Sample records for students key elements

  1. Student Voice in a Chinese Context: Investigating the Key Elements of Leadership That Enhance Student Voice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheng, Annie Yan Ni

    2012-01-01

    This study examines the issues surrounding "student voice" in a specific Chinese context, and assesses the key elements of leadership that could enhance student voice in that context. It reports the results of a research conducted in a community-based educational centre in Hong Kong that provides after-school educational and social…

  2. Enhancing Students' Socialization: Key Elements. ERIC Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brophy, Jere

    Coping with students who display social adjustment problems can be frustrating. However, teachers can take actions toward minimizing classroom conflicts by socializing students into a classroom environment conducive to learning. Modeling prosocial behavior is the most basic element for enhancing student socialization. In situations in which…

  3. Elements of Scenario-Based Learning on Suicidal Patient Care Using Real-Time Video.

    PubMed

    Lu, Chuehfen; Lee, Hueying; Hsu, Shuhui; Shu, Inmei

    2016-01-01

    This study aims understanding of students' learning experiences when receiving scenario-based learning combined with real-time video. Videos that recorded student nurses intervention with a suicidal standardized patient (SP) were replayed immediately as teaching materials. Videos clips and field notes from ten classes were analysed. Investigators and method triangulation were used to boost the robustness of the study. Three key elements, emotional involvement, concretizing of the teaching material and substitute learning were identified. Emotions were evoked among the SP, the student performer and the students who were observing, thus facilitating a learning effect. Concretizing of the teaching material refers to students were able to focus on the discussions using visual and verbal information. Substitute learning occurred when the students watching the videos, both the strengths and weaknesses represented were similar to those that would be likely to occur. These key elements explicate their learning experience and suggested a strategic teaching method.

  4. An Elaborated Model of Student Support to Allow for Gender Considerations in Asian Distance Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jung, Insung; Seongyoun, Hong

    2014-01-01

    Research indicates that distance education (DE) students regard learner support systems as the key element in quality provision. This study sought to identify the key concerns of Asian DE students regarding support provision in different types of DE and dual-mode providers and formulate a student support model which took account of gender issues.…

  5. What Contributes to Self-Control and Grit?: The Key Factors in College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sriram, Rishi; Glanzer, Perry L.; Allen, Cara Cliburn

    2018-01-01

    Although scholars know an increasing amount about the benefits of self-control and grit for college students, they know less about what influences self-control and grit in students. In this study we examined influences on self-control and a key element of grit in a national sample of college students. Results indicated that 5 of the 13 predictor…

  6. Shifting the Curve: Fostering Academic Success in a Diverse Student Body.

    PubMed

    Elks, Martha L; Herbert-Carter, Janice; Smith, Marjorie; Klement, Brenda; Knight, Brandi Brandon; Anachebe, Ngozi F

    2018-01-01

    Diversity in the health care workforce is key to achieving health equity. Although U.S. medical schools have worked to increase the matriculation and academic success of underrepresented minority (URM) students (African Americans, Latinos, others), they have had only limited success. Lower standardized test scores, including on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), have been a barrier to matriculation for many URM applicants. Lower subsequent standardized exam scores, including on the United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 1, also have been an impediment to students' progress, with mean scores for URM students lagging behind those for others. Faculty at the Morehouse School of Medicine developed and implemented interventions to enhance the academic success of their URM students (about 75% are African American, and 5% are from other URM groups). To assess the outcomes of this work, the authors analyzed the MCAT scores and subsequent Step 1 scores of students in the graduating classes of 2009-2014. They also reviewed course evaluations, Graduation Questionnaires, and student and faculty interviews and focus groups. Students' Step 1 scores exceeded those expected based on their MCAT scores. This success was due to three key elements: (1) milieu and mentoring, (2) structure and content of the curriculum, and (3) monitoring. A series of mixed-method studies are planned to better discern the core elements of faculty-student relationships that are key to students' success. Lower test scores are not a fixed attribute; with the elements described, success is attainable for all students.

  7. Four Keys to a Smooth Flight.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Neill, Jan; Conzemius, Anne

    2002-01-01

    Describes four key elements typically seen in schools that show continuous improvement in student results. Such schools' cultures are permeated by a shared focus on student learning, a strong culture of reflective practice, a collaborative environment where teachers see colleagues and parents as important partners, and an ever increasing…

  8. The Student Mathematics Portfolio: Value Added to Student Preparation?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burks, Robert

    2010-01-01

    This article describes key elements for educators to successfully implement a student mathematics portfolio in an undergraduate mathematics course. This article offers practical advice for implementing a student mathematics portfolio in a freshman precalculus course. We look at the potential value added to student class preparation and compare our…

  9. Shifting the Curve: Fostering Academic Success in a Diverse Student Body

    PubMed Central

    Herbert-Carter, Janice; Smith, Marjorie; Klement, Brenda; Knight, Brandi Brandon; Anachebe, Ngozi F.

    2018-01-01

    Problem Diversity in the health care workforce is key to achieving health equity. Although U.S. medical schools have worked to increase the matriculation and academic success of underrepresented minority (URM) students (African Americans, Latinos, others), they have had only limited success. Lower standardized test scores, including on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), have been a barrier to matriculation for many URM applicants. Lower subsequent standardized exam scores, including on the United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 1, also have been an impediment to students’ progress, with mean scores for URM students lagging behind those for others. Approach Faculty at the Morehouse School of Medicine developed and implemented interventions to enhance the academic success of their URM students (about 75% are African American, and 5% are from other URM groups). To assess the outcomes of this work, the authors analyzed the MCAT scores and subsequent Step 1 scores of students in the graduating classes of 2009–2014. They also reviewed course evaluations, Graduation Questionnaires, and student and faculty interviews and focus groups. Outcomes Students’ Step 1 scores exceeded those expected based on their MCAT scores. This success was due to three key elements: (1) milieu and mentoring, (2) structure and content of the curriculum, and (3) monitoring. Next Steps A series of mixed-method studies are planned to better discern the core elements of faculty–student relationships that are key to students’ success. Lower test scores are not a fixed attribute; with the elements described, success is attainable for all students. PMID:28678099

  10. Putting the Wheel into Motion: Designing a Career Development Program for University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mackie, Barbara; Thomas, Jan

    2005-01-01

    This case study outlines an approach to design a career development program for university students using an adaptation of "the wheel" (Amundson & Poehnell, 2004). Ten elements of the model are listed and some of the key questions, tools and strategies that support each element of the model are highlighted. Its application in a variety of group…

  11. Applying Sleep Research to University Students: Recommendations for Developing a Student Sleep Education Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Franklin C.; Buboltz, Walter C., Jr.

    2002-01-01

    Many students are unaware that academic difficulties may be related to their sleep habits. This article introduces key elements of a student sleep education program that can be easily incorporated into many universities first-year orientation classes or as part of residential housing programs. (Author)

  12. Nursing Student Peer Mentorship: A Review of the Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rohatinsky, Noelle; Harding, Katie; Carriere, Terra

    2017-01-01

    The benefits of peer student mentorship programs are making them increasingly popular in nursing education. This manuscript reviews and synthesizes 20 articles outlining key elements, outcomes, and barriers of nursing student peer mentorship programs to allow educators to create mentorship programs that meet the needs of their students, faculty,…

  13. Instructional Enhancements to Improve Students' Reading Abilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoller, Fredricka L.; Anderson, Neil J.; Grabe, William; Komiyama, Reiko

    2013-01-01

    This article offers five instructional enhancements that help students become better readers. These classroom practices coincide with five key elements of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) reading instruction: "extensive practice and exposure to print," "commitment to building student motivation," "attention to reading…

  14. The Complexity of Practicum Assessment in Teacher Education: An Examination of Four New Zealand Case Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aspden, Karyn M.

    2017-01-01

    Practicum is a key element of initial teacher education (ITE) programmes, designed to support the professional growth of student teachers. Practicum is also a key point of assessment, leading to a determination of the student's professional growth and their readiness to teach and enter the teaching profession. This study sought to understand the…

  15. Factors Affecting Students' Self-Efficacy in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Dinther, Mart; Dochy, Filip; Segers, Mien

    2011-01-01

    Researchers working in educational settings are increasingly paying attention to the role students' thoughts and beliefs play in the learning process. Self-efficacy, a key element of social cognitive theory, appears to be an important variable because it affects students' motivation and learning. This article investigates empirical literature…

  16. Implementing Student-Centered Transition in Maine Schools: Guidelines for Developing Procedures and Practices.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    University of Southern Maine, Portland. Human Services Development Inst.

    A deliberate, systematic approach is presented for assisting students with handicaps through the transition process from school to adult life. The key elements of transition are identified as: longitudinal vocational and independent living skills training; cooperative and interagency transition planning; parent, student, employer, and…

  17. "ChemMend": A Card Game to Introduce and Explore the Periodic Table While Engaging Students' Interest

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martí-Centelles, Vicente; Rubio-Magnieto, Jenifer

    2014-01-01

    Deep knowledge of the periodic table is one of the most important keys to understand the basic principles of Chemistry. Memorizing the elements of the groups and periods is one of the most commonly used strategies to learn the position of each element in the periodic table; nevertheless, it is a hard task for most students. The use of card games…

  18. Cognitive Demand of Model Tracing Tutor Tasks: Conceptualizing and Predicting How Deeply Students Engage

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kessler, Aaron M.; Stein, Mary Kay; Schunn, Christian D.

    2015-01-01

    Model tracing tutors represent a technology designed to mimic key elements of one-on-one human tutoring. We examine the situations in which such supportive computer technologies may devolve into mindless student work with little conceptual understanding or student development. To analyze the support of student intellectual work in the model…

  19. Exploring the Challenges of Academic Advising for Student Veterans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parks, Rodney; Walker, Erin; Smith, Carol

    2015-01-01

    As troops return to the United States from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, many student veterans are expected to utilize their education benefits and enroll in higher education. A key element in their success in college will be the quality of academic advising they receive. Student veterans are much more likely than traditional students to drop…

  20. Reflective learning in community-based dental education.

    PubMed

    Deogade, Suryakant C; Naitam, Dinesh

    2016-01-01

    Community-based dental education (CBDE) is the implementation of dental education in a specific social context, which shifts a substantial part of dental clinical education from dental teaching institutional clinics to mainly public health settings. Dental students gain additional value from CBDE when they are guided through a reflective process of learning. We propose some key elements to the existing CBDE program that support meaningful personal learning experiences. Dental rotations of 'externships' in community-based clinical settings (CBCS) are year-long community-based placements and have proven to be strong learning environments where students develop good communication skills and better clinical reasoning and management skills. We look at the characteristics of CBDE and how the social and personal context provided in communities enhances dental education. Meaningfulness is created by the authentic context, which develops over a period of time. Structured reflection assignments and methods are suggested as key elements in the existing CBDE program. Strategies to enrich community-based learning experiences for dental students include: Photographic documentation; written narratives; critical incident reports; and mentored post-experiential small group discussions. A directed process of reflection is suggested as a way to increase the impact of the community learning experiences. We suggest key elements to the existing CBDE module so that the context-rich environment of CBDE allows for meaningful relations and experiences for dental students and enhanced learning.

  1. How Students with Emotional Disturbance Demonstrate Historical Literacy across Various Forms of Text

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ludwig, Martha L.

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative study increases the understanding of how students with emotional disturbance (ED) demonstrate their grasp of key elements of social studies instruction. While there is considerable research in the general education literature on how students grapple with various social studies concepts and methodology, there is a void in…

  2. Student Leadership Development: How Do Liberal Arts Colleges Enhance Socially Responsible Leadership?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wright, David W.

    2013-01-01

    Student leadership development is a key initiative at many colleges and universities in the United States today. Many of the liberal arts institutions in America have leadership development of their student population as one of the fundamental elements of their educational objectives (Astin, 1997; Durden, 2001; Rothblatt, 2003). This study…

  3. Challenging Misconceptions about Student Ratings of Instruction. IDEA Paper #58

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benton, Stephen L.; Ryalls, Kenneth R.

    2016-01-01

    Data from student ratings of instruction (SRI) are used ubiquitously as a key element in providing instructors with valuable feedback and evaluators with critical student input. Nonetheless, calls for the elimination of SRI continue to appear in academic journals and higher education periodicals. This paper brings to bear the huge body of research…

  4. The Classroom Flow and Engagement Experiences of Western Australian Rural and Remote Secondary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cavanagh, Rob

    2014-01-01

    This paper commences with a brief examination of non-metropolitan student engagement and participation in schooling. It then describes how student engagement in classroom learning was conceptualised utilising Flow Theory. The key elements in this conception were subsequently used to construct an interview schedule. The characteristics of the…

  5. The Selection of a Business Major: Elements Influencing Student Choice and Implications for Outcomes Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pritchard, Robert E.; Potter, Gregory C.; Saccucci, Michael S.

    2004-01-01

    In this article, the authors examine the key factors that influence student choice of a business major and how business schools can help students make that choice more realistically. Investigating students at a regional university, the authors found that whereas those with better quantitative skills tended to major in accounting or finance, those…

  6. Strategic Pay Reform: A Student Outcomes-Based Evaluation of Denver's ProComp Teacher Pay Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldhaber, Dan; Walch, Joe

    2012-01-01

    Denver Public Schools utilizes one of the nation's highest profile alternative teacher compensation systems, and a key element of Denver's Professional Compensation System for Teachers (ProComp) is pay for performance. This study analyzes the student achievement implications of ProComp utilizing matched student- and teacher-level data from 2003 to…

  7. Admissions Indicators and Practices Leading to the Success of Mature Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karpinsky, Val

    2016-01-01

    A 2013 British Columbia Council of Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) research report suggested the need to continue research on mature students for the sake of ensuring access to postsecondary education (PSE) for adults and other categories of non-traditional students. The 2013 report laid a basis for this study which investigates key elements of…

  8. The Impact of Certain Socio-Demographic Conditions on the Students' Success in Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agic, Hariz; Osmanbegovic, Edin; Suljic, Erna

    2016-01-01

    Educational policies have focused on achieving the learning outcomes of students. The challenge is to determine adequate strategies in teaching and learning and how to achieve efficient and effective educational goals. The key elements in this process are the students, teachers and families with all their determinants. In this paper, we intended…

  9. Communication between Tutors--Students in DL: A Case Study of the Hellenic Open University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Panagiotis, Anastasiades; Chrysoula, Iliadou

    2010-01-01

    Two-way communication between students and tutors is one of the two key factors contributing to the success of a Distance Learning programme, the other being the complete and well-designed educational package. Both elements are essential to guide students' learning. By means of this communication the tutor can facilitate the interaction of…

  10. Grouping Within Algebra I: A Structural Sieve With Powerful Effects for Low-Income, Minority, and Immigrant Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paul, Faith G.

    2005-01-01

    A key element in educational reform has been to increase mathematical proficiency. We look at how five urban high schools with virtually all low-income, minority, and immigrant students have arranged for students to take algebra I, and we examine the course enrollments and grades of these student in the core college prep courses. Both preparation…

  11. Future time orientation predicts academic engagement among first-year university students.

    PubMed

    Horstmanshof, Louise; Zimitat, Craig

    2007-09-01

    Enhancing student engagement is considered an important strategy for improving retention. Students' Time Perspective is an under-researched factor that may significantly influence student engagement. This study examines interrelationships between elements of student engagement and relationship with Time Perspective. We propose that there are significant relationships between psychological and behavioural elements of student engagement. We also posit that time orientation is an important factor in facilitating psychological and behavioural elements of student engagement. Participants (N=347) were first-year undergraduate students who had completed one semester of study and re-enrolled for a further semester of study at an Australian university. Participants were surveyed using instruments designed to measure Academic Application, Academic Orientation (McInnis, James, & Hartley, 2000), Time Perspective (Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999), the shortened version of the Study Process Questionnaire (Fox, McManus, & Winder, 2001) and hours spent preparing for class. There were interrelationships between the elements of student engagement (e.g. Academic Application) with productive educational behaviours (e.g. deep approach to learning). Students' perceptions of time appeared as a key factor mediating levels of Academic Application and Academic Orientation. Orientation to the Future emerged as a significant predictor of these elements of engagement. Future orientation emerged as an important factor mediating students' academic engagement in these students who completed one semester of study. Interventions focusing on the development of time perspective may be helpful in encouraging and supporting academic engagement and, ultimately, persistence in higher education.

  12. Practicing What We Preach in Teacher Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phillips, Marian B.; Hatch, J. Amos

    2000-01-01

    Describes reorganization of an early childhood education program for teachers at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Lists changes in program elements, highlights program goals, describes key conceptual features, and includes student comments as evidence of program effectiveness. Notes that program focus is developing the students' capacity…

  13. Writingmatrix: Connecting Students with Blogs, Tags, and Social Networking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevens, Vance; Quintana, Nelba; Zeinstejer, Rita; Sirk, Sasa; Molero, Doris; Arena, Carla

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes an extensive online project, Writingmatrix [http://writingmatrix.wikispaces.com], involving several key elements essential to collaboration in Web 2.0, such as aggregation, tagging, and social networking. Participant teachers in several different countries--Argentina, Venezuela, and Slovenia--had their adult students at…

  14. Seeking Common Ground: First-Year U.S. University Students' Experiences with Intercultural Interaction and Friendship in an On-Campus Residential Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaston, Michelle Elise

    2017-01-01

    The number of international students on U.S. campuses has increased more than 84 percent over the past decade (IIE, 2016). Although it has been well-established that interaction and friendship with local students is a key element for international student adjustment to a foreign university, few studies have grappled with how these intercultural…

  15. Mimetic Desire and Intersubjectivity in Disciplinary Cultures: Constraints or Enablers to Learning in Higher Education?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gunn, Vicky

    2014-01-01

    The interplay of the inner lives (intersubjectivity) of students and academics within a range of disciplinary cultural manifestations is a key element in the generation of student learning. This article suggests that research on student learning has yet to adequately articulate how this interplay occurs, suggesting that a focus on the influence of…

  16. Range Is Everything! Success with the Adolescent Male Voice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Killian, Janice N.; Wayman, John B.

    2010-01-01

    The changing male voice has long been a challenge, not only for students but also for directors who need to find just the right music to help students feel most successful. This article presents the key elements for success in selecting boys' literature: (1) Know the students' voices; (2) Range is everything; (3) Avoid pitches below A for tenors;…

  17. At the Crossroads of Language Variation: Urban College Students Learn about Sociolinguistics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levinson, Kenneth

    2005-01-01

    Learning about how language works not only gives students a better grounding in English; it also provides insights into the nature of what it means to be human. Language is both universal and a key element of human diversity. In becoming schooled in linguistic aspects of diversity, students become aware of their own language choices and the…

  18. Learning to Cure, but Learning to Care?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Michalec, Barret

    2011-01-01

    Utilizing interviews with students and a key administrator, analyses of academic schedules, and observations of courses, labs, and small groups, this study examines if and how elements of the explicit preclinical curriculum may have deleterious effects on medical students' humanitarian attributes, namely empathy. Findings from this case-study of a…

  19. Stepping into Science Fiction: Understanding the Genre

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barone, Diane; Barone, Rebecca

    2014-01-01

    This manuscript focuses on fifth graders' understanding of science fiction. It is argued that it is necessary for students to understand both reading strategies and the key elements of a genre for comprehension. Students read "The Giver" within literature circles and conversation and written responses about the book were used for…

  20. The Power of Service-Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCarthy, Mary H.; Corbin, Linda

    2003-01-01

    Describes key elements of service learning: response to the community, student-led decision-making, analytical reflection. Includes a case study of service learning in the Hudson, Massachusetts, Public School District, the main goal of which is to provide students with opportunities to learn the core values of empathy, ethics, and service. (PKP)

  1. The New Youth Entrepreneur: Money To Get Started. Module 5.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kourilsky, Marilyn; And Others

    The New Youth Entrepreneur curriculum is a series of 12 youth-oriented educational modules containing instructional materials, learning activities, and checkup exercises designed to teach students key elements of entrepreneurship. This document is the fifth module, and introduces students to the financial issues involved in starting a business,…

  2. "Scratch"ing below the Surface: Mathematics through an Alternative Digital Lens?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Calder, Nigel; Taylor, Merilyn

    2010-01-01

    A key element in the examination of how students process mathematics through digital technologies is considering the ways that digital pedagogical media might influence the learning process. How might students' understanding emerge through engagement in a digital-learning environment? Interactive software that has cross-curricula implications and…

  3. The McNair Program as a Socializing Influence on Doctoral Degree Attainment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gittens, Cheryl Bailey

    2014-01-01

    The quality of doctoral students' academic and social experiences is a key element of their success in graduate school programs. These experiences support the completion of doctoral programs, especially for first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds. Framed by Weidman's (1989) undergraduate socialization model, the author…

  4. Mapping Maize Genes: A Series of Research-Based Laboratory Exercises

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Makarevitch, Irina; Kralich, Elizabeth

    2011-01-01

    Open-ended, inquiry-based multiweek laboratory exercises are the key elements to increasing students' understanding and retention of the major biological concepts. Including original research into undergraduate teaching laboratories has also been shown to motivate students and improve their learning. Here, we present a series of original…

  5. Democracy at Risk: How Schools Can Lead.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sorenson, Georgia; Adams, Bruce; Kretman, Kathy Postel; Linsky, Marty; Burns, John S.; Gmelch, Walter H.; Kellerman, Barbara; Rost, Joseph C.

    This report describes the Eisenhower Leadership Program, an approach to leadership learning that aims to educate students for democracy. Based on the premise that democracy at risk threatens the fabric of the national culture, the document presents five key elements considered essential for educating students to become democratic leaders. These…

  6. Biochemistry of Neuromuscular Diseases: A Course for Undergraduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohlendieck, Kay

    2002-01-01

    This article outlines an undergraduate course focusing on supramolecular membrane protein complexes involved in the molecular pathogenesis of neuromuscular disorders. The emphasis of this course is to introduce students to the key elements involved in the ion regulation and membrane stabilization during muscle contraction and the role of these…

  7. The Essential Supports for School Improvement. Research Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sebring, Penny Bender; Allensworth, Elaine; Bryk, Anthony S.; Easton, John Q.; Luppescu, Stuart

    2006-01-01

    This report sets forth a framework of essential supports and contextual resources for school improvement, examines empirical evidence on its key elements and how they link to improvements in student learning, and investigates how a school's essential supports interact with community context to affect student learning. The purpose of this research…

  8. Reflections on Post-Evaluation of Baccalaureate Programs: Revisiting Education Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jianrong, Sun

    2009-01-01

    This paper discusses the distinction between two types of educational quality: quality at the institutional level and quality at the student learning level. The key element for continuous institutional improvement after completion of the evaluation of institutional teaching should be on redefining quality in student learning and developing a…

  9. Teachers' Professional Practice Conducting Mathematical Discussions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    da Ponte, João Pedro; Quaresma, Marisa

    2016-01-01

    This paper seeks to identify actions that can be regarded as building elements of teachers' classroom practice in mathematical discussion and how these actions may be combined to provide fruitful learning opportunities for students. It stands on a framework that focuses on two key elements of teaching practice: the tasks that teachers propose to…

  10. Learner Agency: A Dynamic Element of the New Zealand Key Competencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Charteris, Jennifer

    2013-01-01

    Seven years ago The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) was launched with its emphasis on key competencies as "the capabilities that young people need for growing, working, and participating in their communities" ("Ministry of Education," 2007, p. 38). This raises the question of what dispositions are required for students to…

  11. Exploring the Moderating Role of Perceived Flexibility Advantages in Mobile Learning Continuance Intention (MLCI)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Rui-Ting; Hsiao, Chia-Hua; Tang, Tzy-Wen; Lien, Tsung-Cheng

    2014-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to explore the key factors that could affect mobile learning continuance intention (MLCI), and examine the moderating effect of perceived flexibility advantages (PFA) on the relationship between key mobile learning elements and continuance intention. Five hundred undergraduate students who had previously…

  12. German Eagle vs. Russian Bear: A World War II Russian Front Boardgame Kit.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coatney, Louis R.

    This board game encourages junior and senior high school student analysis of the German campaign against the USSR and gauges student decision-making skills. The World War II Russo-German Front is simulated in a standard board game format. A key element of the game is its analysis and results form. Using this form compels students to analyze and…

  13. Introducing Verbpathy in the English Language Classroom: Encouraging Students to Feel the Essence and Emotion of Words

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Randolph, Patrick T.

    2015-01-01

    A key element in vocabulary instruction is to get the students to "feel" the vocabulary and make it a part of their new language identity; that is, helping the students to "own" the terms is a top priority of language instructors. Using verbpathy as a tool meets this goal. The idea of using verbpathy in vocabulary instruction…

  14. The New Youth Entrepreneur: Records and Books. Did You Make Any Money? Module 9.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kourilsky, Marilyn; And Others

    The New Youth Entrepreneur curriculum is a series of 12 youth-oriented educational modules containing instructional materials, learning activities, and checkup exercises designed to teach students key elements of entrepreneurship. This document is the ninth module, and introduces students to recordkeeping and bookkeeping strategies essential for…

  15. What We Talk about when We Talk with Medical Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Joyner, Michael J.; Charkoudian, Nisha; Curry, Timothy B.; Eisenach, John H.; Wehrwein, Erica A.

    2011-01-01

    In this article, we review how we interact with medical students in our efforts to teach blood pressure regulation and systemic cardiovascular control along with related elements of respiratory and exercise physiology. Rather than provide a detailed lecture with key facts, we attempted to outline our approach to teaching integrative cardiovascular…

  16. Understanding the "Other Side": Intercultural learning in a Spanish-English E-Mail Exchange.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Dowd, Robert

    2003-01-01

    Reviews recent research on intercultural learning and reports on a yearlong e-mail exchange between Spanish and English second year university students. Identifies key characteristics of e-mail exchanges that helped to develop learners' intercultural communicative competence. Outlines elements of e-mail messages that may enable students to develop…

  17. The Basic Course in Communication: A Performance Triad.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, V. A.

    The key element to the survival of speech communication and its status in academe is the basic course, which tells the academic community what speech communication is and what it can produce in terms of observable student behavior. This basic course, upon which many communication departments depend, must produce students who are obviously trained…

  18. Lived Experience as Pedagogical Resource: Towards an Auto-Ethnographic Pedagogy of Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Voorhees, T.

    2016-01-01

    The key element of auto-ethnography, as distinct from memoir and autobiography, is the positioning of the writer within the social, cultural, economic, and political framework of what is being observed. T. Voorhees saw immense value in this positioning for students today, especially newer college students who understand their relationship to…

  19. The Impact of an Immersion Program for Newcomers on the Transitional Period

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rivera, Carmen Iris

    2009-01-01

    This evaluative dissertation was designed to determine how an immersion program for newcomer students affects their transitional period upon entering the school system. A key element of the study investigated the connection between the emotional state of mind of newcomer students and academic achievement. Both qualitative and quantitative…

  20. Engaging Nature of Science to Preservice Teachers through Inquiry-Based Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nuangchalerm, Prasart

    2013-01-01

    Inquiry-based classroom is widely distributed in the school science based on its useful and effective instruction. Science teachers are key elements allowing students to have scientific inquiry. If teachers understand and imply inquiry-based learning into science classroom, students will learn science as scientific inquiry and understand nature of…

  1. The Use of Electronic Mail To Support Off-Campus Student Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doring, Allan

    A key element in the completion of study by off-campus students is support during their learning. The nature of off-campus study renders nearly impossible the face-to-face contact which provides expansion of lecture material, direct answers to problems, guidance on procedures, and immediate responses to learning difficulties. Electronic mail…

  2. Learning about the Nature of Science Using Algae

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edelmann, Hans G.; Martius, Thilo; Hahn, Achim; Schlüter, Kirsten; Nessler, Stefan H.

    2016-01-01

    Enquiry learning and teaching about the nature of science (NoS) is a key element of science education. We have designed an experimental setting for students aged 12-14 years to exercise enquiry-learning skills and to introduce students to the NoS aspects of creativity and imagination. It also illustrates the impact of carbon dioxide on the growth…

  3. Head to Head: The Role of Academic Competition in Undergraduate Anatomical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Nuland, Sonya E.; Roach, Victoria A.; Wilson, Timothy D.; Belliveau, Daniel J.

    2015-01-01

    Competition is a key element in many educational games and is often adopted by educators in an effort to motivate and excite their students. Yet, the use of academic competition in educational institutions remains the subject of much debate. Opponents argue that academic competition causes an increase in student anxiety and divides their…

  4. The New Youth Entrepreneur: Getting Ready for Entrepreneurship. Opportunities-They Are All Around You. Module 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kourilsky, Marilyn; And Others

    The New Youth Entrepreneur curriculum is a series of 12 youth-oriented educational modules containing instructional materials, learning activities, and checkup exercises designed to teach students key elements of entrepreneurship. This document is the second module, designed to help students define the notion of opportunity, determine sources of…

  5. Service-Learning May Influence Some Students' Attendance and Academic Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baumann, Paul

    2014-01-01

    In 2010, the National Center for Learning and Civic Engagement (NCLCE) established the Schools of Success, a national network of 19 schools that use service-learning as an instructional strategy. The schools were part of a three-year project to examine how the elements of service-learning might enhance key student outcomes, such as academic…

  6. Listening to Students: Customer Journey Mapping at Birmingham City University Library and Learning Resources

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrews, Judith; Eade, Eleanor

    2013-01-01

    Birmingham City University's Library and Learning Resources' strategic aim is to improve student satisfaction. A key element is the achievement of the Customer Excellence Standard. An important component of the standard is the mapping of services to improve quality. Library and Learning Resources has developed a methodology to map these…

  7. Human vs. Computer Diagnosis of Students' Natural Selection Knowledge: Testing the Efficacy of Text Analytic Software

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nehm, Ross H.; Haertig, Hendrik

    2012-01-01

    Our study examines the efficacy of Computer Assisted Scoring (CAS) of open-response text relative to expert human scoring within the complex domain of evolutionary biology. Specifically, we explored whether CAS can diagnose the explanatory elements (or Key Concepts) that comprise undergraduate students' explanatory models of natural selection with…

  8. The Impact of Computer Supported Collaborative Learning on Internship Outcomes of Pharmacy Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Timmers, S.; Valcke, M.; de Mil, K.; Baeyens, W. R. G.

    2008-01-01

    This article focuses on an evaluation of the impact of an innovative instructional design of internships in view of a new integrated pharmaceutical curriculum. A key innovative element was the implementation of a computer-supported collaborative learning environment. Students were, as part of their formal curriculum, expected to work in a…

  9. Discovering a Gold Mine of Strategies for At-Risk Students through Systematic Staff Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bernal, Jesse R.; Villarreal, Diana

    This paper discusses an effective model of systematic staff development focusing on prevention and intervention strategies used with at-risk students. The following are key elements: (1) matching of the purposes of training to the goals of the school districts; (2) multiple and integrated activities; (3) participants' thorough orientation to the…

  10. Alzheimer's Disease under Scrutiny: Short Newspaper Articles as a Case Study Tool.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hudecki, Michael S.

    2001-01-01

    After reading a newspaper article on Alzheimer disease, an incurable medical problem involving gradual and debilitating loss of memory, students examine the key elements of the scientific method as conveyed in the story. During their analysis students explore the workings of the nervous system and consider the role of animal model systems in…

  11. Launching Learners in Science, PreK-5: How to Design Standards-Based Experiences and Engage Students in Classroom Conversations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Kerry Curtiss; Veomett, George E.

    2006-01-01

    Teaching science means doing science and involves three elements: knowing content, knowing children, and teachers knowing themselves as teachers and learners. The authors describe principles and requirements that reflect National Science Education Standards for the active learning of science. They identify key ingredients for primary students and…

  12. Integrated learning in practical machine element design course: a case study of V-pulley design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tantrabandit, Manop

    2014-06-01

    To achieve an effective integrated learning in Machine Element Design course, it is of importance to bridge the basic knowledge and skills of element designs. The multiple core learning leads the pathway which consists of two main parts. The first part involves teaching documents of which the contents are number of V-groove formulae, standard of V-grooved pulleys, and parallel key dimension's formulae. The second part relates to the subjects that the students have studied prior to participating in this integrated learning course, namely Material Selection, Manufacturing Process, Applied Engineering Drawing, CAD (Computer Aided Design) animation software. Moreover, an intensive cooperation between a lecturer and students is another key factor to fulfill the success of integrated learning. Last but not least, the students need to share their knowledge within the group and among the other groups aiming to gain knowledge of and skills in 1) the application of CAD-software to build up manufacture part drawings, 2) assembly drawing, 3) simulation to verify the strength of loaded pulley by method of Finite Element Analysis (FEA), 4) the software to create animation of mounting and dismounting of a pulley to a shaft, and 5) an instruction manual. The end product of this integrated learning, as a result of the above 1 to 5 knowledge and skills obtained, the participating students can create an assembly derived from manufacture part drawings and a video presentation with bilingual (English-Thai) audio description of Vpulley with datum diameter of 250 mm, 4 grooves, and type of groove: SPA.

  13. Student Mentoring Programs: Education's Monitoring and Information Sharing Could Be Improved. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-04-581

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaul, Marnie S.

    2004-01-01

    As part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), Congress authorized a school-based mentoring grant program. This study examined: the basic elements, policies, and procedures of successful mentoring programs; key characteristics of NCLB-funded mentoring efforts (the extent to which they had the basic elements, policies, and procedures of…

  14. Online Tutoring Procedure for Research Project Supervision: Management, Organization and Key Elements

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Darder Mesquida, Antònia; Pérez Garcias, Adolfina

    2015-01-01

    Research project tutoring appears as a crucial element for teaching; it is a planned action based on the relationship between a tutor and a student. This paper presents the findings of a design and development research which has as its main aim to create an organization system for the tutoring of online research projects. That system seeks to…

  15. High school chemistry students' learning of the elements, structure, and periodicity of the periodic table: Contributions of inquiry-based activities and exemplary graphics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roddy, Knight Phares, Jr.

    The main research question of this study was: How do selected high school chemistry students' understandings of the elements, structure, and periodicity of the Periodic Table change as they participate in a unit study consisting of inquiry-based activities emphasizing construction of innovative science graphics? The research question was answered using a multiple case study/mixed model design which employed elements of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies during data collection and analyses. The unit study was conducted over a six-week period with 11th -grade students enrolled in a chemistry class. A purposive sample of six students from the class was selected to participate in interviews and concept map coconstruction (Wandersee & Abrams, 1993) periodically across the study. The progress of the selected students of the case study was compared to the progress of the class as a whole. The students of the case study were also compared to a group of high school chemistry students at a comparative school. The results show that the students from both schools left traditional instruction on the periodic table (lecture and textbook activities) with a very limited understanding of the topic. It also revealed that the inquiry-based, visual approach of the unit study helped students make significant conceptual progress in their understanding of the periodic table. The pictorial periodic table (which features photographs of the elements), used in conjunction with the graphic technique of data mapping, enhanced students understanding of the patterns of the physical properties of the elements on the periodic table. The graphic technique of compound mapping helped students learn reactivity patterns between types and groups of elements on the periodic table. The recreation of the periodic table with element cards created from the pictorial periodic table helped students progress in their understanding of periodicity and its key concepts. The Periodic Table Literacy Rubric (PTLR) proved to be a valuable tool for assessing students' conceptual progress, and helped to identify a critical juncture in the learning of periodicity. In addition, the PTLR rubric's historical-conceptual design demonstrates how the history of science can be used to inform today's science teaching.

  16. The Use of Deep Learning Strategies in Online Business Courses to Impact Student Retention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeLotell, Pam Jones; Millam, Loretta A.; Reinhardt, Michelle M.

