Predictive power of individual factors and clinical learning experience on academic success: findings from a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Dante, Angelo; Fabris, Stefano; Palese, Alvisa

2015-01-01

Academic failure is the inability of a nursing student to graduate or to complete the nursing degree on time. This longitudinal cohort study, involving 2 Italian universities, documents the effects of selected individual variables and the quality of the clinical learning experience as perceived by students on academic success. Factors related to the clinical learning experience were the quality of the supervisory relationship, pedagogical atmosphere, and commitment of the ward related to the level of personalized nursing care delivered and clarity of nursing documentation.

Culture and the Brain: Making the Most of Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas-Fair, Ursula

2007-01-01

This article reviews the impetus for higher quality, culturally appropriate early learning experiences. It investigates the economic costs of low quality learning and the absence of early learning programs as well. The article identifies and explores the tenets of brain-based learning and its connection to culture. Finally, the article describes…

Academic Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Quality of Experience in Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bassi, Marta; Steca, Patrizia; Delle Fave, Antonella; Caprara, Gian Vittorio

2007-01-01

This study investigated learning activities and associated quality of experience of students with different levels of perceived academic self-efficacy. Two groups were formed out of 130 Italian adolescents (age 15-19), one with high and one with low academic self-efficacy beliefs (31 and 32 participants, respectively). Students provided valuation…

A Study on Institutional Perception of Student Teachers on the Principles of Total Quality Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sundaresan, S.; Muthaiah, N.

2014-01-01

Education shapes the destiny of a nation, and is the principal instrument for developing human capabilities. Educational quality is highly influenced by the learning experiences gained during the teaching-learning process. The concern for improving quality of teaching-learning process is significant, since this is a mechanism through which the…

Reflecting on Quality Learning in a Student Writing Experience Supported by Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Robert

With rapid developments in information technology in society being mirrored in the use of new learning technologies in universities, research into the quality of technologically-supported learning is essential. To date, research into new learning technologies has provided us with valuable knowledge that includes the theories behind their design,…

Facilitation of receptive and productive foreign vocabulary learning using the keyword method: the role of image quality.

PubMed

Beaton, Alan A; Gruneberg, Michael M; Hyde, Christopher; Shufflebottom, Alex; Sykes, Robert N

2005-07-01

Ellis and Beaton (1993a) reported that the keyword method of learning enhanced memory of foreign vocabulary items when receptive learning was measured. However, for productive learning, rote repetition was superior to the keyword method. The first two experiments reported here show that, in comparison with rote repetition, both receptive and productive learning can be enhanced by the keyword method, provided that the quality of the keyword images is adequate. In a third experiment using a subset of words from Ellis and Beaton (1993a), the finding they reported, that for productive learning rote repetition was superior to the keyword method, was reversed. The quality of keyword images will vary from study to study and any generalisation regarding the efficacy of the keyword method must take this into account.

Assessing Faculty Experiences with and Perceptions of an Internal Quality Assurance Process for Undergraduate Distributed Learning Courses: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rucker, Ryan; Edwards, Karen; Frass, Lydia R.

2015-01-01

To ensure that online courses match traditional classes' quality, some institutions are implementing internal standards for online course design and quality review. The University of South Carolina created the Distributed Learning Quality Review program, based on "Quality Matters'" standards. It was designed to be faculty-guided, as…

Discontinuities in University Student Experiences of Learning through Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Robert A.; Calvo, Rafael A.

2006-01-01

This article reports on research into the student experience of learning through discussions in a third-year undergraduate engineering subject. Information engineering students studying e-commerce were required to engage in face-to-face and online discussions as a key aspect of their learning experience. This study investigates the quality of the…

Learning Objects and the E-Learning Cost Dilemma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weller, Martin

2004-01-01

The creation of quality e-learning material creates a cost dilemma for many institutions, since it has both high variable and high fixed costs. This cost dilemma means that economies of scale are difficult to achieve, which may result in a consequent reduction in the quality of the learning material. Based on the experience of creating a masters…

Clinical Environment as a Learning Environment: Student Nurses' Perceptions Concerning Clinical Learning Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papp, Inkeri; Markkanen, Marjatta; von Bonsdorff, Mikaela

2003-01-01

Finnish student nurses (n=16) described their clinical learning experiences. Several themes were identified: feeling appreciated and supported, the quality of mentoring and patient care, and self-directedness. School and clinical staff cooperation helped create a good learning environment in which theory and practice complemented each other.…

Pre-registration nursing student's quality of practice learning: Clinical learning environment inventory (actual) questionnaire.

PubMed

Shivers, Eleanor; Hasson, Felicity; Slater, Paul

2017-08-01

Clinical learning is a vital component of nurse education and assessing student's experiences can provide useful insights for development. Whilst most research in this area has focused on the acute setting little attention has been given to all pre-registration nurses' experience across the clinical placements arenas. To examine of pre-registration nursing students (first, second and third year) assessment of their actual experiences of their most recent clinical learning clinical learning experience. A cross sectional survey involving a descriptive online anonymous questionnaire based on the clinical learning environment inventory tool. One higher education institution in the United Kingdom. Nursing students (n=147) enrolled in an undergraduate nursing degree. This questionnaire included demographic questions and the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI) a 42 item tool measuring student's satisfaction with clinical placement. SPPS version 22 was employed to analyse data with descriptive and inferential statistics. Overall students were satisfied with their clinical learning experience across all placement areas. This was linked to the 6 constructs of the clinical learning environment inventory; personalization, innovation, individualization, task orientation, involvement, satisfaction. Significant differences in student experience were noted between age groups and student year but there was no difference noted between placement type, age and gender. Nursing students had a positive perception of their clinical learning experience, although there remains room for improvement. Enabling a greater understanding of students' perspective on the quality of clinical education is important for nursing education and future research. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Learning through Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Robert A.; Calvo, Rafael; Levy, David; Tan, Kelvin

2004-01-01

Students studying a third-year e-commerce subject experienced face-to-face and online discussions as an important part of their learning experience. The quality of the students' experiences of learning through those discussions is investigated in this study. This study uses qualitative approaches to investigate the variation in the students'…

Understanding the Nature of Learners' Out-of-Class Language Learning Experience with Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Chun; Hu, Xiao; Lyu, Boning

2018-01-01

Out-of-class learning with technology comprises an essential context of second language development. Understanding the nature of out-of-class language learning with technology is the initial step towards safeguarding its quality. This study examined the types of learning experiences that language learners engaged in outside the classroom and the…

Addressing the Needs of a Developing Nation: Electronic Maps of Mathematical Learning Resources Accessible via the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fathurrohman, Maman; Porter, Anne

2012-01-01

Teaching and learning of mathematics are integral parts of societies throughout the world. The fundamental or core nature of mathematics, its compulsory acquisition, requires high quality mathematics learning experiences. Moreover it is highly desirable that the emergence of new technology positively influences learning experiences in mathematics.…

"I Don't Feel Trapped Anymore…i Feel Like a Bird": People with Learning Disabilities' Experience of Psychological Therapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Nicola; Lewis, Karin; Davies, Bronwen

2016-01-01

Background: There are very few studies that investigate the qualitative experiences of people with a learning disability who have engaged in psychological therapy. Indeed, having a learning disability has traditionally been an exclusion criterion for good quality research about psychological treatments ("Psychotherapy and Learning Disability.…

Undergraduate research internships: veterinary students' experiences and the relation with internship quality.

PubMed

Jaarsma, Debbie A D C; Muijtjens, Arno M M; Dolmans, Diana H J M; Schuurmans, Eva M; Van Beukelen, Peter; Scherpbier, Albert J J A

2009-05-01

The learning environment of undergraduate research internships has received little attention, compared to postgraduate research training. This study investigates students' experiences with research internships, particularly the quality of supervision, development of research skills, the intellectual and social climate, infrastructure support, and the clarity of goals and the relationship between the experiences and the quality of students' research reports and their overall satisfaction with internships. A questionnaire (23 items, a 5-point Likert scale) was administered to 101 Year five veterinary students after completion of a research internship. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted with quality of supervision, development of research skills, climate, infrastructure and clarity of goals as independent variables and the quality of students' research reports and students' overall satisfaction as dependent variables. The response rate was 79.2%. Students' experiences are generally positive. Students' experiences with the intellectual and social climate are significantly correlated with the quality of research reports whilst the quality of supervision is significantly correlated with both the quality of research reports and students' overall satisfaction with the internship. Both the quality of supervision and the climate are found to be crucial factors in students' research learning and satisfaction with the internship.

Status of knowledge on student-learning environments in nursing homes: A mixed-method systematic review.

PubMed

Husebø, Anne Marie Lunde; Storm, Marianne; Våga, Bodil Bø; Rosenberg, Adriana; Akerjordet, Kristin

2018-04-01

To give an overview of empirical studies investigating nursing homes as a learning environment during nursing students' clinical practice. A supportive clinical learning environment is crucial to students' learning and for their development into reflective and capable practitioners. Nursing students' experience with clinical practice can be decisive in future workplace choices. A competent workforce is needed for the future care of older people. Opportunities for maximum learning among nursing students during clinical practice studies in nursing homes should therefore be explored. Mixed-method systematic review using PRISMA guidelines, on learning environments in nursing homes, published in English between 2005-2015. Search of CINAHL with Full Text, Academic Search Premier, MEDLINE and SocINDEX with Full Text, in combination with journal hand searches. Three hundred and thirty-six titles were identified. Twenty studies met the review inclusion criteria. Assessment of methodological quality was based on the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data were extracted and synthesised using a data analysis method for integrative reviews. Twenty articles were included. The majority of the studies showed moderately high methodological quality. Four main themes emerged from data synthesis: "Student characteristic and earlier experience"; "Nursing home ward environment"; "Quality of mentoring relationship and learning methods"; and "Students' achieved nursing competencies." Nursing home learning environments may be optimised by a well-prepared academic-clinical partnership, supervision by encouraging mentors and high-quality nursing care of older people. Positive learning experiences may increase students' professional development through achievement of basic nursing skills and competencies and motivate them to choose the nursing home as their future workplace. An optimal learning environment can be ensured by thorough preplacement preparations in academia and in nursing home wards, continuous supervision and facilitation of team learning. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Relationships between Students' Experiences of Learning in an Undergraduate Internship Programme and New Graduates' Experiences of Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthew, Susan M.; Taylor, Rosanne M.; Ellis, Robert A.

2012-01-01

Although educators believe that undergraduate internship programmes are a vital component of professional degrees, evidence of the relationship between students' experiences of learning during such programmes and the quality of new graduates' experiences of professional practice is limited. This research sought to investigate associations between…

Dedicated education unit: student perspectives.

PubMed

Nishioka, Vicki M; Coe, Michael T; Hanita, Makoto; Moscato, Susan R

2014-01-01

The study compared students' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences in a dedicated education unit (DEU) with their experiences in traditional clinical education. Unlike traditional academic-instructor models, expert nurses in the DEU provide clinical education to students with faculty support. This repeated measures design used student surveys, supplemented by focus group data. Students were more likely to agree that their clinical learning experience was high quality and they had a consistent mentoring relationship during DEU rotations. Students also reported the quality of the unit's learning environment, the leadership style of the nurse manager, and the nursing care on the unit was more favorable in DEUs than traditional units. Consistent with their changed role in DEUs, faculty members were less active in helping students integrate theory and practice. These findings provide additional evidence of the value that the DEU model contributes to high-quality clinical education.

Linking Learning Contexts: The Relationship between Students’ Civic and Political Experiences and Their Self-Regulation in School

PubMed Central

Malafaia, Carla; Teixeira, Pedro M.; Neves, Tiago; Menezes, Isabel

2016-01-01

This paper considers the relationship between self-regulation strategies and youth civic and political experiences, assuming that out-of-school learning can foster metacognition. The study is based on a sample of 732 Portuguese students from grades 8 and 11. Results show that the quality of civic and political participation experiences, together with academic self-efficacy, are significant predictors of young people’s self-regulation, particularly regarding cognitive and metacognitive strategies (elaboration and critical thinking). Such effects surpass even the weight of family cultural and school variables, such as the sense of school belonging. Therefore, we argue that the pedagogical value of non-formal civic and political experiences is related to learning in formal pedagogical contexts. This is because civic and political participation with high developmental quality can stimulate higher-order cognitive engagement and, thus, contribute to the development of learning strategies that promote academic success. PMID:27199812

Linking Learning Contexts: The Relationship between Students' Civic and Political Experiences and Their Self-Regulation in School.

PubMed

Malafaia, Carla; Teixeira, Pedro M; Neves, Tiago; Menezes, Isabel

2016-01-01

This paper considers the relationship between self-regulation strategies and youth civic and political experiences, assuming that out-of-school learning can foster metacognition. The study is based on a sample of 732 Portuguese students from grades 8 and 11. Results show that the quality of civic and political participation experiences, together with academic self-efficacy, are significant predictors of young people's self-regulation, particularly regarding cognitive and metacognitive strategies (elaboration and critical thinking). Such effects surpass even the weight of family cultural and school variables, such as the sense of school belonging. Therefore, we argue that the pedagogical value of non-formal civic and political experiences is related to learning in formal pedagogical contexts. This is because civic and political participation with high developmental quality can stimulate higher-order cognitive engagement and, thus, contribute to the development of learning strategies that promote academic success.

Student Groups as Learning Entities: The Effect of Group Diversity and Teamwork Quality on Groups' Cognitive Complexity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curseu, Petru L.; Pluut, Helen

2013-01-01

Collaborative learning has important group-level benefits, yet most studies in higher education only focus on individual benefits of collaborative learning experiences. This study extends these insights by testing a model in which teamwork quality mediates the impact of several compositional differences (gender, nationality and teamwork expertise…

Quality Virtual Instruction: The Use of Synchronous Online Activities to Engage International Students in Meaningful Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiler, Spencer C.

2012-01-01

Online instruction offers students a convenient way to access higher education. However, convenience must never trump quality when it comes to participation in a graduate program. Synchronous learning activities in graduate online courses are an effective way to enhance the learning experiences of all students, and especially those from different…

The "Tutorless" Design Studio: A Radical Experiment in Blended Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Glen Andrew

2017-01-01

This paper describes a pedagogical experiment in which a suite of novel blended learning strategies was used to replace the traditional role of design tutors in a first year architectural design studio. The pedagogical objectives, blended learning strategies and outcomes of the course are detailed. While the quality of the student design work…

Headmaster Instructional Leadership and Organizational Learning on the Quality of Madrasah and the Quality of Graduates the State Madrasah Aliyah at Jakarta Capital Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosmaniar, Widhyanti; Marzuki, Shahril Charil bin Hj.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to look closely at how aspects of instructional leadership, and organizational learning affect the quality of madrasah in improving the quality of graduate the state madrasah aliyah. The experiment was conducted using a quantitative approach with descriptive and inferential methods, in inferential methods used…

Using Students' Experiences to Derive Quality in an E-Learning System: An Institution's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, Shirley; Golja, Tanja

2007-01-01

Higher education institutions undertake a range of approaches to evaluating and making judgments about the quality of their e-learning provision. This paper begins by exploring benchmarking as one current strategy in common use in universities to identify and implement quality practices: from the use of checklists (for example, of best practices…

Students' perceptions of effective learning experiences in dental school: a qualitative study using a critical incident technique.

PubMed

Victoroff, Kristin Zakariasen; Hogan, Sarah

2006-02-01

Students' views of their educational experience can be an important source of information for curriculum assessment. Although quantitative methods, particularly surveys, are frequently used to gather such data, fewer studies have employed qualitative methods to examine students' dental education experiences. The purpose of this study is to explore characteristics of effective learning experiences in dental school using a qualitative method. All third-year (seventy) and fourth-year (seventy) dental students enrolled in one midwestern dental school were invited to participate. Fifty-three dental students (thirty-five male and eighteen female; thirty-two third-year and twenty-one fourth-year) were interviewed using a critical incident interview technique. Each student was asked to describe a specific, particularly effective learning incident that he or she had experienced in dental school and a specific, particularly ineffective learning incident, for comparison. Each interview was audiotaped. Students were assured that only the interviewer and one additional researcher would have access to the tapes. Data analysis resulted in identification of key themes in the data describing characteristics of effective learning experiences. The following characteristics of effective learning experiences were identified: 1) instructor characteristics (personal qualities, "checking-in" with students, and an interactive style); 2) characteristics of the learning process (focus on the "big picture," modeling and demonstrations, opportunities to apply new knowledge, high-quality feedback, focus, specificity and relevance, and peer interactions); and 3) learning environment (culture of the learning environment, technology). Common themes emerged across a wide variety of learning incidents. Although additional research is needed, the characteristics of effective learning experiences identified in this study may have implications for individual course design and for the dental school curriculum as a whole.

A Comparative Study of Students' Learning Experiences in Intensive and Semester-Length Courses and of the Attributes of High-Quality Intensive and Semester Course Learning Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Patricia A.

This study compared students' learning experiences in a set of courses in British literature and a set of courses in marketing, in which each set included a course taught in an intensive format and a semester-long format with the same instructor and content. Data collection included participant observation, videotaped class sessions,…

Cooperative Education, Experiential Learning, and Personal Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrahamsson, Kenneth, Ed.

Cooperative education, experiential learning, and personal knowledge are addressed in nine conference papers. Kenneth Abrahamsson considers the nature of experiential learning, the recognition of prior learning, educational design and the assessment of quality, and policy and practice for integrating learning and experience. Harry Hienemann…

Learning in and about rural places: Connections and tensions between students' everyday experiences and environmental quality issues in their community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Weible, Jennifer L.

2017-03-01

Guided by sociocultural perspectives on the importance of place as a resource for learning, we investigated 14- and 15-year old students' understandings of their community and water quality during a school-based watershed unit. Methods included a theory-driven thematic analysis of field notes and video transcripts from four biology classrooms, a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 67 pairs of matched pre- and post-intervention mindmaps, and a content analysis of 73 student reflections. As they learned about water quality, learners recognized the relevance of the watershed's health to the health of their community. Students acknowledged the impacts of local economically driven activities (e.g., natural gas wells, application of agrichemicals) and leisure activities (e.g., boating, fishing) on the watershed's environmental health. As students learned in and about their watershed, they experienced both connections and tensions between their everyday experiences and the environmental problems in their community. The students suggested individual sustainability actions needed to address water quality issues; however, the students struggled to understand how to act collectively. Implications of rural experiences as assets to future environmental sciences learning are discussed as well as the implications of educational experiences that do not include an advocacy component when students uncover environmental health issues. We suggest further consideration is needed on how to help young people develop action-oriented science knowledge, not just inert knowledge of environmental problems, during place-based education units.

Opportunity to discuss ethical issues during clinical learning experience.

PubMed

Palese, Alvisa; Gonella, Silvia; Destrebecq, Anne; Mansutti, Irene; Terzoni, Stefano; Morsanutto, Michela; Altini, Pietro; Bevilacqua, Anita; Brugnolli, Anna; Canzan, Federica; Ponte, Adriana Dal; De Biasio, Laura; Fascì, Adriana; Grosso, Silvia; Mantovan, Franco; Marognolli, Oliva; Nicotera, Raffaela; Randon, Giulia; Tollini, Morena; Saiani, Luisa; Grassetti, Luca; Dimonte, Valerio

2018-01-01

Undergraduate nursing students have been documented to experience ethical distress during their clinical training and felt poorly supported in discussing the ethical issues they encountered. Research aims: This study was aimed at exploring nursing students' perceived opportunity to discuss ethical issues that emerged during their clinical learning experience and associated factors. An Italian national cross-sectional study design was performed in 2015-2016. Participants were invited to answer a questionnaire composed of four sections regarding: (1) socio-demographic data, (2) previous clinical learning experiences, (3) current clinical learning experience quality and outcomes, and (4) the opportunity to discuss ethical issues with nurses in the last clinical learning experience (from 0 - 'never' to 3 - 'very much'). Participants and research context: Participants were 9607 undergraduate nursing students who were attending 95 different three-year Italian baccalaureate nursing programmes, located at 27 universities in 15 Italian regions. Ethical considerations: This study was conducted in accordance with the Human Subject Research Ethics Committee guidelines after the research protocol was approved by an ethics committee. Overall, 4707 (49%) perceived to have discussed ethical issues 'much' or 'very much'; among the remaining, 3683 (38.3%) and 1217 (12.7%) students reported the perception of having discussed, respectively, 'enough' or 'never' ethical issues emerged in the clinical practice. At the multivariate logistic regression analysis explaining 38.1% of the overall variance, the factors promoting ethical discussion were mainly set at the clinical learning environment levels (i.e. increased learning opportunities, self-directed learning, safety and nursing care quality, quality of the tutorial strategies, competences learned and supervision by a clinical nurse). In contrast, being male was associated with a perception of less opportunity to discuss ethical issues. Nursing faculties should assess the clinical environment prerequisites of the settings as a context of student experience before deciding on their accreditation. Moreover, the nursing faculty and nurse managers should also enhance competence with regard to discussing ethical issues with students among clinical nurses by identifying factors that hinder this learning opportunity in daily practice.

The Effect of Interior Design Improvements on the Quality of Learning for Graduate Level Military Officer Students

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-13

for the model classroom. Nevertheless, findings about the impact of interior design improvements 14 on student perceptions about the physical...from the impact of the model classroom interior design improvements on student perceptions about their physical learning environment. Delimitations of...their perceptions about places through personal experience. The intensity and quality of these personal experiences have a greater impact on people’s

Learning Science through Writing: Associations with Prior Conceptions of Writing and Perceptions of a Writing Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Robert A.; Taylor, Charlotte E.; Drury, Helen

2007-01-01

Students in a large undergraduate biology course were expected to write a scientific report as a key part of their course design. This study investigates the quality of learning arising from the writing experience and how it relates to the quality of students' preconceptions of learning through writing and their perceptions of their writing…

Quality in Web-Supported Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fresen, Jill

2002-01-01

Discusses quality assurance for Web-based courses, based on experiences at the University of Pretoria. Topics include evaluation of courseware; the concept of quality, including quality control, quality assurance, and total quality management; implementing a quality management system; measurement techniques; and partnerships. (LRW)

Distance Education in Dental Hygiene Bachelor of Science Degree Completion Programs: As Perceived by Students and Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsokris, Maureen

2010-01-01

This study investigated student and faculty perceptions of their experiences with online learning in dental hygiene Bachelor of Science degree completion programs on the dimensions of: quality of learning, connectedness to the learning environment, technology factors and student satisfaction. The experiences of dental hygiene students who took…

An Exploration into First-Year University Students' Approaches to Inquiry and Online Learning Technologies in Blended Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Robert A.; Bliuc, Ana-Maria

2016-01-01

The use of online learning technologies in experiences of inquiry is increasingly ubiquitous in university contexts. In blended environments, research into university experiences suggests that student approaches to learning are a key determiner of the quality of outcomes. The purpose of this study was to develop relevant measures which help…

Evaluating Writing Instruction through an Investigation of Students' Experiences of Learning through Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Robert A.; Taylor, Charlotte E.; Drury, Helen

2005-01-01

Learning through writing is a way of learning not only the appropriate written expression of disciplinary knowledge, but also the knowledge itself through reflection and revision. This study investigates the quality of a writing experience provided to university students in a first-year biology subject. The writing instruction methodology used is…

Enhancing the Student Learning Experience: The Perspective of Academic Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cahill, Jo; Turner, Jan; Barefoot, Helen

2010-01-01

Background: Quality enhancement in higher education is essentially a planned process of change that leads to continuous improvement in the effectiveness of the learning experience of students and the students' experience of higher education. Published literature that explores the concept in the reality of practice is sparse. Purpose: The overall…

Powerful Learning Experiences and Suzuki Music Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reuning-Hummel, Carrie; Meyer, Allison; Rowland, Gordon

2016-01-01

Powerful Learning Experiences (PLEs) of Suzuki music teachers were examined in this fifth study in a series. The definition of a PLE is: "Experiences that stand out in memory because of their high quality, their impact on one's thoughts and actions over time, and their transfer to a wide range of contexts and circumstances." Ten…

Experiences from CSCW in Virtual Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Multisilta, Jari

The rapid development of modern information and communications technologies has opened new possibilities for establishing and delivering distance learning. In addition, the new learning paradigm based on cognitive learning theories can emphasize the quality of the learning process. The open learning environment that utilizes modern communications…

A Latent Profile Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling of the Instructional Quality of Mathematics Classrooms Based on the PISA 2012 Results of Korea and Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yi, Hyun Sook; Lee, Yuree

2017-01-01

Teachers' classroom behaviors and their effects on student learning have received significant attention from educators, because the quality of instruction is a critical factor closely tied to students' learning experiences. Based on a theoretical model conceptualizing the quality of instruction, this study examined the characteristics of…

We Can't Go Home Again: Insights from a Quarter Century of Experiments in External Academic Quality Assurance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dill, David D.

2010-01-01

What have we learned from 25 years of experience with external academic quality assurance that can help design more effective framework conditions for assuring academic standards? The key elements appear to be the structure and means of evaluating national academic quality assurance agencies, the nature of academic quality information mandated by…

Quality Assessment and Development in the Course of the EFMD CEL Programme Accreditation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meier, C.; Seufert, S.; Euler, D.

2012-01-01

This paper reviews the experiences and learnings derived from the European Foundation for Management Development's programme accreditation teChnology-Enhanced Learning (EFMD CEL) programme accreditation. The EFMD CEL quality framework is briefly described, and an overview of the programmes that have pursued accreditation is presented.…

The development of learning media of acid-base indicator from extract of natural colorant as an alternative media in learning chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurhadi, Mukhamad; Wirhanuddin, Erwin, Muflihah, Erika, Farah; Widiyowati, Iis Intan

2017-03-01

The development of learning media of acid base indicator from extract of natural colorants as an alternative media in chemistry learning; acid-base solution by using creative problem solving model at SMA N 10 Samarinda has been done. This research aimed to create and develop the learning media from extract of natural colorants, measure its quality and effectiveness, and measure the quality of student learning outcome in acid-base solution topic by using that media. The development process used Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE) method. The learning media of acid-base indicator was created in the form of box experiment. Its quality was in the range of very good and it was effectively applied in the learning and gave positive impact on the achievement of learning goals.

Social Phenomenon of Community on Online Learning: Digital Interaction and Collaborative Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aleksic-Maslac, Karmela; Magzan, Masha; Juric, Visnja

2009-01-01

Digital interaction in e-learning offers great opportunities for education quality improvement in both--the classical teaching combined with e-learning, and distance learning. Zagreb School of Economics & Management (ZSEM) is one of the few higher education institutions in Croatia that systematically uses e-learning in teaching. Systematically…

Cases on Technological Adaptability and Transnational Learning: Issues and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mukerji, Siran, Ed.; Tripathi, Purnendu, Ed.

2010-01-01

Technology holds the key for bridging the gap between access to quality education and the need for enhanced learning experiences. This book contains case studies on divergent themes of personalized learning environments, inclusive learning for social change, innovative learning and assessment techniques, technology and international partnership…

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…

ZERO TO THREE Critical Competencies for Infant-Toddler Educators™ ... in Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ZERO TO THREE, 2016

2016-01-01

Early experiences matter. The quality of the early care and education provided to young children not only impacts their experiences now, but directly contributes to their future success in school and in life. High-quality early learning experiences require effective educators but attainment and application of these critical knowledge and skills is…

Comparison of student's learning achievement through realistic mathematics education (RME) approach and problem solving approach on grade VII

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilyas, Muhammad; Salwah

2017-02-01

The type of this research was experiment. The purpose of this study was to determine the difference and the quality of student's learning achievement between students who obtained learning through Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) approach and students who obtained learning through problem solving approach. This study was a quasi-experimental research with non-equivalent experiment group design. The population of this study was all students of grade VII in one of junior high school in Palopo, in the second semester of academic year 2015/2016. Two classes were selected purposively as sample of research that was: year VII-5 as many as 28 students were selected as experiment group I and VII-6 as many as 23 students were selected as experiment group II. Treatment that used in the experiment group I was learning by RME Approach, whereas in the experiment group II by problem solving approach. Technique of data collection in this study gave pretest and posttest to students. The analysis used in this research was an analysis of descriptive statistics and analysis of inferential statistics using t-test. Based on the analysis of descriptive statistics, it can be concluded that the average score of students' mathematics learning after taught using problem solving approach was similar to the average results of students' mathematics learning after taught using realistic mathematics education (RME) approach, which are both at the high category. In addition, It can also be concluded that; (1) there was no difference in the results of students' mathematics learning taught using realistic mathematics education (RME) approach and students who taught using problem solving approach, (2) quality of learning achievement of students who received RME approach and problem solving approach learning was same, which was at the high category.

Inequalities and Agencies in Workplace Learning Experiences: International Student Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Tony; Tran, Ly Thi; Soejatminah, Sri

2017-01-01

National systems of vocational education and training around the globe are facing reform driven by quality, international mobility, and equity. Evidence suggests that there are qualitatively distinctive challenges in providing and sustaining workplace learning experiences to international students. However, despite growing conceptual and empirical…

Interactions Quality in Moodle as Perceived by Learners and Its Relation with Some Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdelraheem, Ahmed Yousif

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify learners' perceptions of the quality of interaction in Moodle and investigate the effects of gender, grade point average (GPA), individualized learning experiences and their experiences in using Moodle factors in perceiving the quality of interaction. A questionnaire was used to collect data after being…

[The Italian instrument evaluating the nursing students clinical learning quality].

PubMed

Palese, Alvisa; Grassetti, Luca; Mansutti, Irene; Destrebecq, Anne; Terzoni, Stefano; Altini, Pietro; Bevilacqua, Anita; Brugnolli, Anna; Benaglio, Carla; Dal Ponte, Adriana; De Biasio, Laura; Dimonte, Valerio; Gambacorti, Benedetta; Fasci, Adriana; Grosso, Silvia; Mantovan, Franco; Marognolli, Oliva; Montalti, Sandra; Nicotera, Raffaela; Randon, Giulia; Stampfl, Brigitte; Tollini, Morena; Canzan, Federica; Saiani, Luisa; Zannini, Lucia

2017-01-01

. The Clinical Learning Quality Evaluation Index for nursing students. The Italian nursing programs, the need to introduce tools evaluating the quality of the clinical learning as perceived by nursing students. Several tools already exist, however, several limitations suggesting the need to develop a new tool. A national project aimed at developing and validating a new instrument capable of measuring the clinical learning quality as experience by nursing students. A validation study design was undertaken from 2015 to 2016. All nursing national programs (n=43) were invited to participate by including all nursing students attending regularly their clinical learning. The tool developed based upon a) literature, b) validated tools already established among other healthcare professionals, and c) consensus expressed by experts and nursing students, was administered to the eligible students. 9606 nursing in 27 universities (62.8%) participated. The psychometric properties of the new instrument ranged from good to excellent. According to the findings, the tool consists in 22 items and five factors: a) quality of the tutorial strategies, b) learning opportunities; c) safety and nursing care quality; d) self-direct learning; e) quality of the learning environment. The tool is already used. Its systematic adoption may support comparison among settings and across different programs; moreover, the tool may also support in accrediting new settings as well as in measuring the effects of strategies aimed at improving the quality of the clinical learning.

Evaluating Quality Learning in Higher Education: Re-Examining the Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lodge, Jason M.; Bonsanquet, Agnes

2014-01-01

The ways in which the value-added benefits of higher education are conceptualised and measured have come under increased scrutiny as universities become more accountable to their funding bodies in a difficult economic climate. Existing approaches for understanding quality learning often rely on measuring the subjective student experience or on…

Assessing the Quality of Early Years Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Glenda; Gardner, John

2005-01-01

This article describes a means of evaluating early years classrooms from the perspective of the child's experience. Nine key themes, such as motivation and independence, are identified as representing significant aspects of a high-quality environment for learning. The manner in which these manifest themselves in relation to the three elements of…

Indoor Air Quality and Student Performance [and Case Studies].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.

This report examines how indoor air quality (IAQ) affects a child's ability to learn and provides several case studies of schools that have successfully addressed their indoor air problems, the lessons learned from that experience, and what long-term practices and policies emerged from the effort. The report covers the effects from…

The Self-Systems: Facilitating Personal Well-Being Experiences at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phan, Huy P.

2017-01-01

The focus of inquiry pertaining to quality learning and student well-being experiences at school has involved numerous studies, utilizing complex quantitative methodological approaches. In a similar vein, for consideration of research advancement, there has been extensive progress made regarding motivational tenets of effective learning and…

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…

Preschool Individualized Movement Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Oteghen, Sharon; Jacobson, Phyllis A.

1981-01-01

Learning, beginning in infancy, depends chiefly upon the nature and quality of movement experiences. Since 50 percent of a child's potential for learning is developed by age five, it is essential that movement programs be devised for children of preschool age. Movement programs must be geared to the individual child's developmental level. (JN)

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,…

Enhancing Quality with a Research-Based Student Feedback Instrument: A Comparison of Veterinary Students' Learning Experiences in Two Culturally Different European Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruohoniemi, Mirja; Forni, Monica; Mikkonen, Johanna; Parpala, Anna

2017-01-01

This paper explores the value of a research-based student inventory from the quality assurance point of view in two culturally different European higher education institutions for veterinary education. Perceived heavy workload is a well-known problem in veterinary studies and is a challenge to the quality of learning. First- and third-year…

A multidimensional approach to examine student interdisciplinary learning in science and engineering in higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spelt, Elisabeth Jacoba Hendrika; Luning, Pieternelleke Arianne; van Boekel, Martinus A. J. S.; Mulder, Martin

2017-11-01

Preparing science and engineering students to work in interdisciplinary teams necessitates research on teaching and learning of interdisciplinary thinking. A multidimensional approach was taken to examine student interdisciplinary learning in a master course on food quality management. The collected 615 student experiences were analysed for the cognitive, emotional, and social learning dimensions using the learning theory of Illeris. Of these 615 experiences, the analysis showed that students reported 214, 194, and 207 times on, respectively, the emotional, the cognitive, and the social dimension. Per learning dimension, key learning experiences featuring interdisciplinary learning were identified such as 'frustrations in selecting and matching disciplinary knowledge to complex problems' (emotional), 'understanding how to apply theoretical models or concepts to real-world situations' (cognitive), and 'socially engaging with peers to recognise similarities in perceptions and experiences' (social). Furthermore, the results showed that students appreciated the cognitive dimension relatively more than the emotional and social dimensions.

Interventions in Schools' Curricula to Achieve Quality in Learning: Experiences from the Commonwealth Caribbean

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jennings, Zellynne

2017-01-01

For some four decades governments in Commonwealth Caribbean (CC) countries have been introducing interventions in their school systems to provide quality education for all. Examples of these are learner-centred teaching pedagogy and the integration of technology into teaching and learning. The data for the paper is based on published research and…

A Quantitative Approach to Assessment of Work-Based Learning Outcomes: An Urban Planning Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freestone, Robert; Williams, Peter; Thompson, Susan; Trembath, Kerry

2007-01-01

Assessing student perceptions and opinions of their university education is now standard in quality assurance processes for learning and teaching. In Australia, the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) has been institutionalised as a national survey of graduand opinion and is used as the key indicator of tertiary teaching quality. A little-used…

Improving the Quality of Practicum Learning: Self-Study of a Faculty Member's Role in Practicum Supervision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Tom

2017-01-01

This self-study of activities as a practicum supervisor in several secondary schools focuses on the supervisor's contribution to the quality of a teacher candidate's professional learning in the context of a familiar tension between on-campus courses and in-school practicum experiences. Data from both formal and informal supervisory experiences…

SANTPEN's SoTL Journey: Building and Using a SoTL Approach across Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Deborah; Stephenson, Helen

2016-01-01

In the current higher education environment, providing high quality teaching and learning experiences to students has moved beyond desirable to essential. Quality improvement takes many forms, but one core aspect to ensure sustainable improvement is the development of a culture of scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Developing such an…

Student Experiences on Interaction in an Online Learning Environment as Part of a Blended Learning Implementation: What Is Essential?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salmi, Laura

2013-01-01

Interaction and community building are essential elements of a well functioning online learning environment, especially in learning environments based on investigative learning with a strong emphasis on teamwork. In this paper, practical solutions covering quality criteria for interaction in online education are presented for a simple…

Motivating Students through Positive Learning Experiences: A Comparison of Three Learning Designs for Computer Programming Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lykke, Marianne; Coto, Mayela; Jantzen, Christian; Mora, Sonia; Vandel, Niels

2015-01-01

Based on the assumption that wellbeing, positive emotions and engagement influence motivation for learning, the aim of this paper is to provide insight into students' emotional responses to and engagement in different learning designs. By comparing students' reports on the experiential qualities of three different learning designs, their…

TH-B-207B-00: Pediatric Image Quality Optimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

This imaging educational program will focus on solutions to common pediatric image quality optimization challenges. The speakers will present collective knowledge on best practices in pediatric imaging from their experience at dedicated children’s hospitals. One of the most commonly encountered pediatric imaging requirements for the non-specialist hospital is pediatric CT in the emergency room setting. Thus, this educational program will begin with optimization of pediatric CT in the emergency department. Though pediatric cardiovascular MRI may be less common in the non-specialist hospitals, low pediatric volumes and unique cardiovascular anatomy make optimization of these techniques difficult. Therefore, our second speaker willmore » review best practices in pediatric cardiovascular MRI based on experiences from a children’s hospital with a large volume of cardiac patients. Learning Objectives: To learn techniques for optimizing radiation dose and image quality for CT of children in the emergency room setting. To learn solutions for consistently high quality cardiovascular MRI of children.« less

Learning to rank for blind image quality assessment.

PubMed

Gao, Fei; Tao, Dacheng; Gao, Xinbo; Li, Xuelong

2015-10-01

Blind image quality assessment (BIQA) aims to predict perceptual image quality scores without access to reference images. State-of-the-art BIQA methods typically require subjects to score a large number of images to train a robust model. However, subjective quality scores are imprecise, biased, and inconsistent, and it is challenging to obtain a large-scale database, or to extend existing databases, because of the inconvenience of collecting images, training the subjects, conducting subjective experiments, and realigning human quality evaluations. To combat these limitations, this paper explores and exploits preference image pairs (PIPs) such as the quality of image Ia is better than that of image Ib for training a robust BIQA model. The preference label, representing the relative quality of two images, is generally precise and consistent, and is not sensitive to image content, distortion type, or subject identity; such PIPs can be generated at a very low cost. The proposed BIQA method is one of learning to rank. We first formulate the problem of learning the mapping from the image features to the preference label as one of classification. In particular, we investigate the utilization of a multiple kernel learning algorithm based on group lasso to provide a solution. A simple but effective strategy to estimate perceptual image quality scores is then presented. Experiments show that the proposed BIQA method is highly effective and achieves a performance comparable with that of state-of-the-art BIQA algorithms. Moreover, the proposed method can be easily extended to new distortion categories.

Analysis of chemistry textbook content and national science education standards in terms of air quality-related learning goals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naughton, Wendy

In this study's Phase One, representatives of nine municipal agencies involved in air quality education were interviewed and interview transcripts were analyzed for themes related to what citizens need to know or be able to do regarding air quality concerns. Based on these themes, eight air quality Learning Goal Sets were generated and validated via peer and member checks. In Phase Two, six college-level, liberal-arts chemistry textbooks and the National Science Education Standards (NSES) were analyzed for congruence with Phase One learning goals. Major categories of desired citizen understandings highlighted in agency interviews concerned air pollution sources, impact, detection, and transport. Identified cognitive skills focused on information-gathering and -evaluating skills, enabling informed decision-making. A content match was found between textbooks and air quality learning goals, but most textbooks fail to address learning goals that remediate citizen misconceptions and inabilities---particularly those with a "personal experience" focus. A partial match between NSES and air quality learning goals was attributed to differing foci: Researcher-derived learning goals deal specifically with air quality, while NSES focus is on "fundamental science concepts," not "many science topics." Analysis of findings within a situated cognition framework suggests implications for instruction and NSES revision.

Mindtool-Assisted In-Field Learning (MAIL): An Advanced Ubiquitous Learning Project in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Hung, Pi-Hsia; Chen, Nian-Shing; Liu, Gi-Zen

2014-01-01

Scholars have identified that learning in an authentic environment with quality contextual and procedural supports can engage students in thorough observations and knowledge construction. Moreover, the target is that students are able to experience and make sense of all of the learning activities in the real-world environment with meaningful…

Ethical and Privacy Principles for Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pardo, Abelardo; Siemens, George

2014-01-01

The massive adoption of technology in learning processes comes with an equally large capacity to track learners. Learning analytics aims at using the collected information to understand and improve the quality of a learning experience. The privacy and ethical issues that emerge in this context are tightly interconnected with other aspects such as…

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…

Mobile Learning and Indigenous Education in Canada: A Synthesis of New Ways of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pulla, Siomonn

2017-01-01

M-Learning holds great potential for supporting the positive educational outcomes of underserved Indigenous communities in the Canadian North, and even in urban centers, that are at risk of exclusion from affordable, high-quality learning experiences. The technical advantages of having mobile technology to deliver educational curricula and assess…

Learning from Community: Agenda for Citizenship Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghosh, Sujay

2015-01-01

Citizenship is about individual's membership in the socio-political community. Education for citizenship conceives issues such as quality education, learning society and inclusion. Educational thinking in India has long valued community as a learning resource. With empirical experiences drawn from the programme of "Ecology and Natural…

Actualizing the Learning Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braman, Dave

Where conditions are right, continuing education (CE) staff working in true collaboration with campus-based credit staff can meet the learning needs of the community and improve instructional quality with greater resource efficiency. CE staff must become learning strategists who bring ideas from their marketplace experience to the instructional…

Cheating in Online Courses: The Student Definition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raines, Deborah A.; Ricci, Peter; Brown, Susan L.; Eggenberger, Terry; Hindle, Tobin; Schiff, Mara

2011-01-01

One of the barriers to faculty acceptance of online teaching and learning is a concern about cheating and the quality of the learning experience. This paper reports the findings of a descriptive survey focused on the students' definition of cheating in the online learning environment.

Learning community health nursing concepts from clinical experience.

PubMed

Lasater, Kathie; Luce, Linda; Volpin, Miriam; Terwilliger, Allison; Wild, Jackson

2007-01-01

Clinical faculty often struggle to design competency demonstrations that promote quality learning experiences. A nursing program in Oregon combined mental health and community health nursing practica and required well-planned, integrated competency demonstrations. This requirement became the impetus for students to promote the health of clients and learn clinical concepts that are difficult to experience in a typical term. Faculty coached students to make a significant contribution that would last beyond their clinical practica. A case study in competency demonstration design is described, and implications for curriculum development are presented.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deng, J.

This imaging educational program will focus on solutions to common pediatric image quality optimization challenges. The speakers will present collective knowledge on best practices in pediatric imaging from their experience at dedicated children’s hospitals. One of the most commonly encountered pediatric imaging requirements for the non-specialist hospital is pediatric CT in the emergency room setting. Thus, this educational program will begin with optimization of pediatric CT in the emergency department. Though pediatric cardiovascular MRI may be less common in the non-specialist hospitals, low pediatric volumes and unique cardiovascular anatomy make optimization of these techniques difficult. Therefore, our second speaker willmore » review best practices in pediatric cardiovascular MRI based on experiences from a children’s hospital with a large volume of cardiac patients. Learning Objectives: To learn techniques for optimizing radiation dose and image quality for CT of children in the emergency room setting. To learn solutions for consistently high quality cardiovascular MRI of children.« less

Transitioning a bachelor of science in nursing program to blended learning: Successes, challenges & outcomes.

