) who wishes to combine academic study with professional development. As an experienced and professionally qualified practitioner (Thatcher 2003) the APP will have an accumulation of knowledge, skills and experience that may go unrecognised in alternative awards. The term APP refers to a nurse, ODP or allied healthcare professional who undertakes a role that challenges the traditional boundaries of care within the perioperative environment (Radford 2004), such as that of a surgical care practitioner (SCP). Here Julie Quick, a SCP, examines the changes within post-registration education and in particular describes why work-based learning awards may be an appropriate choice for practitioners working at a higher level of practice.

Learning Nursing in the Workplace Community: The Generation of Professional Capital

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gobbi, Mary

This chapter explores the connections between learning, working and professional communities in nursing. It draws on experiences and research in nursing practice and education, where not only do isolated professionals learn as a result of their actions for patients and others, but those professionals are part of a community whose associated networks enable learning to occur. Several characteristics of this professional community are shared with those found in Communities of Practice (CoPs) (Lave and Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998), but the balance and importance of many elements can differ. For instance, whilst Lave and Wenger (1991) describe many aspects of situated learning in CoPs that apply to nurses, their model is of little help in understanding the ways in which other professions as well as patients/clients and carers influence the development of nursing practice. Therefore, I shall argue that it is not just the Community of Practice that we need to consider

The Intent and Processes of a Professional Learning Initiative Seeking to Foster Discussion around Innovative Approaches to Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Peter; Holmes, Marilyn; Ingram, Naomi; Linsell, Chris; Livy, Sharyn; McCormack, Melody

2016-01-01

The following outlines the rationale and structure of a professional learning initiative that seeks to explore teachers' ways of engaging students more actively in building mathematical connections for themselves. An example of one of the suggested experiences is presented.

Collaboration Creation: Lessons Learned from Establishing an Online Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Colin; Smyth, Keith

2012-01-01

This paper describes the design, implementation, evaluation and further refinement of an ELGG-based social networking site to support professional development activity, project group and special interest groups, and the discussion and sharing of educational experiences and resources across Edinburgh Napier University in the United Kingdom.…

Professional Development: Teachers Use of GIS to Enhance Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClurg, Patricia A.; Buss, Alan

2007-01-01

This article explains a professional development experience of fifth to twelfth grade teachers in using geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) technologies to enhance classroom teaching and learning environments. A key challenge faced by the developers was whether teachers would value the technology tools enough…

Professional Discussion Groups: Informal Learning in a Third Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Robert A.

2013-01-01

In this ethnographic study, I explored two discussion groups and discovered Third Space elements such as cultural hybridity, counterscript, and sharing of experiences and resources contributed to a safe learning environment existing at the boundaries between participant personal and professional spaces. The groups operated under the auspices of a…

Scaffolding Collaborative Reflective Writing in a VET Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boldrini, Elena; Cattaneo, Alberto

2014-01-01

Learning journal writing is an effective tool to foster the development of reflective capacity in the context of Vocational Education and Training (VET) if conceived as a collection of descriptions and reflections on real professional experiences. Reporting professional situations in a learning journal outside the workplace in turn fosters the…

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamez, Octavio

2012-01-01

This study presents the results of a social constructivist mixed methods investigation into the perceptions and experiences of elementary teachers participating in professional learning communities (PLCs). In order to better understand the dynamics involved in PLCs, this research used a team development model from human resources literature. Of…

Enhancing Professional Learning Communities through Knowledge Artefacts in Mainland China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qiao, Xuefeng; Yu, Shulin

2016-01-01

This qualitative case study examines the perspectives and experiences of seven Chinese primary teachers on the integration of shared knowledge artefacts into teaching in professional learning communities. The analysis of the semi-structured interviews and observation data revealed that using knowledge artefacts, such as preview sheets, flowing…

Clinical imprinting: the impact of early clinical learning on career long professional development in nursing.

PubMed

Andrew, Nicola

2013-05-01

The literature recognises a relationship between clinical experience and a successful undergraduate experience in nursing; however what constitutes an effective approach remains the subject of debate, particularly in relation to first year of learning. There is evidence from a biological standpoint that early experience impacts on the behavioural development of animals, described by Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989) as 'imprinting'. The concept of imprinting has resonance for nursing. In this article the importance of 'getting it right at the beginning' is explored and what, if anything, Lorenz's theory tells us about the impact of early clinical learning on subsequent professional development. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparing educators for problem-based and community-based curricula: a student's experiences.

PubMed

Dana, N

1997-03-01

The Department of Nursing at the University of Natal Durban (UND) introduced a one year Masters Degree in Progressive Education for Health Professionals in 1996, the aim of which is to prepare educators of health professionals to understand better innovative methods of teaching, learning and more specifically problem-based learning (PBL) and community-based education (CBE). The author of this paper is a registered nurse and this paper focuses on her experiences as a student in this programme. Most of the experiences gained are related to the use of a Personal and Academic Development Portfolio, which covered activities from both her own classes and those related to facilitation of basic student's learning.

Learning in professionally 'distant' contexts: opportunities and challenges.

PubMed

Mausz, Justin; Tavares, Walter

2017-08-01

The changing nature of healthcare education and delivery is such that clinicians will increasingly find themselves practicing in contexts that are physically and/or conceptually different from the settings in which they were trained, a practice that conflicts on some level with socio-cultural theories of learning that emphasize learning in context. Our objective was therefore to explore learning in 'professionally distant' contexts. Using paramedic education, where portions of training occur in hospital settings despite preparing students for out-of-hospital work, fifty-three informants (11 current students, 13 recent graduates, 16 paramedic program faculty and 13 program coordinators/directors) took part in five semi-structured focus groups. Participants reflected on the value and role of hospital placements in paramedic student development. All sessions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. In this context six educational advantages and two challenges were identified when using professionally distant learning environments. Learning could still be associated with features such as (a) engagement through "authenticity", (b) technical skill development, (c) interpersonal skill development, (d) psychological resilience, (e) healthcare system knowledge and (f) scaffolding. Variability in learning and misalignment with learning goals were identified as potential threats. Learning environments that are professionally distant from eventual practice settings may prove meaningful by providing learners with foundational and preparatory learning experiences for competencies that may be transferrable. This suggests that where learning occurs may be less important than how the experience contributes to the learner's development and the meaning or value he/she derives from it.

E-Learning and North-South collaboration: the experience of two public health schools in France and Benin.

PubMed

Edouard, Guévart; Dominique, Billot; Moussiliou, Paraïso Noël; Francis, Guillemin; Khaled, Bessaoud; Serge, Briançon

2009-10-14

Distance learning (e-learning) can facilitate access to training. Yet few public health E-learning experiments have been reported; institutes in developing countries experience difficulties in establishing on-line curricula, while developed countries struggle with adapting existing curricula to realities on the ground. In 2005, two schools of public health, one in France and one in Benin, began collaborating through contact sessions organised for Nancy University distance-learning students. This experience gave rise to a partnership aimed at developing training materials for e-Learning for African students. The distance-learning public health course at Nancy teaches public health professionals through a module entitled "Health and Development." The module is specifically tailored for professionals from developing countries. To promote student-teacher exchanges, clarify content and supervise dissertations, contact sessions are organized in centres proximate and accessible to African students. The Benin Institute's main feature is residential team learning; distance-learning courses are currently being prepared. The two collaborating institutions have developed a joint distance-learning module geared toward developing countries. The collaboration provides for the development, diffusion, and joint delivery of teaching modules featuring issues that are familiar to African staff, gives the French Institute credibility in assessing research work produced, and enables modules on specific African issues and approaches to be put online. While E-learning is a viable educational option for public health professionals, periodic contact can be advantageous. Our analysis showed that the benefit of the collaboration between the two institutions is mutual; the French Institute extends its geographical, cultural and contextual reach and expands its pool of teaching staff. The Benin Institute benefits from the technical partnership and expertise, which allow it to offer distance learning for Africa-specific contexts and applications.

Exploring the Role of the Learning Strategist at a Canadian College and University: The Tale of Two Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woloshyn, Vera E.; Munn, Caitlin

2014-01-01

In this article, we synthesize literature related to the experiences of students with learning disabilities in postsecondary settings, including support service initiatives. We also synthesize the role of the learning strategists in context of working with these students. We then explore the daily experiences of two senior learning strategists…

Coach Education and Continuing Professional Development: Experience and Learning to Coach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cushion, Christopher J.; Armour, Kathy M.; Jones, Robyn L.

2003-01-01

Research over the last decade has demonstrated that it is experience and the observation of other coaches that remain the primary sources of knowledge for coaches. Despite this, coach education and continuing professional development fail to draw effectively on this experience. Using the work of Pierre Bourdieu, this paper attempts to understand…

Emotional learning of undergraduate medical students in an early nursing attachment in a hospital or nursing home.

PubMed

Helmich, Esther; Bolhuis, Sanneke; Prins, Judith; Laan, Roland; Koopmans, Raymond

2011-01-01

Entering medicine for the first time is highly impressive for students, but we know little about the actual emotional learning processes taking place. We aimed to get more insight into expectations, experiences and emotions of students during their first clinical experiences in a hospital compared to a nursing home. We carried out a qualitative and a quantitative survey by administering questionnaires about expectations, impressive experiences and learning activities within two cohorts of first-year medical students before and after a 4-week nursing attachment. Despite different expectations, students reported similar experiences and learning activities for the nursing home and the hospital. Most impressive events were related to patient care, being a trainee, or professional identities being challenged. Students in nursing homes most often referred to their own relationships with patients. Students expressed different emotions, and frequently experienced positive and negative emotions at the same time. Rewarding experiences (not only difficult or stressful events) do matter for medical professional development. Students need to learn how to deal with and feel strengthened by the emotions evoked during clinical experiences, which should be supported by educators. The nursing home and the hospital seem to be equally suited as learning environments.

ECLIPPx: an innovative model for reflective portfolios in life-long learning.

PubMed

Cheung, C Ronny

2011-03-01

For healthcare professionals, the educational portfolio is the most widely used component of lifelong learning - a vital aspect of modern medical practice. When used effectively, portfolios provide evidence of continuous learning and promote reflective practice. But traditional portfolio models are in danger of becoming outmoded, in the face of changing expectations of healthcare provider competences today. Portfolios in health care have generally focused on competencies in clinical skills. However, many other domains of professional development, such as professionalism and leadership skills, are increasingly important for doctors and health care professionals, and must be addressed in amassing evidence for training and revalidation. There is a need for modern health care learning portfolios to reflect this sea change. A new model for categorising the health care portfolios of professionals is proposed. The ECLIPPx model is based on personal practice, and divides the evidence of ongoing professional learning into four categories: educational development; clinical practice; leadership, innovation and professionalism; and personal experience. The ECLIPPx model offers a new approach for personal reflection and longitudinal learning, one that gives flexibility to the user whilst simultaneously encompassing the many relatively new areas of competence and expertise that are now required of a modern doctor. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

Examining the ELL Professional Development Experiences of General Educators with English Language Learners: A Narrative Research Study Using Schon's Theory of the Reflective Practitioner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celozzi, Christopher L.

2017-01-01

This narrative research study explored how general education teachers describe their ELL professional development experiences. Specifically, this project revealed general educators' reflective practices in terms of how they translated completed professional development training into the learning environment of their own classrooms. The theoretical…

Assessing Health Professional Education: Workshop Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuff, Patricia A.

2014-01-01

"Assessing Health Professional Education" is the summary of a workshop hosted by the Institute of Medicine's Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education to explore assessment of health professional education. At the event, Forum members shared personal experiences and learned from patients, students, educators, and…

Students' voices: the lived experience of faculty incivility as a barrier to professional formation in associate degree nursing education.

PubMed

Del Prato, Darlene

2013-03-01

Nursing faculty play an important role in constructing learning environments that foster the positive formation of future nurses. The students' construction of a nursing identity is grounded in social interactions with faculty and is shaped by values and norms learned in both the formal and informal curriculum. The informal curriculum is communicated in faculty teaching practices and relationships established with students. To acquire an understanding of the students' lived experience in associate degree nursing education and identify educational practices that support students' professional formation. A phenomenological design was chosen to study the lived experience of nursing education. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 participants. Five students participated in second interviews for a total of 18 interviews. Symbolic interactionism guided data analysis. Participants represented three ADN programs in the northeastern U.S. and were diverse in terms of gender and age and to a lesser extent race, and sexual orientation. Faculty incivility included demeaning experiences, subjective evaluation, rigid expectations, and targeting and weeding out practices. Targeting practices contributed to a perceived focus on clinical evaluation and inhibited clinical learning. Faculty incivility hindered professional formation by interfering with learning, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and confidence. Faculty who model professional values in the formal and hidden curriculum contribute to the positive formation of future nurses. Nursing faculty should be formally prepared as educators to establish respectful, connected relationships with students. Faculty should role model professional values, deemphasize their evaluative role, provide constructive formative feedback, and remain open to the student's potential for growth. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining Collaboration in Teacher Preparation and Clinical Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellegrino, Anthony; Weiss, Margaret P.

2017-01-01

Collaboration among educators is a vital component for teachers' success working with diverse students. Teacher preparation programs, however, have not sufficiently included experiences in which teacher candidates can learn about professional collaboration in preparation for clinical and professional experiences. In this article, the authors…

Learning to reason: a journey of professional socialisation.

PubMed

Ajjawi, Rola; Higgs, Joy

2008-05-01

One of the key attributes that health professional students and new graduates develop during professional socialisation is clinical reasoning ability. Clinical reasoning is a complex skill that is essential for professional practice. There is limited research specifically addressing how physiotherapists learn to reason in the workplace. The research reported in this paper addressed this gap by investigating how experienced physiotherapists learned to reason in daily practice. This learning journey was examined in the context of professional socialisation. A hermeneutic phenomenological research study was conducted using multiple methods of data collection including observation, written reflective exercises and repeated, semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using phenomenological and hermeneutic strategies involving in-depth, iterative reading and interpretation to identify themes in the data. Twelve physiotherapists with clinical and supervisory experience were recruited from the areas of cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal and neurological physiotherapy to participate in this study. Participants' learning journeys were diverse, although certain episodes of learning were common or similar. Role models, mentors and colleagues were found to be influential in the development of reasoning. An important implication for the professional socialisation of physiotherapists and other health professionals and for those involved in practice development is the need to recognise and enhance the role of practice communities in the explicit learning of clinical reasoning skills.

Teachers' Inquiry Stance: Collaboration through Data Analysis in a Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haack, Darin Marcus

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how teachers experience a stance toward inquiry through participation in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). In order to meet this objective, the following questions framed this research: (1) How do individual teachers make meaning of the epistemological and dialogic aspects of…

Queer(y)ing Culture through Professional Learning Communities: A Reimagining of Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerrero, Cristina; Shahnazarian, Armen; Brown, Michelle F.

2017-01-01

In this article we document our experiences as facilitators for the "Engaging All Students" professional learning community (PLC), which was implemented to help Toronto public school teachers re-engage underachieving students. These students, who are known as "marker students," are members of the school system's most…

Examining the Instructional Design of a Technology Enhanced Course for New Mentor Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Rebecca M.

2009-01-01

To be effective, teacher education programs need to engage teachers in learning as professionals. This includes learning experiences grounded in classroom practice and guidance to develop as professionals so teachers can take on roles of leaders and mentors in their classrooms and in partnerships with universities. New web-based communication…

Private Practice: Exploring the Missing Social Dimension in "Reflective Practice"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotzee, Ben

2012-01-01

In professional education today, Schon's concept of "reflective practice" underpins much thinking about learning at work. This approach--with its emphasis on the inner life of the professional and on her own interpretations of her learning experiences--is increasingly being challenged: often cited objections are that the model ignores factors like…

A Consumer Guide to Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchins, Kristen; Arbaugh, Fran; Abell, Sandra; Marra, Rose; Lee, Michele

2008-01-01

How can a science teacher find professional development (PD) opportunities that are meaningful, coherent, and sustained that will foster teacher and student learning? The authors believe that science teachers can and should be savvy consumers of PD--seeking out learning experiences that are designed with a few key features in mind. The purpose of…

Answering the Call: Reflections on Professional Learning and English Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curwood, Jen Scott; O'Grady, Alison

2015-01-01

Research in English involves understanding the complex process of professional learning, which begins in teacher education programs. In this special issue of "English in Australia," we draw on our experiences as researchers and teacher educators at the University of Sydney. We take a sociocultural and situated perspective in order to…

Why Evaluations Fail: To Achieve Meaningful Results, Address These Common Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killion, Joellen

2017-01-01

Evaluation of professional learning illuminates the interactions that occur in the implementation of planned learning experiences and the necessary supports designed to improve professional practice and its effects on students. It investigates how a set of actions designed to achieve defined short- and long-term outcomes occur over time and how…

GeoGebra in Professional Development: The Experience of Rural Inservice Elementary School (K-8) Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bu, Ligguo; Mumba, Frackson; Henson, Harvey; Wright, Mary

2013-01-01

GeoGebra is an emergent open-source Dynamic and Interactive Mathematics Learning Environment (DIMLE) (Martinovic & Karadag, 2012) that invites a modeling perspective in mathematics teaching and learning. In springs of 2010 and 2012, GeoGebra was integrated respectively into two online professional development courses on mathematical problem…

The Energy to Lead

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sieveke-Pearson, Starla

2010-01-01

Being an assistant principal can be difficult, but using a professional learning community (PLC) to explore and capitalize on the aspects of the job that give one energy can help. The author shares her experience in serving as an assistant principal in a suburban school district in Colorado that supports the professional learning and growth of…

"Happy Professional Development at an Unhappy Time": Learning to Teach for Historical Thinking in a High-Pressure Accountability Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meuwissen, Kevin W.

2017-01-01

Adolescent learners stand to benefit when history teachers center their practice on investigating open-ended questions, interrogating evidence, and constructing persuasive arguments. Taking up this kind of teaching requires professional development (PD) experiences that are sustained, subject-specific, learning-focused, and collaborative and that…

Preparing School Administrators to Lead Technology Rich Professional Learning Communities in the Digital Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Branch, Mary Grace

2011-01-01

This study explores the coaching experiences of educational administrators in an attempt to gain greater understanding of how they develop the necessary skills to implement, lead, and support technology rich professional learning communities (PLCs). Participants came from a mix of urban, rural, and suburban school districts. Using semi-structured…

Developing Professional Learning for Staff Working with Children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs Combined with Moderate-Severe Learning Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Carolyn

2011-01-01

This article presents research undertaken as part of a PhD by Carolyn Anderson who is a senior lecturer on the BSc (Hons) in Speech and Language Pathology at the University of Strathclyde. The study explores the professional learning experiences of 49 teachers working in eight schools and units for children with additional support needs in…

Professional Learning Communities Facilitator's Guide for the What Works Clearinghouse™ Practice Guide: Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School. REL 2015-105

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dimino, Joseph A.; Taylor, Mary Jo; Morris, Joan

2015-01-01

This facilitator's guide is designed to assist professional learning communities (PLCs) in applying evidence-based strategies to help K-8 English learners acquire the language and literacy skills needed to succeed academically. Through this collaborative learning experience, educators will expand their knowledge base as they read, discuss, share,…

The Effect of Teachers' Professional Development in Video Technology on Mathematics and the English Language Learning of Preschoolers in a Rural Primary School in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ikram, Hamid

2016-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the effect of teachers' professional development in video technology (PBS & Sesame Street videos) on mathematics and the English language learning among nursery students in the rural area of Pakistan where it was impossible for students to experience watching videos for learning purposes.…

Service-Learning by Doing: How a Student-Run Consulting Company Finds Relevance and Purpose in a Business Strategy Capstone Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, David F.; Sherwood, Arthur Lloyd; DePaolo, Concetta A.

2010-01-01

A challenge for undergraduate learning in strategy is that the students lack professional work experiences. Without a rich background of experience, many strategic management topics are difficult to grasp. Our solution has been to develop a strategic management capstone course that combines service-learning and problem-based learning. The…

Learning-to-Learn and Learning-to-Teach: The Impact of Disciplinary Subject Study on Student-Teachers' Professional Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Graham

2011-01-01

A coherent view of student-teachers' preparation and the learning experiences to which they are exposed are key to sustaining the relevance of university-based teacher-education programmes. Arguably, such coherence is lacking and the research base to an understanding of the student-teacher experience is still a relatively limited one. This paper…

All for one and one for all: understanding health professionals' experience in individual versus collaborative online learning.

PubMed

MacNeill, Heather; Telner, Deanna; Sparaggis-Agaliotis, Alexandra; Hanna, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) may facilitate continuing interprofessional education while overcoming barriers of time and place for busy health care professionals. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences, advantages, and challenges of group versus individual online learning. Fifteen multidisciplinary health professionals participated in a 12-week online course on either diabetes or traumatic brain injury. This consisted of background e-modules and a longitudinal build-a-case exercise, done either individually or as a group. Focus group sessions exploring participants' experiences after course completion and at 4 months were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed for recurring themes. Participant reflection homework and video-recorded group sessions were used for triangulation of results. Individual learners appreciated the flexibility and control, but experienced decreased motivation. Group learners appreciated the immediate feedback from their co-learners and felt social pressure to come to the weekly sessions prepared but expressed challenges in determining group goal-setting for the session. Both groups felt they learned about interprofessional roles; however, group learners described a richer learning experience and understanding of interprofessional roles through the online collaboration exercise. The intense resources necessary for interprofessional CSCL, including time, faculty development, and technological issues, are described. CSCL is a valuable educational strategy in online learning. While individual online learning may be better suited for short and simple educational interventions such as knowledge acquisition, CSCL seems to allow for richer and deeper learning in complex and interprofessional educational experiences. However, strategies, resources, and faculty development required to enhance CSCL need to be addressed carefully. © 2014 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on Continuing Medical Education, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

Attention without intention: explicit processing and implicit goal-setting in family medicine residents' written reflections.

PubMed

Shaughnessy, Allen F; Allen, Lucas; Duggan, Ashley

2017-05-01

Reflection, a process of self-analysis to promote learning through better understanding of one's experiences, is often used to assess learners' metacognitive ability. However, writing reflective exercises, not submitted for assessment, may allow learners to explore their experiences and indicate learning and professional growth without explicitly connecting to intentional sense-making. To identify core components of learning about medicine or medical education from family medicine residents' written reflections. Family medicine residents' wrote reflections about their experiences throughout an academic year. Qualitative thematic analysis to identify core components in 767 reflections written by 33 residents. We identified four themes of learning: 'Elaborated reporting' and 'metacognitive monitoring' represent explicit, purposeful self-analysis that typically would be characterised as reflective learning about medicine. 'Simple reporting' and 'goal setting' signal an analysis of experience that indicates learning and professional growth but that is overlooked as a component of learning. Identified themes elucidate the explicit and implicit forms of written reflection as sense-making and learning. An expanded theoretical understanding of reflection as inclusive of conscious sense-making as well as implicit discovery better enables the art of physician self-development.

Clarifying the learning experiences of healthcare professionals with in situ and off-site simulation-based medical education: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Sørensen, Jette Led; Navne, Laura Emdal; Martin, Helle Max; Ottesen, Bent; Albrecthsen, Charlotte Krebs; Pedersen, Berit Woetmann; Kjærgaard, Hanne; van der Vleuten, Cees

2015-01-01

Objective To examine how the setting in in situ simulation (ISS) and off-site simulation (OSS) in simulation-based medical education affects the perceptions and learning experience of healthcare professionals. Design Qualitative study using focus groups and content analysis. Participants Twenty-five healthcare professionals (obstetricians, midwives, auxiliary nurses, anaesthesiologists, a nurse anaesthetist and operating theatre nurse) participated in four focus groups and were recruited due to their exposure to either ISS or OSS in multidisciplinary obstetric emergencies in a randomised trial. Setting Departments of obstetrics and anaesthesia, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. Results Initially participants preferred ISS, but this changed after the training when the simulation site became of less importance. There was a strong preference for simulation in authentic roles. These perceptions were independent of the ISS or OSS setting. Several positive and negative factors in simulation were identified, but these had no relation to the simulation setting. Participants from ISS and OSS generated a better understanding of and collaboration with the various health professionals. They also provided individual and team reflections on learning. ISS participants described more experiences that would involve organisational changes than the OSS participants did. Conclusions Many psychological and sociological aspects related to the authenticity of the learning experience are important in simulation, but the physical setting of the simulation as an ISS and OSS is the least important. Based on these focus groups OSS can be used provided that all other authenticity elements are taken into consideration and respected. The only difference was that ISS had an organisational impact and ISS participants talked more about issues that would involve practical organisational changes. ISS and OSS participants did, however, go through similar individual and team learning experiences. PMID:26443655

Promoting interprofessional learning and enhancing the pre-registration student experience through reciprocal cross professional peer tutoring.

PubMed

McLeod, Fiona; Jamison, Caroline; Treasure, Karen

2018-05-01

To improve collaboration and the quality of care, healthcare programmes are increasingly promoting interprofessional education thereby enabling students to learn with, from and about each other. A reciprocal peer learning model has developed among pre-registration physiotherapy and adult nursing students at Plymouth University, England. Embedded within the curriculum, it provides voluntary opportunities for year two students to become cross professional peer tutors to year one students while enhancing interprofessional understanding and skills acquisition. To explore participant experiences of two cross professional peer tutored clinical skills workshops delivered to a cohort of nursing (n = 67) and physiotherapy (n = 53) students in 2015. A mixed methods approach generated qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data was gathered via focus groups and individual interviews of peer tutors and learners (n = 27). These were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale questionnaire (n = 84) was completed before and after the workshops to consider any influence on students' attitudes towards interprofessional learning. Four themes evolved from thematic analysis; benefits of cross professional peer tutoring, interprofessional teamwork, quality of care and factors influencing the delivery of the workshops. Data showed students felt they developed greater understanding of interprofessional roles and acquired new skills. Peer tutors developed confidence in representing their profession while appearing to inspire early stage students. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale questionnaire data identified very positive attitudes towards interprofessional learning among the majority of students in both cohorts before and after the workshop. This study endorses the utility of enhancing the Higher Education experience by offering voluntary peer tutoring opportunities. Participating students build confidence in representing their profession, while potentially inspiring early stage students and supplementing interprofessional learning across a cohort. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extending inter-professional learning through the use of a multi-disciplinary Wiki.

PubMed

Stephens, Melanie; Robinson, Leslie; McGrath, Denis

2013-11-01

This paper reports our experiences of a student learning activity which employed a Wiki for student radiographers and nurses to build on an inter-professional learning event. The aim of the Wiki was to facilitate inter-professional learning for students who, having met face-to-face once for a classroom based activity, would not be timetabled to meet again. It was designed to allow students from differing disciplines to: construct knowledge together, learn from and about one another, and collaboratively produce a textual learning resource. 150 nursing and radiography undergraduates were provided with a PBL trigger related to the acute presentation of stroke. The students met once (5 mixed-discipline groups) to discuss the role of the professions and the outcomes for the trigger scenario. Further learning was enabled through the provision of a Wiki for each group. At week 4, all Wikis were made visible for group peer assessment. Wiki editing skills were provided by student 'Wiki champions', who cascaded training to their peers. We report and reflect on the students' evaluations of both the Wiki as process and outcome and discuss the value of Wikis for inter-professional learning. Findings show that, in addition to being an enjoyable and flexible learning experience, the Wiki satisfied its intended aims. There was a variation in the level and quality of student participation the causes of which are discussed. Ground rules for effective Wiki use are proposed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring deliberate practice in medicine: how do physicians learn in the workplace?

PubMed

van de Wiel, Margje W J; Van den Bossche, Piet; Janssen, Sandra; Jossberger, Helen

2011-03-01

Medical professionals need to keep on learning as part of their everyday work to deliver high-quality health care. Although the importance of physicians' learning is widely recognized, few studies have investigated how they learn in the workplace. Based on insights from deliberate practice research, this study examined the activities physicians engage in during their work that might further their professional development. As deliberate practice requires a focused effort to improve performance, the study also examined the goals underlying this behaviour. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 internal medicine physicians: 19 residents, 18 internists working at a university hospital, and 13 working at a non-university hospital. The results showed that learning in medical practice was very much embedded in clinical work. Most relevant learning activities were directly related to patient care rather than motivated by competence improvement goals. Advice and feedback were sought when necessary to provide this care. Performance standards were tied to patients' conditions. The patients encountered and the discussions with colleagues about patients were valued most for professional development, while teaching and updating activities were also valued in this respect. In conclusion, physicians' learning is largely guided by practical experience rather than deliberately sought. When professionals interact in diagnosing and treating patients to achieve high-quality care, their experiences contribute to expertise development. However, much could be gained from managing learning opportunities more explicitly. We offer suggestions for increasing the focus on learning in medical practice and further research.

Learning Physiotherapy: The Impact of Formal Education and Professional Experience. Linkoping Studies in Education and Psychology, No. 50.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrandt, Madeleine

This study investigated whether students of physiotherapy experienced the concepts "health,""movement,""function," and "interaction" differently during formal education and after some professional experience. Data were gathered by interviewing two groups of physiotherapy students at Linkoping University…

Medical students' experiences of their own professional development during three clinical terms: a prospective follow-up study.

PubMed

Kalén, Susanne; Lachmann, Hanna; Varttinen, Maria; Möller, Riitta; Bexelius, Tomas S; Ponzer, Sari

2017-02-27

A modern competency-based medical education is well implemented globally, but less is known about how the included learning activities contribute to medical students' professional development. The aim of this study was to explore Swedish medical students' perceptions of the offered learning activities and their experiences of how these activities were connected to their professional development as defined by the CanMEDS framework. A prospective mixed method questionnaire study during three terms (internal medicine, scientific project, and surgery) in which data were collected by using contextual activity sampling system, i.e., the students were sent a questionnaire via their mobile phones every third week. All 136 medical students in the 6th of 11 terms in the autumn of 2012 were invited to participate. Seventy-four students (54%) filled in all of the required questionnaires (4 per term) for inclusion, the total number of questionnaires being 1335. The questionnaires focused on the students' experiences of learning activities, especially in relation to the CanMEDS Roles, collaboration with others and emotions (positive, negative, optimal experiences, i.e., "flow") related to the studies. The quantitative data was analysed statistically and, for the open-ended questions, manifest inductive content analysis was used. Three of the CanMEDs Roles, Medical Expert, Scholar, and Communicator, were most frequently reported while the four others, e.g., the role Health Advocate, were less common. Collaboration with students from other professions was most usual during the 8th term. Positive emotions and experience of "flow" were most often reported during clinical learning activities while the scientific project term was connected with more negative emotions. Our results showed that it is possible, even during clinical courses, to visualise the different areas of professional competence defined in the curriculum and connect these competences to the actual learning activities. Students halfway through their medical education considered the most important learning activities for their professional development to be connected with the Roles of Medical Expert, Scholar, and Communicator. Given that each of the CanMEDS Roles is at least moderately important during undergraduate medical education, the entire spectrum of the Roles should be emphasised and developed during the clinical years.

"Refreshed…reinforced…reflective": A qualitative exploration of interprofessional education facilitators' own interprofessional learning and collaborative practice.