    2010-01-01

    Interest, application and understanding--these are key elements in successful online classroom experiences and all part of what is commonly referred to as deep learning. Deep learning occurs when students are able to connect with course topics, find value in them and see how to apply them to real-world situations. Asynchronous discussion forums in…

  17. STEM Graduates and Secondary School Curriculum: Does Early Exposure to Science Matter? CEP Discussion Paper No. 1443

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De Philippis, Marta

    2016-01-01

    Increasing the number of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) university graduates is considered a key element for long-term productivity and competitiveness in the global economy. Still, little is known about what actually drives and shapes students' choices. This paper focusses on secondary school students at the very top of the…

  18. Impact of the Thinking Reader[R] Software Program on Grade 6 Reading Vocabulary, Comprehension, Strategies, and Motivation: Final Report. NCEE 2010-4035

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Drummond, Kathryn; Chinen, Marjorie; Duncan, Teresa Garcia; Miller, H. Ray; Fryer, Lindsay; Zmach, Courtney; Culp, Katherine

    2011-01-01

    "Thinking Reader" is a software program for students in Grades 5-8 that incorporates elements commonly identified in policy reports as being key components of effective adolescent literacy instruction. This evaluation of the impact of "Thinking Reader" use by Grade 6 students focused on two confirmatory research questions about…

  19. Contextualising Teaching and Learning in Rural Primary Schools: Using Agricultural Experience. Volume 1 [and] Volume 2. Education Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Peter; Mulhall, Abigail

    This research project examined the potential role of agricultural experiences as a vehicle for meeting the diverse learning needs of rural primary students in developing countries. Volume 1 of the project report represents a literature review that investigated a "new role" for agriculture as a key element for developing rural students'…

  20. Key Strategies for Improving School Nutrition: A Case Study of Three School Nutrition Program Innovators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sacheck, Jennifer M.; Morgan, Emily H.; Wilde, Parke; Griffin, Timothy; Nahar, Elizabeth; Economos, Christina D.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose/Objective: This case study identified common elements of three diverse New England school districts that were real-world models of improving school meals. Methods: School districts that had greater than 1,000 students, [greater than or equal to]3 schools, and [greater than or equal to]40% of students who qualified for free- or…

  1. An Examination of the Effect of Coach Leadership Behaviors on the Psychosocial Development of Division III College Football Players

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Gary P.

    2010-01-01

    This study explores the relationship between student athlete development and coach leadership behaviors in NCAA Division III football players. Three key elements support this study. The first, Thelma Horn's model of coaching effectiveness, provided the framework for the impact of coaching behaviors on student athlete development. The second,…

  2. Situated Responses and Professional Development for Changing Student Demographics in the New Latino South

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matthews, Paul H.; Portes, Pedro R.; Mellom, Paula J.

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes the outcomes and key elements of collaborative professional development on K-12 educators working to improve education of Latino and English learning students in a state with rapidly changing demographics. Across four years (2003-04 through 2006-07), 37 teams from 16 urban, suburban, and rural school districts in the state of…

  3. Systems-Oriented Workplace Learning Experiences for Early Learners: Three Models.

    PubMed

    O'Brien, Bridget C; Bachhuber, Melissa R; Teherani, Arianne; Iker, Theresa M; Batt, Joanne; O'Sullivan, Patricia S

    2017-05-01

    Early workplace learning experiences may be effective for learning systems-based practice. This study explores systems-oriented workplace learning experiences (SOWLEs) for early learners to suggest a framework for their development. The authors used a two-phase qualitative case study design. In Phase 1 (spring 2014), they prepared case write-ups based on transcribed interviews from 10 SOWLE leaders at the authors' institution and, through comparative analysis of cases, identified three SOWLE models. In Phase 2 (summer 2014), studying seven 8-week SOWLE pilots, the authors used interview and observational data collected from the seven participating medical students, two pharmacy students, and site leaders to construct case write-ups of each pilot and to verify and elaborate the models. In Model 1, students performed specific patient care activities that addressed a system gap. Some site leaders helped students connect the activities to larger systems problems and potential improvements. In Model 2, students participated in predetermined systems improvement (SI) projects, gaining experience in the improvement process. Site leaders had experience in SI and often had significant roles in the projects. In Model 3, students worked with key stakeholders to develop a project and conduct a small test of change. They experienced most elements of an improvement cycle. Site leaders often had experience with SI and knew how to guide and support students' learning. Each model could offer systems-oriented learning opportunities provided that key elements are in place including site leaders facile in SI concepts and able to guide students in SOWLE activities.

  4. Implementing elements of The Physics Suite at a large metropolitan research university

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Efthimiou, Costas; Maronde, Dan; McGreevy, Tim; del Barco, Enrique; McCole, Stefanie

    2011-07-01

    A key question in physics education is the effectiveness of the teaching methods. A curriculum that has been investigated at the University of Central Florida (UCF) over the last two years is the use of particular elements of The Physics Suite. Select sections of the introductory physics classes at UCF have made use of Interactive Lecture Demonstrations as part of the lecture component of the class. The laboratory component of the class has implemented the RealTime Physics curriculum, again in select sections. The remaining sections have continued with the teaching methods traditionally used. Using pre- and post-semester concept inventory tests, a student survey, student interviews, and a standard for successful completion of the course, the preliminary data indicate improved student learning.

  5. Providing Feedback, Orientation and Opportunities for Reflection as Key Elements for Successful Mentoring Programs: Reviewing a Program for Future Business Education Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riebenbauer, Elisabeth; Dreisiebner, Gernot; Stock, Michaela

    2017-01-01

    The introduction to teaching is critical for novice teachers. Near the end of their master's program, students of Business Education and Development in Austria spend one semester at an assigned school. They are introduced to teaching, while being assisted by peer students, mentoring teachers, and a companion course. Mentors receive special…

  6. Postgraduate Students' Level of Dependence on Supervisors in Coping with Academic Matters and Using Digital Tools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sidhu, Gurnam Kaur; Kaur, Sarjit; Choo, Lim Peck; Fook, Chan Yuen

    2015-01-01

    The empowerment of human capital through higher education is a key element that contributes to the growth of national income. In line with this, Malaysia under the MyBrain15 initiative aims to produce a total of 60,000 doctoral degree holders by 2023. However, high attrition and low completion rates among postgraduate students to date have…

  7. "Does Knowing Stuff like PSHE and Citizenship Make Me a Better Teacher?": Student Teachers in the Teacher Training Figuration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Velija, Philippa; Capel, Susan; Katene, Will; Hayes, Sid

    2008-01-01

    One of the key elements of figurational sociology is the emphasis on understanding complex networks of interdependencies in which people are involved. The focal point of this paper is the process of initial teacher training (ITT) and the relationships of which student teachers are part during their ITT course. The paper does not look at what…

  8. Peer Mentoring at the Universidad Europea de Madrid: An Educational Strategy for the Development of General and Specific Competences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Velasco Quintana, Paloma J.; Benito Capa, Agueda

    2011-01-01

    The current educational model for the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), demands a greater involvement on the behalf of students in all aspects of their education. In this respect, peer mentorship not only provides effective orientation for newly admitted students, a key element of quality in education, but also the active participation of…

  9. Institutional Change.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Hayden R., Ed.

    1978-01-01

    This publication's theme, "Institutional Change," is broadly examined in fourteen articles that range from research and opinion to allegory and satire. A student teacher, a dean, and a state education director are among the authors. Articles concern: 1) key elements of change; 2) relationships between local, county, state, and federal educational…

  10. Community-based health and schools of nursing: supporting health promotion and research.

    PubMed

    Shannon, Crystal

    2014-01-01

    This article examines the role of community-based schools of nursing in the promotion of public health and research in poverty-stricken areas. This was a three-phase study (questionnaire and key-informants' interviews) that surveyed representatives of prelicensure associate and baccalaureate nursing schools (n=17), nursing-school key informants (n=6) and community leaders (n=10). A 13-question web-based survey and semi-structured interview of key informants elicited data on demographics, nursing program design, exposure of faculty and students to various research and health promotion methods, and beliefs about student involvement. Nursing schools participated minimally in community-based health promotion (CBHP) and community-based participatory research saw reduced need for student involvement in such activities, cited multiple barriers to active community collaboration, and reported restricted community partnerships. CBHP was recognized to be a valuable element of health care and student education, but is obstructed by many barriers. This study suggests that nursing schools are not taking full advantage of relationships with community leaders. Recommendations for action are given. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Captivate: Building Blocks for Implementing Active Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kitchens, Brent; Means, Tawnya; Tan, Yinliang

    2018-01-01

    In this study, the authors propose a set of key elements that impact the success of an active learning implementation: content delivery, active learning methods, physical environment, technology enhancement, incentive alignment, and educator investment. Through a range of metrics the authors present preliminary evidence that students in courses…

  12. The Career Academy Concept. OJJDP Fact Sheet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coffee, Joseph N.; Pestridge, Scott

    Career academies are schools within schools that link students with peers, teachers, and community partners in a disciplined environment, thereby fostering academic success and mental and emotional health. The career academy concept includes the following three key elements: (1) small learning communities; (2) a college preparatory curriculum with…

  13. Teaching the Social Curriculum: Classroom Management as Behavioral Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skiba, Russ; Ormiston, Heather; Martinez, Sylvia; Cummings, Jack

    2016-01-01

    Psychological science has identified positive classroom management and climate building strategies as a key element in developing and maintaining effective learning environments. In this article, we review the literature that has identified effective strategies that build classroom climates to maximize student learning and minimize disruption. In…

  14. On Great Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, Tonia Hap

    2015-01-01

    In this article, the author lists key elements of greatness in a professor, and offers comments based on her experiences with great professors she has known. The first virtue mentioned is "he or she leaves students with valuable lessons they will remember throughout their careers." The "great" professor fosters broader lessons…

  15. The Balanced Reading Program: Helping All Students Achieve Success.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blair-Larsen, Susan M., Ed.; Williams, Kathryn A., Ed.

    This book explains the methodologies, techniques, strategies, and knowledge base necessary to achieve a balanced reading program. The book's contributors define the key elements in a balanced reading program and provide guidelines for implementing a balanced instructional program in the classroom. Following an introduction which addresses…

  16. Key Competencies: Art, Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Philadelphia School District, PA. Office of Curriculum and Instruction.

    Major competencies are presented for art education courses in grades seven through 12 in the Philadelphia school system. The goal of art education is to promote an understanding of elements and principles of composition and design such as color, line, shape, mass, and texture. Art education should involve students in evaluating, creating, and…

  17. School bonding in early adolescents: Psychometrics of the brief survey of school bonding

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The comprehensive assessment of middle school student bonding is important for basic research and to evaluate interventions. Of over 30 tools reviewed, this study examined the psychometric properties of three that together assessed the four constructs identified by Hirschi as key elements. With some...

  18. Student-Accessible Science Texts: Elements of Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McTigue, Erin M.; Slough, Scott W.

    2010-01-01

    Within this article, we introduce our conception of text accessibility. First, we synthesize recent research on informational text quality and present key attributes proven to contribute to comprehension of science texts beyond the readability formula. These features include (a) the concreteness of text, (b) the voice of the author, (c) coherent…

  19. Generating Discourse with Cookie and Doughnut Investigations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plankis, Brian; Vowell, Julie; Ramsey, John

    2011-01-01

    One key element sometimes missing from middle school science lessons is questioning designed to generate student discourse. The National Science Teachers Association recommends that the curriculum of middle school science programs includes "hands-on, minds-on" (NSTA 2003) inquiry-based science instruction, and according to Clough and Olson,…

  20. Jumping off the Couch: Infusing Creativity into Counselor Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawrence, Christopher

    2012-01-01

    This study infused key elements of creativity into the process of counselor education, exposing students in a counseling skills and techniques course to a curriculum designed to promote tolerance for ambiguity, appropriate risk-taking behaviors, and improvisational skills. Employing a phenomenological strategy of inquiry, the researcher sought to…

  1. Artful Teaching and Science Investigations: A Perfect Match

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGee, Christy

    2018-01-01

    Tomlinson's explanation of Artful Teaching and her 2017 expansion of this concept The Five Key Elements of Differentiation provide the theoretical framework of this examination of the need for science investigations in elementary schools. The Artful Teaching framework uses an equilateral triangle with vertices labeled The Teacher, The Student, and…

  2. Points of View: Stories of Psychopathology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, James E.

    This book is designed to provide students, at differing levels of experience and training, with examples that illustrate the problems individuals have with various psychopathologies. Stories are included to illustrate the key elements of psychopathology for these disorders, and are written from the point of view of both the individual who has the…

  3. A Dialogue for Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Malcolm

    2010-01-01

    Student engagement is perhaps the key element for almost any learning context. When engaged, learners are enthusiastic and excited about the subject. Their work is informed by the enjoyment of discovery. Engaged learners work willingly, instead of by coercion, and approach their assignments as something that matters to them personally. The spirit…

  4. The New Youth Entrepreneur: Types of Business Ownership. Module 7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kourilsky, Marilyn; And Others

    The New Youth Entrepreneur curriculum is a series of 12 youth-oriented educational modules containing instructional materials, learning activities, and checkup exercises designed to teach students key elements of entrepreneurship. This document is the seventh module, and examines the potential advantages and disadvantages of entering into four…

  5. Construction of an Engineer's Notebook Rubric

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelley, Todd R.

    2014-01-01

    It is evident that there is a need for assessment instruments that measure design and engineering design skills, knowledge, and ways of design thinking. These student assessments must be authentic to engineering design practices and measure key elements of the engineering design process. Kelley (2011) presented a rationale to include…

  6. The Invisible Hand of Inquiry-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Mark

    2015-01-01

    The key elements of learning in a classroom remain largely invisible. Teachers cannot expect every student to learn to their fullest capacity; yet they can augment learning within a classroom through inquiry-based learning. In this article, the author describes inquiry-based learning and how to begin this process in the classroom.

  7. Essential Components of Peace Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, David W.; Johnson, Roger T.

    2005-01-01

    Peace education is a key for establishing a consensual peace and maintaining it over time. There are 5 essential elements in building a lasting peace through education. First, a public education system must be established that has compulsory attendance for all children and youth, integrated so students from previously conflicting groups interact…

  8. Constructive Conflict Talk in Classrooms: Divergent Approaches to Addressing Divergent Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bickmore, Kathy; Parker, Christina

    2014-01-01

    Dialogue about social and political conflicts is a key element of democratic citizenship education that is frequently advocated in scholarship but rarely fully implemented, especially in classrooms populated by ethnically and economically heterogeneous students. Qualitative case studies describe the contrasting ways 2 primary and 2 middle-grade…

  9. Teaching and Learning the Elements of Argumentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Untereiner, Brian

    Kim, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Departmental Member iii Abstract Supervisory Committee Dr. Robert Anthony, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Supervisor Dr. Mijung Kim, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Departmental Member In this study I investigated the interactions of 25 Grade 8 science students as they learned how to construct oral arguments using the Toulmin Argumentation Pattern framework. I collected the data during three recorded small group discussion sessions during a five week Earth Science unit between February and March of 2011. The first session recorded the students' discussions prior to receiving either argumentation instruction or the science concept instruction. The second session recorded their discussions after receiving an introduction to argumentation and a scaffold, but not concept instruction. During the three weeks preceding the third session, the students received additional argumentation instruction and completed one-third of the Earth Science unit. The results showed the students collectively made more arguments during each subsequent session. The students' individual arguments showed a correspondence between their purportedly most familiar topics and the most discussed topics. I also found that when students made counter arguments and/or invited or challenged group members to participate, their discussions contained comparatively more argument elements (claims, data and warrants) than discussions containing predominantly collaborative assertions. The key outcome of this study for developing students' use of the elements of argumentation during classroom discussions was to recognize and incorporate opportunities for the students to tap into their prior-knowledge. To engage students in this process, the results indicate the importance of creating time for discussions relevant to the curriculum and to the students.

  10. Going To The Field: Immersing Student Researchers in Coupled Human-Natural Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weissmann, G. S.; Ibarra, R.

    2014-12-01

    Taking students into the field can offer a rich, grounded understanding of a particular environment and of a particular scientific approach to attaining a desired observation. Going into the field immerses students into coupled human-natural systems, which introduces two key elements to teaching: experiential learning and socio-cultural context. While these elements can greatly enrich student learning, instructors have to take extra steps to scaffold this learning. This scaffolding can present physical scientists with a challenge: how to reconcile views that such pedagogical activities are 'extraneous'/not central to the pursuit of physical science. Here we offer perspectives as an anthropologist and as an environmental scientist on the value of a diverse pedagogical approach to conducting field studies involving students. Insights drawn from facilitating a range of field experiences (e.g., short-term study abroad, service-learning and independent/supervised research both home and abroad) will be shared regarding approaches to scaffolding student learning. We will focus on an approach that the scholarship of teaching and learning has long shown to be effective - what can be called a "wrap-around" approach to the field: preparation before, support during, and reflection afterward. Of these steps, the post-trip reflection on the experience is a key, and often under-utilized, strategy, and suggestions as to why this are offered. This approach not only helps students understand better the course content, but it also helps them understand the role that socio-cultural context plays in shaping both the research and in the state of the environment. We illustrate these different dimensions of the field experience with examples from our courses.

  11. An investigation of student understanding of classical ideas related to quantum mechanics: Potential energy diagrams and spatial probability density

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stephanik, Brian Michael

    This dissertation describes the results of two related investigations into introductory student understanding of ideas from classical physics that are key elements of quantum mechanics. One investigation probes the extent to which students are able to interpret and apply potential energy diagrams (i.e., graphs of potential energy versus position). The other probes the extent to which students are able to reason classically about probability and spatial probability density. The results of these investigations revealed significant conceptual and reasoning difficulties that students encounter with these topics. The findings guided the design of instructional materials to address the major problems. Results from post-instructional assessments are presented that illustrate the impact of the curricula on student learning.

  12. Individual Supervision to Enhance Reflexivity and the Practice of Patient-Centered Care: Experience at the Undergraduate Level.

    PubMed

    Berney, Alexandre; Bourquin, Céline

    2017-12-22

    This article reports on what is at work during individual supervision of medical students in the context of teaching breaking bad news (BBN). Surprisingly, there is a relative lack of research and report on the topic of supervision, even though it is regularly used in medical training. Building on our research and teaching experience on BBN at the undergraduate level, as well as interviews of supervisors, the following key elements have been identified: learning objectives (e.g., raising student awareness of structural elements of the interview, emotion (patients and students) handling), pedagogical approach (being centered on student's needs and supportive to promote already existing competences), essentials (e.g., discussing skills and examples from the clinical practice), and enhancing reflexivity while discussing specific issues (e.g., confusion between the needs of the patient and those of the student). Individual supervision has been identified as crucial and most satisfactory by students to provide guidance and to foster a reflexive stance enabling them to critically apprehend their communication style. Ultimately, the challenge is to teach medical students to not only connect with the patient but also with themselves.

  13. Structural Equation Modeling of Knowledge Content Improvement Using Inquiry Based Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reeves, Christopher Gonwa; Fostvedt, Luke; Laugerman, Marcia; Baenziger, Joan; Shelley, Mack; Hand, Brian; Therrien, William

    2013-01-01

    A key element in science education is establishing and maintaining linkages between teachers and researchers that can eventuate in enhanced student outcomes. Determining when and where a new educational program or intervention results in an enhanced outcome can be sensitive to many different forces that the researcher must carefully manage. The…

  14. Introduction to Financial Projection Models. Business Management Instructional Software.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pomeroy, Robert W., III

    This guidebook and teacher's guide accompany a personal computer software program and introduce the key elements of financial projection modeling to project the financial statements of an industrial enterprise. The student will then build a model on an electronic spreadsheet. The guidebook teaches the purpose of a financial model and the steps…

  15. Focus in High School Mathematics: Reasoning and Sense Making in Geometry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Classically, geometry has been the subject in which students encounter mathematical proof based on formal deduction. Attention to proof in the geometry curriculum is strengthened by a focus on reasoning and sense making. This book examines the four key elements (conjecturing about geometric objects, construction and evaluation of geometric…

  16. Social Media Policy in Social Work Education: A Review and Recommendations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karpman, Hannah E.; Drisko, James

    2016-01-01

    Although social media use has grown dramatically, program policies have not kept pace. Some programs now state that student social media activities have led to professional conduct reviews and may violate ethical standards. This article reviews current social media policies and conceptualizes their key elements. A review of current social media…

  17. Teacher Attitudes of Inclusion and Academic Performance of Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sutton, Jonathan Earl

    2013-01-01

    Since the integration of the inclusion model, supported by the IDEA (1997), within public schools, teacher resistance and frustration has risen (Hardy, 1999). The climate of general education teachers' classrooms furthermore, has not been the same (Liu & Meyer, 2005). Key elements ensuring success of inclusion and the implementation of…

  18. Business Students' Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fitzpatrick, Julie

    2013-01-01

    Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a key element of today's Business school curricula. Proponents of CSR have argued that a business has an obligation to balance the interests of its many stakeholders. Critics of CSR, however, have argued that a business has an obligation only to its owners--its shareholders. In this paper I examined the…

  19. What to Do before the Violence Happens: Designing the Crisis Communication Plan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armistead, Lew

    1996-01-01

    When a crisis arrives, two elements can help save your school's reputation: the principal's precrisis credibility with the public and the press and a crisis communication plan. Crisis plans should designate a school spokesperson and procedures for gathering, communicating, and disseminating information. Key audiences include staff, students, and…

  20. Artificial Intelligence, Computational Thinking, and Mathematics Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gadanidis, George

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), computational thinking (CT), and mathematics education (ME) for young students (K-8). Specifically, it focuses on three key elements that are common to AI, CT and ME: agency, modeling of phenomena and abstracting concepts beyond specific instances.…

  1. The New Youth Entrepreneur: How To Mind Your Own Business. Module 11.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kourilsky, Marilyn; And Others

    The New Youth Entrepreneur curriculum is a series of 12 youth-oriented educational modules containing instructional materials, learning activities, and checkup exercises designed to teach students key elements of entrepreneurship. This document is the eleventh module, and focuses on issues related to managing the day-to-day affairs of a small…

  2. Faculty-led Teams: Key Success Factors.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dance-Bennink, Terry; Kincaid, Kate; Groombridge, Tracy

    Sir Sandford Fleming College in Ontario, Canada is in the process of transforming itself from a teaching-based college to a student-centered organization. Faculty-led teams are a critical element in this transformation. With active support from its faculty union, Fleming has reduced its administrative ranks by one-third and created a host of teams…

  3. Building an "Intercultural Ethos" in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tarozzi, Massimiliano

    2014-01-01

    Both in Europe and in North America, teacher education plays a key role in guaranteeing an inclusive school for all and, in particular, is crucial for preparing teachers working with diverse students. However, because of the lack of consistent empirical research in this field, the elements that qualify an effective initial training for teachers…

  4. Making Observation Count: Key Design Elements for Meaningful Teacher Observation. Policy Brief 13-5

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldstein, Jennifer

    2013-01-01

    Teacher evaluation has emerged as a potentially powerful policy lever in state and federal debates about how to improve public education. The role of student test scores and "value-added" measures in teacher evaluation has generated intense public controversy, but other approaches to evaluation including especially classroom observations…

  5. Creating Anytime, Anywhere Learning for All Students: Key Elements of a Comprehensive Digital Infrastructure

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thigpen, Kamila

    2014-01-01

    While connecting the nation's schools and libraries to the internet by modernizing and expanding the federal E-rate program currently dominates education technology efforts, a new report from the Alliance for Excellent Education urges that adequate broadband access be accompanied by a comprehensive "digital infrastructure" that unlocks…

  6. NEWS Ltd.: Simulations for Trust Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ruhe, John A.; Allen, William R.

    2001-01-01

    Examines some of the unique problems faced by global teams and describes two simulations that have been successfully used to assist students in understanding key elements in effective global and cross-cultural team management. The first simulation focuses on a virtual global team situation; the second, using the same teams at a later date, expands…

  7. Cultures of Learning in Effective High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tichnor-Wagner, Ariel; Harrison, Christopher; Cohen-Vogel, Lora

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Research indicates that a culture of learning is a key factor in building high schools that foster academic achievement in all students. Yet less is known about which elements of a culture of learning differentiate schools with higher levels of academic performance. To fill this gap, this comparative case study examined the cultures of…

  8. The Fail-Safe Micro Research Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saunders, Mary Anne

    A key element in a research paper writing assignment modified for students of English as a second language to assure their success is teacher control over most of the process. A chronological plan for action for the micro research project includes these steps: creating an awareness of current events and controversial issues, practicing necessary…

  9. Yearning and Its Uses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vakil, Ardashir

    2013-01-01

    This article makes a case for the centrality of yearning in fictional representations of characters. With the help of illustrations from Adam Phillips, Olen Butler and Ted Hughes I argue that this key element may be missing from the creative work of students. This is my attempt, through exercises and other stimuli, to generate this yearning or…

  10. A Lesson from the Nuclear Industry: Professionalism and Technology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roth, Gene L.; Widen, W. C.

    1991-01-01

    Focuses on an innovative approach to instill professionalism in workers such as reactor operators and other nuclear power workers. It may be used by technology instructors to send a message to their students: regardless of the advanced state of technology, the human element provides the key to desirable outcomes. (Author/JOW)

  11. Developing cultural competence and social responsibility in preclinical dental students.

    PubMed

    Rubin, Richard W

    2004-04-01

    Dental student development of cultural competence and social responsibility is recognized by educators as an important element in the overall shaping of minds and attitudes of modem dental practitioners. Yet training modalities to achieve these competencies are not clearly defined, and outcome measurements are elusive. This article shows an effective method to meet these desired outcomes. Sixty-one freshmen (class of 2005) participated in forty hours of nondental community service, and reflective journals were completed by the end of second year. Competency outcomes were measured by selecting key words and phrases found in the individual journals. Key phrases were related to compassion, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom. Also, phrases had to be accompanied by written indications of direct program causation. The combination of active-learning (based upon service learning models) in public health settings outside of the dental realm, accompanied by reflective journaling, enhanced cultural understanding and community spirit in the majority of students.

  12. Student satisfaction as an element of education quality monitoring in innovative higher education institution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Razinkina, Elena; Pankova, Ludmila; Trostinskaya, Irina; Pozdeeva, Elena; Evseeva, Lidiya; Tanova, Anna

    2018-03-01

    Topicality of the research is confirmed by increasing student involvement into the educational process, when not only the academic staff and administration participate in the improvement of higher education institution's activity, but also education customers - students. This adds a new dimension to the issue of monitoring education quality and student satisfaction with higher education. This issue echoes the ideas of M. Weber about the relationship between such components as cognitive motivation, personal development and student satisfaction with higher education. Besides, it is essential to focus on the approach of R. Barnet to defining the quality of education with the emphasis on a priority of development of an educational institution as the system that meets customers' needs. Monitoring student satisfaction with education quality has become an integral part of the educational process not only in a number of European universities, which have used this monitoring for decades, but also in Russian universities, which are interested in education quality improvement. Leading universities in Russia, including Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, are implementing policies targeted at increasing student satisfaction with higher education quality. Education quality monitoring as a key element in the system of providing feedback to students contributes greatly to this process.

  13. The Status of School Finance Equity in Texas: A 2009 Update

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cortez, Albert

    2009-01-01

    In Texas, all students are equal, but once again some are more equal than others. This policy update provides a description of the key elements of the existing Texas school funding system, identifies features that contribute to equity and those that maintain and expand inequity, and includes recommended reforms that would reinstate critical…

  14. Korean Secondary Students' Perception of Scientific Literacy as Global Citizens: Using Global Scientific Literacy Questionnaire

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mun, Kongju; Shin, Namsoo; Lee, Hyunju; Kim, Sung-Won; Choi, Kyunghee; Choi, Sung-Youn; Krajcik, Joseph S.

    2015-01-01

    We re-conceptualized the meaning of scientific literacy and developed an instrument, which we call the Global Scientific Literacy Questionnaire (GSLQ) based on a new conceptual framework for scientific literacy in the twenty-first century. We identified five dimensions, each with key elements. The five dimensions are (1) content knowledge (core…

  15. A Pedagogical Approach to Detective Fiction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reyes-Torres, Agustín

    2011-01-01

    One of the main concerns when teaching a foreign language is how to encourage students to read and become interested in its literature. This article presents detective fiction as a pedagogical tool that provides the key elements to make it appealing for young readers. In this way, the mystery, the action and the suspense in the story; the figure…

  16. The Iterative Design of a Virtual Design Studio

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blevis, Eli; Lim, Youn-kyung; Stolterman, Erik; Makice, Kevin

    2008-01-01

    In this article, the authors explain how they implemented Design eXchange as a shared collaborative online and physical space for design for their students. Their notion for Design eXchange favors a complex mix of key elements namely: (1) a virtual online studio; (2) a forum for review of all things related to design, especially design with the…

  17. The New Youth Entrepreneur: Getting Ready for Entrepreneurship. Business Ideas for All Communities. Module 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kourilsky, Marilyn; And Others

    The New Youth Entrepreneur curriculum is a series of 12 youth-oriented educational modules containing instructional materials, learning activities, and checkup exercises designed to teach students key elements of entrepreneurship. This document is the third module, which focuses on issues related to starting a business and providing ideas for…

  18. A Model of Framing in Design Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zahedi, Mithra; Heaton, Lorna

    2017-01-01

    How do ideas evolve in the context of collaborative design? This research explores the framing strategies and tools involved in the co-construction of a shared understanding in the early stages of a design project. We observed a team of four industrial design students working to design a pop-up shop. We found that, while the key design elements of…

  19. Computing the Average Square: An Agent-Based Introduction to Aspects of Current Psychometric Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stroup, Walter M.; Hills, Thomas; Carmona, Guadalupe

    2011-01-01

    This paper summarizes an approach to helping future educators to engage with key issues related to the application of measurement-related statistics to learning and teaching, especially in the contexts of science, mathematics, technology and engineering (STEM) education. The approach we outline has two major elements. First, students are asked to…

  20. Putting the IT in Team

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ravage, Barbara

    2012-01-01

    For better or worse, college sports are a big, big deal. But the value of sports on campus goes far beyond gate receipts, sponsorships, and TV revenues. Regardless of the size of a school, sports are a key element in spurring alumni giving and involvement; they play a major factor in helping prospective students select a college; and they help…

  1. The New Youth Entrepreneur: You Can Make It Happen. YESS! You. The Business Plan. Module 12.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kourilsky, Marilyn; And Others

    The New Youth Entrepreneur curriculum is a series of 12 youth-oriented educational modules containing instructional materials, learning activities, and checkup exercises designed to teach students key elements of entrepreneurship. This document is the twelfth module, and discusses the usefulness of a business plan for entrepreneurs starting small…

  2. Getting Started with The Math Forum Problems of the Week Library. Teacher's Guide

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Math Forum @ Drexel, 2009

    2009-01-01

    The Math Forum Problems of the Week Library is designed to leverage the power of interactive technology to hold student interest while increasing their success as strategic thinkers. The Math Forum Library is an online source of non-routine challenges in which problem solving and mathematical communication are key elements of every problem. This…

  3. Middle School Students' Learning about Genetic Inheritance through On-Line Scaffolding Supports

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manokore, Viola

    2010-01-01

    The main goal of school science is to enable learners to become scientifically literate through their participation in scientific discourses (McNeill & Krajcik, 2009). One of the key elements of scientific discourses is the ability to construct scientific explanations that consist of valid claims supported by appropriate evidence (e.g., McNeill &…

  4. Introduction to Multimedia in Instruction. An IAT Technology Primer.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oblinger, Diana

    Multimedia allows computing to move from text and data into the realm of graphics, sound, images, and full-motion video, thus allowing both students and teachers to use the power of computers in new ways. Key elements of multimedia are natural presentation of information and non-linear navigation through applications for access to information on…

  5. Blurring the Boundaries? Supporting Students and Staff within an Online Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quinsee, Susannah; Hurst, Judith

    2005-01-01

    The inclusion of online learning technologies into the higher education (HE) curriculum is frequently associated with the design and development of new models of learning. One could argue that e-learning even demands a reconfiguration of traditional methods of learning and teaching. One of the key elements of this transformational process is…

  6. Does the Document Matter? The Evolving Role of Syllabi in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Palmer, Michael S.; Wheeler, Lindsay B.; Aneece, Itiya

    2016-01-01

    Essentially, the syllabus is a physical artifact outlining key structural elements of a course. It often serves contractual, record keeping, and/or communication functions. It is the place where faculty describe what content they will cover, what books and articles their students will read, the assignments they will complete, dates when things are…

  7. Student Perceptions of the Cell Biology Laboratory Learning Environment in Four Undergraduate Science Courses in Spain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De Juan, Joaquin; Pérez-Cañaveras, Rosa M.; Segovia, Yolanda; Girela, Jose Luis; Martínez-Ruiz, Noemi; Romero-Rameta, Alejandro; Gómez-Torres, Maria José; Vizcaya-Moreno, M. Flores

    2016-01-01

    Cell biology is an academic discipline that organises and coordinates the learning of the structure, function and molecular composition of cells in some undergraduate biomedical programs. Besides course content and teaching methodologies, the laboratory environment is considered a key element in the teaching of and learning of cell biology. The…

  8. A Visual Information Tool for User Participation during the Lifecycle of School Building Design: BIM

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koutamanis, Alexander; Heuer, Jos; Könings, Karen D.

    2017-01-01

    User participation is a key element in decision processes concerning the accommodation of dynamic organisations such as schools. This article addresses the discrepancy between the perspectives of the architects and engineers, as the makers of school buildings, and school management, teachers and students, as the users of the buildings, and…

  9. A Study of the Structure and Content of Principal Selection Interviews in Pennsylvania

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weber, Elizabeth A.

    2012-01-01

    The principal plays a key role in student success. The employment interview is a critical element in the principal selection process. This study examined the interview structure and the content of the interview questions that districts used in their principal search for the 2011-2012 school year. The research-based practices for interview…

  10. Issues in Marketing Enterprise Initiatives within a University Culture and Framework

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Collins, Amanda; Robertson, Martyn

    2003-01-01

    Enterprise initiatives come in a number of guises but, whether they are grant-funded or a commercial aspect of a university's business, the key driver is output. This usually means numbers--of students, of businesses, of ideas developed and sold, of financial gain and reputations made. A critical element impeding progress to the successful…

  11. Phys FilmMakers: teaching science students how to make YouTube-style videos

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coates, Rebecca L.; Kuhai, Alvina; Turlej, Laurence Z. J.; Rivlin, Tom; McKemmish, Laura K.

    2018-01-01

    Phys FilmMakers (PFM) is a new type of course in which a science expert and science communicator partner teach physics students how to make YouTube-style videos on cutting-edge scientific research within the university department. Here, we describe this new course, outline its key components and provide recommendations for others considering implementing a similar FilmMakers-style course using feedback from course tutors and students. We discuss successful and less successful teaching techniques as well as use our experience to identify areas that science students in particular often have difficulties: finding an interesting ‘hook’ for the video, imagining creative B-roll and making a succinct video by removing extraneous (though usually correct and often interesting) material. The course has two major components: workshop sessions in which students learn the key elements of film-making and independent video production where PFM students partner with senior PhD or post-doc researchers to produce a video on their research. This partnership with the department means that the videos produced serve not only as interesting ‘edutainment’ to encourage teenagers and young adults into Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects, but also provide valuable outreach for the academic department.

  12. Teaching prevention on sensitive topics: key elements and pedagogical techniques.

    PubMed

    Russell, Beth S; Soysa, Champika K; Wagoner, Marc J; Dawson, Lori

    2008-09-01

    This paper presents a set of topical and pedagogical considerations for instructors teaching material on sensitive topics with either the primary or secondary aim of addressing prevention. Prevention can be approached as an effort to create changes in an individual's attitudes/beliefs, knowledge, and behavior. Following this framework, classroom content that challenges students' perceptions, preconceived notions, and attitudes can be seen as preventive in nature. Preparing students to work through the same layers of complexity that thoroughly trained and experienced researchers and practitioners struggle with requires particular attention to the classroom environment.

  13. Implementing secure laptop-based testing in an undergraduate nursing program: a case study.

    PubMed

    Tao, Jinyuan; Lorentz, B Chris; Hawes, Stacey; Rugless, Fely; Preston, Janice

    2012-07-01

    This article presents the implementation of secure laptop-based testing in an undergraduate nursing program. Details on how to design, develop, implement, and secure tests are discussed. Laptop-based testing mode is also compared with the computer-laboratory-based testing model. Five elements of the laptop-based testing model are illustrated: (1) it simulates the national board examination, (2) security is achievable, (3) it is convenient for both instructors and students, (4) it provides students hands-on practice, (5) continuous technical support is the key.