PubMed

Posey, Laurie; Pintz, Christine

2017-09-01

To help address the challenges of providing undergraduate nursing education in an accelerated time frame, the Teaching and Transforming through Technology (T3) project was funded to transition a second-degree ABSN program to a blended learning format. The project has explored the use of blended learning to: enable flexible solutions to support teaching goals and address course challenges; provide students with new types of independent learning activities outside of the traditional classroom; increase opportunities for active learning in the classroom; and improve students' digital literacy and lifelong learning skills. Program evaluation included quality reviews of the redesigned courses, surveys of student perceptions, pre- and post-program assessment of students' digital literacy and interviews with faculty about their experiences with the new teaching methods. Adopting an established quality framework to guide course design and evaluation for quality contributed to the efficient and effective development of a high-quality undergraduate blended nursing program. Program outcomes and lessons learned are presented to inform future teaching innovation and research related to blended learning in undergraduate nursing education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and testing of a text-mining approach to analyse patients' comments on their experiences of colorectal cancer care.

PubMed

Wagland, Richard; Recio-Saucedo, Alejandra; Simon, Michael; Bracher, Michael; Hunt, Katherine; Foster, Claire; Downing, Amy; Glaser, Adam; Corner, Jessica

2016-08-01

Quality of cancer care may greatly impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Free-text responses to patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) provide rich data but analysis is time and resource-intensive. This study developed and tested a learning-based text-mining approach to facilitate analysis of patients' experiences of care and develop an explanatory model illustrating impact on HRQoL. Respondents to a population-based survey of colorectal cancer survivors provided free-text comments regarding their experience of living with and beyond cancer. An existing coding framework was tested and adapted, which informed learning-based text mining of the data. Machine-learning algorithms were trained to identify comments relating to patients' specific experiences of service quality, which were verified by manual qualitative analysis. Comparisons between coded retrieved comments and a HRQoL measure (EQ5D) were explored. The survey response rate was 63.3% (21 802/34 467), of which 25.8% (n=5634) participants provided free-text comments. Of retrieved comments on experiences of care (n=1688), over half (n=1045, 62%) described positive care experiences. Most negative experiences concerned a lack of post-treatment care (n=191, 11% of retrieved comments) and insufficient information concerning self-management strategies (n=135, 8%) or treatment side effects (n=160, 9%). Associations existed between HRQoL scores and coded algorithm-retrieved comments. Analysis indicated that the mechanism by which service quality impacted on HRQoL was the extent to which services prevented or alleviated challenges associated with disease and treatment burdens. Learning-based text mining techniques were found useful and practical tools to identify specific free-text comments within a large dataset, facilitating resource-efficient qualitative analysis. This method should be considered for future PROM analysis to inform policy and practice. Study findings indicated that perceived care quality directly impacts on HRQoL. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Voices of Strong Democracy: Concepts and Models for Service-Learning in Communication Studies. AAHE's Series on Service-Learning in the Disciplines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Droge, David, Ed.; Murphy, Bren Ortega, Ed.

This volume is part of a series of 18 monographs on service learning and the academic disciplines. These essays demonstrate some "best practices" for service-learning, providing rigorous learning experiences for students and high-quality service to the community. A Preface by James L. Applegate and Sherwyn P. Morreale, "Service-Learning in…

An analysis of learning process based on scientific approach in physical chemsitry experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arlianty, Widinda Normalia; Febriana, Beta Wulan; Diniaty, Artina

2017-03-01

This study aimed to analysis the quality of learning process based on scientific approach in physical chemistry experiment of Chemistry Education students, Islamic University of Indonesia. The research was descriptive qualitative. The samples of this research were 2nd semester student, class of 2015. Scientific data of learning process were collected by observation sheet and documentation of seven title experimental. The results showed that the achievement of scientific learning process on observing, questioning, experimenting and associating data were 73.98%; 81.79%; 80.74%; and 76.94% respectively, which categorized as medium. Furthermore, for aspect communicating had high category at 86.11% of level achievement.

Learning Approaches and Lecture Attendance of Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Madeleine; Curtis, Sally; Dismore, Harriet

2018-01-01

There are arguably many factors that affect the way a student learns. A recent report by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and the Higher Education Academy (HEA) on student academic experience in the UK states that class size is an important factor in the quality of the student experience and that smaller class sizes provide greater…

Effects of Age, Gender and Occupation on Perceived Workplace Learning Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harteis, Christian; Billett, Stephen; Goller, Michael; Rausch, Andreas; Seifried, Jürgen

2015-01-01

The provision of workplace support is central to how and what is and can be learnt at work. Hence, the distribution of those experiences is an important factor in the quality of workplace learning experiences. The study reported and discussed here aims to identify differences in levels of support and opportunities for applying knowledge in…

Social Learning Analytics in Higher Education. An Experience at the Primary Education Stage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Díaz-Lázaro, José Javier; Fernández, Isabel M. Solano; del Mar Sánchez Vera, María

2017-01-01

The concept of Learning Analytics, as we understand it today, is relatively new but the practice of evaluating user behavior is not innovative. For years, technological development, along with other educational aspects, have encouraged, developed and facilitated this practice as a way of providing a personalized quality experience to students. The…

Implications of Modeling Uncertainty for Water Quality Decision Making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shabman, L.

2002-05-01

The report, National Academy of Sciences report, "Assessing the TMDL Approach to Water Quality Management" endorsed the "watershed" and "ambient water quality focused" approach" to water quality management called for in the TMDL program. The committee felt that available data and models were adequate to move such a program forward, if the EPA and all stakeholders better understood the nature of the scientific enterprise and its application to the TMDL program. Specifically, the report called for a greater acknowledgement of model prediction uncertinaity in making and implementing TMDL plans. To assure that such uncertinaity was addressed in water quality decision making the committee called for a commitment to "adaptive implementation" of water quality management plans. The committee found that the number and complexity of the interactions of multiple stressors, combined with model prediction uncertinaity means that we need to avoid the temptation to make assurances that specific actions will result in attainment of particular water quality standards. Until the work on solving a water quality problem begins, analysts and decision makers cannot be sure what the correct solutions are, or even what water quality goals a community should be seeking. In complex systems we need to act in order to learn; adaptive implementation is a concurrent process of action and learning. Learning requires (1) continued monitoring of the waterbody to determine how it responds to the actions taken and (2) carefully designed experiments in the watershed. If we do not design learning into what we attempt we are not doing adaptive implementation. Therefore, there needs to be an increased commitment to monitoring and experiments in watersheds that will lead to learning. This presentation will 1) explain the logic for adaptive implementation; 2) discuss the ways that water quality modelers could characterize and explain model uncertinaity to decision makers; 3) speculate on the implications of the adaptive implementation for setting of water quality standards, for design of watershed monitoring programs and for the regulatory rules governing the TMDL program implementation.

Learning to Teach Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students through Cross-Cultural Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savva, Maria

2017-01-01

Teacher participation in cross-cultural experiences is often associated with the broadening of perspectives and increased intercultural sensitivity. While these qualities provide an overarching and important framework for intercultural development, they remain highly abstract. What exactly do we mean when we refer to these qualities? And in what…

Image aesthetic quality evaluation using convolution neural network embedded learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yu-xin; Pu, Yuan-yuan; Xu, Dan; Qian, Wen-hua; Wang, Li-peng

2017-11-01

A way of embedded learning convolution neural network (ELCNN) based on the image content is proposed to evaluate the image aesthetic quality in this paper. Our approach can not only solve the problem of small-scale data but also score the image aesthetic quality. First, we chose Alexnet and VGG_S to compare for confirming which is more suitable for this image aesthetic quality evaluation task. Second, to further boost the image aesthetic quality classification performance, we employ the image content to train aesthetic quality classification models. But the training samples become smaller and only using once fine-tuning cannot make full use of the small-scale data set. Third, to solve the problem in second step, a way of using twice fine-tuning continually based on the aesthetic quality label and content label respective is proposed, the classification probability of the trained CNN models is used to evaluate the image aesthetic quality. The experiments are carried on the small-scale data set of Photo Quality. The experiment results show that the classification accuracy rates of our approach are higher than the existing image aesthetic quality evaluation approaches.

Developing a Practice-Based Learning and Improvement Curriculum for an Academic General Surgery Residency

PubMed Central

O'Connor, Erin S.; Mahvi, David M.; Foley, Eugene F.; Lund, Dennis; McDonald, Robert

2010-01-01

Background Program Directors in Surgery are now facing the challenge of incorporating the ACGME's practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) competency into residency curriculum. We introduced a comprehensive PBLI experience for PG2 residents designed to integrate specific competency goals (quality improvement, clinical thinking, and self-directed learning) within the context of residents’ clinical practice. Study Design Fourteen PG2 residents participated in a three-week PBLI curriculum consisting of three components: Complex Clinical Decision Making (CCDM), Individual Learning Plan, and Quality Improvement (QI). To assess how effectively the curriculum addressed these three competencies, residents rated their understanding of PBLI by answering a 12-question written survey given pre- and post-rotation. Resident satisfaction was assessed through standard post-rotation evaluations. Results Analysis of the pre and post rotation surveys from the fourteen participants showed an increase in all measured elements, including knowledge of PBLI (p<0.001), ability to assess learning needs (p<0.001) and set learning goals (p<0.001), understanding of QI concepts (p=0.001), and experience with QI projects (p<0.001). Fourteen QI projects were developed. Although many residents found the creation of measurable learning goals to be challenging, the process of identifying strengths and weaknesses enhanced the resident's self-understanding, and contributed to overall satisfaction with the rotation. Conclusions The initial implementation of our PBLI curriculum demonstrated that residents report personal progress in their clinical decision making, self-directed learning, and familiarity with quality improvement. This comprehensive PBLI curriculum was accepted by surgical residents as a valuable part of their training. We are encouraged to continue a clinically-grounded PBLI experience for PG2 residents. PMID:20347732

Fostering a Web 2.0 Ethos in a Traditional e-Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Marie; Noakes, Michaela

2012-01-01

As technology continues to flatten the world and as Web 2.0 changes the way knowledge is created and shared, tertiary education institutions are turning increasingly to e-learning to extend access to students globally as well as to improve the quality of their learning experience. Learning Management Systems (LMS) currently dominate the delivery…

Self-Assessment in Education Management Training through Distance Learning: A Critical Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steyn, G. M.; Kamper, G. D.

2006-01-01

In pursuit of quality, the learning process should be continuously improved by changing, among other things, the learning material and the way learning is facilitated. A concern for academics, teaching experience in the B.Ed. module: Personnel Management, a module offered by means of distance education at the University of South Africa, is to…

The Impact of Altered Realities: Implications of Online Delivery for Learners' Interactions, Expectations, and Learning Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reisetter, Marcy; LaPointe, Loralee; Korcuska, James

2007-01-01

Although research consistently demonstrates that students learn content in online classes as well as their campus based counterparts and are equally satisfied with the quality of their learning, more information is needed that describes how the learning experiences themselves may vary. A traditional group of students was compared with an online…

Developing a Learning Object Metadata Application Profile Based on LOM Suitable for the Australian Higher Education Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agostinho, Shirley; Bennett, Sue; Lockyer, Lori; Harper, Barry

2004-01-01

This paper reports recent work in developing of structures and processes that support university teachers and instructional designers incorporating learning objects into higher education focused learning designs. The aim of the project is to develop a framework to guide the design and implementation of high quality learning experiences. This…

Assessing the Quality of Learning Environments in Swedish Schools: Development and Analysis of a Theory-Based Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westling Allodi, Mara

2007-01-01

The Goals, Attitudes and Values in School (GAVIS) questionnaire was developed on the basis of theoretical frameworks concerning learning environments, universal human values and studies of students' experience of learning environments. The theory hypothesises that learning environments can be described and structured in a circumplex model using…

Grounding theories of W(e)Learn: a framework for online interprofessional education.

PubMed

Casimiro, Lynn; MacDonald, Colla J; Thompson, Terrie Lynn; Stodel, Emma J

2009-07-01

Interprofessional care (IPC) is a prerequisite for enhanced communication between healthcare team members, improved quality of care, and better outcomes for patients. A move to an IPC model requires changing the learning experiences of healthcare providers during and after their qualification program. With the rapid growth of online and blended approaches to learning, an educational framework that explains how to construct quality learning events to provide IPC is pressing. Such a framework would offer a quality standard to help educators design, develop, deliver, and evaluate online interprofessional education (IPE) programs. IPE is an extremely delicate process due to issues related to knowledge, status, power, accountability, personality traits, and culture that surround IPC. In this paper, a review of the pertinent literature that would inform the development of such a framework is presented. The review covers IPC, IPE, learning theories, and eLearning in healthcare.

Comparative Learning in Partnerships: Control, Competition or Collaboration?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takahashi, Chie

2008-01-01

This paper examines the quality and development of relations between organisations and the ways in which these are informed by incidental learning experiences in two projects. The paper conceptualizes instances of inter-organisational learning (IOL) applying theories such as principal-agent, prisoners' dilemma and women's place in community…

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…

One University's Approach to Engaged Learning across the Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackwell, Mark; McGivney-Burelle, Jean; Colarulli, Guy; Shattuck, James; Christensen, Caryn

2018-01-01

How can faculty, staff, and administrators design a high-quality academic experience for their institution's undergraduates by adopting an established set of nationally recognized, evidence-based teaching and learning practices that promote engaged learning? How can they ensure that all students, regardless of major, achieve the essential learning…

Enhancing undergraduate community placements: a critical review of current literature.

PubMed

Dickson, Caroline A W; Morris, Gillian; Gable, Clare

2015-04-01

In the face of the UK-wide policy shift to increased home care, inspiring and enabling the next generation of community nurses is more urgent than ever. The quality of the pre-registration practice learning experience is highly influential on career choices at the point of qualification. Given that 50% of learning by pre-registration students takes place in practice, mentors have a crucial role to play in preparing the next generation of nurses to work in the community. This article discusses the findings of a systematic and critical literature review of pre-registration placements that was funded by the Queen's Nursing Institute Scotland. The review found that students' experiences of learning in community settings are variable, and perceptions of students and mentors are misaligned in terms of what a quality placement should look like. Although there is no clear definition of what constitutes a community placement and there is some underuse of learning environments in areas such as general practice nursing, there are also a number of examples of new and imaginative placements. While these innovations provide 'whole experience' placements, they are currently lacking robust evaluation, despite their potential usefulness on a larger scale. Mentors have the opportunity to provide students with a range of learning opportunities that increase preparedness for working in the community, allowing final year students in particular greater influence over their learning experience. Students undertaking community practice learning, where they have a managed level of autonomy, are more likely to feel confident to take on community nursing roles.

Learning in and about Rural Places: Connections and Tensions between Students' Everyday Experiences and Environmental Quality Issues in Their Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Weible, Jennifer L.

2017-01-01

Guided by sociocultural perspectives on the importance of place as a resource for learning, we investigated 14- and 15-year old students' understandings of their community and water quality during a school-based watershed unit. Methods included a theory-driven thematic analysis of field notes and video transcripts from four biology classrooms, a…

Building a quality culture in the Office of Space Flight: Approach, lessons learned and implications for the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, C. Shannon

The purpose of this paper is to describe the approach and lessons learned by the Office of Space Flight (OSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in its introduction of quality. In particular, the experience of OSF Headquarters is discussed as an example of an organization within NASA that is considering both the business and human elements of the change and the opportunities the quality focus presents to improve continuously. It is hoped that the insights shared will be of use to those embarking upon similar cultural changes. The paper is presented in the following parts: the leadership challenge; background; context of the approach to quality; initial steps; current initiatives; lessons learned; and implications for the future.

Building a quality culture in the Office of Space Flight: Approach, lessons learned and implications for the future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, C. Shannon

1992-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe the approach and lessons learned by the Office of Space Flight (OSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in its introduction of quality. In particular, the experience of OSF Headquarters is discussed as an example of an organization within NASA that is considering both the business and human elements of the change and the opportunities the quality focus presents to improve continuously. It is hoped that the insights shared will be of use to those embarking upon similar cultural changes. The paper is presented in the following parts: the leadership challenge; background; context of the approach to quality; initial steps; current initiatives; lessons learned; and implications for the future.

How Should Students Learn in the School Science Laboratory? The Benefits of Cooperative Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raviv, Ayala; Cohen, Sarit; Aflalo, Ester

2017-07-01

Despite the inherent potential of cooperative learning, there has been very little research into its effectiveness in middle school laboratory classes. This study focuses on an empirical comparison between cooperative learning and individual learning in the school science laboratory, evaluating the quality of learning and the students' attitudes. The research included 67 seventh-grade students who undertook four laboratory experiments on the subject of "volume measuring skills." Each student engaged both in individual and cooperative learning in the laboratory, and the students wrote individual or group reports, accordingly. A total of 133 experiment reports were evaluated, 108 of which also underwent textual analysis. The findings show that the group reports were superior, both in terms of understanding the concept of "volume" and in terms of acquiring skills for measuring volume. The students' attitudes results were statistically significant and demonstrated that they preferred cooperative learning in the laboratory. These findings demonstrate that science teachers should be encouraged to implement cooperative learning in the laboratory. This will enable them to improve the quality and efficiency of laboratory learning while using a smaller number of experimental kits. Saving these expenditures, together with the possibility to teach a larger number of students simultaneously in the laboratory, will enable greater exposure to learning in the school science laboratory.

The Effect of Number and Presentation Order of High-Constraint Sentences on Second Language Word Learning.

PubMed

Ma, Tengfei; Chen, Ran; Dunlap, Susan; Chen, Baoguo

2016-01-01

This paper presents the results of an experiment that investigated the effects of number and presentation order of high-constraint sentences on semantic processing of unknown second language (L2) words (pseudowords) through reading. All participants were Chinese native speakers who learned English as a foreign language. In the experiment, sentence constraint and order of different constraint sentences were manipulated in English sentences, as well as L2 proficiency level of participants. We found that the number of high-constraint sentences was supportive for L2 word learning except in the condition in which high-constraint exposure was presented first. Moreover, when the number of high-constraint sentences was the same, learning was significantly better when the first exposure was a high-constraint exposure. And no proficiency level effects were found. Our results provided direct evidence that L2 word learning benefited from high quality language input and first presentations of high quality language input.

Teacher Quality Toolkit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lauer, Patricia A.; Dean, Ceri B.

2004-01-01

This Teacher Quality Toolkit aims to support the continuum of teacher learning by providing tools that institutions of higher education, districts, and schools can use to improve both preservice and inservice teacher education. The toolkit incorporates McREL?s accumulated knowledge and experience related to teacher quality and standards-based…

Developing a digital learning version of a mentorship training programme.

PubMed

Casey, Debbie; Clark, Liz; Gould, Kathryn

2018-01-25

This article describes the experience of one university team in developing, delivering and evaluating an online Nursing and Midwifery Council-approved mentorship programme for nurses and midwives who support pre-registration students in practice. Although the authors are confident of the quality of the educational provision, this article does not discuss this programme as an exemplar of best practice, but aims to share the learning gained from the experience of introducing a digital learning version of a mentorship course.

Concept Mapping as an Innovative Tool for the Assessment of Learning: An Experimental Experience among Business Management Degree Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz-Palomino, Pablo; Martinez-Canas, Ricardo

2013-01-01

In the search to improve the quality of education at the university level, the use of concept mapping is becoming an important instructional technique for enhancing the teaching-learning process. This educational tool is based on cognitive theories by making a distinction between learning by rote (memorizing) and learning by meaning, where…

Opening-up Classroom Discourse to Promote and Enhance Active, Collaborative and Cognitively-Engaging Student Learning Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardman, Jan

2016-01-01

This paper places classroom discourse and interaction right at the heart of the teaching and learning process. It is built on the argument that high quality talk between the teacher and student(s) provides a fertile ground for an active, highly collaborative and cognitively stimulating learning process leading to improved learning outcomes. High…

"What I Learn Is What I Like." How Do Students in ICT Supported Problem-Based Learning Rate the Quality of the Learning Experience, and How Does It Relate to the Acquisition of Competences?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scholkmann, Antonia

2017-01-01

Although advocated in theory, research findings on the benefits of ICT integration into inquiry-based learning arrangements such as problem-based learning (PBL) are still ambiguous. One explanation might be that until now students' subjective views on learning in ICT-integrated, inquiry-based arrangements have not been considered extensively. The…

Faculty experiences with providing online courses. Thorns among the roses.

PubMed

Cravener, P A

1999-01-01

This article presents a review of the literature summarizing faculty reports of their experiences with computer-mediated distance education compared with their traditional face-to-face teaching experiences. Both challenges and benefits of distance learning programs contrasted with classroom-based teaching are revealed. Specific difficulties and advantages identified by online faculty were categorized into four broad areas of impact on the teaching/learning experience: (a) faculty workload, (b) access to education, (c) adapting to technology, and (d) instructional quality. Challenges appear to be related predominantly to faculty workloads, new technologies, and online course management. Benefits identified by online educators indicate that computer-mediated distance education has high potential for expanding student access to educational resources, for providing individualized instruction, and for promoting active learning among geographically separated members of learning groups.

Comparison of rule induction, decision trees and formal concept analysis approaches for classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotelnikov, E. V.; Milov, V. R.

2018-05-01

Rule-based learning algorithms have higher transparency and easiness to interpret in comparison with neural networks and deep learning algorithms. These properties make it possible to effectively use such algorithms to solve descriptive tasks of data mining. The choice of an algorithm depends also on its ability to solve predictive tasks. The article compares the quality of the solution of the problems with binary and multiclass classification based on the experiments with six datasets from the UCI Machine Learning Repository. The authors investigate three algorithms: Ripper (rule induction), C4.5 (decision trees), In-Close (formal concept analysis). The results of the experiments show that In-Close demonstrates the best quality of classification in comparison with Ripper and C4.5, however the latter two generate more compact rule sets.

The Impact of Space on Students' Perceptions of the Value and Quality of Their Learning Experience: A Case Study of the Collaborative Learning Forum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Greg; Baumann, Christoph; Bilgin, Ayse A.; Bulger, David; Coutts, Pamela M.; Engel, Roger M.; Giuriato, Rosemary; Gudlaugsdottir, Sigurbjorg; Rigney, Curtis; Tomossy, George F.

2012-01-01

Universities in Australia and worldwide, are building a new generation of learning and teaching spaces which are designed to encourage and support active and collaborative modes of learning and teaching. However, there is little evidence to show that students will recognise the contribution these spaces make to their learning. Temple (2008) argued…

A Multidimensional Approach to Examine Student Interdisciplinary Learning in Science and Engineering in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spelt, Elisabeth Jacoba Hendrika; Luning, Pieternelleke Arianne; van Boekel, Martinus A. J. S.; Mulder, Martin

2017-01-01

Preparing science and engineering students to work in interdisciplinary teams necessitates research on teaching and learning of interdisciplinary thinking. A multidimensional approach was taken to examine student interdisciplinary learning in a master course on food quality management. The collected 615 student experiences were analysed for the…

E-Learning for Ungraded Schools of Kazakhstan: Experience, Implementation, and Innovation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerimbayev, Nurassyl; Akramova, Aliya; Suleimenova, Jarkynbike

2016-01-01

The modernization of the educational process in the ungraded schools of the Republic of Kazakhstan requires the provision of affordable quality education for students in rural areas on information technology, the creation of e-learning. It was important to consider two points: how does e-learning influence the educational process in ungraded…

Use of Web 2.0 Technologies to Enhance Learning Experiences in Alternative School Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karahan, Engin; Roehrig, Gillian

2016-01-01

As the learning paradigms are shifting to include various forms of digital technologies such as synchronous, asynchronous, and interactive methods, social networking technologies have been introduced to the educational settings in order to increase the quality of learning environments. The literature suggests that effective application of these…

Quality in E-Learning--A Conceptual Framework Based on Experiences from Three International Benchmarking Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ossiannilsson, E.; Landgren, L.

2012-01-01

Between 2008 and 2010, Lund University took part in three international benchmarking projects, "E-xcellence+," the "eLearning Benchmarking Exercise 2009," and the "First Dual-Mode Distance Learning Benchmarking Club." A comparison of these models revealed a rather high level of correspondence. From this finding and…

Do individual differences in children's curiosity relate to their inquiry-based learning?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Schijndel, Tessa J. P.; Jansen, Brenda R. J.; Raijmakers, Maartje E. J.

2018-06-01

This study investigates how individual differences in 7- to 9-year-olds' curiosity relate to the inquiry-learning process and outcomes in environments differing in structure. The focus on curiosity as individual differences variable was motivated by the importance of curiosity in science education, and uncertainty being central to both the definition of curiosity and the inquiry-learning environment. Curiosity was assessed with the Underwater Exploration game (Jirout, J., & Klahr, D. (2012). Children's scientific curiosity: In search of an operational definition of an elusive concept. Developmental Review, 32, 125-160. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2012.04.002), and inquiry-based learning with the newly developed Scientific Discovery task, which focuses on the principle of designing informative experiments. Structure of the inquiry-learning environment was manipulated by explaining this principle or not. As intelligence relates to learning and possibly curiosity, it was taken into account. Results showed that children's curiosity was positively related to their knowledge acquisition, but not to their quality of exploration. For low intelligent children, environment structure positively affected their quality of exploration, but not their knowledge acquisition. There was no interaction between curiosity and environment structure. These results support the existence of two distinct inquiry-based learning processes - the designing of experiments, on the one hand, and the reflection on performed experiments, on the other - and link children's curiosity to the latter process.

TH-B-207B-01: Optimizing Pediatric CT in the Emergency Department

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dodge, C.

This imaging educational program will focus on solutions to common pediatric image quality optimization challenges. The speakers will present collective knowledge on best practices in pediatric imaging from their experience at dedicated children’s hospitals. One of the most commonly encountered pediatric imaging requirements for the non-specialist hospital is pediatric CT in the emergency room setting. Thus, this educational program will begin with optimization of pediatric CT in the emergency department. Though pediatric cardiovascular MRI may be less common in the non-specialist hospitals, low pediatric volumes and unique cardiovascular anatomy make optimization of these techniques difficult. Therefore, our second speaker willmore » review best practices in pediatric cardiovascular MRI based on experiences from a children’s hospital with a large volume of cardiac patients. Learning Objectives: To learn techniques for optimizing radiation dose and image quality for CT of children in the emergency room setting. To learn solutions for consistently high quality cardiovascular MRI of children.« less

The Relationship between Family Experiences and Motivation to Learn Science for Different Groups of Grade 9 Students in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulze, Salomé; Lemmer, Eleanor

2016-01-01

Worldwide science education is a national priority due to the role played by science performance in economic growth and the supply and quality of the human capital pool in scientific fields. One factor that may impact on the motivation to learn science is family experiences. This study therefore explored the relationship between family experiences…

Quality, Evolution, and Positional Change of University Students' Argumentation Patterns about Organic Agriculture during an Argument-Critique-Argument Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Shu-Mey; Yore, Larry D.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality, evolution, and position of university students' argumentation about organic agriculture over a 4-week argument-critique-argument e-learning experience embedded in a first year university biology course. The participants (N = 43) were classified into three groups based on their…

Middle Managers' Experience of Policy Implementation and Mediation in the Context of the Scottish Quality Enhancement Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Murray; Sin, Cristina

2015-01-01

This paper analyses how middle managers perform and experience their role in enacting policy in Scottish higher education institutions. The policy focus is the quality enhancement framework (QEF) for learning and teaching in higher education, which was launched in 2003. The data-set was collected between 2008 and 2010, during the evaluation of the…

Teaching Quality Object-Oriented Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldman, Yishai A.

2005-01-01

Computer science students need to learn how to write high-quality software. An important methodology for achieving quality is design-by-contract, in which code is developed together with its specification, which is given as class invariants and method pre- and postconditions. This paper describes practical experience in teaching design-by-contract…

Evaluation of the Clinical Learning Experience of Nursing Students: a Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Gurková, Elena; Žiaková, Katarína

2018-05-18

The purpose of the cross-sectional descriptive study was to explore and compare the students' experiences of the clinical environment and supervision in Slovakia. Students' clinical learning experience were measured by the valid and reliable clinical learning instrument. A higher frequency of successful supervisory experience was found in the universities which provided accredited mentor preparation programmes or courses and individualised supervisory approaches. Frequency of supervision meetings, the occupational title of a supervisor and mainly the supervision model have an association with students 'perceptions of different domains of clinical learning environment. The duration of the placement was not related to students' experience and perceptions of the learning environment. Slovak students reported higher score regarding the quality of nursing care or ward culture than in the supervisory relationships between students, clinical and school staff. Further studies in this field, extended to different Eastern European countries and clinical settings, may help us to understand factors affecting workplace training.

Politics of policy learning: Evaluating an experiment on free pricing arrangements in Dutch dental care

PubMed Central

Felder, Martijn; van de Bovenkamp, Hester; de Bont, Antoinette

2018-01-01

In Dutch healthcare, new market mechanisms have been introduced on an experimental basis in an attempt to contain costs and improve quality. Informed by a constructivist approach, we demonstrate that such experiments are not neutral testing grounds. Drawing from semi-structured interviews and policy texts, we reconstruct an experiment on free pricing in dental care that turned into a critical example of market failure, influencing developments in other sectors. Our analysis, however, shows that (1) different market logics and (2) different experimental logics were reproduced simultaneously during the course of the experiment. We furthermore reveal how (3) evaluation and political life influenced which logics were reproduced and became taken as the lessons learned. We use these insights to discuss the role of evaluation in learning from policy experimentation and close with four questions that evaluators could ask to better understand what is learned from policy experiments, how, and why. PMID:29568225

Perceptions of the Usefulness of Virtual Learning Environments in Accounting Education: A Comparative Evaluation of Undergraduate Accounting Students in Spain and England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

López Gavira, Rosario; Omoteso, Kamil

2013-01-01

As the power of the virtual world continues to manifest itself in people's quality of life and capabilities (including learning), this paper aims to assess accounting students' perceptions of the usefulness of Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) to their learning experiences. It also considers the factors that may influence students' preferences…

The Continuum of Literacy Learning, Grades K-8: Behaviors and Understandings to Notice, Teach, and Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinnell, Gay Su; Fountas, Irene C.

2007-01-01

The authors advocate that a high-quality curriculum is an important first step toward good teaching and successful learning. Good curriculum comes from knowing what students can do, can almost do, and need to learn how to do as readers, writers, and language users. In this book, the authors combine their experience and learning in literacy…

An Analysis of the Effect of a Cyber Home Learning System on Korean Secondary School Students' English Language Achievement and Attitude

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shin, Ji Hye; Albers, Peggy

2015-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a Cyber Home Learning System (CHLS), an online learning system currently being employed in South Korea to improve the access and quality of public education as well as to reduce private tutoring expenditures. The quasi-experimental research design used experiment and survey methods to learn about the impact…

Citizen Science: Broadening Access and Engagement Through Community Partnerships, Aerospace Education and Water Quality Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, M. A.

2016-12-01

We applied a new approach to the design and development of citizen science learning opportunities to enhance outreach to diverse student populations, while advancing water quality research and aerospace education. This collaborative approach to informal science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and aerospace education required innovative partnerships between private general aviation pilots, researchers, teachers, and students. This research explored the development of active partnerships required to facilitate community engaged science, with an emphasis on increased participation of women and girls and people of color, while creating new exploratory pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences. We developed an outreach program through collaborative planning with local schools to create new STEM learning experiences based upon basic aerospace education concepts and an existing water quality research project designed to track harmful algal blooms (HAB) that can produce toxins called cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, which can impact drinking, fishing, and recreational waters. General aviation pilots functioning as citizen scientists obtained high-resolution aerial images while flying over potentially impacted waters. Aerial data was made available to teachers and students, as well as researchers participating in the existing water quality program lead by NASA Glenn Research Center. Teachers used the images and results to educate in climate change and the dangers of HAB. Students were able to compare aerial data with their own observations, and also gained experience in aeronautical science through field trips to local airports, hands-on experience with private research aircraft, specialized equipment used for data collection, and advanced ground instruction from research pilots. As a result of reaching out to local educators serving diverse student populations and facilitating collaborative planning, we successfully created new educational opportunities with active partnerships between formal educational institutions and informal citizen science research programs, which broadened access to and engagement in aerospace education and STEM learning experiences in our local community.

Nursing students' evaluation of quality indicators during learning in clinical practice.

PubMed

Jansson, Inger; Ene, Kerstin W

2016-09-01

A supportive clinical learning environment is important for nursing students' learning. In this study, a contract between a county and a university involving a preceptor model of clinical education for nursing students is described. The aim of this study was to describe nursing students' clinical education based on quality indicators and to describe the students' experiences of what facilitated or hindered the learning process during their clinical practice. During autumn 2012 and spring 2013, 269 student evaluations with quantitative and qualitative answers were filled out anonymously. Quantitative data from the questionnaires concerning the quality indicators: Administration/information, Assessments/examinations and Reflection were processed to generate descriptive statistics that revealed gaps in what the preceptor model demands and what the students reported. The answers from the qualitative questions concerning the quality indicator Learning were analysed using content analysis. Four categories emerged: Independence and responsibility, continuity of learning, time, and the competence and attitudes of the staff. The study underlines that reflection, continuity, communication and feedback were important for the students' learning process, whereas heavy workload among staff and being supervised by many different preceptors were experienced as stressful and hindering by students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regulating approaches to learning: Testing learning strategy convergences across a year at university.

PubMed

Fryer, Luke K; Vermunt, Jan D

2018-03-01

Contemporary models of student learning within higher education are often inclusive of processing and regulation strategies. Considerable research has examined their use over time and their (person-centred) convergence. The longitudinal stability/variability of learning strategy use, however, is poorly understood, but essential to supporting student learning across university experiences. Develop and test a person-centred longitudinal model of learning strategies across the first-year university experience. Japanese university students (n = 933) completed surveys (deep and surface approaches to learning; self, external, and lack of regulation) at the beginning and end of their first year. Following invariance and cross-sectional tests, latent profile transition analysis (LPTA) was undertaken. Initial difference testing supported small but significant differences for self-/external regulation. Fit indices supported a four-group model, consistent across both measurement points. These subgroups were labelled Low Quality (low deep approaches and self-regulation), Low Quantity (low strategy use generally), Average (moderate strategy use), and High Quantity (intense use of all strategies) strategies. The stability of these groups ranged from stable to variable: Average (93% stayers), Low Quality (90% stayers), High Quantity (72% stayers), and Low Quantity (40% stayers). The three largest transitions presented joint shifts in processing/regulation strategy preference across the year, from adaptive to maladaptive and vice versa. Person-centred longitudinal findings presented patterns of learning transitions that different students experience during their first year at university. Stability/variability of students' strategy use was linked to the nature of initial subgroup membership. Findings also indicated strong connections between processing and regulation strategy changes across first-year university experiences. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Mobile Augmented Reality as Usability to Enhance Nurse Prevent Violence Learning Satisfaction.

PubMed

Hsu, Han-Jen; Weng, Wei-Kai; Chou, Yung-Lang; Huang, Pin-Wei

2018-01-01

Violence in hospitals, nurses are at high risk of patient's aggression in the workplace. This learning course application Mobile Augmented Reality to enhance nurse to prevent violence skill. Increasingly, mobile technologies introduced and integrated into classroom teaching and clinical applications. Improving the quality of learning course and providing new experiences for nurses.

A Comparison of Assessment Methods Used by Community College Faculty in Face-to-Face and Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wamsley, Lori H.

2012-01-01

Online learning has grown exponentially within higher education in the past decade, especially at community colleges. As online course offerings expand community colleges need to assess student learning in order to ensure quality learning experiences for students and for accreditation purposes. The purpose of this study was to compare the…

Universal Design for Learning. Practice Perspectives--Highlighting Information on Deaf-Blindness. Number 8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartmann, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

It is essential that children who are deaf-blind have learning experiences that improve their quality of life. Unfortunately, even when educational teams work together to create individualized education programs, these students do not always have full and equal opportunities to learn. This issue of "Practice Perspectives" describes the basics of…

Strategies for Learning Experiences in Family Child Care: American and Swedish Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Ramona; Karlsson, Fil dr Malene

2012-01-01

The outlook for teaching and learning in the homes of family child care (also called "day care" and "child minding" [the latter term is used in the United Kingdom]) is both promising and precarious. The authors believe such programs hold potential for high-quality learning, yet they suffer from lack of recognition and support.…

Unleashing the Power of Science in Early Childhood: A Foundation for High-Quality Interactions and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenfield, Daryl B.; Alexander, Alexandra; Frechette, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

When science is integrated into early childhood learning experiences, it becomes a critical area supporting young children's development. Young children are natural scientists, curious about their world, and they engage in scientific practices to learn about and explore their world. This article describes how the K-12 Framework for Science…

Student Satisfaction Process in Virtual Learning System: Considerations Based in Information and Service Quality from Brazil's Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machado-Da-Silva, Fábio Nazareno; Meirelles, Fernando de Souza; Filenga, Douglas; Filho, Marino Brugnolo

2014-01-01

Distance learning has undergone great changes, especially since the advent of the Internet and communication and information technology. Questions have been asked following the growth of this mode of instructional activity. Researchers have investigated methods to assess the benefits of e-learning from a number of perspectives. This survey…

Learning to Mother over Coffee and Cake: Naming Our Informal Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coss, Sarah

2017-01-01

This article is a feminist inquiry into the learning experiences of mothers in an informal parent support group and asks: What is quality education and how do we ensure we are identifying it appropriately? Drawing on feminist research and incorporating contributions from 16 women, this article highlights how a group of women identify their…

Educational Statistics Authentic Learning CAPSULES: Community Action Projects for Students Utilizing Leadership and E-Based Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Carla J.

2009-01-01

Since educational statistics is a core or general requirement of all students enrolled in graduate education programs, the need for high quality student engagement and appropriate authentic learning experiences is critical for promoting student interest and student success in the course. Based in authentic learning theory and engagement theory…

An In-Depth Analysis of Learning Goals in Higher Education: Evidence from the Programming Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xia, Belle Selene

2017-01-01

Previous research has shown that, despite the importance of programming education, there is limited research done on programming education experiences from the students' point of view and the need to do so is strong. By understanding the student behaviour, their learning styles, their expectation and motivation to learn, the quality of teaching…

Variables affecting learning in a simulation experience: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Beischel, Kelly P

2013-02-01

The primary purpose of this study was to test a hypothesized model describing the direct effects of learning variables on anxiety and cognitive learning outcomes in a high-fidelity simulation (HFS) experience. The secondary purpose was to explain and explore student perceptions concerning the qualities and context of HFS affecting anxiety and learning. This study used a mixed methods quantitative-dominant explanatory design with concurrent qualitative data collection to examine variables affecting learning in undergraduate, beginning nursing students (N = 124). Being ready to learn, having a strong auditory-verbal learning style, and being prepared for simulation directly affected anxiety, whereas learning outcomes were directly affected by having strong auditory-verbal and hands-on learning styles. Anxiety did not quantitatively mediate cognitive learning outcomes as theorized, although students qualitatively reported debilitating levels of anxiety. This study advances nursing education science by providing evidence concerning variables affecting learning outcomes in HFS.

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.

Realization of Deflection-type Bridge instruments to determine soil moisture using Research-Based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuliza, E.; Munir, M. M.; Abdullah, M.; Khairurrijal

2016-08-01

It is clear that the quality of education is directly related to the quality of teachers and the teaching methods. One of the teaching methods that can improve the quality of education is research-based learning (RBL) method. In this method, students act as the center of learning while teachers become the guides that provide direction and advice. RBL is a learning method that combines cooperative learning, problem solving, authentic learning, contextual case study and inquiry approach discovery. The main goal of this method is to construct a student that can think critically, analyze and evaluate problems, and find a new science from these problems (learning by doing). In this paper, RBL is used to improve the understanding about measurement using deflection-type Bridge that is implemented in the determination of ground water changes. In general, there are three stages that have been done. Firstly the exposure stage, then the experience stage and lastly the capstone stage. The exposure stage aims to increase the knowledge and the comprehension of student about the topic through understanding the basics concepts, reviewing the literature and others. The understanding gained in the exposure stage is being used for application and analysis at the experience stage. While the final stage is the publication of research results both verbally and in writing. Based on the steps that have been conducted, it can be showed that deflection-type Bridge can be utilized in soil moisture meter.

Putting the Horse Back in Front of the Cart: Using Visions and Decisions about High-Quality Learning Experiences to Drive Course Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Deborah; Tanner, Kimberly

2007-01-01

This article discusses a systematic approach to designing significant learning experiences, often referred to as the "backward design process," which has been popularized by Wiggins and McTighe (1998) and is included as a central feature of L. Dee Fink's model for integrated course design (Fink, 2003). The process is referred to as backward…

Cancer Moonshot Data and Technology Team: Enabling a National Learning Healthcare System for Cancer to Unleash the Power of Data

PubMed Central

Hsu, ER; Klemm, JD; Kerlavage, AR; Kusnezov, D

2017-01-01

The Cancer Moonshot emphasizes the need to learn from the experiences of cancer patients to positively impact their outcomes, experiences, and qualities of life. To realize this vision, there has been a concerted effort to identify the fundamental building blocks required to establish a National Learning Healthcare System for Cancer, such that relevant data on all cancer patients is accessible, shareable, and contributing to the current state of knowledge of cancer care and outcomes. PMID:28139831

Experiences of Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality-funded projects that implemented practices for safer patient care.

PubMed

Taylor, Stephanie L; Ridgely, M Susan; Greenberg, Michael D; Sorbero, Melony E S; Teleki, Stephanie S; Damberg, Cheryl L; Farley, Donna O

2009-04-01

To synthesize lessons learned from the experiences of Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality-funded patient safety projects in implementing safe practices. Self-reported data from individual and group interviews with Original, Challenge, and Partnerships in Implementing Patient Safety (PIPS) grantees, from 2003 to 2006. Interviews with three grantee groups (n=60 total) implementing safe practice projects, with comparisons on factors influencing project implementation and sustainability. Semi-structured protocols contained open-ended questions on lessons learned and more structured questions on factors associated with project implementation and sustainability. The grantees shared common experiences, frequently identifying lessons learned regarding structural components needing to be in place before implementation, components of the implementation process, components of interventions' results needed for sustainability, changes in timelines or activities, unanticipated issues, and staff acceptance/adoption. Also, fewer Original grants had many of the factors related project to implementation/sustainability than the PIPS or Challenge grantees had. Although much of what was reported seemed like common sense, surprisingly few projects actually planned for or expected many of the barriers or facilitators they experienced during their project implementation. Others implementing practice improvements likely will share the experiences and issues identified by these implementation projects and can learn from their lessons.

Argumentation Based Joint Learning: A Novel Ensemble Learning Approach

PubMed Central

Xu, Junyi; Yao, Li; Li, Le

2015-01-01

Recently, ensemble learning methods have been widely used to improve classification performance in machine learning. In this paper, we present a novel ensemble learning method: argumentation based multi-agent joint learning (AMAJL), which integrates ideas from multi-agent argumentation, ensemble learning, and association rule mining. In AMAJL, argumentation technology is introduced as an ensemble strategy to integrate multiple base classifiers and generate a high performance ensemble classifier. We design an argumentation framework named Arena as a communication platform for knowledge integration. Through argumentation based joint learning, high quality individual knowledge can be extracted, and thus a refined global knowledge base can be generated and used independently for classification. We perform numerous experiments on multiple public datasets using AMAJL and other benchmark methods. The results demonstrate that our method can effectively extract high quality knowledge for ensemble classifier and improve the performance of classification. PMID:25966359

Pilot Study Evaluating a Practice-Based Learning and Improvement Curriculum Focusing on the Development of System-Level Quality Improvement Skills

PubMed Central

Tomolo, Anne M; Lawrence, Renée H; Watts, Brook; Augustine, Sarah; Aron, David C; Singh, Mamta K

2011-01-01

Background We developed a practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) curriculum to address important gaps in components of content and experiential learning activities through didactics and participation in systems-level quality improvement projects that focus on making changes in health care processes. Methods We evaluated the impact of our curriculum on resident PBLI knowledge, self-efficacy, and application skills. A quasi-experimental design assessed the impact of a curriculum (PBLI quality improvement systems compared with non-PBLI) on internal medicine residents' learning during a 4-week ambulatory block. We measured application skills, self-efficacy, and knowledge by using the Systems Quality Improvement Training and Assessment Tool. Exit evaluations assessed time invested and experiences related to the team projects and suggestions for improving the curriculum. Results The 2 groups showed differences in change scores. Relative to the comparison group, residents in the PBLI curriculum demonstrated a significant increase in the belief about their ability to implement a continuous quality improvement project (P  =  .020), comfort level in developing data collection plans (P  =  .010), and total knowledge scores (P < .001), after adjusting for prior PBLI experience. Participants in the PBLI curriculum also demonstrated significant improvement in providing a more complete aim statement for a proposed project after adjusting for prior PBLI experience (P  =  .001). Exit evaluations were completed by 96% of PBLI curriculum participants who reported high satisfaction with team performance. Conclusion Residents in our curriculum showed gains in areas fundamental for PBLI competency. The observed improvements were related to fundamental quality improvement knowledge, with limited gain in application skills. This suggests that while heading in the right direction, we need to conceptualize and structure PBLI training in a way that integrates it throughout the residency program and fosters the application of this knowledge and these skills. PMID:22379523

Pilot study evaluating a practice-based learning and improvement curriculum focusing on the development of system-level quality improvement skills.