PubMed

Evans, Sherryn; Shaw, Nicole; Ward, Catherine; Hayley, Alexa

2016-11-01

While there is extensive research examining the outcomes of interprofessional education (IPE) for students, minimal research has investigated how facilitating student learning influences the facilitators themselves. This exploratory case study aimed to explore whether and how facilitating IPE influences facilitators' own collaborative practice attitudes, knowledge, and workplace behaviours. Sixteen facilitators of an online pre-licensure IPE unit for an Australian university participated in semi-structured telephone interviews. Inductive thematic analysis revealed three emergent themes and associated subthemes characterising participants' reflexivity as IPE facilitators: interprofessional learning; professional behaviour change; and collaborative practice expertise. Participants experienced interprofessional learning in their role as facilitators, improving their understanding of other professionals' roles, theoretical and empirical knowledge underlying collaborative practice, and the use and value of online communication. Participants also reported having changed several professional behaviours, including improved interprofessional collaboration with colleagues, a change in care plan focus, a less didactic approach to supervising students and staff, and greater enthusiasm impressing the value of collaborative practice on placement students. Participants reported having acquired their prior interprofessional collaboration expertise via professional experience rather than formal learning opportunities and believed access to formal IPE as learners would aid their continuing professional development. Overall, the outcomes of the IPE experience extended past the intended audience of the student learners and positively impacted on the facilitators as well.

Professional identity development: Learning and journeying together.

PubMed

Bridges, Stephanie J

2018-03-01

Pharmacy students start to develop their professional values through engagement with the course, practice exposure, staff and fellow students. Group working is an element of pedagogy which draws on the social aspects of learning to facilitate knowledge and skills development, but its potential role in facilitating professional identity formation has as yet been under researched. This study aimed to explore the potential of mutual learning through group work to contribute not only to academic knowledge and understanding, but also to the development of students' professional values and selves. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 home and international first year undergraduate pharmacy students in a UK School of Pharmacy, to explore their experiences of interacting for learning with other students on the course. Thematic analysis of the interview data highlighted four main benefits of mutual learning, which are that it: promotes friendly interactions; aids learning about the subject and the profession; opens the mind through different opinions and ways of thinking; and enables learning about other people. Through working together students developed their communication skills and confidence; reflectively considered their own stance in the light of others' experiences and healthcare perspectives; and started to gain a wider worldview, potentially informing their future interactions with patients and colleagues. Some difficulties arose when group interactions functioned less well. Opportunity for collaboration and exchange can positively influence development of students' professional outlook and values. However, careful management of group working is required, in order to create a mutually supportive environment wherein students feel able to interact, share and develop together. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the learning experiences afforded through multipractice learning in primary care: a project in the development of a multiprofessional learning organisation.

PubMed

Layzell, Sarah

2012-11-01

This mixed methods study used questionnaires and focus groups to evaluate a multiprofessional learning environment in which undergraduate pharmacy students were attached to general practices to learn alongside general practice specialist trainees (GPSTRs). All 27 of the first cohort of third-year undergraduate pharmacists elected to take part in the study. Mean Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) scores showed little change between pre- and post-attachment questionnaires in the four domains: competency and autonomy; perceived need for cooperation; perception of actual cooperation and understanding of others' values. Individual paired tests showed an increase in understanding the values of others, which did not achieve statistical significance. The questionnaires further identified issues of trainee pharmacists' perceived low status, and feeling undervalued. Focus groups increased understanding of the perceptions and identified what the trainees saw as the unique learning experiences of their attachements: opportunities to practice their professional roles; to explore professional boundaries; and to achieve a better understanding of the organisation of primary care. However, full participation in interprofessional learning was limited by the interactions of powerplay between doctors and other team members and the perceived differences in professional standing.

Contextual Complexity: The Professional Learning Experiences of Seven Classroom Teachers When Engaged in "Quality Teaching"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edge, Ken; Reynolds, Ruth; O'Toole, Mitch

2015-01-01

This research study interrogates the self-reported perceptions of seven experienced Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) teachers about the professional learning influencing their classroom teaching after being involved in a number of initiatives to improve their teaching in New South Wales (Australia). The results indicated that the teachers'…

A Novel Approach for Practitioners in Training: A Blended-Learning Seminar Combining Experts, Students and Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meretsky, Vicky J.; Woods, Teresa A. N.

2013-01-01

A joint student and professional practitioner seminar used distance technology to allow remote experts to present to, and remote practitioners to participate in, a university-based learning experience. Participants were professional practitioners from the US Fish and Wildlife Service who were mandated to receive training and on-campus graduate…

Team Check-Up: Use 4 Goals to Assess a Professional Learning Community's Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moirao, Daniel R.; Morris, Susan C.; Klein, Victor; Jackson, Joyce W.

2012-01-01

The experiences in the school districts highlighted in this article clarify a set of broad goals that all professional learning communities can use to assess their effectiveness: (1) Culture; (2) Knowledge; (3) Practice; and (4) Achievement. These schools and districts have an ongoing commitment to all four goals. All of them have instituted…

A Phenomenological Study of the Experiences of Helping Professionals with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Madeline Lorraine

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the extent, to which professionals in helping professions (PHPS) with learning disabilities are able to name the support, services, and assistance that they require to successfully engage in the full range of activities for their daily living. Additionally, the study explores how PHPS describe their…

Developing Teachers' Professional Learning: Canadian Evidence and Experiences in a World of Educational Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Carol

2017-01-01

This article discusses the current international emphasis on educational improvement and, particularly, approaches to developing teachers' professional learning. I begin by arguing for the importance of Canadian narratives and evidence within global debates. I turn then to an example of a recently conducted study of the state of educators'…

Comparing the Impact of Online and Face-to-Face Professional Development in the Context of Curriculum Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fishman, Barry; Konstantopoulos, Spyros; Kubitskey, Beth W.; Vath, Richard; Park, Gina; Johnson, Heather; Edelson, Daniel C.

2013-01-01

This study employed a randomized experiment to examine differences in teacher and student learning from professional development (PD) in two modalities: online and face-to-face. The study explores whether there are differences in teacher knowledge and beliefs, teacher classroom practice, and student learning outcomes related to PD modality.…

Building Sustainable Futures: Emerging Understandings of the Significant Contribution of the Professional Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Dorothy; Lewis, Marian

2004-01-01

This article draws on the experiences of a range of Australian schools engaging with a teacher-centred process of whole-school renewal known as IDEAS (Innovative Designs for Enhancing Achievement in Schools). IDEAS enhances the professional capacity of teachers to improve school outcomes such as student learning, relationships with the community,…

Reflective Dialogue: A Path to Enhanced Teacher Efficacy and Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isai, Shelley

2010-01-01

Literature abounds on professional development. However, teacher change is not so much the result of professional development, but rather successful implementation of strategies learned into the classroom: a mastery experience. Mastery experience, after all, is the most influential predicator of teacher efficacy, which is equated to student…

African Mask-Making Workshop: Professional Development Experiences of Diverse Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rule, Audrey C.; Montgomery, Sarah E.; Kirkland-Holmes, Gloria; Watson, Dwight C.; Ayesiga, Yvonne

2015-01-01

Diverse education professionals learned about African cultures in a workshop experience by making African masks using authentic symbolism. Analysis of reflections to evaluate the workshop for applicability to participants with and without African heritage showed that both groups expanded their cultural knowledge of traditional African ethnic…

Practice Placement Experiences and Needs of Trainee Educational Psychologists in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Kevin; Atkinson, Cathy; Bond, Caroline; Gibbs, Simon; Hill, Vivian; Howe, Julia; Morris, Sue

2015-01-01

As part of initial professional training, educational psychologists in England undertake substantial periods of practice placement, within which the role of supervision is instrumental to their professional learning and effectiveness. The research reported here provides up-to-date and comprehensive information on the experiences and needs of…

School Co-Ordinators: Leaders of Learning in Professional Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Cornu, Rosie J.

2012-01-01

It is widely accepted that professional experience or practicum is "a critically important part of teacher education courses and is consistently valued highly by student teachers" (eg Ramsey, 2000; Teaching Australia, 2006; Parliament of Australia, 2007). In Australia and overseas there is a growing emphasis on teacher educators working…

"Fab 13": The Learning Factory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crooks, Steven M.; Eucker, Tom R.

2001-01-01

Describes how situated learning theory was employed in the design of Fab 13, a four-day simulation-based learning experience for manufacturing professionals at Intel Corporation. Presents a conceptual framework for understanding situated learning and discusses context, content, anchored instruction, facilitation, scaffolding, collaborating,…

Integrating Professional Development across the Curriculum: An Effectiveness Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciarocco, Natalie J.; Dinella, Lisa M.; Hatchard, Christine J.; Valosin, Jayde

2016-01-01

The current study empirically tested the effectiveness of a modular approach to integrating professional development across an undergraduate psychology curriculum. Researchers conducted a two-group, between-subjects experiment on 269 undergraduate psychology students assessing perceptions of professional preparedness and learning. Analysis…

Distance Learning as a Viable Staff Development Alternative for Behavioral Healthcare Direct Support Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, James G., Jr.

2011-01-01

This quasi-experiment utilized three groups of direct service staff to explore the effectiveness of three methods of training and an optional survey was offered after the study. The researcher used a counterbalance design. Three courses developed by an independent distance learning company were utilized to provide the learning experience. Each…

Informal Conversations about Teaching and Their Relationship to a Formal Development Program: Learning Opportunities for Novice and Mid-Career Academics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, Kate

2015-01-01

Engaging in informal activities, like conversations with colleagues, is one way that professionals can learn within workplace contexts. Informal conversations present opportunities for academics to learn about teaching. The current study investigated academics' experience of informal conversations, and their experience of the relations between…

Science identity construction through extraordinary professional development experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLain, Bradley David

Despite great efforts and expenditures to promote science literacy and STEM career choices, the U.S. continues to lag behind other countries in science education, diminishing our capacity for STEM leadership and our ability to make informed decisions in the face of multiple looming global issues. I suggest that positive science identity construction (the integration of science into one's sense of self so that it becomes a source of inspiration and contributes to lifelong learning) is critical for promoting durable science literacy and pro-science choices. Therefore, the focus of this study was extraordinary professional development experiences for science educators that may significantly impact their sense of self. My hypothesis was that such experiences could positively impact educators' science and science educator identities, and potentially enhance their capacities to impact student science identities. The first part of this hypothesis is examined in this study. Further, I suggest that first-person narratives play an important role in science identity construction. Presenting a new conceptual model that connects experiential learning theory to identity theory through the narrative study of lives, I explored the impacts of subjectively regarded extraordinary professional development experiences on the science identity and science educator identity construction processes for a cohort of fifteen K-12 science teachers during a science-learning-journey to explore the volcanoes of Hawaii. I used a case study research approach under the broader umbrella of a hermeneutic phenomenology to consider four individual cases as lived experiences and to consider the journey as a phenomenon unto itself. Findings suggest science and science educator identities are impacted by such an experience but with marked variability in magnitude and nature. Evidence also suggests important impacts on their other identities. In most instances, science-related impacts were secondary to and/or embedded within the more holistic physical, intellectual, and emotional impacts. Rather than only targeting specific learning goals, as traditional professional development programs often do, this immersive experiential learning program integrated a wide range of human experience that were important factors, most notably, risk, social connections, permission and agency, and emotions in connection with more targeted science learning. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Learning through Work: How Can a Narrative Approach to Evaluation Build Students' Capacity for Resilience?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mate, Susan; Ryan, Maureen

2015-01-01

Some professionals have a conscious purpose-driven "professional identity" and others forge an identity over time and through various work experiences. This research draws on the narratives professionals at different life and career stages shared about their professional development. The findings highlight the importance attributed to…

Scottish pharmacists' perceptions and experiences of a practice-based small group learning pilot: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Cunningham, David E; Zlotos, Leon; Power, Ailsa

2014-05-01

CPD is an important feature of healthcare professions and regulatory bodies consider it mandatory. Studies of CPD activity of pharmacists showed that 10% were undertaking no CPD. Practice-based small group learning (PBSGL) is a well-received and popular learning resource for GPs in Scotland. From 2011, a pharmacy pilot was undertaken: pharmacists were trained as peer-facilitators and existing PBSGL modules were adapted. Four NHS boards took part and this study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of pharmacists. A qualitative research approach was adopted using focus groups and in-depth interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcriptions made. Transcripts were coded and themes developed using grounded theory methods. Participants welcomed PBSGL: it was a feasible learning method, acceptable and had educational impact. They appreciated its interactive nature and discussions founded on their experiences in practice. Participants liked the self-reliance of PBSGL in that they were not dependent on specialist practitioners. There were logistical challenges that impacted on the success of group discussion; some pharmacists were less familiar with small group work. Pharmacists felt isolated during work and appreciated peer discussion. There was a tentative welcome to inter-professional learning but group composition and module topics might impact on the success of this. Pharmacists were able to change their learning practice in uni-professional PBSGL groups and were able to learn from each other. There may be further learning opportunities if pharmacists participate in inter-professional groups.

Education on fluid management and encouraging critical thinking skills.

PubMed

Dale, Willette

2012-01-01

The unit is currently utilizing hematocrit-based blood volume monitoring on each patient, resulting in improved monitoring in patients achieving their target weight. The nurses expressed confidence in their understanding of the use of hematocrit-based blood volume monitoring. This learning experience provided a vivid look at the importance of fluid management in nephrology nursing. This area should always be included in nephrology nurse competencies and represented in a way that it ignites critical thinking within the nursing professional. It is the responsibility of a professional nurse to stay current in evidence-based practice and continuing education. Professional pride stimulates nephrology nurses to seek new learning experiences to enhance their practice.

Learning Inter-Professional Teamwork during University Studies: A Case Study of Student-Teachers' and Social Work Students' Shared Professional Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lakkala, Suvi; Turunen, Tuija A.; Kangas, Hennariikka; Pulju, Marja; Kuukasjärvi, Ulla; Autti, Hanna

2017-01-01

This paper explores ways of enhancing inter-professional skills as part of professional development during university studies. From a socio-psychological viewpoint, inter-professional teamwork can be regarded as an interface between the group and individual levels, where collective commitment, efficiency, shared processes and outcomes, as well as…

Continuing Professional Education Delivery Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weeks, James P.

This investigation of delivery systems for continuing professional education provides an overview of current operational delivery systems in continuing professional education, drawing on experience as found in the literature. Learning theories and conclusions are woven into the descriptive text. Delivery systems profiled in the paper include the…

Secondary students in professional laboratories: Discoveries about science learning in a community of practitioners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Mary Elizabeth

This study explores what educators may learn from the experiences of secondary students working in professional scientific laboratories. My investigation is guided by the methodology of phenomenological; I depend primarily on interviews conducted with students and professional researchers. This material is supported primarily by on-site observations, and by informal conversations between me and the study participants. My dissertation has three goals: (one) to use the work of secondary students in scientific research laboratories to consider how they know the discipline; (two) to distinguish the students' professional accomplishments from science learning at school; and, (three) to engage readers in a reflection about authority within the scientific community, and the possibility that by accomplishing research, students take their legitimate place among those who construct scientific knowledge. My methods and focus have allowed me to capture qualities of the student narratives that support the emergence of three major themes: the importance of doing "real work" in learning situations; the inapplicability of "school learning" to professional research arenas; and the inclusive nature of the scientific community. At the same time, the study is confined by the narrow pool of participants I interviewed over a short period of time. These talented students were all academically successful, articulate, "well-rounded" and in this sense, mature. They typically had strong family support, and they talked about ideas with their parents. Indeed, the students were all capable story-tellers who were anxious to share their experiences publicly. Yet they themselves remind the reader of their struggles to overcome naivete in the lab. By doing so they suggested to me that their experiences might be accessible to a broad range of young men and women; thus this study is a good beginning for further research.

Interpersonal social responsibility model of service learning: A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Lahav, Orit; Daniely, Noa; Yalon-Chamovitz, Shira

2018-01-01

Service-learning (SL) is commonly used in Occupational Therapy (OT) programs worldwide as a community placement educational strategy. However, most SL models are not clearly defined in terms of both methodology and learning outcomes. This longitudinal study explores a structured model of Service-Learning (Interpersonal Social Responsibility-Service Learning: ISR-SL) aimed towards the development of professional identity among OT students. Based on OT students experiences from the end of the course through later stages as mature students and professionals. A qualitative research design was used to explore the perceptions and experiences of 150 first, second, and third-year OT students and graduates who have participated in ISR-SL during their first academic year. Our findings suggest that the structured, long-term relationship with a person with a disability in the natural environment, which is the core of the ISR-SL, allowed students to develop a professional identity based on seeing the person as a whole and recognizing his/her centrality in the therapeutic relationship. This study suggests ISR-SL as future direction or next step for implementing SL in OT and other healthcare disciplines programs.

An Examination of the Relationship between Professional Development Providers' Epistemological and Nature of Science Beliefs and Their Professional Development Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia Arriola, Alfonso

In the last twenty years in US science education, professional development has emphasized the need to change science instruction from a direct instruction model to a more participatory and constructivist learning model. The result of these reform efforts has seen an increase in science education professional development that is focused on providing teaching strategies that promote inquiry learning to learn science content. Given these reform efforts and teacher responses to professional development, research seems to indicate that whether teachers actually change their practice may depend on the teachers' basic epistemological beliefs about the nature of science. The person who builds the bridge between teacher beliefs and teacher practice is the designer and facilitator of science teacher professional development. Even though these designers and facilitators of professional development are critical to science teacher change, few have studied how these professionals approach their work and what influence their beliefs have on their professional development activities. Eight developers and designers of science education professional development participated in this study through interviews and the completion of an online questionnaire. To examine the relationship between professional development providers' science beliefs and their design, development, and implementation of professional development experiences for science teachers, this study used the Views on Science Education Questionnaire (VOSE), and interview transcripts as well as analysis of the documents from teacher professional development experiences. Through a basic interpretive qualitative analysis, the predominant themes that emerged from this study suggest that the nature of science is often equated with the practice of science, personal beliefs about the nature of science have a minimal impact on the design of professional development experiences, current reform efforts in science education have a strong influence on the design of professional development, and those providing science education professional development have diverse views about epistemology and the nature of science. The results and conclusions from this study lead to a discussion of implications and recommendations for the planning and design of professional development for science teachers, including the need to making equity and social justice issues an integral part of inquiry and scientific practice.

Reflection-Based Learning for Professional Ethical Formation.

PubMed

Branch, William T; George, Maura

2017-04-01

One way practitioners learn ethics is by reflecting on experience. They may reflect in the moment (reflection-in-action) or afterwards (reflection-on-action). We illustrate how a teaching clinician may transform relationships with patients and teach person-centered care through reflective learning. We discuss reflective learning pedagogies and present two case examples of our preferred method, guided group reflection using narratives. This method fosters moral development alongside professional identity formation in students and advanced learners. Our method for reflective learning addresses and enables processing of the most pressing ethical issues that learners encounter in practice. © 2017 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

Using theories of learning in workplaces to enhance physiotherapy clinical education.

PubMed

Patton, Narelle; Higgs, Joy; Smith, Megan

2013-10-01

Clinical education has long been accepted as integral to the education of physiotherapy students and their preparation for professional practice. The clinical environment, through practice immersion, situates students in a powerful learning context and plays a critical role in students' construction of professional knowledge. Despite this acknowledged centrality of practice and clinical environments to the students' experiential construction of professional knowledge, there has been limited exploration of learning theories underpinning clinical education in the literature. In this paper, we explore a selection of learning theories underpinning physiotherapy clinical education with a view to providing clinical educators with a firm foundation on which to base wise educational practices and potentially enhance physiotherapy students' clinical learning experiences. This exploration has drawn from leading thinkers in the field of education over the past century.

Communities of clinical practice: the social organization of clinical learning.

PubMed

Egan, Tony; Jaye, Chrystal

2009-01-01

The social organization of clinical learning is under-theorized in the sociological literature on the social organization of health care. Professional scopes of practice and jurisdictions are formally defined by professional principles and standards and reflected in legislation; however, these are mediated through the day-to-day clinical activities of social groupings of clinical teams. The activities of health service providers typically occur within communities of clinical practice. These are also major sites for clinical curriculum delivery, where clinical students learn not only clinical skills but also how to be health professionals. In this article, we apply Wenger's model of social learning within organizations to curriculum delivery within a health service setting. Here, social participation is the basis of learning. We suggest that it offers a powerful framework for recognizing and explaining paradox and incongruence in clinical teaching and learning, and also for recognizing opportunities, and devising means, to add value to students' learning experiences.

The Professional Learning Needs and Priorities of Higher-Education-Based Teacher Educators in England, Ireland and Scotland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Czerniawski, Gerry; Gray, Donald; MacPhail, Ann; Bain, Yvonne; Conway, Paul; Guberman, Ainat

2018-01-01

Against a rapidly changing policy landscape for teacher education, exacerbated by 'Brexit' in the UK, findings are presented from an electronic survey of 272 higher-education based teacher educators in England, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland about their experiences of, and priorities for, professional learning. While the data generated were…

Differences as Catalysts for Professional Learning--Participating in a Student Exchange Program between Sweden and Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vikström, Sofia; Kamwesiga, Julius; Mubangizi, Andrew; Guidetti, Susanne

2017-01-01

The aim was to describe the experiences of some university students and the effect on their own learning and professional development by participating in an exchange program. Data were derived from two focus group interviews with students (n = 12) who enrolled in a 12-week international exchange program between: (a) the occupational therapy…

Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Efforts to Improve Math and Science Learning Opportunities in Early Childhood Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piasta, Shayne B.; Logan, Jessica A. R.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Capps, Janet L.; Petrill, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

Because recent initiatives highlight the need to better support preschool-aged children's math and science learning, the present study investigated the impact of professional development in these domains for early childhood educators. Sixty-five educators were randomly assigned to experience 10.5 days (64 hr) of training on math and science or on…

Professional Development in a Reform Context: Understanding the Design and Enactment of Learning Experiences Created by Teacher Leaders for Science Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shafer, Laura

2017-01-01

Teacher in-service learning about education reforms like NGSS often begin with professional development (PD) as a foundational component (Supovitz & Turner, 2000). Teacher Leaders, who are early implementers of education reform, are positioned to play a contributing role to the design of PD. As early implementers of reforms, Teacher Leaders…

When "Teaching a Class of Daemons, Dragons and Trainee Teachers"--Learning the Pedagogy of the Virtual Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woollard, John

2012-01-01

Virtual worlds can offer opportunities to further extend the experience, skills and understanding of professionals, in this case pre-service teachers. Based on the empirical evidence provided by professional, pre-service teachers, this paper describes the social and emotional aspects of being and learning in a virtual world and the implications…

Becoming Teachers: Examining How Preservice Elementary Teachers Use Language to Construct Professional Identities, Learn within Relationships, and Take Risks in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ticknor, Anne Swenson

2010-01-01

This longitudinal qualitative study examined how four preservice elementary teachers used language to construct professional identities, learn within relationships, and take risks in the classroom during their final three semesters in teacher education coursework and field experiences. My female participants were former students of mine in the…

The Value and Effectiveness of Feedback in Improving Students' Learning and Professionalizing Teaching in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahea, Md. Mamoon-Al-Bashir; Ahea, Md. Rezaul Kabir; Rahman, Ismat

2016-01-01

There is a great importance of feedback in improving learning experience for the students. This has also significant effect in professionalizing teaching in the higher education level. However, feedback is considered as a difficult issue in this arena. Most of the lecturers are still continuing with the tradition form of feedback. This form of…

Medical students' professional identity development from being actors in an objective structured teaching exercise.

PubMed

De Grasset, Jehanne; Audetat, Marie-Claude; Bajwa, Nadia; Jastrow, Nicole; Richard-Lepouriel, Hélène; Nendaz, Mathieu; Junod Perron, Noelle

2018-04-22

Medical students develop professional identity through structured activities and impromptu interactions in various settings. We explored if contributing to an Objective Structured Teaching Exercise (OSTE) influenced students' professional identity development. University clinical faculty members participated in a faculty development program on clinical supervision. Medical students who participated in OSTEs as simulated residents were interviewed in focus groups about what they learnt from the experience and how the experience influenced their vision of learning and teaching. Transcripts were analyzed using the Goldie's personality and social structure perspective model. Twenty-five medical students out of 32 students involved in OSTEs participated. On an institutional level, students developed a feeling of belonging to the institution. At an interactional level, students realized they could influence the teaching interaction by actively seeking or giving feedback. On the personal level, students realized that errors could become sources of learning and felt better prepared to receive faculty feedback. Taking part in OSTEs as a simulated resident has a positive impact on students' vision regarding the institution as a learning environment and their own role by actively seeking or giving feedback. OSTEs support their professional identity development regarding learning and teaching while sustaining faculty development.

Identification of the Learning Styles and "On-the-Job" Learning Methods Implemented by Nurses for Promoting Their Professional Knowledge and Skills.

PubMed

Rassin, Michal; Kurzweil, Yaffa; Maoz, Yael

2015-05-09

The aim of this study was to identify the learning styles and methods used by nurses to promote their professional knowledge and skills. 928 nurses from 11 hospitals across Israel completed 2 questionnaires, (1) Kolb's Learning Style Inventory, Version 3.1. and (2) the On-The-Job Learning Styles Questionnaire for the Nursing Profession. The most common learning style was the convergent style. The other learning styles were rated in the following descending order: accommodation, assimilation, and divergence. The on-the-job learning style consistently ranked highest was experience of relevant situations. On the other hand, seeking knowledge from books, journals, television, or the Internet was ranked lowest on all the indicators examined. With respect to general and on-the-job learning styles, statistically significant differences were found between groups of nurses by: country of birth, gender, department, age, education, and role. Nurses required to take more personal responsibility for their own professional development by deepening their self-learning skills.

Research, Design, and Implementation of an Internship Course in Dance: Turning Student Knowledge into Professional Know-How

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Risner, Doug

2015-01-01

A successful internship experience can provide invaluable learning experiences connecting students' classroom knowledge to professional "know-how" in the field. Over the past three decades, post-secondary internship programs have flourished, generating considerable research literature from a variety of disciplinary perspectives; however,…

Procedural Decision-Making Experiences among Informational Technology Professionals at a Midwestern Fortune 500 Company

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKee, Shari Turner

2013-01-01

Between 2002 and 2012, information technology (IT) procedural decisions related to technology, fraud, bias, greed, and misleading information increased cost by more than $44 billion. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore IT professionals' experiences of IT procedural decisions. The research questions were intended to learn from…

Teacher Education Students: Their Experience of Mathematics Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, and Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Amy M.

2014-01-01

This dissertation adds to the teacher education literature by exploring the experiences education students have of mathematics anxiety and self-efficacy for teaching and learning mathematics. Further, the utility of a specific in-service teacher professional development project, focused on improving rational number instruction, in pre-service…

Professional Training in Organic Food Production: A Cross-Country Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guiné, Raquel; Costa, Daniela; Correia, Paula; Costa, Cristina; Correia, Helena; Castro, Moises; Guerra, Luis; Seeds, Catherine; Coll, Collette; Radics, Laszlo; Arslan, Meahmet; Soylu, Soner; Tothova, Monika; Toth, Peter; Basile, Salvatore

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to characterize the agricultural activities and past experiences in professional training in the context of mobile learning in different countries (Portugal, Spain, Slovakia, Hungary, UK, Italy and Turkey). Design/methodology/approach: For the survey, a questionnaire was prepared in English and Portuguese and…

Professional Experience: Learning from the Past to Build the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Cornu, Rosie

2016-01-01

The title of the 2014 Australian Teacher Education Association (ATEA) conference was "Teacher Education, An Audit: Building a platform for future engagement." One of the conference themes was "Professional Experience: What works? Why?" I seized upon this theme and the title of the conference as it afforded me an opportunity to…

Teaching Experience and Perceived Challenges for School Administrators Regarding Job Stress, Respect, Student Achievement, Assessment & Evaluation, and Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Erika Hope

2013-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate whether an administrators' professional teaching background and years of administrative experience influence their perceptions of the opportunities and challenges they face guiding the improvement of teaching and learning. Specifically this research analyzed administrators' perceptions of…

Improving the Effectiveness of Professional Education: Learning Managerial Accounting via a Complex Case.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Melissa; And Others

To give students more experience with real situations, many professional schools use case studies in their courses. Creating complex cases, case experiences that immerse students in complex problems, rather than mere case studies that require armchair analysis should help students gain better and more integrated knowledge. Designing, implementing,…

Nursing students' perceptions of effective problem-based learning tutors.

PubMed

Matthew-Maich, Nancy; Martin, Lynn; Hammond, Cynthia; Palma, Amy; Pavkovic, Maria; Sheremet, Darlene; Roche, Carmen

2016-11-16

Aim To explore baccalaureate nursing students' perceptions of what makes an effective tutor in problem-based learning courses, and the influence of effective teaching on students' learning and experience. Method Students enrolled in all four years of a baccalaureate nursing programme completed online surveys (n=511) and participated in focus groups (n=19). Data were analysed and combined using content analysis. Findings The data were summarised using five themes, the '5 Ps' of effective teaching in problem-based learning. Nursing students perceived effective problem-based learning tutors to be prepared with knowledge and facilitation skills, person-centred, passionate, professional and able to prepare students for success in the nursing programme. Effective tutors adjusted their approaches to students throughout the four years of the nursing programme. Conclusion Effective teaching in problem-based learning is essential and has significant effects on nursing students' learning, motivation and experience. Important attributes, skills and strategies of effective problem-based learning tutors were identified and may be used to enhance teaching and plan professional development initiatives.

Professional Identity Formation: Considerations for Athletic Training Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peer, Kimberly S.

2016-01-01

Clinical education is a complex element of educational programs in health care. Understanding identity is important because how educators structure learning experiences and foster the development of professionals within these programs impacts students as they emerge into professional practice. This article discusses five cultural dimensions of…

The Virtual Extension Annual Conference: Addressing Contemporary Professional Development Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franz, Nancy K.; Brekke, Robin; Coates, Deb; Kress, Cathann; Hlas, Julie

2014-01-01

Extension systems are experimenting with new models for conducting professional development to enhance staff competence and other returns on professional development investments. The ISUEO virtual annual conference provides a successful flipped classroom model of asynchronous and synchronous learning events for conducting an Extension annual…

Athletic Training Students' and Preceptors' Perceptions of Active Learning Time and Bug-in-Ear Technology during Clinical Education Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nottingham, Sara L.; Kasamatsu, Tricia M.; Montgomery, Melissa M.

2017-01-01

Context: Engaging clinical experiences that allow extensive active learning and patient care interactions are important for the professional development of athletic training students. Understanding students' use of clinical time is important when attempting to improve these experiences. Objective: To gain participants' perspectives on active…

Toward Transformative Learning: An Inquiry into the Work and Subsequent Learning Experiences of Individuals Who Assisted Hurricane Katrina Evacuees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ficks, David B., II.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this multi-case study was to examine in depth the personal and learning experiences of helping professionals and volunteer helpers when challenged to assist adult Hurricane Katrina evacuees and victims in the aftermath of the disaster. The study contributes theoretically, practically and substantively to the adult education field.…

Hitting the TARGET? A Case Study of the Experiences of Teachers in Steel Mill Learning Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Amy D.; Jeris, Laurel; Smith, Robert

Part of a larger study on the experience of teaching in the steel mill learning environment was an inquiry focused on professional development. Teachers and coordinators were all members of the Teachers Action Research Group for Educational Technology (TARGET), a group of adult educators interested in improving learning and teaching in career…

Can Learning Collaboratives Support Implementation by Rewiring Professional Networks?