  14. Effective educator-student relationships in nursing education to strengthen nursing students' resilience.

    PubMed

    Froneman, Kathleen; Du Plessis, Emmerentia; Koen, Magdelene P

    2016-06-10

    Little research has been conducted in private nursing schools with regard to the educator-student relationship to strengthen the resilience of nursing students and to improve the educator-student relationship. An effective educator-student relationship is a key factor to ensure a positive learning climate where learning can take place and resilience can be strengthened. The purpose was to explore and describe nursing students' view on the basic elements required for an effective educator-student relationship to strengthen their resilience and the educator-student relationship. This study followed an explorative, descriptive and contextual qualitative design in a private nursing education institution in the North West Province. Purposive sampling was used. The sample consisted of 40 enrolled nursing auxiliary students. The World Café Method was used to collect data, which were analysed by means of content analysis. The following five main themes were identified and included: (1) teaching-learning environment, (2) educator-student interaction, (3) educator qualities, (4) staying resilient and (5) strategies to strengthen resilience. Students need a caring and supportive environment; interaction that is constructive, acknowledges human rights and makes use of appropriate non-verbal communication. The educator must display qualities such as love and care, respect, responsibility, morality, patience, being open to new ideas, motivation, willingness to 'go the extra mile' and punctuality. Students reported on various ways how they manage to stay resilient. It thus seems that basic elements required in an effective educator-student relationship to strengthen the resilience of students include the environment, interaction, educator and student's qualities and resilience.

  15. Nurse Educator Perceptions of the Importance of Relationship in Online Teaching and Learning.

    PubMed

    Smith, Yvonne M; Crowe, Alicia R

    The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions of teaching nursing students in online environments as experienced by nursing educators who have been teaching online for a minimum of 2 years. The study used an interview-based qualitative descriptive design. Semistructured interviews with 10 full-time nurse educators were conducted. The participants represented a range of ranks and teaching experience. Analysis involved a constant comparative process of initial and focused coding. Relationships were important to these nurse educators, and there was an interconnected nature among (a) student engagement and learning, (b) "knowing students," and (c) helping students meet their needs. Although different in how they experienced these elements, they seemed to share a sense that you have to know your students to help them meet their needs, and that you have to help them meet their needs so that they can learn, and building relationships within the online environment is key to all if this. Relationships are the heart of nursing and, for these nurse educators, a key aspect of nursing education. Having a strong relationship between nurse educators and nursing students supports student engagement in learning online. With continually increasing online nurse education, understanding these relationships is important to improve nursing education and consequently improve nursing practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Elements of Good Teaching and Good Teachers: A Theoretical Framework and Effective Strategies for Special Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Austin, Vance L.

    2015-01-01

    Within schools in the United States, teachers must now acquire the skills and dispositions necessary to effectively teach students with a wide variety of needs. As an important first step, the effective behaviors of successful teachers need to be considered. The author has identified three key components that are integral to that process; namely,…

  17. Integrating eLearning to Support Medical Education at the New University of Botswana School of Medicine

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kebaetse, Masego B.; Nkomazana, Oathokwa; Haverkamp, Cecil

    2014-01-01

    Since the enrolment of its first cohort of students in 2009, the University of Botswana School of Medicine (UB SoM) has employed elearning as a key element to support and strengthen its model of decentralised medical education. Significant investments have been made in setting up the physical infrastructure, and in acquiring relevant expertise to…

  18. High School Students' Experience with Near-Peer Mentorship and Laboratory-Based Learning: In Their Own Words

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tenenbaum, Laura S.; Anderson, Margery; Ramadorai, Swati B.; Yourick, Debra L.

    2017-01-01

    The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research established the Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science (GEMS) program to serve communities in the National Capitol Area (Anderson, Tenenbaum, Ramadorai, & Yourick, 2015). The GEMS program was founded on four key elements to provide opportunities to primarily middle and high school students…

  19. They Have Gone, and Now What? Understanding Re-Enrolment Patterns in the Catalan Public Higher Education System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodríguez-Gómez, David; Meneses, Julio; Gairín, Joaquín; Feixas, Mònica; Muñoz, José Luís

    2016-01-01

    Studies of student re-enrolment patterns in higher education constitute, along with traditional studies of persistence and dropout, a key element for improving the quality of higher education institutions. However, these studies tend to be limited as they are centred on a single institution, due to the lack of national-scale data sets for…

  20. The New Youth Entrepreneur: How To Sell Your Idea. The "What's in It for Me" (WIIFM) Factor. Module 4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kourilsky, Marilyn; And Others

    The New Youth Entrepreneur currriculum is a series of 12 youth-oriented educational modules containing instructional materials, learning activities, and checkup exercises designed to teach students key elements of entrepreneurship. This document is the fourth module, which focuses on issues related to marketing, such as market niches and research,…

  1. Using the Musical Score to Perform: A Study with Spanish Flute Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marin, Cristina; Echeverria, Ma Puy Perez; Hallam, Susan

    2012-01-01

    Musical scores constitute a key element in the development of expertise in musicians from western tonal traditions, since they act as a mediator between the performer and the music itself. Our aim was to study the role of musical scores in instrumental performance practice by analysing the process of learning a new piece of music, as well as the…

  2. Application of space benefits to education

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dannenberg, K. K.; Ordway, F. I., III

    1972-01-01

    Information on the conducting of a teacher workshop is presented. This educational pilot project updated instruction material, used improved teaching techniques, and increased student motivation. The NASA/MSFC industrial facilities, and the displays at the Alabama Space and Rocket Center (ASRC) were key elements of the program, including a permanent exhibit, at the latter, on selected benefits accruing from the space program.

  3. Comparison of Syntax Training for Students with Developmental Disabilities Utilizing Clinician-Directed versus Self-Determined Session Paradigms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kleinert, Jane O'Regan; Gonzalez, Lori; Schuster, John W.; Huebner, Ruth

    2007-01-01

    The ability to make choices, plan, and self-evaluate are among the primary skills included in the development of self-determination. This study was designed to determine if a teaching paradigm, which incorporates key elements of self-determination, is as effective and more efficient in teaching syntax than a traditional, clinician-directed…

  4. Analyzing the Effects of Story Mapping on the Reading Comprehension of Children with Low Intellectual Abilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grünke, Matthias; Wilbert, Jürgen; Stegemann, Kim Calder

    2013-01-01

    This single-case study examined the effects of a graphic organizing strategy on the ability of children to improve their text comprehension abilities. Participants were six students between ten and fourteen years old with major problems in understanding what they read. The intervention intended to teach them to visually highlight key elements of a…

  5. An Analysis of Curriculum and Undergraduate Students' Discourses about Environmental Education: A Debate Concerning Teacher Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pasin, Elizabeth Bozoti; Bozelli, Reinaldo Luiz

    2016-01-01

    Teacher training on environmental education (EE) is a key element of promoting the restoration of ecological systems and insuring inclusive and equitable human development. Science and biology teachers play a significant role in favoring EE at Brazilian schools. This study investigates the presence of EE in the curriculum and aims to interpret the…

  6. 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…

  7. Teachers' Capacity for Organizational Learning: The Effects of School Culture and Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Louis, Karen Seashore; Lee, Moosung

    2016-01-01

    This paper investigates how key elements of school culture are associated with teachers' capacity to find and act on new information. We analyzed survey data from 3,579 teachers located in 117 schools which were a randomly selected sample from 9 states in the US. We found that school cultural components such as academic press, student support, and…

  8. Tier 2 Reading Interventions: Comparison of Reading Mastery and Fundations Double Dose

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goss, C. Lee; Brown-Chidsey, Rachel

    2012-01-01

    With the emergence of response to intervention as a key element for supporting school success for all students, there is a need for teachers to know which interventions have been found to be effective. Some interventions have been validated with a number of research studies, but new interventions also need such validation. This study was a program…

  9. Translating Knowledge: Promoting Health Through Intergenerational Community Arts Programming.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Sharon; Fast, Janet; Keating, Norah; Eales, Jacquie; Chivers, Sally; Barnet, David

    2016-03-01

    Intergenerational programs have been touted to address the generation gaps and isolation of older adults. Mutual contact alone has produced mixed results, but attention to the intergenerational program content demonstrates well-being benefits. This practice-based article examines the benefits of creating and performing ensemble-created plays to older adults' and university students' well-being and the key processes that promote well-being. This community participatory research project involved older adults as researchers as well as research subjects. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted by two trained interviewers with older adults (n = 15) and university students (n = 17). Professional dramaturgical processes of storytelling, reminiscence, and playfulness were key elements in participants' generative learning. They augmented older adults' and university students' ability to understand their situations and try innovative solutions. Skills such as openness, flexibility, and adaptation transferred into students' and older adults' daily lives. Participating in this intergenerational theatre group reduced ageism and improved intergenerational relationships. It increased older adults' and university students' well-being by building social networks, confidence, and self-esteem and developed a sense of social justice, empathy, and support for others. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

  10. Students as facilitators in a teacher training program: motivation for leadership roles.

    PubMed

    Burgess, Annette; van Diggele, Christie; Mellis, Craig

    2015-01-01

    Although students often partake in peer-teaching activities during medical school, they are rarely provided with formal training in teaching. We have previously described our teacher training (TT) program for medical students. The TT program is delivered face-to-face across two sessions. In order to alleviate academic teaching load required to run the course, and at the same time provide our final-year students with practical opportunities to develop their leadership skills, we engaged five senior students as co-facilitators alongside academic staff. By developing an understanding of our students' motivation to participate as facilitators, we may be able to promote an interest within leadership in teaching among other students. Our study sought to examine students' motivation to take part as facilitators in the TT program. Data were collected through a focus group session with the five student facilitators. Self-determination theory, which poses that there are three elements key to intrinsic motivation, including autonomy, competence, and relatedness, was used as a conceptual lens to identify and code recurrent themes in the data. Elements that motivated students to assist in facilitation included an opportunity to review and build on their knowledge and skills in teaching practices; the recognition and acknowledgement received from school staff and fellow students; the opportunity to develop these relationships; and a desire to increase their peer-teaching responsibilities. By actively involving our students in leadership practices, we were able to not only engage the students, but also develop our student community and contribute to the promotion of a culture of excellence in teaching within the hospital.

  11. Twenty-first century learning after school: the case of Junior Achievement Worldwide.

    PubMed

    Box, John M

    2006-01-01

    Efforts to increase after-school programming indicate the nation's concern about how youth are engaged during out-of-school time. There are clear benefits to extending the learning that goes on during the school day. Research from the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice shows that after-school participants do better in school and have stronger expectations for the future than youth who are not occupied after school. And the need is evident: 14.3 million students return to an empty house after school, yet only 6.5 million children are currently enrolled in after-school programs. If an after-school program were available, parents of 15.3 million would enroll their child. JA Worldwide began in 1919 and has been rooted in the afterschool arena from its origins. Its after-school programs teach students about the free enterprise system through curriculum focusing on business, citizenship, economics, entrepreneurship, ethics and character, financial literacy, and career development. At the same time, JA Worldwide incorporates hands-on learning and engagement with adults as role models, both key elements to a successful after-school program. Now focused on developing curriculum emphasizing skills needed for the twenty-first century, JA adopted the key elements laid out for after-school programs by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. To ensure that the next generation of students enters the workforce prepared, America's education system must provide the required knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Programs such as JA Worldwide serve as models of how to provide the twenty-first century skills that all students need to succeed.

  12. Regolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) Aboard the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masterson, R. A.; Chodas, M.; Bayley, L.; Allen, B.; Hong, J.; Biswas, P.; McMenamin, C.; Stout, K.; Bokhour, E.; Bralower, H.; Carte, D.; Chen, S.; Jones, M.; Kissel, S.; Schmidt, F.; Smith, M.; Sondecker, G.; Lim, L. F.; Lauretta, D. S.; Grindlay, J. E.; Binzel, R. P.

    2018-02-01

    The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is the student collaboration experiment proposed and built by an MIT-Harvard team, launched aboard NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission. REXIS complements the scientific investigations of other OSIRIS-REx instruments by determining the relative abundances of key elements present on the asteroid's surface by measuring the X-ray fluorescence spectrum (stimulated by the natural solar X-ray flux) over the range of energies 0.5 to 7 keV. REXIS consists of two components: a main imaging spectrometer with a coded aperture mask and a separate solar X-ray monitor to account for the Sun's variability. In addition to element abundance ratios (relative to Si) pinpointing the asteroid's most likely meteorite association, REXIS also maps elemental abundance variability across the asteroid's surface using the asteroid's rotation as well as the spacecraft's orbital motion. Image reconstruction at the highest resolution is facilitated by the coded aperture mask. Through this operation, REXIS will be the first application of X-ray coded aperture imaging to planetary surface mapping, making this student-built instrument a pathfinder toward future planetary exploration. To date, 60 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels have been involved with the REXIS project, with the hands-on experience translating to a dozen Master's and Ph.D. theses and other student publications.

  13. Traditional Versus Online Biology Courses: Connecting Course Design and Student Learning in an Online Setting.

    PubMed

    Biel, Rachel; Brame, Cynthia J

    2016-12-01

    Online courses are a large and growing part of the undergraduate education landscape, but many biology instructors are skeptical about the effectiveness of online instruction. We reviewed studies comparing the effectiveness of online and face-to-face (F2F) undergraduate biology courses. Five studies compared student performance in multiple course sections at community colleges, while eight were smaller scale and compared student performance in particular biology courses at a variety of types of institutions. Of the larger-scale studies, two found that students in F2F sections outperformed students in online sections, and three found no significant difference; it should be noted, however, that these studies reported little information about course design. Of the eight smaller scale studies, six found no significant difference in student performance between the F2F and online sections, while two found that the online sections outperformed the F2F sections. In alignment with general findings about online teaching and learning, these results suggest that well-designed online biology courses can be effective at promoting student learning. Three recommendations for effective online instruction in biology are given: the inclusion of an online orientation to acclimate students to the online classroom; student-instructor and student-student interactions facilitated through synchronous and asynchronous communication; and elements that prompt student reflection and self-assessment. We conclude that well-designed online biology courses can be as effective as their traditional counterparts, but that more research is needed to elucidate specific course elements and structures that can maximize online students' learning of key biology skills and concepts.

  14. Active Learning in a Large General Physics Classroom.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Trousil, Rebecca

    2008-04-01

    In 2004, we launched a new calculus-based, introductory physics sequence at Washington University. Designed as an alternative to our traditional lecture-based sequence, the primary objectives for this new course were to actively engage students in the learning process, to significantly strengthen students' conceptual reasoning skills, to help students develop higher level quantitative problem solving skills necessary for analyzing ``real world'' problems, and to integrate modern physics into the curriculum. This talk will describe our approach, using The Six Ideas That Shaped Physics text by Thomas Moore, to creating an active learning environment in large classes as well as share our perspective on key elements for success and challenges that we face in the large class environment.

  15. Biomedical Ph.D. students enrolled in two elite universities in the United kingdom and the United States report adopting multiple learning relationships.

    PubMed

    Kemp, Matthew W; Lazarus, Benjamin M; Perron, Gabriel G; Hanage, William P; Chapman, Elaine

    2014-01-01

    The ability to form multiple learning relationships is a key element of the doctoral learning environment in the biomedical sciences. Of these relationships, that between student and supervisor has long been viewed as key. There are, however, limited data to describe the student perspective on what makes this relationship valuable. In the present study, we discuss the findings of semi-structured interviews with biomedical Ph.D. students from the United Kingdom and the United States to: i) determine if the learning relationships identified in an Australian biomedical Ph.D. cohort are also important in a larger international student cohort; and ii) improve our understanding of student perceptions of value in their supervisory relationships. 32 students from two research intensive universities, one in the United Kingdom (n = 17), and one in the United States (n = 15) were recruited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Verbatim transcripts were transcribed, validated and analysed using a Miles and Huberman method for thematic analysis. Students reported that relationships with other Ph.D. students, post-doctoral scientists and supervisors were all essential to their learning. Effective supervisory relationships were perceived as the primary source of high-level project guidance, intellectual support and confidence. Relationships with fellow students were viewed as essential for the provision of empathetic emotional support. Technical learning was facilitated, almost exclusively, by relationships with postdoctoral staff. These data make two important contributions to the scholarship of doctoral education in the biomedical sciences. Firstly, they provide further evidence for the importance of multiple learning relationships in the biomedical doctorate. Secondly, they clarify the form of a 'valued' supervisory relationship from a student perspective. We conclude that biomedical doctoral programs should be designed to contain a minimum level of formalised structure to promote the development of multiple learning relationships that are perceived as key to student learning.

  16. Biomedical Ph.D. Students Enrolled in Two Elite Universities in the United Kingdom and the United States Report Adopting Multiple Learning Relationships

    PubMed Central

    Kemp, Matthew W.; Lazarus, Benjamin M.; Perron, Gabriel G.; Hanage, William P.; Chapman, Elaine

    2014-01-01

    Objective The ability to form multiple learning relationships is a key element of the doctoral learning environment in the biomedical sciences. Of these relationships, that between student and supervisor has long been viewed as key. There are, however, limited data to describe the student perspective on what makes this relationship valuable. In the present study, we discuss the findings of semi-structured interviews with biomedical Ph.D. students from the United Kingdom and the United States to: i) determine if the learning relationships identified in an Australian biomedical Ph.D. cohort are also important in a larger international student cohort; and ii) improve our understanding of student perceptions of value in their supervisory relationships. Study Design 32 students from two research intensive universities, one in the United Kingdom (n = 17), and one in the United States (n = 15) were recruited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Verbatim transcripts were transcribed, validated and analysed using a Miles and Huberman method for thematic analysis. Results Students reported that relationships with other Ph.D. students, post-doctoral scientists and supervisors were all essential to their learning. Effective supervisory relationships were perceived as the primary source of high-level project guidance, intellectual support and confidence. Relationships with fellow students were viewed as essential for the provision of empathetic emotional support. Technical learning was facilitated, almost exclusively, by relationships with postdoctoral staff. Conclusions These data make two important contributions to the scholarship of doctoral education in the biomedical sciences. Firstly, they provide further evidence for the importance of multiple learning relationships in the biomedical doctorate. Secondly, they clarify the form of a ‘valued’ supervisory relationship from a student perspective. We conclude that biomedical doctoral programs should be designed to contain a minimum level of formalised structure to promote the development of multiple learning relationships that are perceived as key to student learning. PMID:25054473

  17. Embedding Entrepreneurial Thinking into Fluids-related Courses: Small Changes Lead to Positive Results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carnasciali, Maria-Isabel

    2017-11-01

    Many fluid dynamics instructors have embraced student-centered learning pedagogies (Active & Collaborative Learning (ACL) and Problem/Project Based Learning (PBL)) to promote learning and increase student engagement. A growing effort in engineering education calls to equip students with entrepreneurial skills needed to drive innovation. The Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) defines entrepreneurial mindset based on three key attributes: curiosity, connections, and creating value. Elements of ACL and PBL have been used to embed Entrepreneurial Thinking concepts into two fluids-related subjects: 1) an introductory thermal-fluid systems course, and 2) thermo-fluids laboratory. Assessment of students' work reveal an improvement in student learning. Course Evaluations and Surveys indicate an increased perceived-value of course content. Training and development made possible through funding from the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network and the Bucknall Excellence in Teaching Award.

  18. Traditional Versus Online Biology Courses: Connecting Course Design and Student Learning in an Online Setting

    PubMed Central

    Biel, Rachel; Brame, Cynthia J.

    2016-01-01

    Online courses are a large and growing part of the undergraduate education landscape, but many biology instructors are skeptical about the effectiveness of online instruction. We reviewed studies comparing the effectiveness of online and face-to-face (F2F) undergraduate biology courses. Five studies compared student performance in multiple course sections at community colleges, while eight were smaller scale and compared student performance in particular biology courses at a variety of types of institutions. Of the larger-scale studies, two found that students in F2F sections outperformed students in online sections, and three found no significant difference; it should be noted, however, that these studies reported little information about course design. Of the eight smaller scale studies, six found no significant difference in student performance between the F2F and online sections, while two found that the online sections outperformed the F2F sections. In alignment with general findings about online teaching and learning, these results suggest that well-designed online biology courses can be effective at promoting student learning. Three recommendations for effective online instruction in biology are given: the inclusion of an online orientation to acclimate students to the online classroom; student-instructor and student-student interactions facilitated through synchronous and asynchronous communication; and elements that prompt student reflection and self-assessment. We conclude that well-designed online biology courses can be as effective as their traditional counterparts, but that more research is needed to elucidate specific course elements and structures that can maximize online students’ learning of key biology skills and concepts. PMID:28101268

  19. Obtaining and Investigating Amphoteric Properties of Aluminum Oxide in a Hands-On Laboratory Experiment for High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Orwat, Kinga; Bernard, Pawel; Migdal-Mikuli, Anna

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this laboratory exercise is to present a high school hands-on laboratory experiment, focused on obtaining and investigating the properties of various polymorphic forms of aluminum oxide. Amphoterism plays a key role when discussing the law of periodicity and periodic changes of acid-base properties of elements and their compounds. In…

  20. Innovative and Traditional Elements in the Work of Academic Staff: The Views of Pre-Service Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jurgena, Inese; Cedere, Dagnija; Keviša, Ingrida

    2015-01-01

    The academic staff of the institutions of higher education plays a key role in the implementation of innovations in the study process. This article aims to analyze the views of students, pre-service teachers, on the role of innovations and traditions in the work of the academic staff at their institution of higher education. The survey data from…

  1. The Use of Feedback Systems to Improve Collaborative Text Writing: A Proposal for the Higher Education Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mauri, Teresa; Ginesta, Anna; Rochera, Maria-José

    2016-01-01

    Collaborative writing is a task commonly used for learning and assessment in higher education. The complexity of this type of task requires special support for learning contents. Feedback can be used as a key element to improve students' learning and engagement. This paper presents and evaluates a teaching innovation that sought to design a model…

  2. Individual Quality of Life: Can It Be Accounted for by Psychological or Subjective Well-Being?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ring, L.; Hofer, S.; McGee, H.; Hickey, A.; O'Boyle, C. A.

    2007-01-01

    There is ongoing discussion in the scientific literature about the need for a more theoretical foundation to underpin quality of life (QoL) measurement. This paper applied Keyes et al.'s ["J. Pers. Soc. Psychol." 82 (2002) 1007] model of well-being as a framework to assess whether respondents (n = 136 students) focus on elements of subjective…

  3. Exit Stage Left (And Right): Getting Your Chorus on and off the Stage

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Hoven, Scott

    2004-01-01

    A key element of a well-received performance is the efficient flow of performers on and off the stage. This important detail is often neglected until the last minute, with results that are, to say the least, unpredictable. While moving a large number of students on and off the stage will always take time, slow movement and ragged appearance while…

  4. Creating 21st-Century Centers of Pedagogy: Explicating Key Laboratory and Clinical Elements of Teacher Preparation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zimpher, Nancy L.; Howey, Kenneth R.

    2013-01-01

    Considering the importance of education in the life of a 21st-century person, it is remarkable that the training of teachers continues to be as inconsistent, and in many cases, as lackadaisical, as it is. For all the evidence indicating that excellent teachers rank high on the list of factors essential to student success, one would expect that…

  5. A String Number-Line Lesson Sequence to Promote Students' Relative Thinking and Understanding of Scale, Key Elements of Proportional Reasoning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hilton, Annette; Hilton, Geoff

    2018-01-01

    This article describes part of a study in which researchers designed lesson sequences based around using a string number line to help teachers support children's development of relative thinking and understanding of linear scale. In the first year of the study, eight teachers of Years 3-5 participated in four one-day professional development…

  6. A Cross-Cultural Perspective about the Implementation and Adaptation Process of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model: The Importance of Talent Development in a Global World

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hernández-Torrano, Daniel; Saranli, Adile Gulsah

    2015-01-01

    Gifted education and talent development are considered today as key elements for developing human capital and increasing competitiveness within education and the economy. Within this framework, a growing number of countries have begun to invest large amounts of resources to discover and nurture their most able students. As boundaries and…

  7. Humane Science Projects: Suggestions for Biology Studies That Are Scientifically Educational and Ethically Non-Controversial.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balcombe, Jonathan P., Comp.

    This paper lists 35 studies in biology which can be tailored to suit the full range of student age groups and are designed to involve most or all of the key elements of the scientific process (study design, data collection and presentation, and experimental manipulation). Examples of some studies are: (1) study the growth of molds on food items…

  8. Sexual harassment policies in K-12 schools: examining accessibility to students and content.

    PubMed

    Lichty, Lauren F; Torres, Jennifer M C; Valenti, Maria T; Buchanan, NiCole T

    2008-11-01

    Peer sexual harassment is a significant social problem with consequences for both students and schools. Four out of 5 students report experiencing sexual harassment. These experiences have been linked to poor psychological health and academic withdrawal. Recognizing the seriousness of sexual harassment in schools, Supreme Court rulings have established school liability for known instances of sexual harassment under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Federal guidelines established by the Office for Civil Rights of the US Department of Education mandate schools to develop sexual harassment policies; however, the implementation of these guidelines has not been examined. Therefore, this study assessed the degree to which sexual harassment policies in primary and secondary schools adhered to said guidelines. This study evaluated 784 primary and secondary school sexual harassment policies across 4 states on 3 key factors: accessibility to students (ie, via the Internet), consistency with federal guidelines regarding their content and the inclusion of 10 key components, and consistency of content across educational levels. Only 14% of sexual harassment policies were available online; the majority of policies incorporated only 5 of the 10 critical components, and elementary school policies contained significantly fewer components than all other educational levels. The Internet is an underused resource for disseminating school sexual harassment policies to students. When policies are available, they rarely incorporate the key elements specified in the federal guidelines. Particularly troubling are the inaccessibility and incompleteness of elementary school policies. Greater attention to policy accessibility and comprehensiveness is needed.

  9. Utilising a construct of teacher capacity to examine national curriculum reform in mathematics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Qinqiong; Stephens, Max

    2013-12-01

    This study involving 120 Australian and Chinese teachers introduces a construct of teacher capacity to analyse how teachers help students connect arithmetic learning and emerging algebraic thinking. Four criteria formed the basis of our construct of teacher capacity: knowledge of mathematics, interpretation of the intentions of official curriculum documents, understanding of students' thinking, and design of teaching. While these key elements connect to what other researchers refer to as mathematical knowledge for teaching, several differences are made clear. Qualitative and quantitative analyses show that our construct was robust and effective in distinguishing between different levels of teacher capacity.

  10. Managing clinical education through understanding key principles.

    PubMed

    Cunningham, Joanne; Wright, Caroline; Baird, Marilyn

    2015-01-01

    Traditionally, a practicum facilitated the integration of on-campus learning and practical workplace training. Over the past 3 decades, an educative practicum has evolved that promotes clinical reasoning, including analytical and evaluative abilities, through reflective practice. Anecdotal evidence indicates that the delivery of clinical education within medical radiation science entry-level programs continues to vacillate between traditional practicums and the new reflective practicums. To review the literature about clinical education within the medical radiation sciences and identify key principles for practitioners seeking to reflect upon and improve their approach to teaching and supporting students in the clinical environment. A search of 3 major journal databases, Internet searches, and hand searches of reference lists were conducted to identify literature about clinical education in the medical radiation sciences from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2012. Twenty-two studies were included in this review. The 5 key elements associated with clinical education include the clinical support model and quality, overcoming the theory-practice gap, learning outcomes and reliable and valid assessment, preparing and supporting students, and accommodating differing teaching and learning needs. Many factors influence the quality of clinical education, including the culture of the clinical environment and clinical leadership roles. Several approaches can help students bridge the theory-practice gap, including simulators, role-playing activities, and reflective journals. In addition, clinical educators should use assessment strategies that objectively measure student progress, and they should be positive role models for their students. The successful clinical education of students in the medical radiation sciences depends upon the systems, structures, and people in the clinical environment. Clinical education is accomplished through the collaborative efforts of the clinical practitioner, the academic, and the student. Universities should include introductory material on clinical learning and teaching in their radiologic science curriculum.

  11. Pre-registration student nurses perception of the hospital-learning environment during clinical placements.

    PubMed

    Midgley, Kirsten

    2006-05-01

    If we subscribe to the notion that nursing is an action profession, that nurses learn by doing [Neary, M., 2000. Responsive assessment: assessing student nurses' clinical competence. Nurse Education Today 21, 3-17], then the mastery of fundamental clinical skills must be a key component of courses leading to registration. The last two decades have seen widespread changes to nurse education but the clinical field remains an invaluable resource in preparing students for the reality of their professional role supporting the integration of theory and practice and linking the 'knowing what' with the 'knowing how'. The clinical-learning environment represents an essential element of nurse education that needs to be measurable and warrants further investigation. This exploratory cohort study (n = 67) examined pre-registration student nurses' perception of the hospital-learning environment during clinical placements together with the key characteristics of the students' preferred learning environment utilising an established tool, the clinical-learning environment inventory (CLEI) tool [Chan, D., 2001a. Development of an innovative tool to assess hospital-learning environments. Nurse Education Today 21, 624-631; Chan, D., 2001b. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods in assessing hospital-learning environments. International Journal of Nursing Studies 3, 447-459]. The results demonstrated that in comparison with the actual hospital environment, students would prefer an environment with higher levels of individualisation, innovation in teaching and learning strategies, student involvement, personalisation and task orientation.

  12. Factors affecting the academic performance of optometry students in Mozambique.

    PubMed

    Shah, Kajal; Naidoo, Kovin; Bilotto, Luigi; Loughman, James

    2015-06-01

    The Mozambique Eyecare Project is a higher education partnership for the development, implementation, and evaluation of a model of optometry training at UniLúrio in Mozambique. There are many composite elements to the development of sustainable eye health structures, and appropriate education for eye health workers remains a key determinant of successful eye care development. However, from the first intake of 16 students, only 9 students graduated from the program, whereas only 6 graduated from the second intake of 24 students. This low graduation rate is attributable to a combination of substandard academic performance and student dropout. The aim of this article was to identify factors affecting the academic performance of optometry students in Mozambique. Nine lecturers (the entire faculty) and 15 students (9 from the first intake and 6 from the second) were recruited to the study. Clinical competency assessments were carried out on the students, semistructured individual interviews were conducted with the course lecturers, and a course evaluation questionnaire was completed by students. The results were combined to understand the complexities surrounding the optometry student training and performance. One student out of nine from the first intake and three students out of six from the second were graded as competent in all the elements of the refraction clinical competency examination. Analysis of data from the interviews and questionnaire yielded four dominant themes that were viewed as important determinants of student refraction competencies: student learning context, teaching context, clinic conditions and assessment, and the existing operating health care context. The evaluations have helped the university and course partners to better structure the teaching and adapt the learning environments by recommending a preparatory year and a review of the curriculum and clinic structure, implementing more transparent entry requirements, increasing awareness of the program, and improving Internet infrastructure.

  13. A concept analysis of undergraduate nursing students speaking up for patient safety in the patient care environment.

    PubMed

    Fagan, Anthea; Parker, Vicki; Jackson, Debra

    2016-10-01

    An analysis of the concept of nursing students speaking up for patient safety in the workplace. 'Speaking up' is assertive communication in clinical situations that requires action through questions or statements of opinion or information with appropriate persistence and is linked to patient safety. Previously, the concept of speaking up has focused on the registered or experienced practitioners, there is minimal discussion relating to student nurses. Analysis of the elements of students speaking up will identify the key elements that will give understanding to their position and experiences. A concept analysis. Literature included publications between 1970-2015 from, MEDLINE, CINHAL, PUBMED and SCOPUS. Search terms included patient safety AND speaking up; AND pre-registration/undergraduate nursing students, patient advocate, error reporting, organizational silence, whistleblowing and clinical placement/practicum. The Walker and Avant concept analysis model was modified and used to examine the literature. Nursing students speaking up behaviour is influenced by individual and contextual factors that differ from those influencing more experienced colleagues. Motivators and barriers to voicing concerns include moral and ethical beliefs, willingness and confidence to speak up in the workplace. Students' subordinate and often vulnerable position creates additional tensions and challenges that impact their decisions and actions. This concept analysis provides a clear definition of 'speaking up' in relation to nursing students. The analysis will facilitate understanding and operationalization of the concept applied to learning and teaching, practice and research. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. A comparison of educational factors promoting or discouraging the intent to remain in engineering by gender

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amelink, Catherine T.; Meszaros, Peggy S.

    2011-03-01

    This study seeks to examine key extrinsic and intrinsic factors that encourage or discourage persistence in attaining an engineering degree and pursuing an engineering-related career among both male and female undergraduates. Quantitative and qualitative findings from nine participating undergraduate degree programmes reveal that career expectations formulated through educational experiences as undergraduates play a key role in motivating students. Among females, faculty interaction in the classroom, such as feedback received and the degree to which the faculty treat them with respect, is an important encouraging factor. For both males and females, discouraging elements of the undergraduate experience include the amount of time for coursework, competition in engineering classes and grades. The findings have several practical implications that faculty and administrators can employ in shaping the undergraduate experience to encourage short- and long-term interest in engineering among both male and female students.

  15. The Impact of a Health Campaign on Hand Hygiene and Upper Respiratory Illness among College Students Living in Residence Halls.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Cindy; Kolble, Robin; Carlson, Rebecca; Lipson, Natasha

    2005-01-01

    Hand hygiene is a key element in preventing the transmission of cold and flu viruses. The authors conducted an experimental-control design study in 4 campus residence halls to determine whether a message campaign about hand hygiene and the availability of gel hand sanitizer could decrease cold and flu illness and school and work absenteeism. Their…

  16. Chief of Naval Air Training Automated Management Information System (CAMIS). User’s Guide.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-04-01

    display. This display allows the user to insert, update, delete , or analyze various data elements, or generate reports. The Flight Schedule Input...instructor, student, and aircraft utiliza- tion. Additionally, it provides a means to delete any erroneous sortie information previously entered. 5...appear: 10 Technical Report 121 VT-## FLIGHT SCHEDULE PROGRAM 1. ADD NEW FLIGHT SCHEDULE DATA 2. DELETE ERRONEOUS SORTIES PREVIOUSLY ENTERED KEY IN

  17. Lifting the Fog on Inequitable Financial Aid Policies: A Companion Brief to "Priced out: How the Wrong Financial Aid Policies Hurt Low-Income Students"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lynch, Mamie; Engle, Jennifer; Cruz, Jose L.

    2011-01-01

    A lack of situational awareness has been blamed for many of the most counterproductive decisions American policymakers have made on the battlefield, in response to natural and man-made disasters, and in the design and implementation of domestic policies. There are two key elements such disparate events as the escalation of the Vietnam war, the…

  18. The Periodic Table. Physical Science in Action[TM]. Schlessinger Science Library. [Videotape].

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    2000

    Kids know that when they are lost, they look at a map to find their way. It's no different in the world of science, as they'll learn in The Periodic Table--a fun and engaging look at the road map of the elements. Young students will learn about key information included on the table, including atomic number, atomic mass and chemical symbol. They'll…

  19. Preparing future faculty and professionals for public health careers.

    PubMed

    Koblinsky, Sally A; Hrapczynski, Katie M; Clark, Jane E

    2015-03-01

    Recent years have brought rapid growth in schools of public health and an increasing demand for public health practitioners. These trends highlight the need for innovative approaches to prepare doctoral graduates for academic and high-level practice positions. The University of Maryland's School of Public Health developed a "Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals" program to enrich the graduate education and professional development of its doctoral students. We describe the program's key elements, including foundational seminars to enhance students' knowledge and skills related to teaching, research, and service; activities designed to foster career exploration and increase competitiveness in the job market; and independent, faculty-mentored teaching and research experiences. We present a model for replicating the program and share student outcomes of participation.