PubMed

Tomolo, Anne M; Lawrence, Renée H; Watts, Brook; Augustine, Sarah; Aron, David C; Singh, Mamta K

2011-03-01

We developed a practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) curriculum to address important gaps in components of content and experiential learning activities through didactics and participation in systems-level quality improvement projects that focus on making changes in health care processes. We evaluated the impact of our curriculum on resident PBLI knowledge, self-efficacy, and application skills. A quasi-experimental design assessed the impact of a curriculum (PBLI quality improvement systems compared with non-PBLI) on internal medicine residents' learning during a 4-week ambulatory block. We measured application skills, self-efficacy, and knowledge by using the Systems Quality Improvement Training and Assessment Tool. Exit evaluations assessed time invested and experiences related to the team projects and suggestions for improving the curriculum. The 2 groups showed differences in change scores. Relative to the comparison group, residents in the PBLI curriculum demonstrated a significant increase in the belief about their ability to implement a continuous quality improvement project (P  =  .020), comfort level in developing data collection plans (P  =  .010), and total knowledge scores (P < .001), after adjusting for prior PBLI experience. Participants in the PBLI curriculum also demonstrated significant improvement in providing a more complete aim statement for a proposed project after adjusting for prior PBLI experience (P  =  .001). Exit evaluations were completed by 96% of PBLI curriculum participants who reported high satisfaction with team performance. Residents in our curriculum showed gains in areas fundamental for PBLI competency. The observed improvements were related to fundamental quality improvement knowledge, with limited gain in application skills. This suggests that while heading in the right direction, we need to conceptualize and structure PBLI training in a way that integrates it throughout the residency program and fosters the application of this knowledge and these skills.

Facilitating interpersonal interaction and learning online: linking theory and practice.

PubMed

Sargeant, Joan; Curran, Vernon; Allen, Michael; Jarvis-Selinger, Sandra; Ho, Kendall

2006-01-01

An earlier study of physicians' perceptions of interactive online learning showed that these were shaped both by program design and quality and the quality and quantity of interpersonal interaction. We explore instructor roles in enhancing online learning through interpersonal interaction and the learning theories that inform these. This was a qualitative study using focus groups and interviews. Using purposive sampling, 50 physicians were recruited based on their experience with interactive online CME and face-to-face CME. Qualitative thematic and interpretive analysis was used. Two facilitation roles appeared key: creating a comfortable learning environment and enhancing the educational value of electronic discussions. Comfort developed gradually, and specific interventions like facilitating introductions and sharing experiences in a friendly, informative manner were helpful. As in facilitating effective small-group learning, instructors' thoughtful use of techniques that facilitated constructive interaction based on learner's needs and practice demands contributed to the educational value of interpersonal interactions. Facilitators require enhanced skills to engage learners in meaningful interaction and to overcome the transactional distance of online learning. The use of learning theories, including behavioral, cognitive, social, humanistic, and constructivist, can strengthen the educational design and facilitation of online programs. Preparation for online facilitation should include instruction in the roles and techniques required and the theories that inform them.

The Role of the Facilitator on Total Quality Management Teams.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eakin, William L.

1993-01-01

As Total Quality Management teams work to improve organizational processes, several types of facilitators emerge: the director, the workhorse, and the cheerleader. Experience at the University of Kansas illustrates how different facilitator styles can affect team learning. (MSE)

dipIQ: Blind Image Quality Assessment by Learning-to-Rank Discriminable Image Pairs.

PubMed

Ma, Kede; Liu, Wentao; Liu, Tongliang; Wang, Zhou; Tao, Dacheng

2017-05-26

Objective assessment of image quality is fundamentally important in many image processing tasks. In this work, we focus on learning blind image quality assessment (BIQA) models which predict the quality of a digital image with no access to its original pristine-quality counterpart as reference. One of the biggest challenges in learning BIQA models is the conflict between the gigantic image space (which is in the dimension of the number of image pixels) and the extremely limited reliable ground truth data for training. Such data are typically collected via subjective testing, which is cumbersome, slow, and expensive. Here we first show that a vast amount of reliable training data in the form of quality-discriminable image pairs (DIP) can be obtained automatically at low cost by exploiting largescale databases with diverse image content. We then learn an opinion-unaware BIQA (OU-BIQA, meaning that no subjective opinions are used for training) model using RankNet, a pairwise learning-to-rank (L2R) algorithm, from millions of DIPs, each associated with a perceptual uncertainty level, leading to a DIP inferred quality (dipIQ) index. Extensive experiments on four benchmark IQA databases demonstrate that dipIQ outperforms state-of-the-art OU-BIQA models. The robustness of dipIQ is also significantly improved as confirmed by the group MAximum Differentiation (gMAD) competition method. Furthermore, we extend the proposed framework by learning models with ListNet (a listwise L2R algorithm) on quality-discriminable image lists (DIL). The resulting DIL Inferred Quality (dilIQ) index achieves an additional performance gain.

Improving The Quality of Education through School-Based Management: Learning from International Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Grauwe, Anton

2005-01-01

School-based management is being increasingly advocated as a shortcut to more efficient management and quality improvement in education. Research, however, has been unable to prove conclusively such a linkage. Especially in developing countries, concerns remain about the possible detrimental impact of school-based management on school quality;…

Access to High Quality Teachers for All Students. Information Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mid-Atlantic Equity Center, 2009

2009-01-01

One of the most important factors in a high quality education is the knowledge, experience, and capability of the classroom teacher. There is strong evidence that having a high-quality teacher affects learning and is an important factor in explaining student test score gains (Clotfelter, Ladd, & Vigdor, 2007; Darling-Hammond, 2000;…

Patterns of Classroom Quality in Head Start and Center-Based Early Childhood Education Programs. REL 2017-199

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irwin, Clare W.; Madura, John P.; Bamat, David; McDermott, Paul A.

2016-01-01

Measuring classroom quality and ensuring high-quality learning experiences for young children are interests of the Early Childhood Education Research Alliance, a research alliance of Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands. This study, conducted in collaboration with the alliance, addresses these interests by examining multiple…

Student Voices Speak Quality Assurance: Continual Improvement in Online Social Work Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Secret, Mary; Bentley, Kia J.; Kadolph, Jessie C.

2016-01-01

As social work education expands instruction through the rise of distance education, educators seek new ways to improve quality in online courses. Quality assurance standards and student feedback offer valuable insights to ensure satisfying and effective online learning experiences. An examination of these two assessment approaches concurrently in…

How Administrators Influence Student Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Richard C., Jr.

The decisions that administrators make touch every facet of the institutional experience and fundamentally affect teaching and learning. Research shows, however, that administrators do not always recognize their influence nor their responsibility for the quality of instruction. A study of one urban community college district revealed an unforeseen…

Interactive Algorithms for Unsupervised Machine Learning

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

committee members, Nina Balcan, Sanjoy Dasgupta, and John Langford. Nina’s unbounded energy and her passion for machine learning are qualities that I...52 3.3.2 Simulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 3.3.3 Real World Experiments...80 4.4.1 Simulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 4.4.2 Real World

A Skype-Buddy Model for Blended Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macharaschwili, Carmen E.; Coggin, Linda Skidmore

2013-01-01

Online learning in higher education allows distance education students to complete degree requirements in virtual environments. Universities are challenged with providing quality education experiences for these students and meet the students' needs for engagement and challenge within a collaborative framework. This study proposes how Voice over…

Preschool Center Quality and School Readiness: Quality Main Effects and Variation by Demographic and Child Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dang, Tran T.; Farkas, George; Burchinal, Margaret R.; Duncan, Greg J.; Vandell, Deborah L.; Li, Weilin; Ruzek, Erik A.; Howes, Carollee

2011-01-01

The aim of this paper is to address two research questions related to the policy goal of having all children ready to learn at kindergarten entry. First, to what extent are children's cognitive and achievement skills higher when they experience higher quality preschools? Second, are the effects of preschool center quality on these school readiness…

Teaching and learning innovations for postgraduate education in nursing.

PubMed

Phillips, Diane; Forbes, Helen; Duke, Maxine

2013-01-01

This paper begins with a literature review of blended learning approaches, including the creation of learning spaces in the online environment and the model of community of inquiry and collaborative learning promoted by Garrison and others. This model, comprising of three elements including 'social presence', 'cognitive presence' and 'teaching presence', guides academics in the development and delivery of quality programs designed to enhance each student's experience of their course. The second part of this paper is the application of blended learning for the Deakin University Master of Nursing Practice (Nurse Practitioner), including a range of online independent learning activities, Elluminate Live use (a real time online program) and on-campus contact with students. The application of these flexible and innovative online modalities offered in this course, have been designed to promote quality learning experiences for students around their employment commitments and lifestyle factors. As an off-campus course, the Master of Nursing Practice (Nurse Practitioner) presents as a more flexible option for nurses residing in various parts of Australia. The three core elements of the model of community of inquiry and collaborative learning by Garrison and others have been integrated through online teaching and learning access and face-to-face contact for one day in two trimesters of the academic year. The success of blended learning approaches are underpinned by effective communication and interactions between both academics and students.

U.S. Military Nurses’ Experience of Coming Home after Iraq & Afghanistan

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

Nursing Competencies and Practice: Patient outcomes Quality and safety Translate research into practice/evidence-based practice Clinical excellence...warrior Care for all entrusted to our care Nursing Competencies and Practice: Patient outcomes Quality and safety Translate research into...teach it for you to learn anything…they teach it to check the block…‘yes we did it’.” “My biggest beef is that they don’t teach it for you to learn

"Making a difference" - Medical students' opportunities for transformational change in health care and learning through quality improvement projects.

PubMed

Bergh, Anne-Marie; Bac, Martin; Hugo, Jannie; Sandars, John

2016-07-11

Quality improvement is increasingly becoming an essential aspect of the medical curriculum, with the intention of improving the health care system to provide better health care. The aim of this study was to explore undergraduate medical students' experiences of their involvement in quality improvement projects during a district health rotation. Student group reports from rotations in learning centres of the University of Pretoria in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa were analysed for the period 2012 to 2015. Interviews were conducted with health care providers at four learning centres in 2013. Three main themes were identified: (1) 'Situated learning', describing students' exposure to the discrepancies between ideal and reality in a real-life situation and how they learned to deal with complex situations, individually and as student group; (2) 'Facing dilemmas', describing how students were challenged about the non-ideal reality; (3) 'Making a difference', describing the impact of the students' projects, with greater understanding of themselves and others through working in teams but also making a change in the health care system. Quality improvement projects can provide an opportunity for both the transformation of health care and for transformative learning, with individual and 'collective' self-authorship.

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…

Researching How and What Teachers Learn from Innovating Their Own Educational Practices: The Ins and Outs of a High-Quality Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stam, Martin; Miedema, Wietske; Onstenk, Jeroen; Wardekker, Willem; ten Dam, Geert

2014-01-01

This article describes experiences with a qualitative research project into teachers' learning from innovating their own educational practices. Decades of New Public Management (NPM) in the Netherlands, with its top-down and businesslike approach to areas of public interest, obscured the learning and innovating capacity of teachers, teams, and…

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…

Student Perceptions and Learning Outcomes of Blended Learning in a Massive First-Year Core Physiology for Allied Health Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Janelle; Meehan-Andrews, Terri; Weerakkody, Nivan; Hughes, Diane L.; Rathner, Joseph A.

2017-01-01

Evidence shows that factors contributing to success in physiology education for allied health students at universities include not only their high school achievement and background but also factors such as confidence with their teachers and quality of their learning experience, justifying intensive and continued survey of students' perceptions of…

Leading High School Transformation for College and Career Success: A Guide for Developing a System of Linked Learning Pathways

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stearns, Roman

2014-01-01

This ConnectEd Guide for Developing a System of Linked Learning Pathways will introduce school district leaders and their community partners to Linked Learning and a system of quality pathways that can transform high schools, instructional practice, and the student experience. Not intended to be prescriptive, this document can and should be…

Interprofessional Workplace Learning in Primary Care: Students from Different Health Professions Work in Teams in Real-Life Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bondevik, Gunnar Tschudi; Holst, Lone; Haugland, Mildrid; Baerheim, Anders; Raaheim, Arild

2015-01-01

Interprofessional education may be defined as an occasion when two or more professions learn with, from, and about each other in order to improve collaboration and quality of care. We studied the self-reported experiences from Norwegian health care students participating in interprofessional workplace learning in primary care. We discuss the…

Open Learning Systems in Further Education. Some Aspects of Resource Management. Coombe Lodge Working Paper. Information Bank Number 1611.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birch, D. W.; Latcham, J.

Open learning systems require the development of learning materials. Potential economies of scale and quality control advantages argue in favor of the central development of materials packages. Instructors would be free to concentrate upon the provision of tutorial and counseling support and laboratory and workshop hands-on experience. Some method…

Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge: An Analysis of Impact on IDEIA, Part C Early Intervention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohjanen, Sharon L.

2016-01-01

Infants and toddlers who live in poverty are more likely to experience developmental delays or disabilities and less likely to access early intervention (EI) services. The federal initiative Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) was designed to increase access to high quality early learning programs for children at risk for…

Effects of Prompting in Reflective Learning Tools: Findings from Experimental Field, Lab, and Online Studies.

PubMed

Renner, Bettina; Prilla, Michael; Cress, Ulrike; Kimmerle, Joachim

2016-01-01

Reflective learning is an important type of learning both in formal and informal situations-in school, higher education, at the workplace, and in everyday life. People may benefit from technical support for reflective learning, in particular when supporting each other by reflecting not only upon their own but also upon other people's problems. We refer to this collective approach where people come together to think about experiences and find solutions to problems as "collaborative reflection." We present three empirical studies about the effects of prompting in reflective learning tools in such situations where people reflect on others' issues. In Study 1 we applied a three-stage within-group design in a field experiment, where 39 participants from two organizations received different types of prompts while they used a reflection app. We found that prompts that invited employees to write down possible solutions led to more comprehensive comments on their colleagues' experiences. In Study 2 we used a three-stage between-group design in a laboratory experiment, where 78 university students were invited to take part in an experiment about the discussion of problems at work or academic studies in online forums. Here we found that short, abstract prompts showed no superiority to a situation without any prompts with respect to quantity or quality of contributions. Finally, Study 3 featured a two-stage between-group design in an online experiment, where 60 participants received either general reflection instructions or detailed instructions about how to reflect on other people's problems. We could show that detailed reflection instructions supported people in producing more comprehensive comments that included more general advice. The results demonstrate that to increase activity and to improve quality of comments with prompting tools require detailed instructions and specific wording of the prompts.

Design and practice of a comprehensively functional integrated management information system for major construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuling; Wang, Xiaoping; Zhu, Yuhui; Fei, Lanlan

2017-08-01

This paper introduces a Comprehensively Functional Integrated Management Information System designed for the Optical Engineering Major by the College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, which combines the functions of teaching, students learning, educational assessment and management. The system consists of 5 modules, major overview, online curriculum, experiment teaching management, graduation project management and teaching quality feedback. The major overview module introduces the development history, training program, curriculums and experiment syllabus and teaching achievements of optical engineering major in Zhejiang University. The Management Information System is convenient for students to learn in a mobile and personalized way. The online curriculum module makes it very easy for teachers to setup a website for new curriculums. On the website, teachers can help students on their problems about the curriculums in time and collect their homework online. The experiment teaching management module and the graduation project management module enables the students to fulfill their experiment process and graduation thesis under the help of their supervisors. Before students take an experiment in the lab, they must pass the pre-experiment quiz on the corresponding module. After the experiment, students need to submit the experiment report to the web server. Moreover, the module contains experiment process video recordings, which are very helpful to improve the effect of the experiment education. The management of the entire process of a student's graduation program, including the project selection, mid-term inspection, progress report of every two weeks, final thesis, et al, is completed by the graduation project management module. The teaching quality feedback module is not only helpful for teachers to know whether the education effect of curriculum is good or not, but also helpful for the administrators of the college to know whether the design of syllabus is reasonable or not. The Management Information System changes the management object from the education results to the entire education processes. And it improves the efficiency of the management. It provides an effective method to promote curriculum construction management by supervision and evaluation, which improves students' learning outcomes and the quality of curriculums. As a result, it promotes the quality system of education obviously.

The Reported Effects of a Systematic Professional Learning Program on the Knowledge, Skills, and Concerns of Australian Early Childhood Educators Who Support Young Children Displaying or at Risk of Challenging Behaviours

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arthur-Kelly, Michael; Farrell, Genevieve; De Bortoli, Tania; Lyons, Gordon; Hinchey, Frank; Ho, Fuk Chuen; Opartkiattikul, Watinee; Baker, Fran; Fairfax, Warren

2017-01-01

High-quality early childhood education is a vital experience for young children with and without disabilities. Social and communication experiences in the context of play represent a core curriculum that sets a foundation for later learning and participation. Using a new self-report instrument, this article describes data collected in a…

Toddlers and Child Care: A Time for Discussion, Dialogue, and Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gloeckler, Lissy; La Paro, Karen M.

2015-01-01

Research indicates that many toddlers experience low to mediocre quality child care settings with limited interactions and learning opportunities available. This article uses the context of brain and development research to describe toddlers' experiences in child care. Reporting on the established connections between toddlers' experiences and…

The Outward Bound Solo: A Study of Participants' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalisch, Kenneth R.; Bobilya, Andrew J.; Daniel, Brad

2011-01-01

Research on wilderness experience programs indicates there is much to learn about specific components of the overall experience. The solo, where students are intentionally separated from their expedition group for an extended time for reflection, has long had an anecdotal reputation for enhancing the quality of participants' experiences. The…

Dentists' attitude to provision of care for people with learning disabilities in Udaipur, India.

PubMed

Nagarajappa, Ramesh; Tak, Mridula; Sharda, Archana J; Asawa, Kailash; Jalihal, Sagar; Kakatkar, Gauri

2013-03-01

This study determines and compares the attitudes of dentists to the provision of care for people with learning disabilities according to gender, qualification, previous experience of treating patients with learning disabilities and work experience of dentists. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 247 dentists (166 men and 81 women) using a pretested structured questionnaire. This questionnaire assessed the respondent's attitude towards learning-disabled patients in five categories: beliefs about treating them, their capabilities, discrimination against these patients, their social behaviour and quality of care to be received by these patients. The information on dentist's gender, qualification, work experience and previous experience of treating patients with learning disabilities was also collected through questionnaire. The Student's t-test and anova test were used for statistical analysis. The mean attitude score was found to be 71.13 ± 8.97. A statistically significant difference was found in the mean attitude scores of dentists with work experience (p = 0.000). Study subjects with postgraduate qualification and previous experience of treating patients with learning disabilities had significantly greater mean attitude score than their counterparts (p = 0.000). The overall attitude of dentists towards provision of care for people with learning disabilities was favourable, which increased with higher qualification and past experience. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

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.

Nursing Students' Qualitative Experiences in the Medical-Surgical Clinical Learning Environment: A Cross-Cultural Integrative Review.

PubMed

Hooven, Katie

2015-08-01

The nature of the clinical learning environment has a huge impact on student learning. For instance, research has supported the idea that a positive learning environment increases student learning. Therefore, the ability to gain information from the student perspective about the learning environment is essential to nursing education. This article reviews qualitative research on nursing students' experiences of the clinical learning environment. The significance of the issue, the purpose of the integrative review, the methods used in the literature search, and the results of the review are presented. Seventeen studies from 12 countries are identified for review, and six common themes are discussed. An exhaustive literature review revealed that among the 17 articles evaluated, six themes were common. The findings indicate the need to continue quality improvement to advance clinical education. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Learning about leadership - A personal account.

PubMed

Cheang, P P

2011-01-01

A personal account of learning about leadership. This article introduces the theory of power and influence, and aimed to report especially the personal reflection, emotional intelligence and learning about oneself that occurred on the way. Reading, group discussion and active reflection. Thoughts, reflections and learning were recorded regularly. The concept of leadership, influence tactics and emotional intelligence all have implications in workplace relationship management and ultimately leadership qualities. The issues discussed serves as food for thought for others. This is a genuine and very personal learning experience.

The Practice of a Quality Assurance System in Open and Distance Learning: A Case Study at Universitas Terbuka Indonesia (The Indonesia Open University)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belawati, Tian; Zuhairi, Amin

2007-01-01

Quality assurance for distance higher education is one of the main concerns among institutions and stakeholders today. This paper examines the experiences of Universitas Terbuka (UT), which has initiated and implemented an innovative strategy of quality assurance (QA) for continuous improvement. The credo of the UT quality assurance system is…

Lessons Learned from Home Visiting with Home-Based Child Care Providers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCabe, Lisa A.; Peterson, Shira M.; Baker, Amy C.; Dumka, Marsha; Brach, Mary Jo; Webb, Diana

2011-01-01

Caring for Quality and Partners in Family Child Care are home visiting programs designed to improve the quality of home-based child care. This article describes the experiences of two different home visitors to demonstrate how programs such as these can help providers improve the overall quality of care, increase children's development, and lead…

Starting Labor-Management Quality of Work Life Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brower, Michael

This report summarizes the experiences of the Massachusetts Quality of Working Life Center in assisting the attempted and actual start-up of a number of quality of work life (QWL) programs in 1976 and 1977 and in providing ongoing assistance. Lessons learned by the three sites the center launched, other sites, as well as those sites that chose not…

Pitfalls of Counterfactual Thinking in Medical Practice: Preventing Errors by Using More Functional Reference Points

PubMed Central

Petrocelli, John V.

2013-01-01

Background Counterfactual thinking involves mentally simulating alternatives to reality. The current article reviews literature pertaining to the relevance counterfactual thinking has for the quality of medical decision making. Although earlier counterfactual thought research concluded that counterfactuals have important benefits for the individual, there are reasons to believe that counterfactual thinking is also associated with dysfunctional consequences. Of particular focus is whether or not medical experience, and its influence on counterfactual thinking, actually informs or improves medical practice. It is hypothesized that relatively more probable decision alternatives, followed by undesirable outcomes and counterfactual thought responses, can be abandoned for relatively less probable decision alternatives. Design and Methods Building on earlier research demonstrating that counterfactual thinking can impede memory and learning in a decision paradigm with undergraduate students, the current study examines the extent to which earlier findings can be generalized to practicing physicians (N=10). Participants were asked to complete 60 trials of a computerized Monty Hall Problem simulation. Learning by experience was operationalized as the frequency of switch-decisions. Results Although some learning was evidenced by a general increase in switch-decision frequency across block trials, the extent of learning demonstrated was not ideal, nor practical. Conclusions A simple, multiple-trial, decision paradigm demonstrated that doctors fail to learn basic decision-outcome associations through experience. An agenda for future research, which tests the functionality of reference points (other than counterfactual alternatives) for the purposes of medical decision making, is proposed. Significance for public health The quality of healthcare depends heavily on the judgments and decisions made by doctors and other medical professionals. Findings from this research indicate that doctors fail to learn basic decision-outcome associations through experience, as evidenced by the sample’s tendency to select the optimal decision strategy in only 50% of 60 trials (each of which was followed by veridical feedback). These findings suggest that professional experience is unlikely to enhance the quality of medical decision making. Thus, this research has implications for understanding how doctors’ reactions to medical outcomes shape their judgments and affect the degree to which their future treatment intentions are consistent with clinical practice guidelines. The current research is integrated with earlier research on counter-factual thinking, which appears to be a primary element inhibiting the learning of decision-outcome associations. An agenda for future research is proposed. PMID:25170495

Experiences That Matter: Enhancing Student Learning and Success. Annual Report 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Survey of Student Engagement, 2007

2007-01-01

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) documents dimensions of quality in undergraduate education and provides information and assistance to colleges, universities, and other organizations to improve student learning. Its primary activity is annually surveying college students to assess the extent to which they engage in educational…

Impact of Cold-Calling on Student Voluntary Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dallimore, Elise J.; Hertenstein, Julie H.; Platt, Marjorie B.

2013-01-01

Classroom discussion is perhaps the most frequently used "active learning" strategy. However, instructors are often concerned about students who are less inclined to participate voluntarily. They worry that students not involved in the discussion might have lower quality learning experiences. Although instructors might consider whether to call on…

Passports of Meaning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Laurie; Ellyn, Tracy

2008-01-01

The highest quality of learning takes place when students are immersed in the rich cultural heritage of a variety of countries, as they learn from hands-on studio projects, curated museum exhibitions, literacy resources, and elaborate food, music, and costume fiestas to round out their experiences. In this article, the authors describe a program…

Improving the Asynchronous Video Learning Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, Michael E.

2010-01-01

Online education is popular from a consumer perspective, but there are elements of face-to-face instruction and assessment that are difficult to reproduce online (Bassoppo-Moyo 2006). The difficulty of reproducing valued elements of a face-to-face setting leads to concerns regarding the overall quality of the online learning experience.…

A Case Study of How Teaching Practice Process Takes Place

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yalin Ucar, Meltem

2012-01-01

The process of "learning" carries an important role in the teaching practice which provides teacher candidates with professional development. Being responsible for the learning experiences in that level, cooperating teacher, teacher candidate, mentor and practice school are the important variables which determine the quality of the…

Reflecting on Teacher-Student Relations in TESOL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Thomas S. C.

2015-01-01

Research in general education suggests that relationship-building is at the core of quality learning experiences. Yet relationship-building has not received the attention, it deserves from researchers in the field of TESOL where teacher-student relationships of various types are a central component in successful teaching and learning. This article…

Alignment of an interprofessional student learning experience with a hospital quality improvement initiative.

PubMed

Fowler, Terri O; Wise, Holly H; Mauldin, Mary P; Ragucci, Kelly R; Scheurer, Danielle B; Su, Zemin; Mauldin, Patrick D; Bailey, Jennifer R; Borckardt, Jeffrey J

2018-04-11

Assessment of interprofessional education (IPE) frequently focuses on students' learning outcomes including changes in knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes. While a foundational education in the values and information of their chosen profession is critical, interprofessional learning follows a continuum from formal education to practice. The continuum increases in significance and complexity as learning becomes more relationship based and dependent upon the ability to navigate complex interactions with patients, families, communities, co-workers, and others. Integrating IPE into collaborative practice is critical to enhancing students' experiential learning, developing teamwork competencies, and understanding the complexity of teams. This article describes a project that linked students with a hospital-based quality-improvement effort to focus on the acquisition and practice of teamwork skills and to determine the impact of teamwork on patient and quality outcome measures. A hospital unit was identified with an opportunity for improvement related to quality care, patient satisfaction, employee engagement, and team behaviours. One hundred and thirty-seven students from six health profession colleges at the Medical University of South Carolina underwent TeamSTEPPS® training and demonstrated proficiency of their teamwork-rating skills with the TeamSTEPPS® Team Performance Observation Tool (T-TPO). Students observed real-time team behaviours of unit staff before and after staff attended formal TeamSTEPPS® training. The students collected a total of 778 observations using the T-TPO. Teamwork performance on the unit improved significantly across all T-TPO domains (team structure, communication, leadership, situation monitoring, and mutual support). Significant improvement in each domain continued post-intervention and at 15-month follow-up, improvement remained significant compared to baseline. Student engagement in TeamSTEPPS® training and demonstration of their reliability as teamwork-observers was a valuable learning experience and also yielded an opportunity to gather unique, and otherwise difficult to attain, data from a hospital unit for use by quality managers and administrators.

Building Society: Young People's Experiences and Outcomes in the Technologies. Transforming Lives through Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Scotland, 2014

2014-01-01

This report continues the series in which Education Scotland evaluates the quality of young people's learning and achievements, in this case in the technologies. The report contributes to the overall picture of what it is like to be a learner in a Scottish early learning or childcare setting or school in this second decade of the 21st Century. The…

Facilitating Exploratory Learning in Schools through Virtual Worlds: Experiences from a Course Run at a School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iqbal, Ahmer

2012-01-01

The following paper examines the results of a research study in which a virtual world, Quest Atlantis (QA), was used to engage students in exploratory learning to teach about water quality issues. The main aim of the research was to find out how new digital learning environments and educational technology, such as virtual worlds, can be introduced…

Educating Young Children: Active Learning Practices for Preschool and Child Care Programs [and] A Study Guide to Educating Young Children: Exercises for Adult Learners. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohmann, Mary; Weikart, David P.

High/Scope preschool curriculum is a model for developing high-quality early childhood programs that encourage and support children's initiatives and active learning experiences. This revised manual for early childhood practitioners and students presents essential strategies adults can use to make active learning a reality in their programs. The…

Collaborating to implement interprofessional educational competencies through an international immersion experience.

PubMed

Bentley, Regina; Engelhardt, Joan A; Watzak, Bree

2014-01-01

Interprofessional collaborative practice is the key to safe, high-quality, accessible, patient-centered care. Achieving this requires the development of interprofessional competencies by health professions students as part of the learning process so that they enter the workforce ready to practice effective team-based care. The authors describe how the immersion process of an international short-term medical mission experience can intensify interprofessional learning by addressing selected Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC), 2011, Core Interprofessional Education Competencies.

Case study on perspicacity of collaborative learning experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, Fadzidah; Majid, Noor Hanita Abdul; Numen, Ibrahim; Kesuma Azmin, Aida; Abd. Rahim, Zaiton; Denan, Zuraini; Emin Sisman, Muhammet

2017-12-01

In the attempt to relate to the architectural practice, architectural education today has augmented the development of collaborative learning environment in the campus scenario. Presently, collaborative work among students from the same program and university is considered common. Hence, attempts of collaboration is extended into having learning and teaching collaboration by means of inter-universities. The School of Architecture, at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) has explored into having collaboration across the continent with Fatih Sultan Mehmet Waqf University (FSMWU), among faculty members and students of the two (2) universities This paper explicates the empirical study on students’ perspicacity of their collaborative learning experiences; in term of effectiveness, generative behaviour, and teamwork. Survey with three (3) open-ended questions are distributed to students to express their opinions on learning collaboration that they have had during the execution of the Joint Summer School Program (JSSP). Feedback on their perspicacity is obtained and organised into numerical and understandable data display, using qualitative data processing software. Albeit the relevancy of collaborative learning, students gave both positive and negative feedbacks on their experiences. Suggestions are given to enhance the quality of collaborative learning experience for future development

How Health Behaviors Relate to Academic Performance via Affect: An Intensive Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Flueckiger, Lavinia; Lieb, Roselind; Meyer, Andrea H.; Mata, Jutta

2014-01-01

Objective This intensive longitudinal study examined how sleep and physical activity relate to university students’ affect and academic performance during a stressful examination period. Methods On 32 consecutive days, 72 first-year students answered online questionnaires on their sleep quality, physical activity, positive and negative affect, learning goal achievement, and examination grades. First-year university students are particularly well-suited to test our hypotheses: They represent a relatively homogeneous population in a natural, but controlled setting, and simultaneously deal with similar stressors, such as examinations. Data were analyzed using multilevel structural equation models. Results Over the examination period, better average sleep quality but not physical activity predicted better learning goal achievement. Better learning goal achievement was associated with increased probability of passing all examinations. Relations of average sleep quality and average physical activity with learning goal achievement were mediated by experienced positive affect. In terms of day-to-day dynamics, on days with better sleep quality, participants reported better learning goal achievement. Day-to-day physical activity was not related to daily learning goal achievement. Daily positive and negative affect both mediated the effect of day-to-day sleep quality and physical activity on daily learning goal achievement. Conclusion Health behaviors such as sleep quality and physical activity seem important for both academic performance and affect experience, an indicator of mental health, during a stressful examination period. These results are a first step toward a better understanding of between- and within-person variations in health behaviors, affect, and academic performance, and could inform prevention and intervention programs for university students. PMID:25353638

How health behaviors relate to academic performance via affect: an intensive longitudinal study.

PubMed

Flueckiger, Lavinia; Lieb, Roselind; Meyer, Andrea H; Mata, Jutta

2014-01-01

This intensive longitudinal study examined how sleep and physical activity relate to university students' affect and academic performance during a stressful examination period. On 32 consecutive days, 72 first-year students answered online questionnaires on their sleep quality, physical activity, positive and negative affect, learning goal achievement, and examination grades. First-year university students are particularly well-suited to test our hypotheses: They represent a relatively homogeneous population in a natural, but controlled setting, and simultaneously deal with similar stressors, such as examinations. Data were analyzed using multilevel structural equation models. Over the examination period, better average sleep quality but not physical activity predicted better learning goal achievement. Better learning goal achievement was associated with increased probability of passing all examinations. Relations of average sleep quality and average physical activity with learning goal achievement were mediated by experienced positive affect. In terms of day-to-day dynamics, on days with better sleep quality, participants reported better learning goal achievement. Day-to-day physical activity was not related to daily learning goal achievement. Daily positive and negative affect both mediated the effect of day-to-day sleep quality and physical activity on daily learning goal achievement. Health behaviors such as sleep quality and physical activity seem important for both academic performance and affect experience, an indicator of mental health, during a stressful examination period. These results are a first step toward a better understanding of between- and within-person variations in health behaviors, affect, and academic performance, and could inform prevention and intervention programs for university students.

An investigative, cooperative learning approach to the general microbiology laboratory.

PubMed

Seifert, Kyle; Fenster, Amy; Dilts, Judith A; Temple, Louise

2009-01-01

Investigative- and cooperative-based learning strategies have been used effectively in a variety of classrooms to enhance student learning and engagement. In the General Microbiology laboratory for juniors and seniors at James Madison University, these strategies were combined to make a semester-long, investigative, cooperative learning experience involving culture and identification of microbial isolates that the students obtained from various environments. To assess whether this strategy was successful, students were asked to complete a survey at the beginning and at the end of the semester regarding their comfort level with a variety of topics. For most of the topics queried, the students reported that their comfort had increased significantly during the semester. Furthermore, this group of students thought that the quality of this investigative lab experience was much better than that of any of their previous lab experiences.

An Investigative, Cooperative Learning Approach to the General Microbiology Laboratory

PubMed Central

Seifert, Kyle; Fenster, Amy; Dilts, Judith A.

2009-01-01

Investigative- and cooperative-based learning strategies have been used effectively in a variety of classrooms to enhance student learning and engagement. In the General Microbiology laboratory for juniors and seniors at James Madison University, these strategies were combined to make a semester-long, investigative, cooperative learning experience involving culture and identification of microbial isolates that the students obtained from various environments. To assess whether this strategy was successful, students were asked to complete a survey at the beginning and at the end of the semester regarding their comfort level with a variety of topics. For most of the topics queried, the students reported that their comfort had increased significantly during the semester. Furthermore, this group of students thought that the quality of this investigative lab experience was much better than that of any of their previous lab experiences. PMID:19487504

In Search of an Aesthetic Pathway: Young Children's Encounters with Drama

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Ka Lee Carrie

2017-01-01

Aesthetic experiences have proved as a valuable tool to enhance quality childhood life and learning; yet, how young children perceive such experiences is little known. This study investigated the aesthetic experiences and responses of Hong Kong young children through drama improvisation. Deleuzo-Guattarian concept of rhizome was used to form a…

Defining the Engaging Learning Experience from the Athletic Training Student Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Bowman, Thomas G.; Benes, Sarah S.

2014-01-01

Context: Clinical experiences are an integral part of athletic training education and are where students gain the hands-on, practical knowledge and skills necessary to provide quality patient care in the field. However, some clinical education experiences may not allow athletic training students to become clinically integrated. Objective: To…

Improving Teaching in Higher Education in Malaysia: Issues and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohd. Deni, Ann Rosnida; Zainal, Zainor Izat; Malakolunthu, Suseela

2014-01-01

Various initiatives at national and faculty levels are carried out to improve teaching quality at Malaysian universities. Measures such as auditing and accrediting university programs and obtaining certification for quality management help improve program management and standardize students' learning experiences. However, these do not guarantee…

Baccalaureate nursing students' perceptions of learning and supervision in the clinical environment.

PubMed

Dimitriadou, Maria; Papastavrou, Evridiki; Efstathiou, Georgios; Theodorou, Mamas

2015-06-01

This study is an exploration of nursing students' experiences within the clinical learning environment (CLE) and supervision provided in hospital settings. A total of 357 second-year nurse students from all universities in Cyprus participated in the study. Data were collected using the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher instrument. The dimension "supervisory relationship (mentor)", as well as the frequency of individualized supervision meetings, were found to be important variables in the students' clinical learning. However, no statistically-significant connection was established between successful mentor relationship and team supervision. The majority of students valued their mentor's supervision more highly than a nurse teacher's supervision toward the fulfillment of learning outcomes. The dimensions "premises of nursing care" and "premises of learning" were highly correlated, indicating that a key component of a quality clinical learning environment is the quality of care delivered. The results suggest the need to modify educational strategies that foster desirable learning for students in response to workplace demands. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Learning from Data with Heterogeneous Noise using SGD

PubMed Central

Song, Shuang; Chaudhuri, Kamalika; Sarwate, Anand D.

2015-01-01

We consider learning from data of variable quality that may be obtained from different heterogeneous sources. Addressing learning from heterogenous data in its full generality is a challenging problem. In this paper, we adopt instead a model in which data is observed through heterogeneous noise, where the noise level reflects the quality of the data source. We study how to use stochastic gradient algorithms to learn in this model. Our study is motivated by two concrete examples where this problem arises naturally: learning with local differential privacy based on data from multiple sources with different privacy requirements, and learning from data with labels of variable quality. The main contribution of this paper is to identify how heterogeneous noise impacts performance. We show that given two datasets with heterogeneous noise, the order in which to use them in standard SGD depends on the learning rate. We propose a method for changing the learning rate as a function of the heterogeneity, and prove new regret bounds for our method in two cases of interest. Experiments on real data show that our method performs better than using a single learning rate and using only the less noisy of the two datasets when the noise level is low to moderate. PMID:26705435

Risk management and lessons learned solutions for satellite product assurance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larrère, Jean-Luc

2004-08-01

The historic trend of the space industry towards lower cost programmes and more generally a better economic efficiency raises a difficult question to the quality assurance community: how to achieve the same—or better—mission success rate while drastically reducing the cost of programmes, hence the cost and level of quality assurance activities. EADS Astrium Earth Observation and Science (France) Business Unit have experimented Risk Management and Lessons Learned on their satellite programmes to achieve this goal. Risk analysis and management are deployed from the programme proposal phase through the development and operations phases. Results of the analysis and the corresponding risk mitigation actions are used to tailor the product assurance programme and activities. Lessons learned have been deployed as a systematic process to collect positive and negative experience from past and on-going programmes and feed them into new programmes. Monitoring and justification of their implementation in programmes is done under supervision from the BU quality assurance function. Control of the system is ensured by the company internal review system. Deployment of these methods has shown that the quality assurance function becomes more integrated in the programme team and development process and that its tasks gain focus and efficiency while minimising the risks associated with new space programmes.

Water Quality Monitoring of an Urban Estuary and a Coastal Aquifer Using Field Kits and Meters: A Community-Based Environmental Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Hun Bok; Zamora, Felix; Duzgoren-Aydin, Nurdan S.

2017-01-01

Water quality is an important interdisciplinary environmental topic for project-based learning. An undergraduate summer research internship program at a public minority serving institution engaged environmental science majors in community-based research experiences. The research focused on the field monitoring of water quality for surface water…

Strategies for active learning in online continuing education.

PubMed

Phillips, Janet M

2005-01-01

Online continuing education and staff development is on the rise as the benefits of access, convenience, and quality learning are continuing to take shape. Strategies to enhance learning call for learner participation that is self-directed and independent, thus changing the educator's role from expert to coach and facilitator. Good planning of active learning strategies promotes optimal learning whether the learning content is presented in a course or a just-in-time short module. Active learning strategies can be used to enhance online learning during all phases of the teaching-learning process and can accommodate a variety of learning styles. Feedback from peers, educators, and technology greatly influences learner satisfaction and must be harnessed to provide effective learning experiences. Outcomes of active learning can be assessed online and implemented conveniently and successfully from the initiation of the course or module planning to the end of the evaluation process. Online learning has become accessible and convenient and allows the educator to track learner participation. The future of online education will continue to grow, and using active learning strategies will ensure that quality learning will occur, appealing to a wide variety of learning needs.

Neuroscience and Global Learning

PubMed Central

Ruscio, Michael G.; Korey, Chris; Birck, Anette

2015-01-01

Traditional study abroad experiences take a variety of forms with most incorporating extensive cultural emersion and a focus on global learning skills. Here we ask the question: Can this type of experience co-exist with a quality scientific experience and continued progression through a typically rigorous undergraduate neuroscience curriculum? What are the potential costs and benefits of this approach? How do we increase student awareness of study abroad opportunities and inspire them to participate? We outline programs that have done this with some success and point out ways to cultivate this approach for future programs. These programs represent a variety of approaches in both their duration and role in a given curriculum. We discuss a one-week first year seminar program in Berlin, a summer study abroad course in Munich and Berlin, semester experiences and other options offered through the Danish Institute for Study Abroad in Copenhagen. Each of these experiences offers opportunities for interfacing global learning with neuroscience. PMID:26240528

Building workplace social capital: A longitudinal study of student nurses' clinical placement experiences.

PubMed

Materne, Michelle; Henderson, Amanda; Eaton, Emma

2017-09-01

Quality clinical placement experiences have been associated with nurses' workplace social capital. Social capital is broadly understood as the social organisation of trust, norms and networks that benefit society. Building social capital in the workplace may benefit experiences of staff and students. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of building workplace social capital on student nurse perceptions of clinical learning experiences. A quality improvement process was measured through repeated student surveys. First, second, third year students (n = 1176) from three universities completed a validated Student Clinical Learning Culture Survey (SCLCS) following their placement, at the commencement of quality improvement initiatives and five years later. The SCLCS measured students' perceptions of social affiliation, their motivation, satisfaction and dissatisfaction with clinical contexts. The first year of systematic changes focused on increasing student numbers along with improving communication, trust and knowledge sharing, antecedents to workplace social capital. No change was evident after the first year. Six years after commencement of building workplace social capital differences across all subscales, except dissatisfaction, were significant (p < 0.001). Leadership that promotes open communication and connections across staff and students to achieve common goals can build workplace social capital that enhances student placement experiences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

Developing a practice-based learning and improvement curriculum for an academic general surgery residency.