PubMed

Bunger, Alicia C; Hanson, Rochelle F; Doogan, Nathan J; Powell, Byron J; Cao, Yiwen; Dunn, Jerry

2016-01-01

This study examined how a learning collaborative focusing on trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT) impacted advice-seeking patterns between clinicians and three key learning sources: (1) training experts who share technical knowledge about TF-CBT, (2) peers from other participating organizations who share their implementation experiences, and (3) colleagues from their own agency who provide social and professional support. Based on surveys administered to 132 clinicians from 32 agencies, participants' professional networks changed slightly over time by forming new advice-seeking relationships with training experts. While small, these changes at the clinician-level yielded substantial changes in the structure of the regional advice network.

Can Learning Collaboratives Support Implementation By Rewiring Professional Networks?

PubMed Central

Hanson, Rochelle F.; Doogan, Nathan J.; Powell, Byron J.; Cao, Yiwen; Dunn, Jerry

2015-01-01

This study examined how a learning collaborative focusing on Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) impacted advice-seeking patterns between clinicians and three key learning sources: (1) training experts who share technical knowledge about TF-CBT, (2) peers from other participating organizations who share their implementation experiences, and (3) colleagues from their own agency who provide social and professional support. Based on surveys administered to 132 clinicians from 32 agencies, participants’ professional networks changed slightly over time by forming new advice-seeking relationships with training experts. While small, these changes at the clinician-level yielded substantial changes in the structure of the regional advice network. PMID:25542237

Modules as Learning Tools in Linear Algebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooley, Laurel; Vidakovic, Draga; Martin, William O.; Dexter, Scott; Suzuki, Jeff; Loch, Sergio

2014-01-01

This paper reports on the experience of STEM and mathematics faculty at four different institutions working collaboratively to integrate learning theory with curriculum development in a core undergraduate linear algebra context. The faculty formed a Professional Learning Community (PLC) with a focus on learning theories in mathematics and…

Navigating the Complex Practices of Specialized Literacy Professionals in Formalized Teacher Leadership Positions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yurkewecz, Thea A.

2017-01-01

This dissertation reports on how one school community engaged in a professional development grant initiative that incorporated teacher leadership. Teacher leaders may have numerous roles and responsibilities that support the professional learning and instructional practices of school communities. This study examined the experiences of three…

Professional Competence Enhancement via Postgraduate Post-Experience Learning and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chivers, Geoffrey

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the ways in which postgraduate study in vocational fields supports the development of advanced competences amongst mid-career professionals. Design/methodology/approach: The extensive written communications between health and safety professionals taking a postgraduate course in health and safety…

Real-World Learning of Public Affairs and Environmental Journalism: Two Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freedman, Eric; Poulson, David

2015-01-01

Traditionally, journalism majors gain professional experience before graduation through internships, part-time or summer jobs, and campus media. Those avenues are often insufficient to adequately prepare them for the professional workplace and professional standards. This essay explores two of a journalism school's practice-based programs that…

Teachers engaging in Authentic Education Research as They Engage Students in Authentic Science Research: A Collaboration Among Scientists, Education Researchers and Practitioners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schielack, J. F.; Herbert, B. E.

2004-12-01

The ITS Center for Teaching and Learning (http://its.tamu.edu) is a five-year NSF-funded collaborative effort to engage scientists, educational researchers, and educators in the use of information technology to enhance science teaching and learning at Grades 7 - 16. The ITS program combines graduate courses in science and science education leadership for both science and education graduate students with professional development experiences for classroom teachers. The design of the ITS professional development experience is based upon the assumption that science and mathematics teaching and learning will be improved when they become more connected to the authentic science research done in field settings or laboratories. The effective use of information technology to support inquiry in science classrooms has been shown to help achieve this objective. In particular, the professional development for teachers centers around support for implementing educational research in their own classrooms on the impacts of using information technology to promote authentic science experiences for their students. As a design study that is "working toward a greater understanding of the "learning ecology," the research related to the creation and refinement of the ITS Center's collaborative environment for integrating professional development for faculty, graduate students, and classroom teachers is contributing information about an important setting not often included in the descriptions of professional development, a setting that incorporates distributed expertise and resulting distributed growth in the various categories of participants: scientists, science graduate students, education researchers, science education graduate students, and master teachers. Design-based research is an emerging paradigm for the study of learning in context through the systematic design and study of instructional strategies and tools. In this presentation, we will discuss the results of the formative evaluation process that has moved the ITS Center's collaborative environment for professional development through the iterative process from Phase I (the planned program designed in-house) to Phase II (the experimental program being tested in-house). Phase II highlighted learning experiences over two summers focused on the exploration of environmentally-related science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) topics through the use of modeling, visualization and complex data sets to explore authentic scientific questions that can be integrated within the 7-16 curriculum.

Aviation Disaster Intervention: A Mental Health Volunteer's Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tramonte, Michael R.

The goals of this presentation were to help mental health professionals learn more about intervening in aviation disasters, learn about the uniqueness of disaster mental health, and share the presenter's mental health disaster experiences as they relate to aviation disasters. Survivors' emotional phases during the disaster recovery process are…

Design Principles Guide Educators in Choosing and Using Curriculum Materials. Research Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Elizabeth

2018-01-01

Engaging with materials can shape the teaching experience, teachers' practices and mindsets, and, ultimately, students' learning experiences. This issue of "Learning Professional" looks at an area of emerging interest: curriculum materials and the role they play in the daily work of educators and leaders. Educators, researchers, and…

Enhancing Preservice Teachers' Skillsets and Professionalism through Literacy Tutoring Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paquette, Kelli R.; Laverick, DeAnna M.

2017-01-01

This qualitative study explores preservice teachers' experiences in a service-learning literacy tutoring program offered at a university with children in grades one through eight. This study examines briefly the history of literacy centers and service-learning, the specific instructional tutoring methods employed by preservice teachers connected…

Professional Learning for Distributed Leadership: Primary Headteachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torrance, Deirdre

2015-01-01

This article draws from a small-scale study of headteachers motivated to positively impact on the quality of pupil experience by involving all staff in a distributed perspective on leadership. Each headteacher perceived leadership as involving learned processes requiring support and experience, expending considerable effort in providing a fertile…

Designing Rich Information Experiences to Shape Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maybee, Clarence; Bruce, Christine Susan; Lupton, Mandy; Rebmann, Kristen

2017-01-01

Students in higher education typically learn to use information as part of their course of study, which is intended to support ongoing academic, personal and professional growth. Informing the development of effective information literacy education, this research uses a phenomenographic approach to investigate the experiences of a teacher and…

Teacher, Team, and School Change through Reciprocal Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherkowski, Sabre; Schnellert, Leyton

2018-01-01

This paper documents the first year of a qualitative case study investigating the experiences of reciprocal learning teams of teachers within a small, rural secondary school. The purpose of this study was to examine how teachers experienced collaborative professional development (PD) and how their experiences contributed to developing the culture…

Applying a Constructivist-Developmental Practice-Based Learning Framework to the Recreation Internship Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Patricia J.; Sable, Janet R.

2011-01-01

The recreation internship is one of the most critical components of professional preparation education, yet educators have done little to explore the experience from a constructivist-developmental growth perspective. This article presents a practice-based learning framework that shows promise for fostering moral development among recreation…

Experience(s) in Creating Distance Learning Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Todd, Peter A.

2007-01-01

A combination of factors including longer working hours, emphasis on professional development, and increased access to the Internet have fuelled the current high demand for distance learning options in tertiary biology. Distance learner students come from a heterogeneous pool of ages, backgrounds and abilities and they require choice in how they…

3-D Teaching of Climate Change: An innovative professional learning model for K-12 teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stapleton, M.; Wolfson, J.; Sezen-Barrie, A.

2017-12-01

In spite of the presumed controversy over the evidence for climate change, the recently released Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for K-12 include a focus on climate literacy and explicitly use the term `climate change.' In addition to the increased focus on climate change, the NGSS are also built upon a new three dimensional framework for teaching and learning science. Three dimensional learning has students engaging in scientific and engineering practices (Dimension 1), while using crosscutting concepts (Dimension 2) to explore and explain natural phenomena using disciplinary core ideas (Dimension 3). The adoption of these new standards in many states across the nation has created a critical need for on-going professional learning as in-service science educators begin to implement both climate change instruction and three dimensional teaching and learning in their classrooms. In response to this need, we developed an innovative professional learning model for preparing teachers to effectively integrate climate change into their new curriculum and engage students in three dimensional learning. Our professional learning model utilized ideas that have emerged from recent science education research and include: a) formative assessment probes for three dimensional learning that monitor students' progress; b) collaboration with scientists with expertise in climate science to understand the domain specific ways of doing science; and c) development of a community of practice for in-service teachers to provide feedback to each other on their implementation. In this poster presentation, we will provide details on the development of this professional learning model and discuss the affordances and challenges of implementing this type of professional learning experience.

Learning professional ethics: Student experiences in a health mentor program.

PubMed

Langlois, Sylvia; Lymer, Erin

2016-01-01

The use of patient centred approaches to healthcare education is evolving, yet the effectiveness of these approaches in relation to professional ethics education is not well understood. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences and learning of health profession students engaged in an ethics module as part of a Health Mentor Program at the University of Toronto. Students were assigned to interprofessional groups representing seven professional programs and matched with a health mentor. The health mentors, individuals living with chronic health conditions, shared their experiences of the healthcare system through 90 minute semi-structured interviews with the students. Following the interviews, students completed self-reflective papers and engaged in facilitated asynchronous online discussions. Thematic analysis of reflections and discussions was used to uncover pertaining to student experiences and learning regarding professional ethics. Five major themes emerged from the data: (1) Patient autonomy and expertise in care; (2) ethical complexity and its inevitable reality in the clinical practice setting; (3) patient advocacy as an essential component of day-to-day practice; (4) qualities of remarkable clinicians that informed personal ideals for future practice; (5) patients' perspectives on clinician error and how they enabled suggestions for improving future practice. The findings of a study in one university context suggest that engagement with the health mentor narratives facilitated students' critical reflection related to their understanding of the principles of healthcare ethics.

Strengths and weaknesses of Problem Based Learning from the professional perspective of registered nurses.

PubMed

Cónsul-Giribet, María; Medina-Moya, José Luis

2014-10-01

To identify competency strengths and weaknesses as perceived by nursing professionals who graduated with a integrated curriculum and competency-based through Problem Based Learning in small groups. An intrinsic case study method was used, which analyzes this innovation through former students (from the first class) with three years of professional experience. The data were collected through a questionnaire and discussion groups. The results show that their competency level is valued in a very satisfactory manner. This level paradoxically contrasts with the lack of theoretical knowledge they perceived at the end of their education, when they started working in clinical practice. The teaching strategy was key to motivate an in-depth study and arouse the desire to know. In addition, Problem Based Learning favors and reinforces the decision to learn, which is that necessary in the course of professional life.

Strengths and weaknesses of Problem Based Learning from the professional perspective of registered nurses 1

PubMed Central

Cónsul-Giribet, María; Medina-Moya, José Luis

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: to identify competency strengths and weaknesses as perceived by nursing professionals who graduated with a integrated curriculum and competency-based through Problem Based Learning in small groups. METHOD: an intrinsic case study method was used, which analyzes this innovation through former students (from the first class) with three years of professional experience. The data were collected through a questionnaire and discussion groups. RESULTS: the results show that their competency level is valued in a very satisfactory manner. This level paradoxically contrasts with the lack of theoretical knowledge they perceived at the end of their education, when they started working in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: the teaching strategy was key to motivate an in-depth study and arouse the desire to know. In addition, Problem Based Learning favors and reinforces the decision to learn, which is that necessary in the course of professional life. PMID:25493666

Acquiring experience in pathology predominantly from what you see, not from what you read: the HIPON e-learning platform.

PubMed

Riccioni, Olga; Vrasidas, Charalambos; Brcic, Luka; Armenski, Goce; Seiwerth, Sven; Smeets, Annemieke; van Krieken, J Han Jm; Lazaris, Andreas C

2015-01-01

It is indisputable that nowadays one of the hardest and most important tasks in medicine and especially in medical education, is the conversion of the extensive amount of available data, into medical experience, after a proper analysis. A project under the title "ICT (Information and Communication Technology) eModules on HistoPathology: a useful online tool for students, researchers and professionals - HIPON", co-financed by the Lifelong Learning Program of the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), The Commission of the European Union, has been launched at the beginning of 2013. HIPON's purpose is not to provide just another pathology website atlas, but to convey professional experience and thinking in pathology. HIPON has resulted in a well-structured and user-friendly, open resource, multi-language, e-learning platform which, taking advantage of modern image technology, offers medical students, researchers, and professionals a valuable teaching instrument so that they can acquire professional experience in pathology. The mid-term report of HIPON has been favorably evaluated by the EACEA experts who appreciated the potential of our teaching tool in providing the opportunity and the means to acquire medical experience. Through the use of virtual slides, educative videos and microscopic, high resolution, marked images accompanied by relevant questions and answers, HIPON project aims to make end-users able to think as experienced pathologists and become highly efficient in correlating pathologic data with other clinical-laboratory information.

The Learning Disabilities Unit at the State College of Optometry/SUNY.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solan, Harold A.; Springer, Florence E.

1986-01-01

The Learning Disabilities Unit of New York's State College of Optometry, providing testing and research for learning disabled adults and children and professional instruction and clinical experience for students of optometry and related fields, is described. (MSE)

Teachers' experiences of teaching in a blended learning environment.

PubMed

Jokinen, Pirkko; Mikkonen, Irma

2013-11-01

This paper considers teachers' experiences of teaching undergraduate nursing students in a blended learning environment. The basic idea of the study programme was to support students to reflect on theory and practice, and provide with access to expert and professional knowledge in real-life problem-solving and decision making. Learning was organised to support learning in and about work: students worked full-time and this provided excellent opportunities for learning both in practice, online and face-to-face sessions. The aim of the study was to describe teachers' experiences of planning and implementing teaching and learning in a blended-learning-based adult nursing programme. The research method was qualitative, and the data were collected by three focus group interviews, each with four to six participants. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results show that the blended learning environment constructed by the combination of face-to-face learning and learning in practice with technology-mediated learning creates challenges that must be taken into consideration when planning and implementing blended teaching and learning. However, it provides good opportunities to enhance students' learning in and about work. This is because such programmes support student motivation through the presence of "real-life" and their relevance to the students' own places of work. Nevertheless, teachers require knowledge of different pedagogical approaches; they need professional development support in redesigning teaching and learning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Learning Style Preferences and the Perceived Usefulness of E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohr, Alexander Toni; Holtbrugge, Dirk; Berg, Nicola

2012-01-01

This paper uses data gathered from 953 students to investigate how far individuals' preferences for a particular learning style are associated with the perceived usefulness of e-learning. Our findings reveal the effect of individuals' learning styles as well as their gender and professional experience on the perceived usefulness of different forms…

Informal Learning of Social Workers: A Method of Narrative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gola, Giancarlo

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate social workers' processes of informal learning, through their narration of their professional experience, in order to understand how social workers learn. Informal learning is any individual practice or activity that is able to produce continuous learning; it is often non-intentional and…

Learning to Lead: How Leaders in Higher Education Learn to Lead

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metheney-Fisher, Lisa

2012-01-01

Learning leadership in higher education has historically not been a structured process. The purpose of this research is to understand how leaders in higher education learn to lead and the influence experience, professional development; mentoring and critical incidents play in the learning process. In this research both formal and informal…

The Relationship between Learning Styles and Learning Outcomes for Adults in an Informal Educational Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Larry N.

2013-01-01

With more adults seeking unique and meaningful learning experiences in both recreational and professional arenas, informal learning institutions, such as museums, zoos, and botanical gardens are a natural source. Informal learning opportunities are the business of these institutions; moreover, a goal in education mission statements of many of…

GP Supervisors' Experience in Supporting Self-Regulated Learning: A Balancing Act

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sagasser, Margaretha H.; Kramer, Anneke W. M.; van Weel, Chris; van der Vleuten, Cees P. M.

2015-01-01

Self-regulated learning is essential for professional development and lifelong learning. As self-regulated learning has many inaccuracies, the need to support self-regulated learning has been recommended. Supervisors can provide such support. In a prior study trainees reported on the variation in received supervisor support. This study aims at…

Our Stories, Ourselves: The Embodyment of Women's Learning in Literacy. Adult Education Special Topics--Theory, Research and Practice in LifeLong Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Mev, Ed.; King, Kathleen P., Ed.

2011-01-01

Women's lives are often written on their bodies. Yet very little is made of the impacts of embodiment for women in literacy education, both learners and professionals. This volume presents the writings of 26 contributors--teachers, students, and administrators--who examine the rich terrain of personal and professional experiences related to whole…

Development and Testing of a M-Learning System for the Professional Development of Academics through Design-Based Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keskin, Nilgun Ozdamar; Kuzu, Abdullah

2015-01-01

In the present study, a mobile learning system for the professional development of academics was developed by design based action research, and the perceptions and experiences of the academics using this system were examined. In the first phase of this design-based action research, the research question was defined. In the second phase, a…

A Follow-Up Study of Graduates with Learning Disabilities from a College of Education: Impact of the Disability on Personal and Professional Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russak, Susie; Daniel Hellwing, Ariella

2015-01-01

The present study examined three issues connected to the experiences of graduates with learning disabilities (LD) from a college of education (N = 45): support services that had been most beneficial during studies, positive and negative effects of the disability on personal, and professional life. Additionally, demographic data were collected. A…

Professional Development That Sticks: How Do I Create Meaningful Learning Experiences for Educators? (ASCD Arias)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ende, Fred

2016-01-01

How can we approach professional development in a thoughtful way, keep teachers motivated, and make the process worthwhile? It's a truth that school leaders can't deny: teachers tend to think of PD as a distraction from the "real work" of the classroom--as something to get through instead of an opportunity to engage, learn, and grow as…

A Cognitive Multimedia Environment and Its Importance: A Conceptual Model for Effective E-Learning and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phan, Huy P.

2011-01-01

Multimedia learning is innovative and has revolutionised the way we learn online. It is important to create a multimedia learning environment that stimulates active participation and effective learning. The significance of multimedia learning extends to include the cultivation of professional and personal experiences that reflect the reality of a…

A case of learning to teach elementary science: Investigating beliefs, experiences, and tensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryan, Lynn Ann

This study examines how preservice elementary teacher beliefs and experiences within the context of reflective science teacher education influence the development of professional knowledge. From a cognitive constructivist theoretical perspective, I conducted a case analysis to investigate the beliefs about science teaching and learning held by a preservice teacher (Barbara), identify the tensions she encountered in learning to teach elementary science, understand the frames from which she identified problems of practice, and discern how her experiences influenced the process of reflecting on her own science teaching. From an analysis of interviews, observation, and written documents, I constructed a profile of Barbara's beliefs that consisted of three foundational and three dualistic beliefs about science teaching and learning. Her foundational beliefs concerned: (a) the value of science and science teaching, (b) the nature of scientific concepts and goals of science instruction, and (c) control in the science classroom. Barbara held dualistic beliefs about: (a) how children learn science, (b) the science students' role, and (c) the science teacher's role. The dualistic beliefs formed two contradictory nests of beliefs. One nest, grounded in life-long science learner experiences, reflected a didactic teaching orientation and predominantly guided her practice. The second nest, not well-grounded in experience, embraced a hands-on approach and predominantly guided her vision of practice. Barbara encountered tensions in thinking about science teaching and learning as a result of inconsistencies between her vision of science teaching and her actual practice. Confronting these tensions prompted Barbara to rethink the connections between her classroom actions and students' learning, create new perspectives for viewing her practice, and consider alternative practices more resonant with her visionary beliefs. However, the self-reinforcing belief system created by her didactic nest of beliefs, control beliefs, and belief about the goals of science instruction prevented Barbara from enacting new frames in practice. The findings contribute to an understanding of the relationship between beliefs and experiences in learning to teach and indicate that reframing is crucial in developing professional knowledge. Furthermore, the findings underscore the significance of (a) identifying prospective teachers' beliefs for designing teacher preparation programs, and (b) offering experiences as professionals early in the careers of prospective teachers.

[Nursing students' perception of the learning process in a hospital setting].

PubMed

Alves, Elcilene Andreíne Terra Durgante; Cogo, Ana Luísa Petersen

2014-03-01

The aim of this study was to identijf how nursing students perceive and experience the learning process during curricular practice in a hospital setting. A qualitative, retrospective, documentary study was developed in an undergraduate nursing course. Data were comprised of 162 posts made by 34 students in the online discussion forum of the Learning Management System Moodle, during the first half of 2011. The following themes emergedfrom t he thematic content analysis: "nursing students' understanding about the professional practice," and "the teaching and learning process in the perspective of nursing students." The study demonstrated that the forum was a place for reporting experiences such as the description of the physical area, performing procedures, perception of nursing care activities, conJlicts with peers, coping with death and learning evaluation. The online discussion forum needs to be used by professors as a space of interaction so as to contribute to professional training.

Examining Factors Influencing the Participation and Self-Management of U.S. Collegiate Women's Rowing Coaches in Professional Development Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Sara Lynn

2012-01-01

This study examines the factors that influence the participation and self-management of U.S. intercollegiate athletic coaches in professional development experiences. The qualitative study is guided by theoretical considerations about self-directed adult learning as well as emerging concepts regarding the preparation of coaches for an increasingly…

Assessing the Implicit Curriculum in Social Work Education: Heterogeneity of Students' Experiences and Impact on Professional Empowerment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, N. Andrew; Farmer, Antoinette Y.; Donnelly, Louis; Forenza, Brad

2014-01-01

The implicit curriculum, which refers to a student's learning environment, has been described as an essential feature of an integrated professional social work curriculum. Very little is known, however, about the heterogeneity of students' experiences with the implicit curriculum, how this heterogeneity may be distributed across groups of…

Field-Based Professional Development of Teachers Engaged in Distance Education: Experiences from the Arctic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veletsianos, George; Doering, Aaron; Henrickson, Jeni

2012-01-01

We examine the experiences of five teachers who traveled with a team of educators, scientists, and explorers on circumpolar Arctic expeditions to deliver adventure learning (AL) programs to K-12 students at a distance. Results highlight the personal and professional impacts this opportunity had on teachers, including their empowering, fulfilling,…

New models to support the professional education of health visitors: A qualitative study of the role of space and place in creating 'community of learning hubs'.

PubMed

Donetto, Sara; Malone, Mary; Sayer, Lynn; Robert, Glenn

2017-07-01

In response to a policy-driven workforce expansion in England new models of preparing health visitors for practice have been implemented. 'Community of Learning hubs' (COLHs) are one such model, involving different possible approaches to student support in clinical practice placements (for example, 'long arm mentoring' or 'action learning set' sessions). Such models present opportunities for studying the possible effects of spatiality on the learning experiences of students and newly qualified health visitors, and on team relationships more broadly. To explore a 'community of learning hub' model in health visitor education and reflect on the role of space and place in the learning experience and professional identity development of student health visitors. Qualitative research conducted during first year of implementation. Three 'community of learning hub' projects based in two NHS community Trusts in London during the period 2013-2015. Managers and leads (n=7), practice teachers and mentors (n=6) and newly qualified and student health visitors (n=16). Semi-structured, audio-recorded interviews analysed thematically. Participants had differing views as to what constituted a 'hub' in their projects. Two themes emerged around the spaces that shape the learning experience of student and newly qualified health visitors. Firstly, a generalised need for a 'quiet place' which allows pause for reflection but also for sharing experiences and relieving common anxieties. Secondly, the role of physical arrangements in open-plan spaces to promote access to support from more experienced practitioners. Attention to spatiality can shed light on important aspects of teaching and learning practices, and on the professional identities these practices shape and support. New configurations of time and space as part of educational initiatives can surface new insights into existing practices and learning models. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Toward a Holistic View: Analysis of Pre-Service Teachers' Professional Vision in Field Experiences and Its Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Ji-Eun

2016-01-01

This study investigated the aspects of learning and teaching that pre-service teachers examined at distinct time periods while taking on different roles. Participants reported on what they noticed from their past learning experiences as students, as well as their current field experiences as student teachers. Their reflective critique was created…

The Teacher as Designer: Pedagogy in the New Media Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalantzis, Mary; Cope, Bill

2010-01-01

This article outlines a learning intervention which the authors call Learning by Design. The goal of this intervention is classroom and curriculum transformation, and the professional learning of teachers. The experiment involves the practical application of the learning theory to everyday classroom practice. Its ideas are grounded in pedagogical…

The impact of international experience on student nurses' personal and professional development.

PubMed

Lee, N-J

2004-06-01

Many student nurses undertake international clinical experience during their education programmes, which raises the question 'How do these experiences impact on students nurses' personal and professional development?' A case study was conducted in one School of Nursing in the United Kingdom. Student nurses participating in a new module, International Nursing and Health Care, which included clinical experience overseas, gave qualitative accounts of their international experiences and subsequent learning. Their accounts were also compared with the perceptions and expectations of the module facilitators. While there were some similarities in student experience and facilitator expectations, there were also notable differences. The students believed that their international experiences had a deep impact on their personal development, helping them make the transition from student to qualified nurse. The case study raised further questions about the acquisition of cultural knowledge and the facilitation and provision of learning from experience.

LIS Professionals as Knowledge Engineers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poulter, Alan; And Others

1994-01-01

Considers the role of library and information science professionals as knowledge engineers. Highlights include knowledge acquisition, including personal experience, interviews, protocol analysis, observation, multidimensional sorting, printed sources, and machine learning; knowledge representation, including production rules and semantic nets;…

Arts-based palliative care training, education and staff development: A scoping review.

PubMed

Turton, Benjamin Mark; Williams, Sion; Burton, Christopher R; Williams, Lynne

2018-02-01

The experience of art offers an emerging field in healthcare staff development, much of which is appropriate to the practice of palliative care. The workings of aesthetic learning interventions such as interactive theatre in relation to palliative and end-of-life care staff development programmes are widely uncharted. To investigate the use of aesthetic learning interventions used in palliative and end-of-life care staff development programmes. Scoping review. Published literature from 1997 to 2015, MEDLINE, CINAHL and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, key journals and citation tracking. The review included 138 studies containing 60 types of art. Studies explored palliative care scenarios from a safe distance. Learning from art as experience involved the amalgamation of action, emotion and meaning. Art forms were used to transport healthcare professionals into an aesthetic learning experience that could be reflected in the lived experience of healthcare practice. The proposed learning included the development of practical and technical skills; empathy and compassion; awareness of self; awareness of others and the wider narrative of illness; and personal development. Aesthetic learning interventions might be helpful in the delivery of palliative care staff development programmes by offering another dimension to the learning experience. As researchers continue to find solutions to understanding the efficacy of such interventions, we argue that evaluating the contextual factors, including the interplay between the experience of the programme and its impact on the healthcare professional, will help identify how the programmes work and thus how they can contribute to improvements in palliative care.

Applying ergonomics to systems: some documented "lessons learned".

PubMed

Hendrick, Hal W

2008-07-01

Based on evidence accumulated during the author's 45 years of professional experience, the author presents 23 important "lessons learned" regarding applying ergonomics to systems. Documented results from reported cases or other evidence are presented to validate each of these practical learning points.

Strategies for continuing professional development among younger, middle-aged, and older nurses: a biographical approach.

PubMed

Pool, Inge A; Poell, Rob F; Berings, Marjolein G M C; ten Cate, Olle

2015-05-01

A nursing career can last for more than 40 years, during which continuing professional development is essential. Nurses participate in a variety of learning activities that correspond with their developmental motives. Lifespan psychology shows that work-related motives change with age, leading to the expectation that motives for continuing professional development also change. Nevertheless, little is known about nurses' continuing professional development strategies in different age groups. To explore continuing professional development strategies among younger, middle-aged, and older nurses. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews, from a biographical perspective. Data were analysed using a vertical process aimed at creating individual learning biographies, and a horizontal process directed at discovering differences and similarities between age groups. Twenty-one nurses in three age groups from general and academic hospitals in the Netherlands. In all age groups, daily work was an important trigger for professional development on the ward. Performing extra or new tasks appeared to be an additional trigger for undertaking learning activities external to the ward. Learning experiences in nurses' private lives also contributed to their continuing professional development. Besides these similarities, the data revealed differences in career stages and private lives, which appeared to be related to differences in continuing professional development strategy; 'gaining experience and building a career' held particularly true among younger nurses, 'work-life balance' and 'keeping work interesting and varied' to middle-aged nurses, and 'consistency at work' to older nurses. Professional development strategies can aim at performing daily patient care, extra tasks and other roles. Age differences in these strategies appear to relate to tenure, perspectives on the future, and situations at home. These insights could help hospitals to orientate continuing professional development approaches toward the needs of all age groups. This should be particularly relevant in the face of present demographic changes in the nursing workforce. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An exploration of role model influence on adult nursing students' professional development: A phenomenological research study.

PubMed

Felstead, Ian S; Springett, Kate

2016-02-01

Patients' expectations of being cared for by a nurse who is caring, competent, and professional are particularly pertinent in current health and social care practice. The current drive for NHS values-based recruitment serves to strengthen this. How nursing students' development of professionalism is shaped is not fully known, though it is acknowledged that their practice experience strongly shapes behaviour. This study (in 2013-14) explored twelve adult nursing students' lived experiences of role modelling through an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach, aiming to understand the impact on their development as professional practitioners. Clinical nurses influenced student development consistently. Some students reported that their experiences allowed them to learn how not to behave in practice; a productive learning experience despite content. Students also felt senior staff influence on their development to be strong, citing 'leading by example.' The impact of patients on student professional development was also a key finding. Through analysing information gained, identifying and educating practice-based mentors who are ready, willing, and able to role model professional attributes appear crucial to developing professionalism in nursing students. Those involved in nurse education, whether service providers or universities, may wish to acknowledge the influence of clinical nurse behaviour observed by students both independent of and in direct relation to care delivery and the impact on student nurse professional development. A corollary relates to how students should be guided and briefed/debriefed to work with a staff to ensure their exposure to a variety of practice behaviours. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experiences and Perceptions of Professional Development Facilitators in a Job-Embedded School Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mashariki, Kaia Mariama

2017-01-01

Recent legislation and accountability efforts in K-12 schools have increased the need to support and maintain high-quality teachers through enhanced professional development and teacher training efforts. As districts and schools seek new and innovative ways to provide professional learning opportunities that are real-time and effective,…

Professional Development to Enhance Instructional Leadership and Practice of Central Office Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCue, Cheryl A. R.

2016-01-01

Decades of research and practice suggest that educational administrators need to experience opportunities for professional development and continuous learning. This project study addressed the problem regarding the lack of a formal or systemic plan for professional development of central office administrators in a large suburban school district in…

Emergence of a learning community: a transforming experience at the boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raia, Federica

2013-03-01

I narrate a process of transformation, a professional and personal journey framed by an experience that captured my attention shaping my interpretation and reflections. From a critical complexity framework I discuss the emergence of a learning community from the cooperation among individuals of diverse social and cultural worlds sharing the need to change a traditional professional development program structure and develop a new science education Masters Degree/Certification program. I zoom into the continual redefinition of the community, its evolution and complex interrelations among its participants and the emergence of a learning community as a boundary space having an emancipatory role and allowing growth and learning. I analyze the dialectical relationship between agents' behavior either impeding growth or having an emancipatory function of a mindful RelationalAct in a complex adaptive system framework.

[The professional learning website needs of hospital nursing stations: a needs assessment].