  20. How can we help students appreciate physics education?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Jia-Ling; Zaki, Eman; Schmidt, Jason; Woolston, Don

    2004-03-01

    Helping students appreciate physics education is a formidable task, considering that many students struggle to pass introductory physics courses. Numerous efforts have been made for this undertaking because it is an important step leading to successful learning. In an out-of-classroom academic program, the Supplemental Instruction (SI) Program, we have used the approach, INSPIRE (inquiry, network, skillfulness, perseverance, intuition, reasoning, and effort), to help more students value their experiences in these courses. The method basically includes key elements outlined by experts in physics education [1]. Student responses have been encouraging. Having undergraduates as facilitators in the program is advantageous in promoting principles of physics education. Their training emphasizes tenacity, resourcefulness, understanding, support, and teamwork, i.e. TRUST. We present the organization and focus of the SI Program, and discuss how these improve learning atmosphere and facilitate learning. [1] Edward F. Redish et al, Am J. Phys. 66(3), March 1998.

  1. The NASA eClips 4D Program: Impacts from the First Year Quasi-Experimental Study on Video Development and Viewing on Students.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davey, B.; Davis, H. B.; Harper-Neely, J.; Bowers, S.

    2017-12-01

    NASA eClips™ is a multi-media educational program providing educational resources relevant to the formal K-12 classroom. Science content for the NASA eClips™ 4D elements is drawn from all four divisions of the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) as well as cross-divisional topics. The suite of elements fulfills the following SMD education objectives: Enable STEM education, Improve U.S. scientific literacy, Advance national education goals (CoSTEM), and Leverage efforts through partnerships. A component of eClips™ was the development of NASA Spotlite videos (student developed videos designed to increase student literacy and address misconceptions of other students) by digital media students. While developing the Sptolite videos, the students gained skills in teamwork, working in groups to accomplish a task, and how to convey specific concepts in a video. The teachers felt the video project was a good fit for their courses and enhanced what the students were already learning. Teachers also reported that the students learned knowledge and skills that would help them in future careers including how to gain a better understanding of a project and the importance of being knowledgeable about the topic. The student developed eClips videos were then used as part of interactive lessons to help other students learn about key science concepts. As part of our research, we established a quasi-experimental design where one group of students received the intervention including the Spotlite videos (intervention group) and one group did not receive the intervention (comparison group). An overall comparison of post scores between intervention group and comparison group students showed intervention groups had significantly higher scores in three of the four content areas - Ozone, Clouds, and Phase Change.

  2. GRAD-MAP: A Joint Physics and Astronomy Diversity Initiative at the University of Maryland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Steele, Amy; Smith, Robyn; Wilkins, Ashlee; Jameson, Katie

    2018-01-01

    Graduate Resources for Advancing Diversity with Maryland’s Astronomy and Physics (GRAD-MAP), builds connections between UMD and mid-Atlantic HBCUs, Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), and community colleges. We use seminars, forums, and workshops to foster a diverse community of undergraduates prepared to succeed in graduate school, inclusion-minded graduate student mentors, and faculty versed in the experiences of students at MSIs and the need for changes in the fields of physics and astronomy. Now in its fifth year, GRAD-MAP remains a graduate-student-powered initiative with a three-pronged approach: 1) Fall Collaborative Seminars, 2) A Winter Workshop, and 3) A Summer Scholars Program. This coherent set of programming allows GRAD-MAP to do more than just increase the numbers of minority students participating in astronomy and physics research (or worse, simply shuffle around students who already are or would be active in research). GRAD-MAP is committed to identifying students who are otherwise underserved or overlooked by the traditional academic pipeline, not only to get them on the path to be successful undergraduate researchers and eventual graduate applicants, but also to make substantial, sustainable efforts toward making the climate of academic physics and astronomy more inclusive to them and all other underrepresented minority students. We will describe the key elements of our program, highlight successes and lessons learned, and describe future directions for program elements. GRAD-MAP can serve as a model for other universities committed to diversity and inclusion.

  3. Student Engagement with a Flipped Classroom Teaching Design Affects Pharmacology Examination Performance in a Manner Dependent on Question Type.

    PubMed

    White, Paul J; Naidu, Som; Yuriev, Elizabeth; Short, Jennifer L; McLaughlin, Jacqueline E; Larson, Ian C

    2017-11-01

    Objective: To investigate the relationship between student engagement with the key elements of a flipped classroom approach (preparation and attendance), their attitudes to learning, including strategy development, and their performance on two types of examination questions (knowledge recall and providing rational predictions when faced with novel scenarios). Methods. This study correlated student engagement with the flipped classroom and student disposition to learning with student ability to solve novel scenarios in examinations. Results. Students who both prepared for and attended classes performed significantly better on examination questions that required analysis of novel scenarios compared to students who did not prepare and missed classes. However, there was no difference for both groups of students on examination questions that required knowledge and comprehension. Student motivation and use of strategies correlated with higher examination scores on questions requiring novel scenario analysis. Conclusion. There is a synergistic relationship between class preparation and attendance. The combination of preparation and attendance was positively correlated to assessment type; the relationship was apparent for questions requiring students to solve novel problems but not for questions requiring knowledge or comprehension.

  4. Situational awareness within objective structured clinical examination stations in undergraduate medical training - a literature search.

    PubMed

    Fischer, Markus A; Kennedy, Kieran M; Durning, Steven; Schijven, Marlies P; Ker, Jean; O'Connor, Paul; Doherty, Eva; Kropmans, Thomas J B

    2017-12-21

    Medical students may not be able to identify the essential elements of situational awareness (SA) necessary for clinical reasoning. Recent studies suggest that students have little insight into cognitive processing and SA in clinical scenarios. Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) could be used to assess certain elements of situational awareness. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature with a view to identifying whether levels of SA based on Endsley's model can be assessed utilising OSCEs during undergraduate medical training. A systematic search was performed pertaining to SA and OSCEs, to identify studies published between January 1975 (first paper describing an OSCE) and February 2017, in peer reviewed international journals published in English. PUBMED, EMBASE, PsycINFO Ovid and SCOPUS were searched for papers that described the assessment of SA using OSCEs among undergraduate medical students. Key search terms included "objective structured clinical examination", "objective structured clinical assessment" or "OSCE" and "non-technical skills", "sense-making", "clinical reasoning", "perception", "comprehension", "projection", "situation awareness", "situational awareness" and "situation assessment". Boolean operators (AND, OR) were used as conjunctions to narrow the search strategy, resulting in the limitation of papers relevant to the research interest. Areas of interest were elements of SA that can be assessed by these examinations. The initial search of the literature retrieved 1127 publications. Upon removal of duplicates and papers relating to nursing, paramedical disciplines, pharmacy and veterinary education by title, abstract or full text, 11 articles were eligible for inclusion as related to the assessment of elements of SA in undergraduate medical students. Review of the literature suggests that whole-task OSCEs enable the evaluation of SA associated with clinical reasoning skills. If they address the levels of SA, these OSCEs can provide supportive feedback and strengthen educational measures associated with higher diagnostic accuracy and reasoning abilities. Based on the findings, the early exposure of medical students to SA is recommended, utilising OSCEs to evaluate and facilitate SA in dynamic environments.

  5. Bringing Hands-on Activities and Real Scientists to Students: Bishop Museum's X-treme Science Exhibit, Holoholo Science Program, and Planned Science Learning Center

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hills, D. J.; Fullerton, K.; Hoddick, C.; Ali, N.; Mosher, M. K.

    2002-12-01

    Bishop Museum developed the "X-treme Science: Exploring Oceans, Volcanoes, and Outer Space" museum exhibit in conjunction with NASA as part of their goal to increase educational outreach. A key element of the exhibit was the inclusion of real scientists describing what they do, and fostering the interaction between scientists and students. Highlights of the exhibit were interviews with local (Hawaii-based) scientists involved in current ocean, volcano, and space research. These interviews were based on questions that students provided, and were available during the exhibit at interactive kiosks. Lesson plans were developed by local teachers and scientists, and provided online to enhance the exhibit. However, one limitation of the museum exhibit was that not all students in the state could visit, or spend enough time with it. To serve more remote schools, and to provide for additional enrichment for those who did attend, the education department at Bishop Museum developed a traveling program with the X-treme Science exhibit as the basis. The Holoholo (Hawaiian for "fun outing") Science program brings a scientist into the classroom with a hands-on scientific inquiry activity. The activity is usually a simplified version of a problem that the scientist actually deals with. The students explore the activity, reach conclusions, and discuss their results. They are then given the opportunity to question the scientist about the activity and about what the scientist does. This allows students to understand that science is not something mystical, but rather something attainable. A key element of Holoholo remains the active participation of real-life scientists in the experience. The scientists who have participated in the program have had overwhelmingly positive experiences. Bishop Museum is developing a science learning center, with the objective of meeting local and national science standards using inquiry based science. The unifying theme of all three of these projects is involving students with active scientists who are accessible to them. AGU scientists are vital to realizing this goal.

  6. U.S. Trade Policy: Competing in a Global Economy. Choices for the 21st Century. Alternatives for Public Debate and Policy Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown Univ., Providence, RI. Center for Foreign Policy Development.

    This document contains a student text, teacher outline, and lesson plan that places beliefs and values at the center of the national discussion on trade policy. The focus of the unit is particularly relevant with the emergence of U.S. trade policy as a vital public issue. In 1993, two key elements of U.S. trade policy--the North American Free…

  7. Care, compassion and communication.

    PubMed

    Bloomfield, Jacqueline; Pegram, Anne

    2015-02-20

    Care, compassion and effective communication are essential elements of nursing, which must be demonstrated by all nurses and nursing students. These requirements form the basis of the first essential skills cluster, which stipulates key skills and behaviours that must be demonstrated to meet the standards for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This article discusses the core aspects of compassionate care and effective communication and, in doing so, uses examples to demonstrate their use within nursing.

  8. Human vs. Computer Diagnosis of Students' Natural Selection Knowledge: Testing the Efficacy of Text Analytic Software

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nehm, Ross H.; Haertig, Hendrik

    2012-02-01

    Our study examines the efficacy of Computer Assisted Scoring (CAS) of open-response text relative to expert human scoring within the complex domain of evolutionary biology. Specifically, we explored whether CAS can diagnose the explanatory elements (or Key Concepts) that comprise undergraduate students' explanatory models of natural selection with equal fidelity as expert human scorers in a sample of >1,000 essays. We used SPSS Text Analysis 3.0 to perform our CAS and measure Kappa values (inter-rater reliability) of KC detection (i.e., computer-human rating correspondence). Our first analysis indicated that the text analysis functions (or extraction rules) developed and deployed in SPSSTA to extract individual Key Concepts (KCs) from three different items differing in several surface features (e.g., taxon, trait, type of evolutionary change) produced "substantial" (Kappa 0.61-0.80) or "almost perfect" (0.81-1.00) agreement. The second analysis explored the measurement of human-computer correspondence for KC diversity (the number of different accurate knowledge elements) in the combined sample of all 827 essays. Here we found outstanding correspondence; extraction rules generated using one prompt type are broadly applicable to other evolutionary scenarios (e.g., bacterial resistance, cheetah running speed, etc.). This result is encouraging, as it suggests that the development of new item sets may not necessitate the development of new text analysis rules. Overall, our findings suggest that CAS tools such as SPSS Text Analysis may compensate for some of the intrinsic limitations of currently used multiple-choice Concept Inventories designed to measure student knowledge of natural selection.

  9. What motivates surgeons to teach dissection anatomy to medical students and surgical trainees?

    PubMed Central

    Burgess, Annette; Ramsey-Stewart, George

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Although a fading tradition in some institutions, having clinicians teach anatomy by whole-body dissection provides a clinical context to undergraduate and postgraduate medical students, increasing their depth of learning. The reasons for a clinician’s motivation to teach may be articulated in accordance with self-determination theory (SDT). SDT proposes that for individuals to be intrinsically motivated, three key elements are needed: 1) autonomy, 2) competence, and 3) relatedness. Materials and methods Data were collected through semistructured interviews with eight surgeons who were supervisors/facilitators in the anatomy by whole-body dissection course for undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery program and postgraduate students in the Master of Surgery program at the University of Sydney. Qualitative analysis methods were used to code and categorize data into themes. Results Our study used SDT as a conceptual framework to explore surgeons’ motivation to supervise students in the anatomy by whole-body dissection courses. Elements that facilitated their desire to teach included satisfaction derived from teaching, a sense of achievement in providing students with a clinical context, a strong sense of community within the dissection courses, and a sense of duty to the medical/surgical profession and to patient welfare. Conclusion The surgeons’ motivation for teaching was largely related to their desire to contribute to the training of the next generation of doctors and surgeons, and ultimately to future patient welfare. PMID:25565913

  10. A Research Module for the Organic Chemistry Laboratory: Multistep Synthesis of a Fluorous Dye Molecule

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    A multi-session research-like module has been developed for use in the undergraduate organic teaching laboratory curriculum. Students are tasked with planning and executing the synthesis of a novel fluorous dye molecule and using it to explore a fluorous affinity chromatography separation technique, which is the first implementation of this technique in a teaching laboratory. Key elements of the project include gradually introducing students to the use of the chemical literature to facilitate their searching, as well as deliberate constraints designed to force them to think critically about reaction design and optimization in organic chemistry. The project also introduces students to some advanced laboratory practices such as Schlenk techniques, degassing of reaction mixtures, affinity chromatography, and microwave-assisted chemistry. This provides students a teaching laboratory experience that closely mirrors authentic synthetic organic chemistry practice in laboratories throughout the world. PMID:24501431

  11. A Research Module for the Organic Chemistry Laboratory: Multistep Synthesis of a Fluorous Dye Molecule.

    PubMed

    Slade, Michael C; Raker, Jeffrey R; Kobilka, Brandon; Pohl, Nicola L B

    2014-01-14

    A multi-session research-like module has been developed for use in the undergraduate organic teaching laboratory curriculum. Students are tasked with planning and executing the synthesis of a novel fluorous dye molecule and using it to explore a fluorous affinity chromatography separation technique, which is the first implementation of this technique in a teaching laboratory. Key elements of the project include gradually introducing students to the use of the chemical literature to facilitate their searching, as well as deliberate constraints designed to force them to think critically about reaction design and optimization in organic chemistry. The project also introduces students to some advanced laboratory practices such as Schlenk techniques, degassing of reaction mixtures, affinity chromatography, and microwave-assisted chemistry. This provides students a teaching laboratory experience that closely mirrors authentic synthetic organic chemistry practice in laboratories throughout the world.

  12. Leading change: curriculum reform in graduate education in the biomedical sciences.

    PubMed

    Dasgupta, Shoumita; Symes, Karen; Hyman, Linda

    2015-01-01

    The Division of Graduate Medical Sciences at the Boston University School of Medicine houses numerous dynamic graduate programs. Doctoral students began their studies with laboratory rotations and classroom training in a variety of fundamental disciplines. Importantly, with 15 unique pathways of admission to these doctoral programs, there were also 15 unique curricula. Departments and programs offered courses independently, and students participated in curricula that were overlapping combinations of these courses. This system created curricula that were not coordinated and that had redundant course content as well as content gaps. A partnership of key stakeholders began a curriculum reform process to completely restructure doctoral education at the Boston University School of Medicine. The key pedagogical goals, objectives, and elements designed into the new curriculum through this reform process created a curriculum designed to foster the interdisciplinary thinking that students are ultimately asked to utilize in their research endeavors. We implemented comprehensive student and peer evaluation of the new Foundations in Biomedical Sciences integrated curriculum to assess the new curriculum. Furthermore, we detail how this process served as a gateway toward creating a more fully integrated graduate experience, under the umbrella of the Program in Biomedical Sciences. © 2015 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  13. Measurement and structural relations of an authoritative school climate model: A multi-level latent variable investigation.

    PubMed

    Konold, Timothy R; Cornell, Dewey

    2015-12-01

    This study tested a conceptual model of school climate in which two key elements of an authoritative school, structure and support variables, are associated with student engagement in school and lower levels of peer aggression. Multilevel multivariate structural modeling was conducted in a statewide sample of 48,027 students in 323 public high schools who completed the Authoritative School Climate Survey. As hypothesized, two measures of structure (Disciplinary Structure and Academic Expectations) and two measures of support (Respect for Students and Willingness to Seek Help) were associated with higher student engagement (Affective Engagement and Cognitive Engagement) and lower peer aggression (Prevalence of Teasing and Bullying) on both student and school levels of analysis, controlling for the effects of school demographics (school size, percentage of minority students, and percentage of low income students). These results support the extension of authoritative school climate model to high school and guide further research on the conditions for a positive school climate. Copyright © 2015 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Student Engagement with a Flipped Classroom Teaching Design Affects Pharmacology Examination Performance in a Manner Dependent on Question Type

    PubMed Central

    Naidu, Som; Yuriev, Elizabeth; Short, Jennifer L.; McLaughlin, Jacqueline E.; Larson, Ian C.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the relationship between student engagement with the key elements of a flipped classroom approach (preparation and attendance), their attitudes to learning, including strategy development, and their performance on two types of examination questions (knowledge recall and providing rational predictions when faced with novel scenarios). Methods. This study correlated student engagement with the flipped classroom and student disposition to learning with student ability to solve novel scenarios in examinations. Results. Students who both prepared for and attended classes performed significantly better on examination questions that required analysis of novel scenarios compared to students who did not prepare and missed classes. However, there was no difference for both groups of students on examination questions that required knowledge and comprehension. Student motivation and use of strategies correlated with higher examination scores on questions requiring novel scenario analysis. Conclusion. There is a synergistic relationship between class preparation and attendance. The combination of preparation and attendance was positively correlated to assessment type; the relationship was apparent for questions requiring students to solve novel problems but not for questions requiring knowledge or comprehension. PMID:29302082

  15. Blending Curriculum with Research in an Undergraduate Petrology Course: A Recipe for Success?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gonzales, D. A.; Semken, S. C.

    2009-12-01

    In this presentation we discuss the design, key curricular elements, and strengths and weaknesses of an undergraduate course in the Department of Geosciences at Fort Lewis College that was recast to focus on petrologic studies in the Southern Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau. Redesign of the course retained an additional petrology option in the curriculum and offered undergraduates a richer opportunity to learn and practice science-research skills. This course emphasizes direct engagement and student responsibility for learning: traits valuable in transforming undergraduates into experienced and competent professionals. Previous offerings of this course have been field based, each having a unique context for research. The primary pedagogical strategy was to blend field studies with inquiry to promote authentic, student-driven research. Students applied and tested their prior knowledge, and used observational and interpretative skills, to investigate major regional rock bodies and geologic histories, as opposed to completing a set of activities with predefined outcomes. In 2010, students will work on an NSF-funded project to test hypotheses on the origin and evolution of mafic magmas of the Navajo volcanic field. This research will most involve petrographic and microanalytical techniques on rock specimens with a subordinate amount of field work. Formative and summative assessment data for previous offerings of this course reveal that these classes have an impact on the academic interests and future successes of students. Assessment data collected from students, and other faculty that interacted with them, indicate that students in this research-oriented petrology course have gained a greater understanding of the elements and complications of research. They have also developed geologic skills and a passion for geologic research that have influenced subsequent academic (and later career) paths of the students.

  16. Integrating 360° behavior-orientated feedback in communication skills training for medical undergraduates: concept, acceptance and students' self-ratings of communication competence.

    PubMed

    Engerer, Cosima; Berberat, Pascal O; Dinkel, Andreas; Rudolph, Baerbel; Sattel, Heribert; Wuensch, Alexander

    2016-10-18

    Feedback is considered a key didactic element in medical education, especially for teaching of communication skills. This study investigates the impact of a best evidence-based practice feedback concept within the context of communication skills training (CST). We evaluate this concept for acceptance and changes in students self-ratings of communication competence. Our CST integrating feedback process comprises a short theoretical introduction presenting standards for good communication and a constructive 360° feedback from three perspectives: feedback from peers, from standardized patients (SPs), and from a trainer. Feed-forward process was facilitated for documenting suggestions for improvements based on observable behaviors to maximize learning benefits. Our CST was applied to four groups of eight or nine students. We assessed the data on students' acceptance using a 6-point scale ranging from very good (1) to poor (6), applied a forced choice question to rank didactic items, and assessed changes in student' self-ratings of their communication competence on a 10-cm visual analogue scale (VAS). Thirty-four medical undergraduates (82 % female, 18 % male) in their first clinical year, with an average age of 21.4 years (SD = 1.0), participated in the new training. The concept achieved high acceptance from good to very good: overall impression (M = 1.56), sufficient interaction for discussion (M = 1.15), and constructive learning atmosphere (M = 1.18). Specific elements, such as practical training with SPs (M = 1.18) and feedback by SPs (M = 1.12), showed highest acceptance. The forced choice ranking placed all feedback elements at the top of the list (feedback (FB) by SPs, rank 2; FB by trainer, rank 3; FB by colleagues, rank 4), whereas theoretical elements were at the bottom (theoretical introduction, rank 7; memory card, rank 9). Overall, student self-ratings of communication competence significantly improved in nine of the ten communication items assessed by VAS and showed a pre-post effect size of ES = 0.74 on a global rating. This study demonstrates that the training concept based on 360° behavioral feedback was well accepted and generated significant changes in student self-ratings of their communication competence. Further research is needed to determine the effects on objective communication performance.

  17. Virtual patients in the acquisition of clinical reasoning skills: does presentation mode matter? A quasi-randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Schubach, Fabian; Goos, Matthias; Fabry, Götz; Vach, Werner; Boeker, Martin

    2017-09-15

    The objective of this study is to compare two different instructional methods in the curricular use of computerized virtual patients in undergraduate medical education. We aim to investigate whether using many short and focused cases - the key feature principle - is more effective for the learning of clinical reasoning skills than using few long and systematic cases. We conducted a quasi-randomized, non-blinded, controlled parallel-group intervention trial in a large medical school in Southwestern Germany. During two seminar sessions, fourth- and fifth-year medical students (n = 56) worked on the differential diagnosis of the acute abdomen. The educational tool - virtual patients - was the same, but the instructional method differed: In one trial arm, students worked on multiple short cases, with the instruction being focused only on important elements ("key feature arm", n = 30). In the other trial arm, students worked on few long cases, with the instruction being comprehensive and systematic ("systematic arm", n = 26). The overall training time was the same in both arms. The students' clinical reasoning capacity was measured by a specifically developed instrument, a script concordance test. Their motivation and the perceived effectiveness of the instruction were assessed using a structured evaluation questionnaire. Upon completion of the script concordance test with a reference score of 80 points and a standard deviation of 5 for experts, students in the key feature arm attained a mean of 57.4 points (95% confidence interval: 50.9-63.9), and in the systematic arm, 62.7 points (57.2-68.2), with Cohen's d at 0.337. The difference is statistically non-significant (p = 0.214). In the evaluation survey, students in the key feature arm indicated that they experienced more time pressure and perceived the material as more difficult. In this study powered for a medium effect, we could not provide empirical evidence for the hypothesis that a key feature-based instruction on multiple short cases is superior to a systematic instruction on few long cases in the curricular implementation of virtual patients. The results of the evaluation survey suggest that learners should be given enough time to work through case examples, and that caution should be taken to prevent cognitive overload.

  18. How Information Literate Are Junior and Senior Class Biology Students?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schiffl, Iris

    2018-03-01

    Information literacy—i.e. obtaining, evaluating and using information—is a key element of scientific literacy. However, students are frequently equipped with poor information literacy skills—even at university level—as information literacy is often not explicitly taught in schools. Little is known about students' information skills in science at junior and senior class level, and about teachers' competences in dealing with information literacy in science class. This study examines the information literacy of Austrian 8th, 10th and 12th grade students. Information literacy is important for science education in Austria, because it is listed as a basic competence in Austria's science standards. Two different aspects of information literacy are examined: obtaining information and extracting information from texts. An additional research focus of this study is teachers' competences in diagnosing information skills. The results reveal that students mostly rely on online sources for obtaining information. However, they also use books and consult with people they trust. The younger the students, the more they rely on personal sources. Students' abilities to evaluate sources are poor, especially among younger students. Although teachers claim to use information research in class, their ability to assess their students' information competences is limited.

  19. 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.

  20. Impact of Interactive Video Communication Versus Text-Based Feedback on Teaching, Social, and Cognitive Presence in Online Learning Communities.

    PubMed

    Seckman, Charlotte

    A key element to online learning is the ability to create a sense of presence to improve learning outcomes. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the impact of interactive video communication versus text-based feedback and found a significant difference between the 2 groups related to teaching, social, and cognitive presence. Recommendations to enhance presence should focus on providing timely feedback, interactive learning experiences, and opportunities for students to establish relationships with peers and faculty.

  1. Place-based pedagogy in the era of accountability: An action research study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saracino, Peter C.

    Today's most common method of teaching biology---driven by calls for standardization and high-stakes testing---relies on a standards-based, de-contextualized approach to education. This results in "one size fits all" curriculums that ignore local contexts relevant to students' lives, discourage student engagement and ultimately work against a deep and lasting understanding of content. In contrast, place-based education---a pedagogical paradigm grounded in situated cognition and the progressive education tradition of John Dewey---utilizes the community as an integrating context for learning. It encourages the growth of school-community partnerships with an eye towards raising student achievement while also drawing students into the economic, political, social and ecological life of their communities. Such an approach seeks to provide students with learning experiences that are both academically significant and valuable to their communities. This study explores how high school science teachers can capitalize on the rich affordances offered by a place-based approach despite the constraints imposed by a state-mandated curriculum and high-stakes testing. Using action research, I designed, implemented, evaluated and refined an intervention that grounded a portion of a Living Environment high school course I teach in a place-based experience. This experience served as a unique anchoring event to contextualize students' learning of other required core topics. The overarching question framing this study is: How can science teachers capitalize on the rich affordances offered by a place-based approach despite the constraints imposed by a state-mandated curriculum and high-stakes testing? The following more specific questions were explored within the context of the intervention: (1) Which elements of the place-based paradigm could I effectively integrate into a Living Environment course? (2) In what ways would this integration impact students' interest? (3) In what ways would this integration impact students' perceived academic performance? (4) What are the costs of implementing this approach on the teacher? Data sources included my teacher log, writings from students' reflective journals, student answers to survey questions and student responses to focus group interviews. Using qualitative research methods, I triangulated the data from these multiple sources in an attempt to address each of the research questions. This process included identifying key analytic and explanatory themes that guided my subsequent readings and interpretations of the data. The patterns that emerged guided the search for other connections and interrelationships and formed the basis of my final analysis. This study demonstrates that I was able to successfully integrate selected elements of place-based education into my Living Environment course at least to some degree. As such, it confirms the feasibility of effectively incorporating key elements of the place-based paradigm into a high-stakes high school science course. My findings also support the literature's claim that embracing a place-based approach can pique students' interest in significant ways and therefore generate a higher level of student engagement that allows students to feel more confident about their learning. Findings also confirm literature articulating the beneficial use of artifacts while broadening such use to include ecology classes. Lastly, the study suggests the gains achieved in integrating a place-based approach more than outweigh the inevitable costs and challenges associated with its implementation.

  2. IMAGINE-ing interprofessional education: program evaluation of a novel inner city health educational experience

    PubMed Central

    Hu, Tina; Cox, Kelly Anne; Nyhof-Young, Joyce

    2017-01-01

    Background Poverty is a key determinant of health that leads to poor health outcomes. Although most healthcare providers will work with patients experiencing poverty, surveys among healthcare students have reported a curriculum gap in this area. This study aims to introduce and evaluate a novel, student-run interprofessional inner city health educational program that combines both practical and didactic educational components. Methods Students participating in the program answered pre- and post-program surveys. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and descriptive thematic analysis were used for quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Results A total of 28 out of 35 participants responded (response rate: 80%). Student knowledge about issues facing underserved populations and resources for underserved populations significantly increased after program participation. Student comfort working with underserved populations also significantly increased after program participation. Valued program elements included workshops, shadowing, and a focus on marginalized populations. Conclusion Interprofessional inner city health educational programs are beneficial for students to learn about poverty intervention and resources, and may represent a strategy to address a gap in the healthcare professional curriculum. PMID:28344718

  3. The Influence of Toy Design Activities on Middle School Students' Understanding of the Engineering Design Processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Ninger; Pereira, Nielsen L.; George, Tarun Thomas; Alperovich, Jeffrey; Booth, Joran; Chandrasegaran, Senthil; Tew, Jeffrey David; Kulkarni, Devadatta M.; Ramani, Karthik

    2017-10-01

    The societal demand for inspiring and engaging science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students and preparing our workforce for the emerging creative economy has necessitated developing students' self-efficacy and understanding of engineering design processes from as early as elementary school levels. Hands-on engineering design activities have shown the potential to promote middle school students' self-efficacy and understanding of engineering design processes. However, traditional classrooms often lack hands-on engineering design experiences, leaving students unprepared to solve real-world design problems. In this study, we introduce the framework of a toy design workshop and investigate the influence of the workshop activities on students' understanding of and self-efficacy beliefs in engineering design. Using a mixed method approach, we conducted quantitative analyses to show changes in students' engineering design self-efficacy and qualitative analyses to identify students' understanding of the engineering design processes. Findings show that among the 24 participants, there is a significant increase in students' self-efficacy beliefs after attending the workshop. We also identified major themes such as design goals and prototyping in students' understanding of engineering design processes. This research provides insights into the key elements of middle school students' engineering design learning and the benefits of engaging middle school students in hands-on toy design workshops.

  4. Generative mechanistic explanation building in undergraduate molecular and cellular biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Southard, Katelyn M.; Espindola, Melissa R.; Zaepfel, Samantha D.; Bolger, Molly S.

    2017-09-01

    When conducting scientific research, experts in molecular and cellular biology (MCB) use specific reasoning strategies to construct mechanistic explanations for the underlying causal features of molecular phenomena. We explored how undergraduate students applied this scientific practice in MCB. Drawing from studies of explanation building among scientists, we created and applied a theoretical framework to explore the strategies students use to construct explanations for 'novel' biological phenomena. Specifically, we explored how students navigated the multi-level nature of complex biological systems using generative mechanistic reasoning. Interviews were conducted with introductory and upper-division biology students at a large public university in the United States. Results of qualitative coding revealed key features of students' explanation building. Students used modular thinking to consider the functional subdivisions of the system, which they 'filled in' to varying degrees with mechanistic elements. They also hypothesised the involvement of mechanistic entities and instantiated abstract schema to adapt their explanations to unfamiliar biological contexts. Finally, we explored the flexible thinking that students used to hypothesise the impact of mutations on multi-leveled biological systems. Results revealed a number of ways that students drew mechanistic connections between molecules, functional modules (sets of molecules with an emergent function), cells, tissues, organisms and populations.

  5. Branding a School-Based Campaign Combining Healthy Eating and Eco-friendliness.

    PubMed

    Folta, Sara C; Koch-Weser, Susan; Tanskey, Lindsay A; Economos, Christina D; Must, Aviva; Whitney, Claire; Wright, Catherine M; Goldberg, Jeanne P

    2018-02-01

    To develop a branding strategy for a campaign to improve the quality of foods children bring from home to school, using a combined healthy eating and eco-friendly approach and for a control campaign focusing solely on nutrition. Formative research was conducted with third- and fourth-grade students in lower- and middle-income schools in Greater Boston and their parents. Phase I included concept development focus groups. Phase II included concept testing focus groups. A thematic analysis approach was used to identify key themes. In phase I, the combined nutrition and eco-friendly messages resonated; child preference emerged as a key factor affecting food from home. In phase II, key themes included fun with food and an element of mystery. Themes were translated into a concept featuring food face characters. Iterative formative research provided information necessary to create a brand that appealed to a specified target audience. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. The Hands-On Optics Project: a demonstration of module 3-magnificent magnifications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pompea, Stephen M.; Sparks, Robert T.; Walker, Constance E.

    2014-07-01

    The Hands-On Optics project offers an example of a set of instructional modules that foster active prolonged engagement. Developed by SPIE, OSA, and NOAO through funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation, the modules were originally designed for afterschool settings and museums. However, because they were based on national standards in mathematics, science, and technology, they were easily adapted for use in classrooms. The philosophy and implementation strategies of the six modules will be described as well as lessons learned in training educators. The modules were implementing with the help of optics industry professionals who served as expert volunteers to assist educators. A key element of the modules was that they were developed around an understanding of optics misconceptions and used culminating activities in each module as a form of authentic assessment. Thus student achievement could be measured by evaluating the actual product created by each student in applying key concepts, tools, and applications together at the end of each module. The program used a progression of disciplinary core concepts to build an integrated sequence and crosscutting ideas and practices to infuse the principles of the modern electro-optical field into the modules. Whenever possible, students were encouraged to experiment and to create, and to pursue inquiry-based approaches. The result was a program that had high appeal to regular as well as gifted students.

  7. At sea with disability! Transformative learning in medical undergraduates voyaging with disabled sailors.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Trevor; Lamont-Robinson, Catherine; Williams, Val

    2016-08-01

    Attitudinal objectives are difficult to formulate, teach and assess; yet good attitudes are fundamental to good practice. For instance, studies highlight negative attitudes to disability in the medical student community that contrast with the self-conceptions of disabled persons. This study was designed to better understand attitudinal learning, inadequately addressed by contemporary programmes, through the application of Mezirow's 'transformative learning theory' (TLT) to a novel educational intervention. Participating students went to sea, for voyages of 5-7 days, in tall ships operated by the Jubilee Sailing Trust. Each student was buddied with another sailor living with disability. Disabilities included cerebral palsy, loss of sight, loss of limbs and paraplegia. Students recorded their experiences using audio diaries, written logs, formal voyage reports and art work and in post-voyage seminars. The data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis, and the results are considered under five themes suggested by Mezirow. Sixteen students were recruited, with four students sailing on each of four separate voyages. Each student recorded audio-diary entries, which had a total duration of between 10 and 212 minutes. For seven of the 16 students, the five key elements of TLT were demonstrable, suggesting that transformative learning, as described by Mezirow, was occurring. Drawing on diverse qualitative data, insights into different aspects of this transformation are provided. TLT can be used to characterise, and thus design, educational interventions to meet attitudinal learning objectives. Students can be helped to discover their less helpful frames of reference. In safe environments these frames can be challenged and subjected to personal and communal reflection. Drawing on audio diaries and other evidence, and in answer to critiques of contemporary medical teaching on disability, we demonstrate such transformation in students 'at sea with disability', highlighting elements that could potentially be transferred to the mainstream curriculum. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  8. Teamwork: relevance and interdependence of interprofessional education

    PubMed Central

    Tamayo, M; Besoaín-Saldaña, A; Aguirre, M; Leiva, J

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE Determine the perception of university students regarding interprofessional and interdependent work between team members in their inclusion in primary care. METHODS Analytical cross-sectional study. The sampling had a probabilistic, stratified random type with 95% confidence and 5% margin of error. Seven-hundred and four students of Public Universities in Santiago (Chile) answered self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS Ninety-seven point eight of students say that interprofessional work is important; 27.1% of them declare that their university did not seem to show that their study plans were important. The professionals listed as most important in teams are physicians and nurses. CONCLUSIONS Spaces for development and institutional support are key elements to promote interprofessional work. If this competence can involve each academic unit in their different formative spaces there will be a significant contribution to said promotion. Teamwork is a pending task. PMID:28489187

  9. Creating a path for indigenous student success in baccalaureate nursing education.

    PubMed

    Martin, Donna; Seguire, Marilyn

    2013-04-01

    To enhance recruitment and retention of indigenous peoples in nursing education, the University of Manitoba launched a cohort initiative in 2007. In this article, we describe the background, implementation, and evaluation of the initiative. Indigenous epistemology was integrated into the curriculum and pedagogy of prerequisite and beginning nursing courses. A cohort approach encourages peer support, which boosts individual and group strengths and academic success. Courses provide students with information about traditional indigenous knowledge, "Western" science, and how the history of colonialism continues to impact indigenous peoples in North America. Using the same instructors and advisors, in concert with tutoring, manageable course loads, and a culturally supportive environment, forges a path for success in indigenous students pursuing a baccalaureate nursing education. Key elements in the initiative may be adopted by nurse administrators and educators globally to inform the development of undergraduate nursing programs for indigenous peoples. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

  10. Barriers in education of indigenous nursing students: a literature review.

    PubMed

    Foxall, Donna

    2013-11-01

    The poor health status of indigenous people has been identified internationally as a critical issue. It is now commonly accepted that the ability to address this concern is hindered, in part, by the disproportionately low number of indigenous health professionals, including nurses. This paper reports the findings of a review of literature that aimed to identify key barriers in the education of the indigenous undergraduate nursing students in the tertiary sector, to identify strategies to overcome these, and discuss these elements within the New Zealand context. A number of health-related databases were searched and a total of 16 peer-reviewed articles from Canada, U.S.A., Australia and New Zealand were reviewed. Key barriers to recruitment and retention and strategies to overcome these are presented. Barriers to recruitment included: academic unpreparedness; poor understanding of cultural needs; and conflicting obligations, and financial constraints. Barriers to retention included lack of cultural and academic support, family obligations and financial hardship. Strategies to address recruitment barriers included: addressing pre-entry education requirements; targeted promotion of nursing programmes; indigenous role models in the recruitment process; and streamlining enrolment processes to make programmes attractive and attainable for indigenous students. Strategies to address retention barriers included: cultural relevance within the curriculum; identifying and supporting cultural needs of indigenous students with active participation of indigenous staff; engaging communities and funding support. The crucial development of partnerships between academic institutes and indigenous communities to ensure the provision of a culturally safe, supportive environment for the students was stressed. In New Zealand, while government-level policy exists to promote the success of MBori nursing students, the translation of what is known about the recruitment and retention of indigenous students is an area for development.