PubMed

O'Connor, Erin S; Mahvi, David M; Foley, Eugene F; Lund, Dennis; McDonald, Robert

2010-04-01

Program directors in surgery are now facing the challenge of incorporating the ACGME's practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) competency into residency curriculum. We introduced a comprehensive PBLI experience for postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) residents designed to integrate specific competency goals (ie, quality improvement, clinical thinking, and self-directed learning) within the context of residents' clinical practice. Fourteen PGY2 residents participated in a 3-week PBLI curriculum consisting of 3 components: complex clinical decision making, individual learning plan, and quality improvement (QI). To assess how effectively the curriculum addressed these 3 competencies, residents rated their understanding of PBLI by answering a 12-question written survey given pre- and post-rotation. Resident satisfaction was assessed through standard post-rotation evaluations. Analysis of the pre- and post-rotation surveys from the 14 participants showed an increase in all measured elements, including knowledge of PBLI (p < 0.001), ability to assess learning needs (p < 0.001), set learning goals (p < 0.001), understanding of QI concepts (p = 0.001), and experience with QI projects (p < 0.001). Fourteen QI projects were developed. Although many residents found the creation of measurable learning goals to be challenging, the process of identifying strengths and weaknesses enhanced the resident's self-understanding and contributed to overall satisfaction with the rotation. The initial implementation of our PBLI curriculum demonstrated that residents report personal progress in their clinical decision making, self-directed learning, and familiarity with QI. This comprehensive PBLI curriculum was accepted by surgical residents as a valuable part of their training. We are encouraged to continue a clinically grounded PBLI experience for PGY2 residents. Copyright (c) 2010 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning Collaboratives: Insights And A New Taxonomy From AHRQ's Two Decades Of Experience.

PubMed

Nix, Mary; McNamara, Peggy; Genevro, Janice; Vargas, Natalia; Mistry, Kamila; Fournier, Alaina; Shofer, Margie; Lomotan, Edwin; Miller, Therese; Ricciardi, Richard; Bierman, Arlene S

2018-02-01

Learning collaboratives are increasingly used as mechanisms to support and hasten the diffusion and implementation of innovation, clinical evidence, and effective models of care. Factors contributing to the collaboratives' success or failure are poorly understood. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has sponsored collaboratives for nearly two decades to support improvements in health care quality and value by accelerating the diffusion and implementation of innovation. We examined AHRQ's experience with these collaboratives to characterize their attributes, identify factors that might contribute to their success or failure, and assess the challenges they encountered. Building on the literature and insights from AHRQ's experience, we propose a taxonomy that can offer guidance to decision makers and funders about the factors they should consider in developing collaboratives and planning their evaluation, as well as to researchers who seek to conduct research that will ultimately help decision makers make better investments in diffusing innovation and evidence.

Family caregiver learning--how family caregivers learn to provide care at the end of life: a qualitative secondary analysis of four datasets.

PubMed

Stajduhar, Kelli I; Funk, Laura; Outcalt, Linda

2013-07-01

Family caregivers are assuming growing responsibilities in providing care to dying family members. Supporting them is fundamental to ensure quality end-of-life care and to buffer potentially negative outcomes, although family caregivers frequently acknowledge a deficiency of information, knowledge, and skills necessary to assume the tasks involved in this care. The aim of this inquiry was to explore how family caregivers describe learning to provide care to palliative patients. Secondary analysis of data from four qualitative studies (n = 156) with family caregivers of dying people. Data included qualitative interviews with 156 family caregivers of dying people. Family caregivers learn through the following processes: trial and error, actively seeking needed information and guidance, applying knowledge and skills from previous experience, and reflecting on their current experiences. Caregivers generally preferred and appreciated a supported or guided learning process that involved being shown or told by others, usually learning reactively after a crisis. Findings inform areas for future research to identify effective, individualized programs and interventions to support positive learning experiences for family caregivers of dying people.

Emotional Climate and High Quality Learning Experiences in Science Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellocchi, Alberto; Ritchie, Stephen M.; Tobin, Kenneth; King, Donna; Sandhu, Maryam; Henderson, Senka

2014-01-01

The role of emotion during learning encounters in science teacher education is under-researched and under-theorized. In this case study, we explore the emotional climates (ECs), that is, the collective states of emotional arousal, of a preservice secondary science education class to illuminate practice for producing and reproducing high quality…

Quality Problem-Based Learning Experiences for Students: Design Deliberations among Teachers from Diverse Disciplines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Susan McAleenan

This qualitative study, investigating the claims, concerns, and issues arising within the design stages of problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum units, was conducted during two masters-level classes during the summer of 1999. A hermeneutic dialectic discourse among veteran teachers (who were novice PBL curriculum designers) was facilitated by…

Invisible to Visible: Mapping the Continuum of Literacy Learning Experiences in an Early Years Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kervin, Lisa; Turbill, Jan; Harden-Thew, Kathryn

2017-01-01

The face of early childhood education continues to change. In Australia, the national early childhood guidelines, "Early Years Learning Framework" (2009) and the "National Quality Framework" have articulated and defined the work of early years' educators in a range of areas, including literacy. Both frameworks state that their…

Academic Language, Power and the Impact of Western Knowledge Production on Indigenous Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Karen

2008-01-01

This paper explores the prescriptive, distancing and separating qualities that exist in Western systems of knowledge production. It examines scientific language and how discrimination takes place in the university setting and explores the ways in which academic knowledge production affects the learning experiences, participation and completion…

Ensuring Quality Service-Learning Experiences for At-Risk Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Judith A.; Sneller, Susan

2011-01-01

Service-learning is one way of reconstructing educators' thinking about adolescents who demonstrate at-risk behaviors. It allows educators and others to involve youth considered to be "at risk" in talking about their concerns and interests, solving problems, and making decisions as they construct their own identities with the help and…

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…

The Campus Lake Learning Community: Promoting a Multidisciplinary Approach to Environmental Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Maud; Jenkins, Dorothy; Powell, Katrina; Rusch, Kelly

2005-01-01

A multidisciplinary learning community provided environmental management students the opportunity to work with students in different classes and majors to create designs for improving the appearance and environmental quality of a lake on a university campus. The experience increased student appreciation for the contribution of other disciplines in…

Classroom Quality and Academic Skills: Approaches to Learning as a Moderator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meng, Christine

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether approaches to learning moderated the association between child care classroom environment and Head Start children's academic skills. The data came from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES-2003 Cohort). The dataset is a nationally representative longitudinal study of Head Start…

A Model to Build Capacity through a Multi-Program Curriculum Review Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyjur, Patti; Lock, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Curriculum reviews are becoming more prevalent in higher educational institutions as a means to address quality assurance and improve program offerings. However, the review process can be structured so that instructors experience professional learning benefits as they work with program-level learning outcomes, map their courses, and analyze…

The Violet Experience: Social Interaction through Eclectic Music Learning Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dakon, Jacob M.; Cloete, Elene

2018-01-01

In this qualitative case study, we used participant observation and interviews to examine Violet, a Flemish string youth orchestra. In doing so, we identify the qualities that constitute an 'eclectic' ensemble space, herein defined as a musical environment that uses a blend of informal and formal learning practices. Moreover, we emphasize how…

Is Online Instruction Perceived as Effective as Campus Instruction by Graduate Students in Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Janna Siegel; Grant, Michael M.; Jackson, Lorrie

2005-01-01

At a southern metropolitan university, the researchers examined the students' perceived quality of the learning experience of the online courses as compared to classroom-based learning for graduate education courses. The researchers used Chickering and Gamson's (1987) [Chickering, A. W., & Gamson, Z. F. (1987, March). Seven principles for good…

Assessing Learning in the Early Years' Outdoor Classroom: Examining Challenges in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Ruth; Hamilton, Paula

2018-01-01

The benefit the outdoor environment has for young children's development is widely documented. However, there is less literature outlining practitioners' experiences of assessing learning in the outdoors and factors which impact the level and quality of assessments undertaken. This study, based on a pragmatic mixed methods approach, undertaken in…

Career Paths of Former Apprentices. Making Work-Based Learning Work. Series 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez-del-Aguila, Rossana; Monteiro, Helen; Hughes, Maria

2006-01-01

This report investigates the career paths taken by apprentices after they complete their training, and the extent to which their apprenticeships has been influential in their future success. The project investigated what careers apprenticeship training secures access to; whether the method and quality of the learning experience in apprenticeships;…

Cyber Peer-Led Team Learning (cPLTL): Development and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mauser, Kevin; Sours, John; Banks, Julianna; Newbrough, Randy; Janke, Tom; Shuck, Lorie; Zhu, Lin; Ammerman, Gina; Varma-Nelson, Pratibha

2011-01-01

The type and amount of student interaction with major socializing agents on campus--faculty and their peers--determine the impact of college on students. Much of the research on postsecondary education links the quality of peer interactions directly to student learning outcomes and satisfaction with the college experience, and Alexander Astin went…

Implementing Open Source Platform for Education Quality Enhancement in Primary Education: Indonesia Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kisworo, Marsudi Wahyu

2016-01-01

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-supported learning using free and open source platform draws little attention as open source initiatives were focused in secondary or tertiary educations. This study investigates possibilities of ICT-supported learning using open source platform for primary educations. The data of this study is taken…

An Approach to Participatory Instructional Design in Secondary Education: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konings, Karen D.; Brand-Gruwel, Saskia; van Merrienboer, Jeroen J. G.

2010-01-01

Background: Teachers have limited insight in students' perspectives on education, although these perspectives influence quality of learning. As students' and teachers' perspectives differ considerably, there is a need for teachers to learn more about students' experiences and ideas about education. Participatory design might be a good strategy for…

Higher Education Quality: Perception Differences among Internal and External Stakeholders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abidin, Munirul

2015-01-01

Conceptually, education quality of higher education can be determined by evaluation of their stakeholders's satisfaction level. The purpose of this study is to describe how students as external stakeholder and lecturers as internal stakeholder, perceived their satisfaction of learning experience in the university. This study was conducted in…

Evaluating Quality in Educational Facilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abend, Allen; Ornstein, Sheila Walbe; Baltas, Emmanuel; de la Garza, Jaime; Watson, Chris; Lange, Kurt; von Ahlefeld, Hannah

2006-01-01

In 2005, the OECD Programme on Educational Building (PEB) organised two international experts' group meetings to discuss how countries define and evaluate quality in educational facilities. The research and experiences of six experts are presented in this article, in addition to the lessons learned from the experts' group meetings. The director of…

On Teacher Quality in Independent Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balossi, Matt; Hernandez, Natalia R.

2016-01-01

Independent schools pride themselves on providing a unique educational experience for students, one that is robust and mission-driven and capitalizes on lower student-to-teacher ratios that allow for more personalized learning and high-quality teachers. Numerous studies measure teacher effectiveness in public schools, yet there is little research…

Perceptions of Quality in an Online Learning Environment: A Faculty Outlook

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, April Michele

2017-01-01

The study investigated the faculty perception of quality in online courses. The areas considered were media richness, interaction, synchronism, self-efficacy, online teaching experience, and education level. Participants included members of three online Yahoo groups that were designed for online faculty members. There were 510 total members…

Improving Lecture Quality through Training in Public Speaking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mowbray, Robert; Perry, Laura B.

2015-01-01

Lecturing is a common instructional format but poor lecturing skills can detract from students' learning experiences and outcomes. As lecturing is essentially a form of public communication, training in public speaking may improve lecture quality. Twelve university lecturers in Malaysia participated in a six-week public speaking skills training…

The Application of Web-Based Teaching and Learning in Tertiary Institution--A Case Study in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fung, Alex C. W.; Fu, Frank H. K.; Cheung, W. S.

2005-01-01

The experience of a two-year project to promote the use of Web-based teaching and learning at XXX University was presented. A total of 68 courses over two semesters were included in the study. Surveys of students and teachers suggested that the quality of learning and teaching were improved. Over 80% of the students had used Web-based teaching and…

An investigation into sonography student experiences of simulation teaching and learning in the acquisition of clinical skills

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Technological developments are impacting on many aspects of life, including education. One particular area of technology where there is growing interest within higher education institutions (HEIs) offering healthcare training is the use of simulators. The literature shows diverging views on the role of simulated learning in healthcare and further evaluation is needed to explore the quality of learning opportunities that are offered, and their effectiveness in the preparation of students for clinical practice. A qualitative study was undertaken, using interviews to explore the experiences of a group of sonography students after interacting with an ultrasound simulator. Simulation was positively evaluated by students in this study. The findings confirm that simulated learning enables students to be interactive learners rather than being passive recipients of knowledge. Simulated learning provides learning opportunities in a risk free environment, which reduces stress for the student and potential harm to patients. Confidence levels were increased, thereby improving future clinical scanning experiences for both the student and their patients. Suggestions were made for the more effective integration of simulated learning into the curriculum. Continued research into simulation, teaching and learning practices needs to occur if we are to ensure maximum advantage of the simulation experience. PMID:27433215

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.

Culturally and linguistically diverse healthcare students' experiences of learning in a clinical environment: A systematic review of qualitative studies.

PubMed

Mikkonen, Kristina; Elo, Satu; Kuivila, Heli-Maria; Tuomikoski, Anna-Maria; Kääriäinen, Maria

2016-02-01

Learning in the clinical environment of healthcare students plays a significant part in higher education. The greatest challenges for culturally and linguistically diverse healthcare students were found in clinical placements, where differences in language and culture have been shown to cause learning obstacles for students. There has been no systematic review conducted to examine culturally and linguistically diverse healthcare students' experiences of their learning in the clinical environment. This systematic review aims to identify culturally and linguistically diverse healthcare students' experiences of learning in a clinical environment. The search strategy followed the guidelines of the Centre of Reviews and Dissemination. The original studies were identified from seven databases (CINAHL, Medline Ovid, Scopus, Web of Science, Academic Search Premiere, Eric and Cochrane Library) for the period 2000-2014. Two researchers selected studies based on titles, abstracts and full texts using inclusion criteria and assessed the quality of studies independently. Twelve original studies were chosen for the review. The culturally and linguistically diverse healthcare students' learning experiences were divided into three influential aspects of learning in a clinical environment: experiences with implementation processes and provision; experiences with peers and mentors; and experiences with university support and instructions. The main findings indicate that culturally and linguistically diverse healthcare students embarking on clinical placements initially find integration stressful. Implementing the process of learning in a clinical environment requires additional time, well prepared pedagogical orientation, prior cultural and language education, and support for students and clinical staff. Barriers to learning by culturally and linguistically diverse healthcare students were not being recognized and individuals were not considered motivated; learners experienced the strain of being different, and faced language difficulties. Clinical staff attitudes influenced students' clinical learning experiences and outcomes. Additional education in culture and language for students and clinical staff is considered essential to improve the clinical learning experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse healthcare students. Further studies of culturally and linguistically diverse healthcare students' learning experiences in the clinical environment need to be conducted in order to examine influential aspects on the clinical learning found in the review. Copyright © 2015 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.

The development and evaluation of online stories to enhance clinical learning experiences across health professions in rural Australia.

PubMed

Paliadelis, Penny Susan; Stupans, Leva; Parker, Vicki; Piper, Donella; Gillan, Pauline; Lea, Jackie; Jarrott, Helen Mary; Wilson, Rhonda; Hudson, Judith N; Fagan, Anthea

2015-01-01

Clinical placement learning experiences are integral to all health and medical curricula as a means of integrating theory into practice and preparing graduates to deliver safe, high-quality care to health consumers. A growing challenge for education providers is to access sufficient clinical placements with experienced supervisors who are skilled at maximising learning opportunities for students. This paper reports on the development and evaluation of an innovative online learning program aimed at enhancing student and clinical supervisors' preparedness for effective workplace-based learning. The evidence-based learning program used 'story-telling' as the learning framework. The stories, which were supported by a range of resources, aimed to engage the learners in understanding student and supervisor responsibilities, as well as the expectations and competencies needed to support effective learning in the clinical environment. Evaluation of this program by the learners and stakeholders clearly indicated that they felt authentically 'connected' with the characters in the stories and developed insights that suggested effective learning had occurred.

Job Resources, Physician Work Engagement, and Patient Care Experience in an Academic Medical Setting.

PubMed

Scheepers, Renée A; Lases, Lenny S S; Arah, Onyebuchi A; Heineman, Maas Jan; Lombarts, Kiki M J M H

2017-10-01

Physician work engagement is associated with better work performance and fewer medical errors; however, whether work-engaged physicians perform better from the patient perspective is unknown. Although availability of job resources (autonomy, colleague support, participation in decision making, opportunities for learning) bolster work engagement, this relationship is understudied among physicians. This study investigated associations of physician work engagement with patient care experience and job resources in an academic setting. The authors collected patient care experience evaluations, using nine validated items from the Dutch Consumer Quality index in two academic hospitals (April 2014 to April 2015). Physicians reported job resources and work engagement using, respectively, the validated Questionnaire on Experience and Evaluation of Work and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. The authors conducted multivariate adjusted mixed linear model and linear regression analyses. Of the 9,802 eligible patients and 238 eligible physicians, respectively, 4,573 (47%) and 185 (78%) participated. Physician work engagement was not associated with patient care experience (B = 0.01; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.02 to 0.03; P = .669). However, learning opportunities (B = 0.28; 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.52; P = .019) and autonomy (B = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.10 to 0.51; P = .004) were positively associated with work engagement. Higher physician work engagement did not translate into better patient care experience. Patient experience may benefit from physicians who deliver stable quality under varying levels of work engagement. From the physicians' perspective, autonomy and learning opportunities could safeguard their work engagement.

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.

Lessons Learned and Flight Results from the F15 Intelligent Flight Control System Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bosworth, John

2006-01-01

A viewgraph presentation on the lessons learned and flight results from the F15 Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS) project is shown. The topics include: 1) F-15 IFCS Project Goals; 2) Motivation; 3) IFCS Approach; 4) NASA F-15 #837 Aircraft Description; 5) Flight Envelope; 6) Limited Authority System; 7) NN Floating Limiter; 8) Flight Experiment; 9) Adaptation Goals; 10) Handling Qualities Performance Metric; 11) Project Phases; 12) Indirect Adaptive Control Architecture; 13) Indirect Adaptive Experience and Lessons Learned; 14) Gen II Direct Adaptive Control Architecture; 15) Current Status; 16) Effect of Canard Multiplier; 17) Simulated Canard Failure Stab Open Loop; 18) Canard Multiplier Effect Closed Loop Freq. Resp.; 19) Simulated Canard Failure Stab Open Loop with Adaptation; 20) Canard Multiplier Effect Closed Loop with Adaptation; 21) Gen 2 NN Wts from Simulation; 22) Direct Adaptive Experience and Lessons Learned; and 23) Conclusions

Classroom quality and academic skills: Approaches to learning as a moderator.

PubMed

Meng, Christine

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether approaches to learning moderated the association between child care classroom environment and Head Start children's academic skills. The data came from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES-2003 Cohort). The dataset is a nationally representative longitudinal study of Head Start children. The sample was selected using the stratified 4-stage sampling procedure. Data was collected in fall 2003, spring 2004, spring 2005, and spring 2006 in the first year of kindergarten. Participants included 3- and 4-year-old Head Start children (n = 786; 387 boys, 399 girls; 119 Hispanic children, 280 African American children, 312 Caucasian children). Head Start children's academic skills in letter-word identification, dictation/spelling, and mathematics at the 4 time points were measured by the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Battery tests. Approaches to learning in fall 2003 was measured by the teacher report of the Preschool Learning Behaviors Scale. Child care classroom quality in fall 2003 was measured by the revised Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Results of the linear mixed effects models demonstrated that approaches to learning significantly moderated the effect of child care classroom quality on Head Start children's writing and spelling. Specifically, positive approaches to learning mitigated the negative effect of lower levels of classroom quality on dictation/spelling. Results underscore the important role of approaches to learning as a protective factor. Implications for early childhood educators with an emphasis on learning goals for disengaged children are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The impact of teachers' approaches to teaching and students' learning styles on students' approaches to learning in college online biology courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Yuh-Fong

With the rapid growth of online courses in higher education institutions, research on quality of learning for online courses is needed. However, there is a notable lack of research in the cited literature providing evidence that online distance education promotes the quality of independent learning to which it aspires. Previous studies focused on academic outcomes and technology applications which do not monitor students' learning processes, such as their approaches to learning. Understanding students' learning processes and factors influencing quality of learning will provide valuable information for instructors and institutions in providing quality online courses and programs. The purpose of this study was to identify and investigate college biology teachers' approaches to teaching and students' learning styles, and to examine the impact of approaches to teaching and learning styles on students' approaches to learning via online instruction. Data collection included eighty-seven participants from five online biology courses at a community college in the southern area of Texas. Data analysis showed the following results. First, there were significant differences in approaches to learning among students with different learning styles. Second, there was a significant difference in students' approaches to learning between classes using different approaches to teaching. Three, the impact of learning styles on students' approaches to learning was not influenced by instructors' approaches to teaching. Two conclusions were obtained from the results. First, individuals with the ability to perceive information abstractly might be more likely to adopt deep approaches to learning than those preferring to perceive information through concrete experience in online learning environments. Second, Teaching Approach Inventory might not be suitable to measure approaches to teaching for online biology courses due to online instructional design and technology limitations. Based on the findings and conclusions of this study, implications for distance education and future research are described.

Cognitive factors correlating with the metacognition of the phenomenal properties of experience

PubMed Central

Mogi, Ken

2013-01-01

The awareness of the phenomenal qualities of one's experiences can be considered as an instance of metacognition. Although some people take qualia (sensory qualities such as the redness of red) as salient features of phenomenal experience, others have expressed views that doubt or deny the central importance of qualia. How do such cognitive heterogeneities occur? What parameters influence them? Here I examine the relationship between the awareness of the phenomenal qualities of subjective experience (qualia and free will) and general cognitive tendencies. The awareness of qualia was found to be more varied among subjects compared to the belief in free will. Various cognitive tendencies correlated with the metacognition of phenomenal experience. The awareness of qualia was found to increase significantly with age, suggesting a continuous learning process. These results suggest that heterogeneities in the metacognition of phenomenal properties of experience are important constraints in human cognition. PMID:24284832

Enhancing the Quality of Early Childhood Education and Care: ECEC Tutors' Perspectives of Family Engagement in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paz-Albo Prieto, Jesús

2018-01-01

Access to high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) is important for developmental outcomes and school success. The first years of life are a critical period for learning and the quality of early experiences can have a significant impact later in life. Parenting is one of the primary influences on children's development and family…

Practice-based learning and improvement: a curriculum in continuous quality improvement for surgery residents.

PubMed

Canal, David F; Torbeck, Laura; Djuricich, Alexander M

2007-05-01

Surgery residents can learn continuous quality improvement (CQI) principles within a structured curriculum and propose quality improvement projects. Curriculum within a surgical residency program. A university surgical residency program with multiple hospital training sites. Fifteen surgical residents during the dedicated research year. A curriculum in CQI that focuses on devising a quality improvement project. Resident self-reported attitudes about quality improvement and implementation of resident-initiated quality improvement projects. Resident survey data demonstrated an improvement in knowledge, self-efficacy, and experiences within CQI. Fifteen individual residents, within smaller teams, created 4 quality improvement projects worthy of implementation. A structured CQI curriculum can be successfully integrated into a general surgery residency program. Residents can learn the skill of constructing CQI project ideas within the framework of the plan-do-study-act cycle. Residents are eager to make improvements in their local system of residency. By giving them the tools to critically investigate systems improvement and a much needed ear to hear their concerns and suggestions for improvement, we found ways to potentially enhance patient care and developed ideas to improve the education of future surgeons. In doing so, we provided the residents with "buy-in" into their residency program, while addressing the competency of practice-based learning and improvement required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for resident education.

What I expect from an orthopaedic traumatology fellow.

PubMed

Lee Chip Routt, Milton; Stark, Delbert H

2014-09-01

After 2.5 decades working with a variety of orthopaedic traumatology fellows, I have learned that several qualities and behaviors are important to a successful experience. Most fellows possess them, but some do not. Those that do usually integrate quickly onto the team and are rewarded with enriched teaching and clinical experiences. Some that do not may be able to adjust or alter their behaviors and eventually fit in. Some cannot adjust and their experiences suffer. I realize that no 2 individuals are the same, so my expectations of a fellow serve as a relationship foundation to then build their experiences upon. Their qualities and behaviors guide our relationship.

Together We Learn: Analyzing the Interprofessional Internal Medicine Residents' and Master of Public Health Students' Quality Improvement Education Experience.

PubMed

Gupte, Gouri; Noronha, Craig; Horný, Michal; Sloan, Karin; Suen, Winnie

2016-11-01

Although the value of interprofessional collaborative education has been promoted, it is unclear how teams of clinical and nonclinical learners perceive this experience. The authors studied an interprofessional quality improvement (QI) curriculum implemented in 2013 integrating internal medicine residents (n = 90) and Master of Public Health (MPH) students (n = 33) at an urban safety net academic medical center. Pre and post curriculum surveys assessed attitudes toward QI and interprofessional education and team performance. Resident attitudes toward learning and engaging in QI work improved at the end of the curriculum. Overall, MPH students demonstrated significantly more positive attitudes about interprofessional learning and work than residents. They also agreed more strongly than residents that patients would benefit if residents and public health students worked together. As health care organizations evolve to become more integrated, it is crucial that interprofessional educational opportunities be developed and evaluated to help encourage a culture of collaboration among health care providers. © The Author(s) 2015.

Learning challenges of nursing students in clinical environments: A qualitative study in Iran

PubMed Central

Baraz, Shahram; Memarian, Robabeh; Vanaki, Zohreh

2015-01-01

Background: Clinical learning environment is a complex social entity. This environment is effective on the learning process of nursing students in the clinical area. However, learning in clinical environment has several benefits, but it can be challenging, unpredictable, stressful, and constantly changing. In attention to clinical experiences and factors contributing to the learning of these experiences can waste a great deal of time and energy, impose heavy financial burden on educational systems, cause mental, familial and educational problems for students, and compromise the quality of patient care. Therefore, this study was carried out with the goal of determining the learning challenges of nursing students in clinical environments in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this qualitative study carried out in 2012–2013, 18 undergraduate nursing students were selected by using purposive sampling method from the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery of Tehran and Shahid Beheshti Universities. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The content analysis method was used to determine relevant themes. Results: Two themes were derived from the data analysis, which represented the students’ clinical learning challenges. These two themes included insufficient qualification of nursing instructors and unsupportive learning environment. Conclusions: Identification of the students’ clinical learning challenges and actions to remove or modify them will create more learning opportunities for the students, improve the achievement of educational goals, provide training to nursing students with the needed competencies to meet the complex demands of caring and for application of theories in practice, and improve the quality of healthcare services. PMID:26430679

Ethics Issues Arising in the Transition to Learning Health Care Systems: Results from Interviews with Leaders from 25 Health Systems.

PubMed

Morain, Stephanie R; Kass, Nancy E

2016-01-01

There is increased interest in transitioning to a "learning health care system" (LHCS). While this transition brings the potential for significant benefits, it also presents several ethical considerations. Identifying the ethical issues faced by institutions in this transition is critical for realizing the goals of learning health care so that these issues can be anticipated and, where possible, resolved. 29 semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with leaders within 25 health care institutions. Respondents were recruiting using purposive sampling, targeting institutions considered as LHCS leaders. All interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed. NVIVO10 software was used to support qualitative analysis. Respondents described seven ethical challenges: (1) ethical oversight of learning activities; (2) transparency of learning activities to patients; (3) potential tensions between improving quality and reducing costs; (4) data sharing and data management; (5) lag time between discovery and implementation; (6) transparency to patients about quality; and (7) randomization for quality improvement initiatives. To move towards LHCS, several ethical considerations require further attention, including: the continued appropriateness of the research-treatment distinction; policy frameworks for privacy and data sharing; informing patients about learning activities; obligations to share data on quality; and the potential for trade-offs between quality improvement and cost control. To our knowledge, this is the first project to ask leaders from health care systems committed to ongoing learning about the ethical issues they have faced in this effort. Their experiences can provide guidance on relevant ethical issues, and what might be done to resolve them.

Enhancing mathematics teachers' quality through Lesson Study.

PubMed

Lomibao, Laila S

2016-01-01

The efficiency and effectivity of the learning experience is dependent on the teacher quality, thus, enhancing teacher's quality is vital in improving the students learning outcome. Since, the usual top-down one-shot cascading model practice for teachers' professional development in Philippines has been observed to have much information dilution, and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization demanded the need to develop mathematics teachers' quality standards through the Southeast Asia Regional Standards for Mathematics Teachers (SEARS-MT), thus, an intensive, ongoing professional development model should be provided to teachers. This study was undertaken to determine the impact of Lesson Study on Bulua National High School mathematics teachers' quality level in terms of SEARS-MT dimensions. A mixed method of quantitative-qualitative research design was employed. Results of the analysis revealed that Lesson Study effectively enhanced mathematics teachers' quality and promoted teachers professional development. Teachers positively perceived Lesson Study to be beneficial for them to become a better mathematics teacher.

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'…

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…

WIL Curriculum Design and Student Learning: A Structural Model of Their Effects on Student Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Calvin; Worsfold, Kate

2014-01-01

With the increasing adoption of work-integrated learning (WIL) as a feature of curricula, the idea of student satisfaction takes on a new dimension--students' experiences on placement are not routinely under the control of university academic staff, yet universities will ultimately be held responsible for the quality of students' placement…

Does Parent Involvement and Neighborhood Quality Matter for African American Boys' Kindergarten Mathematics Achievement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Claire E.

2015-01-01

Research Findings: There is growing evidence that home learning stimulation that includes informal numeracy experiences can promote math-related learning in school. Furthermore, national studies suggest that children who start kindergarten with stronger math skills are more likely to succeed in high school. This study used a large sample of…

A Telepresence Learning Environment for Opera Singing: Distance Lessons Implementations over Internet2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alpiste Penalba, Francisco; Rojas-Rajs, Teresa; Lorente, Pedro; Iglesias, Francisco; Fernández, Joaquín; Monguet, Josep

2013-01-01

The Opera eLearning project developed a solution for opera singing distance lessons at the graduate level, using high bandwidth to deliver a quality audio and video experience that has been evaluated by singing teachers, chorus and orchestra directors, singers and other professional musicians. Prior to finding a technological model that suits the…

A Collaborative Inquiry into Museum and Library Early Learning Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirinides, Phil; Fink, Ryan; DuBois, Tesla

2016-01-01

As states, cities, and communities take a more active role in ensuring that all children have access to high quality experiences and opportunities to learn, many are looking to museums and libraries as part of the early childhood education system. Museums and libraries can play a critical role in these efforts, and there is clear momentum and…

Assessment in Medical Education; What Are We Trying to Achieve?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferris, Helena; O'Flynn, Dermot

2015-01-01

Within the arena of medical education, it is generally acknowledged that assessment drives learning. Assessment is one of the most significant influences on a student's experience of higher education and improving assessment has a huge impact on the quality of learning (Liu, N. and Carless, D, 2006). Ideally we want to enhance student's capacity…

Design, Development and Delivery of Active Learning Tools in Software Verification & Validation Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acharya, Sushil; Manohar, Priyadarshan Anant; Wu, Peter; Maxim, Bruce; Hansen, Mary

2018-01-01

Active learning tools are critical in imparting real world experiences to the students within a classroom environment. This is important because graduates are expected to develop software that meets rigorous quality standards in functional and application domains with little to no training. However, there is a well-recognized need for the…

Using Academia-Industry Partnerships to Enhance Software Verification & Validation Education via Active Learning Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acharya, Sushil; Manohar, Priyadarshan; Wu, Peter; Schilling, Walter

2017-01-01

Imparting real world experiences in a software verification and validation (SV&V) course is often a challenge due to the lack of effective active learning tools. This pedagogical requirement is important because graduates are expected to develop software that meets rigorous quality standards in functional and application domains. Realizing the…

Challenging E-Learning: An Evaluation of the STUDIO Project at TU Delft

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamp, L. M.; De Jong, F.; Ravesteijn, W.

2008-01-01

Lots of papers are being published about e-learning in engineering education. In these papers, positive experiences and aspects seem to overshadow negative ones. However, there are still some problematic sides worth studying. In order to improve its quality these should receive broad attention too. We present an explicit two-sided evaluation of…

Users' Continuance Intention of Virtual Learning Community Services: The Moderating Role of Usage Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Min; Liu, Yupei; Yan, Weiwei; Zhang, Yan

2017-01-01

Users' continuance intention plays a significant role in the process of information system (IS) service, especially virtual learning community (VLC) services. Following the IS success model and IS post-acceptance model, this study explores the determinants of users' intention to continue using VLCs' service from the perspective of quality,…

A Synergistic Approach to Turning the Tide of Grade Inflation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Halloran, Kim C.; Gordon, Michael E.

2014-01-01

Higher education in the United States is facing increasing demands for colleges and universities to demonstrate what students learn and that they are providing a high-quality education experience during the undergraduate years (Pascarealla et al. in "Chang Mag High Learn" 42(1):16-22, 2010). Despite evidence of the elevation of grades in…

Learning Experiences That Make a Difference: Findings from a National Study of Doctoral Education in the Professions. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haworth, Jennifer Grant; Bair, Carolyn Richert

The purpose of this study was to explore and develop baseline understandings of the purposes, character (i.e., cultural, teaching/learning, curricular practices), quality, and outcomes associated with doctoral education in four professional fields of study: clinical psychology, electrical engineering, nursing, and school administration. The…

Data Analysis Tools and Methods for Improving the Interaction Design in E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popescu, Paul Stefan

2015-01-01

In this digital era, learning from data gathered from different software systems may have a great impact on the quality of the interaction experience. There are two main directions that come to enhance this emerging research domain, Intelligent Data Analysis (IDA) and Human Computer Interaction (HCI). HCI specific research methodologies can be…

Strategies for Sustaining Quality in PBL Facilitation for Large Student Cohorts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Louise; Papinczak, Tracey

2013-01-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) has been used to scaffold and support student learning in many Australian medical programs, with the role of the facilitator in the process considered crucial to the overall educational experience of students. With the increasing size of student cohorts and in an environment of financial constraint, it is important to…

Eat, Drink, Play, Discover: Engaging the Imagination through the Senses to Discover Spanish-Speaking Cultures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindner, Blue

2010-01-01

At Sonrisas Spanish School, educators are interested in finding ways to teach children in the way children actually learn. Their mission is to create high quality, standards-based Spanish classes and curriculum materials that are both effective for teachers and also provide a positive foreign language learning experience for students. They value…

Constructing a Streaming Video-Based Learning Forum for Collaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Chih-Kai

2004-01-01

As web-based courses using videos have become popular in recent years, the issue of managing audio-visual aids has become pertinent. Generally, the contents of audio-visual aids may include a lecture, an interview, a report, or an experiment, which may be transformed into a streaming format capable of making the quality of Internet-based videos…

Students' perceptions of a blended learning experience in dental education.

PubMed

Varthis, S; Anderson, O R

2018-02-01

"Flipped" instructional sequencing is a new instructional method where online instruction precedes the group meeting, allowing for more sophisticated learning through discussion and critical thinking during the in-person class session; a novel approach studied in this research. The purpose of this study was to document dental students' perceptions of flipped-based blended learning and to apply a new method of displaying their perceptions based on Likert-scale data analysis using a network diagramming method known as an item correlation network diagram (ICND). In addition, this article aimed to encourage institutions or course directors to consider self-regulated learning and social constructivism as a theoretical framework when blended learning is incorporated in dental curricula. Twenty (second year) dental students at a Northeastern Regional Dental School in the United States participated in this study. A Likert scale was administered before and after the learning experience to obtain evidence of their perceptions of its quality and educational merits. Item correlation network diagrams, based on the intercorrelations amongst the responses to the Likert-scale items, were constructed to display students' changes in perceptions before and after the learning experience. Students reported positive perceptions of the blended learning, and the ICND analysis of their responses before and after the learning experience provided insights into their social (group-based) cognition about the learning experience. The ICNDs are considered evidence of social or group-based cognition, because they are constructed from evidence obtained using intercorrelations of the total group responses to the Likert-scale items. The students positively received blended learning in dental education, and the ICND analyses demonstrated marked changes in their social cognition of the learning experience based on the pre- and post-Likert survey data. Self-regulated learning and social constructivism are encouraged as useful theoretical frameworks for a blended learning approach. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Second language acquisition after traumatic brain injury: a case study.

PubMed

Połczyńska-Fiszer, M; Mazaux, J M

2008-01-01

Post-traumatic language and memory impairment, as well as a subsequent recovery in monolinguals have been widely documented in the literature, yet little is known about learning the second language after a severe head trauma followed by coma, as well as the relationship of this process with cognitive recovery, psychological status and quality of life. The present study investigates the relationship of learning the second language (English) in the process of rehabilitation, with quality of life in a Polish female university student who, as a result of a car accident, suffered a major closed-head injury and was comatose for a month. The subject was enrolled in an English learning program nine months after the trauma. The experiment lasted six months and comprised monthly meetings. The patient improved the major components of the second language, including vocabulary. Within the 6 months, the subject was gradually capable of learning additional and more complex lexical items. Learning the second language after traumatic brain injury may positively influence emotional well-being, self-esteem, and, perhaps, recovery of quality of life. A long-term beneficial effect of learning L2 was a consequential improvement of the patient's memory.

Lessons Learned from the Bay Region Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (BRACE) and Implications for Nitrogen Management of Tampa Bay

EPA Science Inventory

Results from air quality modeling and field measurements made as part of the Bay Region Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (BRACE) along with related scientific literature were reviewed to provide an improved estimate of atmospheric reactive nitrogen (N) deposition to Tampa Bay, to...

The Potential Contribution of Distance Teaching Universities to Improving the Learning/Teaching Practices in Conventional Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guri-Rozenblit, Sarah

1990-01-01

Based on the experience of Everyman's University (Israel), it is proposed that the experience of distance teaching institutions will contribute to: improving university textbook quality; enhancing independent study skills; improving college instruction; promoting interdisciplinary courses; promoting interinstitutional collaboration; advancing the…

Technology as an Instrument to Improve Quality, Accountability, and Reflection in Academic Medicine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkes, Michael S.; Howell, Lydia

2006-01-01

Objective: This article describes two complementary technology systems used in academic medicine to 1) improve the quality of learning and teaching, and 2) describe the barriers and obstacles encountered in implementing these systems. Method: The literature was integrated with in-depth, case-based experience with technology related to student…

Non-Tenure Track Faculty and Learning Communities: Bridging the Divide to Enhance Teaching Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banasik, MaryJo D.; Dean, Jennifer L.

2016-01-01

Institutions of higher education are increasingly hiring non-tenure track faculty members (NTTF) to help meet the demands of the institutional teaching mission. Research suggests NTTF experience inadequate working conditions that hinder performance and negatively impact the quality of undergraduate education. Given the growing number of NTTF…

Dewey: A Panacea for the 'Schoolification' Epidemic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ring, Emer; O'Sullivan, Lisha

2018-01-01

High quality early years' education is associated with providing a child-centred curriculum based on a knowledge of how young children learn. The global 'schoolification epidemic' has led to an increasing focus on prescribed curricula and presents as a serious threat to the quality of children's early years' experiences. Findings from research in…

Quality Control in the Administration of Sport Management Internships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Dennie Ruth

2004-01-01

The quality of an intern's learning experience is the joint responsibility of the academic internship coordinator, the administrator of the sport management program, and the agency supervisor. The purpose of this article is to identify the areas of administrative concern in the three major components of an internship: the institution granting…

Measuring patients' experiences with rheumatic care: the consumer quality index rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Zuidgeest, Marloes; Sixma, Herman; Rademakers, Jany

2009-12-01

Rheumatologists and other caregivers can learn from patients’ experiences with the quality of care that can be measured with the CQ-index Rheumatoid Arthritis (CQ-index RA) survey. Patients with RA (n = 590) received this survey were they rated their actual experiences and what they find important in rheumatic healthcare. Descriptive analyses and psychometric methods were used to test the reliability. The response rate was 69%. The items in the pilot instrument could be grouped into 10 scales (α ranged from 0.77 to 0.94). The most important quality aspects according to patients concerned the alertness when prescribing medication. Providing patients with information on a special website of the hospital about RA was the highest quality improvement aspect. The results of this study show that the CQ-index RA is a reliable instrument for quality assessment from the patients’ perspective. The instrument provides rheumatologists and other caregivers with feedback for service improvement initiatives.

Supporting and activating clinical governance development in Ireland: sharing our learning.

PubMed

Flynn, Maureen A; Burgess, Thora; Crowley, Philip

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present a description of the Irish national clinical governance development initiative and an evaluation of the initiative with the purpose of sharing the learning and proposing actions to activate structures and processes for quality and safety. The Quality and Patient Safety Division of the Health Service Executive established the initiative to counterbalance a possible focus on finances during the economic crisis in Ireland and bring attention to the quality of clinical care. A clinical governance framework for quality in healthcare in Ireland was developed to clearly articulate the fundamentals of clinical governance. The project plan involved three overlapping phases. The first was designing resources for practice; the second testing the implementation of the national resources in practice; and the third phase focused on gathering feedback and learning. Staff responded positively to the clinical governance framework. At a time when there are a lot of demands (measurement and scrutiny) the health services leads and responds well to focused support as they improve the quality and safety of services. Promoting the use of the term "governance for quality and safety" assisted in gaining an understanding of the more traditional term "clinical governance". The experience and outcome of the initiative informed the identification of 12 key learning points and a series of recommendations The initial evaluation was conducted at 24 months so at this stage it is not possible to assess the broader impact of the clinical governance framework beyond the action project hospitals. The single most important obligation for any health system is patient safety and improving the quality of care. The easily accessible, practical resources assisted project teams to lead changes in structures and processes within their services. This paper describes the fundamentals of the clinical governance framework which might serve as a guide for more integrative research endeavours on governance for quality and safety. Experience was gained in both the development of national guidance and their practical use in targeted action projects activating structures and processes that are a prerequisite to delivering safe quality services.

Practices and exploration on competition of molecular biological detection technology among students in food quality and safety major.

PubMed

Chang, Yaning; Peng, Yuke; Li, Pengfei; Zhuang, Yingping

2017-07-08

With the increasing importance in the application of the molecular biological detection technology in the field of food safety, strengthening education in molecular biology experimental techniques is more necessary for the culture of the students in food quality and safety major. However, molecular biology experiments are not always in curricula of Food quality and safety Majors. This paper introduced a project "competition of molecular biological detection technology for food safety among undergraduate sophomore students in food quality and safety major", students participating in this project needed to learn the fundamental molecular biology experimental techniques such as the principles of molecular biology experiments and genome extraction, PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis analysis, and then design the experiments in groups to identify the meat species in pork and beef products using molecular biological methods. The students should complete the experimental report after basic experiments, write essays and make a presentation after the end of the designed experiments. This project aims to provide another way for food quality and safety majors to improve their knowledge of molecular biology, especially experimental technology, and enhances them to understand the scientific research activities as well as give them a chance to learn how to write a professional thesis. In addition, in line with the principle of an open laboratory, the project is also open to students in other majors in East China University of Science and Technology, in order to enhance students in other majors to understand the fields of molecular biology and food safety. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(4):343-350, 2017. © 2017 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

World Ocean Circulation Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarke, R. Allyn

1992-01-01

The oceans are an equal partner with the atmosphere in the global climate system. The World Ocean Circulation Experiment is presently being implemented to improve ocean models that are useful for climate prediction both by encouraging more model development but more importantly by providing quality data sets that can be used to force or to validate such models. WOCE is the first oceanographic experiment that plans to generate and to use multiparameter global ocean data sets. In order for WOCE to succeed, oceanographers must establish and learn to use more effective methods of assembling, quality controlling, manipulating and distributing oceanographic data.