PubMed

Yu, Tsui-Mien; Hsu, Li-Ling; Hsieh, Suh-Ing

2011-12-01

Healthcare must face the challenges of the information era. Changes in the medical sciences and increasing disease complexity have given rise to many professional learning websites designed to aid nurse learning. However, nurses in Taiwan have only a few poorly designed websites from which to choose. Language barriers and cultural differences often prevent nurses from making the best use of learning websites designed outside of Taiwan. This situation necessitates an investigation into the type of learning website content most needed by professional nurses in Taiwan. This study aimed to investigate the types of content in a professional learning website most needed by a group of nurses and to examine factors affecting nurses' content demand. Researchers used descriptive and correlational study designs. Random cluster sampling was used to select 43 of the total 70 nursing wards at one hospital in northern Taiwan. Subjects agreed to participate in a cross-sectional survey using a self-structured questionnaire. A total 571 questionnaires (96%) were returned out of 600 sent. The average professional learning website demand score was 4.03 (SD = 0.70). The top three content categories were, respectively, instructions on nursing routines for common diseases, common medication information, and instructions on preparing for common physical examinations. The bottom three content categories were, respectively, description of website purpose, post-learning tests, and online forum. Subject age, marital status, education, hospital department, Clinical Nursing Ladder status, and work experience all significantly affected subjects' content demand profile. Study findings identified the content categories in highest demand from professional nurses, which can help guide professional learning website design work in the future. Different website versions may be developed to suit different nurse needs and help nurses save time searching for information on such topics as nursing procedures and standard introductions to medical-surgical wards.

Exploring the influence of feedback given by people with lived experience of mental distress on learning for pre-registration mental health students.

PubMed

Stacey, Gemma; Pearson, Mark

2018-05-10

Despite a positive and established perception of people with lived experience of mental distress contributing to the assessment of healthcare professionals, the consequence and implications for learning are predominantly unexplored. To gain a greater understanding of the influence of feedback given by people with lived experience, in the role of formative assessor, on student learning. Qualitative analysis, underpinned by the theory threshold concepts, was conducted on the written reflective assessments, submitted by students, following engaging in an assessment with a lived experience assessor. Student learning was influenced positively by the involvement of lived experience assessors in relation to person centred care. However, students reported the experience to be anxiety provoking due to the desire to seek external approval and conceal personal challenges. The results indicate that the feedback from those with lived experience promotes greater self-awareness and empathy amongst students. The perceived expectation to present a competent and professional performance acts as a barrier to authentic person centred practice. It is questionable if learning which is potentially troublesome, should act as a form of academic assessment which is exposed to the external judgement of another and awarded a credit bearing grade. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

STEM professional development: What's going on from the presenters' and participants' perspectives?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Randi

This study was designed to explore elementary STEM professional development viewed from the presenters' and participants' perspectives. Numerous committees and educational organizations recommend investing in STEM professional development at the local, state, and national level. This investment must begin with research that inquires how STEM professional development is structured and what is needed for teacher and student success. Since there is a recent STEM education push in schools, elementary teachers need effective professional development in order to gain the necessary content, skills, confidence, and pedagogy required for those changing demands. This qualitative study embraced. Yin's case study methodology by observing short-duration STEM professional development for elementary teachers within a large metropolitan school system and an educational professional development agency. The study discussed the analysis and findings in the context of Bandura's sources of efficacy and Desimone's critical features of professional development. Data were gathered form professional development observations, presenter interviews, and participant interviews. The research questions for this study included: (a) based on Desimone's (2009) framework for professional development, what does content focused, active learning, coherence, duration, and collective participation look like in initial STEM professional development for elementary teachers? (b) are Bandura's (1997) four sources of self- efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion, and affective states evidenced within the short duration professional development? and (c) how do these two frameworks align between presenter and participant thoughts and actions? This study uncovered additional sources of efficacy are present in short-duration STEM professional development. These found sources include coherence, content, and active learning delivered in a definitive order. The findings of this study have implications for educators, policy makers, and developers of professional development. Future research is needed to add to the small body of literature about STEM professional development, specifically research to fully understand the structure of STEM professional development and how this differs for other areas of learning.

The Impact of Learning Assistance Experience on Teaching Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trammell, Jack; Kourtidis, Joanna

2018-01-01

Many administrators in Learning Assistance Programs (LAPs) have teaching duties, or take on teaching duties at some point in their careers. This study was designed to examine the impact of LAP experience on classroom pedagogy. A pilot study was utilized first through listservs and email chains to ask that question of LAP professionals. After…

Connecting Problem-Solving Style to Peer Evaluations of Performance in Secondary Cooperative Learning Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bush, Sarah A.; Friedel, Curtis R.; Hoerbert, Lindsey R.; Broyles, Thomas W.

2017-01-01

With an evolving and expanding agricultural industry, it is crucial to provide future professionals with valuable experiences and skills in problem solving, communication, and teamwork. Agricultural summer programs for secondary students, which provide cooperative learning experiences with a focus on group work and problem solving, aim to help…

Changing Minds: The Impact of Study Abroad Components on Students' Changes in Their Religious Faith

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poag, Trevor; Sperandio, Jill

2015-01-01

Universities increasingly prioritize intercultural learning experiences that prepare students to become competent professionals in an interconnected world (Egron-Polak, 2012; de Witt, 2009). Study abroad represents one such learning experience for U.S. university students. Study abroad programs, although varies in structure and curriculum, share…

Life Satisfaction and Perceived Meaningfulness of Learning Experience among First-Year Traditional Graduate Social Work Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fakunmoju, Sunday; Donahue, Gilpatrick R.; McCoy, Shandria; Mengel, Alison S.

2016-01-01

Knowledge about life satisfaction and learning experience among first-year graduate students is sparse, despite its relevance to instructional decisions, academic support, and success of students. Adequate knowledge is crucial, as it may help graduate students manage personal and professional life changes associated with graduate education. Using…

Writing Professor as Adult Learner: An Autoethnography of Online Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henning, Teresa Beth

2012-01-01

This paper is a study of the author's experiences taking a six-week, asynchronous, online, faculty development class for educators at the secondary and postsecondary levels. Using autoethnography methods, the author details her learning and the ways her experiences support adult learning theories. Implications of this research suggest that adult…

Emergence of a Learning Community: A Transforming Experience at the Boundaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raia, Federica

2013-01-01

I narrate a process of transformation, a professional and personal journey framed by an experience that captured my attention shaping my interpretation and reflections. From a critical complexity framework I discuss the emergence of a learning community from the cooperation among individuals of diverse social and cultural worlds sharing the need…

Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions with Regard to Teaching-Learning Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özdas, Faysal

2018-01-01

Teaching-learning process has a great important medium where pre-service teachers develop experiences and competences. Pre-service teachers are introduced to this process in a professional sense through the school experience course in teacher training. In this process, it is crucial to identify the encountered difficulties and matters. For this…

Gender Differences in College of Business Educational Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaenzig, Rebecca; Hyatt, Eva; Anderson, Stella

2007-01-01

In this article, the authors examine the effect of gender on the learning experiences of students majoring in business. The development of behaviors and attitudes, which will affect the professional practices of graduates, is crucial in the education of business majors. Given that the use of group work and other forms of innovative learning is…

Video laboratories for the teaching and learning of professional ethics in exercise physiology curricula.

PubMed

Senchina, David S

2011-09-01

Student researchers in physiology courses often interact with human subjects in classroom research but may be unfamiliar with the professional ethics of experimenter-subject interactions. This communication describes experiences related to an interactive video used in exercise science and general biology courses to help students become aware of, sensitive to, and comfortable with implementing professional ethics into their own thinking and behavior as researchers before entering the laboratory. The activity consisted of a filmed exercise physiology experiment complemented with interactive question sheets followed by small- and large-group discussion and culminating with individual student reflections. Student written responses from multiple courses indicated that students were able to 1) identify and consider the ethics of experimenter-subject interactions from the movie, 2) generalize broader ideas of professional ethics from those observations, and 3) consider their observations in terms of future experiments they would be conducting personally and how they should interact with human subjects. A majority of students indicated a positive reaction to the video and identified specific aspects they appreciated. It is hoped that this report will encourage other instructors to consider the use of interactive videos in the teaching and learning of professional ethics related to their courses.

Learning from First Time eLearning Experiences for Continuous Professional Development of School Leaders in the Maldives: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saeed, Sheema; Moreira, Maria Alfredo

2010-01-01

In Maldives, educational policy makers are beginning to explore the value of ICT and web tools as a medium of continuous professional development for school leaders and teachers. This paper reports on insights and responses of a group of five school leaders who participated in a web based distance education course. For most of them, this was their…

A model of professional self-identity formation in student doctors and dentists: a mixed method study.

PubMed

Vivekananda-Schmidt, Pirashanthie; Crossley, James; Murdoch-Eaton, Deborah

2015-04-29

Professional self-identity [PSI] can be defined as the degree to which an individual identifies with his or her professional group. Several authors have called for a better understanding of the processes by which healthcare students develop their professional identities, and suggested helpful theoretical frameworks borrowed from the social science and psychology literature. However to our knowledge, there has been little empirical work examining these processes in actual healthcare students, and we are aware of no data driven description of PSI development in healthcare students. Here, we report a data driven model of PSI formation in healthcare students. We interviewed 17 student doctors and dentists who had indicated, on a tracking questionnaire, the most substantial changes in their PSI. We analysed their perceptions of the experiences that had influenced their PSI, to develop a descriptive model. Both the primary coder and the secondary coder considered the data without reference to the existing literature; i.e. we used a bottom up approach rather than a top down approach. The results indicate that two overlapping frames of reference affect PSI formation: the students' self-perception and their perception of the professional role. They are 'learning' both; neither is static. Underpinning those two learning processes, the following key mechanisms operated: [1] When students are allowed to participate in the professional role they learn by trying out their knowledge and skill in the real world and finding out to what extent they work, and by trying to visualise themselves in the role. [2] When others acknowledge students as quasi-professionals they experience transference and may respond with counter-transference by changing to meet expectations or fulfil a prototype. [3] Students may also dry-run their professional role (i.e., independent practice of professional activities) in a safe setting when invited. Students' experiences, and their perceptions of those experiences, can be evaluated through a simple model that describes and organises the influences and mechanisms affecting PSI. This empirical model is discussed in the light of prevalent frameworks from the social science and psychology literature.

Teaching teamwork: an evaluation of an interprofessional training ward placement for health care students

PubMed Central

Morphet, Julia; Hood, Kerry; Cant, Robyn; Baulch, Julie; Gilbee, Alana; Sandry, Kate

2014-01-01

The establishment of interprofessional teamwork training in the preprofessional health care curriculum is a major challenge for teaching faculties. Interprofessional clinical placements offer an opportunity for teamwork education, as students in various professions can work and learn together. In this sequential, mixed-method study, focus group and survey techniques were used to evaluate students’ educational experiences after 2-week ward-based interprofessional clinical placements. Forty-five senior nursing, medicine, and other health care students cared for patients in hospital wards under professional supervision, with nursing-medicine student “teams” leading care. Thirty-six students attended nine exit focus groups. Five central themes that emerged about training were student autonomy and workload, understanding of other professional roles, communication and shared knowledge, interprofessional teamwork/collaboration, and the “inner circle”, or being part of the unit team. The learning environment was described as positive. In a postplacement satisfaction survey (n=38), students likewise rated the educational experience highly. In practicing teamwork and collaboration, students were able to rehearse their future professional role. We suggest that interprofessional clinical placements be regarded as an essential learning experience for senior preprofessional students. More work is needed to fully understand the effect of this interactive program on students’ clinical learning and preparation for practice. PMID:25028569

Teaching teamwork: an evaluation of an interprofessional training ward placement for health care students.

PubMed

Morphet, Julia; Hood, Kerry; Cant, Robyn; Baulch, Julie; Gilbee, Alana; Sandry, Kate

2014-01-01

The establishment of interprofessional teamwork training in the preprofessional health care curriculum is a major challenge for teaching faculties. Interprofessional clinical placements offer an opportunity for teamwork education, as students in various professions can work and learn together. In this sequential, mixed-method study, focus group and survey techniques were used to evaluate students' educational experiences after 2-week ward-based interprofessional clinical placements. Forty-five senior nursing, medicine, and other health care students cared for patients in hospital wards under professional supervision, with nursing-medicine student "teams" leading care. Thirty-six students attended nine exit focus groups. Five central themes that emerged about training were student autonomy and workload, understanding of other professional roles, communication and shared knowledge, interprofessional teamwork/collaboration, and the "inner circle", or being part of the unit team. The learning environment was described as positive. In a postplacement satisfaction survey (n=38), students likewise rated the educational experience highly. In practicing teamwork and collaboration, students were able to rehearse their future professional role. We suggest that interprofessional clinical placements be regarded as an essential learning experience for senior preprofessional students. More work is needed to fully understand the effect of this interactive program on students' clinical learning and preparation for practice.

Evaluation of postgraduate critical care nursing students' attitudes to, and engagement with, Team-Based Learning: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Currey, Judy; Oldland, Elizabeth; Considine, Julie; Glanville, David; Story, Ian

2015-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate postgraduate critical care nursing students' attitudes to, and engagement with, Team-Based Learning (TBL). A descriptive pre and post interventional design was used. Study data were collected by surveys and observation. University postgraduate critical care nursing programme. Students' attitudes to learning within teams (Team Experience Questionnaire) and student engagement (observed and self-reports). Twenty-eight of 32 students agreed to participate (87% response rate). There were significant changes in students' attitudes to learning within teams including increases in overall satisfaction with team experience, team impact on quality of learning, team impact on clinical reasoning ability and professional development. There was no significant increase in satisfaction with peer evaluation. Observation and survey results showed higher student engagement in TBL classes compared with standard lecturing. Postgraduate critical care nursing students responded positively to the introduction of TBL and showed increased engagement with learning. In turn, these factors enhanced nurses' professional skills in teamwork, communication, problem solving and higher order critical thinking. Developing professional skills and advancing knowledge should be core to all critical care nursing education programmes to improve the quality and safety of patient care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What Experiences Help Students Become Scientists? A Comparative Study of Research and Other Sources of Personal and Professional Gains for STEM Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiry, Heather; Laursen, Sandra L.; Hunter, Anne-Barrie

2011-01-01

In this study of curricular and co-curricular learning in STEM disciplines at four liberal arts colleges, comparative analysis of 62 interviews with graduating seniors demonstrates that out-of-class experiences fostered many intellectual, personal, and professional gains. Undergraduate research, in particular, helped to shape science identities…

Relationships in Early Childhood Education--Beyond the Professional into the Personal within the Teacher-Child Dyad: Relationships "That Ripple in the Pond"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albin-Clark, Jo; Shirley, Ian; Webster, Maggie; Woolhouse, Clare

2018-01-01

The dyadic nature of the teacher-child relationship is recognized as a significant factor in young children's learning experiences. However understandings about how teachers' own personal and professional identities and experiences influence their construction of teacher-child relationships are under researched. This article extends upon earlier…

Health and social care professionals' attitudes to interprofessional working and interprofessional education: A literature review.

PubMed

O'Carroll, Veronica; McSwiggan, Linda; Campbell, Martin

2016-01-01

The healthcare setting is a rich learning environment for students to experience interprofessional working (IPW) and interprofessional education (IPE). However, opportunities for IPE are limited, and student experiences of effective IPW are varied. This raises the question of how IPW and IPE are valued by health or social care professionals. A search of the literature was carried out to identify studies of health and social care staff attitudes to IPW and IPE. This review provides a summary of the main factors found to influence attitudes and the strengths and limitations of these studies. Professional background and prior IPE experience were identified as the influencing factors for which there is most evidence. The main limitations of the studies accessed included a focus on the value of IPE for staff, as opposed to students, and a limited number of studies considering the relationship between attitudes to IPW and the value placed on IPE. It is important that health and social care professionals lead by example by working collaboratively and providing students with opportunities for IPE. Identifying the variables influencing attitudes to IPW and IPE may assist in improving IPW and experiences of IPE for students learning in the healthcare setting.

Taking over Someone Else's E-Learning Design: Challenges Trigger Change in E-Learning Beliefs and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Karen M.

2014-01-01

As universities invest in the development of e-learning resources, e-learning sustainability has come under consideration. This has largely focused on the challenges and facilitators of organisational and technological sustainability and scalability, and professional development. Little research has examined the experience of a teacher dealing…

Leaders Learning from Leaders as an Emergent Action Learning Strategy Type of Paper: Account of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullen, Carol A.; Rodríguez, Mariela A.; Allen, Tawannah G.

2015-01-01

This account of practice describes what three executive leaders in a professional association have learned about action learning and their own practices of organizational renewal. Data are approached narratively and stories are told from the perspectives of diverse educators' experiences, agency, and expertise. Mature organizations can be…

Loading the E-Learning Shopping Cart: First Examine the Product and Service for Student Results.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killion, Joellen

2002-01-01

Teachers and administrators have opportunities, via e- learning, to participate in multiple professional and personal learning experience. This paper examines what to consider before investing in e-learning products or related services (e.g., research results, content quality, content flexibility, flexible time, learner readiness, follow-up…

Cases on Global E-Learning Practices: Successes and Pitfalls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Ramesh C., Ed.; Mishra, Sanjaya, Ed.

2007-01-01

"Cases on Global E-Learning Practices: Successes and Pitfalls" looks into global practices of e-learning, examining the successes and failures of e-learning professionals. It provides a judicious mix of practical experiences and research in the form of case studies. Written by experts from all over the globe, this book shows how to…

Exploring Potentialities for Cosmopolitan Learning in Swedish Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheja, Max

2015-01-01

This study aimed to explore student teachers' experiences of learning in teacher education, with a focus on how students describe their ways of thinking about their own learning in relation to their future professional role as teachers and how these descriptions relate to emerging cosmopolitan visions for student learning in teacher education.…

Learning from Somaliland? Transferability of learning from volunteering to national health service practice in the UK.

PubMed

Tillson, Esther; van Wees, Sibylle Herzig; McGowan, Charlotte; Franklin, Hannah; Jones, Helena; Bogue, Patrick; Aliabadi, Shirin; Baraitser, Paula

2016-03-22

Capacity building partnerships between healthcare institutions have the potential to benefit both partners particularly in staff development. Previous research suggests that volunteering can contribute to professional development but there is little evidence on how learning is acquired, the barriers and facilitators to learning in this context or the process of translation of learning to the home environment. Volunteers from a healthcare partnership between the UK and Somaliland reported learning in communication, interdisciplinary working, teaching, management, leadership and service development. This learning came from observing familiar practices in unfamiliar environments; alternative solutions to familiar problems; learning about Somali culture; opportunities to assume higher levels of responsibility and new professional relationships. There was variability in the extent of translation to NHS practice. Time and support available for reflection and mentoring were important facilitators of this process. The professional development outcomes documented in this study came directly from the experience of volunteering. Experiential learning theory suggests that this requires a complex process of critical reflection and new knowledge generation, testing and translation for use in new contexts. This process benefits from identification of learning as an important element of volunteering and support for reflection and the translation translation of learning to UK contexts. We suggest that missed opportunities for volunteer learning will remain until the volunteering process is overtly framed as part of continuing professional development.

First year nursing students' experiences of social media during the transition to university: a focus group study.

PubMed

Ferguson, Caleb; DiGiacomo, Michelle; Saliba, Bernard; Green, Janet; Moorley, Calvin; Wyllie, Aileen; Jackson, Debra

2016-10-01

Social media platforms are useful for creating communities, which can then be utilised as a mean for supportive, professional and social learning. To explore first year nursing student experiences with social media in supporting student transition and engagement into higher education. Qualitative focus groups. Ten 1st year Bachelor of Nursing students were included in three face-to-face focus groups. Data were analysed using qualitative thematic content analysis. Three key themes emerged that illustrates the experiences of transition and engagement of first year student nurses using social media at university. (1) Facilitating familiarity and collaboration at a safe distance, (2) promoting independent learning by facilitating access to resources, and (3) mitigating hazards of social media. This study has demonstrated the importance of social media in supporting informal peer-peer learning and support, augmenting online and offline relationships, and building professional identity as a nurse.

Students' experiences of learning in relation to didactic strategies during the first year of a nursing programme: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Westin, Lars; Sundler, Annelie J; Berglund, Mia

2015-03-17

In university undergraduate nursing programmes, didactic strategies that enable students to learn nursing skills, solve problems and develop reflective and critical thinking and practice are needed. The aim of this study was to explore how different didactic strategies support nursing students' experiences of learning during the first year of a reconstructed nursing curriculum. This study employed a qualitative approach. The data were gathered through written narratives that were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Nursing students' experiences of learning through different didactic strategies, were evident in the text. These perspectives were organised into the following themes: To focus on the patient perspective and paying more attention to others, Learning from discussions and reflections on one's own learning, Training for the professional role and becoming more courage, and Gaining insights into nursing and increasing one's self-awareness. The education increased the students' self-awareness, which helped them to pay greater attention to patients and their relative. During the learning process, the students became more courageous, reflected and discovered their shortcomings. Stated didactic strategies supported a broad base of knowledge on nursing and the professional role of nurses. Educators are challenged to strengthen meaningful learning in nursing and to facilitate the progression of nursing programmes.

Professional Books.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilstrap, Robert L.; And Others

1993-01-01

Reviews six books: "Teacher Lore" (Schubert and Ayers), about teachers' accounts of their experience; "America's Best Classrooms" (Seymour and others); "Another Door to Learning," (Schwarz) about learning-disabled children; "Talking with Your Children about a Troubled World" (Dumas); "Our Family, Our…

Twelve tips for using social media as a medical educator.

PubMed

Kind, Terry; Patel, Pradip D; Lie, Désirée; Chretien, Katherine C

2014-04-01

We now live, learn, teach and practice medicine in the digital era. Social networking sites are used by at least half of all adults. Engagement with social media can be personal, professional, or both, for health-related and educational purposes. Use is often public. Lapses in professionalism can have devastating consequences, but when used well social media can enhance the lives of and learning by health professionals and trainees, ultimately for public good. Both risks and opportunities abound for individuals who participate, and health professionals need tips to enhance use and avoid pitfalls in their use of social media and to uphold their professional values. This article draws upon current evidence, policies, and the authors' experiences to present best practice tips for health professions educators, trainees, and students to build a framework for navigating the digital world in a way that maintains and promotes professionalism. These practical tips help the newcomer to social media get started by identifying goals, establishing comfort, and connecting. Furthermore, users can ultimately successfully contribute, engage, learn, and teach, and model professional behaviors while navigating social media.

Interprofessional clinical education for occupational therapy and psychology students: a social skills training program for children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Howell, Dana M; Wittman, Peggy; Bundy, Myra Beth

2012-01-01

An interprofessional clinical learning experience was developed for pre-licensure occupational therapy (OT) and psychology graduate students. Students worked in interprofessional teams to plan and implement a social skills training program for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The objectives were to provide a hands-on, student-led clinical experience; facilitate interprofessional collaborative learning through leadership partnerships and teach children with ASD to engage in appropriate social skill behaviors. Concurrently, faculty performed qualitative research to explore how the students worked together to provide intervention to the children. Data were collected via interview, direct observation of student planning sessions and student interprofessional interactions, and collection of posts from an online social network site used for session planning. There were six student participants and two faculty participants. Four themes emerged: learning who I am as a professional, learning to appreciate our professional differences, learning to communicate with each other and figuring it out, for the benefit of the kids. This interprofessional clinical learning experience and research helps ensure that students are adequately prepared to represent their profession as part of a diverse interprofessional health care team.

Thoughtful Planning Fosters Learning Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Earl

2007-01-01

Transfer of learning continues to be a need among adult learners. All too often, professional development planners, trainers, and educators are criticized for planning and delivering learning experiences with little to no attention rendered to how participants will apply their newly-acquired knowledge and skills. This criticism can be adequately…

Student Development in an Experiential Learning Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, Brandi L.; Banks, Julianna; Houser, John H. W.; Rhodes, Simon J.; Lees, N. Douglas

2014-01-01

This study is an outcomes assessment of an experiential learning program for undergraduate students interested in life and health sciences careers enrolled at a public urban research institution. The year-long research and professional experience internships were projected to improve learning outcomes in undergraduates. The study included an…

Flipping the Composing Process: Collaborative Drafting and Résumé Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anders, Abram

2016-01-01

This article argues for a flipped learning approach to business and professional communication composing processes. Flipped learning sequences can scaffold more robust engagement with prewriting activities and support opportunities for in-class collaborative and facilitated drafting exercises. These types of learning experiences offer numerous…

Learning and Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodard, Dudley B., Jr.; Love, Patrick; Komives, Susan R

2000-01-01

An emphasis on learning and development is a student-centered focus. It is essential for student affairs professionals to keep the resources of the institution focused on the student experience. Student affairs personnel need to map the learning and developmental agenda for students and identify the educational strategies needed to help learners…

The first two years of practice: a longitudinal perspective on the learning and professional development of promising novice physical therapists.

PubMed

Hayward, Lorna M; Black, Lisa L; Mostrom, Elizabeth; Jensen, Gail M; Ritzline, Pamela D; Perkins, Jan

2013-03-01

Physical therapists work in complex health care systems requiring professional competence in clinical reasoning and confidence in decision-making skills. For novice physical therapists, the initial practice years are a time for developing professional identity and practical knowledge. The study purpose was to extend previous research describing the experiences, learning, and professional development of 11 promising novice therapists during their first year of practice. The present study examined the continued development of the same therapists during their second year of clinical practice. Seven researchers from 4 physical therapist educational programs in the eastern and midwestern United States used a longitudinal, qualitative, multiple case study approach. Eleven physical therapist graduates identified as "promising novices" were recruited using purposive sampling. Participants ranged in age from 24 to 29 years and entered varied practice settings. Data were collected for 2 years using semistructured interviews, reflective journals, and participant observation. A conceptual model describing the participants' ongoing development during the second year of practice emerged. The 3 themes were formal and informal learning, increasing confidence and expansion of skills, and engagement in an environment characterized by collaborative exchange and opportunities for teaching. The second year represented consolidation and elaboration of practice-based learning and skills. The expansion of confidence, skills, and responsibilities and the externalization of learning the participants experienced promoted professional role formation. Learning previously directed inward and self-focused turned outward, fueled by growing self-confidence. Research illuminating the professional role formation experienced during early clinical practice is not widely available. The current study and further research into the learning and development of novice practitioners may assist educators in the design of pedagogical strategies and learning environments that enhance the professional development of physical therapists.

Investigating Advanced Professional Learning of Early Career and Experienced Teachers through Program Portfolios

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Rebecca K.; Muccio, Leah S.; White, C. Stephen; Tian, Jie

2015-01-01

Since closing the gap between different levels of professional development for teachers has been identified as a particular need in our profession, capturing the results of professional coursework can help teacher educators better understand and meet the unique needs of teachers with different levels of experience. This study examined the effects…

Adapting to Large-Scale Changes in Advanced Placement Biology, Chemistry, and Physics: The Impact of Online Teacher Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frumin, Kim; Dede, Chris; Fischer, Christian; Foster, Brandon; Lawrenz, Frances; Eisenkraft, Arthur; Fishman, Barry; Jurist Levy, Abigail; McCoy, Ayana

2018-01-01

Over the past decade, the field of teacher professional learning has coalesced around core characteristics of high quality professional development experiences (e.g. Borko, Jacobs, & Koellner, 2010. Contemporary approaches to teacher professional development. In P. L. Peterson, E. Baker, & B. McGaw (Eds.), "International encyclopedia…

Interprofessional attitudes amongst undergraduate students in the health professions: a longitudinal questionnaire survey.

PubMed

Coster, Samantha; Norman, Ian; Murrells, Trevor; Kitchen, Sheila; Meerabeau, Elizabeth; Sooboodoo, Enkanah; d'Avray, Lynda

2008-11-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) introduced at the beginning of pre-registration training for healthcare professionals attempts to prevent the formation of negative interprofessional attitudes which may hamper future interprofessional collaboration. However, the potential for IPE depends, to some extent, on the readiness of healthcare students to learn together. To measure changes in readiness for interprofessional learning, professional identification, and amount of contact between students of different professional groups; and to examine the influence of professional group, student characteristics and an IPE course on these scores over time. Annual longitudinal panel questionnaire survey at four time-points of pre-registration students (n=1683) drawn from eight healthcare groups from three higher education institutions (HEIs) in the UK. The strength of professional identity in all professional groups was high on entry to university but it declined significantly over time for some disciplines. Similarly students' readiness for interprofessional learning was high at entry but declined significantly over time for all groups, with the exception of nursing students. A small but significant positive relationship between professional identity and readiness for interprofessional learning was maintained over time. There was very minimal contact between students from different disciplines during their professional education programme. Students who reported gaining the least from an IPE course suffered the most dramatic drop in their readiness for interprofessional learning in the following and subsequent years; however, these students also had the lowest expectations of an IPE course on entry to their programme of study. The findings provide support for introducing IPE at the start of the healthcare students' professional education to capitalise on students' readiness for interprofessional learning and professional identities, which appear to be well formed from the start. However, this study suggests that students who enter with negative attitudes towards interprofessional learning may gain the least from IPE courses and that an unrewarding experience of such courses may further reinforce their negative attitudes.

Across the Conference Table: Private and Public Mothering of Children with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valle, Jan W.

2018-01-01

In this article, a narrative inquiry approach is used to investigate how mothers report their experiences of parenting children with learning disability (LD) within the culture of American motherhood and to explore what impact such experiences of motherhood might have upon their relationships with school professionals. Analysis of the mothers'…

Turning into Teachers: Influences of Authentic Context Learning Experiences on Occupational Identity Development of Preservice Music Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haston, Warren; Russell, Joshua A.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the occupational identity development of undergraduate music education majors as they participated in a yearlong authentic context learning (ACL) experience situated within a professional development school (PDS). Five undergraduate music education majors enrolled in either a string pedagogy class or an…

Preservice Student Teacher Professional Noticing through Analysis of Their Students' Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dick, Lara Kristen

2013-01-01

Research on preservice teacher learning has often focused on coursework and course related field experiences, and not as much on the learning that takes place during student teaching field experiences. Since preservice student teachers are engaged with children on a daily basis, attention to their own students' thinking should be viewed as a means…

"Learning a Different Form of Communication": Experiences of Networked Learning and Reflections on Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Philippa

2006-01-01

This paper focuses on learners' experiences of text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC) as a means of self-expression, dialogue and debate. A detailed case study narrative and a reflective commentary are presented, drawn from a personal, practice-based inquiry into the design and facilitation of a professional development course for which…

Role Models and Teachers: medical students perception of teaching-learning methods in clinical settings, a qualitative study from Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Jayasuriya-Illesinghe, Vathsala; Nazeer, Ishra; Athauda, Lathika; Perera, Jennifer

2016-02-09

Medical education research in general, and those focusing on clinical settings in particular, have been a low priority in South Asia. This explorative study from 3 medical schools in Sri Lanka, a South Asian country, describes undergraduate medical students' experiences during their final year clinical training with the aim of understanding the teaching-learning experiences. Using qualitative methods we conducted an exploratory study. Twenty eight graduates from 3 medical schools participated in individual interviews. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative content analysis method. Emergent themes reveled 2 types of teaching-learning experiences, role modeling, and purposive teaching. In role modelling, students were expected to observe teachers while they conduct their clinical work, however, this method failed to create positive learning experiences. The clinical teachers who predominantly used this method appeared to be 'figurative' role models and were not perceived as modelling professional behaviors. In contrast, purposeful teaching allowed dedicated time for teacher-student interactions and teachers who created these learning experiences were more likely to be seen as 'true' role models. Students' responses and reciprocations to these interactions were influenced by their perception of teachers' behaviors, attitudes, and the type of teaching-learning situations created for them. Making a distinction between role modeling and purposeful teaching is important for students in clinical training settings. Clinical teachers' awareness of their own manifest professional characterizes, attitudes, and behaviors, could help create better teaching-learning experiences. Moreover, broader systemic reforms are needed to address the prevailing culture of teaching by humiliation and subordination.