  11. The Astronomy Workshop

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamilton, Douglas P.

    2012-05-01

    The Astronomy Workshop (http://janus.astro.umd.edu) is a collection of interactive online educational tools developed for use by students, educators, professional astronomers, and the general public. The more than 20 tools in the Astronomy Workshop are rated for ease-of-use, and have been extensively tested in large university survey courses as well as more specialized classes for undergraduate majors and graduate students. Here we briefly describe the tools most relevant for the Professional Dynamical Astronomer. Solar Systems Visualizer: The orbital motions of planets, moons, and asteroids in the Solar System as well as many of the planets in exoplanetary systems are animated at their correct relative speeds in accurate to-scale drawings. Zoom in from the chaotic outer satellite systems of the giant planets all the way to their innermost ring systems. Orbital Integrators: Determine the orbital evolution of your initial conditions for a number of different scenarios including motions subject to general central forces, the classic three-body problem, and satellites of planets and exoplanets. Zero velocity curves are calculated and automatically included on relevant plots. Orbital Elements: Convert quickly and easily between state vectors and orbital elements with Changing the Elements. Use other routines to visualize your three-dimensional orbit and to convert between the different commonly used sets of orbital elements including the true, mean, and eccentric anomalies. Solar System Calculators: These tools calculate a user-defined mathematical expression simultaneously for all of the Solar System's planets (Planetary Calculator) or moons (Satellite Calculator). Key physical and orbital data are automatically accessed as needed.

  12. Uncovering nursing students' views of their relationship with educators in a university context: A descriptive qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Chan, Zenobia C Y; Tong, Chien Wai; Henderson, Saras

    2017-02-01

    Power dynamics is a key element in the educator-student relationship, and can be influential to the learning outcomes of students. Power relations are inherent in the interaction between educators and students. The educator-student relationship is still an under-explored area of power dynamics. The aim of the study was to investigate nursing students' perceptions of the power dynamics in the educator-student relationship in a university learning context in order to offer educators some understanding of how such a relationship was perceived by students. A descriptive qualitative study using focus group inquiry. Through convenience sampling, a total of 56 students were recruited and eight focus group interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was adopted to capture the meanings extracted from the student narratives. Four core themes of the educator-student relationship were identified. Referring to these themes, some implications were drawn, such as the significance of the educator-student relationship; an educator's power matters; and polarized views among the students on whether or not an educator should be a friend. The power dynamics varied depending on an educator's personality, communication skills, ability to effectively monitor large classes, and teaching style. More efforts are needed to investigate the preferred conceptions and types of educator-student relationships in order to evaluate the impact that these have on learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Healthcare students' experiences when integrating e-learning and flipped classroom instructional approaches.

    PubMed

    Telford, Mark; Senior, Emma

    2017-06-08

    This article describes the experiences of undergraduate healthcare students taking a module adopting a 'flipped classroom' approach. Evidence suggests that flipped classroom as a pedagogical tool has the potential to enhance student learning and to improve healthcare practice. This innovative approach was implemented within a healthcare curriculum and in a module looking at public health delivered at the beginning of year two of a 3-year programme. The focus of the evaluation study was on the e-learning resources used in the module and the student experiences of these; with a specific aim to evaluate this element of the flipped classroom approach. A mixed-methods approach was adopted and data collected using questionnaires, which were distributed across a whole cohort, and a focus group involving ten participants. Statistical analysis of the data showed the positive student experience of engaging with e-learning. The thematic analysis identified two key themes; factors influencing a positive learning experience and the challenges when developing e-learning within a flipped classroom approach. The study provides guidance for further developments and improvements when developing e-learning as part of the flipped classroom approach.

  14. The Nature of Laboratory Learning Experiences in Secondary Science Online

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crippen, Kent J.; Archambault, Leanna M.; Kern, Cindy L.

    2013-06-01

    Teaching science to secondary students in an online environment is a growing international trend. Despite this trend, reports of empirical studies of this phenomenon are noticeably missing. With a survey concerning the nature of laboratory activities, this study describes the perspective of 35-secondary teachers from 15-different U.S. states who are teaching science online. The type and frequency of reported laboratory activities are consistent with the tradition of face-to-face instruction, using hands-on and simulated experiments. While provided examples were student-centered and required the collection of data, they failed to illustrate key components of the nature of science. The features of student-teacher interactions, student engagement, and nonverbal communications were found to be lacking and likely constitute barriers to the enactment of inquiry. These results serve as a call for research and development focused on using existing communication tools to better align with the activity of science such that the nature of science is more clearly addressed, the work of students becomes more collaborative and authentic, and the formative elements of a scientific inquiry are more accessible to all participants.

  15. Developing and applying quantitative skills maps for STEM curricula, with a focus on different modes of learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reid, Jackie; Wilkes, Janelle

    2016-08-01

    Mapping quantitative skills across the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricula will help educators identify gaps and duplication in the teaching, practice and assessment of the necessary skills. This paper describes the development and implementation of quantitative skills mapping tools for courses in STEM at a regional university that offers both on-campus and distance modes of study. Key elements of the mapping project included the identification of key graduate quantitative skills, the development of curriculum mapping tools to record in which unit(s) and at what level of attainment each quantitative skill is taught, practised and assessed, and identification of differences in the way quantitative skills are developed for on-campus and distance students. Particular attention is given to the differences that are associated with intensive schools, which consist of concentrated periods of face-to-face learning over a three-four day period, and are available to distance education students enrolled in STEM units. The detailed quantitative skills mapping process has had an impact on the review of first-year mathematics units, resulted in crucial changes to the curriculum in a number of courses, and contributed to a more integrated approach, and a collective responsibility, to the development of students' quantitative skills for both face-to-face and online modes of learning.

  16. The relation between student motivation and student grades in physical education: A 3-year investigation.

    PubMed

    Barkoukis, V; Taylor, I; Chanal, J; Ntoumanis, N

    2014-10-01

    Enhancing students' academic engagement is the key element of the educational process; hence, research in this area has focused on understanding the mechanisms that can lead to increased academic engagement. The present study investigated the relation between motivation and grades in physical education (PE) employing a 3-year longitudinal design. Three hundred fifty-four Greek high school students participated in the study. Students completed measures of motivation to participate in PE on six occasions; namely, at the start and the end of the school year in the first, second, and third year of junior high school. Students' PE grades were also recorded at these time points. The results of the multilevel growth models indicated that students' PE grades increased over the 3 years and students had better PE grades at the end of each year than at the beginning of the subsequent year. In general, students and classes with higher levels of controlling motivation achieved lower PE grades, whereas higher levels of autonomous motivation were associated with higher PE grades. These findings provide new insight on the associations between class- and individual-level motivation with objectively assessed achievement in PE. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Measuring medical students' empathy using direct verbal expressions.

    PubMed

    Hur, Yera; Cho, A Ra; Kim, Sun

    2016-09-01

    Empathy is an important trait in physicians and a key element in the physician-patient relationship. Accordingly, one of the goals in medical education is developing empathy in students. We attempted to practically assess medical students' empathy through their direct verbal expressions. The medical students' empathy was measured using the modified Pencil-and-Paper Empathy Rating Test by Winefield and Chur-Hansen (2001). The students took 15 minutes or so to complete the scale, and it was then scored by one of two trained evaluators (0 to 4 points for each item, for a total score of 40). The subjects were 605 medical students, and the data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, independent t-test, and one-way analysis of variance in SPSS version 21.0. The students' empathy scores were low (mean, 12.13; standard deviation, 2.55); their most common responses (78.6%) registered as non-empathetic. Differences in empathy were observed by gender (female students>male students; t=-5.068, p<0.001), school system (medical school>medical college; t=-1.935, p=0.053), and academic level (pre-medical 1 year < other years; t=-4.050, p<0.001). Our findings lead us to the significant conclusion that there is the need for empathy enhancement training programs with practical content.

  18. [Family medicine as a medical specialty and an academic discipline in the medical students' assessment].

    PubMed

    Krztoń-Królewiecka, Anna; Jarczewska, Dorota Łucja; Windak, Adam

    2015-01-01

    Family medicine has been recognized as the key element of a good health care system. Despite the significance of the family physician's role the number of medical students choosing to train in family medicine has been declining in recent years. The aim of this study was to describe opinions about family medicine and family medicine teaching among medical students. A cross sectional study with an anonymous questionnaire was carried out. The study population was all sixth-year students in Faculty Medicine of Jagiellonian University Medical College, who completed family medicine course in winter semester of academic year 2012/2013. 111 students filled in the questionnaire. The response rate was 84.1%. Less than one third of respondents (30.6%) considered family medicine as a future career choice. Almost all students recognized responsibility of the family doctor for the health of community. 52% of respondents agreed that the family doctor is competent to provide most of the health care an individual may require. Experience from family medicine course was according to the students the most important factor influencing their opinions. Medical students appreciate the social role of family doctors. Family medicine teachers should not only pass on knowledge, but they also should encourage medical students to family medicine as a future career choice.

  19. Some Key Issues in Creating Inquiry-Based Instructional Practices that Aim at the Understanding of Simple Electric Circuits

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kock, Zeger-Jan; Taconis, Ruurd; Bolhuis, Sanneke; Gravemeijer, Koeno

    2013-04-01

    Many students in secondary schools consider the sciences difficult and unattractive. This applies to physics in particular, a subject in which students attempt to learn and understand numerous theoretical concepts, often without much success. A case in point is the understanding of the concepts current, voltage and resistance in simple electric circuits. In response to these problems, reform initiatives in education strive for a change of the classroom culture, putting emphasis on more authentic contexts and student activities containing elements of inquiry. The challenge then becomes choosing and combining these elements in such a manner that they foster an understanding of theoretical concepts. In this article we reflect on data collected and analyzed from a series of 12 grade 9 physics lessons on simple electric circuits. Drawing from a theoretical framework based on individual (conceptual change based) and socio-cultural views on learning, instruction was designed addressing known conceptual problems and attempting to create a physics (research) culture in the classroom. As the success of the lessons was limited, the focus of the study became to understand which inherent characteristics of inquiry based instruction complicate the process of constructing conceptual understanding. From the analysis of the data collected during the enactment of the lessons three tensions emerged: the tension between open inquiry and student guidance, the tension between students developing their own ideas and getting to know accepted scientific theories, and the tension between fostering scientific interest as part of a scientific research culture and the task oriented school culture. An outlook will be given on the implications for science lessons.

  20. The REgolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) for OSIRIS-REx: identifying regional elemental enrichment on asteroids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Allen, Branden; Grindlay, Jonathan; Hong, Jaesub; Binzel, Richard P.; Masterson, Rebecca; Inamdar, Niraj K.; Chodas, Mark; Smith, Matthew W.; Bautz, Marshall W.; Kissel, Steven E.; Villasenor, Joel; Oprescu, Miruna; Induni, Nicholas

    2013-09-01

    The OSIRIS-REx Mission was selected under the NASA New Frontiers program and is scheduled for launch in September of 2016 for a rendezvous with, and collection of a sample from the surface of asteroid Bennu in 2019. 101955 Bennu (previously 1999 RQ36) is an Apollo (near-Earth) asteroid originally discovered by the LINEAR project in 1999 which has since been classified as a potentially hazardous near-Earth object. The REgolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) was proposed jointly by MIT and Harvard and was subsequently accepted as a student led instrument for the determination of the elemental composition of the asteroid's surface as well as the surface distribution of select elements through solar induced X-ray fluorescence. REXIS consists of a detector plane that contains 4 X-ray CCDs integrated into a wide field coded aperture telescope with a focal length of 20 em for the detection of regions with enhanced abundance in key elements at 50 m scales. Elemental surface distributions of approximately 50-200 m scales can be detected using the instrument as a simple collimator. An overview of the observation strategy of the REXIS instrument and expected performance are presented here.

  1. Medical student use of communication elements and association with patient satisfaction: a prospective observational pilot study.

    PubMed

    Turner, Joseph S; Pettit, Katie E; Buente, Bryce B; Humbert, Aloysius J; Perkins, Anthony J; Kline, Jeffrey A

    2016-05-21

    Effective communication with patients impacts clinical outcome and patient satisfaction. We measure the rate at which medical students use six targeted communication elements with patients and association of element use with patient satisfaction. Participants included fourth year medical students enrolled in an emergency medicine clerkship. A trained observer measured use of six communication elements: acknowledging the patient by name, introducing themselves by name, identifying their role, explaining the care plan, explaining that multiple providers would see the patient, and providing an estimated duration of time in the emergency department. The observer then conducted a survey of patient satisfaction with the medical student encounter. A total of 246 encounters were documented among forty medical student participants. For the six communication elements evaluated, in 61% of encounters medical students acknowledged the patient, in 91% they introduced themselves, in 58 % they identified their role as a student, in 64% they explained the care plan, in 80% they explained that another provider would see the patient, and in only 6% they provided an estimated duration of care. Only 1 encounter (0.4%) contained all six elements. Patients' likelihood to refer a loved one to that ED was increased when students acknowledged the patient and described that other providers would be involved in patient care (P = 0.016 and 0.015 respectively, Chi Square). Likewise, patients' likelihood to return to the ED was increased when students described their role in patient care (P = 0.035, Chi Square). This pilot study demonstrates that medical students infrequently use all targeted communication elements. When they did use certain elements, patient satisfaction increased. These data imply potential benefit to additional training for students in patient communication.

  2. Characteristics of self-medication for pain relief among first-year health care students in Zagreb, Croatia.

    PubMed

    Brlić, Kristina Čuljak; Janev Holcer, Nataša; Sović, Slavica; Štimac, Danijela

    2014-12-01

    Taking over the responsibility for one's own health and active participation in eliminating the existing health problems is ever more widespread in the world. Self-medication in the form of using any kind of therapy without previous consultation with medical professionals has been ever more common among student populations in many countries. The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes about self-medication for pain relief and features of self-medication in first-year students of the University of Applied Health Studies in Zagreb. The study was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire, which was completed by 389 respondents. Taking painkillers in the past year was reported by 74.6% of respondents, significantly more by female students (80.8%); 62.6% of female students used painkillers once a month versus 45.7% of male students taking analgesics once a year. Ibuprofen was preferred by female students and acetylsalicylic acid by male students. Headache was the most common indication for taking painkillers (76.6%), followed by menstrual discomforts in female students (66.2%) and toothache (28.6%). Significant sex differences were recorded in the choice of drugs, indications for self-medication, and frequency of drug use. There were no differences between study courses. Appropriate student education and improved information transfer between professionals and students are the key elements to ensure judicious, quality and knowledge based use of drugs among students.

  3. Changing attitudes toward disabilities through unified sports.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, Emma; Masters Glidden, Laraine

    2014-10-01

    A cognitive/affective/behavioral intervention was implemented to change attitudes of college students towards individuals with disabilities. College swim team members were randomly assigned to intervention (N  =  16), and no-intervention control groups (N  =  17), with intervention group students and 8 Special Olympics swimmers working together to pursue swimming-related goals in 4 sessions over a 6-week period. Results indicated that on a revision of the Symons, Fish, McGuigan, Fox, and Akl (2012) attitudes inventory, the intervention group participants displayed significant increases in positive attitudes from pre- to posttest, whereas the control group participants did not. Written participant comments corroborated this improvement. A key element in the improved attitudes was the increased comfort level experienced by the college swimmers in their interactions with the Special Olympics swimmers.

  4. Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals for Public Health Careers

    PubMed Central

    Hrapczynski, Katie M.; Clark, Jane E.

    2015-01-01

    Recent years have brought rapid growth in schools of public health and an increasing demand for public health practitioners. These trends highlight the need for innovative approaches to prepare doctoral graduates for academic and high-level practice positions. The University of Maryland’s School of Public Health developed a “Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals” program to enrich the graduate education and professional development of its doctoral students. We describe the program’s key elements, including foundational seminars to enhance students’ knowledge and skills related to teaching, research, and service; activities designed to foster career exploration and increase competitiveness in the job market; and independent, faculty-mentored teaching and research experiences. We present a model for replicating the program and share student outcomes of participation. PMID:25706007

  5. Key Elements of a Good Mathematics Lesson as Seen by Japanese Junior High School Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ebaeguin, Marlon; Stephens, Max

    2016-01-01

    This study makes a comparison between what literature on Japanese Lesson Study suggests are key elements of a good mathematics lesson and what junior high school mathematics teachers in Japan value in planning their lessons. The teachers' strong consensus in their endorsements of these key elements explains why Japanese teachers strongly support…

  6. Schools' Cafeteria Status: Does it Affect Snack Patterns? A Qualitative Study.

    PubMed

    Esfarjani, Fatemeh; Mohammadi, Fatemeh; Roustaee, Roshanak; Hajifaraji, Majid

    2013-10-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate patterns of students' snacks habits regarding to their schools' cafeteria status in Tehran by focus group discussion (FGD) technique. Participants were 240 students (12-15 years old), selected from12 middle-schools in Tehran. The field study consisted of 24 FGDs sessions; involving 8-10 participants. Collected data were coded, categorized and analyzed using constant comparative method. Over half of the students believed that snack consumption is necessary. Although, majority of students believed that their schools' cafeterias are not acceptable, they noted them as one of the necessary parts of school. Nearly half of the children were complaining of unvaried and expensive food items. The most purchased items were: Cookies, sandwiches with mayonnaise and ketchup, soft drinks and chocolate milk. Most of the students were interested in having roles in their cafeterias. Schools' cafeteria are significant sources of supplying adolescents' snacks, so developing hygienic stores containing healthy and nutritious food items is a key element to affect their snack selection positively. Reaching this goal requires a multi disciplinary approach through participation of students, school staff, parents, and the support of community and media.

  7. Learning in Authentic Earth and Planetary Contexts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fergusson, J. A.; Oliver, C. A.

    2006-12-01

    A Virtual Field Trip project has been developed in collaboration with NASA Learning Technologies to allow students, internationally, to accompany scientists on a field trip to the Pilbara region of Western Australia to debate the relevance of ancient structures called stromatolites, to the origins of life on Earth and the search for life on Mars. The project was planned with the aim of exposing high school students to `science in the making', including exposure to the ongoing debate and uncertainties involved in scientific research. The development of the project stemmed from both research-based and anecdotal evidence that current science education programs are not providing secondary students with a good understanding of the processes of science. This study seeks to examine the effectiveness of student use of the tools to increase awareness of the processes of science and to evaluate the effectiveness of the tools in terms of student learning. The literature reports that there is a need for learning activities to be conducted within meaningful contexts. The virtual field trip tools create an environment that simulates key elements in the scientific process. Such an approach allows students to learn by doing, to work like scientists and apply their learning in an authentic context.

  8. How Mockups, a Key Engineering Tool, Help to Promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McDonald, Harry E.

    2010-01-01

    The United States ranking among the world in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is decreasing. To counteract this problem NASA has made it part of its mission to promote STEM education among the nation s youth. Mockups can serve as a great tool when promoting STEM education in America. The Orion Cockpit Working Group has created a new program called Students Shaping America s Next Space Craft (SSANS) to outfit the Medium Fidelity Orion Mockup. SSANS will challenge the students to come up with unique designs to represent the flight design hardware. There are two main types of project packages created by SSANS, those for high school students and those for university students. The high school projects will challenge wood shop, metal shop and pre-engineering classes. The university projects are created mainly for senior design projects and will require the students to perform finite element analysis. These projects will also challenge the undergraduate students in material selection and safety requirements. The SSANS program will help NASA in its mission to promote STEM education, and will help to shape our nations youth into the next generation of STEM leaders.

  9. Determinants of Primary School Non-Enrollment and Absenteeism: Results from a Retrospective, Convergent Mixed Methods, Cohort Study in Rural Western Kenya

    PubMed Central

    King, Nia; Dewey, Cate; Borish, David

    2015-01-01

    Background Education is a key element in the socioeconomic development required to improve quality of life in Kenya. Despite the introduction of free primary education, primary school enrollment and attendance levels remain low. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative data, this study explores the determinants of non-enrollment and absenteeism in rural western Kenya and potential mitigation strategies to address these issues. Methods The study was conducted in Bwaliro village in rural western Kenya. A random sample of 64 students was obtained by blocking the village primary school’s student population according to grade level, gender, and orphan status. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through interviews with parents, guardians, and key informants, and focus group discussions with students. Quantitative data were compared using chi-square tests, Student’s T-test, and Poisson regressions. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results Malaria, menstruation, and lack of money were among the most notable determinants of primary school dropout and absenteeism, and these factors disproportionately impacted orphans and female students. Potential mitigation strategies suggested by the community included provision of malaria treatment or prevention, reduction in education costs, expansion of the established school-feeding program, and provision of sanitary pads. Conclusion Despite free primary education, numerous factors continue to prevent children in rural western Kenya from attending primary school. The findings suggest that interventions should primarily target orphaned and female students. Prior to implementation, suggested mitigation strategies should be assessed for cost-effectiveness. PMID:26371885

  10. Method and apparatus for staking optical elements

    DOEpatents

    Woods, Robert O.

    1988-01-01

    A method and apparatus for staking two optical elements together in order to retain their alignment is disclosed. The apparatus includes a removable adaptor made up of first and second adaptor bodies each having a lateral slot in their front and side faces. The adaptor also includes a system for releasably attaching each adaptor body to a respective optical element such that when the two optical elements are positioned relative to one another the adaptor bodies are adjacent and the lateral slots therein are aligned to form key slots. The adaptor includes keys which are adapted to fit into the key slots. A curable filler material is employed to retain the keys in the key slots and thereby join the first and second adaptor bodies to form the adaptor. Also disclosed is a method for staking together two optical elements employing the adaptor of the present invention.

  11. Method and apparatus for staking optical elements

    DOEpatents

    Woods, Robert O.

    1988-10-04

    A method and apparatus for staking two optical elements together in order to retain their alignment is disclosed. The apparatus includes a removable adaptor made up of first and second adaptor bodies each having a lateral slot in their front and side faces. The adaptor also includes a system for releasably attaching each adaptor body to a respective optical element such that when the two optical elements are positioned relative to one another the adaptor bodies are adjacent and the lateral slots therein are aligned to form key slots. The adaptor includes keys which are adapted to fit into the key slots. A curable filler material is employed to retain the keys in the key slots and thereby join the first and second adaptor bodies to form the adaptor. Also disclosed is a method for staking together two optical elements employing the adaptor of the present invention.

  12. Motor programming when sequencing multiple elements of the same duration.

    PubMed

    Magnuson, Curt E; Robin, Donald A; Wright, David L

    2008-11-01

    Motor programming at the self-select paradigm was adopted in 2 experiments to examine the processing demands of independent processes. One process (INT) is responsible for organizing the internal features of the individual elements in a movement (e.g., response duration). The 2nd process (SEQ) is responsible for placing the elements into the proper serial order before execution. Participants in Experiment 1 performed tasks involving 1 key press or sequences of 4 key presses of the same duration. Implementing INT and SEQ was more time consuming for key-pressing sequences than for single key-press tasks. Experiment 2 examined whether the INT costs resulting from the increase in sequence length observed in Experiment 1 resulted from independent planning of each sequence element or via a separate "multiplier" process that handled repetitions of elements of the same duration. Findings from Experiment 2, in which participants performed single key presses or double or triple key sequences of the same duration, suggested that INT is involved with the independent organization of each element contained in the sequence. Researchers offer an elaboration of the 2-process account of motor programming to incorporate the present findings and the findings from other recent sequence-learning research.

  13. The Astronomy Workshop

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamilton, Douglas P.

    2013-05-01

    Abstract (2,250 Maximum Characters): The Astronomy Workshop (http://janus.astro.umd.edu) is a collection of interactive online educational tools developed for use by students, educators, professional astronomers, and the general public. The more than 20 tools in the Astronomy Workshop are rated for ease-of-use, and have been extensively tested in large university survey courses as well as more specialized classes for undergraduate majors and graduate students. Here we briefly describe the tools most relevant for the Professional Dynamical Astronomer. Solar Systems Visualizer: The orbital motions of planets, moons, and asteroids in the Solar System as well as many of the planets in exoplanetary systems are animated at their correct relative speeds in accurate to-scale drawings. Zoom in from the chaotic outer satellite systems of the giant planets all the way to their innermost ring systems. Orbital Integrators: Determine the orbital evolution of your initial conditions for a number of different scenarios including motions subject to general central forces, the classic three-body problem, and satellites of planets and exoplanets. Zero velocity curves are calculated and automatically included on relevant plots. Orbital Elements: Convert quickly and easily between state vectors and orbital elements with Changing the Elements. Use other routines to visualize your three-dimensional orbit and to convert between the different commonly used sets of orbital elements including the true, mean, and eccentric anomalies. Solar System Calculators: These tools calculate a user-defined mathematical expression simultaneously for all of the Solar System's planets (Planetary Calculator) or moons (Satellite Calculator). Key physical and orbital data are automatically accessed as needed.

  14. 8 years of experience in international, interdisciplinary and structured doctoral training in Earth system modelling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weitz, Antje; Stevens, Bjorn; Marotzke, Jochem

    2010-05-01

    The mission of the International Max Planck Research School on Earth System Modelling (IMPRS-ESM) is to provide a high quality, modern and structured graduate education to students pursuing a doctoral degree in Earth system modelling. In so doing, the IMPRS-ESM also strives to advance the emerging discipline (or cross-discipline) of Earth system modelling; to provide a framework for attracting the most talented and creative young women and men from around the world to pursue their doctoral education in Germany; to provide advanced as well as specialized academic training and scientific guidance to doctoral students; to encourage academic networking and publication of research results; to better integrate doctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPI-M) with education and research at the University of Hamburg and other cooperating institutions. Core elements are rigorous selection of doctoral students, effective academic supervision, advanced academic training opportunities and interdisciplinary communication as well as administrative support. IMPRS-ESM graduates have been recognized with a variety of awards. 85% of our alumni continue a career in research. In this presentation we review the challenges for an interdisciplinary PhD program in Earth system sciences and the types of routines we have implemented to surmount them as well as key elements that we believe contribute to the success of our doctoral program.

  15. Statistical Inference and Simulation with StatKey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quinn, Anne

    2016-01-01

    While looking for an inexpensive technology package to help students in statistics classes, the author found StatKey, a free Web-based app. Not only is StatKey useful for students' year-end projects, but it is also valuable for helping students learn fundamental content such as the central limit theorem. Using StatKey, students can engage in…

  16. Reconciling professional identity: A grounded theory of nurse academics' role modelling for undergraduate students.

    PubMed

    Baldwin, A; Mills, J; Birks, M; Budden, L

    2017-12-01

    Role modelling by experienced nurses, including nurse academics, is a key factor in the process of preparing undergraduate nursing students for practice, and may contribute to longevity in the workforce. A grounded theory study was undertaken to investigate the phenomenon of nurse academics' role modelling for undergraduate students. The study sought to answer the research question: how do nurse academics role model positive professional behaviours for undergraduate students? The aims of this study were to: theorise a process of nurse academic role modelling for undergraduate students; describe the elements that support positive role modelling by nurse academics; and explain the factors that influence the implementation of academic role modelling. The study sample included five second year nursing students and sixteen nurse academics from Australia and the United Kingdom. Data was collected from observation, focus groups and individual interviews. This study found that in order for nurse academics to role model professional behaviours for nursing students, they must reconcile their own professional identity. This paper introduces the theory of reconciling professional identity and discusses the three categories that comprise the theory, creating a context for learning, creating a context for authentic rehearsal and mirroring identity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Does hearing the patient perspective improve consultation skills in examinations? An exploratory randomized controlled trial in medical undergraduate education.

    PubMed

    Snow, Rosamund; Crocker, Joanna; Talbot, Katherine; Moore, Jane; Salisbury, Helen

    2016-12-01

    Medical education increasingly includes patient perspectives, but few studies look at the impact on students' proficiency in standard examinations. We explored students' exam performance after viewing video of patients' experiences. Eighty-eight medical students were randomized to one of two e-learning modules. The experimental group saw video clips of patients describing their colposcopy, while the control group viewed a clinician describing the procedure. Students then completed a Multiple Choice Questionnaire (MCQ) and were assessed by a blinded clinical examiner in an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) with a blinded simulated patient (SP). The SP scored students using the Doctors' Interpersonal Skills Questionnaire (DISQ). Students rated the module's effect on their skills and confidence. Regression analyses were used to compare the effect of the two modules on these outcomes, adjusting for gender and graduate entry. The experimental group performed better in the OSCE than the control group (odds ratio 2.7 [95%CI 1.2-6.1]; p = 0.016). They also reported significantly more confidence in key areas, including comfort with patients' emotions (odds ratio 6.4 [95%CI 2.7-14.9]; p < 0.0005). There were no other significant differences. Teaching that included recorded elements of real patient experience significantly improved students' examination performance and confidence.

  18. A study of a museum-school partnership

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wojton, Mary Ann

    Partnerships between museums and schools never have been more important than they are today. Schools, especially urban schools, are facing challenges, including low student achievement and difficulty obtaining funding. Partners can help schools overcome these challenges by sharing educational and financial resources. Nearly 11,000 American museums spend more than $1 billion annually to provide over 18 million instructional hours for k-12 educational programs such as professional development for teachers, guided field trips, and staff visits to schools. Museums would seem like natural partners for challenged urban schools. Yet museums and schools struggle to establish and maintain effective partnerships. This study examined a partnership between a science center and an urban elementary school to provide additional knowledge and resources for those in the field to overcome these challenges in order to create relationships that help students. Using qualitative methods with interpretive descriptive purposes (Erickson, 1986; Glesne, 1999; Lincoln & Guba, 2000), the research design is based on several methods of data collection, including face-to-face, semi-structured interviews; observations; written text; and field notes. Participants in this study included students, parents, teachers, school administrators and museum educators. In addition, adult representatives of community organizations were interviewed to determine the impact of the partnership on the community. The study found that an effective partnership will have four basic elements: mutual goals, communication plan, key leader support, planning and research, and four interpersonal elements: personal responsibility, honesty, communication at the intimate level, and trust. Partners may have difficulty developing these to their fullest extent due to time limitations. No partnership is perfect. By creating strong interpersonal relationships, partners can mitigate challenges caused by limited basic elements and increase the likelihood that their partnership will be effective.

  19. Using Content-Aligned Assessments to Identify Weaknesses in Students' Understanding of Fundamental Weather and Climate Ideas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wertheim, J.; Willard, S.

    2011-12-01

    There is growing interest in ensuring that citizens understand weather and climate sufficiently to make informed decisions, and these topics are gaining increased attention in K-12 education. The National Research Council recently released A Framework for K-12 Science Education with the expectation that U.S. 12th graders must have a sophisticated knowledge of climate change, including the role of deep time, variability, and computer modeling in the prediction of climate impacts on the planet and human activity. This requirement demands that students extend their understanding of climate change to the past and future, but it is important to recognize that many students know little about prerequisite ideas, such as daily and annual weather and climate processes, and this problem must be addressed prior to introducing the complexities of the climate system. In order to diagnose weaknesses in students' foundational understanding of the complex climate system, we primarily assessed a middle school (MS)-level understanding of the core elements of the system, in addition to a high school (HS)-level understanding of seasons. We described grade appropriate, coherent, functioning conceptual models for each targeted idea, and decomposed them into explicit learning goals. We then applied Project 2061's rigorous item development procedure to produce 235 high-quality, misconception-based multiple choice test items. These items were tested with a national sample of approximately 20,000 students, grades 6-12, in two phases (Spring 2010 & 2011). Here we report results from the second phase, including items targeting knowledge about convection, daily and annual air temperature patterns, factors that influence air temperature, and seasons. Overall, HS students outperformed MS students on these items by an average of only 3% (MS:31% correct; HS:34% correct). These data show a few strong misconceptions (e.g., 47% of students think that the North Pole is always angled toward the Sun). But a much more prevalent issue is that most students lack schematic knowledge for any concept tested, as demonstrated by results indicative of random guessing on items that require cognitive demands beyond declarative knowledge. For example, 83% of students know that the maximum height of the sun in the sky above a given place can change during July, but only 32% know both that it changes continuously through the month and could correctly identify if it gets higher or lower. These basic elements of an accurate mental model are needed to explain annual temperature patterns. If students do not have an accurate understanding of processes controlling key elements of the climate system, it is unsurprising that they struggle to comprehend how these elements interact within the system itself. The results of this study underscore the need to 1) ensure that fundamentals are given the necessary attention, even as our expectations for students become increasingly sophisticated; 2) define grade appropriate, coherent, functioning conceptual models for each climate idea and for each grade level; and 3) develop instructional materials that build schematic knowledge.

  20. Screening Internet websites for educational potential in undergraduate medical education.

    PubMed

    Burd, Andrew; Chiu, Tor; McNaught, Carmel

    2004-01-01

    This paper addresses the difficulty of finding suitable websites to support undergraduate medical students in learning key concepts and skills in plastic surgery in particular, and other areas of undergraduate medical education in general. Based on a model of the pedagogical elements contained in educational websites, the authors developed a short objective scoring system with five criteria. Pre-university students were used to find websites in plastic surgery. One hundred and fifty of those that were still in place after a year were evaluated using the objective scoring system. Sixty of these were then selected and were subjectively evaluated by final year medical students in terms of their perceived educational potential. There was only a moderate correlation between the objective and subjective scores. Our conclusion is that it does not seem possible to construct any objective system of medical website evaluation. The discussion of the results of this study focuses on the issues involved in finding suitable web-based material and the diversity between students. New strategies such as formally organized consortia involving agreements between medical schools may evolve.

  1. Children exposure to atmospheric particles in indoor of Lisbon primary schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Almeida, Susana Marta; Canha, Nuno; Silva, Ana; Freitas, Maria do Carmo; Pegas, Priscilla; Alves, Célia; Evtyugina, Margarita; Pio, Casimiro Adrião

    2011-12-01

    Evidence continues to emerge showing that poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) can cause illness requiring absence from schools, and can cause acute health symptoms that decrease students' performance. Since children spend on average 7-11 h per weekday at school, the IAQ in classrooms is expected to play a key role in the assessment of the effects of their personal exposure to air pollution. Within this context the present study was conducted in order to fulfill three primary objectives 1) to measure the levels and the element composition of PM 2.5 and PM 2.5-10, in three primary schools placed in Lisbon, in order to assess the children exposure to these pollutants; 2) to study the relationship between indoor and outdoor atmospheric particles concentrations and 3) to investigate the sources of high aerosols concentrations in classrooms. In the studied classrooms, the concentrations of coarse particles significantly exceeded the ambient levels. Element concentrations suggested that the physical activity of students highly contributed to the re-suspension of sedimented particles. The high levels of CO 2 indicated that in these schools the ventilation was inadequate. This fact contributed to the establishment of poor IAQ.