Sublime science: Teaching for scientific sublime experiences in middle school classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavanaugh, Shane

Due to a historical separation of cognition and emotion, the affective aspects of learning are often seen as trivial in comparison to the more 'essential' cognitive qualities - particularly in the domain of science. As a result of this disconnect, feelings of awe, wonder, and astonishment as well as appreciation have been largely ignored in the working lives of scientists. In turn, I believe that science education has not accurately portrayed the world of science to our students. In an effort to bring the affective qualities of science into the science classroom, I have drawn on past research in the field of aesthetic science teaching and learning as well as works by, Burke, Kant, and Dewey to explore a new construct I have called the "scientific sublime". Scientific sublime experiences represent a sophisticated treatment of the cognitive as well as affective qualities of science learning. The scientific sublime represents feelings of awe, wonder, and appreciation that come from a deep understanding. It is only through this understanding of a phenomenon that we can appreciate its true complexity and intricacies, and these understandings when mixed with the emotions of awe and reverence, are sublime. Scientific sublime experiences are an attempt at the re-integration of cognition and feeling. The goal of this research was twofold: to create and teach a curriculum that fosters scientific sublime experiences in middle school science classes, and to better understand how these experiences are manifested in students. In order to create an approach to teaching for scientific sublime experiences, it was first necessary for me to identify key characteristics of such an experience and a then to create a pedagogical approach, both of which are described in detail in the dissertation. This research was conducted as two studies in two different middle schools. My pedagogical approach was used to create and teach two five-week 7 th grade science units---one on weather (approximately 50 students participated) and the other on ecology (24 students participated). Both units proved to be a success in terms of the learning that resulted and in the positive experiences of the students and myself as the teacher. In both cases, students were give a pre and post multiple-choice test that covered questions typical of those found on the state's achievement exam and the schools' regular tests covering weather and ecology. Both groups of students showed a significant increase in learning. In an attempt to gain an understanding of student experiences with this type of learning, surveys and interviews were administered. The units appear to have profoundly affected students' ideas of weather and ecology---many reporting to see these concepts in new, richer ways. The goal of teaching for scientific sublime experiences is not only content knowledge, but to transform students' understanding of the world. Based on student comments and observations of classroom discussions, I feel that I largely achieved my goal.

Defining and evaluating quality for ambulatory care educational programs.

PubMed

Bowen, J L; Stearns, J A; Dohner, C; Blackman, J; Simpson, D

1997-06-01

As the training of medical students and residents increasingly moves to ambulatory care settings, clerkship and program directors must find a way to use their limited resources to guide the development and evaluation of the quality of these ambulatory-based learning experiences. To evaluate quality, directors must first define, in operational and measurable terms, what is meant by the term "quality" as it is applied to ambulatory-based education. Using educational theories and the definition of quality used by health care systems, the authors propose an operational definition of quality for guiding the planning, implementation, and evaluation of ambulatory care educational programs. They assert that quality is achieved through the interaction of an optimal learning environment, defined educational goals and positive outcomes, participant satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. By describing the components of quality along with examples of measurable indicators, the authors provide a foundation for the evaluation and improvement of instructional innovations in ambulatory care education for the benefit of teachers, learners, and patients.

WE-A-BRC-03: Lessons Learned: IROC Audits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Followill, D.

Quality and safety in healthcare are inextricably linked. There are compelling data that link poor quality radiation therapy to inferior patient survival. Radiation Oncology clinical trial protocol deviations often involve incorrect target volume delineation or dosing, akin to radiotherapy incidents which also often involve partial geometric miss or improper radiation dosing. When patients with radiation protocol variations are compared to those without significant protocol variations, clinical outcome is negatively impacted. Traditionally, quality assurance in radiation oncology has been driven largely by new technological advances, and safety improvement has been driven by reactive responses to past system failures and prescriptive mandatesmore » recommended by professional organizations and promulgated by regulators. Prescriptive approaches to quality and safety alone often do not address the huge variety of process and technique used in radiation oncology. Risk-based assessments of radiotherapy processes provide a mechanism to enhance quality and safety, both for new and for established techniques. It is imperative that we explore such a paradigm shift at this time, when expectations from patients as well as providers are rising while available resources are falling. There is much we can learn from our past experiences to be applied towards the new risk-based assessments. Learning Objectives: Understand the impact of clinical and technical quality on outcomes Understand the importance of quality care in radiation oncology Learn to assess the impact of quality on clinical outcomes D. Followill, NIH Grant CA180803.« less

WE-A-BRC-02: Lessons Learned: Clinical Trials and Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Evans, S.

Quality and safety in healthcare are inextricably linked. There are compelling data that link poor quality radiation therapy to inferior patient survival. Radiation Oncology clinical trial protocol deviations often involve incorrect target volume delineation or dosing, akin to radiotherapy incidents which also often involve partial geometric miss or improper radiation dosing. When patients with radiation protocol variations are compared to those without significant protocol variations, clinical outcome is negatively impacted. Traditionally, quality assurance in radiation oncology has been driven largely by new technological advances, and safety improvement has been driven by reactive responses to past system failures and prescriptive mandatesmore » recommended by professional organizations and promulgated by regulators. Prescriptive approaches to quality and safety alone often do not address the huge variety of process and technique used in radiation oncology. Risk-based assessments of radiotherapy processes provide a mechanism to enhance quality and safety, both for new and for established techniques. It is imperative that we explore such a paradigm shift at this time, when expectations from patients as well as providers are rising while available resources are falling. There is much we can learn from our past experiences to be applied towards the new risk-based assessments. Learning Objectives: Understand the impact of clinical and technical quality on outcomes Understand the importance of quality care in radiation oncology Learn to assess the impact of quality on clinical outcomes D. Followill, NIH Grant CA180803.« less

Outcome science in practice: an overview and initial experience at the Vanderbilt Spine Center.

PubMed

McGirt, Matthew J; Speroff, Theodore; Godil, Saniya Siraj; Cheng, Joseph S; Selden, Nathan R; Asher, Anthony L

2013-01-01

In terms of policy, research, quality improvement, and practice-based learning, there are essential principles--namely, quality, effectiveness, and value of care--needed to navigate changes in the current and future US health care environment. Patient-centered outcome measurement lies at the core of all 3 principles. Multiple measures of disease-specific disability, generic health-related quality of life, and preference-based health state have been introduced to quantify disease impact and define effectiveness of care. This paper reviews the basic principles of patient outcome measurement and commonly used outcome instruments. The authors provide examples of how utilization of outcome measurement tools in everyday neurosurgical practice can facilitate practice-based learning, quality improvement, and real-world comparative effectiveness research, as well as promote the value of neurosurgical care.

How collaborative governance can facilitate quality learning for sustainability in cities: A comparative case study of Bristol, Kitakyushu and Tongyeong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ofei-Manu, Paul; Didham, Robert J.; Byun, Won Jung; Phillips, Rebecca; Dickella Gamaralalage, Premakumara Jagath; Rees, Sian

2017-09-01

Quality learning for sustainability can have a transformative effect in terms of promoting empowerment, leadership and wise investments in individual and collective lives and regenerating the local economies of cities, making them more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. It can also help cities move towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Effecting the transformation of cities into Learning Cities, however, requires changes in the structure of governance. Drawing on interviews with key informants as well as secondary data, this article examines how collaborative governance has facilitated quality learning for sustainability in Bristol (United Kingdom), Kitakyushu (Japan) and Tongyeong (Republic of Korea). Focusing on a conceptual framework and practical application of learning initiatives, this comparative study reveals how these cities' governance mechanisms and institutional structures supported initiatives premised on cooperative learning relationships. While recognising differences in the scope and depth of the learning initiatives and the need for further improvements, the authors found evidence of general support for the governance structures and mechanisms for learning in these cities. The authors conclude by recommending that (1) to implement the Learning Cities concept based on UNESCO's Key Features of Learning Cities, recognition should be given to existing sustainability-related learning initiatives in cities; (2) collaborative governance of the Learning Cities concept at both local and international levels should be streamlined; and (3) UNESCO's Global Network of Learning Cities could serve as a hub for sharing education/learning resources and experiences for other international city-related programmes as an important contribution to the implementation of the SDGs.

Depth image super-resolution via semi self-taught learning framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Furong; Cao, Zhiguo; Xiao, Yang; Zhang, Xiaodi; Xian, Ke; Li, Ruibo

2017-06-01

Depth images have recently attracted much attention in computer vision and high-quality 3D content for 3DTV and 3D movies. In this paper, we present a new semi self-taught learning application framework for enhancing resolution of depth maps without making use of ancillary color images data at the target resolution, or multiple aligned depth maps. Our framework consists of cascade random forests reaching from coarse to fine results. We learn the surface information and structure transformations both from a small high-quality depth exemplars and the input depth map itself across different scales. Considering that edge plays an important role in depth map quality, we optimize an effective regularized objective that calculates on output image space and input edge space in random forests. Experiments show the effectiveness and superiority of our method against other techniques with or without applying aligned RGB information

The use of multimodal strategies for distance education in the GRECCs.

PubMed

Kresevic, Denise; Burant, Christopher; Denton, Jennifer; Heath, Barbara; Kypriotakis, George

2011-01-01

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has found distance education to be particularly valuable as a means to disseminate information to large numbers of busy learners in geographically diverse settings. Specifically, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Centers (GRECCs) of the VA have used various forms of distance learning to provide geriatrics-focused education to diverse health care providers. Such formats allow programs to be available to audiences regardless of distance or time. Although the distance-learning format has clear benefits, there are also some barriers that have hindered its wider adoption, including technical difficulties and ease of use. Organizers of distance education programs are challenged to overcome these barriers to provide a quality learning experience for the audience. The GRECCs will likely continue to be leaders in exploring innovative distance-learning strategies to accomplish their mission of quality geriatric education.

Reconstruction of magnetic resonance imaging by three-dimensional dual-dictionary learning.

PubMed

Song, Ying; Zhu, Zhen; Lu, Yang; Liu, Qiegen; Zhao, Jun

2014-03-01

To improve the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data acquisition speed while maintaining the reconstruction quality, a novel method is proposed for multislice MRI reconstruction from undersampled k-space data based on compressed-sensing theory using dictionary learning. There are two aspects to improve the reconstruction quality. One is that spatial correlation among slices is used by extending the atoms in dictionary learning from patches to blocks. The other is that the dictionary-learning scheme is used at two resolution levels; i.e., a low-resolution dictionary is used for sparse coding and a high-resolution dictionary is used for image updating. Numerical experiments are carried out on in vivo 3D MR images of brains and abdomens with a variety of undersampling schemes and ratios. The proposed method (dual-DLMRI) achieves better reconstruction quality than conventional reconstruction methods, with the peak signal-to-noise ratio being 7 dB higher. The advantages of the dual dictionaries are obvious compared with the single dictionary. Parameter variations ranging from 50% to 200% only bias the image quality within 15% in terms of the peak signal-to-noise ratio. Dual-DLMRI effectively uses the a priori information in the dual-dictionary scheme and provides dramatically improved reconstruction quality. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Conditions for excellence in teaching in medical education: The Frankfurt Model to ensure quality in teaching and learning.

PubMed

Giesler, Marianne; Karsten, Gudrun; Ochsendorf, Falk; Breckwoldt, Jan

2017-01-01

Background: There is general consensus that the organizational and administrative aspects of academic study programs exert an important influence on teaching and learning. Despite this, no comprehensive framework currently exists to describe the conditions that affect the quality of teaching and learning in medical education. The aim of this paper is to systematically and comprehensively identify these factors to offer academic administrators and decision makers interested in improving teaching a theory-based and, to an extent, empirically founded framework on the basis of which improvements in teaching quality can be identified and implemented. Method: Primarily, the issue was addressed by combining a theory-driven deductive approach with an experience based, "best evidence" one during the course of two workshops held by the GMA Committee on Personnel and Organizational Development in Academic Teaching (POiL) in Munich (2013) and Frankfurt (2014). Two models describing the conditions relevant to teaching and learning (Euler/Hahn and Rindermann) were critically appraised and synthesized into a new third model. Practical examples of teaching strategies that promote or hinder learning were compiled and added to the categories of this model and, to the extent possible, supported with empirical evidence. Based on this, a checklist with recommendations for optimizing general academic conditions was formulated. Results: The Frankfurt Model of conditions to ensure Quality in Teaching and Learning covers six categories: organizational structure/medical school culture, regulatory frameworks, curricular requirements, time constraints, material and personnel resources, and qualification of teaching staff. These categories have been supplemented by the interests, motives and abilities of the actual teachers and students in this particular setting. The categories of this model provide the structure for a checklist in which recommendations for optimizing teaching are given. Conclusions: The checklist derived from the Frankfurt Model for ensuring quality in teaching and learning can be used for quality assurance and to improve the conditions under which teaching and learning take place in medical schools.

Lifelong learning strategies in nursing: A systematic review.

PubMed

Qalehsari, Mojtaba Qanbari; Khaghanizadeh, Morteza; Ebadi, Abbas

2017-10-01

Lifelong learning is an expectation in the professional performance of nurses, which is directly related to the success of students in nursing schools. In spite of the considerable attention paid to this issue, lifelong learning strategies are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to clarify lifelong learning strategies of nursing students with respect to international experience. In this systematic review, an extensive investigation was carried out using Persian and English studies in Pub Med, ProQuest, Cochrane, Ovid, Scopus, Web of Science, SID, and Iran Doc using the following keywords: lifelong learning, self-directed learning, lifelong learning model, continuing education, nursing education, and lifelong program. Finally, 22 articles published from 1994 to 2016 were selected for the final analysis. Data extracted from the selected articles was summarized and classified based on the research questions. In this study, 8 main themes, namely intellectual and practical independence, collaborative (cooperative) learning, researcher thinking, persistence in learning, need-based learning, learning management, suitable learning environment, and inclusive growth, were extracted from the article data. Having identified and clarified lifelong learning strategies in nursing, it is recommended to use the research findings in the programs and teaching systems of nursing schools. Use of strategies of lifelong learning will led to increased quality of education, development of nursing competency and finally, increased quality of patient care.

Does a Case-Based Online Group Project Increase Students' Satisfaction with Interaction in Online Courses?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Sang Joon; Ngampornchai, Anchalee; Trail-Constant, Trudian; Abril, Andres; Srinivasan, Sandhya

2016-01-01

Due to the realistic, complex natures of authentic cases involved in case-based learning, the use of group work has been encouraged and expected to enhance the quality of interaction among participants and to improve students' learning experiences. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the case-based online group work increased…

Determining Motivators and Hygiene Factors among Excellent Teachers in Malaysia: An Experience of Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amzat, Ismail Hussein; Don, Yahya; Fauzee, Sofian Omar; Hussin, Fauzi; Raman, Arumugam

2017-01-01

Purpose: In a world in which successful learning is believed to rest on the methods of teaching and the performance of students is determined by teacher quality, it is clear that teachers are the backbone of student learning attainments. In such a scenario, teacher development, welfare, motivation, and satisfaction are crucial for better teaching…

The ABCs of Teaching Alphabet Knowledge: Affordances and Challenges of "Weaving" Visible and Invisible Pedagogies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exley, Beryl; Richard-Bossez, Ariane

2013-01-01

As researchers interested in the pursuit of high-quality/high-equity literacy learning outcomes, the authors focus on the learning experiences of five early years French students, with a special regard for those who are already considered as being at risk of educational failure. The authors narrow the empirical focus to a single lesson on a…

A Total Quality Management Approach to Assurance of Learning in the Accounting Classroom: An Empirical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvey, Mary Ellen; Eisner, Susan

2011-01-01

The research presented in this paper seeks to discern which combination of pedagogical tools most positively impact student learning of the introductory Accounting curriculum in the Principles of Accounting courses in a 4-year U.S. public college. This research topic is relevant because it helps address a quandary many instructors experience: how…

What Leads People to Keep on E-Learning? An Empirical Analysis of Users' Experiences and Their Effects on Continuance Intention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodríguez-Ardura, Inma; Meseguer-Artola, Antoni

2016-01-01

User retention is a major goal for higher education institutions running their teaching and learning programmes online. This is the first investigation into how the senses of presence and flow, together with perceptions about two central elements of the virtual education environment (didactic resource quality and instructor attitude), facilitate…

Using Real-Worldness and Cultural Difference to Enhance Student Learning in a Foundation Phase Life Skills Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koen, Mariette; Ebrahim, Hasina Banu

2013-01-01

Our aim was to explore how real-world experience, inclusive of engagement with cultural differences, influences the quality of students' learning in a Life Skills module in pre-service Foundation Phase teacher education. The study was conducted with 147 students in their final year of the Bachelor of Education (Foundation Phase specialisation), at…

Using Supplementary Video in Multimedia Instruction as a Teaching Tool to Increase Efficiency of Learning and Quality of Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ljubojevic, Milos; Vaskovic, Vojkan; Stankovic, Srecko; Vaskovic, Jelena

2014-01-01

The main objective of this research is to investigate efficiency of use of supplementary video content in multimedia teaching. Integrating video clips in multimedia lecture presentations may increase students' perception of important information and motivation for learning. Because of that, students can better understand and remember key points of…

The Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge Year Two Progress Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2014

2014-01-01

The human brain develops rapidly in the first five years of life. High-quality early learning experiences can have a profound and lasting positive effect on young children during these years, setting the stage for success in kindergarten and beyond. This is especially true for young children with high needs who are from low-income families; who…

The Development of Computational Thinking in the Context of Science and Engineering Practices: A Self-Regulated Learning Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters-Burton, Erin E.; Cleary, Timothy J.; Kitsantas, Anastasia

2015-01-01

A quality educational experience for secondary students involves more than an acquisition of content knowledge; it entails providing students opportunities to develop a variety of thinking skills that enable integration of knowledge and the promotion of student self-directed learning outside of the classroom. One critical skill that is often…

Hitting the Nail on the Head: The Importance of Specific Staff Development for Effective Blended Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owens, Tessa

2012-01-01

Developing effective teaching practices within the higher education sector is an area of growing concern. Universities within the UK are judged on their competence in this area by mechanisms such as the National Student Survey and universities are anxious to be perceived as offering good quality teaching and learning experiences. The use of…

PACER Model: Skills and Personal Characteristics of Alternative Elementary Free School and Open School Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wardle, Francis

This essay outlines the skills and qualities that an alternative, open, elementary school teacher should possess. These criteria are based on the PACER model of 30 students, age 4 to 12, learning in an ungraded, unstructured environment. (The PACER model adheres to the idea that all experiences and all learning situations are of equal importance.)…

Designing the Framework Conditions for Assuring Academic Standards: Lessons Learned about Professional, Market, and Government Regulation of Academic Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dill, David D.; Beerkens, Maarja

2013-01-01

The new demands of mass systems of higher education and the emerging environment of global academic competition are altering the traditional institutions for assuring academic standards in universities. As a consequence many nations are experimenting with new instruments for academic quality assurance. Contemporary government control of academic…

The Perceptions and Experiences of School Management Teams and Teachers of the Management of Physical Resources in Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mestry, Raj; Bodalina, Kishan

2015-01-01

The effective management of physical resources significantly impacts on the quality of teaching and learning in schools. The procurement, utilization and maintenance of physical resources through organized structures, well-designed policies and rigid processes are critical for quality education. According to the South African Schools Act 1996, a…

Ecological Aspects Influencing the Implementation of Inclusive Education in Mainstream Primary Schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geldenhuys, J. L.; Wevers, N. E. J.

2013-01-01

Despite efforts worldwide to ensure quality education for all learners through inclusive education, indications are that many learners, especially those that experience barriers to learning, are still excluded from full access to quality and equitable education opportunities in mainstream primary schools. This article uses a qualitative approach…

Using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in Teaching: One Criteria, Several Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belohlav, James A.; Cook, Lori S.; Heiser, Daniel R.

2004-01-01

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) has influenced the thinking and operations within organizations from all sectors of the American economy. This paper presents the experiences of three faculty members who have used the Criteria for Performance Excellence and the underlying concepts of the MBNQA to enhance the learning experiences…

Closing the Loop: The Impact of Student Feedback on Students' Subsequent Learning. Research Report Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powney, Janet; Hall, Stuart

Higher education institutions in the United Kingdom (UK) use a variety of ways to collect views from students about the quality of their educational experiences and suggestions for improvements. A small-scale study, funded by Higher Education Quality Council (QAA), explored how this feedback contributes to enhancing subsequent performance. Drawing…

Nurturing Quality Science Learning and Teaching: The Impact of a Reading Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Ange; Cooper, Rebecca; Sarkar, Mahbub

2016-01-01

Teachers are key to the delivery of quality science education experiences in Australian classrooms. In achieving this, there is a need for teachers to be better supported in thinking reflexively and critically about their practice. The Centre for Science, Mathematics and Technology Education (CSMTE) at Monash University took action to address this…

Family Science and Community-Based Learning: Using Speed Networking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payne, Pamela B.; Hubler, Daniel S.

2017-01-01

Students in Family Science often feel that they have an uphill battle to finding career opportunities that maximize their experiences from degree programs. The hallmark of successful programs in Family Science needs to be the development and maintenance of high-quality field experiences for students that align with national standards and…

Using Blogs: Authentic Material and Ranking Quality for SLA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coppens, Xulian; Rico, Mercedes; Agudo, J. Enrique

2013-01-01

Exposure real life language experiences forms an integral part of the acquisition process. Authentic materials--those derived from the culture of the target language rather than specially produced for language learners--increase the relevance of the learning experience by reusing texts taken directly from the target culture. Web 2.0 technologies…

Teaching and Learning Physics: Performance Art Evoking Insight

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sommer, Wilfried

2015-01-01

Doing experiments in physics lessons can create a magical moment if students become really intrigued with the experimental progression. They add a new quality to what the experiment shows. Their attention and nature's revelations flow together: a performance is taking place. It's similar to a moment during a theatrical performance, when the…

Utilizing On-Campus Foodservice Facilities as a Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dallmeyer, Martha A.

2012-01-01

In 2008, the Family and Consumer Sciences Department at Bradley University recognized the need to improve the quality of the laboratory experience in foodservice classes. A hands-on, real-world, learning experience was desired. Simultaneously, the university administration wanted to provide an on-campus foodservice for students from 8:00 p.m. to…

Mobilizing Disability Experience to Inform Architectural Practice: Lessons Learned from a Field Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vermeersch, Peter-Willem; Heylighen, Ann

2015-01-01

Through their bodily interaction with the designed environment, disabled people can detect obstacles and appreciate spatial qualities architects may not be attuned to. While designers in several disciplines acknowledge disabled people as lead or critical users, in architectural practice their embodied experience is hardly recognized as a valuable…

Course Management Systems in Higher Education: Understanding Student Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuen, Allan; Fox, Robert; Sun, Angie; Deng, Liping

2009-01-01

Purpose: The course management system (CMS), as an evolving tool and innovation, is increasingly used to promote the quality, efficiency and flexibility of teaching and learning in higher education. This paper aims to examine students' experiences of CMSs across faculties at a comprehensive university in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach:…

The Challenge and Benefit of Evaluating Folk Dancing Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhone, Jeffrey

2017-01-01

The physical, social, and music attributes inherent to folk dancing make it an ideal component of music education curricula. The communal experience of folk dancing is unprecedented for many adults and children. These experiences are unique because folk dancing can foster individual and group learning through music, and noncompetitive play. There…

Educating for the Real World: An Illustration of John Dewey's Principles of Continuity and Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bassey, Magnus O.

2010-01-01

The principles of interaction and continuity (intersection between experience and education) form a major part of John Dewey's philosophical discourse. According to Dewey, these principles determine the quality of educative experience for meaningful life-long learning. In this article, I argue that nowhere is the relationship between experience…

The Culture of Distance Education: Implementing an Online Graduate Level Course in Audience Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duin, Ann Hill

1998-01-01

Details the experience of designing, implementing, and evaluating an online course in audience analysis at the graduate level. Describes how the educational culture of the Land Grant Mission flowed into efforts to create a quality learning experience. Discusses how the Web modules and asynchronous (listserv) and synchronous (MOO) conversations…

Low-Quality Structural and Interaction Data Improves Binding Affinity Prediction via Random Forest.

PubMed

Li, Hongjian; Leung, Kwong-Sak; Wong, Man-Hon; Ballester, Pedro J

2015-06-12

Docking scoring functions can be used to predict the strength of protein-ligand binding. It is widely believed that training a scoring function with low-quality data is detrimental for its predictive performance. Nevertheless, there is a surprising lack of systematic validation experiments in support of this hypothesis. In this study, we investigated to which extent training a scoring function with data containing low-quality structural and binding data is detrimental for predictive performance. We actually found that low-quality data is not only non-detrimental, but beneficial for the predictive performance of machine-learning scoring functions, though the improvement is less important than that coming from high-quality data. Furthermore, we observed that classical scoring functions are not able to effectively exploit data beyond an early threshold, regardless of its quality. This demonstrates that exploiting a larger data volume is more important for the performance of machine-learning scoring functions than restricting to a smaller set of higher data quality.

Discovering Your Radiant Self: A Transpersonal Approach to Expressing Your Potential.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klimek, Paula; Canfield, Jack

1979-01-01

Presents a process combining a drawing experience with exercises learned in psychosynthesis training to help people discover what transpersonal qualities are attempting to manifest themselves through their personalities. (Author/BEF)

Promotion of critical thinking in e-learning: a qualitative study on the experiences of instructors and students

PubMed Central

Gharib, Mitra; Zolfaghari, Mitra; Mojtahedzadeh, Rita; Mohammadi, Aeen; Gharib, Atoosa

2016-01-01

Background With the increasing popularity of e-learning programs, educational stakeholders are attempting to promote critical thinking in the virtual education system. This study aimed to explore the experiences of both the instructors and the students about critical thinking promotion within the virtual education system. Methods This qualitative study recruited the instructors and students from four academic disciplines provided by the Virtual School of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Tehran, Iran). All programs were master’s degree programs and utilized a blended (combination of e-learning and face to face) training. Semistructured interviews with the participants were used to collect data. Results The participants had a variety of experiences about how to promote critical thinking. These experiences were conceptualized in four main themes, namely, instructional design, educational leadership and management, local evidence, and belief systems. Conclusion The present study clarified the factors affecting critical thinking promotion in e-learning. Not only the instructors but also the educational designers and leaders can benefit from our findings to improve the quality of virtual education programs and promote critical thinking. PMID:27217807

Promotion of critical thinking in e-learning: a qualitative study on the experiences of instructors and students.

PubMed

Gharib, Mitra; Zolfaghari, Mitra; Mojtahedzadeh, Rita; Mohammadi, Aeen; Gharib, Atoosa

2016-01-01

With the increasing popularity of e-learning programs, educational stakeholders are attempting to promote critical thinking in the virtual education system. This study aimed to explore the experiences of both the instructors and the students about critical thinking promotion within the virtual education system. This qualitative study recruited the instructors and students from four academic disciplines provided by the Virtual School of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Tehran, Iran). All programs were master's degree programs and utilized a blended (combination of e-learning and face to face) training. Semistructured interviews with the participants were used to collect data. The participants had a variety of experiences about how to promote critical thinking. These experiences were conceptualized in four main themes, namely, instructional design, educational leadership and management, local evidence, and belief systems. The present study clarified the factors affecting critical thinking promotion in e-learning. Not only the instructors but also the educational designers and leaders can benefit from our findings to improve the quality of virtual education programs and promote critical thinking.

Interprofessional learning in primary care: an exploration of the service user experience leads to a new model for co-learning.

PubMed

Worswick, Louise; Little, Christine; Ryan, Kath; Carr, Eloise

2015-01-01

Research about service user involvement in research and education focuses on the purpose, the methods, the barriers and the impact of their involvement. Few studies report on the experience of the service users who get involved. This paper reports an exploration of the experience of service users who participated in an interprofessional educational initiative in primary care - the Learning to Improve the Management of Back Pain in the Community (LIMBIC) project. Service users attended workshops with practice teams and assisted them in developing small scale quality improvement projects to improve their provision of care for people with back pain. To explore the experience of service users involved in the LIMBIC project. Using the philosophical and methodological approaches of pragmatism this study analysed data from the wider LIMBIC project and collected primary data through semi structured interviews with service users. Secondary data were reanalysed and integrated with primary data to address the research question. The study was undertaken in the primary health care setting. Patients participated as service users in workshops and quality improvement projects with members from their practice teams. Interviews with service users were transcribed and analysed thematically. Document and thematic analyses of secondary data from the LIMBIC project included focus group transcripts, patient stories, film, emails, meeting notes, a wiki and educational material such as presentations. Themes identified through the analyses illustrated the importance, to the service users, of the sense of community, of clear communication, and of influencing change through involvement. A model for co-learning with service users resulted from the analyses. The experience of service users can be optimised by planning, preparation and support so that their wealth of expertise can be recognised and utilised. A model for co-learning was developed and is presented in this paper. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Faculty-Resident "Co-learning": A Longitudinal Exploration of an Innovative Model for Faculty Development in Quality Improvement.

PubMed

Wong, Brian M; Goldman, Joanne; Goguen, Jeannette M; Base, Christian; Rotteau, Leahora; Van Melle, Elaine; Kuper, Ayelet; Shojania, Kaveh G

2017-08-01

To examine the effectiveness of co-learning, wherein faculty and trainees learn together, as a novel approach for building quality improvement (QI) faculty capacity. From July 2012 through September 2015, the authors conducted 30 semistructured interviews with 23 faculty participants from the Co-Learning QI Curriculum of the Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and collected descriptive data on faculty participation and resident evaluations of teaching effectiveness. Interviewees were from 13 subspecialty residency programs at their institution. Of the 56 faculty participants, the Co-Learning QI Curriculum trained 29 faculty mentors, 14 of whom taught formally. Faculty leads with an academic QI role, many of whom had prior QI training, reinforced their QI knowledge while also developing QI mentorship and teaching skills. Co-learning elements that contributed to QI teaching skills development included seeing first how the QI content is taught, learning through project mentorship, building experience longitudinally over time, a graded transition toward independent teaching, and a supportive program lead. Faculty with limited QI experience reported improved QI knowledge, skills, and project facilitation but were ambivalent about assuming a teacher role. Unplanned outcomes for both groups included QI teaching outside of the curriculum, applying QI principles to other work, networking, and strengthening one's QI professional role. The Co-Learning QI Curriculum was effective in improving faculty QI knowledge and skills and increased faculty capacity to teach and mentor QI. Findings suggest that a combination of curriculum and contextual factors were critical to realizing the curriculum's full potential.

Patients suffering from rheumatic disease describing own experiences from participating in Basic Body Awareness Group Therapy: A qualitative pilot study.

PubMed

Olsen, Aarid Liland; Skjaerven, Liv Helvik

2016-01-01

Rheumatic diseases have physical and psychological impact on patients' movement and function. Basic Body Awareness Therapy focuses on promoting more functional movement quality in daily life. The purpose of this study was to describe patient experiences from participating in Basic Body Awareness Group Therapy for inpatients with rheumatic disease. A phenomenological design included data collection in two focus group interviews with seven patients. Giorgi's four-step phenomenological method was used for data analysis. Four main themes emerged: (1) "Movement exploration-being guided in movement" described informants' exploration of bodily signals and movement habits; (2) "Movement awareness training in a relational perspective" informants described experiences from being in a group setting; (3) "Movement awareness-integration and insight" described informants' reflections on movement experiences; and (4) "Integrating and practicing new movement habits" informants described how they used their movement experiences in daily life. The study described perspectives in movement learning experienced by patients. The results support the view that contact with the body can help patients exploring and cultivating their own resources for a more functional movement quality. Descriptions of relational movement learning aspects can contribute to our understanding of physiotherapy group design.

WE-A-BRC-00: The Quality Gap

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

Quality and safety in healthcare are inextricably linked. There are compelling data that link poor quality radiation therapy to inferior patient survival. Radiation Oncology clinical trial protocol deviations often involve incorrect target volume delineation or dosing, akin to radiotherapy incidents which also often involve partial geometric miss or improper radiation dosing. When patients with radiation protocol variations are compared to those without significant protocol variations, clinical outcome is negatively impacted. Traditionally, quality assurance in radiation oncology has been driven largely by new technological advances, and safety improvement has been driven by reactive responses to past system failures and prescriptive mandatesmore » recommended by professional organizations and promulgated by regulators. Prescriptive approaches to quality and safety alone often do not address the huge variety of process and technique used in radiation oncology. Risk-based assessments of radiotherapy processes provide a mechanism to enhance quality and safety, both for new and for established techniques. It is imperative that we explore such a paradigm shift at this time, when expectations from patients as well as providers are rising while available resources are falling. There is much we can learn from our past experiences to be applied towards the new risk-based assessments. Learning Objectives: Understand the impact of clinical and technical quality on outcomes Understand the importance of quality care in radiation oncology Learn to assess the impact of quality on clinical outcomes D. Followill, NIH Grant CA180803.« less

Quality clinical placements for undergraduate nursing students: a cross-sectional survey of undergraduates and supervising nurses.

PubMed

Courtney-Pratt, Helen; FitzGerald, Mary; Ford, Karen; Marsden, Kathryn; Marlow, Annette

2012-06-01

  This article is a report of a mixed method study of the quality of clinical placements for second year undergraduate nursing students in an acute care hospital.   In response to the current and predicted workforce shortages, greater numbers of nursing undergraduate places are being offered at tertiary institutions. This means that requests for clinical places in hospitals to support undergraduate students has risen. Little is known about the impact of increased numbers on the quality of clinical placement as a learning experience and this is of concern as demand grows and the means of assessing capacity is still unknown.   A 5-point Likert Scale questionnaire, including free text fields, was administered to undergraduates (n = 178), clinical facilitators (n = 22) and supervising ward nurses (n = 163) at two time points in 2009. The survey targeted the quality of the clinical placement in four domains: welcoming and belongingness; teaching and learning; feedback; confidence and competence. Findings.  The findings demonstrated consistently high scoring of the clinical placement experience by both undergraduates and registered nurses. There were higher ratings of levels of support from clinical facilitators compared to supervising ward nurses evident in data associated with the items on the questionnaire relating to teaching and learning.   The results are indicative of the professional commitment of nursing staff to support the next generation of nurses. The findings also give a mechanism to communicate outcomes of undergraduate support to nurses in practice, and highlight steps which can be taken to ensure high quality clinical placement continues. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Teachers’ perceptions of aspects affecting seminar learning: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Many medical schools have embraced small group learning methods in their undergraduate curricula. Given increasing financial constraints on universities, active learning groups like seminars (with 25 students a group) are gaining popularity. To enhance the understanding of seminar learning and to determine how seminar learning can be optimised it is important to investigate stakeholders’ views. In this study, we qualitatively explored the views of teachers on aspects affecting seminar learning. Methods Twenty-four teachers with experience in facilitating seminars in a three-year bachelor curriculum participated in semi-structured focus group interviews. Three focus groups met twice with an interval of two weeks led by one moderator. Sessions were audio taped, transcribed verbatim and independently coded by two researchers using thematic analysis. An iterative process of data reduction resulted in emerging aspects that influence seminar learning. Results Teachers identified seven key aspects affecting seminar learning: the seminar teacher, students, preparation, group functioning, seminar goals and content, course coherence and schedule and facilities. Important components of these aspects were: the teachers’ role in developing seminars (‘ownership’), the amount and quality of preparation materials, a non-threatening learning climate, continuity of group composition, suitability of subjects for seminar teaching, the number and quality of seminar questions, and alignment of different course activities. Conclusions The results of this study contribute to the unravelling of the ‘the black box’ of seminar learning. Suggestions for ways to optimise active learning in seminars are made regarding curriculum development, seminar content, quality assurance and faculty development. PMID:23399475

First-line managers' experiences of alternative modes of funding in elderly care in Sweden.

PubMed

Antonsson, Helen; Korjonen, Susanne Eriksson; Rosengren, Kristina

2012-09-01

The aim of this study was to describe first-line managers' experiences of alternative modes of funding elderly care in two communities in western Sweden. A growing elderly population demands alternative modes of funding elderly care for better outcomes for patients and better efficiency as it is publicly funded through taxation. The study comprised a total of eight semi-structured interviews with first-line managers working within elderly care. The interviews were analysed using manifest qualitative content analysis. Respect for the individuals was a main concern in the study. One category, quality improvement, and four subcategories freedom of choice, organisational structure, quality awareness and market forces effects were identified to describe first-line managers' experiences of the operation of elderly care. Quality improvement was an important factor to deal with when elderly care was operated in different organisational perspectives, either private or public. The first-line manager is a key person for developing a learning organisation that encourages both staff, clients and their relatives to improve the organisation. Moreover, person-centred care strengthens the client's role in the organisation, which is in line with the government's goal for the quality improvement of elderly care. However, further research is needed on how quality improvement could be developed when different caregivers operate in the same market in order to improve care from the elderly perspective. This study highlights alternative modes of funding elderly care. The economical perspectives should not dominate without taking care of quality improvement when the operation of elderly care is planned and implemented. Strategies such as a learning organisational structure built on person-centred care could create quality improvement in elderly care. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Importance Of Quality Control in Reducing System Risk, a Lesson Learned From The Shuttle and a Recommendation for Future Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Safie, Fayssal M.; Messer, Bradley P.

2006-01-01

This paper presents lessons learned from the Space Shuttle return to flight experience and the importance of these lessons learned in the development of new the NASA Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV). Specifically, the paper discusses the relationship between process control and system risk, and the importance of process control in improving space vehicle flight safety. It uses the External Tank (ET) Thermal Protection System (TPS) experience and lessons learned from the redesign and process enhancement activities performed in preparation for Return to Flight after the Columbia accident. The paper also, discusses in some details, the Probabilistic engineering physics based risk assessment performed by the Shuttle program to evaluate the impact of TPS failure on system risk and the application of the methodology to the CLV.

Freeing the Chi of Change: The Higher Education Academy and Enhancing Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trowler, Paul; Fanghanel, Joelle; Wareham, Terry

2005-01-01

This article examines recent UK policy initiatives to enhance teaching and learning in higher education in the UK, and the quality of the student experience there. The Higher Education Academy has recently begun to work in this area and the Higher Education Bill (2004) has passed into law. A reflective review of previous initiatives is therefore…

To Compare the Effects of Computer Based Learning and the Laboratory Based Learning on Students' Achievement Regarding Electric Circuits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayrak, Bekir; Kanli, Uygar; Kandil Ingeç, Sebnem

2007-01-01

In this study, the research problem was: "Is the computer based physics instruction as effective as laboratory intensive physics instruction with regards to academic success on electric circuits 9th grade students?" For this research of experimental quality the design of pre-test and post-test are applied with an experiment and a control…

Significant Learning Experiences and Ignatian Pedagogy: A Case Study of Curricula, Academic Practices, and Graduate Outcomes in Jesuit Universities' Honors Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pampel, Robert

2017-01-01

This qualitative, multisite case study used Dee Fink's taxonomy of significant learning as a lens through which to examine the curricular structure, academic practices, and graduate outcomes for honors programs at Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States. Special attention was given to the distinctive quality of Ignatian pedagogy and…

Investigating children's spiritual experiences through the Health and Physical Education (HPE) learning area in Australian schools.

PubMed

Lynch, Timothy

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study is to explore spirituality within the Health and Physical Education (HPE) learning area, through investigating children's experiences within three Brisbane Catholic Education primary schools (Queensland, Australia). There are seven dimensions of wellness: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, environmental, and occupational, which are all strongly connected (Robbins et al. in A wellness way of life, 9th edition, McGraw Hill, USA, 2011). It is logical that HPE, which promotes students to adopt lifelong health and well-being, offers opportunities for spirituality to be experienced and warrants investigation. Data gathered in this qualitative research suggest that regular quality inclusive HPE lessons increased students' potential for spiritual experiences.

The Quality Teacher and Education Act in San Francisco: Lessons Learned. Policy Brief 09-2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hough, Heather J.

2009-01-01

This policy brief reviews the recent experience of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) with the development and approval of Proposition A. Proposition A (also known as the Quality Teacher and Education Act, or QTEA) included a parcel tax mainly dedicated to increasing teachers' salaries, along with a variety of measures introducing…

Accreditation of Online and Distance Learning Programs: Online GIS Education Program Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabuk Anaper, Saye Nihan; Ulucay, D. Melike Taner; Cabuk, Alper

2013-01-01

The quality issue emerged as a topic of concern for the goods and product market has also become a key element in services like higher education. With the rise of the mobility of students, academicians and graduates, the quality and the compatibility of education systems have recently been subject to much debate. Moreover, the huge role of higher…

Measurement of solar spectra relating to photosynthesis and solar cells: an inquiry lab for secondary science.

PubMed

Ruggirello, Rachel M; Balcerzak, Phyllis; May, Victoria L; Blankenship, Robert E

2012-07-01

The process of photosynthesis is central to science curriculum at all levels. This article describes an inquiry-based laboratory investigation developed to explore the impact of light quality on photosynthesis and to connect this process to current research on harvesting solar energy, including bioenergy, artificial photosynthesis, and solar cells. This laboratory was used with high-school science teachers who then took this experience back to their classrooms. During this exercise, teachers used an economical spectroradiometer to measure the solar spectrum and relate this to photosynthetic light absorption by determining the quality of light beneath trees. Following this investigation, teachers learned about the plant-inspired dye-sensitized solar cells and constructed one. To connect their light quality investigation to the efficiency of photosynthesis and solar cells, teachers then collected data at locations with varying quality and intensity of light. In sum, this investigation provides a crucial connection between photosynthesis and cutting edge research on solar energy technologies. Our learning experience provides a new instructional model for understanding a little investigated aspect of photosynthesis and connects to authentic scientific research. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Educational outcomes and leadership to meet the needs of modern health care

PubMed Central

Spencer, J; Jordan, R

2001-01-01

If professionals are to be equipped better to meet the needs of modern health care systems and the standards of practice required, significant educational change is still required. Educational change requires leadership, and lack of educational leadership may have impeded change in the past. In practical terms standards refer to outcomes, and thus an outcome based approach to clinical education is advocated as the one most likely to provide an appropriate framework for organisational and system change. The provision of explicit statements of learning intent, an educational process enabling acquisition and demonstration of these, and criteria for ensuring their achievement are the key features of such a framework. The derivation of an appropriate outcome set should emphasise what the learners will be able to do following the learning experience, how they will subsequently approach these tasks, and what, as a professional, they will bring to their practice. Once defined, the learning outcomes should determine, in turn, the nature of the learning experience enabling their achievement and the assessment processes to certify that they have been met. Provision of the necessary educational environment requires an understanding of the close interrelationship between learning style, learning theory, and methods whereby active and deep learning may be fostered. If desired change is to prevail, a conducive educational culture which values learning as well as evaluation, review, and enhancement must be engendered. It is the responsibility of all who teach to foster such an environment and culture, for all practitioners involved in health care have a leadership role in education. Quality in Health Care(Quality in Health Care 2001;10(Suppl II):ii38–ii45) Key Words: leadership; learning; outcome based education PMID:11700378

Objective Video Quality Assessment Based on Machine Learning for Underwater Scientific Applications

PubMed Central

Moreno-Roldán, José-Miguel; Luque-Nieto, Miguel-Ángel; Poncela, Javier; Otero, Pablo

2017-01-01

Video services are meant to be a fundamental tool in the development of oceanic research. The current technology for underwater networks (UWNs) imposes strong constraints in the transmission capacity since only a severely limited bitrate is available. However, previous studies have shown that the quality of experience (QoE) is enough for ocean scientists to consider the service useful, although the perceived quality can change significantly for small ranges of variation of video parameters. In this context, objective video quality assessment (VQA) methods become essential in network planning and real time quality adaptation fields. This paper presents two specialized models for objective VQA, designed to match the special requirements of UWNs. The models are built upon machine learning techniques and trained with actual user data gathered from subjective tests. Our performance analysis shows how both of them can successfully estimate quality as a mean opinion score (MOS) value and, for the second model, even compute a distribution function for user scores. PMID:28333123

"Trying to Decide … What Sort of Teacher I Wanted to Be": Mentoring as a Dialogic Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talbot, Debra; Denny, Jane; Henderson, Sarah

2018-01-01

Mentoring of pre-service teachers in school contexts is acknowledged as an important part of initial teacher education. However, finding sufficient school-based professional experience placements for pre-service teachers, ensuring the quality of the learning experiences provided by such placements, and gaining a clear understanding of what…

Freezing Point of Milk: A Natural Way to Understand Colligative Properties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novo, Mercedes; Reija, Belen; Al-Soufi, Wajih

2007-01-01

A laboratory experiment is presented in which the freezing point depression is analyzed using milk as solution. The nature of milk as a mixture of different solutes makes it a suitable probe to learn about colligative properties. The first part of the experiment illustrates the analytical use of freezing point measurements to control milk quality,…

WE-G-BRA-01: Patient Safety and Treatment Quality Improvement Through Incident Learning: Experience of a Non-Academic Proton Therapy Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zheng, Y; Johnson, R; Zhao, L

2015-06-15

Purpose: Incident learning has been proven to improve patient safety and treatment quality in conventional radiation therapy. However, its application in proton therapy has not been reported yet to our knowledge. In this study, we report our experience in developing and implementation of an in-house incident learning system. Methods: An incident learning system was developed based on published principles and tailored for our clinical practice and available resource about 18 months ago. The system includes four layers of error detection and report: 1) dosimetry peer review; 2) physicist plan quality assurance (QA); 3) treatment delivery issue on call and record;more » and 4) other incident report. The first two layers of QA and report were mandatory for each treatment plan through easy-to-use spreadsheets that are only accessible by the dosimetry and physicist departments. The treatment delivery issues were recorded case by case by the on call physicist. All other incidents were reported through an online incident report system, which can be anonymous. The incident report includes near misses on planning and delivery, process deviation, machine issues, work flow and documentation. Periodic incident reviews were performed. Results: In total, about 116 errors were reported through dosimetry review, 137 errors through plan QA, 83 treatment issues through physics on call record, and 30 through the online incident report. Only 8 incidents (2.2%) were considered to have a clinical impact to patients, and the rest of errors were either detected before reaching patients or had negligible dosimetric impact (<5% dose variance). Personnel training & process improvements were implemented upon periodic incident review. Conclusion: An incident learning system can be helpful in personnel training, error reduction, and patient safety and treatment quality improvement. The system needs to be catered for each clinic’s practice and available resources. Incident and knowledge sharing among proton centers are encouraged.« less

Learning experience in endodontics: Brazilian students' perceptions.