Becoming a pharmacist: the role of curriculum in professional identity formation

PubMed Central

Noble, Christy; Coombes, Ian; Shaw, Paul Nicholas; Nissen, Lisa M.; Clavarino, Alexandra

Objective To understand how the formal curriculum experience of an Australian undergraduate pharmacy program supports students’ professional identity formation. Methods A qualitative ethnographic study was conducted over four weeks using participant observation and examined the ‘typical’ student experience from the perspective of a pharmacist. A one-week period of observation was undertaken with each of the four year groups (that is, for years one to four) comprising the undergraduate curriculum. Data were collected through observation of the formal curriculum experience using field notes, a reflective journal and informal interviews with 38 pharmacy students. Data were analyzed thematically using an a priori analytical framework. Results Our findings showed that the observed curriculum was a conventional curricular experience which focused on the provision of technical knowledge and provided some opportunities for practical engagement. There were some opportunities for students to imagine themselves as pharmacists, for example, when the lecture content related to practice or teaching staff described their approach to practice problems. However, there were limited opportunities for students to observe pharmacist role models, experiment with being a pharmacist or evaluate their professional identities. While curricular learning activities were available for students to develop as pharmacists e.g. patient counseling, there was no contact with patients and pharmacist academic staff tended to role model as educators with little evidence of their pharmacist selves. Conclusions These findings suggest that the current conventional approach to the curriculum design may not be fully enabling learning experiences which support students in successfully negotiating their professional identities. Instead it appeared to reinforce their identities as students with a naïve understanding of professional practice, making their future transition to professional practice challenging. PMID:24644522

Fellows' in intensive care medicine views on professionalism and how they learn it.

PubMed

van Mook, Walther N K A; de Grave, Willem S; Gorter, Simone L; Muijtjens, Arno M M; Zwaveling, Jan Harm; Schuwirth, Lambert W; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

2010-02-01

The emphasis on the importance of professionalism in a recent CoBaTrICE-IT paper was impressive. However, insight into the elements of professionalism as perceived relevant for intensivists from the fellows' view, and how these are taught and learned, is limited. A nationwide study was performed in 2007-2008. All ICM fellows (n = 90) were sent a questionnaire containing the following questions regarding training in professionalism (7-point Likert scale (1 = very inadequate, 7 = very adequate)): which are the elements perceived to be important in intensivists'' daily practice (38 items, cat. I)? Which methods of learning and teaching are recognised (16 items, cat. II)? Which methods of teaching and learning are considered especially useful (16 items, cat. III)? Finally, the perceived quantity and quality of formal and informal learning methods, as well as the responsible organisational body was studied. Data were analysed using SPSS 15.0. Response was 75.5 % (n = 68), mean age 34 years. Regarding Elements, scores on virtually all items were high. The factor 'striving for excellence' explained half the variance. Two other aspects, 'Teamwork' and 'Dealing with ethical dilemmas', were identified. Regarding Methods, three dimensions, 'formal curriculum'', 'private and academic experiences' and 'role modelling', proved important. The factor 'formal curriculum' explained most of the variance. Regarding Usefulness the same factors, now mainly explained by the factor Private and academic experiences, emerged with variance. In both categories the items 'observations in daily practice' and 'watching television programmes like ER and House' were the highest- and lowest-scoring items (5.99 and 5.81, and 2.69 and 2.49, respectively). Mean scores regarding the quantity of formal and informal teaching were 4.06 and 4.58 (range 1.841 and 1.519). For the quality of teaching, the figures were 4.22 and 4.52 (range 1.659 and 1.560, respectively). 54 suggestions for improvement of teaching were documented. The need for some form of formal teaching of professionalism aspects as well as for feedback was most frequently mentioned (n = 19 and 16). The local training centres are considered and should remain pivotal for teaching professionalism issues (n = 17 and 28). Almost all elements of professionalism were considered relevant to intensivists' daily practice. Although formal teaching methods regarding professionalism aspects are easily recognised in daily practice, learning by personal experiences and informal ways quantitatively plays a more important, and more valued role. Qualitative comments, nevertheless, stress the need for providing and receiving (solicited and unsolicited) feedback, thereby requesting expansion of formal teaching methods. The local training centres (should continue to) play a major role in teaching professionalism, although an additional role for the (inter)national intensive care organisations remains.

Every Child, Whole Child: Classroom Activities for Unleashing Natural Abilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Leslie Owen

The purpose of the guide is to address changes in American schools, focusing on holistic learning, multiple intelligences learning theory, and the importance of aesthetic experiences in children's education. It strives to empower professional teachers with knowledge about new learning theories with concrete activities to put that knowledge into…

Learning to Work with Immigrant Families: An Experiment in Experiential Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Mehrunnisa A.; Bishop, Susan; Martin, Beth

2017-01-01

This study examined what students in three professional programs--Nursing, Social Work, and Early Childhood Studies--could learn about working with immigrant families using narrative inquiry as a heuristic device. Data collected from the students in focus groups demonstrated their capacity for ethical caring by recognizing individual…

Student Satisfaction with Cooperative Learning in an Accounting Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Brian J.; Farrell, Helen M.

2008-01-01

Cooperative learning has been introduced into International Accounting, a second year subject at a major Australian university. The purpose was to provide students with a satisfying experience of learning within a social context and to develop their interpersonal, professional and written communication skills. The main data were collected during…

Exploring the Impact of Service Learning on Interprofessional Collaborative Practices of Occupational Therapists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarrett, Lindsey G.

2015-01-01

Previous research has demonstrated that students in healthcare related disciplines, who experience service learning, gain professional skills necessary for their career (Flinn, Kloos, Teaford, Clark, & Szucs, 2009; Holsapple, 2012; Seif et al., 2014). Research connecting service learning and career outcomes has primarily focused on short term…

Innovation in pediatric clinical education: application of the essential competencies.

PubMed

Kenyon, Lisa K; Birkmeier, Marisa; Anderson, Deborah K; Martin, Kathy

2015-01-01

At the Section on Pediatrics Education Summit in July 2012, consensus was achieved on 5 essential core competencies (ECCs) that represent a knowledge base essential to all graduates of professional physical therapist education programs. This article offers suggestions for how clinical instructors (CIs) might use the ECCs to identify student needs and guide student learning during a pediatric clinical education experience. Pediatric CIs potentially might choose to use the ECCs as a reference tool in clinical education to help (1) organize and develop general, clinic-specific clinical education objectives, (2) develop and plan individualized student learning experiences, (3) identify student needs, and (4) show progression of student learning from beginner to intermediate to entry level. The ECCs may offer CIs insights into the role of pediatric clinical education in professional physical therapist education.

Google Hangouts: Leveraging Social Media to Reach the Education Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenhamer, Bonnie; Summers, Frank; McCallister, Dan; Ryer, Holly

2015-01-01

Research shows that educator professional development is most effective when it is sustained and/or when a follow-on component is included to support the learning process. In order to create more comprehensive learning experiences for our workshop participants, the education team at the Space Telescope Science Institute is working collaboratively with scientific staff and other experts to create a follow-on component for our professional development program. The new component utilizes video conferencing platforms, such as Google's Hangouts On Air, to provide educators with content updates and extended learning opportunities in between in-person professional development experiences. The goal is to enhance our professional development program in a cost-effective way while reaching a greater cross-section of educators. Video broadcasts go live on Google+, YouTube, and our website - thus providing access to any user with a web browser. Additionally, the broadcasts are automatically recorded and archived for future viewing on our YouTube channel. This provides educators with anywhere, anytime training that best suits their needs and schedules. This poster will highlight our new Hangouts for educators as well as our cross-departmental efforts to expand the reach of our Hubble Hangouts for the public through a targeted recruitment strategy.

Building an online community to promote communication and collaborative learning between health professionals and young people who self-harm: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Owens, Christabel; Sharkey, Siobhan; Smithson, Janet; Hewis, Elaine; Emmens, Tobit; Ford, Tamsin; Jones, Ray

2015-02-01

Online communities are known to break down barriers between supposed experts and non-experts and to promote collaborative learning and 'radical trust' among members. Young people who self-harm report difficulties in communicating with health professionals, and vice versa. We sought to bring these two groups together online to see how well they could communicate with each other about self-harm and its management, and whether they could agree on what constituted safe and relevant advice. We allocated 77 young people aged 16-25 with experience of self-harm and 18 recently/nearly qualified professionals in relevant health-care disciplines to three separate Internet discussion forums. The forums contained different proportions of professionals to young people (none; 25%; 50% respectively) to allow us to observe the effect of the professionals on online interaction. The young people were keen to share their lived experience of self-harm and its management with health professionals. They engaged in lively discussion and supported one another during emotional crises. Despite registering to take part, health professionals did not actively participate in the forums. Reported barriers included lack of confidence and concerns relating to workload, private-professional boundaries, role clarity, duty of care and accountability. In their absence, the young people built a vibrant lay community, supported by site moderators. Health professionals may not yet be ready to engage with young people who self-harm and to exchange knowledge and experience in an anonymous online setting. Further work is needed to understand and overcome their insecurities. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Lessons Learned from Professional Development Workshops on Using GIS to Teach Geography and History in the K-12 Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tabor, Lisa K.; Harrington, John A., Jr.

2014-01-01

The brain perceives, recognizes, interprets, comprehends, appreciates, and remembers experiences that are both text and non-text or verbal and nonverbal. This article discusses Dual- encoding as a proven method of teaching that increases student learning retention and incorporates multiple learning styles. Students learn both subjects better when…

Learning with the Arts: What Opportunities Are There for Work-Related Adult Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manning, Claire; Verenikina, Irina; Brown, Ian

2010-01-01

What can arts-based learning offer to adult, work-related education? A study was undertaken that explored the benefits of learning with the arts for professional development of an adult learner in Australia. The individual experiences of nine adults who participated in arts-based workshops to build work-related skills were examined using the…

"Wow! Look at That!": Discourse as a Means to Improve Teachers' Science Content Learning in Informal Science Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holliday, Gary M.; Lederman, Judith S.; Lederman, Norman G.

2014-01-01

Currently, it is not clear whether professional development staff at Informal Science Institutions (ISIs) are considering the way exhibits contribute to the social aspects of learning as described by the contextual model of learning (CML) (Falk & Dierking in "The museum experience." Whalesback, Washington, 1992; "Learning from…

Reflections and unprompted observations by healthcare students of an interprofessional shadowing visit.

PubMed

Wright, Anna; Hawkes, Gillian; Baker, Becky; Lindqvist, Susanne Marie

2012-07-01

This paper reports work from a Centre for Interprofessional Practice in a higher education institution in the UK that offers four levels of interprofessional learning (IPL) to all healthcare students. The second level (IPL2) integrates professional practice into the learning process, requiring students to shadow a qualified healthcare professional (from a different profession) for half a day. Students complete a reflective statement upon their learning experience on their return. A study was undertaken to analyse students' reflective statements in depth to see their observations and reflections on the shadowing visit. Using frame analysis, 160 reflective statements were analyzed, identifying common words and phrases used by students, which were then grouped together under six themes. Three of these related directly to the assignment: communication styles and techniques; communication between healthcare professionals and comparison of students' own and other healthcare professionals' roles. Three themes emerged from student's own interpretation of observations and reflections made during the shadowing of a different professional: attitudes toward other professions; power structures between professionals and patients and between professionals and impact of communication on patient care. Interprofessional shadowing gives students an opportunity to observe communication between healthcare professionals and patients and to reflect on broader issues surrounding collaborative working.

Problem-posing in education: transformation of the practice of the health professional.

PubMed

Casagrande, L D; Caron-Ruffino, M; Rodrigues, R A; Vendrúsculo, D M; Takayanagui, A M; Zago, M M; Mendes, M D

1998-02-01

This study was developed by a group of professionals from different areas (nurses and educators) concerned with health education. It proposes the use of a problem-posing model for the transformation of professional practice. The concept and functions of the model and their relationships with the educative practice of health professionals are discussed. The model of problem-posing education is presented (compared to traditional, "banking" education), and four innovative experiences of teaching-learning are reported based on this model. These experiences, carried out in areas of environmental and occupational health and patient education have shown the applicability of the problem-posing model to the practice of the health professional, allowing transformation.

A mixed-methods study of interprofessional learning of resuscitation skills.

PubMed

Bradley, Paul; Cooper, Simon; Duncan, Fiona

2009-09-01

This study aimed to identify the effects of interprofessional resuscitation skills teaching on medical and nursing students' attitudes, leadership, team-working and performance skills. Year 2 medical and nursing students learned resuscitation skills in uniprofessional or interprofessional settings, prior to undergoing observational ratings of video-recorded leadership, teamwork and skills performance and subsequent focus group interviews. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was administered pre- and post-intervention and again 3-4 months later. There was no significant difference between interprofessional and uniprofessional teams for leadership, team dynamics or resuscitation tasks performance. Gender, previous interprofessional learning experience, professional background and previous leadership experience had no significant effect. Interview analysis showed broad support for interprofessional education (IPE) matched to clinical reality with perceived benefits for teamwork, communication and improved understanding of roles and perspectives. Concerns included inappropriate role adoption, hierarchy issues, professional identity and the timing of IPE episodes. The RIPLS subscales for professional identity and team-working increased significantly post-intervention for interprofessional groups but returned to pre-test levels by 3-4 months. However, interviews showed interprofessional groups retained a 'residual positivity' towards IPE, more so than uniprofessional groups. An intervention based on common, relevant, shared learning outcomes set in a realistic educational context can work with students who have differing levels of previous IPE and skills training experience. Qualitatively, positive attitudes outlast quantitative changes measured using the RIPLS. Further quantitative and qualitative work is required to examine other domains of learning, the timing of interventions and impact on attitudes towards IPE.

What students learn about professionalism from faculty stories: an "appreciative inquiry" approach.

PubMed

Quaintance, Jennifer L; Arnold, Louise; Thompson, George S

2010-01-01

To develop a method for teaching professionalism by enabling students and faculty members to share positive examples of professionalism in a comfortable environment that reflects the authentic experiences of physicians. Medical educators struggle with the teaching of professionalism. Professionalism definitions can guide what they teach, but they must also consider how they teach it, and constructs such as explicit role modeling, situated learning, and appreciative inquiry provide appropriate models. The project consisted of students interviewing faculty members about their experiences with professionalism and then reflecting on and writing about the teachers' stories. In 2004, 62 students interviewed 33 faculty members, and 193 students observed the interviews. Using a project Web site, 36 students wrote 132 narratives based on the faculty's stories, and each student offered his or her reflections on one narrative. The authors analyzed the content of the narratives and reflections via an iterative process of independent coding and discussion to resolve disagreements. Results showed that the narratives were rich and generally positive; they illustrated a broad range of the principles contained in many definitions of professionalism: humanism, accountability, altruism, and excellence. The students' reflections demonstrated awareness of the same major principles of professionalism that the faculty conveyed. The reflections served to spark new ideas about professionalism, reinforce the values of professionalism, deepen students' relationships with the faculty, and heighten students' commitment to behaving professionally. Narrative storytelling, as a variant of appreciative inquiry, seems to be effective in deepening students' understanding and appreciation of professionalism.

Teaching in the Field: What Teacher Professional Life Histories Tell About How They Learn to Teach in the Outdoor Learning Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feille, Kelly K.

2017-06-01

This research investigates the professional life histories of upper elementary science teachers who were identified as effective both within the classroom and in the outdoor learning environment (OLE). The narratives of five teachers, collected through semistructured and open-ended interviews, provided the data for the study. Professional life histories were constructed for each teacher participant and an analysis of the teacher narratives identified the themes of teacher development across the voices of the participants. Narrative reasoning was used to unify those themes into a hypothetical professional life history as reported in this manuscript. Implications of this research can be realized for stakeholders in the preparation of pre-service teachers as well as the development of in-service teachers. Future research regarding the early induction years of new teachers, impacts of inclusion of the OLE in pre-service teacher instruction, and teacher experiences regarding professional development relating to efforts to include the OLE in formal education should be investigated.

Nursing students experiences of learning about nursing through drama.

PubMed

Arveklev, Susanna H; Berg, Linda; Wigert, Helena; Morrison-Helme, Morag; Lepp, Margret

2018-01-01

The ability to understand, interact and create a caring relationship with the patient is a core component in nursing. A shift in nursing education from traditional classroom teaching towards more experiential approaches should be encouraged as this will support learning that links theory with practice. The aim of this study was to describe nursing students' experiences of learning about nursing through drama. This qualitative study was conducted at a university in Sweden. Four focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 16 nursing students and the data was analyzed using a phenomenographic approach. Three themes with their attendant categories emerged through the analysis: "To explore the future professional self", "To develop an understanding of the patient perspective", and "To reflect on the nature of learning". In conclusion this study shows that the use of drama in nursing education can provide opportunities to explore interactions with others which can increase students' self-awareness and ability to reflect on their future professional identity. Acting in role as a patient can provide an opportunity to experience the patient perspective. Also clear was the importance of commitment and engagement of the students as a prerequisite for optimizing this form of learning experience through drama. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reflections on Government Service Rotations by an Academic Health Education Professional.

PubMed

Green, Lawrence W

2016-02-01

This reflection is on a health education professional's rotation from professor in a school of public health to a government position and back parallels that of Professor Howard Koh's journey to Assistant Secretary of Health, one level higher in the same federal bureaucracy. We both acknowledge the steep learning curve and some bureaucratic hassles and mazes that can attend government service, but similarly conclude that ". . . it was worth it." In this personalized case, I weigh some of the specific learning experiences and challenges I faced while in the government against the needs of the field of health promotion for more such revolving-door experiences among academic public health professionals. From my argument that to get more evidence-based practice we need more practice-based evidence, I conclude that more experience in practice among those returning to academia will render their teaching and research more relevant to the needs for evidence in policy and practice. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

Learning from fellow engineering students who have current professional experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, John W.; Rutherford, Ursula

2012-08-01

This paper presents an investigation of how experience-led content in an engineering degree can be strengthened by creating opportunities for engineering students to benefit from the knowledge, skills and resources of students with current professional experience. Students who study civil engineering part-time at Coventry University (while also working in the industry) are being used as mentors for full-time students, and careful attention is being paid to the input they can make to group project work. This paper reviews the results of evaluations of these two initiatives. The clearest enhancement to learning provided by the part-time students in these settings is the access they provide for the full-time students to real examples and the provision of actual physical artefacts such as drawings, photos, example documents and templates. Full-time students also gain an awareness of the value of the professional skills. The study confirms the value of these initiatives and points to future improvements.

Teachers' Professional Development in Schools: Rhetoric versus Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gemeda, Fekede Tuli; Fiorucci, Massimiliano; Catarci, Marco

2014-01-01

Across the country of Ethiopia, a centrally planned and prescribed professional development programme was implemented in schools, with the intention of enhancing teachers' knowledge, skills and disposition, thereby improving student learning and achievement. This article explores and describes the lived experiences of teachers involved in…

Reflecting on Reflection: A Case Study of One Teacher's Early-Career Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Attard, Karl; Armour, Kathleen

2006-01-01

Background: It is widely claimed that critical reflection upon experience is a valuable process in which all teachers should engage in order to improve their professional practice. Assumptions are made about the benefits of reflection both for the teacher as person and professional; however, there is a lack of in-depth research on the reflective…

Crafting an Argument in Steps: A Writing Process Model for Graduate and Professional Students with LD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kallestinova, Elena

2017-01-01

The paper discusses argument pedagogy for graduate and professional students with learning disabilities (LD) in the context of academic writing. To understand the nature and types of writing problems that graduate and professional students with LD experience, the author presents results of a university-wide survey with the students who did and did…

Information Technology Policies and Procedures against Unstructured Data: A Phenomenological Study of Information Technology Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tirgari, Vesal

2010-01-01

The phenomenological study explored the lived experiences and perceptions of a purposive sample of 20 IT professionals (managers, engineers, administrators, and analysts) in the state of Virginia, Texas, and Washington DC. The focus of this research study was to learn the perceptions of IT professionals who are or once were in a decision-making…

Students' experiences of learning manual clinical skills through simulation.

PubMed

Johannesson, Eva; Silén, Charlotte; Kvist, Joanna; Hult, Håkan

2013-03-01

Learning manual skills is a fundamental part of health care education, and motor, sensory and cognitive learning processes are essential aspects of professional development. Simulator training has been shown to enhance factors that facilitate motor and cognitive learning. The present study aimed to investigate the students' experiences and thoughts about their learning through simulation skills training. The study was designed for an educational setting at a clinical skills centre. Ten third-year undergraduate nursing students performed urethral catheterisation, using the virtual reality simulator UrecathVision™, which has haptic properties. The students practised in pairs. Each session was videotaped and the video was used to stimulate recall in subsequent interviews. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The analysis from interviews resulted in three themes: what the students learn, how the students learn, and the simulator's contribution to the students' learning. Students learned manual skills, how to perform the procedure, and professional behaviour. They learned by preparing, watching, practising and reflecting. The simulator contributed by providing opportunities for students to prepare for the skills training, to see anatomical structures, to feel resistance, and to become aware of their own performance ability. The findings show that the students related the task to previous experiences, used sensory information, tested themselves and practised techniques in a hands-on fashion, and reflected in and on action. The simulator was seen as a facilitator to learning the manual skills. The study design, with students working in pairs combined with video recording, was found to enhance opportunities for reflection.

A longitudinal study of health professional students' attitudes towards interprofessional education at an American university.

PubMed

Wong, Risa Liang; Fahs, Deborah Bain; Talwalkar, Jaideep S; Colson, Eve R; Desai, Mayur M; Kayingo, Gerald; Balanda, Matthew; Luczak, Anthony G; Rosenthal, Marjorie S

2016-01-01

Efforts to improve interprofessional education (IPE) are informed by attitudes of health professional students, yet there are limited US data on student characteristics and experiences associated with positive attitudes towards IPE. A cohort of US medical, nursing, and physician associate students was surveyed in their first and third years, using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale and Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale. Information was also collected on demographics and experiences during training. Health professional students differed in their attitudes towards IPE; characteristics associated with having more positive attitudes at both time points included being a nursing student, female, older, and having more previous healthcare experience. Students who participated in interprofessional extracurricular activities (particularly patient-based activities) during training reported more positive attitudes in the third year than those who did not participate in such activities. Based on these findings, schools may consider how student characteristics and participation in interprofessional extracurricular activities can affect attitudes regarding IPE. Building on the positive elements of this interprofessional extracurricular experience, schools may also want to consider service-learning models of IPE where students work together on shared goals.

Working better together: joint leadership development for doctors and managers.

PubMed

Kelly, Nicola

2014-01-01

Traditionally, there have been tensions between frontline healthcare professionals and managers, with well-known stereotypes of difficult consultants and pen-pushing managers. Many junior doctors have limited management experience and have often never even met a manager prior to taking on a consultant role. Based on a successful programme pioneered by Dr Robert Klaber (Imperial, London) we have set-up an innovative scheme for Birmingham Children's Hospital, pairing junior doctors and managers to learn and work together. Our aim was to cultivate positive attitudes and understanding between the two groups, break down inter-professional barriers, and to provide practical leadership experience and education. We recruited 60 managers and doctors to participate in shadowing, conversation, and quality improvement projects. Thought-provoking online materials, blogs, socials, and popular monthly workshops consisting of patient-focused debate and discussion around key leadership themes, have helped to support learning and cement shared values. Formal evaluation has demonstrated an improvement in how participants perceive their knowledge and ability based on key NHS Leadership Framework competencies. Participant feedback has been extremely positive, and everyone plans to continue to incorporate Paired Learning into their continuing professional development. We are now embedding Paired Learning in the on-going educational programme offered at Birmingham Children's Hospital, whilst looking at extending the scheme to include different professional groups and other trusts across the region and nationally.

Medical students' professionalism narratives: a window on the informal and hidden curriculum.

PubMed

Karnieli-Miller, Orit; Vu, T Robert; Holtman, Matthew C; Clyman, Stephen G; Inui, Thomas S

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to use medical students' critical incident narratives to deepen understanding of the informal and hidden curricula. The authors conducted a thematic analysis of 272 stories of events recorded by 135 third-year medical students that "taught them something about professionalism and professional values." Students wrote these narratives in a "professionalism journal" during their internal medicine clerkships at Indiana University School of Medicine, June through November 2007. The majority of students' recorded experiences involved witnessing positive embodiment of professional values, rather than breaches. Attending physicians and residents were the central figures in the incidents. Analyses revealed two main thematic categories. The first focused on medical-clinical interactions, especially on persons who were role models interacting with patients, families, coworkers, and colleagues. The second focused on events in the teaching-and-learning environment, particularly on students' experiences as learners in the clinical setting. The findings strongly suggest that students' reflective narratives are a rich source of information about the elements of both the informal and hidden curricula, in which medical students learn to become physicians. Experiences with both positive and negative behaviors shaped the students' perceptions of the profession and its values. In particular, interactions that manifest respect and other qualities of good communication with patients, families, and colleagues taught powerfully.

Professional learning opportunities from uncovering cover stories of science and science teaching for a scientist-in-transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritchie, Stephen M.; Kidman, Gillian; Vaughan, Tanya

2007-01-01

Members of particular communities produce and reproduce cultural practices. This is an important consideration for those teacher educators who need to prepare appropriate learning experiences and programs for scientists, as they attempt to change careers to science teaching. We know little about the transition of career-changing scientists as they encounter different contexts and professional cultures, and how their changing identities might impact on their teaching practices. In this narrative inquiry of the stories told by and shared between career-changing scientists in a teacher-preparation program, we identify cover stories of science and teaching. More importantly, we show how uncovering these stories became opportunities for one of these scientists to learn about what sorts of stories of science she tells or should tell in science classrooms and how these stories might impact on her identities as a scientist-teacher in transition. We highlight self-identified contradictions and treat these as resources for further professional learning. Suggestions for improving the teacher-education experiences of scientist-teachers are made. In particular, teacher educators might consider the merits of creating opportunities for career-changing scientists to share their stories and for these stories to be retold for different audiences.

Early clinical experience: do students learn what we expect?

PubMed

Helmich, Esther; Bolhuis, Sanneke; Laan, Roland; Koopmans, Raymond

2011-07-01

Early clinical experience is thought to contribute to the professional development of medical students, but little is known about the kind of learning processes that actually take place. Learning in practice is highly informal and may be difficult to direct by predefined learning outcomes. Learning in medical practice includes a socialisation process in which some learning outcomes may be valued, but others neglected or discouraged. This study describes students' learning goals (prior to a Year 1 nursing attachment) and learning outcomes (after the attachment) in relation to institutional educational goals, and evaluates associations between learning outcomes, student characteristics and place of attachment. A questionnaire containing open-ended questions about learning goals and learning outcomes was administered to all Year 1 medical students (n = 347) before and directly after a 4-week nursing attachment in either a hospital or a nursing home. Two confirmatory focus group interviews were conducted and data were analysed using qualitative and quantitative content analyses. Students' learning goals corresponded with educational goals with a main emphasis on communication and empathy. Other learning goals included gaining insight into the organisation of health care and learning to deal with emotions. Self-reported learning outcomes were the same, but students additionally mentioned reflection on professional behaviour and their own future development. Women and younger students mentioned communication and empathy more often than men and older students. Individual learning goals, with the exception of communicating and empathising with patients, did not predict learning outcomes. Students' learning goals closely match educational goals, which are adequately met in early nursing attachments in both hospitals and nursing homes. Learning to deal with emotions was under-represented as a learning goal and learning outcome, which may indicate that emotional aspects of medical students' professional development are neglected in the first year of medical education. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

Learning Experiences and Practices of Elementary Teacher Candidates on the Use of Emerging Technology: A Grounded Theory Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahng, EunJin; Lee, Mimi

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to understand the phenomenon of the "professional journey" of elementary teacher candidates (ETC) both as learners and as teachers by exploring their learning experiences and practices regarding the virtual reality (VR) platform called Second Life (SL). Using the grounded theory approach, we designed an…

Poetic Transcription with a Twist: An Approach to Reflective Practice through Connection, Collaboration and Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smart, Fiona

2017-01-01

Learning from experience is integral to professional development, with the processes by which it is expected and enabled, varying depending on context and discipline. There is general consensus that it does not just happen. Rather learning from experience is a deliberate act. In higher education, much attention is given to reflective practice and…

Student perception of travel service learning experience in Morocco.

PubMed

Puri, Aditi; Kaddoura, Mahmoud; Dominick, Christine

2013-08-01

This study explores the perceptions of health profession students participating in academic service learning in Morocco with respect to adapting health care practices to cultural diversity. Authors utilized semi-structured, open-ended interviews to explore the perceptions of health profession students. Nine dental hygiene and nursing students who traveled to Morocco to provide oral and general health services were interviewed. After interviews were recorded, they were transcribed verbatim to ascertain descriptive validity and to generate inductive and deductive codes that constitute the major themes of the data analysis. Thereafter, NVIVO 8 was used to rapidly determine the frequency of applied codes. The authors compared the codes and themes to establish interpretive validity. Codes and themes were initially determined independently by co-authors and applied to the data subsequently. The authors compared the applied codes to establish intra-rater reliability. International service learning experiences led to perceptions of growth as a health care provider among students. The application of knowledge and skills learned in academic programs and service learning settings were found to help in bridging the theory-practice gap. The specific experience enabled students to gain an understanding of diverse health care and cultural practices in Morocco. Students perceived that the experience gained in international service learning can heighten awareness of diverse cultural and health care practices to foster professional growth of health professionals.

An inter-institutional collaboration: transforming education through interprofessional simulations.

PubMed

King, Sharla; Drummond, Jane; Hughes, Ellen; Bookhalter, Sharon; Huffman, Dan; Ansell, Dawn

2013-09-01

An inter-institutional partnership of four post-secondary institutions and a health provider formed a learning community with the goal of developing, implementing and evaluating interprofessional learning experiences in simulation-based environments. The organization, education and educational research activities of the learning community align with the institutional and instructional reforms recommended by the Lancet Commission on Health Professional Education for the 21st century. This article provides an overview of the inter-institutional collaboration, including the interprofessional simulation learning experiences, instructor development activities and preliminary results from the evaluation.

Preceptors' Experience of Nursing Service-Learning Projects.