  2. Team Objective Structured Bedside Assessment (TOSBA) as formative assessment in undergraduate Obstetrics and Gynaecology: a cohort study.

    PubMed

    Deane, Richard P; Joyce, Pauline; Murphy, Deirdre J

    2015-10-09

    Team Objective Structured Bedside Assessment (TOSBA) is a learning approach in which a team of medical students undertake a set of structured clinical tasks with real patients in order to reach a diagnosis and formulate a management plan and receive immediate feedback on their performance from a facilitator. TOSBA was introduced as formative assessment to an 8-week undergraduate teaching programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) in 2013/14. Each student completed 5 TOSBA sessions during the rotation. The aim of the study was to evaluate TOSBA as a teaching method to provide formative assessment for medical students during their clinical rotation. The research questions were: Does TOSBA improve clinical, communication and/or reasoning skills? Does TOSBA provide quality feedback? A prospective cohort study was conducted over a full academic year (2013/14). The study used 2 methods to evaluate TOSBA as a teaching method to provide formative assessment: (1) an online survey of TOSBA at the end of the rotation and (2) a comparison of the student performance in TOSBA with their performance in the final summative examination. During the 2013/14 academic year, 157 students completed the O&G programme and the final summative examination . Each student completed the required 5 TOSBA tasks. The response rate to the student survey was 68 % (n = 107/157). Students reported that TOSBA was a beneficial learning experience with a positive impact on clinical, communication and reasoning skills. Students rated the quality of feedback provided by TOSBA as high. Students identified the observation of the performance and feedback of other students within their TOSBA team as key features. High achieving students performed well in both TOSBA and summative assessments. The majority of students who performed poorly in TOSBA subsequently passed the summative assessments (n = 20/21, 95 %). Conversely, the majority of students who failed the summative assessments had satisfactory scores in TOSBA (n = 6/7, 86 %). TOSBA has a positive impact on the clinical, communication and reasoning skills of medical students through the provision of high-quality feedback. The use of structured pre-defined tasks, the observation of the performance and feedback of other students and the use of real patients are key elements of TOSBA. Avoiding student complacency and providing accurate feedback from TOSBA are on-going challenges.

  3. Community engagement as conflict prevention: Understanding the social license to operate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Knih, Dejana

    This thesis examines community engagement as a form of conflict prevention in order to obtain the social license to operate (SLO) in Alberta's oil and gas industry. It does this by answering the question: what are the key elements of the Social License to Operate and how can these elements be applied to community engagement/consultation in a way that prevents conflicts in Alberta's oil and gas industry? The underlying assumption of this thesis is that building good relationships and working collaboratively functions as a form of conflict prevention and that this in turn leads to the SLO. This thesis outlines the key features of both successful community engagement and of the SLO, to provide a guideline for what is needed to obtain the SLO. Data was collected from semi-structured interviews and through a literature review. The data analysis concluded that there are direct parallels between the key elements of effective community engagement and the key elements of the SLO as identified in the interviews. These parallels are: knowing the community, addressing community needs, corporate social responsibility, relationship building, follow through and evidence for what has been done, executive buy-in, excellent communication, and open dialogue, all within a process which is principled (there is trust, understanding, transparency and respect), inclusive, dynamic, flexible, ongoing, and long-term. Moreover, the key elements of effective community engagement and of the SLO identified in the interviews also overlapped with those found in the literature review, with only one exception. The literature review explicitly named early involvement as a key element of both effective community engagement and the SLO, whereas the interview participants only explicitly indicated it as a key factor of community engagement and implied it to be a key element of the SLO.

  4. The experience of international nursing students studying for a PhD in the U.K: A qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Evans, Catrin; Stevenson, Keith

    2011-06-13

    Educating nurses to doctoral level is an important means of developing nursing capacity globally. There is an international shortage of doctoral nursing programmes, hence many nurses seek their doctorates overseas. The UK is a key provider of doctoral education for international nursing students, however, very little is known about international doctoral nursing students' learning experiences during their doctoral study. This paper reports on a national study that sought to investigate the learning expectations and experiences of overseas doctoral nursing students in the UK. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted in 2008/09 with 17 international doctoral nursing students representing 9 different countries from 6 different UK universities. Data were analysed thematically. All 17 interviewees were enrolled on 'traditional' 3 year PhD programmes and the majority (15/17) planned to work in higher education institutions back in their home country upon graduation. Studying for a UK PhD involved a number of significant transitions, including adjusting to a new country/culture, to new pedagogical approaches and, in some cases, to learning in a second language. Many students had expected a more structured programme of study, with a stronger emphasis on professional nursing issues as well as research - akin to the professional doctorate. Students did not always feel well integrated into their department's wider research environment, and wanted more opportunities to network with their UK peers. A good supervision relationship was perceived as the most critical element of support in a doctoral programme, but good relationships were sometimes difficult to attain due to differences in student/supervisor expectations and in approaches to supervision. The PhD was perceived as a difficult and stressful journey, but those nearing the end reflected positively on it as a life changing experience in which they had developed key professional and personal skills. Doctoral programmes need to ensure that structures are in place to support international students at different stages of their doctoral journey, and to support greater local-international student networking. Further research is needed to investigate good supervision practice and the suitability of the PhD vis a vis other doctoral models (e.g. the professional doctorate) for international nursing students.

  5. Identifying the elements of physics courses that impact student learning: Curriculum, instructor, peers, and assessment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    West, Emily Lincoln Ashbaugh

    Prior research across hundreds for introductory physics courses has demonstrated that traditional physics instruction does not generally lead to students learning physics concepts in a meaningful way, but that interactive-engagement physics courses do sometimes promote a great deal more student learning. In this work I analyze a reform effort in a large-enrollment, introductory, physics course. I find that evaluating a curriculum in isolation from other influences, such as the instructor implementation and the student population, is problematical. Instead, I propose a model of classroom culture identifying the curriculum, instructor, and student peer group as key components to creating a learning environment. Assessment, a key influence of classroom culture, is considered a product of the instructor/curriculum interaction. All three aspects of the classroom culture have the potential to influence student learning outcomes. I analyze the implementation of two different reformed physics series in terms of classroom culture. In a calculus-based course, I evaluate a new reform-based curriculum for the first and third quarters of instruction. In the first quarter, mechanics, I find that having an instructor teach in alignment with the philosophy of the reformed curriculum is essential, with students of only certain section instructors having improved outcomes over traditional instruction on measures of conceptual understanding. In the electromagnetism quarter of instruction, student outcomes for all reformed sections are higher than those from traditional sections in spite of variations in instructor implementation. The vast range of instructor-student interactions within such a reformed course are analyzed in an observational study, finding that some types of interactions are characteristic of particular instructors, regardless of the content studied that day. An analysis of assessment proposes an alternative grading method that is superior to the traditional grading practices, which are inadequate to consistently evaluate certain classes of test items. Those taking part in curriculum design or research in the context of physics classrooms must be aware that variations in instructor implementation, the student population, and assessment practices all have tremendous potential to influence student learning outcomes.

  6. Academic mobility as a key factor of quality assurance in tertiary education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Voroshilova, Anna A.

    2015-01-01

    Academic mobility of both faculty and students forms a critical element of the international dimension of higher education and is one of the most important factors of quality assurance of higher education institutions worldwide. Internationalization and globalization of Russian higher education system is having one of the major impacts on the quality management and assurance. Faculty and student mobility figures are now one of the core factors for obtaining state accreditation for Russian universities as well as an important indicator showing the university success and prestige. The aim of the paper is a closer look at the perspectives and results of the academic mobility, the factors stimulating and discouraging mobility, and the outcomes of the mobility influencing the education in Russian universities. Siberian State Aerospace University has had more than 10 years experience in organizing student mobility. Most of the problems in carrying out international activities are common for the whole Russia but still there are some peculiarities featuring technical universities situated in the centre of Russia.

  7. Higher-Order Mixed Finite Element Methods for Time Domain Electromagnetics

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

    White, D; Stowell, M; Koning, J

    This is the final report for LDRD 01-ERD-005. The Principal Investigator was Niel Madsen of the Defense Sciences Engineering Division (DSED). Collaborators included Daniel White, Joe Koning and Nathan Champagne of DSED, Mark Stowell of Center for Applications Development and Software Engineering (CADSE), and Ph.D. students Rob Rieben and Aaron Fisher at the UC Davis Department of Applied Science. It should be noted that the students were partially supported by the LLNL Student-Employee Graduate Research Fellow program. We begin with an Introduction which provides background and motivation for this research effort. Section II contains high-level description of our Approach, andmore » Section III summarizes our key research Accomplishments. A description of the Software deliverables is provided in Section IV, and Section V includes simulation Validation and Results. It should be noted we do not get into the mathematical details in this report, rather these can be found in our publications which are listed in Section III.« less

  8. Planet X probe: A fresh new look at an old familiar place

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nicholson, James; Obrien, Tom; Brower, Sharon; Canright, Shelley

    1988-01-01

    Planet X Probe utilizes a Get Away Special (GAS) payload to provide a large student population with a remote Earth sensing experimental package. To provide a cooperative as well as a competitive environment, the effort is targeted at all grade levels and at schools in different geographical regions. LANDSAT capability allows students to investigate the Earth, its physical makeup, its resources, and the impact of man. This project also serves as an educational device to get students to stand back and take a fresh look at their home planet. The key element is to treat the familiar Earth as an unknown planet with knowledge based only on what is observable and provable from the images obtained. Through participation, a whole range of experiences will include: (1) mission planning; (2) research and pilot projects to train teams; (3) identification and recruitment of scientific mentors and dialogue; (4) selection of a student advisory team to be available during the mission; (5) analysis of data and compilation of findings; (6) report preparation, constucted along sound scientific principles; and (7) presentation and defense of findings before a meeting of competitive student groups and scientist in the field.

  9. An Undergraduate Course to Bridge the Gap between Textbooks and Scientific Research

    PubMed Central

    Wiegant, Fred; Scager, Karin; Boonstra, Johannes

    2011-01-01

    This article reports on a one-semester Advanced Cell Biology course that endeavors to bridge the gap between gaining basic textbook knowledge about cell biology and learning to think and work as a researcher. The key elements of this course are 1) learning to work with primary articles in order to get acquainted with the field of choice, to learn scientific reasoning, and to identify gaps in our current knowledge that represent opportunities for further research; 2) formulating a research project with fellow students; 3) gaining thorough knowledge of relevant methodology and technologies used within the field of cell biology; 4) developing cooperation and leadership skills; and 5) presenting and defending research projects before a jury of experts. The course activities were student centered and focused on designing a genuine research program. Our 5-yr experience with this course demonstrates that 1) undergraduate students are capable of delivering high-quality research designs that meet professional standards, and 2) the authenticity of the learning environment in this course strongly engages students to become self-directed and critical thinkers. We hope to provide colleagues with an example of a course that encourages and stimulates students to develop essential research thinking skills. PMID:21364103

  10. Schools’ Cafeteria Status: Does it Affect Snack Patterns? A Qualitative Study

    PubMed Central

    Esfarjani, Fatemeh; Mohammadi, Fatemeh; Roustaee, Roshanak; Hajifaraji, Majid

    2013-01-01

    Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate patterns of students’ snacks habits regarding to their schools’ cafeteria status in Tehran by focus group discussion (FGD) technique. Methods: Participants were 240 students (12-15 years old), selected from12 middle-schools in Tehran. The field study consisted of 24 FGDs sessions; involving 8-10 participants. Collected data were coded, categorized and analyzed using constant comparative method. Results: Over half of the students believed that snack consumption is necessary. Although, majority of students believed that their schools’ cafeterias are not acceptable, they noted them as one of the necessary parts of school. Nearly half of the children were complaining of unvaried and expensive food items. The most purchased items were: Cookies, sandwiches with mayonnaise and ketchup, soft drinks and chocolate milk. Most of the students were interested in having roles in their cafeterias. Conclusions: Schools’ cafeteria are significant sources of supplying adolescents’ snacks, so developing hygienic stores containing healthy and nutritious food items is a key element to affect their snack selection positively. Reaching this goal requires a multi disciplinary approach through participation of students, school staff, parents, and the support of community and media. PMID:24319560

  11. An undergraduate course to bridge the gap between textbooks and scientific research.

    PubMed

    Wiegant, Fred; Scager, Karin; Boonstra, Johannes

    2011-01-01

    This article reports on a one-semester Advanced Cell Biology course that endeavors to bridge the gap between gaining basic textbook knowledge about cell biology and learning to think and work as a researcher. The key elements of this course are 1) learning to work with primary articles in order to get acquainted with the field of choice, to learn scientific reasoning, and to identify gaps in our current knowledge that represent opportunities for further research; 2) formulating a research project with fellow students; 3) gaining thorough knowledge of relevant methodology and technologies used within the field of cell biology; 4) developing cooperation and leadership skills; and 5) presenting and defending research projects before a jury of experts. The course activities were student centered and focused on designing a genuine research program. Our 5-yr experience with this course demonstrates that 1) undergraduate students are capable of delivering high-quality research designs that meet professional standards, and 2) the authenticity of the learning environment in this course strongly engages students to become self-directed and critical thinkers. We hope to provide colleagues with an example of a course that encourages and stimulates students to develop essential research thinking skills.

  12. Experimenting `learn by doing' and `learn by failing'

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pozzi, Rossella; Noè, Carlo; Rossi, Tommaso

    2015-01-01

    According to the literature, in recent years, developing experiential learning has fulfilled the requirement of a deep understanding of lean philosophy by engineering students, demonstrating the advantages and disadvantages of some of the key principles of lean manufacturing. On the other hand, the literature evidences how some kinds of game-based experiential learning overlook daily difficulties, which play a central role in manufacturing systems. To fill the need of a game overcoming such lack of vision, an innovative game direct in-field, named Kart Factory, has been developed. Actual production shifts are simulated, while keeping all the elements peculiar to a real production set (i.e. complexity, effort, safety). The working environment is a real pedal car assembly department, the products to be assembled have relevant size and weight (i.e. up to 35 kg approximately), and the provided tools are real production equipment (e.g. keys, screwdrivers, trans-pallets, etc.). Due to the need to maximise the impact on students, a labour-intensive process characterises the production department. The whole training process is based on three educational principles: Experience Value Principle, Error Value Principle, and Team Value Principle. As the 'learn by doing' and 'learn by failing' are favoured, the theory follows the practice, while crating the willingness to 'do' instead of just designing or planning. The gathered data prove the Kart Factory's effectiveness in reaching a good knowledge of lean concepts, notwithstanding the students' initial knowledge level.

  13. A High School Level Course On Robot Design And Construction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sadler, Paul M.; Crandall, Jack L.

    1984-02-01

    The Robotics Design and Construction Class at Sehome High School was developed to offer gifted and/or highly motivated students an in-depth introduction to a modern engineering topic. The course includes instruction in basic electronics, digital and radio electronics, construction skills, robotics literacy, construction of the HERO 1 Heathkit Robot, computer/ robot programming, and voice synthesis. A key element which leads to the success of the course is the involvement of various community assets including manpower and financial assistance. The instructors included a physics/electronics teacher, a computer science teacher, two retired engineers, and an electronics technician.

  14. Promoting peace in engineering education: modifying the ABET criteria.

    PubMed

    Catalano, George D

    2006-04-01

    Modifications to the ABET Criterion 3 are suggested in support of the effort to promote the pursuit of peace in engineering education. The proposed modifications are the result of integrating the United Nations' sponsored "Integral Model of Education for Peace, Democracy and Sustainable Development" into the modern engineering curriculum. The key elements of the model are being at peace with oneself, being at peace with others, and being at peace with the planet. In addition to proposing modifications, specific classroom activities are described and implemented, and students' reactions and the effectiveness of the various exercises are discussed.

  15. Preliminary investigation of visual attention to human figures in photographs: potential considerations for the design of aided AAC visual scene displays.

    PubMed

    Wilkinson, Krista M; Light, Janice

    2011-12-01

    Many individuals with complex communication needs may benefit from visual aided augmentative and alternative communication systems. In visual scene displays (VSDs), language concepts are embedded into a photograph of a naturalistic event. Humans play a central role in communication development and might be important elements in VSDs. However, many VSDs omit human figures. In this study, the authors sought to describe the distribution of visual attention to humans in naturalistic scenes as compared with other elements. Nineteen college students observed 8 photographs in which a human figure appeared near 1 or more items that might be expected to compete for visual attention (such as a Christmas tree or a table loaded with food). Eye-tracking technology allowed precise recording of participants' gaze. The fixation duration over a 7-s viewing period and latency to view elements in the photograph were measured. Participants fixated on the human figures more rapidly and for longer than expected based on the size of these figures, regardless of the other elements in the scene. Human figures attract attention in a photograph even when presented alongside other attractive distracters. Results suggest that humans may be a powerful means to attract visual attention to key elements in VSDs.

  16. Computer Training for Entrepreneurial Meteorologists.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koval, Joseph P.; Young, George S.

    2001-05-01

    Computer applications of increasing diversity form a growing part of the undergraduate education of meteorologists in the early twenty-first century. The advent of the Internet economy, as well as a waning demand for traditional forecasters brought about by better numerical models and statistical forecasting techniques has greatly increased the need for operational and commercial meteorologists to acquire computer skills beyond the traditional techniques of numerical analysis and applied statistics. Specifically, students with the skills to develop data distribution products are in high demand in the private sector job market. Meeting these demands requires greater breadth, depth, and efficiency in computer instruction. The authors suggest that computer instruction for undergraduate meteorologists should include three key elements: a data distribution focus, emphasis on the techniques required to learn computer programming on an as-needed basis, and a project orientation to promote management skills and support student morale. In an exploration of this approach, the authors have reinvented the Applications of Computers to Meteorology course in the Department of Meteorology at The Pennsylvania State University to teach computer programming within the framework of an Internet product development cycle. Because the computer skills required for data distribution programming change rapidly, specific languages are valuable for only a limited time. A key goal of this course was therefore to help students learn how to retrain efficiently as technologies evolve. The crux of the course was a semester-long project during which students developed an Internet data distribution product. As project management skills are also important in the job market, the course teamed students in groups of four for this product development project. The success, failures, and lessons learned from this experiment are discussed and conclusions drawn concerning undergraduate instructional methods for computer applications in meteorology.

  17. A framework for mentoring of medical students: thematic analysis of mentoring programmes between 2000 and 2015.

    PubMed

    Tan, Yin Shuen; Teo, Shao Wen Amanda; Pei, Yiying; Sng, Julia Huina; Yap, Hong Wei; Toh, Ying Pin; Krishna, Lalit K R

    2018-03-17

    A consistent mentoring approach is key to unlocking the full benefits of mentoring, ensuring effective oversight of mentoring relationships and preventing abuse of mentoring. Yet consistency in mentoring between senior clinicians and medical students (novice mentoring) which dominate mentoring processes in medical schools is difficult to achieve particularly when mentors practice in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical schools. To facilitate a consistent approach to mentoring this review scrutinizes common aspects of mentoring in undergraduate and postgraduate medical schools to forward a framework for novice mentoring in medical schools. Four authors preformed independent literature searches of novice mentoring guidelines and programmes in undergraduate and postgraduate medical schools using ERIC, PubMed, CINAHL, OVID and Science Direct databases. 25,605 abstracts were retrieved, 162 full-text articles were reviewed and 34 articles were included. The 4 themes were identified-preparation, initiating and supporting the mentoring process and the obstacles to effective mentoring. These themes highlight 2 key elements of an effective mentoring framework-flexibility and structure. Flexibility refers to meeting the individual and changing needs of mentees. Structure concerns ensuring consistency to the mentoring process and compliance with prevailing codes of conduct and standards of practice.

  18. Undergraduate physiotherapy students' competencies, attitudes and perceptions after integrated educational pathways in evidence-based practice: a mixed methods study.

    PubMed

    Bozzolan, M; Simoni, G; Balboni, M; Fiorini, F; Bombardi, S; Bertin, N; Da Roit, M

    2014-11-01

    This mixed methods study aimed to explore perceptions/attitudes, to evaluate knowledge/ skills, to investigate clinical behaviours of undergraduate physiotherapy students exposed to a composite education curriculum on evidence-based practice (EBP). Students' knowledge and skills were assessed before and after integrated learning activities, using the Adapted Fresno test, whereas their behaviour in EBP was evaluated by examining their internship documentation. Students' perceptions and attitudes were explored through four focus groups. Sixty-two students agreed to participate in the study. The within group mean differences (A-Fresno test) were 34.2 (95% CI 24.4 to 43.9) in the first year and 35.1 (95% CI 23.2 to 47.1) in the second year; no statistically significant change was observed in the third year. Seventy-six percent of the second year and 88% of the third year students reached the pass score. Internship documentation gave evidence of PICOs and database searches (95-100%), critical appraisal of internal validity (25-75%) but not of external validity (5-15%). The correct application of these items ranged from 30 to 100%. Qualitative analysis of the focus groups indicated students valued EBP, but perceived many barriers, with clinicians being both an obstacle and a model. Key elements for changing students' behaviours seem to be internship environment and possibility of continuous practice and feedback.

  19. Virtual lab demonstrations improve students' mastery of basic biology laboratory techniques.

    PubMed

    Maldarelli, Grace A; Hartmann, Erica M; Cummings, Patrick J; Horner, Robert D; Obom, Kristina M; Shingles, Richard; Pearlman, Rebecca S

    2009-01-01

    Biology laboratory classes are designed to teach concepts and techniques through experiential learning. Students who have never performed a technique must be guided through the process, which is often difficult to standardize across multiple lab sections. Visual demonstration of laboratory procedures is a key element in teaching pedagogy. The main goals of the study were to create videos explaining and demonstrating a variety of lab techniques that would serve as teaching tools for undergraduate and graduate lab courses and to assess the impact of these videos on student learning. Demonstrations of individual laboratory procedures were videotaped and then edited with iMovie. Narration for the videos was edited with Audacity. Undergraduate students were surveyed anonymously prior to and following screening to assess the impact of the videos on student lab performance by completion of two Participant Perception Indicator surveys. A total of 203 and 171 students completed the pre- and posttesting surveys, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed to compare student perceptions of knowledge of, confidence in, and experience with the lab techniques before and after viewing the videos. Eleven demonstrations were recorded. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant increase in the number of students reporting increased knowledge of, confidence in, and experience with the lab techniques after viewing the videos. Incorporation of instructional videos as prelaboratory exercises has the potential to standardize techniques and to promote successful experimental outcomes.

  20. Elements for successful collaboration between K-8 school, community agency, and university partners: the lead peace partnership.

    PubMed

    Bosma, Linda M; Sieving, Renee E; Ericson, Annie; Russ, Pamela; Cavender, Laura; Bonine, Mark

    2010-10-01

    Researchers, schools, and community organizations are increasingly interested in forming partnerships to improve health and learning outcomes for adolescents. School-based service learning programs with young adolescents have been shown to improve students' health and educational outcomes. Quality school-based service learning practice requires partnerships that are collaborative, mutually beneficial, and address community needs. This article examines core elements of a community-school-university partnership engaged in implementing and evaluating Lead Peace, a service learning program for urban middle school youth. The partnership was assessed through (1) semistructured group interviews with program facilitators at each school at the end of the 2006 to 2007 and 2007 to 2008 school years; (2) key informant interviews with school administrators; and (3) participant observations of partnership meetings. Qualitative analysis was conducted to identify common and emerging themes that contribute to the success of the Lead Peace partnership. Ten themes were identified as keys to the success of the Lead Peace partnership: (1) communication; (2) shared decision making; (3) shared resources; (4) expertise and credibility; (5) sufficient time to develop and maintain relationships; (6) champions and patron saints; (7) being present; (8) flexibility; (9) a shared youth development orientation; and (10) recognition of other partners' priorities. Partnerships that are essential to quality service learning practice require deliberate planning and ongoing attention. Elements of the successful Lead Peace partnership may be useful for other collaborators to consider. © 2010, American School Health Association.

  1. Dating Violence among College Students: Key Issues for College Counselors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murray, Christine E.; Kardatzke, Kerrie N.

    2007-01-01

    The authors present a review of literature examining dating violence among college students. They describe 6 key issues related to dating violence among college students that affect college counselors' work. These key issues relate to the incidence and prevalence of physical, sexual, and psychological violence in college students' dating…

  2. A study of how precursor key concepts for organic chemistry success are understood by general chemistry students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meyer, Patrick Gerard

    This study examines college student understanding of key concepts that will support future organic chemistry success as determined by university instructors. During four one-hour individual interviews the sixteen subjects attempted to solve general chemistry problems. A think-aloud protocol was used along with a whiteboard where the students could draw and illustrate their ideas. The protocols for the interviews were adapted from the Covalent Structure and Bonding two-tiered multiple choice diagnostic instrument (Peterson, Treagust, & Garnett, 1989) and augmented by the Geometry and Polarity of Molecules single-tiered multiple choice instrument (Furio & Calatayud, 1996). The interviews were videotaped, transcribed, and coded for analysis to determine the subjects' understanding of the key ideas. The subjects displayed many misconceptions that were summarized into nine assertions about student conceptualization of chemistry. (1) Many students misunderstand the location and nature of intermolecular forces. (2) Some think electronegativity differences among atoms in a molecule are sufficient to make the molecule polar, regardless of spatial arrangement. (3) Most know that higher phase change temperatures imply stronger intermolecular attractions, but many do not understand the difference between covalent molecular and covalent network substances. (4) Many have difficulty deciding whether a molecule is polar or non-polar, often confusing bilateral symmetry with spatial symmetry in all three dimensions. (5) Many cannot reliably draw correct Lewis structures due to carelessness and overuse of flawed algorithms. (6) Many are confused by how electrons can both repel one other and facilitate bonding between atoms via orbitals---this seems oxymoronic to them. (7) Many cannot explain why the atoms of certain elements do not follow the octet rule and some believe the octet rule alone can determine the shape of a molecule. (8) Most do know that electronegativity and polarity are not adequate to determine the shape of a molecule---but some apply the VSEPR theory in incorrect ways. (9) Students do not reason significantly differently when working with various representations of molecules such as ball-and-stick models, molecular formulas, and Lewis structures. The study illuminated specific parts of the general chemistry curriculum that are particularly troublesome for students but necessary for their further achievement in chemistry. This information is important; it gives the discipline of chemistry education target areas to focus on for general chemistry pedagogical improvement efforts.

  3. Development of an interdisciplinary pre-matriculation program designed to promote medical students’ self efficacy

    PubMed Central

    Kosobuski, Anna Wirta; Whitney, Abigail; Skildum, Andrew; Prunuske, Amy

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Background and objectives: A four-week interdisciplinary pre-matriculation program for Native American and rural medical students was created and its impact on students’ transition to medical school was assessed. The program extends the goals of many pre-matriculation programs by aiming to increase not only students’ understanding of basic science knowledge, but also to build student self-efficacy through practice with medical school curricular elements while developing their academic support networks. Design: A mixed method evaluation was used to determine whether the goals of the program were achieved (n = 22). Student knowledge gains and retention of the microbiology content were assessed using a microbiology concept inventory. Students participated in focus groups to identify the benefits of participating in the program as well as the key components of the program that benefitted the students. Results: Program participants showed retention of microbiology content and increased confidence about the overall medical school experience after participating in the summer program. Conclusions: By nurturing self-efficacy, participation in a pre-matriculation program supported medical students from Native American and rural backgrounds during their transition to medical school. Abbreviations: CAIMH: Center of American Indian and Minority Health; MCAT: Medical College Admission Test; PBL: Problem based learning; UM MSD: University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth PMID:28178916

  4. Knowledge of primary health care and career choice at primary health care settings among final year medical students - challenges to human resources for health in Vietnam.

    PubMed

    Giang, Kim Bao; Minh, Hoang Van; Hien, Nguyen Van; Ngoc, Nguyen Minh; Hinh, Nguyen Duc

    2015-01-01

    There is a shortage of medical doctors in primary health care (PHC) settings in Vietnam. Evidence about the knowledge medical students have about PHC and their career decision-making is important for making policy in human resources for health. The objective of this study was to analyse knowledge and attitudes about PHC among medical students in their final year and their choice to work in PHC after graduation. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 final year general medical students from Hanoi Medical University. Self-administered interviews were conducted. Key variables were knowledge, awareness of the importance of PHC and PHC career choices. Descriptive and analytic statistics were performed. Students had essential knowledge of the concept and elements of PHC and were well aware of its importance. However, only one-third to one half of them valued PHC with regard to their professional development or management opportunities. Less than 1% of students would work at commune or district health facilities after graduation. This study evidences challenges related to increasing the number of medical doctors working in PHC settings. Immediate and effective interventions are needed to make PHC settings more attractive and to encourage medical graduates to start and continue a career in PHC.

  5. GRAD-MAP: A Physics and Astronomy Diversity Initiative at the University of Maryland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Robyn; Rogoszinski, Zeeve; Sheppard, Kyle; Taylor, Corbin; Wilkins, Ashlee; Vogel, Stuart; Rolston, Steve; Hammer, Donna; Gezari, Suvi; Williams, Jimmy

    2017-01-01

    Graduate Resources for Advancing Diversity with Maryland's Astronomy and Physics (GRAD-MAP) builds connections with mid-Atlantic HBCUs, Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), and community colleges using seminars, forums, and workshops to foster a diverse community: undergraduates prepared to succeed in graduate school, inclusion-minded graduate student mentors, and faculty versed in the experiences of students at MSIs. In its fourth year, GRAD-MAP remains a graduate-student-powered initiative with a four-pronged approach: 1) Fall Collaborative Seminars, 2) Winter Workshop, 3) Spring Symposium, and 4) Summer Scholars Program. This coherent programming allows GRAD-MAP to do more than just increase the number of minority students or simply shuffle around students who already are, or would be, active in research. GRAD-MAP is committed to identifying students who are underserved or overlooked by the traditional academic pipeline. Our goal is not only to get them on the path to be successful undergraduate researchers and eventual graduate applicants, but also to make substantial, sustainable efforts toward a more inclusive climate in physics and astronomy. We will describe the key elements of our program, highlight successes and lessons learned, and describe formal evaluation currently underway with the intent that GRAD-MAP could serve as a model for other universities committed to diversity and inclusion.

  6. Disciplined knowledge: Differentiating and binding the elementary science curriculum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hayes, Michael Thomas

    The purpose of this research was to investigate elementary science curriculum differentiation at two schools with widely divergent student demographics. Historically, elementary school students of ethnic-minority and low-socioeconomic backgrounds have not performed on traditional assessments of academic achievement and progress in science education at the same level as their White and more affluent peers. This inequality has long been of interest to the proponents of science education reform who are concerned with the ability of students to participate successfully in a democratic society and in the labor market. Differentiating the curriculum such that students, because of their socioeconomic, ethnic, or racial backgrounds, receive different knowledge, skills, and experiences is a key component of school activity that supports social inequality. Participants in the study included the teachers and students of four classrooms in two schools with student populations that differed in their socioeconomic and ethnic demographics. Qualitative research methods, including fieldnotes, audiorecordings, and interviews, were utilized to gather data. The collection and analysis of data were articulated in a developmental research process in which theories and interpretations were continuously constructed and tested for validity. The results of this research show that the science curricula at the two schools were different, with differences being understood in terms of the populations served. The particular form of differentiation observed in this study was closely correlated to elements of social discipline, knowledge segmentation and reconfiguration, time and pacing, control of bodies, and testing. The elementary science curriculum at the two schools differed in the formality and intensity with which the curriculum was constructed in adherence to these elements of discipline. Such differences cannot be understood in traditional terms as supporting White middle-class students' academic and social progress while retarding that of students from low-socioeconomic and ethnic-minority backgrounds. Curriculum differentiation, when considered on a theory of discipline, is not simply a matter of placing students into inequitable social and educational positions. Instead, the curriculum is implicated in the construction of a stratified social system that at once constrained and provided for educational, social, and economic possibility.

  7. SDMS: A scientific data management system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Massena, W. A.

    1978-01-01

    SDMS is a data base management system developed specifically to support scientific programming applications. It consists of a data definition program to define the forms of data bases, and FORTRAN-compatible subroutine calls to create and access data within them. Each SDMS data base contains one or more data sets. A data set has the form of a relation. Each column of a data set is defined to be either a key or data element. Key elements must be scalar. Data elements may also be vectors or matrices. The data elements in each row of the relation form an element set. SDMS permits direct storage and retrieval of an element set by specifying the corresponding key element values. To support the scientific environment, SDMS allows the dynamic creation of data bases via subroutine calls. It also allows intermediate or scratch data to be stored in temporary data bases which vanish at job end.

  8. School climate factors contributing to student and faculty perceptions of safety in select Arizona schools.

    PubMed

    Bosworth, Kris; Ford, Lysbeth; Hernandaz, Diley

    2011-04-01

    To ensure that schools are safe places where students can learn, researchers and educators must understand student and faculty safety concerns. This study examines student and teacher perceptions of school safety. Twenty-two focus groups with students and faculty were conducted in 11 secondary schools. Schools were selected from a stratified sample to vary in location, proximity to Indian reservations, size, and type. The data analysis was based on grounded theory. In 9 of 11 schools, neither faculty nor students voiced overwhelming concerns about safety. When asked what makes school safe, students tended to report physical security features. School climate and staff actions also increased feelings of safety. Faculty reported that relationships and climate are key factors in making schools safe. High student performance on standardized tests does not buffer students from unsafe behavior, nor does living in a dangerous neighborhood necessarily lead to more drug use or violence within school walls. School climate seemed to explain the difference between schools in which students and faculty reported higher versus lower levels of violence and alcohol and other drug use. The findings raise provocative questions about school safety and provide insight into elements that lead to perceptions of safety. Some schools have transcended issues of location and neighborhood to provide an environment perceived as safe. Further study of those schools could provide insights for policy makers, program planners, and educational leaders. © 2011, American School Health Association.

  9. Ordered versus Unordered Map for Primitive Data Types

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-01

    mapped to some element. C++ provides two types of map containers within the standard template library, the std ::map and the std ::unordered_map...classes. As the name implies, the containers main functional difference is that the elements in the std ::map are ordered by the key, and the std ...unordered_map are not ordered based on their key. The std ::unordered_map elements are placed into “buckets” based on a hash value computed for their key

  10. "Live from IPY"--Connecting Students, Teachers and the Public to Polar Research

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Breen, K.; Warnick, W. K.; Warburton, J.; Fischer, K.; Wiggins, H.

    2007-12-01

    PolarTREC-Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating is a three-year (2007-2009) teacher professional development program of the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) that pairs K-12 teachers with researchers to improve science education through authentic polar research experiences. Each year of PolarTREC, approximately 15 teachers spend two to six weeks in the Arctic or Antarctic, working closely with researchers investigating a wide range of topics such as sea-ice dynamics, terrestrial ecology, marine biology, atmospheric chemistry, and long-term climate change. PolarTREC is funded by the National Science Foundation. While in the field, teachers and researchers communicate extensively with their colleagues, communities, and hundreds of students of all ages across the globe, using a variety of communication technologies and tools to appeal to broad student and public engagement in polar science. Through the PolarTREC website (www.polartrec.com) teachers connect from the field through the use of online journals and forums, photo galleries, podcasts, and learning resources. "Live from IPY," a key activity of PolarTREC, is a free, interactive, distance-learning experience that virtually transports students and the public to unique and remote polar locations through a live Internet interface. Rather than relying solely on the asynchronous elements of online journals, forums, photo albums, and podcasts, "Live from IPY" allows real-time interaction by adding elements including live voice, video, chat, application sharing, polling, and whiteboards, but requires only telephone and/or Internet access for participants and presenters to connect. "Live from IPY" and the online outreach elements of PolarTREC convey the excitement of polar research experiences to a broad audience far beyond the classrooms of the PolarTREC teachers, allowing anyone to join a global network of scientists, teachers, students, and communities and actively participate in the International Polar Year. Since January 2007, over 20 "Live from IPY" events have been held with more than 1700 participants, primarily K- 12 students, from 43 states across the US as well as international participants from 45 countries. "Live from IPY" has allowed educators to multiply the educational value of their expeditions, demonstrating the value that technology can bring to education by igniting thousands of young imaginations to the wonders of polar science.