PubMed

Seijo, Marilia O S; Ferreira, Efigênia F; Ribeiro Sobrinho, Antônio P; Paiva, Saul M; Martins, Renata C

2013-05-01

Including students' perceptions in the educational process is considered a key component in monitoring the quality of academic programs. This study aimed to evaluate the concept of one's learning experience in endodontic teaching from the perspective of a group of Brazilian students. A total of 126 self-administered, structured questionnaires were distributed to undergraduate dental students enrolled in endodontics courses during the second semester of the 2009 academic year. The questionnaires were administered during final examinations and focused on students' opinions concerning learning during endodontic treatments, time spent during endodontic treatments, difficulties found during endodontic treatments, quality of endodontic treatments performed, characteristics of the technique employed, and suggestions to improve endodontic teaching. Ninety-one percent of the questionnaires were returned for evaluation. The obtained answers were discussed and analyzed, thereby generating quantitative and qualitative data showing students' perceptions of their experiences in endodontics courses. The main points that can affect the teaching of endodontics, according to the undergraduate students, included patients' absences and delays, selection of patients, preclinical and clinical training, difficulties found, type of technique employed, and teachers' orientation during endodontic treatment. The students' perceptions provided valuable information about the development of the course and the teacher-student relationship, together with the added intention of enhancing the teaching of endodontics as well as other courses.

Peer Assessment Enhances Student Learning: The Results of a Matched Randomized Crossover Experiment in a College Statistics Class.

PubMed

Sun, Dennis L; Harris, Naftali; Walther, Guenther; Baiocchi, Michael

2015-01-01

Feedback has a powerful influence on learning, but it is also expensive to provide. In large classes it may even be impossible for instructors to provide individualized feedback. Peer assessment is one way to provide personalized feedback that scales to large classes. Besides these obvious logistical benefits, it has been conjectured that students also learn from the practice of peer assessment. However, this has never been conclusively demonstrated. Using an online educational platform that we developed, we conducted an in-class matched-set, randomized crossover experiment with high power to detect small effects. We establish that peer assessment causes a small but significant gain in student achievement. Our study also demonstrates the potential of web-based platforms to facilitate the design of high-quality experiments to identify small effects that were previously not detectable.

How to Apply for a P3 Grant

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA's P3 – People, Prosperity, and the Planet—Program is a unique college competition for designing solutions for a sustainable future. P3 offers students quality hands-on experience that brings their classroom learning to life

Immersive simulated reality scenarios for enhancing students' experience of people with learning disabilities across all fields of nurse education.

PubMed

Saunder, Lorna; Berridge, Emma-Jane

2015-11-01

Poor preparation of nurses, regarding learning disabilities can have devastating consequences. High-profile reports and the Nursing and Midwifery Council requirements led this University to introduce Shareville into the undergraduate and postgraduate nursing curriculum. Shareville is a virtual environment developed at Birmingham City University, in which student nurses learn from realistic, problem-based scenarios featuring people with learning disabilities. Following the implementation of the resource an evaluation of both staff and student experience was undertaken. Students reported that problem-based scenarios were sufficiently real and immersive. Scenarios presented previously unanticipated considerations, offering new insights, and giving students the opportunity to practise decision-making in challenging scenarios before encountering them in practice. The interface and the quality of the graphics were criticised, but, this did not interfere with learning. Nine lecturers were interviewed, they generally felt positively towards the resource and identified strengths in terms of blended learning and collaborative teaching. The evaluation contributes to understandings of learning via simulated reality, and identifies process issues that will inform the development of further resources and their roll-out locally, and may guide other education providers in developing and implementing resources of this nature. There was significant parity between lecturers' expectations of students' experience of Shareville. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality indicators for learner-centered postgraduate medical e-learning.

PubMed

de Leeuw, Robert A; Westerman, Michiel; Scheele, Fedde

2017-04-27

The objectives of this study were to identify the needs and expectations of learners and educational experts in postgraduate medical e-learning, and to contribute to the current literature. We performed four focus-group discussions with e-learning end-users (learners) and didactic experts. The participants were postgraduate learners with varying levels of experience, educational experts from a Dutch e-learning task group, and commercial experts from a Dutch e-learning company. Verbatim transcribed interview recordings were analyzed using King's template analysis. The initial template was created with reference to recent literature on postgraduate medical e-learning quality indicators. The transcripts were coded, after which the emerging differences in template interpretation were discussed until a consensus was reached within the team. The final template consisted of three domains of positive e-learning influencers (motivators, learning enhancers, and real-world translation) and three domains of negatively influential parameters (barriers, learning discouragers, and poor preparation). The interpretation of the final template showed three subjects which form the basis of e-learning, namely, Motivate, Learn and Apply. This study forms a basis for learning in general and could be applied to many educational instruments. Individual characteristics should be adapted to the target audience. Three subjects form the basis of, and six themes cover all items needed for, good (enough) postgraduate e-learning. Further research should be carried out with learners and real-world e-learning to validate this template.

Lifelong learning strategies in nursing: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Qalehsari, Mojtaba Qanbari; Khaghanizadeh, Morteza; Ebadi, Abbas

2017-01-01

Background Lifelong learning is an expectation in the professional performance of nurses, which is directly related to the success of students in nursing schools. In spite of the considerable attention paid to this issue, lifelong learning strategies are not fully understood. Objective The aim of this study was to clarify lifelong learning strategies of nursing students with respect to international experience. Methods In this systematic review, an extensive investigation was carried out using Persian and English studies in Pub Med, ProQuest, Cochrane, Ovid, Scopus, Web of Science, SID, and Iran Doc using the following keywords: lifelong learning, self-directed learning, lifelong learning model, continuing education, nursing education, and lifelong program. Finally, 22 articles published from 1994 to 2016 were selected for the final analysis. Data extracted from the selected articles was summarized and classified based on the research questions. Results In this study, 8 main themes, namely intellectual and practical independence, collaborative (cooperative) learning, researcher thinking, persistence in learning, need-based learning, learning management, suitable learning environment, and inclusive growth, were extracted from the article data. Conclusion Having identified and clarified lifelong learning strategies in nursing, it is recommended to use the research findings in the programs and teaching systems of nursing schools. Use of strategies of lifelong learning will led to increased quality of education, development of nursing competency and finally, increased quality of patient care. PMID:29238496

Characteristics of Exemplary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-Related Experiential Learning Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simmons, Jamie Munn

Experiential opportunities at the secondary level give students the "intimate and necessary relation between the processes of actual experience and education" (Dewey, 1938, p. 19- 20). Career and Technical Education classes (CTE) and co-curricular experiences, one type of experiential learning, underpin and cultivate student curiosity and often channel interests into STEM-related post-secondary disciplines and career choices. There is little existent research on the characteristics of exemplary experiential learning opportunities and the impact on stakeholders. This study is intended to identify the qualities and characteristics of an exemplary secondary experience through the lived experiences of the stakeholders; students, STEM-related teachers, and CTE/STEM Administrators. A qualitative research design was used to examine characteristics and implications for students of four STEM-related programs throughout Virginia. Conclusions from the study include fundamental principles for providing exemplary experiential STEM-related learning opportunities. These principles include: providing hands-on, real world learning opportunities for students, providing learning opportunities that will enhance student ownership in their learning, providing unique and comprehensive career exploration opportunities for students, providing a schedule for teachers that will give them time to plan, deliver, and manage exemplary experiential learning opportunities, providing continual teacher and administrator in-service training relative to planning and implementing exemplary experiential learning opportunities, investing appropriate funds for providing exemplary experiential learning opportunities. Establishing and maintaining active partnerships with business/industry and colleges/universities, and maintaining active advisory communities, providing appropriate staff to support the provision of exemplary experiential learning opportunities is needed. The need for adequate funding, improving perception of CTE and STEM programs, and small class sizes was also recommended.

Undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of the effectiveness of clinical teaching behaviours in Malaysia: A cross-sectional, correlational survey.

PubMed

Ludin, Salizar Mohamed; Fathullah, Nik Mohamed Nik

2016-09-01

Clinical teachers are a critical determinant of the quality of nursing students' clinical learning experiences. Understanding students' perceptions of clinical teachers' behaviours can provide the basis for recommendations that will help improve the quality of clinical education in clinical settings by developing better clinical teachers. To understand clinical teaching behaviours and their influence on students' learning from the perspective of undergraduate nursing students. A cross-sectional, correlational survey. A nursing faculty in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. A sample of 120/154 (78%) students from Year 2-Year 4 were recruited according to set criteria. A self-administered questionnaire was employed to collect demographic data, and students' perceptions of clinical teaching behaviours and their impact on learning using the Nursing Clinical Teaching Effectiveness Inventory (NCTEI). Year 3 and 4 students perceived faculty clinical teaching behaviours positively. There was a significant association between clinical teaching behaviours and their influence on students' clinical learning. Teachers' competence rated as the most significant influential factor, while teachers' personality rated as least influential. Participants were able to identify the attributes of good clinical teachers and which attributes had the most influence on their learning. Overall, they perceived their teachers as providing good clinical teaching resulting in good clinical learning. Novice clinical teachers and nursing students can use this positive association between teaching behaviours and quality of clinical learning as a guide to clinical teaching and learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of academic literacy instruction on engagement and conceptual understanding of biology of ninth-grade students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, Susan C.

Academic language, discourse, vocabulary, motivation, and comprehension of complex texts and concepts are keys to learning subject-area content. The need for a disciplinary literacy approach in high school classrooms accelerates as students become increasing disengaged in school and as content complexity increases. In the present quasi-experimental mixed-method study, a ninth-grade biology unit was designed with an emphasis on promoting academic literacy skills, discourse, meaningful constructivist learning, interest development, and positive learning experiences in order to learn science content. Quantitative and qualitative analyses on a variety of measures completed by 222 students in two high schools revealed that those who received academic literacy instruction in science class performed at significantly higher levels of conceptual understanding of biology content, academic language and vocabulary use, reasoned thought, engagement, and quality of learning experience than control-group students receiving traditionally-organized instruction. Academic literacy was embedded into biology instruction to engage students in meaning-making discourses of science to promote learning. Academic literacy activities were organized according the phases of interest development to trigger and sustain interest and goal-oriented engagement throughout the unit. Specific methods included the Generative Vocabulary Matrix (GVM), scenario-based writing, and involvement in a variety of strategically-placed discourse activities to sustain or "boost" engagement for learning. Traditional instruction for the control group included teacher lecture, whole-group discussion, a conceptual organizer, and textbook reading. Theoretical foundations include flow theory, sociocultural learning theory, and interest theory. Qualitative data were obtained from field notes and participants' journals. Quantitative survey data were collected and analyzed using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) to measure cognitive and emotional states, revealing patterns of engagement, quality of experience, and flow over the course of the instructional unit. Conceptual understanding was measured using the state persuasive writing rubric to analyze science essays in which students supported a claim with scientific evidence. The study contributes an Engagement Model of Academic Literacy for Learning (EngageALL), a Rubric for Academic Persuasive Writing (RAPW), a unique classification system for analyzing academic vocabulary, and suggestions for situated professional development around a research-based planning framework. A discussion addresses a new direction for future research that explores academic identity development.

The impact of fellowships on surgical resident training in a multispecialty cohort in Australia and New Zealand.

PubMed

Petrushnko, Wilson; Perry, Will; Fraser-Kirk, Grant; Ctercteko, Grahame; Adusumilli, Sanjay; O'Grady, Gregory

2015-12-01

Fellowships in surgery are increasing in number, and concerns have been raised regarding their impact on resident training. Although fellows may contribute to resident education and training, they also compete for operative and other experience. This study aimed to quantify the impact of fellowships on resident training in a binational multispecialty cohort. The operative case volumes and primary operator rates of surgery trainees (residents) in Australia and New Zealand were compared between units with and without fellows. Trainees also were surveyed using Likert Scales to assess quality of operative and other experience in units with and without fellows. Data from 911 trainees over 2 terms was analyzed; survey response rate 42%. Of all trainees, 42% worked with fellows. Trainees in units without fellows were involved in more major (P = .03) and minor (P < .0001) cases. Primary operator rates were comparable, but trainees in units without fellows were less often assistants, reported an increased quality of elective operating experience, and reported more favorable completion of learning objectives (all P < .05). These findings were consistent between tertiary and nontertiary hospitals. Thematic analysis showed positive benefits of fellows in teaching, training and mentorship, but negative impacts on case exposure, competition for operating, and clinical experience. Fellows may assist in the teaching and training of residents, but residents working with fellows experience a decreased quantity of operative experience that may impact several aspects of the quality of training. Surgical educators must actively balance the learning needs of fellows and residents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Massage Therapy Education Online: Student Satisfaction and Achievement, Part I

PubMed Central

McQuillan, David James

2010-01-01

In recent years, providers of massage therapy education have, in growing numbers, started to use online technologies to support the learning processes of their students. Using a narrative review of the existing online learning literature, this paper aims to provide a solid pedagogical foundation for these early explorations. It identifies five key factors—instructional pedagogy, quality of instruction, interaction and communication, individual learner qualities, and the online interface—that contribute to student satisfaction and achievement in the online context. The relationships between those factors and the experience of the online learner are discussed with reference to maximization of student satisfaction and achievement. PMID:21589705

Learning environment: the impact of clerkship location on instructional quality.

PubMed

Prunuske, Jacob P; Deci, David M

2013-03-01

Students provide variable feedback on instructional quality at ambulatory training sites. We hypothesized several strengths and weaknesses of placing students at resident and non-resident training sites, including differences in faculty behaviors, patient characteristics, work environment, learning opportunities, and levels of student engagement. We systematically assessed for differences in learning quality between clerkship sites with and without residents. Students completed the MedED IQ, a validated survey assessing four domains of instructional quality, after completing a required primary care rotation. We calculated descriptive and summary statistics and two sample tests of proportion analyzing student agreement with each MedEd IQ item with respect to the presence or absence of resident learners. Of 149 total, 113 (75.8%) students completed the MedEd IQ site survey. A greater percentage of students at resident training sites (25.8%) than at non-resident sites (7.3%) agreed with the statement "The opportunities were too diverse, preventing me from developing proficiency." A greater percentage of students at resident training sites (19.4%) than at non-resident sites (1.2%) agreed with the statement "The health care team was not supportive of my learning." There were no differences between sites with or without residents on 14 items measuring preceptor actions or seven items measuring student involvement. Ambulatory clerkship sites with and without residents provide comparable quality learning experiences and precepting. Students placed at resident training sites may be overwhelmed with diverse opportunities and have a less supportive learning environment than students placed at non-resident sites. Future research should evaluate the impact of health care team development programs designed to foster a more supportive training environment for medical students. Ways of aligning residency and medical student education goals within the training setting should be explored.

Coaching Model + Clinical Playbook = Transformative Learning.

PubMed

Fletcher, Katherine A; Meyer, Mary

2016-01-01

Health care employers demand that workers be skilled in clinical reasoning, able to work within complex interprofessional teams to provide safe, quality patient-centered care in a complex evolving system. To this end, there have been calls for radical transformation of nursing education including the development of a baccalaureate generalist nurse. Based on recommendations from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, faculty concluded that clinical education must change moving beyond direct patient care by applying the concepts associated with designer, manager, and coordinator of care and being a member of a profession. To accomplish this, the faculty utilized a system of focused learning assignments (FLAs) that present transformative learning opportunities that expose students to "disorienting dilemmas," alternative perspectives, and repeated opportunities to reflect and challenge their own beliefs. The FLAs collected in a "Playbook" were scaffolded to build the student's competencies over the course of the clinical experience. The FLAs were centered on the 6 Quality and Safety Education for Nurses competencies, with 2 additional concepts of professionalism and systems-based practice. The FLAs were competency-based exercises that students performed when not assigned to direct patient care or had free clinical time. Each FLA had a lesson plan that allowed the student and faculty member to see the competency addressed by the lesson, resources, time on task, student instructions, guide for reflection, grading rubric, and recommendations for clinical instructor. The major advantages of the model included (a) consistent implementation of structured learning experiences by a diverse teaching staff using a coaching model of instruction; (b) more systematic approach to present learning activities that build upon each other; (c) increased time for faculty to interact with students providing direct patient care; (d) guaranteed capture of selected transformative learning experiences; (e) increased student reflection to promote transformative learning; and (f) provided avenues for timely feedback to students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

E-simulation: preregistration nursing students' evaluation of an online patient deterioration program.

PubMed

Cant, Robyn; Young, Susan; Cooper, Simon J; Porter, Joanne

2015-03-01

This study explores preregistration nursing students' views of a Web-based simulation program: FIRST ACTWeb (Feedback Incorporating Review and Simulation Techniques to Act on Clinical Trends-Web). The multimedia program incorporating three videoed scenarios portrayed by a standardized patient (human actor) aims to improve students' recognition and management of hospital patient deterioration. Participants were 367 final-year nursing students from three universities who completed an online evaluation survey and 19 students from two universities who attended one of five focus groups. Two researchers conducted a thematic analysis of the transcribed narratives. Three core themes identified were as follows: "ease of program use," "experience of e-Simulation," and "satisfaction with the learning experience." The Web-based clinical learning environment was endorsed as functional, feasible, and easy to use and was reported to have high fidelity and realism. Feedback in both focus groups and surveys showed high satisfaction with the learning experience. Overall, evaluation suggested that the Web-based simulation program successfully integrated elements essential for blended learning. Although Web-based educational applications are resource intensive to develop, positive appraisal of program quality, plus program accessibility and repeatability, appears to provide important educational benefits. Further research is needed to determine the transferability of these learning experiences into real-world practice.

There Is Still Nothing Better than Quality Play Experiences for Young Children's Learning and Development: Building the Foundation for Inquiry in Our Educational Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pistorova, Stacey; Slutsky, Ruslan

2018-01-01

Teachers face a growing call for implementing inquiry-based teaching and learning in a current pedagogical environment that contradicts this through educational practices that silo content, disseminate knowledge, and produce classrooms of passive learners. We address a hot topic in the United States on how a push for more "academics" is…

An Appropriate Curriculum for 4-5-Year-Old Children in Northern Ireland: Comparing Play-Based and Formal Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Glenda; Sproule, Liz; McGuinness, Carol; Trew, Karen; Rafferty, Harry; Sheehy, Noel

2006-01-01

This paper reports on an investigation into the quality of the learning experiences for 4-5-year-old children in Northern Ireland schools in the context of the debate about play-based and formal approaches to learning and teaching. Detailed observations were carried out in 70 Year 1 classes: 38 in traditional Year 1 classes where the Northern…

Pre-Service Teachers' Views of the Maths Talent Quest (MTQ): Connecting Mathematical Concepts to Everyday Tasks and Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baum, Prudence; Perera, Radhika

2017-01-01

Mathematics needs to take on a real-world quality, and students need to be able to identify and connect the value of what they are learning within the classroom to life outside the classroom. Creating a connection between the mathematics learned within a classroom and its value to life in the outside world is critical to effectively engage…

A deep learning approach for predicting the quality of online health expert question-answering services.

PubMed

Hu, Ze; Zhang, Zhan; Yang, Haiqin; Chen, Qing; Zuo, Decheng

2017-07-01

Recently, online health expert question-answering (HQA) services (systems) have attracted more and more health consumers to ask health-related questions everywhere at any time due to the convenience and effectiveness. However, the quality of answers in existing HQA systems varies in different situations. It is significant to provide effective tools to automatically determine the quality of the answers. Two main characteristics in HQA systems raise the difficulties of classification: (1) physicians' answers in an HQA system are usually written in short text, which yields the data sparsity issue; (2) HQA systems apply the quality control mechanism, which refrains the wisdom of crowd. The important information, such as the best answer and the number of users' votes, is missing. To tackle these issues, we prepare the first HQA research data set labeled by three medical experts in 90days and formulate the problem of predicting the quality of answers in the system as a classification task. We not only incorporate the standard textual feature of answers, but also introduce a set of unique non-textual features, i.e., the popular used surface linguistic features and the novel social features, from other modalities. A multimodal deep belief network (DBN)-based learning framework is then proposed to learn the high-level hidden semantic representations of answers from both textual features and non-textual features while the learned joint representation is fed into popular classifiers to determine the quality of answers. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments to demonstrate the effectiveness of including the non-textual features and the proposed multimodal deep learning framework. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A TQM involvement plan.

PubMed

Laws, H F

1993-03-01

We present the plan used to change our 35-bed medical treatment facility to a Deming Total Quality Improvement environment. This was successfully intermeshed with the military hierarchical chain of command and has resulted in a paradigm shift in the least amount of time within the facility. We present this plan, its steps for implementation, and our Quality Council organization so that similar military medical units may learn from our experience.

Assuring the Quality of Teacher Education Systems and Its Link to Improvement in Learning Cultures: The Role of the International Reviewer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilton, Gillian L. S.

2016-01-01

This paper addresses the place of the use of international "experts" in assuring the quality of Teacher Education programmes within Higher Education, in relation to the global agenda of improving standards. The experiences of one such "expert" are discussed and recommendations made as to the type of person suited to the role.…

[MODERN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY MASTERING PRACTICAL SKILLS OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS].

PubMed

Kovalchuk, L I; Prokopchuk, Y V; Naydyonova, O V

2015-01-01

The article presents the experience of postgraduate training of general practitioners--family medicine. Identified current trends, forms and methods of pedagogical innovations that enhance the quality of learning and mastering the practical skills of primary professionals providing care.

Innovators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NEA Today, 2001

2001-01-01

Describes various innovations that have been developed to enhance education. These innovations include: helping educators help at-risk students succeed; promoting high school journalism; ensuring quality online learning experiences; developing a student performing group that uses theater to address social issues; and having students design their…

The effects of autonomy-supportive and controlling teaching behaviour in biology lessons with primary and secondary experiences on students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofferber, Natalia; Basten, Melanie; Großmann, Nadine; Wilde, Matthias

2016-09-01

Self-Determination Theory and Flow Theory propose that perceived autonomy fosters the positive qualities of motivation and flow-experience. Autonomy-support can help to maintain students' motivation in very interesting learning activities and may lead to an increase in the positive qualities of motivation in less interesting learning activities. This paper investigates whether autonomy-supportive or controlling teaching behaviour influence students' motivation and flow-experience in biology class. In study 1, 158 students of grade six worked on the adaptations of Harvest Mice (Micromys minutus) with living animals. The 153 sixth graders of study 2 dealt with the same content but instead worked with short films on laptops. Previous studies have shown that students perceive film sequences as less interesting than working with living animals. Students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience were measured at the end of the first and the third lesson. In study 1, autonomy-supportive teaching behaviour led to significant differences in students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience when compared to controlling teaching behaviour. In study 2, motivation and flow-experience were not always in line with theory. The positive effects of autonomy-supportive and the non-beneficial effects of the controlling teaching behaviour seem to be dependent on the interestingness of the teaching material.

Pharmacists' perception of synchronous versus asynchronous distance learning for continuing education programs.

PubMed

Buxton, Eric C

2014-02-12

To evaluate and compare pharmacists' satisfaction with the content and learning environment of a continuing education program series offered as either synchronous or asynchronous webinars. An 8-lecture series of online presentations on the topic of new drug therapies was offered to pharmacists in synchronous and asynchronous webinar formats. Participants completed a 50-question online survey at the end of the program series to evaluate their perceptions of the distance learning experience. Eighty-two participants completed the survey instrument (41 participants from the live webinar series and 41 participants from the asynchronous webinar series.) Responses indicated that while both groups were satisfied with the program content, the asynchronous group showed greater satisfaction with many aspects of the learning environment. The synchronous and asynchronous webinar participants responded positively regarding the quality of the programming and the method of delivery, but asynchronous participants rated their experience more positively overall.

Pharmacists’ Perception of Synchronous Versus Asynchronous Distance Learning for Continuing Education Programs

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Objective. To evaluate and compare pharmacists’ satisfaction with the content and learning environment of a continuing education program series offered as either synchronous or asynchronous webinars. Methods. An 8-lecture series of online presentations on the topic of new drug therapies was offered to pharmacists in synchronous and asynchronous webinar formats. Participants completed a 50-question online survey at the end of the program series to evaluate their perceptions of the distance learning experience. Results. Eighty-two participants completed the survey instrument (41 participants from the live webinar series and 41 participants from the asynchronous webinar series.) Responses indicated that while both groups were satisfied with the program content, the asynchronous group showed greater satisfaction with many aspects of the learning environment. Conclusion. The synchronous and asynchronous webinar participants responded positively regarding the quality of the programming and the method of delivery, but asynchronous participants rated their experience more positively overall. PMID:24558276

In Search of Ways to Improve Practicum Learning: Self-Study of the Teacher Educator/Researcher as Responsive Listener

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Andrea K.

2017-01-01

Teacher education programs that appear to be more successful work to thread practicum experiences and on-campus courses with an eye to achieving overall program coherence. As part of a funded research project centred on understanding how teacher candidates perceive quality in their practicum experiences and, by extension, in their professional…

Who Are You? Theorising from the Experience of Working through an Avatar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Chris

2005-01-01

This article explores the experience of a researcher who was part of a pan-European team exploring one of the currently available avatar worlds used for educational purposes. The article reports research undertaken as part of the European Union (EU)-funded project EQUEL (e-quality in e-learning) from the point of view of a single researcher. The…

Quality improvement for patient safety: project-level versus program-level learning.

PubMed

Rivard, Peter E; Parker, Victoria A; Rosen, Amy K

2013-01-01

Improving quality and patient safety is of increasing strategic importance to health care organizations. However, simply increasing the volume of quality improvement (QI) activity does not necessarily improve patient outcomes. There is a need for greater understanding of QI success factors. This study looked for differences in QI implementation across hospitals with a range of performance on Patient Safety Indicators. We conducted an exploratory comparative case study of 4 Veterans Health Administration hospitals including site visits and interviews with leaders and staff. Two themes emerged. Project-level QI learning is assessing and modifying specific QI projects relative to expectations. Program-level QI learning is assessing and modifying the overall QI endeavor. The nature of project-level QI learning was similar across sites, whereas we identified qualitative differences across organizations in program-level QI learning. The highest performing organization was evaluating and refining its overall approach to QI, whereas the others were learning how to build and control QI programs. Program-level QI learning may be key if a QI program is to succeed in improving patient outcomes. This type of organizational learning entails a big-picture, organization-wide view of QI. It also entails second-order organizational learning based on assessment not only of whether QI is being done correctly but also whether the right QI activities are being done, for the right reasons. The organization is "learning to learn." In addition to gaining mastery and control of QI, leaders regularly engage with staff in rethinking QI and experimenting with new approaches. Leaders also assess how QI activity fits in the organization's developmental journey and how it supports realization of strategy.

Effectiveness of Online Module for Graduate Astronomy Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Lauren E. P.; Holley-Bockelmann, Kelly; Brame, Cynthia

2017-01-01

We noticed that teaching an important galaxy formation model in a graduate-level course (Structure and Dynamics of Galaxies) with lecture-style instruction did not promote active learning on the part of the student and that the level and quality of in-class discussion varied wildly from semester to semester. Hoping to improve the learning experience for the students, we designed and incorporated an online module to deliver course content, activities, and assessments. We investigate the effectiveness of this online module as a teaching tool by monitoring students’ learning gains and present our preliminary results.

A Collaborative Learning Network Approach to Improvement: The CUSP Learning Network.

PubMed

Weaver, Sallie J; Lofthus, Jennifer; Sawyer, Melinda; Greer, Lee; Opett, Kristin; Reynolds, Catherine; Wyskiel, Rhonda; Peditto, Stephanie; Pronovost, Peter J

2015-04-01

Collaborative improvement networks draw on the science of collaborative organizational learning and communities of practice to facilitate peer-to-peer learning, coaching, and local adaption. Although significant improvements in patient safety and quality have been achieved through collaborative methods, insight regarding how collaborative networks are used by members is needed. Improvement Strategy: The Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) Learning Network is a multi-institutional collaborative network that is designed to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and coaching specifically related to CUSP. Member organizations implement all or part of the CUSP methodology to improve organizational safety culture, patient safety, and care quality. Qualitative case studies developed by participating members examine the impact of network participation across three levels of analysis (unit, hospital, health system). In addition, results of a satisfaction survey designed to evaluate member experiences were collected to inform network development. Common themes across case studies suggest that members found value in collaborative learning and sharing strategies across organizational boundaries related to a specific improvement strategy. The CUSP Learning Network is an example of network-based collaborative learning in action. Although this learning network focuses on a particular improvement methodology-CUSP-there is clear potential for member-driven learning networks to grow around other methods or topic areas. Such collaborative learning networks may offer a way to develop an infrastructure for longer-term support of improvement efforts and to more quickly diffuse creative sustainment strategies.

A method for the evaluation of image quality according to the recognition effectiveness of objects in the optical remote sensing image using machine learning algorithm.

PubMed

Yuan, Tao; Zheng, Xinqi; Hu, Xuan; Zhou, Wei; Wang, Wei

2014-01-01

Objective and effective image quality assessment (IQA) is directly related to the application of optical remote sensing images (ORSI). In this study, a new IQA method of standardizing the target object recognition rate (ORR) is presented to reflect quality. First, several quality degradation treatments with high-resolution ORSIs are implemented to model the ORSIs obtained in different imaging conditions; then, a machine learning algorithm is adopted for recognition experiments on a chosen target object to obtain ORRs; finally, a comparison with commonly used IQA indicators was performed to reveal their applicability and limitations. The results showed that the ORR of the original ORSI was calculated to be up to 81.95%, whereas the ORR ratios of the quality-degraded images to the original images were 65.52%, 64.58%, 71.21%, and 73.11%. The results show that these data can more accurately reflect the advantages and disadvantages of different images in object identification and information extraction when compared with conventional digital image assessment indexes. By recognizing the difference in image quality from the application effect perspective, using a machine learning algorithm to extract regional gray scale features of typical objects in the image for analysis, and quantitatively assessing quality of ORSI according to the difference, this method provides a new approach for objective ORSI assessment.

Characteristics of health care organizations associated with learning and development: lessons from a pilot study.

PubMed

Nyström, Monica

2009-01-01

Characteristics of health care organizations associated with an ability to learn from experiences and to develop and manage change were explored in this study. Understanding of these characteristics is necessary to identify factors influencing success in learning from the past and achieving future health care quality objectives. A literature review of the quality improvement, strategic organizational development and change management, organizational learning, and microsystems fields identified 20 organizational characteristics, grouped under (a) organizational systems, (b) key actors, and (c) change management processes. Qualitative methods, using interviews, focus group reports, and archival records, were applied to find associations between identified characteristics and 6 Swedish health care units externally evaluated as delivering high-quality care. Strong support for a characteristic was defined as units having more than 4 sources describing the characteristic as an important success factor. Eighteen characteristics had strong support from at least 2 units. The strongest evidence was found for the following: (i) key actors have long-term commitment, provide support, and make sense of ambiguous situations; (ii) organizational systems encourage employee commitment, participation, and involvement; and (iii) change management processes are employed systematically. Based on the results, a new model of "characteristics associated with learning and development in health care organizations" is proposed.

Spatial learning while navigating with severely degraded viewing: The role of attention and mobility monitoring

PubMed Central

Rand, Kristina M.; Creem-Regehr, Sarah H.; Thompson, William B.

2015-01-01

The ability to navigate without getting lost is an important aspect of quality of life. In five studies, we evaluated how spatial learning is affected by the increased demands of keeping oneself safe while walking with degraded vision (mobility monitoring). We proposed that safe low-vision mobility requires attentional resources, providing competition for those needed to learn a new environment. In Experiments 1 and 2 participants navigated along paths in a real-world indoor environment with simulated degraded vision or normal vision. Memory for object locations seen along the paths was better with normal compared to degraded vision. With degraded vision, memory was better when participants were guided by an experimenter (low monitoring demands) versus unguided (high monitoring demands). In Experiments 3 and 4, participants walked while performing an auditory task. Auditory task performance was superior with normal compared to degraded vision. With degraded vision, auditory task performance was better when guided compared to unguided. In Experiment 5, participants performed both the spatial learning and auditory tasks under degraded vision. Results showed that attention mediates the relationship between mobility-monitoring demands and spatial learning. These studies suggest that more attention is required and spatial learning is impaired when navigating with degraded viewing. PMID:25706766

Quality clinical placements: The perspectives of undergraduate nursing students and their supervising nurses.

PubMed

Ford, Karen; Courtney-Pratt, Helen; Marlow, Annette; Cooper, John; Williams, Danielle; Mason, Ron

2016-02-01

Clinical placement for students of nursing is a central component of tertiary nursing programs but continues to be a complex and multifaceted experience for all stakeholders. This paper presents findings from a longitudinal 3-year study across multiple sites within the Australian context investigating the quality of clinical placements. A study using cross-sectional survey. Acute care, aged care and subacute health care facilities. A total of 1121 Tasmanian undergraduate nursing students and 932 supervising ward nurses. Survey data were collected at completion of practicum from participating undergraduate students and supervising ward nurses across the domains of "welcome and belonging," "competence and confidence: reflections on learning," and "support for learning." In addition, free text comments were sought to further inform understandings of what constitutes quality clinical placements. Overwhelmingly quantitative data demonstrate high-quality clinical placements are provided. Analysis of free text responses indicates further attention to the intersect between the student and the supervising ward nurse is required, including the differing expectations that each holds for the other. While meaningful interpersonal interactions are pivotal for learning, these seemingly concentrated on the relationship between student and their supervisor-the patient/client was not seen to be present. Meaningful learning occurs within an environment that facilitates mutual respect and shared expectations. The role the patient has in student learning was not made obvious in the results and therefore requires further investigation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uninformative contexts support word learning for high-skill spellers.

PubMed

Eskenazi, Michael A; Swischuk, Natascha K; Folk, Jocelyn R; Abraham, Ashley N

2018-04-30

The current study investigated how high-skill spellers and low-skill spellers incidentally learn words during reading. The purpose of the study was to determine whether readers can use uninformative contexts to support word learning after forming a lexical representation for a novel word, consistent with instance-based resonance processes. Previous research has found that uninformative contexts damage word learning; however, there may have been insufficient exposure to informative contexts (only one) prior to exposure to uninformative contexts (Webb, 2007; Webb, 2008). In Experiment 1, participants read sentences with one novel word (i.e., blaph, clurge) embedded in them in three different conditions: Informative (six informative contexts to support word learning), Mixed (three informative contexts followed by three uninformative contexts), and Uninformative (six uninformative contexts). Experiment 2 added a new condition with only three informative contexts to further clarify the conclusions of Experiment 1. Results indicated that uninformative contexts can support word learning, but only for high-skill spellers. Further, when participants learned the spelling of the novel word, they were more likely to learn the meaning of that word. This effect was much larger for high-skill spellers than for low-skill spellers. Results are consistent with the Lexical Quality Hypothesis (LQH) in that high-skill spellers form stronger orthographic representations which support word learning (Perfetti, 2007). Results also support an instance-based resonance process of word learning in that prior informative contexts can be reactivated to support word learning in future contexts (Bolger, Balass, Landen, & Perfetti, 2008; Balass, Nelson, & Perfetti, 2010; Reichle & Perfetti, 2003). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Integration of the e-Learning into the medical university curricula.

PubMed

Rusnakova, V; Bacharova, L; Simo, J; Krcmeryova, T; Finka, M; Kovac, R

2012-01-01

The aim of this contribution was to present the e-Learning introduction in the Slovak Medical University (SMU) with a focus on the implementation phase of the two blended courses - Healthcare Quality and Healthcare Professionals' Ethics. The introduction of the e-Learning was realized during the period 2008-2009 in the partnership of SMU and IBM Company, following strictly the project management approach. The development of the e-module beta-versions was evaluated by the modules' authors using a structured interview. In a consequent pilot testing, the blended courses were evaluated by 23 students of the bachelor program in Rescue health care, and by 61 public health students at the master level program, respectively, using the standardized questionnaires. The tangible results included the documented SMU strategy for the e-Learning integration, six e-Learning modules and evaluation results. The authors' evaluation showed high scores for the experience in collaboration with IBM, as well as for the experience with the LMS environment. The students' evaluation showed a high acceptance of the e-Learning by both part-time and full-time students. The access to Internet was not recognized as a serious barrier. The first experience with the integration of the e-Learning into the curricula of the Slovak Medical University showed the advantage of the systematic approach. The experience with developing the strategy in an interdisciplinary/ intercultural team, the knowledge about specific characteristics of distance learning by the involved SMU staff, and the know-how and skills represented the important benefits. It was demonstrated that the blended learning is recommended as optimal for the education in medical environment (Tab. 4, Fig. 1, Ref. 22).

Is that really my movement? - Students' experiences of a video-supported interactive learning model for movement awareness.

PubMed

Backåberg, Sofia; Gummesson, Christina; Brunt, David; Rask, Mikael

2015-01-01

Healthcare staff and students have a great risk of developing musculoskeletal symptoms. One cause of this is heavy load related work activities such as manual handling, in which the quality of individual work technique may play a major role. Preventive interventions and well-defined educational strategies to support movement awareness and long-lasting movement changes need to be developed. The aim of the present study was to explore nursing students' experiences of a newly developed interactive learning model for movement awareness. The learning model, which is based on a life-world perspective with focus on interpersonal interaction, has been used with 11 undergraduate students from the second and final year. Each student participated in three individual video sessions with a facilitator. Two individual interviews were carried out with each student during the learning process and one interview 12-18 months after the last session. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, and a phenomenological hermeneutic method inspired by Paul Ricoeur and described by Lindseth and Norberg was used to interpret the interviews and diary notes. The interpretation resulted in three key themes and nine subthemes. The key themes were; "Obtaining better preconditions for bodily awareness," "Experiencing changes in one's own movement," and "Experiencing challenges in the learning process." The interactive learning model entails a powerful and challenging experience that develops movement awareness. The experience of meaningfulness and usefulness emerges increasingly and alternates with a feeling of discomfort. The learning model may contribute to the body of knowledge of well-defined educational strategies in movement awareness and learning in, for example, preventive interventions and ergonomic education. It may also be valuable in other practical learning situations where movement awareness is required.

Quality indicators for learner-centered postgraduate medical e-learning

PubMed Central

Westerman, Michiel; Scheele, Fedde

2017-01-01

Objectives The objectives of this study were to identify the needs and expectations of learners and educational experts in postgraduate medical e-learning, and to contribute to the current literature. Methods We performed four focus-group discussions with e-learning end-users (learners) and didactic experts. The participants were postgraduate learners with varying levels of experience, educational experts from a Dutch e-learning task group, and commercial experts from a Dutch e-learning company. Verbatim transcribed interview recordings were analyzed using King’s template analysis. The initial template was created with reference to recent literature on postgraduate medical e-learning quality indicators. The transcripts were coded, after which the emerging differences in template interpretation were discussed until a consensus was reached within the team. Results The final template consisted of three domains of positive e-learning influencers (motivators, learning enhancers, and real-world translation) and three domains of negatively influential parameters (barriers, learning discouragers, and poor preparation). The interpretation of the final template showed three subjects which form the basis of e-learning, namely, Motivate, Learn and Apply. Conclusions This study forms a basis for learning in general and could be applied to many educational instruments. Individual characteristics should be adapted to the target audience. Three subjects form the basis of, and six themes cover all items needed for, good (enough) postgraduate e-learning. Further research should be carried out with learners and real-world e-learning to validate this template. PMID:28456781

WE-A-BRC-01: Introduction to the Certificate Course

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palta, J.

Quality and safety in healthcare are inextricably linked. There are compelling data that link poor quality radiation therapy to inferior patient survival. Radiation Oncology clinical trial protocol deviations often involve incorrect target volume delineation or dosing, akin to radiotherapy incidents which also often involve partial geometric miss or improper radiation dosing. When patients with radiation protocol variations are compared to those without significant protocol variations, clinical outcome is negatively impacted. Traditionally, quality assurance in radiation oncology has been driven largely by new technological advances, and safety improvement has been driven by reactive responses to past system failures and prescriptive mandatesmore » recommended by professional organizations and promulgated by regulators. Prescriptive approaches to quality and safety alone often do not address the huge variety of process and technique used in radiation oncology. Risk-based assessments of radiotherapy processes provide a mechanism to enhance quality and safety, both for new and for established techniques. It is imperative that we explore such a paradigm shift at this time, when expectations from patients as well as providers are rising while available resources are falling. There is much we can learn from our past experiences to be applied towards the new risk-based assessments. Learning Objectives: Understand the impact of clinical and technical quality on outcomes Understand the importance of quality care in radiation oncology Learn to assess the impact of quality on clinical outcomes D. Followill, NIH Grant CA180803.« less

A dissociation between engagement and learning: Enthusiastic instructions fail to reliably improve performance on a memory task.

PubMed

Motz, Benjamin A; de Leeuw, Joshua R; Carvalho, Paulo F; Liang, Kaley L; Goldstone, Robert L

2017-01-01

Despite widespread assertions that enthusiasm is an important quality of effective teaching, empirical research on the effect of enthusiasm on learning and memory is mixed and largely inconclusive. To help resolve these inconsistencies, we conducted a carefully-controlled laboratory experiment, investigating whether enthusiastic instructions for a memory task would improve recall accuracy. Scripted videos, either enthusiastic or neutral, were used to manipulate the delivery of task instructions. We also manipulated the sequence of learning items, replicating the spacing effect, a known cognitive technique for memory improvement. Although spaced study reliably improved test performance, we found no reliable effect of enthusiasm on memory performance across two experiments. We did, however, find that enthusiastic instructions caused participants to respond to more item prompts, leaving fewer test questions blank, an outcome typically associated with increased task motivation. We find no support for the popular claim that enthusiastic instruction will improve learning, although it may still improve engagement. This dissociation between motivation and learning is discussed, as well as its implications for education and future research on student learning.

A dissociation between engagement and learning: Enthusiastic instructions fail to reliably improve performance on a memory task

PubMed Central

de Leeuw, Joshua R.; Carvalho, Paulo F.; Liang, Kaley L.; Goldstone, Robert L.