PubMed

Voss, Heather C

2016-03-01

Service-learning is a teaching-learning strategy in higher education that provides hands-on experiences in authentic clinical environments. Mutual decision making, shared goals, reciprocity, and tangible benefits to organizations and the people they serve are hallmarks of service-learning. However, the literature is sparse pertaining to preceptor experiences with service-learning projects, the extent of reciprocity, or the projects' impact on those who received the service. A small phenomenological study was conducted to better understand the experiences of four community-based health professionals who worked with nursing students on service-learning projects. Four themes emerged from face-to-face interviews and written reflections: (a) reciprocity among preceptor, clinical faculty, and student, (b) intentional planning and project clarity, (c) meaningful and authentic experience, and (d) valued and beneficial contributions that addressed a need. Insight gained from the experiences of the four preceptors in this study suggest that through careful planning and reciprocity, service-learning can have a positive impact on community-based organizations and the people they serve. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Theme: Innovative Curriculum Ideas and Practices in Agricultural Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agricultural Education Magazine, 2002

2002-01-01

Fourteen theme articles discuss the following: curriculum ideas and innovations in agricultural education, agricultural literacy, Supervised Agricultural Experience, active learning, locating agricultural education resources, distance and web-based instruction, principles of forest management, professional development, and service learning. (JOW)

E-Learning and Development: Lessons from Multi-Disciplinary Capacity Strengthening

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babu, Suresh Chandra

2014-01-01

This paper documents the experience and lessons from implementing an e-learning program aimed at creating multidisciplinary research capacity. It presents a case study of bringing together a multidisciplinary group of professionals on-line to learn the skills needed to be a successful researcher in the context of HIV/AIDS and food security…

Creating Meaning from Collaboration to Implement RtI for At-Risk Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diakakis, Julia Ann

2014-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study based on Danielson's (2002) assertion that when teachers learn, student achievement improves was to examine how teachers created a collaborative learning experience through Professional Learning Community (PLC) concepts to implement Response to Intervention (RtI) with at-risk students. The…

Use of Uncertainty Reduction and Narrative Paradigm Theories in Management Consulting and Teaching: Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Randolph T.; Gower, Kim

2009-01-01

Teaching business communication while performing professional business consulting is the perfect learning match. The bizarre but true stories from the consulting world provide excellent analogies for classroom learning, and feedback from students about the consulting experiences reaffirms the power of using stories for teaching. When discussing…

Developing Schools as Professional Learning Communities: The TL21 Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Anthony; Smith, Gregory

2010-01-01

Over the last 2 decades, Irish schooling and society have gone through a period of significant structural and policy-driven change. To meet the emerging needs of the knowledge/learning society, schools and teachers are challenged to develop their capacities as "active learning communities". This places greater demands on teachers and…

Unstated and Unjust: Juggling Relational Requirements of Professional Experience for Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckworth, Jenny

2017-01-01

Overarching tasks faced by initial teacher education (ITE) students comprise a multitude of factors, not least learning to marry theoretical learning with practical application. Part of this learning is the gradual construction of relationships with learners and colleagues. Another, less exposed, challenge arises from a disparity of outlook that…

Learning, Experienced Emotions, Relationships and Innovation in HRD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Valerie; Gilmore, Sarah

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the introduction of a new experience-based learning process in the learning and teaching of human resource development (HRD) within a professionally accredited curriculum in a UK University. Design/methodology/approach: An action enquiry approach is taken, and qualitative data gathered over a full academic year…

Developing Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning: The American Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elias, Maurice J.; Moceri, Dominic C.

2012-01-01

Developments in American policy, research and professional development to promote social and emotional learning in schools have drawn on work carried out by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), encouraged by the popular and political catalyst of Daniel Goleman's work on emotional intelligence. Based on CASEL's…

Connect the Dots: A Dedicated System for Learning Links Teacher Teams to Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ermeling, Bradley A.

2012-01-01

Establishing school-based professional learning appears so simple and straightforward during inspiring presentations at summer workshops, but keeping collaborative work focused on teaching and learning in such a way that it produces consistent results is a highly underestimated task. Investigations and experience from a group of researchers at the…

What Do Teachers Do When They Say They Are Doing Learning Rounds? Scotland's Experience of Instructional Rounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philpott, Carey; Oates, Catriona

2015-01-01

This paper reports on research into the practice of learning rounds in Scotland. Learning rounds are a form of collaborative professional development for teachers based on the instructional rounds practice developed in the USA. In recent years learning rounds have gained high profile official support within education in Scotland. The research…

Experience, Trajectories, and Reifications: An Emerging Framework of Practice-Based Learning in Healthcare Workplaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teunissen, Pim W.

2015-01-01

Learning by working is omnipresent in healthcare education. It enables people to learn how to perform, think, and interact in ways that work for their specific context. In this paper, I review my approach to studying this process. It centers on the question why healthcare professionals do what they do and how their actions and learning are…

Partners with Clinical Practice: Evaluating the Student and Staff Experiences of On-Line Continuing Professional Development for Qualified Nephrology Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurst, Judith; Quinsee, Susannah

2005-01-01

The inclusion of online learning technologies into the higher education (HE) curriculum is frequently associated with the design and development of new models of learning. One could argue that e-learning even demands a reconfiguration of traditional methods of learning and teaching. However, this transformation in pedagogic methodology does not…

Information technology in health professional education: why IT matters.

PubMed

Haigh, Jackie

2004-10-01

This paper analyses the potential of information technology (IT) to transform the process of learning in higher education, particularly health professional education. It is argued that IT, although very much part of the infrastructure of the modern university has yet to make its full impact on teaching and learning processes. The expectations of students and demands for improved flexibility and access make it inevitable that IT will become an integral part of teaching and learning despite inherent resistance to change. The potential benefits of IT are identified as: transmission of high quality content, support of life-long learning, flexibility of access and enhanced opportunities for communication. These concepts are explored in the context of health professional education. It is argued that universities cannot survive without harnessing the power of IT to improve the educational experience of students but lecturers should ensure that this is underpinned by sound educational theory.

Translating Current Science into Materials for High School via a Scientist-Teacher Partnership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Julie C.; Bokor, Julie R.; Crippen, Kent J.; Koroly, Mary Jo

2014-04-01

Scientist-teacher partnerships are a unique form of professional development that can assist teachers in translating current science into classroom instruction by involving them in meaningful collaborations with university researchers. However, few reported models aim to directly alter science teachers' practices by supporting them in the development of curriculum materials. This article reports on a multiple case study of seven high school science teachers who attended an ongoing scientist-teacher partnership professional development program at a major Southeastern research university. Our interest was to understand the capacity of this professional development program for supporting teachers in the transfer of personal learning experiences with advanced science content and skills into curriculum materials for high school students. Findings indicate that, regardless of their ultimate success constructing curriculum materials, all cases considered the research grounded professional development supports beneficial to their professional growth with the exception of collective participation. Additionally, the cases also described how supports such as professional recognition and transferability served as affordances to the process of constructing these materials. However, teachers identified multiple constraints, including personal learning barriers, their classroom context, and the cost associated with implementing some of their curriculum ideas. Results have direct implications for future research and the purposeful design of professional development experiences through scientist-teacher partnerships.

"I Saw it in a Different Light": International Learning Experiences in Baccalaureate Nursing Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Linda V.; DeJoseph, Jeanne

2003-01-01

Ten nursing students and two faculty mentors participated in an immersion experience in Guatemala. Themes from interviews included the experience of being "other," growth as a professional nurse, and expansion of world views. (Contains 16 references.) (SK)

Not Just for CTE Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reese, Susan

2005-01-01

Connecting education and careers through professional development experiences can benefit academic teachers as well as career tech teachers. At the Upper Rio Grande College Tech-Prep Youth Consortium in El Paso, Texas, there is a professional development program that helps academic teachers see the connection between learning and earning. A…

Connecting Changes in Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge to Their Experiences in a Professional Development Workshop

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boston, Melissa D.

2013-01-01

This investigation describes secondary mathematics teachers' learning and instructional change following their participation in a professional development workshop, the Enhancing Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation Project (ESP) (2004-2005), specifically focused on the selection and implementation of cognitively challenging mathematical…

Expansive learning in the university setting: the case for simulated clinical experience.

PubMed

Haigh, Jacquelyn

2007-03-01

This paper argues that simulated practice in the university setting is not just a second best to learning in the clinical area but one which offers the potential for deliberation and deep learning [Eraut, M., 2000. Non-formal learning, implicit learning and tacit knowledge in professional work. Journal of Educational Psychology, 70, 113-136]. The context of student learning in an undergraduate midwifery programme is analysed using human activity theory [Engeström, Y., 2001. Expansive learning at work: toward an activity theoretical reconceptualization. Journal of Education and Work, 14, 133-156]. The advantages of this approach to student learning as opposed to situated learning theory and the concept of legitimate peripheral participation [Lave, J., Wenger, E., 1991. Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge University Press, New York] are discussed. An activity system changes as a result of contradictions and tensions between what it purports to produce and the views of stakeholders (multi-voicedness) as well as its historical context (Historicity of activity). A focus group with students highlights their expressed need for more simulated practice experience. The views of midwifery lecturers are sought as an alternative voice on this tension in the current programme. Qualitative differences in types of simulated experience are explored and concerns about resources are raised in the analysis. Discussion considers the value of well planned simulations in encouraging the expression of tacit understanding through a group deliberative learning process [Eraut, M., 2000. Non-formal learning, implicit learning and tacit knowledge in professional work. Journal of Educational Psychology, 70, 113-136].

How Mentor Identity Evolves: Findings From a 10-Year Follow-Up Study of a National Professional Development Program.

PubMed

Balmer, Dorene F; Darden, Alix; Chandran, Latha; D'Alessandro, Donna; Gusic, Maryellen E

2018-02-20

Despite academic medicine's endorsement of professional development and mentoring, little is known about what junior faculty learn about mentoring in the implicit curriculum of professional development programs, and how their mentor identity evolves in this context. The authors explored what faculty-participants in the Educational Scholars Program implicitly learned about mentoring and how the implicit curriculum affected mentor identity transformation. Semi-structured interviews with 19 of 36 former faculty-participants were conducted in 2016. Consistent with constructivist grounded theory, data collection and analysis overlapped. The authors created initial codes informed by Ibarra's model for identity transformation, iteratively revised codes based on patterns in incoming data, and created visual representations of relationships amongst codes in order to gain a holistic and shared understanding of the data. In the implicit curriculum, faculty-participants learned the importance of having multiple mentors, the value of peer mentors, and the incremental process of becoming a mentor. The authors used Ibarra's model to understand how the implicit curriculum worked to transform mentor identity: faculty-participants reported observing mentors, experimenting with different ways to mentor and to be a mentor, and evaluating themselves as mentors. The Educational Scholars Program's implicit curriculum facilitated faculty-participants taking on a mentor identity via opportunities it afforded to watch mentors, experiment with mentoring, and evaluate self as mentor, key ingredients for professional identity construction. Leaders of professional development programs can develop faculty as mentors by capitalizing on what faculty-participants learn in the implicit curriculum and deliberately structuring post-graduation mentoring opportunities.

Trying on the professional self: nursing students' perceptions of learning about roles, identity and teamwork in an interprofessional clinical placement.

PubMed

Hood, Kerry; Cant, Robyn; Leech, Michelle; Baulch, Julie; Gilbee, Alana

2014-05-01

This study aims to describe how senior nursing students viewed the clinical learning environment and matured their professional identity through interprofessional learning in a student-led hospital 'ward'. Undergraduate nursing and medical student teams participated in a trial of ward-based interprofessional clinical learning, managing patients over 2 weeks in a rehabilitation ward. Qualitative and quantitative program evaluation was conducted using exit student focus groups and a satisfaction survey. Twenty-three nursing and medical students in three placement rounds provided positive feedback. Five main themes emerged describing their engagement in 'trying on' a professional role: 'experiencing independence and autonomy'; 'seeing clearly what nursing's all about'; 'altered images of other professions'; 'ways of communicating and collaborating' and 'becoming a functioning team'. Ward-based interprofessional clinical placements offer senior students authentic ideal clinical experiences. We consider this essential learning for future interprofessional collaboration which should be included in senior nursing students' education. © 2014.

Cooperative Learning through Team-Based Projects in the Biotechnology Industry †

PubMed Central

Luginbuhl, Sarah C.; Hamilton, Paul T.

2013-01-01

We have developed a cooperative-learning, case studies project model that has teams of students working with biotechnology professionals on company-specific problems. These semester-long, team-based projects can be used effectively to provide students with valuable skills in an industry environment and experience addressing real issues faced by biotechnology companies. Using peer-evaluations, we have seen improvement in students’ professional skills such as time-management, quality of work, and level of contribution over multiple semesters. This model of team-based, industry-sponsored projects could be implemented in other college and university courses/programs to promote professional skills and expose students to an industry setting. PMID:24358386

Cooperative Learning through Team-Based Projects in the Biotechnology Industry.

PubMed

Luginbuhl, Sarah C; Hamilton, Paul T

2013-01-01

We have developed a cooperative-learning, case studies project model that has teams of students working with biotechnology professionals on company-specific problems. These semester-long, team-based projects can be used effectively to provide students with valuable skills in an industry environment and experience addressing real issues faced by biotechnology companies. Using peer-evaluations, we have seen improvement in students' professional skills such as time-management, quality of work, and level of contribution over multiple semesters. This model of team-based, industry-sponsored projects could be implemented in other college and university courses/programs to promote professional skills and expose students to an industry setting.

Teacher Work Environments Are Toddler Learning Environments: Teacher Professional Well-Being, Classroom Emotional Support, and Toddlers' Emotional Expressions and Behaviours

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassidy, Deborah J.; King, Elizabeth K.; Wang, Yudan C.; Lower, Joanna K.; Kintner-Duffy, Victoria L.

2017-01-01

The current study examines the professional well-being of teachers, the classroom emotional support, and the emotional experiences of toddlers in their care. Professional well-being of teachers is conceptualized to include teacher feelings about their work, autonomy in decision-making, actual wages, and perceptions of fairness of wages within the…

Interdisciplinary rural immersion week.

PubMed

Deutchman, Mark E; Nearing, Kathryn; Baumgarten, Brenda; Westfall, John M

2012-01-01

Health professions students interested in future rural practice locations spend a week learning about and investigating all aspects of small town personal, professional and community life. This augments the mainly clinical experience provided by clinical rotations they complete as part of their professional academic training program. Students from professional programs in medicine, physician assistant, pharmacy, nursing, public health and psychology travel to a small community, receive an orientation and in small interprofessional groups investigate health care, education, government, law enforcement, public health, economy and natural resources. Participants report that the experience raises their interest in future rural practice, answers questions they have about rural life and enhances their understanding of the issues they must learn more about before making a career location choice. The interdisciplinary rural immersion program provides students with the time, structure and permission to move out of their clinical 'comfort zone' and think about the cultural, economic and environmental aspects of rural life and work.

Perceptions and experiences of nursing students enrolled in a palliative and end-of-life nursing elective: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Hold, Judith L; Blake, Barbara J; Ward, Elizabeth N

2015-06-01

The Carnegie Foundation has identified three professional apprenticeships in nursing that are key to helping students acquire a professional identity. These apprenticeships integrate knowledge acquisition (cognitive apprenticeship), practical experience (practical apprenticeship), and an ethical identity (ethical comportment) for guiding conduct. To ensure that patients have a good death, it is important that faculty incorporate diverse teaching strategies from all three apprenticeships into palliative and end-of life nursing education. The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions and experiences of nursing students enrolled in a palliative and end-of-life nursing elective that was developed and implemented using the three professional apprenticeships. A qualitative research design was used to obtain data from students who completed the palliative and end-of-life nursing elective. The study was implemented at a state supported baccalaureate nursing program located in the south eastern United States. A purposive sample of 19 students who had completed the palliative and end-of-life nursing elective was included in the study. After completing the course, focus groups were conducted with the student participants. Discussion was guided by questions to elicit which experiences were most helpful to student learning. Thematic analysis of the data was conducted by three researchers. Three themes reflecting the apprenticeships were identified: learning from stories, learning from being there, and learning from caring. Students' understandings about end-of-life care were enhanced by incorporating teaching strategies addressing the apprenticeships. In end-of-life nursing education, teaching strategies must provide meaningful connections between the student, course content, practical experience, and the dying patient. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Students Should Seek Professional Internships to Learn the Power of Collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamalavage, Anne

2014-04-01

After graduation, many undergraduates feel pressure to jump immediately into graduate school or to land a job. That path keeps students from pursuing an internship or temporary position in something that might provide authentic and useful professional experience that would help establish a desirable career.

CSPAP Professional Preparation and Research Initiatives at the University of South Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, Collin

2017-01-01

Several comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) professional preparation and research initiatives are underway in the Department of Physical Education and Athletic Training at the University of South Carolina. The CSPAP learning experiences have been mostly integrated into existing courses to help candidates in physical education…

Using Workplace Changes as Learning Opportunities: Antecedents to Reflection in Professional Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hetzner, Stefanie; Heid, Helmut; Gruber, Hans

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to contribute to an understanding of how individual characteristics and perceived contextual conditions shape reflection in professional work, particularly in workplaces that provide a variety of work experiences related to changes. The authors examine the effects of personal initiative, self-efficacy and perceived…

Negotiating a Team Identity through Collaborative Self-Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuval, Smadar; Barak, Judith; Gidron, Ariela

2011-01-01

This study presents our emerging understanding of the meaning of collaborative self-study as one of the mechanisms that facilitates effective, productive collaboration. Stemming from our experience of collaborative professional life over eight years, we explore the crisis we confronted as a professional learning community, the tensions underlying…

Developing a Postgraduate Work-Based Curriculum Using an Intervention Mapping Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Victoria; Campbell, Matthew; Wheeler, Amanda J.

2016-01-01

Advanced practitioner skill development has become an important focus in health service delivery as increasingly complex consumer needs, practice environments and national professional registration requirements impact on professional work practices. Increasingly, work-based or workplace learning experiences are being seen as an effective means for…

A Chinese Teacher's Perspective on Professional Development in Literacy Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Syed, Khalida Tanvir

2008-01-01

This paper presents the teaching and learning experiences of a Chinese literacy teacher in narrative form. The participant's story is presented in his own voice, as constructed from interview transcripts. Challenges and struggles faced by the participant include limited professional autonomy in a hierarchal school system, awareness of conflict…

Developing Intercultural Competence and Global Citizenship through International Experiences: Academics' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trede, Franziska; Bowles, Wendy; Bridges, Donna

2013-01-01

International education is a key priority for Australian universities, government and employer groups. For students, an international professional experience is uniquely placed in providing opportunities for developing intercultural learning, intercultural competence and global citizenship. Employers see graduates with international experiences as…

Attitudes of Mental Health Workers and Psychologists Regarding the Usefulness of Mediated Learning Experience as a Supplement to Multi Systemic Treatment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Posy, Yosef

This study compares the attitudes of two groups of professionals involved in adolescent drug and alcohol treatment regarding the usefulness of Mediated Learning Experience as a supplement to Multi Systemic Treatment (MST) for substance abuse. Fifteen social workers and 15 school psychologists completed a rating scale to record their opinions of…

Using Wenger's Social Theory of Learning to Examine University Teachers' Understanding of How Instructional Technology Affects Their Experience in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Laura L.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to take an exploratory look at how university teachers come to understand their experience in educational practice and their professional role as teachers who integrate instructional technology into their coursework using the framework provided by Wenger's Social Theory of Learning. University faculty who teach in a…

Two-Year Institution Part-Time Nurse Faculty Experiences During Role Transition and Identity Development: A Phenomenological Study.

PubMed

Owens, Rhoda A

This study explored two-year institution part-time nurse faculty's perceptions of their experiences during their role transitions from nurses in clinical practice to part-time clinical instructors. Part-time nurse faculty enter academia as expert clinicians, but most have little or no training in the pedagogy of effective student learning. A phenomenological study was used to explore the faculty role transition experiences. Findings support the proposition that six participants transitioned from their expert clinician to instructor identities; however, two continue in the process. Critical to this process are relationships with individuals in their environments, past and present experiences, the incentive to learn to be better instructors, and the importance of support and training. A model emerged, Process of Role Transition and Professional Identity Formation for Part-Time Clinical Instructors at Two-Year Institutions, that is potentially useful for administrators in developing individualized orientation and professional development programs.

Midwives׳ experiences of caring for women with learning disabilities - A qualitative study.

PubMed

Castell, Emma; Stenfert Kroese, Biza

2016-05-01

people with learning disabilities (LD) are increasingly likely to become parents and are entitled to have access to the right support to be able to be suitable parents. However, access to such support is affected by limited resources, attitudes towards people with LD becoming parents, and lack of training regarding caring for parents with learning disabilities for midwives. A learning disability (LD) is defined as a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence), reduced skills to cope independently with everyday life, has an impact on most areas of a person's life and the difficulties started in early childhood. Little research has explored health professionals' experiences of their support of people with LD during their journey to become parents. Midwives are often the first professionals pregnant women come into contact with and therefore are key professionals in the support system for parents with LD. The principle objective of the current research is to develop an understanding of midwives' experiences of caring for women with a LD. the study explored midwives׳ experiences of caring for women with LD using an Interpretative Phenomenological Approach (IPA). nine qualified midwives employed by a single NHS trust participated in the study. a semi-structured interview schedule was utilised during one-to-one interviews with the midwives. The interview transcripts were analysed using IPA stages. Four superordinate themes were identified. The midwives reported receiving a lack of LD training and faced significant time constraints, which left them feeling that they could not spend the necessary time with the women to meet their pregnancy needs. The midwives felt unsupported in their attempts to deliver adequate midwifery care, speaking about a lack of accessible support for pregnant women with LD. They were left feeling responsible to fill the gaps in service provision. The midwives were dedicated in delivering adequate care to help give women with LD a positive experience of childbearing. They felt a safeguarding process (child protection) was an inevitable part of women with LD's pregnancy experience yet were aware that the right support at the right time could improve parenting capacity. it is recommended that training on working with and providing services for people with LD is made available to qualified and student midwives as well as accessible resources, professional support and supervision. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Problem-solving approach in the training of healthcare professionals].

PubMed

Batista, Nildo; Batista, Sylvia Helena; Goldenberg, Paulete; Seiffert, Otília; Sonzogno, Maria Cecília

2005-04-01

To discuss the problem-solving approach in the training of healthcare professionals who would be able to act both in academic life and in educational practices in services and communities. This is an analytical description of an experience of problem-based learning in specialization-level training that was developed within a university-level healthcare education institution. The analysis focuses on three perspectives: course design, student-centered learning and the teacher's role. The problem-solving approach provided impetus to the learning experience for these postgraduate students. There was increased motivation, leadership development and teamworking. This was translated through their written work, seminars and portfolio preparation. The evaluation process for these experiences presupposes well-founded practices that express the views of the subjects involved: self-assessment and observer assessment. The impact of this methodology on teaching practices is that there is a need for greater knowledge of the educational theories behind the principles of significant learning, teachers as intermediaries and research as an educational axiom. The problem-solving approach is an innovative response to the challenges of training healthcare professionals. Its potential is recognized, while it is noted that educational innovations are characterized by causing ruptures in consolidated methods and by establishing different ways of responding to demands presented at specific moments. The critical problems were identified, while highlighting the risk of considering this approach to be a technical tool that is unconnected with the design of the teaching policy. Experiences and analyses based on the problem-solving assumptions need to be shared, thus enabling the production of knowledge that strengthens the transformation of educational practices within healthcare.

"I can do it": does confidence and perceived ability in learning new ICT skills predict pre-service health professionals' attitude towards engaging in e-healthcare?

PubMed

Lam, Mary K; Nguyen, Melanie; Lowe, Robyn; Nagarajan, Srivalli V; Lincoln, Michelle

2014-01-01

There are many factors affecting health professionals' willingness to engage in e-health. One of these factors is whether health professionals perceive themselves to be able to learn new skills, and have the confidence in mastering these new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills. This study examined how health students' confidence and perceived ability for learning new ICT skills affect their attitude towards engaging in e-health. A survey was conducted to explore students' attitude towards using e-health and their perceived self-efficacy and confidence to learn new ICT skills. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between confidence and self-efficacy, and attitude towards engaging in e-health controlling for participants' age, gender, and prior IT learning experience. The three scales measuring attitude, confidence and self-efficacy showed good internal consistency with respective Cronbach's Alpha scores of 0.835, 0.761 and 0.762. Multiple regression analysis showed a significant relationship between confidence, self-efficacy and prior IT learning experiences with attitude towards e-health after adjusting for the effect of each other (F3,350=17.20,p<0.001). Self-efficacy and confidence in learning new ICT skills together with previous ICT training either at or outside their university studies are significant factors associated with students' attitude towards using e-health. Enhancing students' level of self-efficacy in learning new ICT skills may be the key to the success of implementation of e-health initiatives.

The first year of practice: an investigation of the professional learning and development of promising novice physical therapists.

PubMed

Black, Lisa L; Jensen, Gail M; Mostrom, Elizabeth; Perkins, Jan; Ritzline, Pamela D; Hayward, Lorna; Blackmer, Betsy

2010-12-01

The goal in studying expertise is not merely to describe ways in which experts excel but also to understand how experts develop in order to better facilitate the development of novices. The study of novice progression helps us to understand what successful versus unsuccessful learning looks like. This understanding is critical, as autonomous practice places increased demands for advanced clinical judgments and the ability to assume professional responsibilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences, learning, and development of promising novice therapists throughout their first year of practice in the United States. A longitudinal, multiple-site qualitative case study method was used for within-case and across-case analysis. A purposive sample of 11 promising new graduates from 4 physical therapist education programs participated. Investigators followed the graduates throughout their first year of practice. Data sources included: (1) semistructured interviews conducted at baseline and every 3 months thereafter for 1 year, (2) reflective journals completed at regular intervals, and (3) review of academic and clinical education records and résumés. Four themes emerged: (1) the clinical environment influenced the novice physical therapists' performance, (2) participants learned through experience and social interaction and learning was primarily directed toward self, (3) growing confidence was directly related to developing communication skills, and (4) therapists were engaged in professional identity formation and role transitions. The findings suggest there are common experiences and themes that emerge as novice physical therapists develop. Although research has been conducted on expertise in physical therapy, few longitudinal investigations have explored the development of therapists across transitions from graduate to novice to expert practitioner. This study explored and described the learning and development of graduates during their first year of practice.

An evaluation of a science professional development model: Examining participants' learning and use of new knowledge and skills, organizational support and change, and student learning outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zender, Georgi Anne

The problem of this study was to determine in what ways science professional development would support kindergarten through sixth grade teachers in their implementation of a revised curriculum. The problem centered on evaluating the relationship between professional development involvement and teachers' learning and use of new knowledge and skills, organizational support and change, and student learning outcomes. Using data derived from survey responses and other sources (e.g., test scores, financial records, etc.), this study examined use of a science course of study, use of activities/experiments from workshops, use and adequacy of materials adoptions, administrative support, and achievement scores. This research was completed using an Ex Post Facto research design. Using the General Linear Model and causal-comparative analyses, thus study significantly concluded that teachers with a higher level of involvement in science professional development were more likely to use the revised course of study for lesson planning and to perceive materials adoptions as being adequate, and that districts that had participated in science professional development to revise curriculum showed more gains in student learning outcomes. Data on teachers' learning and use of new knowledge and skills implied that districts needed to continue to design teacher leadership situations that implement long-term professional development, build capacity for shared decision making, create a supportive environment for leaders, and incorporate assessments. Teacher leaders needed to actively engage in action research as a professional development strategy to promote reflection on their teaching and student learning. Data on organizational support and change implied that without logistical and financial support for teaching and learning in terms of hands-on materials, teachers would be unable to support future curriculum improvement efforts. Building principals needed to play a more active role in the implementation of curriculum. Data on student learning outcomes implied that both content knowledge and inquiry skills were critical bases for curriculum in terms of teacher efficacy and student achievement. Teachers needed to examine student work as a professional development strategy to also promote reflection on teaching and learning. Further research and professional development in the area of science assessment, in terms of scientific content and processes, was suggested.

Using personal narrative to deepen emotional awareness of practice.

PubMed

Edwards, Sharon L

2014-08-19

Storytelling is intrinsic to human beings, and stories can explain events, stances taken and actions engaged in. When experience is represented as story it can become more organised and be used for analysis, critique and learning. Experience is important in nursing, as it is in many other practice-based professions, and it can contribute much to nurses' learning. Through a process of sharing and engaging with the author's personal stories, this article encourages nurses to begin to organise their own experiences in story form for use in learning and as part of their personal and professional development.

How can experience in clinical and community settings contribute to early medical education? A BEME systematic review.

PubMed

Dornan, T; Littlewood, S; Margolis, S A; Scherpbier, A; Spencer, J; Ypinazar, V

2006-02-01

Review period January 1992-December 2001. Final analysis July 2004-January 2005. BACKGROUND AND REVIEW CONTEXT: There has been no rigorous systematic review of the outcomes of early exposure to clinical and community settings in medical education. OBJECTIVES OF REVIEW: Identify published empirical evidence of the effects of early experience in medical education, analyse it, and synthesize conclusions from it. Identify the strengths and limitations of the research effort to date, and identify objectives for future research. Ovid search of: BEI, ERIC, Medline, CINAHL and EMBASE Additional electronic searches of: Psychinfo, Timelit, EBM reviews, SIGLE, and the Cochrane databases. Hand-searches of:Medical Education, Medical Teacher, Academic Medicine, Teaching and Learning in Medicine, Advances in Health Sciences Education, Journal of Educational Psychology. Authentic (real as opposed to simulated) human contact in a social or clinical context that enhances learning of health, illness and/or disease, and the role of the health professional. Early: What would traditionally have been regarded as the preclinical phase, usually the first 2 years. Inclusions: All empirical studies (verifiable, observational data) of early experience in the basic education of health professionals, whatever their design or methodology, including papers not in English. Evidence from other health care professions that could be applied to medicine was included. Not empirical; not early; post-basic; simulated rather than 'authentic' experience. Careful validation of selection processes. Coding by two reviewers onto an extensively modified version of the standard BEME coding sheet. Accumulation into an Access database. Secondary coding and synthesis of an interpretation. A total of 73 studies met the selection criteria and yielded 277 educational outcomes; 116 of those outcomes (from 38 studies) were rated strong and important enough to include in a narrative synthesis of results; 76% of those outcomes were from descriptive studies and 24% from comparative studies. Early experience motivated and satisfied students of the health professions and helped them acclimatize to clinical environments, develop professionally, interact with patients with more confidence and less stress, develop self-reflection and appraisal skill, and develop a professional identity. It strengthened their learning and made it more real and relevant to clinical practice. It helped students learn about the structure and function of the healthcare system, and about preventive care and the role of health professionals. It supported the learning of both biomedical and behavioural/social sciences and helped students acquire communication and basic clinical skills. There were outcomes for beneficiaries other than students, including teachers, patients, populations, organizations and specialties. Early experience increased recruitment to primary care/rural medical practice, though mainly in US studies which introduced it for that specific purpose as part of a complex intervention. Early experience helps medical students socialize to their chosen profession. It helps them acquire a range of subject matter and makes their learning more real and relevant. It has potential benefits for other stakeholders, notably teachers and patients. It can influence career choices.

Translating research into practice: evaluation of an e-learning resource for health care professionals to provide nutrition advice and support for cancer survivors.