  11. Implementation of modified team-based learning within a problem based learning medical curriculum: a focus group study.

    PubMed

    Burgess, Annette; Roberts, Chris; Ayton, Tom; Mellis, Craig

    2018-04-10

    While Problem Based Learning (PBL) has long been established internationally, Team-based learning (TBL) is a relatively new pedagogy in medical curricula. Both PBL and TBL are designed to facilitate a learner-centred approach, where students, in interactive small groups, use peer-assisted learning to solve authentic, professionally relevant problems. Differences, however, exist between PBL and TBL in terms of preparation requirements, group numbers, learning strategies, and class structure. Although there are many similarities and some differences between PBL and TBL, both rely on constructivist learning theory to engage and motivate students in their learning. The aim of our study was to qualitatively explore students' perceptions of having their usual PBL classes run in TBL format. In 2014, two iterations in a hybrid PBL curriculum were converted to TBL format, with two PBL groups of 10 students each, being combined to form one TBL class of 20, split into four groups of five students. At the completion of two TBL sessions, all students were invited to attend one of two focus groups, with 14 attending. Thematic analysis was used to code and categorise the data into themes, with constructivist theory used as a conceptual framework to identify recurrent themes. Four key themes emerged; guided learning, problem solving, collaborative learning, and critical reflection. Although structured, students were attracted to the active and collaborative approach of TBL. They perceived the key advantages of TBL to include the smaller group size, the preparatory Readiness Assurance Testing process, facilitation by a clinician, an emphasis on basic science concepts, and immediate feedback. The competitiveness of TBL was seen as a spur to learning. These elements motivated students to prepare, promoted peer assisted teaching and learning, and focussed team discussion. An important advantage of PBL over TBL, was the opportunity for adequate clinical reasoning within the problem solving activity. Students found their learning experience in TBL and PBL qualitatively different. There were advantages and disadvantages to both. This suggests a hybrid approach utilising the strengths of both methods should be considered for wide scale implementation.

  12. Harry Potter and the Dichotomous Key

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crowther, David T.

    2003-01-01

    In this lesson, students use Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans--a "wild" candy written about in the Harry Potter books and now available in stores--to learn about classification and dichotomous keys. In these activities, students sort jelly beans according to a key and then construct a key for a "new" flavor of beans. Students then build on their…

  13. The Use of Computer Games as an Educational Tool: Identification of Appropriate Game Types and Game Elements.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amory, Alan; Naicker, Kevin; Vincent, Jacky; Adams, Claudia

    1999-01-01

    Describes research with college students that investigated commercial game types and game elements to determine what would be suitable for education. Students rated logic, memory, visualization, and problem solving as important game elements that are used to develop a model that links pedagogical issues with game elements. (Author/LRW)

  14. Changing Ideas about the Periodic Table of Elements and Students' Alternative Concepts of Isotopes and Allotropes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmidt, Hans-Jurgen; Baumgartner, Tim; Eybe, Holger

    2003-01-01

    Investigates secondary school students' concepts of isotopes and allotropes and how the concepts are linked to the Periodic Table of Elements (PTE). Questions senior high school students with multiple choice items and interviews. Shows that students actively tried to make sense of what they had experienced. (KHR)

  15. Nursing students' viewpoints toward two methods of clinical conference and clinical nursing round.

    PubMed

    Gheidanzadeh, Maryam; Baghersad, Zahra; Abazari, Parvaneh

    2017-01-01

    Clinical education provides a chance to combine theoretical knowledge and clinical skills. Students are the key elements in the evaluation of clinical education efficacy. The present study was aimed to define nursing students' viewpoints concerning conformity to the characteristics of clinical conference and clinical round. This descriptive analytical study was conducted on the bachelor's students of the 4 th -6 th semester of nursing. Sampling was conducted using census sampling method during the 2 nd semester of 2014-2015 school year. Data collection tool was a three-section researcher-made questionnaire containing demographic, nursing round, and clinical conference characteristics. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests (independent t -test, ANOVA, and Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients) were used for data analysis. Participants were 134 bachelor's students of the 4 th -6 th semester of nursing. According to half of the participants, conformity to the characteristics of clinical conference (45.5%, 53%) and clinical round (44%, 51.5%) were poor and medium, respectively. Paired t -test showed a significant difference between students' viewpoints toward the planning of clinical conference and clinical nursing round ( P = 0.006, t = 2.77). According to the results of the present study on students' viewpoints, clinical education faces a serious challenge with regard to clinical education methods. Considering the necessity and importance of clinical education, more investigation should be conducted to detect its relevant factors and plan for its improvement.

  16. Will learning to solve one-step equations pose a challenge to 8th grade students?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ngu, Bing Hiong; Phan, Huy P.

    2017-08-01

    Assimilating multiple interactive elements simultaneously in working memory to allow understanding to occur, while solving an equation, would impose a high cognitive load. Element interactivity arises from the interaction between elements within and across operational and relational lines. Moreover, operating with special features (e.g. negative pronumeral) poses additional challenge to master equation solving skills. In an experiment, 41 8th grade students (girls = 16, boys = 25) sat for a pre-test, attended a session about equation solving, completed an acquisition phase which constituted the main intervention and were tested again in a post-test. The results showed that at post-test, students performed better on one-step equations tapping low rather than high element interactivity knowledge. In addition, students performed better on those one-step equations that contained no special features. Thus, both the degree of element interactivity and the operation with special features affect the challenge posed to 8th grade students on learning how to solve one-step equations.

  17. Gender Imputation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Student Clearinghouse, 2013

    2013-01-01

    In late 2007, the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) expanded its Enrollment Reporting service to include several additional data elements (commonly referred to as the "A2" or "expanded" data elements). One of these expanded data elements is student gender. Although gender is potentially important to a number of research…

  18. Impact of Health Education on Knowledge and Behaviors toward Infectious Diseases among Students in Gansu Province, China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Manli; Han, Xuemei; Fang, Haiqing; Xu, Chang; Lin, Xiaojun; Xia, Shuxu; Yu, Wenhan; He, Jinlu; Jiang, Shuai; Tao, Hongbing

    2018-01-01

    Infectious disease knowledge and behaviors are key elements that ensure student health and safety. This study explores the impact of health education on student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases and determines the factors affecting infectious diseases knowledge and behaviors among students in Gansu, China. A cross-sectional study and three sampling methods were used in two counties, 12 schools, and 32 classes in Gansu, China, from 2012 to 2013. Collected data included the following: (1) sociodemographic characteristics of 2002 students (1001 participants in the intervention group and 1001 in the control group); (2) accuracy of student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases based on comparison of intervention and control groups through X 2 test; and (3) mean scores on knowledge and behavior of students with different characteristics toward infectious diseases, as analyzed through analysis of variance (ANOVA). Multiple linear regression was conducted to analyze factors affecting student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases. Statistically significant differences were observed among eight items of infectious disease transmission and treatment knowledge between intervention and control groups ( P < 0.001). Average accuracies of knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases reached 72.23% and 60.03%. Significant differences were observed in six items on student behavior in rural and urban areas ( P < 0.001). Health education, household register, and county affected scores of student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases ( P < 0.05). Gender and education level also affected scores of student behaviors toward infectious diseases ( P < 0.001). Health education contributes to student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases. Students in the control group need intensified health education on infectious diseases. Health education needs to pay particular attention to rural students, all male students, and students at senior high school level living on campus.

  19. Matching Element Symbols with State Abbreviations: A Fun Activity for Browsing the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woelk, Klaus

    2009-01-01

    A classroom activity is presented in which students are challenged to find matches between the United States two-letter postal abbreviations for states and chemical element symbols. The activity aims to lessen negative apprehensions students might have when the periodic table of the elements with its more than 100 combinations of letters is first…

  20. Student Activism: An Exploration of Pre-Service Teacher Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Tol, Jason

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated university student activism from both a theoretical and applied perspective. The aims were to explore some of the elements that might enable or constrain student activism and to facilitate the students' opportunity to act on an issue of their choice. The three elements of self-efficacy, group work, and time were reviewed in…

  1. Studying the Ability of 7th Grade Students to Define the Circle and Its Elements in the Context of Mathematical Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akarsu, Esra; Yilmaz, Süha

    2015-01-01

    In this study, it was aimed to study the mathematical language skills that the 7th grade students use in defining the circle and its elements. In the study, the mathematical language skills of students that they use in defining the circle and its elements in a scenario were compared to the mathematical language skills they use in defining them…

  2. Correlates of HIV risk-taking behaviors among African-American college students: the effect of HIV knowledge, motivation, and behavioral skills.

    PubMed Central

    Bazargan, M.; Kelly, E. M.; Stein, J. A.; Husaini, B. A.; Bazargan, S. H.

    2000-01-01

    This study identifies theoretically based predictors of condom use in a sample of 253 sexually active African-American college students recruited from two historically African-American colleges. The Information-Motivation-Behavioral (IMB) skills model of AIDS-preventive behavior was employed to delineate the roles of HIV/AIDS knowledge, experiences with and attitudes toward condom use, peer influences, perceived vulnerability, monogamy, and behavioral skills. A predictive structural equation model revealed significant predictors of more condom use including: male gender, more sexual HIV knowledge, positive experiences and attitudes about condom use, nonmonogamy, and greater behavioral skills. Results imply that attention to behavioral skills for negotiating safer sex and training in the proper use of condoms are key elements in reducing high risk behaviors. Increasing the specific knowledge level of college students regarding the subtleties of sexual transmission of HIV is important and should be addressed. Heightening students' awareness of the limited protection of serial monogamy, and the need to address gender-specific training regarding required behavior change to reduce transmission of HIV should be an additional goal of college health professionals. PMID:10992684

  3. GRAD-MAP: A Joint Physics and Astronomy Diversity Initiative at the University of Maryland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilkins, Ashlee N.; Jameson, Katherine; Taylor, Corbin James; Anderson, Neil; Megson, Peter; Roberg-Clark, Gareth; Sheppard, Kyle; Uher, Tim; Hammer, Donna; Vogel, Stuart N.

    2016-01-01

    Graduate Resources for Advancing Diversity with Maryland's Astronomy and Physics (GRAD-MAP), builds connections between UMD and mid-Atlantic HBCUs, Minority-Serving Institutions, and community colleges, and uses seminars, forums, and workshops to foster a diverse community of undergraduates prepared to succeed in graduate school, and is now in its third year. GRAD-MAP launched with a three-pronged approach: 1) Collaborative Seminars, 2) A Winter Workshop, and 3) A Spring Symposium. This program allows GRAD-MAP to do more than just increase the numbers of minority students participating in astronomy and physics research (or, worse, simply shuffle around students who already are or would be); it is committed to identifying students who are otherwise underserved or overlooked by the traditional academic pipeline, not only to get them on the path to be successful undergraduate researchers and eventual graduate applicants, but also to make the climate of academic physics and astronomy more inclusive to them and all other underrepresented minority students. Our poster describes the key elements of our program, and highlights successes and lessons learned; GRAD-MAP can serve as a model for other universities committed to diversity and inclusion.

  4. The Mediating Effect of Intrinsic Motivation to Learn on the Relationship between Student´s Autonomy Support and Vitality and Deep Learning.

    PubMed

    Núñez, Juan L; León, Jaime

    2016-07-18

    Self-determination theory has shown that autonomy support in the classroom is associated with an increase of students' intrinsic motivation. Moreover, intrinsic motivation is related with positive outcomes. This study examines the relationships between autonomy support, intrinsic motivation to learn and two motivational consequences, deep learning and vitality. Specifically, the hypotheses were that autonomy support predicts the two types of consequences, and that autonomy support directly and indirectly predicts the vitality and the deep learning through intrinsic motivation to learn. Participants were 276 undergraduate students. The mean age was 21.80 years (SD = 2.94). Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships between variables and delta method was used to analyze the mediating effect of intrinsic motivation to learn. Results indicated that student perception of autonomy support had a positive effect on deep learning and vitality (p < .001). In addition, these associations were mediated by intrinsic motivation to learn. These findings suggest that teachers are key elements in generating of autonomy support environment to promote intrinsic motivation, deep learning, and vitality in classroom. Educational implications are discussed.

  5. A simulated "Night-onCall" to assess and address the readiness-for-internship of transitioning medical students.

    PubMed

    Kalet, Adina; Zabar, Sondra; Szyld, Demian; Yavner, Steven D; Song, Hyuksoon; Nick, Michael W; Ng, Grace; Pusic, Martin V; Denicola, Christine; Blum, Cary; Eliasz, Kinga L; Nicholson, Joey; Riles, Thomas S

    2017-01-01

    Transitioning medical students are anxious about their readiness-for-internship, as are their residency program directors and teaching hospital leadership responsible for care quality and patient safety. A readiness-for-internship assessment program could contribute to ensuring optimal quality and safety and be a key element in implementing competency-based, time-variable medical education. In this paper, we describe the development of the Night-onCall program (NOC), a 4-h readiness-for-internship multi-instructional method simulation event. NOC was designed and implemented over the course of 3 years to provide an authentic "night on call" experience for near graduating students and build measurements of students' readiness for this transition framed by the Association of American Medical College's Core Entrustable Professional Activities for Entering Residency. The NOC is a product of a program of research focused on questions related to enabling individualized pathways through medical training. The lessons learned and modifications made to create a feasible, acceptable, flexible, and educationally rich NOC are shared to inform the discussion about transition to residency curriculum and best practices regarding educational handoffs from undergraduate to graduate education.

  6. Identifying Mental Health Elements among Technical University Students Using Fuzzy Delphi Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pua, P. K.; Lai, C. S.; Lee, M. F.

    2017-08-01

    Mental health is a part of our daily life that is often experienced. As a student, mental health issue often encounters a variety of difficult challenges at the higher education institution. A student with good mental health can handle and cope the normal stress of life, capable work productivity, enhance academic performance and able to make contribute to the community. However, rapidly transformation and changing of society have been impacted on students’ mental health, and it will be deteriorated and negatively impact on students if it absence of preventive controlled. This study aimed to identify the element of mental health among the technical university students. A total of 11 experts were selected to analyze the fuzziness consensus of experts. All collected data was analyzed by using the fuzzy Delphi method and the result shows that there are 4 elements of 8 elements that fulfill the requirement consensus of experts, which threshold value is equal and less than 0.2, the percentage of the expert group is more than 75%. The four elements were depression, anxiety, stress, and fear are often experienced by technical university students. In conclusion, precocious actions have to be taken by university and counseling center, parents and non-government organization in order to mitigate the mental health problem faced by students to improve the quality lifestyle students at the university.

  7. A new e-learning platform for radiology education (RadEd).

    PubMed

    Xiberta, Pau; Boada, Imma

    2016-04-01

    One of the key elements of e-learning platforms is the content provided to the students. Content creation is a time demanding task that requires teachers to prepare material taking into account that it will be accessed on-line. Moreover, the teacher is restricted by the functionalities provided by the e-learning platforms. In contexts such as radiology where images have a key role, the required functionalities are still more specific and difficult to be provided by these platforms. Our purpose is to create a framework to make teacher's tasks easier, specially when he has to deal with contents where images have a main role. In this paper, we present RadEd, a new web-based teaching framework that integrates a smart editor to create case-based exercises that support image interaction such as changing the window width and the grey scale used to render the image, taking measurements on the image, attaching labels to images and selecting parts of the images, amongst others. It also provides functionalities to prepare courses with different topics, exercises and theory material, and also functionalities to control students' work. Different experts have used RadEd and all of them have considered it a very useful and valuable tool to prepare courses where radiological images are the main component. RadEd provides teachers functionalities to prepare more realistic cases and students the ability to make a more specific diagnosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Using career nurse mentors to support minority nursing students and facilitate their transition to practice.

    PubMed

    Banister, Gaurdia; Bowen-Brady, Helene M; Winfrey, Marion E

    2014-01-01

    The Clinical Leadership Collaborative for Diversity in Nursing was developed through an academe-service partnership focused on supporting minority nursing students and facilitating transition to practice. A key program element is mentoring. Students are paired with an experienced, minority clinical nurse or nurse leader from one of the partnering agencies, who helps guide the student throughout the junior and senior year of school and first year of employment. The mentoring component was evaluated through surveys in which mentors and mentees rated one another and offered open-ended comments on the program's impact. Aspects of mentees rated highest by mentors include manner (courteous and professional), ability to communicate and get along with others, preparation for meetings, and fully utilizing their time with mentors. Aspects of mentors rated highest by mentees include warmth, encouragement, and willingness to listen; enthusiasm for nursing and how they sparked the mentee's interest; and clarity regarding expectations for mentees and how they pushed mentees to achieve high standards. In the open-ended comments, mentees consistently identified mentoring as the program's strongest component. Sixty-four minority students have participated to date with a zero rate of attrition and very low job turnover among graduates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Perceptions of the use of critical thinking teaching methods.

    PubMed

    Kowalczyk, Nina; Hackworth, Ruth; Case-Smith, Jane

    2012-01-01

    To identify the perceived level of competence in teaching and assessing critical thinking skills and the difficulties facing radiologic science program directors in implementing student-centered teaching methods. A total of 692 program directors received an invitation to complete an electronic survey soliciting information regarding the importance of critical thinking skills, their confidence in applying teaching methods and assessing student performance, and perceived obstacles. Statistical analysis included descriptive data, correlation coefficients, and ANOVA. Responses were received from 317 participants indicating program directors perceive critical thinking to be an essential element in the education of the student; however, they identified several areas for improvement. A high correlation was identified between the program directors' perceived level of skill and their confidence in critical thinking, and between their perceived level of skill and ability to assess the students' critical thinking. Key barriers to implementing critical thinking teaching strategies were identified. Program directors value the importance of implementing critical thinking teaching methods and perceive a need for professional development in critical thinking educational methods. Regardless of the type of educational institution in which the academic program is located, the level of education held by the program director was a significant factor regarding perceived confidence in the ability to model critical thinking skills and the ability to assess student critical thinking skills.

  10. Group marking and peer assessment during a group poster presentation: the experiences and views of midwifery students.

    PubMed

    Ohaja, Magdalena; Dunlea, Margaret; Muldoon, Kathryn

    2013-09-01

    Traditionally, written examination and clinical practice assessments are the main ways of deeming midwifery students fit and competent for practice. Contemporary academics in an effort to engage the students in the learning process have employed alternative teaching and assessment strategies. Among the alternative strategies are group projects after which members of the group are awarded the same grade, and peer assessment. With the purpose of informing the midwifery curricular, we utilised a qualitative descriptive approach to explore midwifery students' experiences and views on the use of group poster presentation for learning and assessment. The participants consisted of a purposive sample of 14 higher diploma midwifery students who were registered in a third level institution in Ireland. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted following the completion of the poster presentation assessment. Permission to undertake the study was obtained from the college ethics committee. In this paper, we focus on the participants' views of group marking and peer assessment which are among the key elements that emerged in this study. While awarding a group mark was overall accepted, peer assessment proved a more contentious issue. Most of the participants found it challenging marking their friends. Reactions to group marks were very much influenced by the group dynamics. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Engagement matters: lessons from assessing classroom implementation of steps to respect: a bullying prevention program over a one-year period.

    PubMed

    Low, Sabina; Van Ryzin, Mark J; Brown, Eric C; Smith, Brian H; Haggerty, Kevin P

    2014-04-01

    Steps to Respect: A Bullying Prevention Program (STR) relies on a social-ecological model of prevention to increase school staff awareness and responsiveness, foster socially responsible beliefs among students, and teach social-emotional skills to students to reduce bullying behavior. As part of a school-randomized controlled trial of STR, we examined predictors and outcomes associated with classroom curriculum implementation in intervention schools. Data on classroom implementation (adherence and engagement) were collected from a sample of teachers using a weekly on-line Teacher Implementation Checklist system. Pre-post data related to school bullying-related outcomes were collected from 1,424 students and archival school demographic data were obtained from the National Center for Education Statistics. Results of multilevel analyses indicated that higher levels of program engagement were influenced by school-level percentage of students receiving free/reduced lunch, as well as classroom-level climate indicators. Results also suggest that higher levels of program engagement were related to lower levels of school bullying problems, enhanced school climate and attitudes less supportive of bullying. Predictors and outcomes related to program fidelity (i.e., adherence) were largely nonsignificant. Results suggest that student engagement is a key element of program impact, though implementation is influenced by both school-level demographics and classroom contexts.

  12. Assessing the Development of Medical Students' Personal and Professional Skills by Portfolio.

    PubMed

    Yielder, Jill; Moir, Fiona

    2016-01-01

    The introduction of a new domain of learning for Personal and Professional Skills in the medical program at the University of Auckland in New Zealand has involved the compilation of a portfolio for assessment. This departure from the traditional assessment methods predominantly used in the past has been challenging to design, introduce, and maintain as a relevant and authentic assessment method. We present the portfolio format along with the process for its introduction and appraise the challenges, strengths, and limitations of the approach within the context of the current literature. We then outline a cyclical model of evaluation used to monitor and fine-tune the portfolio tasks and implementation process, in response to student and assessor feedback. The portfolios have illustrated the level of insight, maturity, and synthesis of personal and professional qualities that students are capable of achieving. The Auckland medical program strives to foster these qualities in its students, and the portfolio provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their reflective abilities. Moreover, the creation of a Personal and Professional Skills domain with the portfolio as its key assessment emphasizes the importance of reflective practice and personal and professional development and gives a clear message that these are fundamental longitudinal elements of the program.

  13. Vocabulary by Gamification

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kingsley, Tara L.; Grabner-Hagen, Melissa M.

    2018-01-01

    Gamification uses game elements such as quests, challenges, levels, and rewards to motivate and engage students in the classroom. Given the engagement that students feel during gameplay, it is sensible to include elements of game design to motivate students and create a space for comprehensive vocabulary instruction. Designing a gamified…

  14. Effects of Learning Melodies by Ear on Performance Skills and Student Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Musco, Ann Marie

    2009-01-01

    This study examined the effects of playing by ear in selected keys on the abilities of musicians (N = 28) to play by ear and sight-read in those keys. Middle school band students in the experimental group learned melodies by ear in one familiar and two unfamiliar keys, and did no music reading in the new keys, while students in the contact-control…

  15. Exploring the use of multiple analogical models when teaching and learning chemical equilibrium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harrison, Allan G.; de Jong, Onno

    2005-12-01

    This study describes the multiple analogical models used to introduce and teach Grade 12 chemical equilibrium. We examine the teacher's reasons for using models, explain each model's development during the lessons, and analyze the understandings students derived from the models. A case study approach was used and the data were drawn from the observation of three consecutive Grade 12 lessons on chemical equilibrium, pre- and post-lesson interviews, and delayed student interviews. The key analogical models used in teaching were: the school dance; the sugar in a teacup; the pot of curry; and the busy highway. The lesson and interview data were subject to multiple, independent analyses and yielded the following outcomes: The teacher planned to use the students' prior knowledge wherever possible and he responded to student questions with stories and extended and enriched analogies. He planned to discuss where each analogy broke down but did not. The students enjoyed the teaching but built variable mental models of equilibrium and some of their analogical mappings were unreliable. A female student disliked masculine analogies, other students tended to see elements of the multiple models in isolation, and some did not recognize all the analogical mappings embedded in the teaching plan. Most students learned that equilibrium reactions are dynamic, occur in closed systems, and the forward and reverse reactions are balanced. We recommend the use of multiple analogies like these and insist that teachers always show where the analogy breaks down and carefully negotiate the conceptual outcomes.

  16. Implementation of ICARE learning model using visualization animation on biotechnology course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hidayat, Habibi

    2017-12-01

    ICARE is a learning model that directly ensure the students to actively participate in the learning process using animation media visualization. ICARE have five key elements of learning experience from children and adult that is introduction, connection, application, reflection and extension. The use of Icare system to ensure that participants have opportunity to apply what have been they learned. So that, the message delivered by lecture to students can be understood and recorded by students in a long time. Learning model that was deemed capable of improving learning outcomes and interest to learn in following learning process Biotechnology with applying the ICARE learning model using visualization animation. This learning model have been giving motivation to participate in the learning process and learning outcomes obtained becomes more increased than before. From the results of student learning in subjects Biotechnology by applying the ICARE learning model using Visualization Animation can improving study results of student from the average value of middle test amounted to 70.98 with the percentage of 75% increased value of final test to be 71.57 with the percentage of 68.63%. The interest to learn from students more increasing visits of student activities at each cycle, namely the first cycle obtained average value by 33.5 with enough category. The second cycle is obtained an average value of 36.5 to good category and third cycle the average value of 36.5 with a student activity to good category.

  17. The Elements Drawing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dkeidek, Iyad M.

    2003-01-01

    Presents an educational game designed for first- or second-year high school students who have already studied themes related to the periodic table elements, such as their symbols, electronic configurations, properties, and uses. The game is designed to help students learn the symbols of the elements and their properties or uses in a fun, engaging…

  18. The experience of international nursing students studying for a PhD in the U.K: A qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Educating nurses to doctoral level is an important means of developing nursing capacity globally. There is an international shortage of doctoral nursing programmes, hence many nurses seek their doctorates overseas. The UK is a key provider of doctoral education for international nursing students, however, very little is known about international doctoral nursing students' learning experiences during their doctoral study. This paper reports on a national study that sought to investigate the learning expectations and experiences of overseas doctoral nursing students in the UK. Methods Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted in 2008/09 with 17 international doctoral nursing students representing 9 different countries from 6 different UK universities. Data were analysed thematically. All 17 interviewees were enrolled on 'traditional' 3 year PhD programmes and the majority (15/17) planned to work in higher education institutions back in their home country upon graduation. Results Studying for a UK PhD involved a number of significant transitions, including adjusting to a new country/culture, to new pedagogical approaches and, in some cases, to learning in a second language. Many students had expected a more structured programme of study, with a stronger emphasis on professional nursing issues as well as research - akin to the professional doctorate. Students did not always feel well integrated into their department's wider research environment, and wanted more opportunities to network with their UK peers. A good supervision relationship was perceived as the most critical element of support in a doctoral programme, but good relationships were sometimes difficult to attain due to differences in student/supervisor expectations and in approaches to supervision. The PhD was perceived as a difficult and stressful journey, but those nearing the end reflected positively on it as a life changing experience in which they had developed key professional and personal skills. Conclusions Doctoral programmes need to ensure that structures are in place to support international students at different stages of their doctoral journey, and to support greater local-international student networking. Further research is needed to investigate good supervision practice and the suitability of the PhD vis a vis other doctoral models (e.g. the professional doctorate) for international nursing students. PMID:21668951

  19. Predicting Student Loan Default for the University of Texas at Austin

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herr, Elizabeth; Burt, Larry

    2005-01-01

    During spring 2001, Noel-Levitz created a student loan default model for the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). The goal of this project was to identify students most likely to default, to identify as risk elements those characteristics that contributed to student loan default, and to use these risk elements to plan and implement targeted,…

  20. Outcome-based approach to medical education towards academic programmes accreditation: A review article.

    PubMed

    Mohieldein, Abdelmarouf H

    2017-03-01

    The rapid change worldwide, as a consequence of advances in science and technology, necessitates the graduation of well-qualified graduates who have the appropriate knowledge and skills to fulfill specific work requirements. Hence, redesigning academic models by focusing on educational outcomes became the target and priority for universities around the world. In this systematic review we collected and retrieved literature using a selection of electronic databases. The objectives of this report is to: 1) provide an overview of the evolution of outcome-based education (OBE), (2) illustrate the philosophy and principle of OBE, (3) list the OBE advantages and benefits, (4) describe the assessment strategies used in OBE, and (5) discuss the role of teachers and students as key elements. In conclusion, there is growing interest by the Saudi government to provide student-centered education in their institutes of higher education to graduate students with the necessary knowledge and skill experiences. Moreover, OBE is considered a holistic approach which offers a powerful and appealing way of reforming and managing medical education for mastery in learning and to meet the prerequisites for local and international accreditation.

  1. Preparing Our Schools for the 21st Century. 1999 ASCD Yearbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marsh, David D., Ed.

    This yearbook offers a view of the key elements of schooling in the 21st century, outlining the nature of the change process that will be needed to create such schools. These key elements are drawn from the experience of educational reform in several countries and reflect a growing consensus about which elements will help all schools achieve both…

  2. Introducing the global carbon cycle to middle school students with a 14C research project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brodman Larson, L.; Phillips, C. L.; LaFranchi, B. W.

    2012-12-01

    Global Climate Change (GCC) is currently not part of the California Science Standards for 7th grade. Required course elements, however, such as the carbon cycle, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration could be linked to global climate change. Here we present a lesson plan developed in collaboration with scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, to involve 7th grade students in monitoring of fossil fuel emissions in the Richmond/San Pablo area of California. -The lesson plan is a Greenhouse Gas/Global Climate Change Unit, with an embedded research project in which students will collect plant samples from various locals for analysis of 14C, to determine if there is a correlation between location and how much CO2 is coming from fossil fuel combustion. Main learning objectives are for students to: 1) understand how fossil fuel emissions impact the global carbon cycle, 2) understand how scientists estimate fossil CO2 emissions, and 3) engage in hypothesis development and testing. This project also engages students in active science learning and helps to develop responsibility, two key factors for adolescentsWe expect to see a correlation between proximity to freeways and levels of fossil fuel emissions. This unit will introduce important GCC concepts to students at a younger age, and increase their knowledge about fossil fuel emissions in their local environment, as well as the regional and global impacts of fossil emissions.

  3. Reasoning in molecular genetics: From a cognitive model to instructional design

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duncan, Ravit Golan

    Effective instruction strives to help students construct deep and meaningful understandings in a domain. A key component of designing such instruction is a good understanding of relevant aspects of student cognition in the domain. This entails understanding both the cognitive obstacles to learning and the knowledge elements that are crucial to successful reasoning in the domain. While understandings of student cognition are not a prescription for design, they can nonetheless help instructional-designers and design-researchers focus the design and suggest where and what scaffolding should be incorporated into the instructional sequence and activities. In this dissertation I first discuss my research of the cognitive aspects of reasoning in molecular genetics. By studying both high school and college level students' reasoning about genetic phenomena, I have constructed a conceptual model of reasoning in this domain. The model depicts critical types of domain-specific knowledge, the relationships between them, and their role in facilitating reasoning about genetic phenomena. I then describe the design and evaluation of a high school project-based curricular unit in genetics. The unit was developed by a collaborative team of teachers and a researcher and was enacted in a local public high school. The design process was closely guided by our understandings of student cognition in genetics and the resulting instructional intervention was aimed at scaffolding student engagement with important disciplinary strategies and concepts.

  4. A quantitative metric to identify critical elements within seafood supply networks.

    PubMed

    Plagányi, Éva E; van Putten, Ingrid; Thébaud, Olivier; Hobday, Alistair J; Innes, James; Lim-Camacho, Lilly; Norman-López, Ana; Bustamante, Rodrigo H; Farmery, Anna; Fleming, Aysha; Frusher, Stewart; Green, Bridget; Hoshino, Eriko; Jennings, Sarah; Pecl, Gretta; Pascoe, Sean; Schrobback, Peggy; Thomas, Linda

    2014-01-01

    A theoretical basis is required for comparing key features and critical elements in wild fisheries and aquaculture supply chains under a changing climate. Here we develop a new quantitative metric that is analogous to indices used to analyse food-webs and identify key species. The Supply Chain Index (SCI) identifies critical elements as those elements with large throughput rates, as well as greater connectivity. The sum of the scores for a supply chain provides a single metric that roughly captures both the resilience and connectedness of a supply chain. Standardised scores can facilitate cross-comparisons both under current conditions as well as under a changing climate. Identification of key elements along the supply chain may assist in informing adaptation strategies to reduce anticipated future risks posed by climate change. The SCI also provides information on the relative stability of different supply chains based on whether there is a fairly even spread in the individual scores of the top few key elements, compared with a more critical dependence on a few key individual supply chain elements. We use as a case study the Australian southern rock lobster Jasus edwardsii fishery, which is challenged by a number of climate change drivers such as impacts on recruitment and growth due to changes in large-scale and local oceanographic features. The SCI identifies airports, processors and Chinese consumers as the key elements in the lobster supply chain that merit attention to enhance stability and potentially enable growth. We also apply the index to an additional four real-world Australian commercial fishery and two aquaculture industry supply chains to highlight the utility of a systematic method for describing supply chains. Overall, our simple methodological approach to empirically-based supply chain research provides an objective method for comparing the resilience of supply chains and highlighting components that may be critical.

  5. A Quantitative Metric to Identify Critical Elements within Seafood Supply Networks

    PubMed Central

    Plagányi, Éva E.; van Putten, Ingrid; Thébaud, Olivier; Hobday, Alistair J.; Innes, James; Lim-Camacho, Lilly; Norman-López, Ana; Bustamante, Rodrigo H.; Farmery, Anna; Fleming, Aysha; Frusher, Stewart; Green, Bridget; Hoshino, Eriko; Jennings, Sarah; Pecl, Gretta; Pascoe, Sean; Schrobback, Peggy; Thomas, Linda

    2014-01-01

    A theoretical basis is required for comparing key features and critical elements in wild fisheries and aquaculture supply chains under a changing climate. Here we develop a new quantitative metric that is analogous to indices used to analyse food-webs and identify key species. The Supply Chain Index (SCI) identifies critical elements as those elements with large throughput rates, as well as greater connectivity. The sum of the scores for a supply chain provides a single metric that roughly captures both the resilience and connectedness of a supply chain. Standardised scores can facilitate cross-comparisons both under current conditions as well as under a changing climate. Identification of key elements along the supply chain may assist in informing adaptation strategies to reduce anticipated future risks posed by climate change. The SCI also provides information on the relative stability of different supply chains based on whether there is a fairly even spread in the individual scores of the top few key elements, compared with a more critical dependence on a few key individual supply chain elements. We use as a case study the Australian southern rock lobster Jasus edwardsii fishery, which is challenged by a number of climate change drivers such as impacts on recruitment and growth due to changes in large-scale and local oceanographic features. The SCI identifies airports, processors and Chinese consumers as the key elements in the lobster supply chain that merit attention to enhance stability and potentially enable growth. We also apply the index to an additional four real-world Australian commercial fishery and two aquaculture industry supply chains to highlight the utility of a systematic method for describing supply chains. Overall, our simple methodological approach to empirically-based supply chain research provides an objective method for comparing the resilience of supply chains and highlighting components that may be critical. PMID:24633147

  6. How Many Words Does a Picture Really Tell? Cross-sectional Descriptive Study of Pictogram Evaluation by Youth.

    PubMed

    Korenevsky, Artyom; Vaillancourt, Régis; Pouliot, Annie; Revol, Marine; Steed, Evan; Besançon, Luc; Wahrendorf, Marit-Saskia; Patel, Jaimisha R

    2013-07-01

    Communicating health-related instructions with pictograms is useful, but such graphics can be interpreted in different ways. It is crucial to understand which pictogram components are best for accurate communication. To catalogue pictograms used to label drugs in clinical practice; to identify the common graphic elements for defined categories of pictograms, by performing a semiotic analysis (studying how signs are perceived and how they should be designed); to identify the key graphic elements common to pictograms preferred by users; and to develop suggestions for future pictogram design on the basis of users' input. Literature and Internet searches were performed to identify pictograms and pictogram categories. A call for pictograms was also circulated through the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). Youth at a Canadian pediatric hospital were asked to rate pictograms (including storyboards and prescription labels generated by FIP pictogram software) in terms of how best they represented their intended meanings. Pictograms for which at least 80% of participants "somewhat agreed", "agreed", or "strongly agreed" that the graphic conveyed the intended meaning were designated as "preferred" and were selected for analysis. Elements appearing in at least 50% of these preferred pictograms were highlighted as key graphic elements for design of future pictograms. In total, 21 categories were identified for pictograms used in clinical practice, and a total of 204 pictograms were analyzed. Eighty-six participants took part in the survey. For each pictogram category, certain elements were identified as "preferred" and as "key graphic elements", whereas other elements met neither designation. For all 21 pictogram categories, at least 80% of survey respondents agreed that the FIP storyboard conveyed the intended meaning. Certain key, preferred graphic elements are required for pharmaceutical pictograms to convey their intended meaning. The overlap between preferred and key pictogram elements indicates that both must be considered in development of future pictograms. Redesign of existing pictograms with consideration of the best semiotic elements is in progress.