2017-01-01

Despite widespread assertions that enthusiasm is an important quality of effective teaching, empirical research on the effect of enthusiasm on learning and memory is mixed and largely inconclusive. To help resolve these inconsistencies, we conducted a carefully-controlled laboratory experiment, investigating whether enthusiastic instructions for a memory task would improve recall accuracy. Scripted videos, either enthusiastic or neutral, were used to manipulate the delivery of task instructions. We also manipulated the sequence of learning items, replicating the spacing effect, a known cognitive technique for memory improvement. Although spaced study reliably improved test performance, we found no reliable effect of enthusiasm on memory performance across two experiments. We did, however, find that enthusiastic instructions caused participants to respond to more item prompts, leaving fewer test questions blank, an outcome typically associated with increased task motivation. We find no support for the popular claim that enthusiastic instruction will improve learning, although it may still improve engagement. This dissociation between motivation and learning is discussed, as well as its implications for education and future research on student learning. PMID:28732087

Protected block time for teaching and learning in a postgraduate family practice residency program

PubMed Central

Jung, Piera; Kennedy, Maggie; Winder, Mary J.

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective To explore the elements necessary for a high-quality educational experience in a family practice residency program with respect to scheduling, learning environment, and approaches to teaching and learning. Design An interpretative, qualitative study using a generative-inquiry approach. Setting The Nanaimo Site of the University of British Columbia Family Practice Residency Program. Participants Fifteen physician instructors and 16 first- and second-year residents. Methods Data were gathered from 2 qualitative focus group interviews with residents; 2 qualitative focus group interviews with physician instructors; and structured and semistructured observation of 2 in-class seminars, with a focus on residents’ engagement with the class. Results were analyzed and categorized into themes independently and collectively by the researchers. Main findings Protected block time for teaching and learning at the Nanaimo Site has been effective in fostering a learning environment that supports collegial relationships and in-depth instruction. Residents and physician instructors benefit from the week-long academic schedule and the opportunity to teach and learn collaboratively. Participants specifically value the connections among learning environment, collegiality, relationships, reflective learning, and the teaching and learning process. Conclusion These findings suggest that strategic planning and scheduling of teaching and learning sessions in residency programs are important to promoting a comprehensive educational experience. PMID:22700741

Adult learning principles for effective teaching in radiology programmes: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Arogundade, R A

2011-01-01

Adult learning processes of acquisition of new knowledge, behaviours, skills, values or preferences generally occur as part of personal professional development. There is need for radiology residency trainers to understand the basic adult learning principles for effective teaching processes. To review the different adult learning styles, learning theories and educational practice as a guide for radiology residency trainers. Literature materials from journals, web articles and reputable textbooks in the last 20 years on adult learning principles in general and radiology in particular were reviewed. Most medical educators, including radiologists, lack appropriate formal training background in educational practice. The adult residency trainee brings to the learning environment high quantity and quality of experiences and some amount of control. Connection of this rich adult experience base to the learning process requires facilitation and motivation by the radiology educator, who must be familiar with the use of appropriate learning theories and educational practices. there is a general agreement about the content of good practice in adult education but a definite comprehensive list does not seem to exist in the literature. Nonetheless, understanding of the basic adult learning principles would aid the concept of guided training, where the adult residency trainee shoulders the bulk of the training responsibilities of acquisition of knowledge.

Reform of experimental teaching based on quality cultivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Yan, Xingwei; Liu, Wei; Yao, Tianfu; Shi, Jianhua; Lei, Bing; Hu, Haojun

2017-08-01

Experimental teaching plays an import part in quality education which devotes to cultivating students with innovative spirit, strong technological talents and practical ability. However, in the traditional experimental teaching mode, the experiments are treated as a vassal or supplementary mean of theoretical teaching, and students prefer focus on theory to practice. Therefore, the traditional experimental teaching mode is difficult to meet the requirements of quality education. To address this issue, the reform of experimental teaching is introduced in this paper taking the photoelectric detector experiment as the example. The new experimental teaching mode is designed from such aspects as experimental content, teaching method and experimental evaluation. With the purpose of cultivating students' practical ability, two different-level experimental content is designed. Not only the basic experiments used to verify the theory are set to consolidate the students' learned theoretical knowledge, but also comprehensive experiments are designed to encourage the students to apply their learned knowledge to solve practical problems. In the teaching process, heuristic teaching thought is adopt and the traditional `teacher-centered' teaching form is replaced by `student-centered' form, which aims to encourage students to design the experimental systems by their own with the teacher's guidance. In addition to depending on stimulating the students' interest of science research, experimental evaluation is necessary to urge students to complete the experiments efficiently. Multifaceted evaluation method is proposed to test the students' mastery of theoretical knowledge, practice ability, troubleshooting and problem solving skills, and innovation capability comprehensively. Practices demonstrated the satisfying effect of our experimental teaching mode.

Impact of audio-visual storytelling in simulation learning experiences of undergraduate nursing students.

PubMed

Johnston, Sandra; Parker, Christina N; Fox, Amanda

2017-09-01

Use of high fidelity simulation has become increasingly popular in nursing education to the extent that it is now an integral component of most nursing programs. Anecdotal evidence suggests that students have difficulty engaging with simulation manikins due to their unrealistic appearance. Introduction of the manikin as a 'real patient' with the use of an audio-visual narrative may engage students in the simulated learning experience and impact on their learning. A paucity of literature currently exists on the use of audio-visual narratives to enhance simulated learning experiences. This study aimed to determine if viewing an audio-visual narrative during a simulation pre-brief altered undergraduate nursing student perceptions of the learning experience. A quasi-experimental post-test design was utilised. A convenience sample of final year baccalaureate nursing students at a large metropolitan university. Participants completed a modified version of the Student Satisfaction with Simulation Experiences survey. This 12-item questionnaire contained questions relating to the ability to transfer skills learned in simulation to the real clinical world, the realism of the simulation and the overall value of the learning experience. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise demographic information. Two tailed, independent group t-tests were used to determine statistical differences within the categories. Findings indicated that students reported high levels of value, realism and transferability in relation to the viewing of an audio-visual narrative. Statistically significant results (t=2.38, p<0.02) were evident in the subscale of transferability of learning from simulation to clinical practice. The subgroups of age and gender although not significant indicated some interesting results. High satisfaction with simulation was indicated by all students in relation to value and realism. There was a significant finding in relation to transferability on knowledge and this is vital to quality educational outcomes. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Building effective learning experiences around visualizations: NASA Eyes on the Solar System and Infiniscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamer, A. J. J.; Anbar, A. D.; Elkins-Tanton, L. T.; Klug Boonstra, S.; Mead, C.; Swann, J. L.; Hunsley, D.

2017-12-01

Advances in scientific visualization and public access to data have transformed science outreach and communication, but have yet to realize their potential impacts in the realm of education. Computer-based learning is a clear bridge between visualization and education, but creating high-quality learning experiences that leverage existing visualizations requires close partnerships among scientists, technologists, and educators. The Infiniscope project is working to foster such partnerships in order to produce exploration-driven learning experiences around NASA SMD data and images, leveraging the principles of ETX (Education Through eXploration). The visualizations inspire curiosity, while the learning design promotes improved reasoning skills and increases understanding of space science concepts. Infiniscope includes both a web portal to host these digital learning experiences, as well as a teaching network of educators using and modifying these experiences. Our initial efforts to enable student discovery through active exploration of the concepts associated with Small Worlds, Kepler's Laws, and Exoplanets led us to develop our own visualizations at Arizona State University. Other projects focused on Astrobiology and Mars geology led us to incorporate an immersive Virtual Field Trip platform into the Infiniscope portal in support of virtual exploration of scientifically significant locations. Looking to apply ETX design practices with other visualizations, our team at Arizona State partnered with the Jet Propulsion Lab to integrate the web-based version of NASA Eyes on the Eclipse within Smart Sparrow's digital learning platform in a proof-of-concept focused on the 2017 Eclipse. This goes a step beyond the standard features of "Eyes" by wrapping guided exploration, focused on a specific learning goal into standards-aligned lesson built around the visualization, as well as its distribution through Infiniscope and it's digital teaching network. Experience from this development effort has laid the groundwork to explore future integrations with JPL and other NASA partners.

Challenges in implementing national systems of competency validation with regard to adult learning professionals: Perspectives from Romania and India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sava, Simona Lidia; Shah, S. Y.

2015-08-01

Validation of prior learning (VPL), also referred to as recognition, validation and accreditation of prior learning (RVA), is becoming an increasingly important political issue at both European and international levels. In 2012, the European Council, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) launched strategic documents and guidelines for supporting its wide implementation. A wide range of resources and experiences to learn from are already available for improving policy making and the quality and credibility of VPL practices. An intrinsic part of quality assurance concerns the level of training of practitioners accompanying the VPL process. Addressing the need for improved practices of adult educators' continuing professional development as well as improved validation processes, this paper presents and analyses practitioners' experiences with a piloted portfolio tool designed to support the validation of pedagogic competencies of trainers in adult education. While the pilot study was carried out in 20 European and 2 non-European countries, this article picks out and compares feedback from participants in Romania and India, which are both striving to catch up in terms of accreditation of non-formal and informal learning. Based on their findings, the authors' reflections focus in particular on evident challenges for educational policy making in these two very different countries. They also consider related policy measures needed for improving the educational contexts in both countries, both in terms of validation practices and in terms of the professional development of practitioners applying such practices, in line with international trends.

Student Perceptions of Their Learning and Engagement in Response to the Use of a Continuous E-Assessment in an Undergraduate Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Naomi

2015-01-01

Student engagement is an important issue in higher education, and is related to the quality of the student experience. Increasing student engagement is one way of enhancing quality at a higher education institution. An institution is able to influence student engagement in a number of ways, one being through curriculum design. The use of a…

Reproducing Figured Worlds of Literacy Teaching and Learning: Examining the "Language-in-Use" of an Inservice and Preservice Teacher Enacting the Practice of Literacy Planning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gelfuso, Andrea; Dennis, Danielle V.

2017-01-01

There are international calls for teacher preparation programs to increase the quantity and quality of field experiences. The belief is that spending additional time in the field being mentored by inservice teachers will develop high-quality preservice teachers. However, the figured worlds of teacher education and the knowledge base of inservice…

An experience of field work learning for healthcare providers: new perspectives between disadvantages and critical issues.

PubMed

Pennini, A; Cittadini, N; Basilici Zannetti, E; Cervoni, C; Vellone, E; D'Agostino, F; Alvaro, R

2016-01-01

The learning models used in traditional education are not very effective for the continuing education of healthcare providers. Fieldwork learning is an active learning method that is feasible in the workplace and is also suitable for professionals who possess a style of experiential learning. Guardian Angel 2.0® is a fieldwork learning project designed to promote educational skills in nurses to improve the self-care and quality of life in women affected by osteoporosis. The purpose of this article is to present the Guardian Angel 2.0® project and its results. The Guardian Angel 2.0® effort lasted nine months and involved 212 nurses in the north, centre and south of Italy. A socio-demographic questionnaire, an evaluation scale of the learning process and a participants' satisfaction questionnaire were used to evaluate and monitor the fieldwork learning project. Out of the 212 nurses who participated in the project, 119 (70%) completed it. The mean age of these participants was 48 years (± 7.98), and 83.5% were female. About half of the participants (52.0%, 55.4% and 45.0%, respectively) were good (a) at respecting deadlines, (b) at using the methodological instruments and (c) the information tools properly. Almost all nurses considered the project to be very relevant (96.4%). In regards to the project's quality, the nurses perceived it as excellent (51.0%) and very good (48.5%). Finally, the project was considered very useful or useful by 100% of nurses. The general satisfaction of nurses was high. The fieldwork learning was relevant and useful for developing educational skills in nurses. It would therefore be appropriate to use fieldwork learning in clinical settings to improve the existing experience of healthcare providers and thereby reduce the difficulties of transforming the knowledge from a theoretical to a practical level and to promote the development of new behaviours when the existing ones become obsolete or inefficient.

Peer learning in the UNSW Medicine program.

PubMed

Scicluna, Helen A; O'Sullivan, Anthony J; Boyle, Patrick; Jones, Philip D; McNeil, H Patrick

2015-10-02

The UNSW Australia Medicine program explicitly structures peer learning in program wide mixing of students where students from two adjoining cohorts complete the same course together, including all learning activities and assessment. The purpose of this evaluation is to explore the student experience of peer learning and determine benefits and concerns for junior and senior students. All medical students at UNSW Australia in 2012 (n = 1608) were invited to complete the Peer Learning Questionnaire consisting of 26 fixed-response items and 2 open-ended items exploring vertical integration and near-peer teaching. Assessment data from vertically integrated and non-vertically integrated courses were compared for the period 2011-2013. We received valid responses from 20 % of medical students (n = 328). Eighty percent of respondents were positive about their experience of vertical integration. Year 1 students reported that second year students provided guidance and reassurance (87.8 %), whilst year 2 students reported that the senior role helped them to improve their own understanding, communication and confidence (84 %). Vertical integration had little effect on examination performance and failure rates. This evaluation demonstrates that vertical integration of students who are one year apart and completing the same course leads to positive outcomes for the student experience of learning. Students benefit through deeper learning and the development of leadership qualities within teams. These results are relevant not only for medical education, but also for other professional higher education programs.

Teaching Practice Experience for Undergraduate Student Teachers: A Case Study of the Department of Education at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Msangya, Benedicto William; Mkoma, Stelyus L.; Yihuan, Wang

2016-01-01

Education is the key to development; however, it is impossible to think the quality of education without having academically qualified and professional responsible teachers. The main objective of this study was to examine the perspectives of undergraduate student teachers toward teaching practice experience as a tool of learning to teach. A…

Lessons Learned from Large-Scale Randomized Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slavin, Robert E.; Cheung, Alan C. K.

2017-01-01

Large-scale randomized studies provide the best means of evaluating practical, replicable approaches to improving educational outcomes. This article discusses the advantages, problems, and pitfalls of these evaluations, focusing on alternative methods of randomization, recruitment, ensuring high-quality implementation, dealing with attrition, and…

Lessons Learned From a 5-Year Experience With a 4-Week Experiential Quality Improvement Curriculum in a Preventive Medicine Fellowship

PubMed Central

Varkey, Prathibha; Karlapudi, Sudhakar Prakash

2009-01-01

Background Competency in practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) and systems-based practice (SBP) empowers learners with the skills to plan, lead, and execute health care systems improvement efforts. Experiences from several graduate medical education programs describe the implementation of PBLI and SBP curricula as challenging because of lack of adequate curricular time and faculty resources, as well as a perception that PBLI and SBP are not relevant to future careers. A dedicated experiential rotation that requires fellow participation in a specialty-specific quality improvement project (QIP) may address some of these challenges. Method We describe a retrospective analysis of our 5-year experience with a dedicated 3-week PBLI-SBP experiential curriculum in a preventive medicine fellowship program at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Results Between 2004 and 2008, 19 learners including 7 preventive medicine fellows participated in the rotation. Using just-in-time learning, fellows work together on a relatively complex QIP of community or institutional significance. Since 2004, all 19 learners (100%) participating in this rotation have consistently demonstrated statistically significant increase in their quality improvement knowledge application tool (QIKAT) scores at the end of the rotation. At the end of the rotation, all 19 learners stated that they were either confident or very confident of making a change to improve health care in a local setting. Most of the QIPs resulted in sustainable practice improvements, and resultant solutions have been disseminated beyond the location of the original QIP. Conclusion A dedicated experiential rotation that requires learner participation in a QIP is one of the effective methods to address the needs of the SBP and PBLI competencies. PMID:21975713

A Model for Integrating Ambulatory Surgery Centers Into an Academic Health System Using a Novel Ambulatory Surgery Coordinating Council.

PubMed

Ishii, Lisa; Pronovost, Peter J; Demski, Renee; Wylie, Gill; Zenilman, Michael

2016-06-01

An increasing volume of ambulatory surgeries has led to an increase in the number of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Some academic health systems have aligned with ASCs to create a more integrated care delivery system. Yet, these centers are diverse in many areas, including specialty types, ownership models, management, physician employment, and regulatory oversight. Academic health systems then face challenges in integrating these ASCs into their organizations. Johns Hopkins Medicine created the Ambulatory Surgery Coordinating Council in 2014 to manage, standardize, and promote peer learning among its eight ASCs. The Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality provided support and a model for this organization through its quality management infrastructure. The physician-led council defined a mission and created goals to identify best practices, uniformly provide the highest-quality patient-centered care, and continuously improve patient outcomes and experience across ASCs. Council members built trust and agreed on a standardized patient safety and quality dashboard to report measures that include regulatory, care process, patient experience, and outcomes data. The council addressed unintentional outcomes and process variation across the system and agreed to standard approaches to optimize quality. Council members also developed a process for identifying future goals, standardizing care practices and electronic medical record documentation, and creating quality and safety policies. The early success of the council supports the continuation of the Armstrong Institute model for physician-led quality management. Other academic health systems can learn from this model as they integrate ASCs into their complex organizations.

Perceptions of simulation-assisted teaching among baccalaureate nursing students in Chinese context: Benefits, process and barriers.

PubMed

Zhang, Jun

To explore the subjective learning experiences of baccalaureate nursing students participating in simulation sessions in a Chinese nursing school. This was a qualitative descriptive study. We used semi-structured interviews to explore students' perception about simulation-assisted learning. Each interview was audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to identify the major themes or categories from the transcript and the field notes. Only 10 students were needed to achieve theoretical saturation, due to high group homogeneity. Three main themes which were found from the study included 1. Students' positive views of the new educational experience of simulation; 2. Factors currently making simulation less attractive to students; and 3. The teacher's role in insuring a positive learning experience. Simulation-assisted teaching has been a positive experience for majority nursing students. Further efforts are needed in developing quality simulation-based course curriculum as well as planning and structuring its teaching process. The pedagogy approach requires close collaboration between faculty and students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Distance learning in postgraduate training of professionals. Example of occupational medicine specialization].

PubMed

Marcinkiewicz, Andrzej; Cybart, Adam; Chromińska-Szosland, Dorota

2002-01-01

The rapid development of science, technology, economy and the society has one along with the wide recognition of lifelong education and learning society concepts. Scientific centres worldwide conduct research how the access to the information and multimedia technology could bring about positive changes in our lives including improvement in education and the learning environment. Mankind development in conformity with social progress and sustainable development faces a new educational concept of learning society and open education in the information age, supported with multimedia and data processing technology. Constrains in resources availability for broadening the access to education had led to search for alternative, more time and cost-effective systems of education. One of them is distance learning, applied with success in many countries. The benefits of distance learning are well proven and can be extended to occupational medicine. Major advantages include: the integration of studies with work experience, flexibility, allowing studies to be matched to work requirements, perceived work and leisure timing, continuity of career progression. Likewise is in Poland this form of education becomes more and more popular. The distance education systems have been seen as an investment in human resource development. The vast variety of courses and educational stages makes possible the modern method of knowledge to be easily accessible. Experience of the School of Public Health in Łódź in distance learning had shown remarkable benefits of the method with comparable quality of intramural and distance learning in respect of the knowledge and experience gained by students.

'Stepping in' or 'stepping back': how first year nursing students begin to learn about person-centred care.

PubMed

Currie, Kay; Bannerman, Samantha; Howatson, Val; MacLeod, Fiona; Mayne, Wendy; Organ, Christine; Renton, Sarah; Scott, Janine

2015-01-01

The concept of person-centred care has gained international recognition over the last decade and forms one of the key concepts of our Nursing Quality Improvement Curricular Framework. This study aimed to investigate nursing students' learning about person-centred care during the first-year of their programme. Qualitative thematic analysis of a section of placement learning documents from two consecutive cohorts of students from all fields of nursing (n=405), supplemented by three focus group discussions. Two conceptual categories of student approaches to learning emerged. Firstly, 'stepping back', or learning from a distance about how nurses provide care, often through reading case notes and care plans; second, 'stepping in', learning about the patient as a person by direct interaction with service users. Evidence of reflection on the patient's experience of care was limited. These results have resonance with existing pedagogical theories around preferences for active or passive styles of learning. The potential for clinical mentors to build student confidence and encourage direct engagement with patients was highlighted. Students are aware of the concepts, principles and professional values of person-centred care from early in their programme; however, the majority tend to be preoccupied by learning about what nurses 'do', rather than 'how patients experience care'. Development towards a more person-centred approach may require targeted support from mentors to help students gain confidence and begin reflecting on how patients experience care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of after action reports (AARs) to promote organizational and systems learning in emergency preparedness.

PubMed

Savoia, Elena; Agboola, Foluso; Biddinger, Paul D

2012-08-01

Many public health and healthcare organizations use formal knowledge management practices to identify and disseminate the experiences gained over time. The "lessons-learned" approach is one such example of knowledge management practice applied to the wider concept of organizational learning. In the field of emergency preparedness, the lessons-learned approach stands on the assumption that learning from experience improves practice and minimizes avoidable deaths and negative economic and social consequences of disasters. In this project, we performed a structured review of AARs to analyze how lessons learned from the response to real-incidents may be used to maximize knowledge management and quality improvement practices such as the design of public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) exercises. We chose as a source of data the "Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS.gov)" system, a joined program of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security DHS and FEMA that serves as the national, online repository of lessons learned, best practices, and innovative ideas. We identified recurring challenges reported by various states and local public health agencies in the response to different types of incidents. We also strove to identify the limitations of systematic learning that can be achieved due to existing weaknesses in the way AARs are developed.

Successful Women Superintendents: Developing as Leaders, Learning from Failure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pankake, Anita M.; Schroth, Gwen; Funk, Carole

2000-01-01

In a Texas study, six successful women superintendents identified vision, passion and commitment, promotion of leadership in others, integrity, knowledge, and stamina as important leadership qualities. Family support, varied work experiences, mentors, formal education, turning points, and failure played important roles in their leadership…

A Virtual Circuits Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vick, Matthew E.

2010-01-01

The University of Colorado's Physics Education Technology (PhET) website offers free, high-quality simulations of many physics experiments that can be used in the classroom. The Circuit Construction Kit, for example, allows students to safely and constructively play with circuit components while learning the mathematics behind many circuit…

An Australian hospital-based student training ward delivering safe, client-centred care while developing students' interprofessional practice capabilities.

PubMed

Brewer, Margo L; Stewart-Wynne, Edward G

2013-11-01

Royal Perth Hospital, in partnership with Curtin University, established the first interprofessional student training ward in Australia, based on best practice from Europe. Evaluation of the student and client experience was undertaken. Feedback from all stakeholders was obtained regularly as a key element of the quality improvement process. An interprofessional practice program was established with six beds within a general medical ward. This provided the setting for 2- to 3-week clinical placements for students from medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work, pharmacy, dietetics and medical imaging. Following an initial trial, the training ward began with 79 students completing a placement. An interprofessional capability framework focused on the delivery of high quality client care and effective teamwork underpins this learning experience. Quantitative outcome data showed not only an improvement in students' attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration but also acquisition of a high level of interprofessional practice capabilities. Qualitative outcome data from students and clients was overwhelmingly positive. Suggestions for improvement were identified. This innovative learning environment facilitated the development of the students' knowledge, skills and attitudes required for interprofessional, client centred collaborative practice. Staff reported a high level of compliance with clinical safety and quality.

Fast machine-learning online optimization of ultra-cold-atom experiments.

PubMed

Wigley, P B; Everitt, P J; van den Hengel, A; Bastian, J W; Sooriyabandara, M A; McDonald, G D; Hardman, K S; Quinlivan, C D; Manju, P; Kuhn, C C N; Petersen, I R; Luiten, A N; Hope, J J; Robins, N P; Hush, M R

2016-05-16

We apply an online optimization process based on machine learning to the production of Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC). BEC is typically created with an exponential evaporation ramp that is optimal for ergodic dynamics with two-body s-wave interactions and no other loss rates, but likely sub-optimal for real experiments. Through repeated machine-controlled scientific experimentation and observations our 'learner' discovers an optimal evaporation ramp for BEC production. In contrast to previous work, our learner uses a Gaussian process to develop a statistical model of the relationship between the parameters it controls and the quality of the BEC produced. We demonstrate that the Gaussian process machine learner is able to discover a ramp that produces high quality BECs in 10 times fewer iterations than a previously used online optimization technique. Furthermore, we show the internal model developed can be used to determine which parameters are essential in BEC creation and which are unimportant, providing insight into the optimization process of the system.

Fast machine-learning online optimization of ultra-cold-atom experiments

PubMed Central

Wigley, P. B.; Everitt, P. J.; van den Hengel, A.; Bastian, J. W.; Sooriyabandara, M. A.; McDonald, G. D.; Hardman, K. S.; Quinlivan, C. D.; Manju, P.; Kuhn, C. C. N.; Petersen, I. R.; Luiten, A. N.; Hope, J. J.; Robins, N. P.; Hush, M. R.

2016-01-01

We apply an online optimization process based on machine learning to the production of Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC). BEC is typically created with an exponential evaporation ramp that is optimal for ergodic dynamics with two-body s-wave interactions and no other loss rates, but likely sub-optimal for real experiments. Through repeated machine-controlled scientific experimentation and observations our ‘learner’ discovers an optimal evaporation ramp for BEC production. In contrast to previous work, our learner uses a Gaussian process to develop a statistical model of the relationship between the parameters it controls and the quality of the BEC produced. We demonstrate that the Gaussian process machine learner is able to discover a ramp that produces high quality BECs in 10 times fewer iterations than a previously used online optimization technique. Furthermore, we show the internal model developed can be used to determine which parameters are essential in BEC creation and which are unimportant, providing insight into the optimization process of the system. PMID:27180805

MO-DE-207-04: Imaging educational program on solutions to common pediatric imaging challenges

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krishnamurthy, R.

This imaging educational program will focus on solutions to common pediatric imaging challenges. The speakers will present collective knowledge on best practices in pediatric imaging from their experience at dedicated children’s hospitals. The educational program will begin with a detailed discussion of the optimal configuration of fluoroscopes for general pediatric procedures. Following this introduction will be a focused discussion on the utility of Dual Energy CT for imaging children. The third lecture will address the substantial challenge of obtaining consistent image post -processing in pediatric digital radiography. The fourth and final lecture will address best practices in pediatric MRI includingmore » a discussion of ancillary methods to reduce sedation and anesthesia rates. Learning Objectives: To learn techniques for optimizing radiation dose and image quality in pediatric fluoroscopy To become familiar with the unique challenges and applications of Dual Energy CT in pediatric imaging To learn solutions for consistent post-processing quality in pediatric digital radiography To understand the key components of an effective MRI safety and quality program for the pediatric practice.« less

A motivational account of the undergraduate experience in science: brief measures of students' self-system appraisals, engagement in coursework, and identity as a scientist

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skinner, Ellen; Saxton, Emily; Currie, Cailin; Shusterman, Gwen

2017-11-01

As part of long-standing efforts to promote undergraduates' success in science, researchers have investigated the instructional strategies and motivational factors that promote student learning and persistence in science coursework and majors. This study aimed to create a set of brief measures that educators and researchers can use as tools to examine the undergraduate motivational experience in science classes. To identify key motivational processes, we drew on self-determination theory (SDT), which holds that students have fundamental needs - to feel competent, related, and autonomous - that fuel their intrinsic motivation. When educational experiences meet these needs, students engage more energetically and learn more, cumulatively contributing to a positive identity as a scientist. Based on information provided by 1013 students from 8 classes in biology, chemistry, and physics, we constructed conceptually focused and psychometrically sound survey measures of three sets of motivational factors: (1) students' appraisals of their own competence, autonomy, and relatedness; (2) the quality of students' behavioural and emotional engagement in academic work; and (3) students' emerging identities as scientists, including their science identity, purpose in science, and science career plans. Using an iterative confirmatory process, we tested short item sets for unidimensionality and internal consistency, and then cross-validated them. Tests of measurement invariance showed that scales were generally comparable across disciplines. Most importantly, scales and final course grades showed correlations consistent with predictions from SDT. These measures may provide a window on the student motivational experience for educators, researchers, and interventionists who aim to improve the quality of undergraduate science teaching and learning.

Applying a quality assurance system model to curriculum transformation: transferable lessons learned.

PubMed

Kayyal, Mohamad; Gibbs, Trevor

2012-01-01

As curricula are transformed throughout the world in response to the need for modern medical education, much attention is given to curriculum content and associated teaching, learning and assessment methodologies. However, an important component of any curriculum is its organisational management, how it is all held together, the way the process is conducted and what mechanisms are applied to ensure quality. In 2008, the Faculty of Medicine at Damascus University embarked on a journey of curriculum transformation. The transformation process was specifically and initially based on a quality assurance model. This entailed a concept for realising curriculum transformation; a framework for organisational management, which ensures that the necessary enabling conditions are met and issues of conflicts in roles and responsibilities are resolved; a plan for securing resources and creating the necessary governance structures needed to carry the transformation process forward; and a systematic analysis of risks facing the effective realisation of the transformation process and the corresponding mitigation measures to alleviate their impacts. Although a full evaluation of such an activity produces reliable results only after a period of time, this article demonstrates the principles and structures applied to the initial process based on some of the early lessons learned. We perceive that the lessons learned from this activity are capable of being translated to other Universities, in other similar developing countries; our hope is that others can learn from our experiences.

Language learning, socioeconomic status, and child-directed speech.

PubMed

Schwab, Jessica F; Lew-Williams, Casey

2016-07-01

Young children's language experiences and language outcomes are highly variable. Research in recent decades has focused on understanding the extent to which family socioeconomic status (SES) relates to parents' language input to their children and, subsequently, children's language learning. Here, we first review research demonstrating differences in the quantity and quality of language that children hear across low-, mid-, and high-SES groups, but also-and perhaps more importantly-research showing that differences in input and learning also exist within SES groups. Second, in order to better understand the defining features of 'high-quality' input, we highlight findings from laboratory studies examining specific characteristics of the sounds, words, sentences, and social contexts of child-directed speech (CDS) that influence children's learning. Finally, after narrowing in on these particular features of CDS, we broaden our discussion by considering family and community factors that may constrain parents' ability to participate in high-quality interactions with their young children. A unification of research on SES and CDS will facilitate a more complete understanding of the specific means by which input shapes learning, as well as generate ideas for crafting policies and programs designed to promote children's language outcomes. WIREs Cogn Sci 2016, 7:264-275. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1393 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Distance education in dental hygiene bachelor of science degree completion programs: As perceived by students and faculty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsokris, Maureen

This study investigated student and faculty perceptions of their experiences with online learning in dental hygiene Bachelor of Science degree completion programs on the dimensions of: quality of learning, connectedness to the learning environment, technology factors and student satisfaction. The experiences of dental hygiene students who took their core BS dental hygiene (BSDH) courses completely online were compared and contrasted with the perceptions of dental hygiene students who had taken a portion of the BSDH courses online and a portion in a traditional face-to-face classroom setting. Furthermore, this study compared and contrasted the perceptions of faculty on these same four dimensions based on the position held by the faculty member and the course format they are teaching in: online or a combination of online and a traditional face-to-face classroom setting. This study revealed several important differences and similarities between students who had taken their courses online and those who had taken a portion of the BSDH courses online and a portion in a traditional face-to-face classroom setting. The results showed students who had taken their courses online described factors related to the instructor as important to the quality of the learning experience such as: the experience and qualifications of the professor, the examples they provided and the instructors prompt response to questions. Students who had taken courses in both formats described factors related to the amount of effort they put into the course, their classmates' preparedness, the course materials and assignments as important to the quality of the learning experience. Although students who completed courses online reported difficulty participating in group activities, they were more positive regarding the level of interaction they experienced with their classmates online Findings indicated students who had taken their courses in both formats would have liked more opportunities to interact with their classmates. Furthermore, the online students reported participating in class discussions, posting their pictures and biographies, and using the class message board helped them develop a sense of belonging to the class community. While students that had taken classes in both formats believed that knowing their classmates from other classes is what gave them a sense of belonging to the class community. Regarding similarities between the student groups, the study revealed all students reported that not only were the convenience and flexibility of online courses the major factor that impacted their satisfaction; it was the main reason they would take other online courses and would recommend the program to others. An additional similarity between student groups was the students' perceptions of the level of interaction with their instructors. A large majority of the students felt the interaction with professors was very good. Likewise, the study revealed most students reported no issues with technology or the courseware, and that their computer skills had improved greatly after taking online courses. The results of the study indicated students felt they had learned a great deal in their online classes, that the classes were challenging and that they were actively engaged in the learning process. The results of the study showed that overall faculty was well informed regarding the factors that influence the quality of the learning experience. Moreover, they were aware of the significant role they play in developing discourse, and in providing well organized courses that incorporated various instructional techniques. Findings indicated faculty recognized that flexibility and convenience of online classes is a very important aspect of the online environment for students. The data revealed there were no differences found in the faculty's perceptions on the dimensions explored based on the format they taught in or faculty position. The findings of this study showed several important areas where faculty perceptions differed. It was found that differences exist in faculty perceptions related to students' ability to interact with their classmates online, in the degree of opportunity students have to interact with the instructor, and on the type of feedback important to students In addition, the data showed a number of faculty do not believe learning outcomes in online classes are similar to the learning outcomes in traditional classes. Finally, the data indicated that slightly more than two-thirds of the faculty participants had received training in online course development.

Dataset of two experiments of the application of gamified peer assessment model into online learning environment MeuTutor.

PubMed

Tenório, Thyago; Bittencourt, Ig Ibert; Isotani, Seiji; Pedro, Alan; Ospina, Patrícia; Tenório, Daniel

2017-06-01

In this dataset, we present the collected data of two experiments with the application of the gamified peer assessment model into online learning environment MeuTutor to allow the comparison of the obtained results with others proposed models. MeuTutor is an intelligent tutoring system aims to monitor the learning of the students in a personalized way, ensuring quality education and improving the performance of its members (Tenório et al., 2016) [1]. The first experiment evaluated the effectiveness of the peer assessment model through metrics as final grade (result), time to correct the activities and associated costs. The second experiment evaluated the gamification influence into peer assessment model, analyzing metrics as access number (logins), number of performed activities and number of performed corrections. In this article, we present in table form for each metric: the raw data of each treatment; the summarized data; the application results of the normality test Shapiro-Wilk; the application results of the statistical tests T -Test and/or Wilcoxon. The presented data in this article are related to the article entitled "A gamified peer assessment model for on-line learning environments in a competitive context" (Tenório et al., 2016) [1].

Effects of international health electives on medical student learning and career choice: results of a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Jeffrey, Jessica; Dumont, Rebecca A; Kim, Gloria Y; Kuo, Tony

2011-01-01

The present study reviewed the published literature to examine the effects of international health electives (IHEs) on medical student learning and career choice. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify key English-language articles on IHEs, using PubMed journal databases for the period 1990--2009. Article inclusion for this review was vetted by a rigorous evaluation of each article's study methods, content, and data quality. Pooled or aggregate information from 11 key articles, including information on type and duration of IHE, study and comparison group characteristics, and measured outcomes such as self-reported changes in cultural competency, clinical skills, and specialty choice, were extracted and summarized. Findings suggest that having IHE experiences contributed to a more well-rounded training for medical students; students reported being more culturally competent and were more likely to choose a primary care specialty and/or a public service career. Although IHE experiences appear to have educational benefits, the quality and availability of these electives vary by institution. Barriers to ensuring that students attain a safe and rich experience include the lack of consistent categorical funding, safety concerns when traveling, and limited faculty experience and resources to support and guide students during their rotations abroad.

Quality assessment and comparison of grading between examiners and supervisors of Bachelor theses in nursing education.

PubMed

Lundgren, Solveig M; Halvarsson, Maud; Robertsson, Barbro

2008-01-01

This study compares supervisors' and examiners' grading of quality of theses at Bachelor level in nursing. An instrument developed to asses the quality of theses was used. Eight aspects of quality were rated. One hundred and fifteen theses were rated by both examiner and supervisor. Significant correlations were found between examiners' and supervisors' ratings of all aspects of quality. Good agreement was found in 89-96% of the ratings on individual aspects of quality. The means of differences between ratings were small but significantly differed from zero in four out of eight aspects. In theses rated low for quality of language and formality, differences between examiners' and supervisors' ratings on all aspects of quality were significantly larger than in theses rated high for quality of language and formality. The general conclusion is that the evaluations made by examiners and by supervisors corresponded well. Differences found indicates that examiners in general give lower scores than supervisors especially on quality aspects that are most closely related to research methods and experiences. This study is part of a larger project that is investigating quality of theses and the student's attitudes and learning experiences of writing theses.

Experiences of nursing undergraduates on a redesigned blended communication module: A descriptive qualitative study.

PubMed

Shorey, Shefaly; Siew, An Ling; Ang, Emily

2018-02-01

Education is going through accelerated changes to accommodate the needs of contemporary students. However, there are ongoing concerns regarding the quality of education in communication skills for nurses and other healthcare professionals. Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a blended learning pedagogical tool in enhancing the learning of nursing undergraduates. However, little is known about students' experiences of a blended learning model for teaching communication skills. To explore first year nursing students' experiences of the blended learning design adopted in a communication module. A descriptive qualitative design was adopted. Data were collected in the form of written reflections from 74 first year nursing undergraduates who were enrolled in a university-affiliated nursing school. Students were asked to complete an online reflective exercise regarding an undergraduate communication module on their last day of class, and the submitted reflections were analyzed. A thematic analysis was conducted and ethics approval was obtained for this study. Six overarching themes and fifteen subthemes were generated. The six overarching themes were: 1) Helpful and engaging classroom experience, 2) valuable online activities, 3) meaningful assessment, 4) appreciation for interprofessional education, 5) personal enrichment, and 6) overall feedback and recommendations. The students in this study felt that the blended pedagogy communication module enhanced their learning and boosted their confidence in facing similar situations. Interprofessional education was well-accepted among students as they attained a deeper understanding on the importance of interprofessional learning and an appreciation towards other professionals. Blended pedagogy can be used in teaching communication skills to nursing students to provide a holistic and up-to-date learning experience. Future studies should consider engaging students in face-to-face interviews to obtain a deeper understanding on their experiences of a blended pedagogy incorporated communication module. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teaching for quality learning in chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teixeira-Dias, José J. C.; Pedrosa de Jesus, Helena; Neri de Souza, Francislê; Watts, Mike

2005-09-01

In Portugal, the number of students in higher education increased from 80,000 in 1975 to 381,000 in 2000 (a change from 11% to 53% in the age group 18 22), meaning a major change in the diversity of student population with consequences well known and studied in other countries. The teaching of chemistry at the University of Aveiro, for the first-year students of science and engineering, has been subjected to continuous attention to implement quality and student-centred approaches. The work devoted to excellence and deep learning by several authors has been carefully followed and considered. This communication reports research work on chemistry teaching, associated with those developments for first-year students. The work included the design of strategies and the adoption of teaching and learning activities exploring ways to stimulate active learning by improving the quality of classroom interactions. In addition to regular lectures, large classes' teaching based on student-generated questions was explored. In order to improve students' motivation and stimulate their curiosity, conference-lectures were adopted to deal with selected topics of wide scientific, technological and social interest. Quantitative analysis and discussion of selected case studies, together with the organization of laboratory classes based on selected enquiry-based experiments, planned and executed by students, stimulated deep learning processes. A sample of 32 students was followed in the academic year of 2000/01 and the results obtained are here discussed in comparison with those of a sample of 100 students followed in 2001/02. Particular attention was paid to the quality of classroom interactions, the use of questions by students and their views about the course design.

Pharmacy Student Learning During Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences in Relation to the CAPE 2013 Outcomes

PubMed Central

May, Dianne W.; Kanmaz, Tina J.; Reidt, Shannon L.; Serres, Michelle L.; Edwards, Heather D.

2016-01-01

Outcomes from The Center for Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) are intended to represent the terminal knowledge, skills, and attitudes pharmacy students should possess and have guided delivery of pharmacy education for more than two decades. Advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) are the endpoint of pharmacy curricula where demonstration and assessment of terminal learning occurs. This review examines published literature in relation to the most recent CAPE outcomes to determine the extent to which they have been addressed during APPEs since 1996. Details related to the APPE focus, intervention(s)/learning setting(s), and assessments are summarized according to the 15 CAPE outcomes. Further, the assessments are categorized according to the level of learning achieved using an available method. Common CAPE outcomes are highlighted, as well as those for which published reports are lacking for APPEs. The range and quality of assessments are discussed and emphasize the need for continuous improvement of scholarly design and assessment. PMID:27756935

Use of After Action Reports (AARs) to Promote Organizational and Systems Learning in Emergency Preparedness

PubMed Central

Savoia, Elena; Agboola, Foluso; Biddinger, Paul D.

2012-01-01

Many public health and healthcare organizations use formal knowledge management practices to identify and disseminate the experiences gained over time. The “lessons-learned” approach is one such example of knowledge management practice applied to the wider concept of organizational learning. In the field of emergency preparedness, the lessons-learned approach stands on the assumption that learning from experience improves practice and minimizes avoidable deaths and negative economic and social consequences of disasters. In this project, we performed a structured review of AARs to analyze how lessons learned from the response to real-incidents may be used to maximize knowledge management and quality improvement practices such as the design of public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) exercises. We chose as a source of data the “Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS.gov)” system, a joined program of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security DHS and FEMA that serves as the national, online repository of lessons learned, best practices, and innovative ideas. We identified recurring challenges reported by various states and local public health agencies in the response to different types of incidents. We also strived to identify the limitations of systematic learning that can be achieved due to existing weaknesses in the way AARs are developed. PMID:23066408

Applying Organizational Learning Research to Accountable Care Organizations.

PubMed

Nembhard, Ingrid M; Tucker, Anita L

2016-12-01

To accomplish the goal of improving quality of care while simultaneously reducing cost, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) need to find new and better ways of providing health care to populations of patients. This requires implementing best practices and improving collaboration across the multiple entities involved in care delivery, including patients. In this article, we discuss seven lessons from the organizational learning literature that can help ACOs overcome the inherent challenges of learning how to work together in radically new ways. The lessons involve setting expectations, creating a supportive culture, and structuring the improvement efforts. For example, with regard to setting expectations, framing the changes as learning experiences rather than as implementation projects encourages the teams to utilize helpful activities, such as dry runs and pilot tests. It is also important to create an organizational culture where employees feel safe pointing out improvement opportunities and experimenting with new ways of working. With regard to structure, stable, cross-functional teams provide a powerful building block for effective improvement efforts. The article concludes by outlining opportunities for future research on organizational learning in ACOs. © The Author(s) 2016.

Why undertake a pilot in a qualitative PhD study? Lessons learned to promote success.

PubMed

Wray, Jane; Archibong, Uduak; Walton, Sean

2017-01-23

Background Pilot studies can play an important role in qualitative studies. Methodological and practical issues can be shaped and refined by undertaking pilots. Personal development and researchers' competence are enhanced and lessons learned can inform the development and quality of the main study. However, pilot studies are rarely published, despite their potential to improve knowledge and understanding of the research. Aim To present the main lessons learned from undertaking a pilot in a qualitative PhD study. Discussion This paper draws together lessons learned when undertaking a pilot as part of a qualitative research project. Important methodological and practical issues identified during the pilot study are discussed including access, recruitment, data collection and the personal development of the researcher. The resulting changes to the final study are also highlighted. Conclusion Sharing experiences of and lessons learned in a pilot study enhances personal development, improves researchers' confidence and competence, and contributes to the understanding of research. Implications for practice Pilots can be used effectively in qualitative studies to refine the final design, and provide the researcher with practical experience to enhance confidence and competence.

The use of an android–based-game in the team assisted individualization to improve students’ creativity and cognitive achievement in chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiyarto, K. H.; Ikhsan, J.; Lukman, I. R.