PubMed

Murphy, Jane; Worswick, Louise; Pulman, Andy; Ford, Grainne; Jeffery, Jaana

2015-01-01

Nurses and other allied health professionals are in a key position to provide appropriate and consistent advice on nutritional issues to support cancer survivors. However gaps in their nutrition knowledge and education warrant the need for enhanced learning as part of their Continued Professional Development (CPD). In the UK there are currently no formally recognised nutrition education programmes. Therefore e-learning offers a solution to provide flexible learning to target this need. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the efficacy of a freely available, internet-based learning resource, for nurses and allied health professionals who provide nutrition, diet and lifestyle advice for cancer survivors. It sought to explore the attitudes and conceptions of the resource and current knowledge base of those involved in the care pathway for cancer survivors. The design and development of the e-learning resource were informed by the best available research and policy evidence and in a format to facilitate on-line learning. A robust evaluation strategy incorporated focus groups and telephone interviews to gain in depth insights into the experiences of using the resource. Themes included 'Plugging a Gap' which shows an improved knowledge base for nutrition. Information was 'All in One Place' showing that the resource was valued as being within a 'trusted' organisation. 'Everyone Benefits' illustrates how learners felt that the resource provided them with an evidence base, whilst the 'Current and Live' theme captured how professionals felt about the information being up-to-date. The project has shown the benefits of interprofessional working to develop an e-learning resource for Health Care Professionals to support cancer survivors in following healthier lifestyles. Positive attitudes and potential improvements in the knowledge base and changes for professional practice were demonstrated. Further research is required to gauge sustained impact in the work environment by embedding the resource as part of CPD. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Evaluation of the professional process portfolio: an innovative tool to help develop and demonstrate leadership competency.

PubMed

Hastings, Elisabeth S; Chacko, Mariam R; Acosta, Amy B; Hergenroeder, Albert C; Wiemann, Constance M

2015-02-01

The professional process portfolio (PPP) was adopted by the Maternal Child and Health Bureau (MCHB) as an 'innovation' in best practice for all Leadership in Education and Adolescent Health (LEAH) Training Programs; however it had not been formally evaluated. Thus the objective was to evaluate the utility of the PPP for graduates of the LEAH training program in terms of (1) how alumni have used, adapted, and applied it since completing fellowship, (2) what fellows learned or gained through completing it, and (3) how it can be improved for continued use in training programs. Graduates from six disciplines were asked via telephone or email to participate in a survey regarding their experience with the PPP. Descriptive statistics were generated for demographic characteristics and closed-choice questions. Responses to open-ended questions were analyzed by a team of faculty using framework analysis. Sixty-one graduates completed surveys. The majority (85%) found the PPP useful and utilized it post-graduation for multiple purposes in professional development: interviewing, training, and referencing previous work. Graduates recommended that the PPP be improved by making it electronic, discipline-specific, and providing earlier and more frequent instruction from faculty on expectations of creating it. Four themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis: accomplishment, experiential learning, skills and accountability, and a best practice of learning. The PPP was an effective personal learning tool for the majority of graduates and enhanced graduates' experiences. We highlight the ways that the PPP may facilitate the development of learning experiences associated with MCH leadership competence.

What Teachers Don't Know and Why They Aren't Learning It: Addressing the Need for Content and Pedagogy in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moats, Louisa

2014-01-01

This article discusses the lingering problem of poor and inappropriate preparation of professional teachers of reading and learning disabilities--why it exists and what we can do about it. Because most students classified as having learning disabilities experience primary difficulties with language-based learning, teachers must know how to teach…

Learning and the Brain: How Administrators Can Improve Teacher Effectiveness through Instruction on How the Brain Learns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Judith

2004-01-01

Brain-based teaching and learning focuses on how the brain learns best, and emerging brain research is a significant resource, but only if one knows how to use it as such. Teachers have the professional training and classroom experience to know first hand where there are problems in educational practices, but most teachers haven't been taught…

Informal Learning and Transfer of Learning: How New Trade and Industrial Teachers Perceive Their Professional Growth and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Janet Zaleski

2008-01-01

This study is an examination of the extent to which new inservice trade and industrial (T&I) teachers, enrolled in an alternative certification program, engaged in formal learning through structured experiences and informal learning related to 25 core competencies at their school (work) site. The study also investigated the degree to which the new…

A Collaborative Diagonal Learning Network: The role of formal and informal professional development in elementary science reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooke-Nieves, Natasha Anika

Science education research has consistently shown that elementary teachers have a low self-efficacy and background knowledge to teach science. When they teach science, there is a lack of field experiences and inquiry-based instruction at the elementary level due to limited resources, both material and pedagogical. This study focused on an analysis of a professional development (PD) model designed by the author known as the Collaborative Diagonal Learning Network (CDLN). The purpose of this study was to examine elementary school teacher participants pedagogical content knowledge related to their experiences in a CDLN model. The CDLN model taught formal and informal instruction using a science coach and an informal educational institution. Another purpose for this research included a theoretical analysis of the CDLN model to see if its design enabled teachers to expand their resource knowledge of available science education materials. The four-month-long study used qualitative data obtained during an in-service professional development program facilitated by a science coach and educators from a large natural history museum. Using case study as the research design, four elementary school teachers were asked to evaluate the effectiveness of their science coach and museum educator workshop sessions. During the duration of this study, semi-structured individual/group interviews and open-ended pre/post PD questionnaires were used. Other data sources included researcher field notes from lesson observations, museum field trips, audio-recorded workshop sessions, email correspondence, and teacher-created artifacts. The data were analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Themes that emerged included increased self-efficacy; increased pedagogical content knowledge; increased knowledge of museum education resources and access; creation of a professional learning community; and increased knowledge of science notebooking. Implications for formal and informal professional development in elementary science reform are offered. It is suggested that researchers investigate collaborative coaching through the lenses of organizational learning network theory, and develop professional learning communities with formal and informal educators; and that professional developers in city school systems and informal science institutions work in concert to produce more effective elementary teachers who not only love science but love teaching it.

Peer Sharing Facilitates the Effect of Inquiry-Based Projects on Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Hui-Min; Behan, Kristina Jackson

2010-01-01

Authentic assessment exercises are similar to real-world tasks that would be expected by a professional. An authentic assessment in combination with an inquiry-based learning activity enhances students' learning and rehearses them for their future roles, whether as scientists or as informed citizens. Over a period of 2 years, we experimented with…

Internships: Perspectives on Experiential Learning. A Guide to Internship Management for Educators and Professionals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciofalo, Andrew, Ed.

The 31 papers in this book ar grouped into 5 sections, of which the first consists of an introductory essay by A. Ciofalo, "What Every Professor and Worksite Supervisor Should Know about Internships." Section 2, on learning from experience, contains "Perspectives on Learning in Internships" (D. T. Moore); "Integrating the Traditions of…

Creating an Optimal Language Learning Environment: A Focus on Family and Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Li-Rong Lilly

2009-01-01

Understanding the family systems and structures of our diverse populations is one of the most important tasks of professionals in education. Children learn from their family, school, and community. They learn from their experiences by observing, talking, and interacting with their environment. Parents play a pivotal role in the education of their…

"You Have Enough Problems Pop Up, You Start to Learn": Contradictions Encountered in Learning a New Job

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Joann S.; Kim, Junghwan; Hwang, Jihee

2017-01-01

This article explores the workplace learning experiences of professional staff at a small private college who changed jobs, primarily due to a departmental reorganization. In many cases, the emerging jobs were ill-defined, and participants found it challenging to be released from the responsibilities of their previous positions. A…

Exploring Scaffolding Modes in PjBL: A Professional Development Course to Promote In-Service Teachers' Technology Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ching-Huei

2017-01-01

This study investigated in-service teachers' learning experiences in a scaffolded project-based learning environment. The participants were fifty-five teachers enrolled in a graduate-level learning-by-doing design course. The participants subsequently responded to a survey on the effects of different modes of scaffolds and were interviewed with…

Connecting Learning: Brain-Based Strategies for Linking Prior Knowledge in the Library Media Center

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vanderbilt, Kathi L.

2005-01-01

The brain is a complex organ and learning is a complex process. While there is not complete agreement among researchers about brain-based learning and its direct connection to neuroscience, knowledge about the brain as well as the examination of cognitive psychology, anthropology, professional experience, and educational research can provide…

Conditions for Workplace Learning in Professional Work: Discrepancies between Occupational and Organisational Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parding, Karolina; Berg-Jansson, Anna

2018-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to examine and discuss learning conditions for teachers, in the context of choice and decentralisation reforms. Design/methodology/approach: This article is based on analyses of 30 interviews with Swedish upper secondary teachers focusing on their experiences of their conditions for learning. Findings: This paper shows how…

Examining the design features of a communication-rich, problem-centred mathematics professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Araujo, Zandra; Orrill, Chandra Hawley; Jacobson, Erik

2018-04-01

While there is considerable scholarship describing principles for effective professional development, there have been few attempts to examine these principles in practice. In this paper, we identify and examine the particular design features of a mathematics professional development experience provided for middle grades teachers over 14 weeks. The professional development was grounded in a set of mathematical tasks that each had one right answer, but multiple solution paths. The facilitator engaged participants in problem solving and encouraged participants to work collaboratively to explore different solution paths. Through analysis of this collaborative learning environment, we identified five design features for supporting teacher learning of important mathematics and pedagogy in a problem-solving setting. We discuss these design features in depth and illustrate them by presenting an elaborated example from the professional development. This study extends the existing guidance for the design of professional development by examining and operationalizing the relationships among research-based features of effective professional development and the enacted features of a particular design.

Voices from the heart: the use of digital story telling in education.

PubMed

Matthews, Jackie

2014-01-01

Digital storytelling has emerged as a powerful teaching and learning tool, which presents personal narratives, images and music to create a unique and sometimes emotional snapshot into another person's experience. By offering a platform for sharing and understanding such narratives, professionals may gain insight into a perceived experience and construct their role accordingly. Used effectively, they can engage the listener and offer opportunity to reflect and consider the impact of their professional role on the storyteller. This article looks at how digital storytelling can enhance professional practice and enable vulnerable voices to be heard.

The University of British Columbia model of interprofessional education.

PubMed

Charles, Grant; Bainbridge, Lesley; Gilbert, John

2010-01-01

The College of Health Disciplines, at the University of British Columbia (UBC) has a long history of developing interprofessional learning opportunities for students and practitioners. Historically, many of the courses and programmes were developed because they intuitively made sense or because certain streams of funding were available at particular times. While each of them fit generally within our understanding of interprofessional education in the health and human service education programs, they were not systematically developed within an educational or theoretical framework. This paper discusses the model we have subsequently developed at the College for conceptualizing the various types of interprofessional experiences offered at UBC. It has been developed so that we can offer the broadest range of courses and most effective learning experiences for our students. Our model is based on the premise that there are optimal learning times for health and human services students (and practitioners) depending upon their stage of development as professionals in their respective disciplines and their readiness to learn and develop new perspectives on professional interaction.

Cultural sensitivity or professional acculturation in early clinical experience?

PubMed

Whitford, David L; Hubail, Amal Redha

2014-11-01

This study aimed to explore the early clinical experience of medical students following the adaptation of an Early Patient Contact curriculum from a European culture in Ireland to an Arab culture in Bahrain. Medical students in Bahrain took part in an Early Patient Contact module modelled on a similar module from a partner medical school in Ireland. We used a qualitative approach employing thematic analysis of 54 student reflective logbooks. Particular attention was placed on reflections of cultural influences of experience in the course. Medical students undergoing this module received reported documented benefits of early clinical experience. However, students in Bahrain were exposed to cultural norms of the local Arab society including gender values, visiting the homes of strangers, language barriers and generous hospitality that led to additional challenges and learning for the medical students in acculturating to norms of the medical profession. Modules intended for curriculum adaptation between two cultures would be best served by a group of "core" learning outcomes with "secondary" outcomes culturally appropriate to each site. Within the context of the Arab culture, early clinical experience has the added benefit of allowing students to learn about both local and professional cultural norms, thereby facilitating integration of these two cultures.

Experiences of leaders in the implementation of Lean in a teaching hospital—barriers and facilitators in clinical practices: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Aij, Kjeld Harald; Simons, Frederique Elisabeth; Widdershoven, Guy A M; Visse, Merel

2013-01-01

Objectives To date, experiences of leaders in the implementation of Lean after a Lean Training Programme have not been systematically investigated within teaching hospitals. Existing studies have identified barriers and facilitators only from an improvement programme perspective and have not considered the experiences of leaders themselves. This study aims to bridge this gap. Design Semistructured, indepth interviews. Setting One of largest teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. Participants 31 medical, surgical and nursing professionals with an average of 19.2 years of supervisory experience. All professionals were appointed to a Lean Training Programme and were directly involved in the implementation of Lean. Results The evidence obtained in this study shows that, from the perspectives of participants, leadership management support, a continuous learning environment and cross-departmental cooperation play a significant role in successful Lean implementation. The results suggest that a Lean Training Programme contributed to positive outcomes in personal and professional skills that were evident during the first 4 months after programme completion. Conclusions Implementing Lean in a teaching hospital setting is a challenge because of the ambiguous and complex environment of a highly professionalised organisation. The study found that leadership management support and a continuous learning environment are important facilitators of Lean implementation. To increase the successful outcomes of leadership actions, training should be supplemented with actions to remove perceived barriers. This requires the involvement of all professionals, the crossing of departmental boundaries and a focus on meaning-making processes rather than simply ‘implementing’ facts. Therefore, this research suggests that programme participants, such as staff members and leaders, can mutually explore the meanings of Lean thinking and working for their own contexts. By entering this shared learning process (eg, learning on the job) the ownership of Lean implementation could also increase. PMID:24171938

A Professionalism Curricular Model to Promote Transformative Learning Among Residents.

PubMed

Foshee, Cecile M; Mehdi, Ali; Bierer, S Beth; Traboulsi, Elias I; Isaacson, J Harry; Spencer, Abby; Calabrese, Cassandra; Burkey, Brian B

2017-06-01

Using the frameworks of transformational learning and situated learning theory, we developed a technology-enhanced professionalism curricular model to build a learning community aimed at promoting residents' self-reflection and self-awareness. The RAPR model had 4 components: (1) R ecognize : elicit awareness; (2) A ppreciate : question assumptions and take multiple perspectives; (3) P ractice : try new/changed perspectives; and (4) R eflect : articulate implications of transformed views on future actions. The authors explored the acceptability and practicality of the RAPR model in teaching professionalism in a residency setting, including how residents and faculty perceive the model, how well residents carry out the curricular activities, and whether these activities support transformational learning. A convenience sample of 52 postgraduate years 1 through 3 internal medicine residents participated in the 10-hour curriculum over 4 weeks. A constructivist approach guided the thematic analysis of residents' written reflections, which were a required curricular task. A total of 94% (49 of 52) of residents participated in 2 implementation periods (January and March 2015). Findings suggested that RAPR has the potential to foster professionalism transformation in 3 domains: (1) attitudinal, with participants reporting they viewed professionalism in a more positive light and felt more empathetic toward patients; (2) behavioral, with residents indicating their ability to listen to patients increased; and (3) cognitive, with residents indicating the discussions improved their ability to reflect, and this helped them create meaning from experiences. Our findings suggest that RAPR offers an acceptable and practical strategy to teach professionalism to residents.

Designing quality course management systems that foster intra-professional education.

PubMed

Bowers, Helen F

2006-12-01

This paper draws on the experiences of the author in designing and implementing quality course management policies and procedures for vocational and higher educational programs, both overseas and in Australia. In particular, the paper focuses on those programs of study that require practicums within the curriculum. Whether these are clinical nursing placements, physiotherapy hands-on practical blocks or teacher training instruction, there are many principles of adult education that can be applied to the design and development of course management systems that foster inter-professional education. It is important that the components of any such system allow for a multi-faceted approach that relates collaborative learning to collaborative practice and supports a team of professionals through the skilled use of group-based learning, interactive assessments and inter-organisational processes and practices. The term 'course management system' is used here to describe all those policies and procedures that form the framework of any higher education department or faculty that has the overall responsibility for developing curriculum, teaching and learning resources that ensure quality educational outcomes for its students. In these days of multi-skilling, the benefits of inter-professional education may be significant. To guarantee that standards are kept high and learning outcomes are achievable, the management of an educational system must cover many areas of professional practice. It needs to be supported by all stakeholders in the organisation so that there is an environment of understanding, good interpersonal communication, supportive inter-group relations and an atmosphere of professionalism that is pervasive. This paper introduces a third definition to the model and suggests that intra-professional education be added to form a tripartite foundation for quality professional learning outcomes.

Is blended learning and problem-based learning course design suited to develop future public health leaders? An explorative European study.

PubMed

Könings, Karen D; de Jong, Nynke; Lohrmann, Christa; Sumskas, Linas; Smith, Tony; O'Connor, Stephen J; Spanjers, Ingrid A E; Van Merriënboer, Jeroen J G; Czabanowska, Katarzyna

2018-01-01

Public health leaders are confronted with complex problems, and developing effective leadership competencies is essential. The teaching of leadership is still not common in public health training programs around the world. A reconceptualization of professional training is needed and can benefit from innovative educational approaches. Our aim was to explore learners' perceptions of the effectiveness and appeal of a public health leadership course using problem-based, blended learning methods that used virtual learning environment technologies. In this cross-sectional evaluative study, the Self-Assessment Instrument of Competencies for Public Health Leaders was administered before and after an online, blended-learning, problem-based (PBL) leadership course. An evaluation questionnaire was also used to measure perceptions of blended learning, problem-based learning, and tutor functioning among 19 public health professionals from The Netherlands ( n  = 8), Lithuania ( n  = 5), and Austria ( n  = 6).Participants showed overall satisfaction and knowledge gains related to public health leadership competencies in six of eight measured areas, especially Political Leadership and Systems Thinking. Some perceptions of blended learning and PBL varied between the institutions. This might have been caused by lack of experience of the educational approaches, differing professional backgrounds, inexperience of communicating in the online setting, and different expectations towards the course. Blended, problem-based learning might be an effective way to develop leadership competencies among public health professionals in international and interdisciplinary context.

Las experiencias clinicas de los estudiantes de enfermeria: Estudio de caso hacia la integracion de la mentoria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera Rodriguez, Ivelisse

Clinical experiences are an essential part of the training of future nursing professionals. The period of clinical experience aims to develop in the student the necessary skills to practice as a nursing professional, when the academic program ends. This case study aimed to understand the opinion and explore the perception of faculty, clinical instructors, and nursing students on the meaning, contributions and challenges presented during clinical experiences. Among the themes explored in the focus groups were the meaning and importance to learning about the profession of clinical experiences, teaching strategies used during the practice scenarios, didactic relationships developed among students, clinical instructors, and teachers. The goal was to learn from all participants about what they do, their expectations, and the challenges presented during the clinical experiences. A qualitative, descriptive and contextual research design was followed, which required conducting six focus groups to collect the information from the perspective of all the participants. Faculty, clinical instructors, and nursing students participated each in two focus groups. Collected data were transcribed, coded and analyzed in order to organize it under themes related to the research framework. The qualitative analysis of the focus groups revealed that nursing faculty and clinical instructors perceived clinical experiences as a very important element in the training of nursing students, but that coordination between the academy and practice scenarios is disconnected and needs improvement. They also expressed that they use various learning strategies during the clinical experiences, however, they recognize it needs more structure and suggested mentoring as a strategy to consider. They affirmed that mentoring could contribute positively to enhance the teaching-learning process. Clinical instructors understand they perform mentoring roles, but they would like to have a more defined role and structured process. Nursing students, also, recognized the importance of clinical experiences in their professional training. They expressed the need to improve the communication between the academy and the practice scenarios in order to reduce the levels of anxiety they experience when entering the clinical experiences. Nursing students also expressed the need to consider the use of different teaching strategies, such as mentoring, to improve clinical experiences.

Learning to prescribe - pharmacists' experiences of supplementary prescribing training in England.

PubMed

Cooper, Richard J; Lymn, Joanne; Anderson, Claire; Avery, Anthony; Bissell, Paul; Guillaume, Louise; Hutchinson, Allen; Murphy, Elizabeth; Ratcliffe, Julie; Ward, Paul

2008-12-05

The introduction of non-medical prescribing for professions such as pharmacy and nursing in recent years offers additional responsibilities and opportunities but attendant training issues. In the UK and in contrast to some international models, becoming a non-medical prescriber involves the completion of an accredited training course offered by many higher education institutions, where the skills and knowledge necessary for prescribing are learnt. to explore pharmacists' perceptions and experiences of learning to prescribe on supplementary prescribing (SP) courses, particularly in relation to inter-professional learning, course content and subsequent use of prescribing in practice. A postal questionnaire survey was sent to all 808 SP registered pharmacists in England in April 2007, exploring demographic, training, prescribing, safety culture and general perceptions of SP. After one follow-up, 411 (51%) of pharmacists responded. 82% agreed SP training was useful, 58% agreed courses provided appropriate knowledge and 62% agreed that the necessary prescribing skills were gained. Clinical examination, consultation skills training and practical experience with doctors were valued highly; pharmacology training and some aspects of course delivery were criticised. Mixed views on inter-professional learning were reported - insights into other professions being valued but knowledge and skills differences considered problematic. 67% believed SP and recent independent prescribing (IP) should be taught together, with more diagnostic training wanted; few pharmacists trained in IP, but many were training or intending to train. There was no association between pharmacists' attitudes towards prescribing training and when they undertook training between 2004 and 2007 but earlier cohorts were more likely to be using supplementary prescribing in practice. Pharmacists appeared to value their SP training and suggested improvements that could inform future courses. The benefits of inter-professional learning, however, may conflict with providing profession-specific training. SP training may be perceived to be an instrumental 'stepping stone' in pharmacists' professional project of gaining full IP status.

Tensions in learning professional identities - nursing students' narratives and participation in practical skills during their clinical practice: an ethnographic study.

PubMed

Ewertsson, Mona; Bagga-Gupta, Sangeeta; Allvin, Renée; Blomberg, Karin

2017-01-01

Clinical practice is a pivotal part of nursing education. It provides students with the opportunity to put the knowledge and skills they have acquired from lectures into practice with real patients, under the guidance of registered nurses. Clinical experience is also essential for shaping the nursing students' identity as future professional nurses. There is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the ways in which students learn practical skills and apply knowledge within and across different contexts, i.e. how they apply clinical skills, learnt in the laboratory in university settings, in the clinical setting. The aim of this study was therefore to explore how nursing students describe, and use, their prior experiences related to practical skills during their clinical practice. An ethnographic case study design was used. Fieldwork included participant observations (82 h), informal conversations, and interviews ( n  = 7) that were conducted during nursing students' ( n  = 17) clinical practice at an emergency department at a university hospital in Sweden. The overarching theme identified was "Learning about professional identities with respect to situated power". This encompasses tensions in students' learning when they are socialized into practical skills in the nursing profession. This overarching theme consists of three sub-themes: "Embodied knowledge", "Divergent ways of assessing and evaluating knowledge" and "Balancing approaches". Nursing students do not automatically possess the ability to transfer knowledge from one setting to another; rather, their development is shaped by their experiences and interactions with others when they meet real patients. The study revealed different ways in which students navigated tensions related to power differentials. Reflecting on actions is a prerequisite for developing and learning practical skills and professional identities. This highlights the importance of both educators' and the preceptors' roles for socializing students in this process.

Medical Students' Professional Development as Educators Revealed Through Reflections on Their Teaching Following a Students-as-Teachers Course.

PubMed

Yoon, Michelle H; Blatt, Benjamin C; Greenberg, Larrie W

2017-01-01

Phenomenon: Teaching is an important part of the tri-partite mission of every medical center. Although teaching often is given lower priority and recognition as opposed to patient care and/or research, this activity for many physicians in academic medicine ranks second to their patient care responsibilities. Medical teacher training has traditionally been aimed at faculty and residents through faculty development initiatives, continuing education for physicians at professional conferences, formalized degree or certificate programs in education, and residents as teachers programs. More recently medical schools have developed medical-students-as-teachers programs, often offered as 4th-year electives, to introduce learners to the theory of teaching and learning with appropriate application in the clinical setting. Data on learner outcomes and students' perceptions and experiences in these programs consist mostly of their satisfaction after completing such a program. In this article we explore 4th-year medical student trainees' experiences and emerging self-concepts as educators during a teaching elective. The purpose of this project was to explore students' reflections on their experiences in a 4th-year medical students-as-teachers course in their own words through their written self-assessment narratives. We used qualitative content analysis to examine 96 trainees' self-reported, written reflective narratives of how they translated their students-as-teachers course experience into application by applying newly learned educational theories, instructional strategies, and feedback skills while teaching novice peers physical diagnosis skills. Narratives revealed candid self-assessments and detailed descriptions of their experiences and what they valued most from the course. Content analysis revealed nine key themes: using teaching strategies for adult learning, preparing for class, modeling professionalism, incorporating clinical correlations, exceeding course requirements, giving and receiving feedback, providing mentoring, creating a positive learning climate, and growing as educators. Insights: This study's results reveal how learners perceive and translate their experiences in a teaching course, in terms of incorporating particular knowledge or skills, valuing or displaying certain professional behaviors, and gaining self-awareness and satisfaction from teaching experiences. The findings of this study, specifically major themes from self-assessment narratives, provide us with a better understanding of medical students' developing identities and emerging professional self-concept as educators, specifically as experienced through a combination of formal teaching, and applying education theories and strategies. Findings may be informative from a program evaluation lens but also for faculty development initiatives related to training medical teachers and the larger landscape of the emerging field of Health Professions Education.

Little shop of errors: an innovative simulation patient safety workshop for community health care professionals.

PubMed

Tupper, Judith B; Pearson, Karen B; Meinersmann, Krista M; Dvorak, Jean

2013-06-01

Continuing education for health care workers is an important mechanism for maintaining patient safety and high-quality health care. Interdisciplinary continuing education that incorporates simulation can be an effective teaching strategy for improving patient safety. Health care professionals who attended a recent Patient Safety Academy had the opportunity to experience firsthand a simulated situation that included many potential patient safety errors. This high-fidelity activity combined the best practice components of a simulation and a collaborative experience that promoted interdisciplinary communication and learning. Participants were challenged to see, learn, and experience "ah-ha" moments of insight as a basis for error reduction and quality improvement. This innovative interdisciplinary educational training method can be offered in place of traditional lecture or online instruction in any facility, hospital, nursing home, or community care setting. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

Interprofessional communication training: benefits to practicing pharmacists.

PubMed

Luetsch, Karen; Rowett, Debra

2015-10-01

Interprofessional communication skills are important for pharmacists to build collaborative relationships with other health professionals, integrate into healthcare teams, maximise their effectiveness in patient care in addressing complex care needs and meet the demands of health care reforms. This qualitative study explores clinical pharmacists' experiences and reflections after completing a learning and practice module which introduced them to a framework for successful interprofessional communication. The postgraduate clinical pharmacy program at The University of Queensland and the clinical pharmacy practice environments of forty-eight hospital and seven community based pharmacists. A learning and practice module outlining a framework for successful interprofessional communication was designed and integrated into a postgraduate clinical pharmacy program. Enrolled pharmacists applied newly learnt communication skills in pro-actively initiated, clinical discussions with a health professional in their practice environment. They provided written reflections on their experiences which were analysed using thematic analysis. Pharmacists' perceptions of the impact of applying the communication framework during their interaction with a health professional in their practice setting. Themes which emerged from reflections described pharmacists' confidence and capabilities to successfully conduct a clinical discussion with a health professional after initial apprehension and nervousness about the scheduled interaction. The application of the communication framework enhanced their perception of their professional identity, credibility and ability to build a collaborative working relationship with other health professionals. Pharmacists perceived that a learning and practice module for successful interprofessional practice integrated into a postgraduate clinical pharmacy program enhanced their interprofessional communication skills. The development of pro-active, interprofessional communication skills has the potential to increase interprofessional collaboration and pharmacists' personal role satisfaction. Pharmacists also observed it added value to their professional contribution in health care teams when addressing the demands of increasingly complex health care needs and reforms.

Combining Project-based Instruction, Earth Science Content, and GIS Technology in Teacher Professional Development: Is this Holistic Approach Sustainable?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubino-Hare, L.; Bloom, N.; Claesgens, J.; Fredrickson, K.; Henderson-Dahms, C.; Sample, J. C.

2012-12-01

From 2009-2011, with support from the National Science Foundation (ITEST, DRL-0929846) and Science Foundation Arizona (MSAG-0412-09), educators, geologists and geographers at Northern Arizona University (NAU) partnered to offer professional development for interdisciplinary teams of secondary and middle school teachers with a focus on project-based instruction (PBI) using geospatial technologies (GST). While participating in professional development teachers received support and were held accountable to NAU staff. They implemented activities and pedagogical strategies presented, increased knowledge, skills, and confidence teaching with project-based instruction integrating GST, and their students demonstrated learning gains. Changes in student understanding are only observed when teachers continue to implement change, so the question remained: did these changes in practice sustain after official project support ended? In order to determine what, if anything, teachers sustained from the professional development and the factors that promoted or hindered sustained use of teaching with GST and PBI, data were collected one to two years following the professional development. Research questions included a) what pedagogical practices did teachers sustain following the professional learning experiences? and b) what contexts were present in schools that supported or limited the use of geospatial technologies as a teaching and learning tool? Findings from this study indicate that teachers fall into three categories of sustaining implementation - reformed implementers, mechanical implementers and non-implementers. School context was less of a factor in level of implementation than teachers' beliefs and philosophy of teaching and teachers' understanding of technology integration (teaching with technology vs. teaching technology). Case studies of teacher experiences will be presented along with implications for future professional development.

Teaching Neuroscience to Science Teachers: Facilitating the Translation of Inquiry-Based Teaching Instruction to the Classroom

PubMed Central

Roehrig, G. H.; Michlin, M.; Schmitt, L.; MacNabb, C.; Dubinsky, J. M.

2012-01-01

In science education, inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning provide a framework for students to building critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Teacher professional development has been an ongoing focus for promoting such educational reforms. However, despite a strong consensus regarding best practices for professional development, relatively little systematic research has documented classroom changes consequent to these experiences. This paper reports on the impact of sustained, multiyear professional development in a program that combined neuroscience content and knowledge of the neurobiology of learning with inquiry-based pedagogy on teachers’ inquiry-based practices. Classroom observations demonstrated the value of multiyear professional development in solidifying adoption of inquiry-based practices and cultivating progressive yearly growth in the cognitive environment of impacted classrooms. PMID:23222837

Teaching neuroscience to science teachers: facilitating the translation of inquiry-based teaching instruction to the classroom.

PubMed

Roehrig, G H; Michlin, M; Schmitt, L; MacNabb, C; Dubinsky, J M

2012-01-01

In science education, inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning provide a framework for students to building critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Teacher professional development has been an ongoing focus for promoting such educational reforms. However, despite a strong consensus regarding best practices for professional development, relatively little systematic research has documented classroom changes consequent to these experiences. This paper reports on the impact of sustained, multiyear professional development in a program that combined neuroscience content and knowledge of the neurobiology of learning with inquiry-based pedagogy on teachers' inquiry-based practices. Classroom observations demonstrated the value of multiyear professional development in solidifying adoption of inquiry-based practices and cultivating progressive yearly growth in the cognitive environment of impacted classrooms.

Discrepancies between adolescents' attributed relevance and experiences regarding communication are associated with poorer client participation and learning processes in psychosocial care.

PubMed

Jager, Margot; Reijneveld, Sijmen A; Metselaar, Janneke; Knorth, Erik J; De Winter, Andrea F

2014-12-01

To examine adolescents' attributed relevance and experiences regarding communication, and whether discrepancies in these are associated with clients' participation and learning processes in psychosocial care. Adolescents receiving psychosocial care (n=211) completed measures of communication in three domains: affective communication, information provision, and shared decision-making. Participation involved clients' attendance and adherence (professional-reported). Learning processes involved clients' improved understanding and improved confidence (client and professional-reported). Important but less often experienced affective communication was associated with low adherence (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 2.8, 1.1-6.8), less improvement in understanding (3.7, 1.5-9.0), and less improvement in confidence (4.5, 1.8-11.6). If information provision or shared decision-making was important but less often experienced, adolescents were more likely to demonstrate less improvement in understanding (3.1, 1.1-8.5; 4.2, 1.7-10.8). The combination "less important but experienced" only had an effect regarding affective communication; these adolescents were more likely to demonstrate less improvement in confidence (6.0, 2.3-15.4). Discrepancies between attributed relevance and experiences frequently occur. These discrepancies negatively affect adolescents' participation and their learning processes, although the pattern differs across communication domains. Care professionals should pay considerable attention to their clients' communication preferences and adapt their communication style when necessary. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation in otolaryngology: smart dummies and more.

PubMed

Deutsch, Ellen S

2011-12-01

Simulation is revolutionizing medical education, certification, and ongoing professional development. Simulation encompasses a variety of technologies as well as nontechnical approaches to improve individual psychomotor skills, group effectiveness, and systems processes, all without direct risk to patients. Simulation-enhanced learning experiences, addressing learning objectives based on the needs of the individual or the group and following the principles of adult education, can be used to ensure consistent and comprehensive learning opportunities, thereby creatively complementing didactic and clinical learning experiences. Pockets of simulation expertise are already present in the field of otolaryngology; more will develop as these exciting and important innovations blossom.

Reinforcement learning in professional basketball players

PubMed Central

Neiman, Tal; Loewenstein, Yonatan

2011-01-01

Reinforcement learning in complex natural environments is a challenging task because the agent should generalize from the outcomes of actions taken in one state of the world to future actions in different states of the world. The extent to which human experts find the proper level of generalization is unclear. Here we show, using the sequences of field goal attempts made by professional basketball players, that the outcome of even a single field goal attempt has a considerable effect on the rate of subsequent 3 point shot attempts, in line with standard models of reinforcement learning. However, this change in behaviour is associated with negative correlations between the outcomes of successive field goal attempts. These results indicate that despite years of experience and high motivation, professional players overgeneralize from the outcomes of their most recent actions, which leads to decreased performance. PMID:22146388

Case studies of individualized professional development at an outdoor education center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearsall, Marjorie

Since the publishing of A Nation at Risk in 1983, educators across the country have directed attention and formal research studies towards discovering why American schools are not producing graduates who measure up to students in other countries. Research has been done which deals with children's responses to learning science while utilizing a variety of educational strategies. Factors such as gender, ethnicity, class size, length of the school day or school year, equipment availability and usage, have been studied and their impact analyzed. New assessment devices and testing instruments have been used to measure the amount and quality of their learning. Significant in its absence from most studies is the recognition of what classroom teachers believe about science, what they feel to be the best way(s) to teach science, and how they actually teach science. Related research on these factors laid the ground work for this study. Teaching is a profession characterized by a need for life-long learning. Some teachers study for advanced degrees. "Workshops" and "teacher institutes", either on-site at their own schools or through other enrichment situations provide learning opportunities for others. Informal educational institutions which have provided science enrichment field trip opportunities have recently begun to look at the curriculum goals and expectations of the state boards of education and regional school districts. As they become informed about these goals, their enrichment opportunities are found to serve the schools more fully. This study focuses on the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, where the staff does not merely plan, prepare for, and present lessons on various age-appropriate science topics to schoolchildren which come to them. Instead, it is the policy of this center to prepare the individual classroom teachers so that the teacher assumes the responsibility to provide the preparation of the children for the experience, the facilitation of the various activities and lessons while at the center, and the assessment of the student's learning following the experience. The staff works with each teacher to prepare them to use transdisciplinary science lessons which were planned to satisfy and enrich state, district, and school expectations (Outdoor Education Guidebook, 1997). The staff members believe that if the teachers are prepared to do these things, not only will the current students learn more, but that the teacher will experience growth professionally and this will impact more children over time. The teachers gain science content knowledge and learn constructivist teaching strategies while learning how to use the facilities and equipment safely and confidently. Ideas for preparatory and follow-up activities are made available. This study looked closely at the individualization of the professional development provided by this informal science institution. Data from observations of professional development sessions as well as the on-site experiences with the children were used in the study. Teachers were asked to reflect on the degree to which the Arlington Echo approach to professional development was beneficial in building their confidence about providing science-based, interdisciplinary experiences for their students, with comparisons made between the responses of veteran teachers and those of teachers with fewer years of experience. Through the reflections of the participant teachers, it was possible to gather data about whether their beliefs about science and about how science is best taught were modified by this experience.

Accommodating student learning styles and preferences in an online occupational therapy course.

PubMed

Doyle, Nancy Wolcott; Jacobs, Karen

2013-01-01

Occupational therapy's online education must be research-based and inclusive. One way to provide a more inclusive online learning experience is to attend to individual learning styles and preferences. This study uses the best available evidence on learning styles and online education to develop, implement, and study occupational therapy students' experiences with an online learning module and related assignment. Eight students consented to take an online survey after completing a learning module and related assignment in an online post-professional graduate course in occupational therapy. The survey explored their learning experience and its applicability to clinical work. Data gathered from multiple-choice, Likert-scale, and open-ended questions were descriptively analyzed. Results from this study suggest that students find the study of learning styles and preferences enjoyable and applicable to their clinical work, but are often motivated by factors such as time and technology when selecting the format of a course assignment.

Facilitating classroom based interprofessional learning: a grounded theory study of university educators' perceptions of their role adequacy as facilitators.

PubMed

Derbyshire, Julie A; Machin, Alison I; Crozier, Suzanne

2015-01-01

The provision of inter professional learning (IPL) within undergraduate programmes is now well established within many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). IPL aims to better equip nurses and other health professionals with effective collaborative working skills and knowledge to improve the quality of patient care. Although there is still ambiguity in relation to the optimum timing and method for delivering IPL, effective facilitation is seen as essential. This paper reports on a grounded theory study of university educators' perceptions of the knowledge and skills needed for their role adequacy as IPL facilitators. Data was collected using semi structured interviews with nine participants who were theoretically sampled from a range of professional backgrounds, with varied experiences of education and involvement in facilitating IPL. Constant comparative analysis was used to generate four data categories: creating and sustaining an IPL group culture through transformational IPL leadership (core category), readiness for IPL facilitation, drawing on past interprofessional learning and working experiences and role modelling an interprofessional approach. The grounded theory generated from this study, although propositional, suggests that role adequacy for IPL facilitation is dependent on facilitator engagement in a process of 'transformational interprofessional learning leadership' to create and sustain a group culture. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"The Help I Didn't Know I Needed": How a Living-Learning Program "FITS" into the First-Year Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mach, Kane P.; Gordon, Sarah R.; Tearney, Katie; McClinton, Leon, Jr.

2018-01-01

Living-learning programs (LLPs) can have a positive influence on student success. The purpose of this study is to provide an example of an LLP that effectively involves faculty and college academic staff as well as to understand student experiences in the LLP related to personal, professional, and academic growth. The LLP at the focus of this…

Learning to teach science in urban schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobin, Kenneth; Roth, Wolff-Michael; Zimmermann, Andrea

2001-10-01

Teaching in urban schools, with their problems of violence, lack of resources, and inadequate funding, is difficult. It is even more difficult to learn to teach in urban schools. Yet learning in those locations where one will subsequently be working has been shown to be the best preparation for teaching. In this article we propose coteaching as a viable model for teacher preparation and the professional development of urban science teachers. Coteaching - working at the elbow of someone else - allows new teachers to experience appropriate and timely action by providing them with shared experiences that become the topic of their professional conversations with other coteachers (including peers, the cooperating teacher, university supervisors, and high school students). This article also includes an ethnography describing the experiences of a new teacher who had been assigned to an urban high school as field experience, during which she enacted a curriculum that was culturally relevant to her African American students, acknowledged their minority status with respect to science, and enabled them to pursue the school district standards. Even though coteaching enables learning to teach and curricula reform, we raise doubts about whether our approaches to teacher education and enacting science curricula are hegemonic and oppressive to the students we seek to emancipate through education.

Teacher Characteristics and School-Based Professional Development in Inclusive STEM-focused High Schools: A Cross-case Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spillane, Nancy Kay

Within successful Inclusive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-focused High Schools (ISHSs), it is not only the students who are learning. Teachers, with diverse backgrounds, training, and experience, share and develop their knowledge through rich, embedded professional development to continuously shape their craft, improve their teaching, and support student success. This study of four exemplars of ISHSs (identified by experts in STEM education as highly successful in preparing students underrepresented in STEM for STEM majors in college and future STEM careers) provides a rich description of the relationships among the characteristics of STEM teachers, their professional development, and the school cultures that allow teachers to develop professionally and serve the needs of students. By providing a framework for the development of teaching staffs in ISHSs and contributing to the better understanding of STEM teaching in any school, this study offers valuable insight, implications, and information for states and school districts as they begin planning improvements to STEM education programs. A thorough examination of an existing data set that included site visits to four ISHSs along with pre- and post-visit data, provided the resource for this multiple case study with cross-case analysis of the teachers and their teacher professional development experiences. Administrators in these ISHSs had the autonomy to hire teachers with strong content backgrounds, philosophical alignment with the school missions, and a willingness to work collaboratively toward achieving the schools' goals. Ongoing teacher professional development began before school started and continued throughout the school day and year through intense and sustained, formal and informal, active learning experiences. Flexible professional development systems varied, but aligned with targeted school reforms and teacher and student needs. Importantly, collaborative teacher learning occurred within a school-wide culture of collaboration. Teachers were guided in establishing open lines of communication that supported regular engagement with others and the free flow of ideas, practices, and concerns. As a result of this collaboration, in conjunction with intentional pathways to teacher leadership, teacher professionalization was deliberately and successfully fostered creating an environment of shared mission and mutual trust, and a shared sense of responsibility for school-wide decision-making and school outcomes.

A New Theoretical Perspective of Cognitive Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Sharon A.; Warner, Laverne

2012-01-01

Defining intelligence is a puzzle that has challenged educators and researchers for years. More recently, professionals are acknowledging that individuals possess many facets of intelligence and that learning is a complex combination of genetic factors, environmental influences, and life experiences that affect learning in unique ways (Salvia,…

Development of Professional Identity in Romanian Business Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glaser-Segura, Daniel A.; Mudge, Suzanne; Bratianu, Constantin; Dumitru, Ionela

2010-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to focus on the role of learning activities on the development of Romanian students making the change from academia to the workplace, specifically focusing on the role of three learning activities: classroom teaching pedagogies ("in-vitro"); field experiences ("in-situ"); and self-development…

Quantifying Interprofessional Learning in Health Professional Programs: The University of Manitoba Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grymonpre, Ruby E.; Dean, Heather J.; Wener, Pamela F.; Ready, A. Elizabeth; MacDonald, Laura L.; Holmqvist, Maxine E.; Fricke, Moni W.

2016-01-01

Internationally, a growing number of interprofessional education (IPE) offices are being established within academic institutions. However, few are applying educational improvement methodologies to evaluate and improve the interprofessional (IP) learning opportunities offered. The University of Manitoba IPE Initiative was established in 2008 to…

The Student Experience of PACE at Macquarie University: Understanding Motivations for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLachlan, Kath; Rawlings-Sanaei, Felicity; Mason, Colina; Haski-Levanthal, Debbie; Nabeel, Hussein

2017-01-01

Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) at Macquarie University offers undergraduate students experiential learning opportunities with local, regional and international partners. Through PACE, students work on mutually beneficial projects that both meet the partner's organizational goals and enable students to strengthen graduate capabilities…

The Learning Leader: Reflecting, Modeling, and Sharing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Jacqueline E.; O'Gorman, Kevin L.

2012-01-01

With this book, principals, principals-in-training, and other school leaders get practical, easy-to-implement strategies for professional growth, strengthening relationships with faculty and staff, and making the necessary changes to improve K-12 learning environments. Grounded in specific, real-world examples and personal experiences, "The…

Teaching reflection: Speech & language therapy students using visual clues for reflection.

PubMed

Schaub-de Jong, M A; van der Schans, C P

2010-11-01

Reflection is an essential tool for the development of professional behaviour. Central to all reflection methods is language, either written or spoken. As the use of language is not easy for all students, especially those learning in a language other than their native tongue, it is essential that teachers use alternative methods to stimulate reflection. To identify the benefits that speech and language therapy students perceive in an educational approach that combines pictures and drawings as a stimulus for reflecting on professional experiences. During an international course twenty-two students of various nationalities participated in a two-hour session and reflected on professional experiences. To stimulate reflection, drawings and pictures were used. All the students were asked to evaluate this educational approach by responding to five open-ended questions. Their responses were coded and analyzed. Students' comments fell into three categories of perceived benefits: (1) educational approach benefits; (2) personal benefits; and (3) professional benefits. Almost all the students reported that the nature of the reflection exercises helped them verbalize their experiences after the profession-related exercises. This study provides evidence that visualizing as a first step towards verbalizing experiences can foster learning through reflection. It provides students with greater opportunities to verbalize awareness, especially within a group of students who may have difficulty expressing themselves in a non-native language.

A Phenomenological Exploration of Superintendents' and Principals' Experiences in a Shared Professional Development Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Severson, John R.

2013-01-01

For this qualitative study, I explored and described how superintendents and principals interpreted and experienced a sustained professional development process focusing on instruction and student learning, a form of Elmore's Superintendents in the Classroom (SITC) Network. Specifically, I examined how the addition of principals in the SITC…

Becoming Music Teacher Educators: Learning from and with Each Other in a Professional Development Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellegrino, Kristen; Sweet, Bridget; Derges Kastner, Julie; Russell, Heather A.; Reese, Jill

2014-01-01

During this heuristic phenomenological inquiry, we examined our lived experiences as five women (three doctoral students, two early career faculty) in the process of becoming music teacher educators participating in a year-long, online, group-facilitated professional development community (PDC). Data included recorded meetings via Skype, journal…

Video Laboratories for the Teaching and Learning of Professional Ethics in Exercise Physiology Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senchina, David S.

2011-01-01

Student researchers in physiology courses often interact with human subjects in classroom research but may be unfamiliar with the professional ethics of experimenter-subject interactions. This communication describes experiences related to an interactive video used in exercise science and general biology courses to help students become aware of,…

Online Module to Assure Success as Prelicensure Nursing Students Transition to Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baptiste, Diana-Lyn; Shaefer, Sarah J. M.

2015-01-01

Prelicensure nursing students have a final capstone, practicum, or clinical course as they transition to the professional nurse role. Generally, the student role requires increased independent practice and this can be a challenge. To maximize learning in this clinical experience, an online module was designed. This article will describe course…

Leadership Educator Journeys: Expanding a Model of Leadership Educator Professional Identity Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seemiller, Corey; Priest, Kerry L.

2017-01-01

There is a great deal of literature on leadership education best-practices (e.g., curricular considerations, teaching strategies, assessment of learning). Yet, to be a leadership educator is more than having knowledge or expertise of content and pedagogy. Perceptions, experiences, and values of leadership educators comprise a professional identity…

The Arizona Journey Schools Program: A Strategy for Change. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laughran, Laura J.; Shaw, Jerome M.

The Arizona Journey Schools Program (JSP) was a two-year professional development experience whose stated purpose was to build the leadership capacity of school/community teams and establish a network of professionals to support teams as they bring about systemic change in mathematics and science teaching, learning, and assessment. This report…

The Role the Collegiate American Marketing Association Plays in Professional and Entrepreneurial Skill Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peltier, James W.; Scovotti, Carol; Pointer, Lucille

2008-01-01

Professional student organizations offer members a wide range of learning opportunities for applied marketing experiences. Little research exists in the marketing education literature on the role student organizations play in preparing their members for life beyond school. Understanding what students seek as members of such organizations and how…

Pathways to Professional Growth: Investigating Upper Primary School Teachers' Perspectives on Learning to Teach Algebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkie, Karina J.; Clarke, Doug

2015-01-01

This paper discusses upper primary school teachers' perspectives on changes to their knowledge and practice through participation in a design-based research project. It analyses their experiences using Clarke and Hollingsworth's (2002) empirically-founded model for professional growth to understand more about the mechanisms for change that might…

Professional Development of HR Practitioners--A Phenomenographic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Moira

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is an investigation into the experiences of professional development of human resource (HR) practitioners in the North of Scotland, and the use of non-formal learning in that development. Design/methodology/approach: In-depth semi-structured interviews from a purposively selected sample of HR practitioners were…

The Role of Emotions in Student Teachers' Professional Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timostsuk, Inge; Ugaste, Aino

2012-01-01

This paper presents findings of a qualitative interview study of the role of emotions in the professional identity of student teachers. Strong positive and negative emotions (mostly related to pupils and supervisors) were expressed about personal teaching experiences. The results confirm that emotions play an important role in social learning and,…

Peculiarities of Professional Training Standards Development and Implementation within Competency-Based Approach: Foreign Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desyatov, Tymofiy

2015-01-01

The article analyzes the development of competency-based professional training standards and their implementation into educational process in foreign countries. It determines that the main idea of competency-based approach is competency-and-active learning, which aims at complex acquirement of diverse skills and ways of practice activities via…

Who Are You Going After? A Practical Typology to Generate Engagement in Professional Student Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz, Laura; Miller, Richard J.; Poole, Sonja Martin

2016-01-01

On the basis of experiential learning theory and Cialdini's principles of influence, two psychological streams focused on providing hands-on experiences and on effectively influencing individuals, this article identifies a typology of students to engage them in professional student organizations. Exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis…

Technology-Based Professional Development for Teaching and Learning in K-12 Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd, Nijia

2017-01-01

In an urban Georgia school district, teacher satisfaction surveys revealed that technology-based professional development was not equipping teachers with the skills or support needed to implement technology into their teaching practices. The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to explore teachers' experiences and perceptions of…

Redesigning Professional Development: Reconceptualising Teaching Using Social Learning Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cochrane, Thomas; Narayan, Vickel

2013-01-01

This article evaluates the use of a community of practice model for redesigning a lecturer professional development course investigating the impact of mobile web 2.0 technologies in higher education. The results show a significant change in lecturer conceptions of pedagogy were achieved by this approach. Drawing on our experience of two iterations…

The Soul of Teaching and Professional Learning: An Appreciative Inquiry into the Enneagram of Reflective Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luckcock, Tim

2007-01-01

This paper makes a contribution to the theory and practice of educational action research by introducing two theoretical and methodological resources as part of a personal review of sustained professional experience: "appreciative inquiry" and the "enneagram". It is more than a theoretical exercise, however, because it also…

Learning about Whole-Class Scaffolding from a Teacher Professional Development Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visnovska, Jana; Cobb, Paul

2015-01-01

The importance of teachers developing adaptive instructional practices consistent with metaphor of whole-class scaffolding has been well documented. However, teachers' development of such practices is currently not well understood. We draw on a 5-year professional development (PD) design experiment in which a group of middle school mathematics…

Film Review. Films for Use in Professional Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Mike, Ed.

This book contains a detailed review of over ninety films in the professional preparation of teachers. It is one of eight publications which have been produced by the Science Teacher Education Project. Some of the films have become integral parts of the learning experiences which college and university people have prepared and others are…

Crash Test Dummies or Knowledgeable Practitioners? Evaluating the Impact of Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Roger; Edwards, Richard; Brown, Jonathan

2001-01-01

Draws on the authors' experience of developing and presenting an Open University Masters level course: Guidance and Counselling in Learning. Explores the diversity of contexts for guidance practices and the assumptions about the relationship between theory and practice that is embedded in various approaches to professional development. (Contains…

What It Takes To Be a Teacher: The Role of Personal and Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freppon, Penny A.

This collection of papers focuses on teachers' personal and professional development, showing what teachers' learning, hopes, desires, struggles, and instruction look and feel like from inside the lives of effective teachers and in their classrooms. Topics include the types of resources and experiences effective teachers use, how these resources…

Curriculum Making as Novice Professional Development: Practical Risk Taking as Learning in High-Stakes Times

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayton, Christine D.

2007-01-01

This qualitative case study presents three novices in urban schools who enacted curricular projects as participants in a university-based professional development program. This experience created an opportunity for practical risk taking, enabling them to consider the consequences of curricular choices in personal terms. Such professional…

The Relational Value of Professional Dialogue for Academics Pursuing HEA Fellowship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asghar, Mandy; Pilkington, Ruth

2018-01-01

The question of how academics in higher education institutions demonstrate they have the ability to teach and provide a high quality learning experience challenges the sector. Within this context, the use of professional dialogue for recognising teaching expertise is growing. This qualitative research explored how 16 academics valued their…

Front-Line Facilitating: Negotiating Adventurous Learning within Workplace Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Robert L.

2011-01-01

Instructors are the front line of educational programs. They are the personnel, along with the learners, who enact the educational mission. Since educators work in relative isolation, studying their views is necessary to understand their professional actions. This is a study of the professional experiences of instructors within steel-mill learning…

Incorporating Professional Service as a Component of General Chemistry Laboratory by Demonstrating Chemistry to Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theall, Rachel A. Morgan; Bond, Marcus R.

2013-01-01

Formalized participation in professional service is not often part of the college experience, especially for first-year students in chemistry courses. When service opportunities are offered, they are most often through elective credit, upper-level courses, extracurricular clubs, and the rare service-learning courses. We have successfully…

Electronic portfolios in nursing education: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Green, Janet; Wyllie, Aileen; Jackson, Debra

2014-01-01

As health professionals, nurses are responsible for staying abreast of current professional knowledge and managing their own career, professional growth and development, and ideally, practices to support these activities should start during their student years. Interest in electronic or eportfolios is gathering momentum as educationalists explore their potential as a strategy for fostering lifelong learning and enhancing on-going personal and professional development. In this paper, we present an overview of e-portfolios and their application to nurse education, highlighting potential benefits and considerations of useage. We argue that the e-portfolio can represent an authentic means of assessing cognitive, reflective and affective skills. Furthermore, the e-portfolio provides a means through which nurses can record and provide evidence of skills, achievements, experience, professional development and on-going learning, not only for themselves, but for the information and scrutiny of registration boards, employers, managers and peers. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using co-teaching as a means of facilitating interprofessional collaboration in health and social care.

PubMed

Crow, Jayne; Smith, Lesley

2003-02-01

In this paper we report the findings of a collaborative enquiry on our experience as tutors co-teaching interprofessional collaboration to a multidisciplinary group of undergraduates. We have different professional/academic backgrounds and the student group included health and social work professionals alongside a number of non-professionals. Our data included our perceptions of the co-teaching experience collected by means of our reflective diaries and reflective conversations during planning and after teaching sessions. We also collected data on student perceptions elicited by means of student evaluations and a student focus group discussion. The data illuminate the process of using co-teaching to role model shared learning and collaborative working within the classroom and highlight the importance of carefully planning co-teaching interaction, including the use of humour, tension, different knowledge bases and styles of debate. The deliberate use of the interactions made possible by coteaching enabled us to create an active learning environment that facilitated the teaching of collaboration. Drawing on our experience, we discuss the considerable potential of using co-teaching to role model collaborative working for multidisciplinary student groups.

A Workbook for Scaffolding Mentored Undergraduate Research Experiences in the Social and Behavioral Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colbert-White, Erin; Simpson, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Research mentors strive to ensure that undergraduates gain research skills and develop professionally during mentored research experiences in the sciences. We created the SURE (Specialized Undergraduate Research Experience) Workbook, a freely-available, interactive guide to scaffold student learning during this process. The Workbook: (1)…

Science Professional Learning Communities: Beyond a singular view of teacher professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, M. Gail; Gardner, Grant E.; Robertson, Laura; Robert, Sarah

2013-07-01

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are frequently being used as a vehicle to transform science education. This study explored elementary teachers' perceptions about the impact of participating in a science PLC on their own professional development. With the use of The Science Professional Learning Communities Survey and a semi-structured interview protocol, elementary teachers' perceptions of the goals of science PLCs, the constraints and benefits of participation in PLCs, and reported differences in the impact of PLC participation on novice and experienced teachers were examined. Sixty-five elementary teachers who participated in a science PLC were surveyed about their experiences, and a subsample of 16 teachers was interviewed. Results showed that most of the teachers reported their science PLC emphasized sharing ideas with other teachers as well as working to improve students' science standardized test scores. Teachers noted that the PLCs had impacted their science assessment practices as well as their lesson planning. However, a majority of the participants reported a differential impact of PLCs depending on a teacher's level of experience. PLCs were reported as being more beneficial to new teachers than experienced teachers. The interview results demonstrated that there were often competing goals and in some cases a loss of autonomy in planning science lessons. A significant concern was the impact of problematic interpersonal relationships and communication styles on the group functioning. The role of the PLC in addressing issues related to obtaining science resources and enhancing science content knowledge for elementary science teachers is discussed.

"There Was a Lot of Learning Going on" Using a Digital Medium to Support Learning in a Professional Course for New HE Lecturers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chesney, Sarah; Marcangelo, Caroline

2010-01-01

This small scale action research study investigated the experiences of learners over two iterations as they completed a patchwork text assignment within the digital medium of a personal learning system (PLS). The aim was to investigate the extent to which using a PLS can facilitate formative and collaborative feedback to assist student learning. A…

Grounding formative assessment in high-school chemistry classrooms: Connections between professional development and teacher practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cisterna Alburquerque, Dante Igor

This study describes and analyzes the experiences of two high-school chemistry teachers who participated in a team-based professional development program to learn about and enact formative assessment in their classrooms. The overall purpose of this study is to explain how participation in this professional development influenced both teachers' classroom enactment of formative assessment practices. This study focuses on 1) teachers' participation in the professional development program, 2) teachers' enactment of formative assessment, and 3) factors that enabled or hindered enactment of formative assessment. Drawing on cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) and using evidence from teacher lessons, teacher interviews, professional development meetings as data sources, this single embedded case study analyzes how these two teachers who participated in the same learning team and have similar characteristics (i.e., teaching in the same school, teaching the same courses and population of students, and using the same materials) differentially used the professional development learning about formative assessment as mediating tools to improve their classroom instruction. The learning team experience contributed to both teachers' development of a better understanding of formative assessment---especially in recognizing that their current grading and assessment practices were not appropriate to promote student learning---and the co-creation of artifacts to gather evidence of students' ideas. Although both teachers demonstrated understanding about how formative assessment may serve to promote student learning and had a set of tools available to utilize for formative assessment use, they did not enact these tools in the same way. One teacher appropriated formative assessment as mediating tool to verify if the students were following her explanations, and to check if the students were able to provide the correct response. The other teacher used the mediating tool to promote better understanding of students' ideas and her mindset shifted to place more value on the diversity of students' thinking and help them be more aware of their ideas. This study illustrates the complexities of enacting formative assessment practices in particular classrooms because teachers may interpret and use these tools in different ways. Thus, when teachers enacted these mediating tools, their interaction with the activity system's components produced different instructional outcomes and tensions. Similarly, this study describes how the use of artifacts of practice can be a vehicle between professional development and classrooms, especially in early stages of professional development. This study presents implications for professional development and formative assessment research and practice. Professional development needs to support teachers in reflecting on their practice in terms of activity systems, use a solid and research-based understanding of formative assessment, and promote opportunities to teachers to create, enact, and reflect on formative assessment artifacts and tools.

Learning professionalism during the third year of medical school in a 9-month-clinical rotation in rural Minnesota.

PubMed

Zink, Therese; Halaas, Gwen Wagstrom; Brooks, Kathleen D

2009-11-01

Professionalism is now an explicit part of the medical school curricula. To examine the components that are part of developing professionalism during the Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP) experience, a 9-month rotation in a rural community during the third year of medical school. Two researchers analysed 3 years of essays for themes. IRB approval was obtained. Themes were organized using Van de Camp's model of professionalism. Students described how patients taught them about illnesses, the affects on their lives and the lives of their families. Preceptors role-modelled how to relate to patients with compassion and respect (Professionalism Towards the Patient). As a member of the health care team, clinic and hospital staff taught students how to be a good team member (Towards Other Health Care Professionals). Shadowing preceptors in their roles as physicians and community members, students learned about their responsibilities to the community (Towards the Public). Multiple opportunities for self-evaluation and reflection taught students to know themselves and find balance between work responsibilities and their personal lives (Towards Oneself). The RPAP appears to create a supportive learning environment that incorporates psychological safety, appreciation of differences, openness to new ideas and time for reflection - an ideal environment for developing professionalism.

Professional development that works: Impacting elementary science teachers' learning and practice during the implementation of an inquiry-oriented science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlang, Jodi A.

One of the most important factors for developing science literacy for all students is teacher knowledge of science content and pedagogy. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of professional development on teacher learning, changes in teacher behavior, and student learning. The goal was to develop a deeper understanding of how the Elementary Science Teaching and Learning (ESTL) program affected teacher learning and changed teacher behavior in the classroom. This study also provided insight into the effect of the ESTL program on student learning during the first year of the professional development. This mixed method case study was used to examine the link between participation in the ESTL program, teacher learning, changes in teacher classroom behavior, and student learning. Qualitative observations and videotaped sessions provided rich description of the professional development and implementation of inquiry-oriented strategies in participant's classrooms. Artifacts and interviews provided evidence of teacher learning and changes in teacher behaviors. Quantitative data included self-report survey data examining changes in teacher behavior and the measurement of student learning used both science district assessment scores and CSAP writing scores. Key findings include: (1) teacher learning was reported in the areas of questioning and scope and sequence of the curriculum occurred; (2) statistically significant changes teacher behavior were reported and were noted in teacher interviews; (3) participation in the ESTL program did not positively impact student learning; (4) unanticipated findings include the role of camaraderie in professional development and the role of additional training in teacher's confidence in both their own teaching and in helping others; and, (5) teacher's perceptions identified the role of inquiry-based science curriculum as providing the rich experiences necessary for improved student writing. Overall participation in the ESTL program increased the implementation of inquiry-oriented strategies and it strengthened teacher inquiry-based science teaching in the classroom even though no increases were found in student test scores.

From OER to OEP: Shifting Practitioner Perspectives and Practices with Innovative Learning Experience Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karunanayaka, Shironica P.; Naidu, Som; Rajendra, J. C. N.; Ratnayake, H. U. W.

2015-01-01

Like any other educational resource, the integration of OER in teaching and learning requires careful thought and support for the teaching staff. The Faculty of Education at the Open University of Sri Lanka approached this challenge with the help of a professional development course on OER-based e-Learning. Modules in the course incorporated the…

Assessing the Value: Work-Based Learning Placements for Post-Graduate Human Resource Development Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morse, Shona M.

2006-01-01

Purpose: The objective of the pilot study reported on here was to identify some of the more elusive "costs and benefits" of work-based learning (WBL) placements. This was addressed by exploring the views and experience of a small number of human resource development (HRD) professionals who currently offer supervised work-based learning placements…

First Year Implementation of a Project-Based Learning Approach: The Need for Addressing Teachers' Orientations in the Era of Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Meredith A. Park; Cross, Dionne I.; Gresalfi, Melissa Sommerfeld; Trauth-Nare, Amy E.; Buck, Gayle A.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which three teachers' professional experience and existing orientations toward teaching and learning mathematics and science influenced their implementation of a project-based curriculum (i.e. project-based learning (PBL)). Data sources included interviews, videotapes of classroom activity,…