2018-05-01

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in learning process resulted in positive impact to students’ output. This research investigated the difference of improvement of students’ creativity and cognitive achievement due to the use of android-based games on Chemistry Nomenclature in learning method of team-assisted individualization (TAI) into the improvement of students’ creativity and cognitive achievement. This was an quasi experiment research with non-equivalent pretest-posttest control group design involving 2 groups of students of X grade of a senior high school in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, SMAN 1 Seyegan, Sleman. The groups were experiment and control which were chosen randomly, involving 32 students in each group. The difference of learning model in the two groups were the use of android-based games within learning model of TAI in the experiment group, but it was only the use of TAI model in control group. The android-based games were developed and validated previously in this investigation, and were excellent in quality for the use in Chemistry learning process, and were reported separately. The data of both students’ creativity and cognitive achievement were measured before and after learning process. Data of students’ creativity were collected with the instruments of questionnaire and observation sheets, and the data of cognitive achievement were collected with a set of test. Statistical analysis of MANOVA was used to analyze data to measure the difference of the improvement of students’ creativity and cognitive achievement between experiment and control groups. The results showed that the improvement of creativity and cognitive achievement of students in the experiment group was higher significantly than that in control group.

Exploring Elementary Students' Understanding of Energy and Climate Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boylan, Colin

2008-01-01

As environmental changes become a significant societal issue, elementary science curricula need to develop students' understanding about the key concepts of energy and climate change. For teachers, developing quality learning experiences involves establishing what their students' prior understanding about energy and climate change are. A survey…

Learning Autonomy: Higher Education Reform in Kazakhstan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartley, Matthew; Gopaul, Bryan; Sagintayeva, Aida; Apergenova, Renata

2016-01-01

Higher education is a key economic and social priority in the global arena. Many countries have sought to advance reforms aimed at increasing access, promoting greater educational quality, and ensuring financial responsibility and sustainability. Often, strategies for achieving these aims are informed by experiences elsewhere. However,…

An Application of Fuzzy AHP for Evaluating Course Website Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Hsiu-Fen

2010-01-01

Although previous studies have identified various influences on course website effectiveness, the evaluation of the relative importance of these factors across different online learning experience groups has not been empirically determined. This study develops an evolution model that integrates triangular fuzzy numbers and analytic hierarchy…

Achieving Equivalence: A Transnational Curriculum Design Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Angela; Johal, Terry; Sharp, Kristen; Quinn, Shayna

2016-01-01

Transnational education is now essential to university international development strategies. As a result, tertiary educators are expected to engage with the complexities of diverse cultural contexts, different delivery modes, and mixed student cohorts to design quality learning experiences for all. To support this transition we developed a…

TQM for Professors and Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bateman, George R.; Roberts, Harry V.

This paper offers suggestions on how individual faculty can apply Total Quality Management (TQM) practices to their teaching. In particular the paper describes the experiences and lessons learned by two business school faculty members who took to heart the "Galvin Challenge," Bob Galvin's challenge to professors at the Xerox Quality…

Designing Instruction in the Face of Technology Transience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linder-VanBerschot, Jennifer A.; Summers, Laura L.

2015-01-01

As we strive to provide quality and sustainable online learning experiences, we must frame instructional design decisions around learners' current needs and interaction with technology. This article explores the implications of technology transience on instructional design. We provide numerous examples of programs assuming a purposeful approach to…

Assuring Quality in Higher Education: The New Zealand Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weir, Annie

2009-01-01

With the expansion of higher education across the globe in response to the creation of knowledge economies and learning societies, governments have become increasingly interested in ensuring value for money from their investments. In determining their comparative economic advantage, nation states have increasingly focused on the…

Choosing a Great Preschool: A Parent's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ransom, Marilee

2012-01-01

Many parents--whether employed outside the home or not--either want or need preschool for their young children. Research indicates that quality early educational experiences bestow numerous benefits on children, including developing a love of school, healthy socialization, meaningful learning, and preparation for kindergarten. Equipped with this…

Rural Science Education as Social Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eppley, Karen

2017-01-01

What part can science education play in the dismantling of obstacles to social justice in rural places? In this Forum contribution, I use "Learning in and about Rural Places: Connections and Tensions Between Students' Everyday Experiences and Environmental Quality Issues in their Community" (Zimmerman and Weible 2016) to explicitly…

The Role Consumerism Plays in Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Laura M.; Risler, Laura

2015-01-01

In nations facing austerity measures, students risk diminished quality in their higher education experiences. Universities function increasingly like corporations as they struggle to compensate for budget shortfalls caused by declining public support. As a result, students become positioned as consumers of a private commodity that exists to…

Developing Educational Goals: Insights from a Peer Assisted Teaching Scheme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Bella; Carbone, Angela; Lindsay, Katherine; Drew, Steve; Phelan, Liam; Cottman, Caroline; Stoney, Sue

2016-01-01

The rapid changes facing higher education are placing increased focus on the quality of the student experience, achieving learning outcomes, and employability expectations. As a result, academics in teaching roles are increasingly measured on performance via student evaluations amplifying attention on professional development initiatives for…

Associations between Collaborative Learning and Personality/Cognitive Style among Online Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheffield, Anneliese

2016-01-01

This research study investigated associations between online community college students' personal characteristics and experiences in online courses (n = 123). Specifically, students' personalities and cognitive styles were examined alongside the perceived quality and outcomes of collaboration. Negative correlations were found between the…

Quality of Learners' Time and Learning Performance beyond Quantitative Time-on-Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romero, Margarida; Barbera, Elena

2011-01-01

Along with the amount of time spent learning (or time-on-task), the quality of learning time has a real influence on learning performance. Quality of time in online learning depends on students' time availability and their willingness to devote quality cognitive time to learning activities. However, the quantity and quality of the time spent by…

A case study in experiential learning: pharmaceutical cold chain management on wheels.

PubMed

Vesper, James; Kartoglu, Ümit; Bishara, Rafik; Reeves, Thomas

2010-01-01

People who handle and regulate temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products require the knowledge and skills to ensure those products maintain quality, integrity, safety, and efficacy throughout their shelf life. People best acquire such knowledge and skills through "experiential learning" that involves working with other learners and experts. The World Health Organization developed a weeklong experiential learning event for participants so they could gain experience in how temperature-sensitive products are handled, stored, and distributed throughout the length of the distribution supply chain system. This experiential learning method enabled participants to visit, critically observe, discuss and report on the various components of the cold chain process. An emphasis was placed on team members working together to learn from one another and on several global expert mentors who were available to guide the learning, share their experiences, and respond to questions. The learning event, Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Management on Wheels, has been conducted once each year since 2008 in Turkey with participants from the global pharmaceutical industry, health care providers, national regulatory authorities, and suppliers/vendors. Observations made during the course showed that it was consistent with the principles of experiential and social learning theories. Questionnaires and focus groups provided evidence of the value of the learning event and ways to improve it. Reflecting the critical elements derived from experiential and social learning theories, five factors contributed to the success of this unique experiential learning event. These factors may also have relevance in other experiential learning courses and, potentially, for experiential e-learning events.

How Dutch employees experience freedom of learning for work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dellen, Theo; Heidekamp, Ina

2015-12-01

This article focuses on the perceived freedom of Dutch employees to embark on workplace learning in terms of whether they feel it is "voluntary" or "compulsory". The paper is based on the findings of a large international explorative survey carried out by the Workplace Learning (WPL) Research Network (RN2) of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Lifelong Learning (LLL) Research Hub. The comparative study focused on employees' quest for "freedom of learning for work". This paper reports on the Dutch part of the research, the quantitative results of which seem to indicate that the freedom of learning for work is not as important to Dutch employees as might be expected. In a second phase, to investigate employees' experiences of work-related learning in more depth, the Dutch researchers added a follow-up qualitative study, involving one-on-one interviews. In order to triangulate the results of the quantitative and qualitative research phases, the authors then added a mixed-methods sequential explanatory analysis. They assessed the quality of the collected data in both distinct phases by identifying converging results, which are useful for refining our understanding of learning for work. The paper draws both on rich insights into workplace learning based on this research as well as on theoretical literature which refers to concepts like motivation, subjectivity, work identity and agency in connection with the quest for freedom of learning.

Industry-Education Partnerships: Bridging the Gap Between the Workplace and the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harpole, S. H.

2004-12-01

Across the nation, business and industry are increasingly concerned about the quality of today's workforce and are issuing policy statements on both teacher preparation and teacher enhancement. Educational partnerships with industry are critical to the economic growth of the nation, particularly in rural areas where 31 percent of the nation's public schools are located. Through quality learning experiences that result from research/industry internships, teachers can better prepare for the 21st century workforce, become more aware of career opportunities, and emphasize the importance of preparation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. To provide a model for successful industry-education partnerships, Mississippi State University is building on projects funded by the National Science Foundation, other funding agencies, and private foundations involving research/industry experiences for teachers. Industry-Education Partnerships: A Model for the Teacher Professional Continuum (NSF ESI-0353441) is developing a learning community model that spans the education continuum, connecting education and industry while focusing on preparing students to enter a workplace based on a global economy and researching the factors that contribute to successful partnerships. Research/work experiences will be provided to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) participants covering the teacher continuum.

TUTORIAL: Beyond sensory substitution—learning the sixth sense

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagel, Saskia K.; Carl, Christine; Kringe, Tobias; Märtin, Robert; König, Peter

2005-12-01

Rapid advances in neuroscience have sparked numerous efforts to study the neural correlate of consciousness. Prominent subjects include higher sensory area, distributed assemblies bound by synchronization of neuronal activity and neurons in specific cortical laminae. In contrast, it has been suggested that the quality of sensory awareness is determined by systematic change of afferent signals resulting from behaviour and knowledge thereof. Support for such skill-based theories of perception is provided by experiments on sensory substitution. Here, we pursue this line of thought and create new sensorimotor contingencies and, hence, a new quality of perception. Adult subjects received orientation information, obtained by a magnetic compass, via vibrotactile stimulation around the waist. After six weeks of training we evaluated integration of the new input by a battery of tests. The results indicate that the sensory information provided by the belt (1) is processed and boosts performance, (2) if inconsistent with other sensory signals leads to variable performance, (3) does interact with the vestibular nystagmus and (4) in half of the experimental subjects leads to qualitative changes of sensory experience. These data support the hypothesis that new sensorimotor contingencies can be learned and integrated into behaviour and affect perceptual experience.

The quest for better quality-of-life - learning from large-scale shaking table tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakashima, M.; Sato, E.; Nagae, T.; Kunio, F.; Takahito, I.

2010-12-01

Earthquake engineering has its origins in the practice of “learning from actual earthquakes and earthquake damages.” That is, we recognize serious problems by witnessing the actual damage to our structures, and then we develop and apply engineering solutions to solve these problems. This tradition in earthquake engineering, i.e., “learning from actual damage,” was an obvious engineering response to earthquakes and arose naturally as a practice in a civil and building engineering discipline that traditionally places more emphasis on experience than do other engineering disciplines. But with the rapid progress of urbanization, as society becomes denser, and as the many components that form our society interact with increasing complexity, the potential damage with which earthquakes threaten the society also increases. In such an era, the approach of ”learning from actual earthquake damages” becomes unacceptably dangerous and expensive. Among the practical alternatives to the old practice is to “learn from quasi-actual earthquake damages.” One tool for experiencing earthquake damages without attendant catastrophe is the large shaking table. E-Defense, the largest one we have, was developed in Japan after the 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake. Since its inauguration in 2005, E-Defense has conducted over forty full-scale or large-scale shaking table tests, applied to a variety of structural systems. The tests supply detailed data on actual behavior and collapse of the tested structures, offering the earthquake engineering community opportunities to experience and assess the actual seismic performance of the structures, and to help society prepare for earthquakes. Notably, the data were obtained without having to wait for the aftermaths of actual earthquakes. Earthquake engineering has always been about life safety, but in recent years maintaining the quality of life has also become a critical issue. Quality-of-life concerns include nonstructural damage, business continuity, public health, quickness of damage assessment, infrastructure, data and communication networks, and other issues, and not enough useful empirical data have emerged about these issues from the experiences of actual earthquakes. To provide quantitative data that can be used to reduce earthquake risk to our quality of life, E-Defense recently has been implementing two comprehensive research projects in which a base-isolated hospital and a steel high-rise building were tested using the E-Defense shaking table and their seismic performance were examined particularly in terms of the nonstructural damage, damage to building contents and furniture, and operability, functionality, and business-continuity capability. The paper presents the overview of the two projects, together with major findings obtained from the projects.

Learning curve evaluation using cumulative summation analysis-a clinical example of pediatric robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty.

PubMed

Cundy, Thomas P; Gattas, Nicholas E; White, Alan D; Najmaldin, Azad S

2015-08-01

The cumulative summation (CUSUM) method for learning curve analysis remains under-utilized in the surgical literature in general, and is described in only a small number of publications within the field of pediatric surgery. This study introduces the CUSUM analysis technique and applies it to evaluate the learning curve for pediatric robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty (RP). Clinical data were prospectively recorded for consecutive pediatric RP cases performed by a single-surgeon. CUSUM charts and tests were generated for set-up time, docking time, console time, operating time, total operating room time, and postoperative complications. Conversions and avoidable operating room delay were separately evaluated with respect to case experience. Comparisons between case experience and time-based outcomes were assessed using the Student's t-test and ANOVA for bi-phasic and multi-phasic learning curves respectively. Comparison between case experience and complication frequency was assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. A total of 90 RP cases were evaluated. The learning curve transitioned beyond the learning phase at cases 10, 15, 42, 57, and 58 for set-up time, docking time, console time, operating time, and total operating room time respectively. All comparisons of mean operating times between the learning phase and subsequent phases were statistically significant (P=<0.001-0.01). No significant difference was observed between case experience and frequency of post-operative complications (P=0.125), although the CUSUM chart demonstrated a directional change in slope for the last 12 cases in which there were high proportions of re-do cases and patients <6 months of age. The CUSUM method has a valuable role for learning curve evaluation and outcome quality monitoring. In applying this statistical technique to the largest reported single surgeon series of pediatric RP, we demonstrate numerous distinctly shaped learning curves and well-defined learning phase transition points. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Evaluation of Active Learning Causal Discovery Methods for Reverse-Engineering Local Causal Pathways of Gene Regulation

PubMed Central

Ma, Sisi; Kemmeren, Patrick; Aliferis, Constantin F.; Statnikov, Alexander

2016-01-01

Reverse-engineering of causal pathways that implicate diseases and vital cellular functions is a fundamental problem in biomedicine. Discovery of the local causal pathway of a target variable (that consists of its direct causes and direct effects) is essential for effective intervention and can facilitate accurate diagnosis and prognosis. Recent research has provided several active learning methods that can leverage passively observed high-throughput data to draft causal pathways and then refine the inferred relations with a limited number of experiments. The current study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of active learning methods for local causal pathway discovery in real biological data. Specifically, 54 active learning methods/variants from 3 families of algorithms were applied for local causal pathways reconstruction of gene regulation for 5 transcription factors in S. cerevisiae. Four aspects of the methods’ performance were assessed, including adjacency discovery quality, edge orientation accuracy, complete pathway discovery quality, and experimental cost. The results of this study show that some methods provide significant performance benefits over others and therefore should be routinely used for local causal pathway discovery tasks. This study also demonstrates the feasibility of local causal pathway reconstruction in real biological systems with significant quality and low experimental cost. PMID:26939894

Practice-based learning: the role of practice education facilitators in supporting mentors.

PubMed

Carlisle, Caroline; Calman, Lynn; Ibbotson, Tracy

2009-10-01

Central to the provision of high quality clinical placements for nursing and midwifery students are mentors who help engender a positive learning environment. In 2004 the Scottish Executive Health Department (now Scottish Government Health Directorates), NHS Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland, NHS Boards and Higher Education Institutions initiated and supported the establishment of the Practice Education Facilitator (PEF) role whose purpose is to ensure that the student experience, at both pre- and post-registration level, is of the highest quality, primarily through the support of mentors. A 3-year project evaluated the implementation and impact of the PEF role across Scotland. The study utilised both quantitative and qualitative data collection, with a sample comprising mentors, PEFs, students and other key stakeholders. This paper reports on selected findings from that study, specifically the perceived impact of the PEF in supporting mentors. Findings indicate that the PEF role has been accepted widely across Scotland and is seen as valuable to the development of quality clinical learning environments. PEFs provide support and guidance for mentors when dealing with 'failing' students, and encourage the identification of innovative learning opportunities. PEFs play an active part in student evaluation of their placements, but further work is needed in order that the feedback to clinical areas and mentors is timely.

Making the Grade: Making the Case for Well-Educated, Well-Trained Teaching Staff in Early Care and Education. Quality Matters: A Policy Brief Series on Early Care and Education. Volume 2, Fall 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edie, David

2007-01-01

The last quarter century of research on brain development suggests that the nurturing and learning experiences available in the first few years play a strong role in shaping a child's development. Babies are born with a remarkable intrinsic ability to learn. The foundation for a child's intellect, personality and skills is established in the first…

Determinants of quality of life (QoL) and quality of university life (QuL) in Malaysian public university students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haron, Halilah; Osman, Balkish Mohd; Maidinsah, Hamidah; Sari, Maznita Maksari @ Md; Zaki, Nurul Qusna Mohd

2015-02-01

Quality of life (QoL) refers to the degree of satisfaction, or the sense of well being, people experience in organizations including universities. The quality of life students experience in a university increases when they believe their needs are aligned with the goals of the university because they perceive that the university is responsive to their needs. Quality of University Life (QuL) refers to the students' ability to stabilize their life regarding social activities, academic performance, health and spiritual. A study was undertaken to investigate the accountability of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia, in terms of teaching and learning. The objective of this paper is to identify and evaluate the determinants of QoL and QuL measurement models. Data from 788 students who responded to a set of questionnaire were collected from nine faculties. Factor analysis performed on the data resulted in six determinants for QuL; friendly, skills, satisfaction, interest, learning and feeling. Only two determinants, environment and quality represented QoL. Results indicated that the measures were highly reliable (in terms of internal consistency) based on Cronbach Alpha values ranging from 0.705 to 0.905 for QuL and 0.826 to 0.888 for QoL. Construct validity was supported by Average Variance Extraction values of more than 0.5 for QuL (0.481 - 0.724) and QoL. (0.503 and 0.519). The construct reliability (CR) values ranging between 0.623 to 0.882 for QuL and 0.731 to 0.815 for QoL suggested good reliability construct.

Improving the quality of educational strategies in postgraduate dental education using student and graduate feedback: findings from a qualitative study in New Zealand.

PubMed

Subramanian, J; Anderson, V R; Morgaine, K C; Thomson, W M

2013-02-01

Research suggests that students' perceptions should be considered in any discussion of their education. However, to date, there has been no systematic examination of New Zealand postgraduate dental students' learning processes in both the research and clinical settings. This study aimed to obtain in-depth qualitative insights into student and graduate perspectives of effective and ineffective learning experiences during their postgraduate dental education. Data were collected in 2010 using semi-structured individual interviews. Participants included 2010 final-year students and 2009 graduates of the University of Otago Doctor of Clinical Dentistry programme. Using the Critical Incident Technique, participants were asked to describe at least one effective and one ineffective learning experience in detail. Interview transcripts were analysed using a general inductive approach. Broad themes which emerged included supervisory approaches, characteristics of the learning process and characteristics of the physical learning environment. The focus of this article is to report and discuss the learning processes that participants identified as promoting and precluding effective learning experiences in the clinical and research settings. Students and graduates in the study had largely similar perspectives of learning processes likely to result in effective clinical and research learning. These included self-directed and collaborative learning; timely, constructive and detailed feedback with directions for further improvement; and discreet clinical feedback. Learning processes that precluded effective learning included unsupported and isolated learning, delayed and overly critical/destructive feedback and open criticism in the clinical context. The in-depth findings of this study contribute to the scientific literature that identifies learning process characteristics which facilitate effective learning from New Zealand postgraduate students' and graduates' perspectives. Additional cross-sectional and longitudinal studies (both qualitative and quantitative) would lead to a better understanding of what constitutes effective teaching in postgraduate dental education. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Experimental studies illuminate the cultural transmission of percussive technologies in Homo and Pan

PubMed Central

Whiten, Andrew

2015-01-01

The complexity of Stone Age tool-making is assumed to have relied upon cultural transmission, but direct evidence is lacking. This paper reviews evidence bearing on this question provided through five related empirical perspectives. Controlled experimental studies offer special power in identifying and dissecting social learning into its diverse component forms, such as imitation and emulation. The first approach focuses on experimental studies that have discriminated social learning processes in nut-cracking by chimpanzees. Second come experiments that have identified and dissected the processes of cultural transmission involved in a variety of other force-based forms of chimpanzee tool use. A third perspective is provided by field studies that have revealed a range of forms of forceful, targeted tool use by chimpanzees, that set percussion in its broader cognitive context. Fourth are experimental studies of the development of flint knapping to make functional sharp flakes by bonobos, implicating and defining the social learning and innovation involved. Finally, new and substantial experiments compare what different social learning processes, from observational learning to teaching, afford good quality human flake and biface manufacture. Together these complementary approaches begin to delineate the social learning processes necessary to percussive technologies within the Pan–Homo clade. PMID:26483537

A Person-Centered, Registry-Based Learning Health System for Palliative Care: A Path to Coproducing Better Outcomes, Experience, Value, and Science

PubMed Central

Kamal, Arif H.; Kirkland, Kathryn B.; Meier, Diane E.; Nelson, Eugene C.; Pantilat, Steven Z.

2018-01-01

Abstract Background: Palliative care offers an approach to the care of people with serious illness that focuses on quality of life and aligning care with individual and family goals, and values in the context of what is medically achievable. Objective: Measurement of the impact of palliative care is critical for determining what works for which patients in what settings, to learn, improve care, and ensure access to high value care for people with serious illness. Methods: A learning health system that includes patients and families partnering with clinicians and care teams, is directly linked to a registry to support networks for improvement and research, and offers an ideal framework for measuring what matters to a range of stakeholders interested in improving care for this population. Measurements: Measurement focuses on the individual patient and family experience as the fundamental outcome of interest around which all care delivery is organized. Results: We describe an approach to codesigning and implementing a palliative care registry that functions as a learning health system, by combining patient and family inputs and clinical data to support person-centered care, quality improvement, accountability, transparency, and scientific research. Discussion: The potential for a palliative care learning health system that, by design, brings together enriched information environments to support coproduction of healthcare and facilitated peer networks to support patients and families, collaborative clinician networks to support palliative care program improvement, and collaboratories to support research and the application of research to benefit individual patients is immense. PMID:29091509

A fourth-year medical school rotation in quality, patient safety, and population medicine.

PubMed

Dysinger, Wayne S; Pappas, James M

2011-10-01

Quality improvement and population medicine are skills that are increasingly important for physicians to possess. Methods to achieve foundational acquisition of these skills in medical school have not been well described in the past. The primary goal of this project is to provide hands-on, experiential learning in full-cycle population-based care. A description is given of a 4-week, team-based, rapid-cycle quality improvement project embedded in a required fourth-year medical school rotation. Over the course of 4 years a nonspecialty generic Ambulatory Care rotation was converted to a population-based learning rotation. For the last 3 years this rotation has required students to participate in teams of three to four students to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate a quality improvement project. Between 2008 and 2010 a total of 510 students completed the rotation. During this time the project component of the rotation received a 53% average rating of "excellent" or "above average." Qualitative evaluation indicates the project to be an acceptable and worthwhile educational experience for medical students, adding new insights and occasionally career-changing perspectives. Although experiential team-based quality improvement projects are a new format for learning in the medical school environment, it can be implemented in a format that is acceptable and beneficial to future physicians and healthcare systems. Copyright © 2011 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A learning tool for optical and microwave satellite image processing and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dashondhi, Gaurav K.; Mohanty, Jyotirmoy; Eeti, Laxmi N.; Bhattacharya, Avik; De, Shaunak; Buddhiraju, Krishna M.

2016-04-01

This paper presents a self-learning tool, which contains a number of virtual experiments for processing and analysis of Optical/Infrared and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. The tool is named Virtual Satellite Image Processing and Analysis Lab (v-SIPLAB) Experiments that are included in Learning Tool are related to: Optical/Infrared - Image and Edge enhancement, smoothing, PCT, vegetation indices, Mathematical Morphology, Accuracy Assessment, Supervised/Unsupervised classification etc.; Basic SAR - Parameter extraction and range spectrum estimation, Range compression, Doppler centroid estimation, Azimuth reference function generation and compression, Multilooking, image enhancement, texture analysis, edge and detection. etc.; SAR Interferometry - BaseLine Calculation, Extraction of single look SAR images, Registration, Resampling, and Interferogram generation; SAR Polarimetry - Conversion of AirSAR or Radarsat data to S2/C3/T3 matrix, Speckle Filtering, Power/Intensity image generation, Decomposition of S2/C3/T3, Classification of S2/C3/T3 using Wishart Classifier [3]. A professional quality polarimetric SAR software can be found at [8], a part of whose functionality can be found in our system. The learning tool also contains other modules, besides executable software experiments, such as aim, theory, procedure, interpretation, quizzes, link to additional reading material and user feedback. Students can have understanding of Optical and SAR remotely sensed images through discussion of basic principles and supported by structured procedure for running and interpreting the experiments. Quizzes for self-assessment and a provision for online feedback are also being provided to make this Learning tool self-contained. One can download results after performing experiments.

Trajectories of the home learning environment across the first 5 years: associations with children's vocabulary and literacy skills at prekindergarten.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Eileen T; Tamis-LeMonda, Catherine S

2011-01-01

Children's home learning environments were examined in a low-income sample of 1,852 children and families when children were 15, 25, 37, and 63 months. During home visits, children's participation in literacy activities, the quality of mothers' engagements with their children, and the availability of learning materials were assessed, yielding a total learning environment score at each age. At 63 months, children's vocabulary and literacy skills were assessed. Six learning environment trajectories were identified, including environments that were consistently low, environments that were consistently high, and environments characterized by varying patterns of change. The skills of children at the extremes of learning environment trajectories differed by more than 1 SD and the timing of learning experiences related to specific emerging skills. © 2011 The Authors. Child Development © 2011 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Nursing students' perceptions of their clinical learning environment in placements outside traditional hospital settings.

PubMed

Bjørk, Ida T; Berntsen, Karin; Brynildsen, Grethe; Hestetun, Margrete

2014-10-01

To explore students' opinions of the learning environment during clinical placement in settings outside traditional hospital settings. Clinical placement experiences may influence positively on nursing students attitudes towards the clinical setting in question. Most studies exploring the quality of clinical placements have targeted students' experience in hospital settings. The number of studies exploring students' experiences of the learning environment in healthcare settings outside of the hospital venue does not match the growing importance of such settings in the delivery of health care, nor the growing number of nurses needed in these venues. A survey design was used. The Clinical Learning Environment Inventory was administered to two cohorts of undergraduate nursing students (n = 184) after clinical placement in mental health care, home care and nursing home care. Nursing students' overall contentment with the learning environment was quite similar across all three placement areas. Students in mental health care had significantly higher scores on the subscale individualisation, and older students had significantly higher scores on the total scale. Compared with other studies where the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory has been used, the students' total scores in this study are similar or higher than scores in studies including students from hospital settings. Results from this study negate the negative views on clinical placements outside the hospital setting, especially those related to placements in nursing homes and mental healthcare settings. Students' experience of the learning environment during placements in mental health care, home care and nursing homes indicates the relevance of clinical education in settings outside the hospital setting. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nursing students' perceptions of their clinical learning environment in placements outside traditional hospital settings

PubMed Central

Bjørk, Ida T; Berntsen, Karin; Brynildsen, Grethe; Hestetun, Margrete

2014-01-01

Aims and objectives To explore students' opinions of the learning environment during clinical placement in settings outside traditional hospital settings. Background Clinical placement experiences may influence positively on nursing students attitudes towards the clinical setting in question. Most studies exploring the quality of clinical placements have targeted students' experience in hospital settings. The number of studies exploring students' experiences of the learning environment in healthcare settings outside of the hospital venue does not match the growing importance of such settings in the delivery of health care, nor the growing number of nurses needed in these venues. Design A survey design was used. Method The Clinical Learning Environment Inventory was administered to two cohorts of undergraduate nursing students (n = 184) after clinical placement in mental health care, home care and nursing home care. Results Nursing students' overall contentment with the learning environment was quite similar across all three placement areas. Students in mental health care had significantly higher scores on the subscale individualisation, and older students had significantly higher scores on the total scale. Compared with other studies where the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory has been used, the students' total scores in this study are similar or higher than scores in studies including students from hospital settings. Conclusion Results from this study negate the negative views on clinical placements outside the hospital setting, especially those related to placements in nursing homes and mental healthcare settings. Relevance to clinical practice Students' experience of the learning environment during placements in mental health care, home care and nursing homes indicates the relevance of clinical education in settings outside the hospital setting. PMID:24460862

TU-CD-BRD-04: UCLA Experience, with Focus On Developing Metrics and Using RO-ILS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beron, P.

2015-06-15

It has long been standard practice in radiation oncology to report internally when a patient’s treatment has not gone as planned and to report events to regulatory agencies when legally required. Most potential errors are caught early and never affect the patient. Quality assurance steps routinely prevent errors from reaching the patient, and these “near misses” are much more frequent than treatment errors. A growing number of radiation oncology facilities have implemented incident learning systems to report and analyze both errors and near misses. Using the term “incident learning” instead of “event reporting” emphasizes the need to use these experiencesmore » to change the practice and make future errors less likely and promote an educational, non-punitive environment. There are challenges in making such a system practical and effective. Speakers from institutions of different sizes and practice environments will share their experiences on how to make such a system work and what benefits their clinics have accrued. Questions that will be addressed include: How to create a system that is easy for front line staff to access How to motivate staff to report How to promote the system as positive and educational and not punitive or demeaning How to organize the team for reviewing and responding to reports How to prioritize which reports to discuss in depth How not to dismiss the rest How to identify underlying causes How to design corrective actions and implement change How to develop useful statistics and analysis tools How to coordinate a departmental system with a larger risk management system How to do this without a dedicated quality manager Some speakers’ experience is with in-house systems and some will share experience with the AAPM/ASTRO national Radiation Oncology Incident Learning System (RO-ILS). Reports intended to be of value nationally need to be comprehensible to outsiders; examples of useful reports will be shown. There will be ample time set aside for audience members to contribute to the discussion. Learning Objectives: Learn how to promote the use of an incident learning system in a clinic. Learn how to convert “event reporting” into “incident learning”. See examples of practice changes that have come out of learning systems. Learn how the RO-ILS system can be used as a primary internal learning system. Learn how to create succinct, meaningful reports useful to outside readers. Gary Ezzell chairs the AAPM committee overseeing RO-ILS and has received an honorarium from ASTRO for working on the committee reviewing RO-ILS reports. Derek Brown is a director of http://TreatSafely.org . Brett Miller has previously received travel expenses and an honorarium from Varian. Phillip Beron has nothing to report.« less

TU-CD-BRD-03: UCSD Experience, with Focus On Implementing Change

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, D.

2015-06-15

It has long been standard practice in radiation oncology to report internally when a patient’s treatment has not gone as planned and to report events to regulatory agencies when legally required. Most potential errors are caught early and never affect the patient. Quality assurance steps routinely prevent errors from reaching the patient, and these “near misses” are much more frequent than treatment errors. A growing number of radiation oncology facilities have implemented incident learning systems to report and analyze both errors and near misses. Using the term “incident learning” instead of “event reporting” emphasizes the need to use these experiencesmore » to change the practice and make future errors less likely and promote an educational, non-punitive environment. There are challenges in making such a system practical and effective. Speakers from institutions of different sizes and practice environments will share their experiences on how to make such a system work and what benefits their clinics have accrued. Questions that will be addressed include: How to create a system that is easy for front line staff to access How to motivate staff to report How to promote the system as positive and educational and not punitive or demeaning How to organize the team for reviewing and responding to reports How to prioritize which reports to discuss in depth How not to dismiss the rest How to identify underlying causes How to design corrective actions and implement change How to develop useful statistics and analysis tools How to coordinate a departmental system with a larger risk management system How to do this without a dedicated quality manager Some speakers’ experience is with in-house systems and some will share experience with the AAPM/ASTRO national Radiation Oncology Incident Learning System (RO-ILS). Reports intended to be of value nationally need to be comprehensible to outsiders; examples of useful reports will be shown. There will be ample time set aside for audience members to contribute to the discussion. Learning Objectives: Learn how to promote the use of an incident learning system in a clinic. Learn how to convert “event reporting” into “incident learning”. See examples of practice changes that have come out of learning systems. Learn how the RO-ILS system can be used as a primary internal learning system. Learn how to create succinct, meaningful reports useful to outside readers. Gary Ezzell chairs the AAPM committee overseeing RO-ILS and has received an honorarium from ASTRO for working on the committee reviewing RO-ILS reports. Derek Brown is a director of http://TreatSafely.org . Brett Miller has previously received travel expenses and an honorarium from Varian. Phillip Beron has nothing to report.« less

TU-CD-BRD-02: Henry Ford Hospital System Experience, with Focus On Motivating and Reviewing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, B.

It has long been standard practice in radiation oncology to report internally when a patient’s treatment has not gone as planned and to report events to regulatory agencies when legally required. Most potential errors are caught early and never affect the patient. Quality assurance steps routinely prevent errors from reaching the patient, and these “near misses” are much more frequent than treatment errors. A growing number of radiation oncology facilities have implemented incident learning systems to report and analyze both errors and near misses. Using the term “incident learning” instead of “event reporting” emphasizes the need to use these experiencesmore » to change the practice and make future errors less likely and promote an educational, non-punitive environment. There are challenges in making such a system practical and effective. Speakers from institutions of different sizes and practice environments will share their experiences on how to make such a system work and what benefits their clinics have accrued. Questions that will be addressed include: How to create a system that is easy for front line staff to access How to motivate staff to report How to promote the system as positive and educational and not punitive or demeaning How to organize the team for reviewing and responding to reports How to prioritize which reports to discuss in depth How not to dismiss the rest How to identify underlying causes How to design corrective actions and implement change How to develop useful statistics and analysis tools How to coordinate a departmental system with a larger risk management system How to do this without a dedicated quality manager Some speakers’ experience is with in-house systems and some will share experience with the AAPM/ASTRO national Radiation Oncology Incident Learning System (RO-ILS). Reports intended to be of value nationally need to be comprehensible to outsiders; examples of useful reports will be shown. There will be ample time set aside for audience members to contribute to the discussion. Learning Objectives: Learn how to promote the use of an incident learning system in a clinic. Learn how to convert “event reporting” into “incident learning”. See examples of practice changes that have come out of learning systems. Learn how the RO-ILS system can be used as a primary internal learning system. Learn how to create succinct, meaningful reports useful to outside readers. Gary Ezzell chairs the AAPM committee overseeing RO-ILS and has received an honorarium from ASTRO for working on the committee reviewing RO-ILS reports. Derek Brown is a director of http://TreatSafely.org . Brett Miller has previously received travel expenses and an honorarium from Varian. Phillip Beron has nothing to report.« less

Preceptorship and Affirmation in the Intergenerational World of Nursing Practice

PubMed Central

Foley, Vicki; Myrick, Florence; Yonge, Olive

2012-01-01

Research has shown that while preceptorship offers a reality-oriented learning environment and facilitates competence of students, there are inherent rewards and stressors associated with the experience. Students and preceptors can be from different generations, and as such, they may often come to the learning space with differing values and expectations. The nature of the preceptorship experience in this intergenerational context was explored in a recent phenomenological study with seven preceptors and seven nursing students in an undergraduate nursing program in Eastern Canada. Overall the experience was found to be inclusive of three main themes: being affirmed, being challenged, and being on a pedagogical journey. In this paper we explore the first of these themes, being affirmed. Highlighting the positive aspects of the preceptorship experience in the intergenerational context is necessary to promote a culture of openness and respect for generational differences within clinical nursing practice settings and to improving the overall quality of the educational experience. PMID:22778943

The flying classroom - a cost effective integrated approach to learning and teaching flight dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bromfield, Michael A.; Belberov, Aleksandar

2017-11-01

In the UK, the Royal Aeronautical Society recommends the inclusion of practical flight exercises for accredited undergraduate aerospace engineering programmes to enhance learning and student experience. The majority of academic institutions teaching aerospace in the UK separate the theory and practice of flight dynamics with students attending a series of lectures supplemented by an intensive one-day flight exercise. Performance and/or handling qualities flight tests are performed in a dedicated aircraft fitted with specialist equipment for the recording and presentation of flight data. This paper describes an innovative approach to better integrate theory and practice and the use of portable Commercial-off-The-Shelf (COTS) technologies to enable a range of standard, unmodified aircraft to be used. The integration of theory and practice has enriched learning and teaching, improved coursework grades and the student experience. The use of COTS and unmodified aircraft has reduced costs and enabled increased student participation.

Engaging with Assessment: Increasing Student Engagement through Continuous Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Naomi

2018-01-01

Student engagement is intrinsically linked to two important metrics in learning: student satisfaction and the quality of the student experience. One of the ways that engagement can be influenced is through careful curriculum design. Using the knowledge that many students are "assessment-driven," a low-stakes continuous weekly summative…

Framework of Quality Assurance of TEL Integration into an Educational Organization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volungeviciene, Airina; Tereseviciene, Margarita; Tait, Alan

2014-01-01

This research paper addresses the issues of integration of technology enhanced learning (TEL) into an educational organization. Good practice experience cannot be directly transferred to new organisations due to different contextual conditions. The TEL integration depends significantly upon a very rapid development of services and information…

Integrating Business and Economics Education in a Technology Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollis, Mike

1992-01-01

Discusses the Business and Economics Education (BEE) portion of the National Curriculum in Great Britain. Describes a project for incorporating technology training into other subject areas for a common, practical approach to learning. Emphasizes the importance of having a specialist to teach BEE to provide a quality experience and ensure…

Parent Involvement in the Early Years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honig, Alice Sterling

Parents are young children's greatest resource, and quality parenting helps develop children's self-esteem. Every child needs caring parents to be teachers as well as nurturers. Parents can create learning experiences for their children in everyday activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and grocery shopping. In addition to teaching, parents should…

Quality of Parental Support and Students' Emotions during Homework: Moderating Effects of Students' Motivational Orientations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knollmann, Martin; Wild, Elke

2007-01-01

Two studies investigated the relationship between parental support, students' motivational orientations, and students' emotions during homework. It was assumed that intrinsically motivated students would feel better when parents provided much learning autonomy, while extrinsically motivated students would experience more positive affect when…

Aiming for Better Employment: A Holistic Analysis from Admission to Labour Market

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Sheng-Ju; Lin, Jing-Wen

2016-01-01

To address the changing needs of the labour market better, higher education institutions have increasingly aimed to enhance their teaching quality and the learning experiences of their students. Therefore, a key concept of the missions of contemporary educational institutions is to improve students' employability after graduation. Although…

Skype Synchronous Interaction Effectiveness in a Quantitative Management Science Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strang, Kenneth David

2012-01-01

An experiment compared asynchronous versus synchronous instruction in an online quantitative course. Mann-Whitney U-tests, correlation, analysis of variance, t tests, and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) were utilized to test the hypothesis that more high-quality online experiential learning interactions would increase grade.…

Partnership across Programs and Schools: Fostering Collaboration in Shared Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Heejeong Sophia; Parker, Audra K.; Berson, Ilene R.

2014-01-01

Recent reports call for a structural transformation of teacher preparation programs with increased attention to quality field-based learning experiences for pre-service teachers. Ideally, this occurs in the context of robust university-school partnerships. The challenges lie in identifying such school sites and building meaningful, reciprocal…

Leading for Equity: Opportunities for State Education Chiefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council of Chief State School Officers, 2017

2017-01-01

Every student deserves an education that prepares him or her for lifelong learning, success in the world of work, and participation in representative government. Unfortunately, far too many students are not receiving the high-quality educational experiences needed to help them reach these goals. Meaningful progress toward equity in education does…

The Tao of Teaching: Romance and Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schindler, Stefan

1991-01-01

Because college teaching aims to elevate, not entertain, it must be nourished and appreciated as a pedagogical alchemy mixing facts and feelings, ideas and skills, history and mystery. The current debate on educational reform should focus more on quality of learning experience, and on how to create and sustain it. (MSE)

Children's Use of iPads in Outdoor Environmental Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kacoroski, Joy; Liddicoat, Kendra R.; Kerlin, Steve

2016-01-01

This exploratory study aimed to understand how use of digital technology, specifically iPads, impacts the learning experiences of children during outdoor environmental education programs. iPads were integrated into water quality education programs for fifth grade students from an urban area. Qualitative observations were analyzed to document…

Enhancing Student Compositional Diversity in the Sociology Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyon, Katherine A.; Guppy, Neil

2016-01-01

It is well documented that interaction between diverse students encourages positive learning outcomes. Given this, we examine how to enhance the quantity and quality of student diversity in university classrooms. Drawing on sociological theory linking life experiences with ways of knowing, we investigate how to increase classroom diversity by…

Transforming School Climate: Educational and Psychoanalytic Perspectives: Introduction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Jonathan

2009-01-01

School climate refers to the character and quality of school life. It is based on these patterns and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching, learning, leadership practices, and organizational structures. School climate is at the nexus of individual and group experience. School climate is based on the individual's…

Considerations for Teaching Integrated STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stohlmann, Micah; Moore, Tamara J.; Roehrig, Gillian H.

2012-01-01

Quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is vital for the future success of students. Integrated STEM education is one way to make learning more connected and relevant for students. There is a need for further research and discussion on the knowledge, experiences, and background that teachers need to effectively…

Savvy Consumers through Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahn, Sami

2005-01-01

Is Bounty the "quicker picker-upper?" Are expensive shampoos better? Are all antacids the same? The authors' fourth-grade students posed and answered these questions and many more during their recent "Consumer Product Testing" unit in which they designed experiments to assess these products' qualities and learned to question the advertising that…

School Climate: Research, Policy, Practice, and Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Jonathan; McCabe, Libby; Michelli, Nicholas M.; Pickeral, Terry

2009-01-01

Background/Context: Educators have written about and studied school climate for 100 years. School climate refers to the quality and character of school life. School climate is based on patterns of people's experiences of school life and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational…

Improving Quality at the Point of Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Charles; Akiva, Tom; Arrieux, Dominique; Jones, Monica M.

2006-01-01

The journey into middle childhood frequently involves a journey into the community of an after-school program, weekend club, or summer camp. Although out-of-school-time settings are less formal than school in academic requirements, they have the potential to provide key developmental experiences: relationship building, learning, and self- and…

Considerations for Pursuing a Doctoral Degree in PETE

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Emily; Lux, Karen

2012-01-01

The path to becoming a physical education teacher traditionally involves a university-based teacher education program. It is here that aspiring teachers learn basic skills, gain the fundamental knowledge, and experience teaching for the first time. None of this is possible without quality physical education teacher education (PETE) faculty--those…

Upstream/Downstream

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slack, Amy

2014-01-01

In our increasingly digital world, students are often disconnected from the natural environment and may not understand how human actions affect it. One of the most significant human impacts on ecosystems is water pollution. Measuring the water quality of a local stream, river, or lake can be a valuable learning experience but is often impractical.…

Early Childhood Education: Babies Are Everybody's Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Kitt

2009-01-01

A movement is building that favors creating a national network of high-quality early education and care systems that begin at birth. It makes sense. Promoting positive early learning experiences, healthy caregivers, and a connection between families and community resources can reverse rising rates of expulsion, high school dropouts, and the need…

Student Perceptions of Effective Clinical Teaching Characteristics in Dental Hygiene Programs in Northeastern States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bearor, Dawn E.

2012-01-01

The clinical education component provided to dental hygiene students is an essential part of their development as competent practitioners. Instructor approaches to clinical teaching are therefore critical in providing quality clinical learning experiences. This study sought to identify dental hygiene students' perceptions of "best" and…