  7. School Restructuring: What Works When? A Guide for Education Leaders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hassel, Emily Ayscue; Hassel, Bryan C.; Arkin, Matthew D.; Kowal, Julie M.; Steiner, Lucy M.

    2009-01-01

    Studies of high-performing schools, where all students learn more than similar students in other schools, show common design elements. These elements are comprehensive, affecting the whole school, and include: (1) Clear mission guiding daily activities; (2) High, unyielding expectations that all students will learn; (3) Frequent monitoring of…

  8. 76 FR 9562 - Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program; Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-18

    ... projects resulted in-- Fewer students witnessing violence; Fewer students involved in violent incidents... related to the five comprehensive plan elements: Element One: Safe school environments and violence... related to early childhood social and emotional learning and development; drug, alcohol, and violence...

  9. Integrator element as a promoter of active learning in engineering teaching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oliveira, Paulo C.; Oliveira, Cristina G.

    2014-03-01

    In this paper, we present a teaching proposal used in an Introductory Physics course to civil engineering students from Porto's Engineering Institute/Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP). The proposal was born from the need to change students' perception and motivation for learning physics. It consists in the use of an integrator element, called the physics elevator project. This integrator element allows us to use, in a single project, all the content taught in the course and uses several active learning strategies. In this paper, we analyse this project as: (i) a clarifying element of the contents covered in the course; (ii) a promoter element of motivation and active participation in class and finally and (iii) a link between the contents covered in the course and the 'real world'. The data were collected by a questionnaire and interviews to students. From the data collected, it seems that the integrator element improves students' motivation towards physics and develops several skills that they consider to be important to their professional future. It also acts as a clarifying element and makes the connection between the physics that is taught and the 'real world'.

  10. Effectiveness of Multimedia Elements in Computer Supported Instruction: Analysis of Personalization Effects, Students' Performances and Costs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zaidel, Mark; Luo, XiaoHui

    2010-01-01

    This study investigates the efficiency of multimedia instruction at the college level by comparing the effectiveness of multimedia elements used in the computer supported learning with the cost of their preparation. Among the various technologies that advance learning, instructors and students generally identify interactive multimedia elements as…

  11. Reporting of NSC Additional (A2) Data Elements. Updated July 29, 2014

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Student Clearinghouse, 2014

    2014-01-01

    Since the 2008-09 academic year, the National Student Clearinghouse has provided its participating institutions with the option to include 13 additional data elements in their enrollment submissions. These additional data elements help make Clearinghouse data more comprehensive and enable StudentTracker? participants to utilize a more robust data…

  12. Strategies for Improving Achievement within Diversity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomson, Scott D.

    Understanding students' learning styles is one of the first steps to providing an effective education. Four elements must be present in schools for mastery of content to occur. These four elements operate in sequence and each supports those that follow. The elements are (1) diagnosis of student traits and skills, (2) development of specific…

  13. The Composition of Dramatic Experience: The Play Element in Student Electronic Projects.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rouzie, Albert

    2000-01-01

    Analyzes two student group Hypertext projects and a MOO (multiuser domain, object-oriented) project. Finds the play element can enrich readerly experience through the creation of a dramatic experience of information. Suggests that composition instructors need to recognize the play element in computer-based composition and encourage the development…

  14. Co-Teaching in Student Teaching of an Elementary Education Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chang, Sau Hou

    2018-01-01

    Successful co-teaching relied on essential elements and different approaches. However, few studies were found on these essential elements and different approaches in student teaching. The objective of this study was to examine how teacher candidates and cooperating teachers used the essential co-teaching elements and co-teaching approaches.…

  15. Setting out the Role of Feedback in the Assessment Process through Both the Student and Tutor Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hepplestone, Stuart; Glover, Ian; Irwin, Brian; Parkin, Helen J.

    2016-01-01

    Despite assessment and feedback being important elements of the student experience, it is not clear how students connect these two elements together to improve their learning. What are students doing with the assignment feedback that they receive from tutors, and how do they make use of this feedback in their future assessments? A research study…

  16. Collaboration and research as key elements for strengthening blood donation in developing nations: the case of Grenada, West Indies.

    PubMed

    Gomez, A; Messam, L L McV; Toner, L

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to identify ways to strengthen the collaboration between the Grenadian Blood Bank, the St George's University (SGU) chapter of the American Medical Students Association, and St George's University Health Clinic in order to improve the promotion of blood drives and increase the number of volunteer donors. The study had two phases. Phase 1: an assessment of the strengths and needs of the collaborators and of the blood drives. Phase 2 consisted of three student assessments: a cross-sectional survey of second year medical students, a cross-sectional survey of students in the School of Arts and Sciences and a case-control study of factors affecting student donation on the day of blood drives. Embedded within both phases were service-learning opportunities for students. Both phases received approval from SGU's Institutional Review Board. Preliminary achievements included a transient increase in blood donation of twenty per cent during five months though advertising of blood drives remains inadequate. Assessments reveal that most students lack knowledge about the drives, and time (medical students) and fear of needles and infection (Arts and Science students) are potential hindrances to blood donation. The Blood Bank needs to increase its profile on the university campus and develop a more effective promotion of the blood drives addressing the concerns of students. St George's University needs to continue supporting student involvement in health promotion activities and identify ways to ensure the sustainability and continuity of these activities. Collaboration and research are useful and effective means to promote blood donation. College students are potentially an excellent source of collaborators and donors if provided with the promotion skills and participation is made convenient.

  17. A Framework for Understanding Physics Students' Computational Modeling Practices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lunk, Brandon Robert

    With the growing push to include computational modeling in the physics classroom, we are faced with the need to better understand students' computational modeling practices. While existing research on programming comprehension explores how novices and experts generate programming algorithms, little of this discusses how domain content knowledge, and physics knowledge in particular, can influence students' programming practices. In an effort to better understand this issue, I have developed a framework for modeling these practices based on a resource stance towards student knowledge. A resource framework models knowledge as the activation of vast networks of elements called "resources." Much like neurons in the brain, resources that become active can trigger cascading events of activation throughout the broader network. This model emphasizes the connectivity between knowledge elements and provides a description of students' knowledge base. Together with resources resources, the concepts of "epistemic games" and "frames" provide a means for addressing the interaction between content knowledge and practices. Although this framework has generally been limited to describing conceptual and mathematical understanding, it also provides a means for addressing students' programming practices. In this dissertation, I will demonstrate this facet of a resource framework as well as fill in an important missing piece: a set of epistemic games that can describe students' computational modeling strategies. The development of this theoretical framework emerged from the analysis of video data of students generating computational models during the laboratory component of a Matter & Interactions: Modern Mechanics course. Student participants across two semesters were recorded as they worked in groups to fix pre-written computational models that were initially missing key lines of code. Analysis of this video data showed that the students' programming practices were highly influenced by their existing physics content knowledge, particularly their knowledge of analytic procedures. While this existing knowledge was often applied in inappropriate circumstances, the students were still able to display a considerable amount of understanding of the physics content and of analytic solution procedures. These observations could not be adequately accommodated by the existing literature of programming comprehension. In extending the resource framework to the task of computational modeling, I model students' practices in terms of three important elements. First, a knowledge base includes re- sources for understanding physics, math, and programming structures. Second, a mechanism for monitoring and control describes students' expectations as being directed towards numerical, analytic, qualitative or rote solution approaches and which can be influenced by the problem representation. Third, a set of solution approaches---many of which were identified in this study---describe what aspects of the knowledge base students use and how they use that knowledge to enact their expectations. This framework allows us as researchers to track student discussions and pinpoint the source of difficulties. This work opens up many avenues of potential research. First, this framework gives researchers a vocabulary for extending Resource Theory to other domains of instruction, such as modeling how physics students use graphs. Second, this framework can be used as the basis for modeling expert physicists' programming practices. Important instructional implications also follow from this research. Namely, as we broaden the use of computational modeling in the physics classroom, our instructional practices should focus on helping students understand the step-by-step nature of programming in contrast to the already salient analytic procedures.

  18. Impact of student ethnicity and patient-centredness on communication skills performance.

    PubMed

    Hauer, Karen E; Boscardin, Christy; Gesundheit, Neil; Nevins, Andrew; Srinivasan, Malathi; Fernandez, Alicia

    2010-07-01

    The development of patient-centred attitudes by health care providers is critical to improving health care quality. A prior study showed that medical students with more patient-centred attitudes scored higher in communication skills as judged by standardised patients (SPs) than students with less patient-centred attitudes. We designed this multicentre study to examine the relationships among students' demographic characteristics, patient-centredness and communication scores on an SP examination. Early Year 4 medical students at three US schools completed a 12-item survey during an SP examination. Survey items addressed demographics (gender, ethnicity, primary childhood language) and patient-centredness. Factor analysis on the patient-centredness items defined specific patient-centred attitudes. We used multiple regression analysis incorporating demographic characteristics, school and patient-centredness items and examined the effect of these variables on the outcome variable of communication score. A total of 351 students took the SP examination and 329 (94%) completed the patient-centredness questionnaire. Responses indicated generally high patient-centredness. Student ethnicity and medical school were significantly associated with communication scores; gender and primary childhood language were not. Two attitudinal factors were identified: patient perspective and impersonal attitude. Multiple regression analysis revealed that school and scores on the impersonal factor were associated with communication scores. The effect size was modest. In a medical student SP examination, modest differences in communication scores based on ethnicity were observed and can be partially explained by student attitudes regarding patient-centredness. Curricular interventions to enhance clinical experiences, teaching and feedback are needed to address key elements of a patient-centred approach to care.

  19. The Impact of Problem Sets on Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Myeong Hwan; Cho, Moon-Heum; Leonard, Karen Moustafa

    2012-01-01

    The authors examined the role of problem sets on student learning in university microeconomics. A total of 126 students participated in the study in consecutive years. independent samples t test showed that students who were not given answer keys outperformed students who were given answer keys. Multiple regression analysis showed that, along with…

  20. Improving Attitudes Toward STEM By Providing Urban-Based Environmental Science Research Opportunities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cuff, K. E.; Molinaro, M.

    2005-12-01

    Over the past decade, numerous calls have been made for the need to increase the participation of the nation's underrepresented population in science, technology, engineering, and technology (STEM) fields of endeavor. A key element in improving the less than impressive conditions that now exist with regard to this issue, is the development of effective approaches that result in positive changes in young people's attitudes toward education in general, and STEM subject matter in particular during the early stages of their intellectual development. The Environmental Science Information Technology Activities (ESITA) program provides opportunities for under-represented grades 9 - 10 students in the East San Francisco Bay Area to learn about and apply key STEM concepts and related skills. Consisting of two-year-long after school programs at community center and school-based sites, as well as a Summer Research Institute, the ESITA program engages participants in a combination of STEM content learning activities and environmental science research projects that address issues relevant to their communities. Design of the ESITA program has been informed by: 1) pilot-study data that indicated key elements necessary for ensuring high levels of participant enthusiasm and interest; 2) a conceptual framework for development of instructional materials grounded in recent research about student learning of STEM content; and 3) research about effective after school programs that present academic content. Throughout the program's two-year existence, ESITA students have participated in the following projects: investigations of the distribution of elevated lead levels in drinking water samples from Washington, D.C.; air and water quality studies in and around a popular lake situated within the nation's oldest wildlife refuge, located in downtown Oakland, California; and studies of the relationship between airborne particulate matter concentrations in Richmond, California, and activity at local petroleum refineries. As participants have used newly acquired skills and understandings while performing such investigations that are directly linked to relevant, real-world environmental problems and issues, they have: significantly increased their understanding of the process and nature of science; enhanced their intellectual self-confidence with regard to STEM; developed a deeper appreciation of how scientific research can contribute to the maintenance of healthy local environments; developed a greater interest in participating in STEM-related courses of study and after school programs; improved their general attitudes toward STEM. All of these gains significantly increase the capacity of participants to enroll and perform successfully in STEM courses in the future, which together enhances their chances of deciding to pursue STEM careers.

  1. Taking Part in Technology Education: Elements in Students' Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Autio, Ossi; Hietanoro, Jenni; Ruismaki, Heikki

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the elements motivating comprehensive school students to study technology education. In addition, we tried to discover how students' motivation towards technology education developed over the period leading up to their school experience and the effect this might have on their future involvement with…

  2. The Importance of Establishing Relevance in Motivating Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kember, David; Ho, Amber; Hong, Celina

    2008-01-01

    This article reports findings from a study which interviewed 36 undergraduate students about aspects of the teaching and learning environment which motivated or demotivated their study. It was found that students were motivated by a teaching environment characterized by eight main elements. This article reports in detail on the element of…

  3. Dichotomous Identification Keys: A Ladder to Higher Order Knowledge about the Human Body

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sorgo, Andrej

    2006-01-01

    We tried to enrich teaching human anatomy in high school biology lessons. Students construct dichotomous identification keys to the cells, tissues, organs, or body parts. By doing this, students have achieved higher-order cognitive levels of knowledge because construction of such keys is based on analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Students found…

  4. Pubescent male students' attitudes towards menstruation in Taiwan: implications for reproductive health education and school nursing practice.

    PubMed

    Chang, Yu-Ting; Hayter, Mark; Lin, Mei-Ling

    2012-02-01

    To explore male students' attitudes towards menstruation. Menstruation is a biological event that is often surrounded by secrecy and social stigma that causes anxiety amongst many young girls. A key element of this is the attitudes of young males towards this reproductive health issue. However, the literature around what young males think and feel about menstruation is limited. Qualitative. A sample of 27 male students aged between 10-12 years participated in five focus groups. Data were then subject to a thematic analysis. Five themes emerged from the data analysis that reflected the boys' feelings, experiences and attitudes towards menstruation: 'A silent topic', 'An unimportant issue', 'Errant information about menstruation'. In addition, according to their experience, participants gradually came to see menstruation from the 'menstrual stereotype' viewpoint. In their social life, they made choices that resulted in gradually regulating their behaviour that affected their 'relationships with girls'. Young boys have misguided knowledge about menstruation and this helps to perpetuate the stigma surrounding this element of reproductive health. Boys also express a desire to learn more but are often restricted in this by home and school. School nurses are the best placed professionals to address this issue. Menstrual education with boys should take a greater prominence than it often does in sexual health education in schools. Such inclusion will provide boys with a balanced and accurate knowledge base and therefore help towards reducing the social stigma around menstruation that is often experienced by young girls. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  5. Novel Earth Science outreach initiatives from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Winkler, S.; Gladwyn, J.; Swanson, K.

    2012-04-01

    In today's classroom, motivating students is one key factor to achieve a good learning outcome. New teaching methods need to be developed providing enough excitement and visible benefits for the students, i.e. applying the concept of "Edutainment" in secondary and tertiary education. For that purpose, an interactive geological-/geographical-didactical game based on the well-known "Memory" game has recently been developed that matches the current New Zealand curriculum focussing on earth surface processes and landform development. Visualisation is one key element as the students have to link terms and theoretical knowledge to typical images of landforms. Interaction is achieved by the students playing in small group ideally without direct input of the supervising teacher/lecturer. The level of knowledge tested by this game can easily be adjusted to the level of the class by offering different alternative game "modes". The current version presented here as well as earlier, less-professionally produced versions have been successfully tested at different levels in high schools as well as at university undergraduate level. In another innovative venture, an interactive and entertaining play performed in schools by University of Canterbury drama students has been successful in increasing students' understanding of how scientific thoughts on the origins of the Earth have changed over two centuries. "From the Curious to the Sublime" uses some scripted performances to portray two distinct situations: the first showing a Curiousi of the 17th century, showing off his collection of rare and unusual rocks, fossils and other oddities, all unclassified; and the second showing James Hutton in 1780, explaining to associates how careful observations and classifications of rocks and fossils leads to the foundation on which the natural history of the planet was written. Following each scripted performance the school students, in small groups , attempt to describe and "sell" real rocks and fossils to the Curiousi and later to James Hutton, an entertaining spectacle for the audience. Excitement is increased by the winning group gaining prizes of small fossils to keep. Teacher feedback has been extremely positive for the seven years the play has been produced.

  6. Analysis of Students' Conceptions of Basic Magnetism from a Complex Systems Perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lemmer, Miriam; Kriek, Jeanne; Erasmus, Benita

    2018-03-01

    This study established whether 12 South African secondary school physics students had incorrect conceptions of basic magnetism and if they had, to what extent they consistently applied such conceptions. Different scenarios in the form of thought experiments were presented in a clinical interview approach. A complex systems perspective underpinned the study and was firstly used to analyze 12 students' conceptions in terms of intuitive fragments of knowledge elements, structured misconceptions, and theory-like system of knowledge elements. Secondly, coherence in each student's ideas expressed across ten themes using thought experiments was analyzed in an effort to determine variations or coherence in responses. Examples of student explanations and sketches are discussed in the paper to illustrate the conceptual structures they applied. Most of the students in this study used a variety of knowledge elements in accord with a complex systems perspective, but three students seemed to prefer a specific perspective. One student's ideas tended to be mainly fragmented, a second exposed a number of structured misconceptions, while another student's reasoning can be described as a theory-like system of knowledge elements. Accordingly, the emphasis of physics education research should no longer be on the compilation of a list of misconceptions that have to be remedied or replaced, but on the conceptual connections, students make and their associative reasoning patterns (i.e., knowledge systems revealed). It remains for the teacher to use the complex systems perspective as a framework to facilitate students' conceptual development and understanding, proceeding on their existing knowledge systems.

  7. Elements and Principles of Design Posters. Teacher's Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1996

    This book accompanies a poster series and allows the teacher to pre-plan a lesson or activity for students with the objectives shown for each element or principle of design to be presented. Along with a black-and-white reproduction of each poster, major concepts are discussed. Suggested student activities relating to a particular element or…

  8. The Impact of Complexity on the Expertise Reversal Effect: Experimental Evidence from Testing Accounting Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blayney, Paul; Kalyuga, Slava; Sweller, John

    2016-01-01

    Element interactivity is a central concept of cognitive load theory that defines the complexity of a learning task. The reduction of task complexity through a temporary segmentation or isolation of interacting elements was investigated with 104 students randomly assigned to an interacting elements group, where participants were required to deal…

  9. Role-play for medical students learning about communication: Guidelines for maximising benefits

    PubMed Central

    Nestel, Debra; Tierney, Tanya

    2007-01-01

    Background Role-play is widely used as an educational method for learning about communication in medical education. Although educational theory provides a sound rationale for using this form of simulation, there is little published evidence for its effectiveness. Students' prior experiences of role-play may influence the way in which they engage in this method. This paper explores students' experiences with the aim of producing guidelines for maximising the benefits of role-play within this learning context. Methods First-year undergraduate medical students participated in a role-play session as part of their communication programme. Before and after the session, students completed questionnaires. In the pre-session questionnaire, students were asked about their experiences of role-play and asked to identify helpful and unhelpful elements. Immediately after the session, students answered similar questions in relation to the role-play activity they had just completed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data and qualitative data was thematically analysed. Results 284 students completed evaluation forms. Although 63 (22.2%) had prior unhelpful experiences, most students (n = 274; 96.5%) found this experience helpful. Summary findings were that students reported the key aspects of helpful role-play were opportunities for observation, rehearsal and discussion, realistic roles and alignment of roles with other aspects of the curriculum. Unhelpful aspects were those that evoked strong negative emotional responses and factors that contributed to a lack of realism. Conclusion Role-play was valued by students in the acquisition of communication skills even though some had prior unhelpful experiences. Guidelines for effective role-play include adequate preparation, alignment of roles and tasks with level of practice, structured feedback guidelines and acknowledgment of the importance of social interactions for learning. PMID:17335561

  10. Role-play for medical students learning about communication: guidelines for maximising benefits.

    PubMed

    Nestel, Debra; Tierney, Tanya

    2007-03-02

    Role-play is widely used as an educational method for learning about communication in medical education. Although educational theory provides a sound rationale for using this form of simulation, there is little published evidence for its effectiveness. Students' prior experiences of role-play may influence the way in which they engage in this method. This paper explores students' experiences with the aim of producing guidelines for maximising the benefits of role-play within this learning context. First-year undergraduate medical students participated in a role-play session as part of their communication programme. Before and after the session, students completed questionnaires. In the pre-session questionnaire, students were asked about their experiences of role-play and asked to identify helpful and unhelpful elements. Immediately after the session, students answered similar questions in relation to the role-play activity they had just completed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data and qualitative data was thematically analysed. 284 students completed evaluation forms. Although 63 (22.2%) had prior unhelpful experiences, most students (n = 274; 96.5%) found this experience helpful. Summary findings were that students reported the key aspects of helpful role-play were opportunities for observation, rehearsal and discussion, realistic roles and alignment of roles with other aspects of the curriculum. Unhelpful aspects were those that evoked strong negative emotional responses and factors that contributed to a lack of realism. Role-play was valued by students in the acquisition of communication skills even though some had prior unhelpful experiences. Guidelines for effective role-play include adequate preparation, alignment of roles and tasks with level of practice, structured feedback guidelines and acknowledgment of the importance of social interactions for learning.

  11. Impact of a personal learning plan supported by an induction meeting on academic performance in undergraduate Obstetrics and Gynaecology: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Deane, Richard P; Murphy, Deirdre J

    2015-03-11

    A personal learning plan (PLP) is an approach to assist medical students maximise their learning experience within clinical rotations. The aim of this study was to investigate whether medical students who created a PLP supported by an induction meeting had an improved academic performance within an undergraduate clinical rotation. A cluster randomised controlled study was conducted over a full academic year (2012/13). The intervention was the creation of a PLP by medical students supported by an individual 'one-to-one' induction meeting between each student and a faculty member. Randomisation was by unit of rotation in which students completed the program. There were 2 clusters in the intervention group (n = 71 students) and 2 clusters in the control group (n = 72 students). Primary outcome was the overall examination score. Secondary outcomes were student attendance and student evaluation. There was no difference in overall examination score between the intervention group and control group (mean score 56.3 ± 4.8% versus 56.7 ± 5.6%, p = 0.64). The majority of students in the intervention group (n = 51/71, 85%) reported that the PLP and induction meeting enhanced their learning experience. Attendance at the induction meeting was identified as a key element. The creation of a PLP supported by an induction meeting was rated highly by students as an approach to enhance their learning experience but did not result in an improved academic performance. Further research is required to establish the role of an interim or exit meeting.

  12. Institutional analysis of milkfish supply chain using interpretive structural modelling (ISM) (case study of UD. Bunda Foods, Sidoarjo District)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silalahi, R. L. R.; Mustaniroh, S. A.; Ikasari, D. M.; Sriulina, R. P.

    2018-03-01

    UD. Bunda Foods is an SME located in the district of Sidoarjo. UD. Bunda Foods has problems of maintaining its milkfish’s quality assurance and developing marketing strategies. Improving those problems enables UD. Bunda Foods to compete with other similar SMEs and to market its product for further expansion of their business. The objectives of this study were to determine the model of the institutional structure of the milkfish supply chain, to determine the elements, the sub-elements, and the relationship among each element. The method used in this research was Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM), involving 5 experts as respondents consisting of 1 practitioner, 1 academician, and 3 government organisation employees. The results showed that there were two key elements include requirement and goals elements. Based on the Drive Power-Dependence (DP-D) matrix, the key sub-elements of requirement element, consisted of raw material continuity, appropriate marketing strategy, and production capital, were positioned in the Linkage sector quadrant. The DP-D matrix for the key sub-elements of the goal element also showed a similar position. The findings suggested several managerial implications to be carried out by UD. Bunda Foods include establishing good relationships with all involved institutions, obtaining capital assistance, and attending the marketing training provided by the government.

  13. The Role of Game Elements in Online Learning within Health Professions Education.

    PubMed

    Rojas, David; Kapralos, Bill; Dubrowski, Adam

    2016-01-01

    Given the highly competitive and motivating nature of today's students, gamification, when properly implemented, can be an effective learning tool. Here we studied which gamification (gaming) elements that medical students would be interested in having when using an online learning system to acquire clinical skills. Focus groups sessions were held with medical students, game developers, and game designers to develop an understanding about their perception and preferences regarding gamification. Overall it was determined that gamification will lead to increased engagement and motivation and should include both competitive and social elements.

  14. Teaching for Transformative Experience in Science: An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Two Instructional Elements.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pugh, Kevin J.

    2002-01-01

    Examined the effectiveness of two teaching elements (the artistic crafting of content and the modeling and scaffolding of perception and value) at fostering transformative experiences among students in a high school zoology class. Student outcomes were compared to the outcomes of students in a class taught with a case-based method. Significantly…

  15. The Elements of Library Research: What Every Student Needs to Know

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    George, Mary W.

    2008-01-01

    To do solid academic research, college students need to look beyond the computer search engine. This short, practical book introduces students to the important components of the information-seeking process. "The Elements of Library Research" provides a foundation for success in any research assignment, from a freshman paper to a senior thesis.…

  16. Supporting Educational Success for Aboriginal Students: Identifying Key Influences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitley, Jessica

    2014-01-01

    The academic difficulties experienced by many Aboriginal (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) students in Canada have been well-documented. Indicators such as school persistence and post-secondary enrollment are typically far lower for Aboriginal students as a group compared to non-Aboriginal students. Identifying facilitators of success is key to…

  17. Students' Perceptions about the Use of Educational Games as a Tool for Teaching the Periodic Table of Elements at the High School Level

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Franco-Mariscal, Antonio Joaquín; Oliva-Martínez, Jose´ María; Gil, M. L. Almoraima

    2015-01-01

    The study reported here was conducted to investigate the perceptions of high school students on the use of educational games as a tool for teaching the periodic table of elements in a chemistry class in Spain. The 127 students who participated in this study came from six different classes in grade 10 (15-16 years old). The students' perceptions of…

  18. Virtual test: A student-centered software to measure student's critical thinking on human disease

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rusyati, Lilit; Firman, Harry

    2016-02-01

    The study "Virtual Test: A Student-Centered Software to Measure Student's Critical Thinking on Human Disease" is descriptive research. The background is importance of computer-based test that use element and sub element of critical thinking. Aim of this study is development of multiple choices to measure critical thinking that made by student-centered software. Instruments to collect data are (1) construct validity sheet by expert judge (lecturer and medical doctor) and professional judge (science teacher); and (2) test legibility sheet by science teacher and junior high school student. Participants consisted of science teacher, lecturer, and medical doctor as validator; and the students as respondent. Result of this study are describe about characteristic of virtual test that use to measure student's critical thinking on human disease, analyze result of legibility test by students and science teachers, analyze result of expert judgment by science teachers and medical doctor, and analyze result of trial test of virtual test at junior high school. Generally, result analysis shown characteristic of multiple choices to measure critical thinking was made by eight elements and 26 sub elements that developed by Inch et al.; complete by relevant information; and have validity and reliability more than "enough". Furthermore, specific characteristic of multiple choices to measure critical thinking are information in form science comic, table, figure, article, and video; correct structure of language; add source of citation; and question can guide student to critical thinking logically.

  19. General population and medical student perceptions of good and bad doctors in Mozambique.

    PubMed

    Pfeiffer, Annett; Noden, Bruce H; Walker, Zoë A; Aarts, Rembrant; Ferro, Josefo

    2011-04-01

    A key element of the doctor-patient relationship is to understand the patient's and doctor's perceptions of quality care. To assess the perceptions of good and bad doctors among first-year medical students and local community members in a semi-urban, African settings. Using open-ended and closed dichotomous questions, 115 first-year medical students in Beira, Mozambique were surveyed regarding their perceptions of a 'good' and 'bad' doctor. Students then surveyed 611 community members in a predominately poor, semi-urban neighbourhood. Answers to open-ended questions provided by both groups produced the same four most important positive characteristics, with good diagnostic and therapeutic skills and dedication ranked highest. Closed-ended questions revealed that local community members felt that being concerned/considerate and diagnosing well were equally important (19.5% and 17.5%, respectively) compared to students (17.5% and 41.2%, respectively). The most important negative characteristics to the open-ended question for both groups were discrimination and contemptuous behaviour: 29.3% for community members and 27.4% for medical students. The biggest difference between groups was poor attending skills: 17.3% by community members and 3.9% by medical students. This study highlights differences and similarities between the perceptions of medical students and community members concerning a 'good' and a 'bad' doctor. Our data suggest that perceptions are guided by the experiences and values of those interviewed. Results indicate that medical education in developing countries should focus on patient-centered care, including communication skills and attitudes, besides training knowledgeable doctors.

  20. Marketing a hard-to-swallow message: recommendations for the design of media campaigns to increase awareness about the risks of binge drinking.

    PubMed

    Jack, Susan M; Bouck, L Michelle Sangster; Beynon, Charlene E; Ciliska, Donna K; Mitchell, Martha J Lewis

    2005-01-01

    Binge drinking, commonly defined as having more than five drinks on a single occasion, is a public health issue affecting two thirds of Canadian young adults between the ages of 19-24 years. To educate young adults about alcohol poisoning, a network of 16 Ontario Health Units developed and implemented a mass-media campaign. The focus of this article is to report on post-secondary students' perceptions about key media campaign strategies, elements and messages for future campaigns designed to increase awareness about the risks of binge drinking. As part of a multi-method process evaluation, nine focus groups were facilitated to explore the young adults' knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about binge drinking and the campaign messages. Participants were also asked to identify specific marketing messages and techniques that would increase their level of awareness about the risks of binge drinking. Participants recommended that campaigns be targeted towards parents and high school and post-secondary school students. Participants provided recommendations for the types of messages, images, and language they perceived would capture the attention of young adults. Television, posters and the internet were identified as key media channels for disseminating health information about the risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption. The problem of binge drinking is pervasive across Canadian campuses and students are largely unaware of the risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption. To reach this target population, it is important for future media campaign developers to utilize language, definitions, graphics and channels of communication to which this group relates.

  1. Successful teaching in evidence-based medicine.

    PubMed

    Ghali, W A; Saitz, R; Eskew, A H; Gupta, M; Quan, H; Hershman, W Y

    2000-01-01

    Several published articles have described the importance of exposing medical trainees to the 'new paradigm' of evidence-based medicine (EBM). Recognizing this, we sought to develop and objectively evaluate a mini-course in EBM for third-year medical students. We developed a mini-course consisting of four sessions in which students learn to derive sequentially focused questions, search MEDLINE, review articles critically and apply information from the literature to specific clinical questions. To evaluate the teaching intervention, we performed a controlled educational study. Students at the intervention site (n=34) attended the EBM mini-course, while students at the control site (n=26) received more 'traditional' didactic teaching on various clinical topics. Intervention and control students were surveyed immediately before and after the mini-course to assess changes in reading and literature searching skills, as well as a tendency to use the literature to answer clinical questions. Boston University School of Medicine. Third-year medical students. The intervention was associated with significant changes in students' self-assessed skills and attitudes. MEDLINE and critical appraisal skills increased significantly in the intervention group relative to the control group (significance of between group differences: P=0.002 for MEDLINE and P=0.0002 for critical appraisal), as did students' tendency to use MEDLINE and original research articles to solve clinical problems (significance of between group differences: P=0.002 and P=0.0008, respectively). We conclude that this brief teaching intervention in EBM has had a positive impact on student skills and attitudes at our medical school. We believe that the key elements of this intervention are (1) active student involvement, (2), clinical relevance of exercises and (3) integrated teaching targeting each of the component skills of EBM.

  2. A Curriculum Experiment in Climate Change Education Using and Integrated Approach of Content Knowledge Instruction and Student-Driven Research to Promote Civic Engagement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adams, P. E.; Heinrichs, J. F.

    2009-12-01

    One of the greatest challenges facing the world is climate change. Coupled with this challenge is an under-informed population that has not received a rigorous education about climate change other than what is available through the media. Fort Hays State University is piloting a course on climate change targeted to students early in their academic careers. The course is modeled after our past work (NSF DUE-0088818) of integrating content knowledge instruction and student-driven research where there was a positive correlation between student research engagement and student knowledge gains. The current course, based on prior findings, utilizes a mix of inquiry-based instruction, problem-based learning, and student-driven research to educate and engage the students in understanding climate change. The course was collaboratively developed by a geoscientist and science educator both of whom are active in citizen science programs. The emphasis on civic engagement by students is reflected in the course structure. The course model is unique in that 50% of the course is dedicated to developing core knowledge and technical skills (e.g. critical analysis, writing, data acquisition, data representation, and research design), and 50% to conducting a research project using available data sets from federal agencies and research groups. A key element of the course is a focus on local and regional data sets to make climate change relevant to the students. The research serves as a means of civic engagement by the students as they are tasked to understand their role in communicating their research findings to the community and coping with the local and regional changes they find through their research.

  3. Bologna with Student Eyes 2015: Time to Meet the Expectations from 1999

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Driscoll, Cat; Fröhlich, Melanie; Gehrke, Elisabeth; Isoski, Tijana; O Maolain, Aengus; Meister, Lea; Nordal, Erin; Galan Palomares, Fernando Miguel; Pietkiewicz, Karolina; Sanchez, Ines; Todorovski, Blazhe

    2015-01-01

    Compared to previous years where every aspect of the Bologna process was analysed from a student perspective we have chosen to highlight some key issues for the future that are important for students. Some of the key areas for the the European Students' Union in this edition are student-centred learning, the social dimension, recognition and the…

  4. Easing the transition: the final year of medical education at Maastricht University.

    PubMed

    van den Akker, Marjan; Dornan, Tim; Scherpbier, Albert J J A; oude Egbrink, Mirjam G A; Snoeckx, Luc H E H

    2012-01-01

    This manuscript describes the final year of medical education at Maastricht University as it has been operating since 2006. At the time external drivers for the development of a new structure of the final year were: the desire to prepare medical students for lifelong learning, the CanMEDs that were increasingly acknowledged to state the final attainment level of medical education and an increasing recognition of the importance of learning by participating actively and by taking more responsibility. Internal drivers were students' evaluations and our wish to improve instructional design and quality control. The main aim of this new final year is to better prepare students for the transition from the medical master programme to one of the postgraduate training programmes to become a medical specialist. The final year of the medical master programme consists of two 18-weeks participation electives, one in health care and one in research. Students have a higher level of autonomy and responsibility during this final year compared to the preceding medical clerkships to enhance the transition. Portfolios are the key element in examination of SCIP and HELP. Student evaluations of the final year show high scores on coaching and instructiveness. Despite some differences between departments overall scores are very high. Suggestions to improve include the availability of work places and time for education and coaching. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  5. Preparing students for the ethical challenges on international health electives: A systematic review of the literature on educational interventions.

    PubMed

    Rahim, Anika; Knights Née Jones, Felicity; Fyfe, Molly; Alagarajah, Janagan; Baraitser, Paula

    2016-09-01

    International health electives pose specific ethical challenges for students travelling from to low and middle income countries. We undertook a systematic review of the literature on interventions to prepare students to identify ethical issues addressed, educational approaches and to collate evidence on the effectiveness of different strategies. We searched nine electronic databases of peer-reviewed literature and identified grey literature through key word searches; supplemented through citation mapping and expert consultation. Articles that described ethical training conducted by universities or professional bodies were included for review. We reviewed forty-four full text articles. Ten sources of published literature and seven sources of grey literature met our inclusion criteria. We identified thirteen ethical situations that students should be prepared to manage and eight generic skills to support this process. Most interventions were delivered before the elective, used case studies or guidelines. Some suggested ethical principles or a framework for analysis of ethical issues. Only two papers evaluated the intervention described. Our paper collates a small but growing body of work on education to prepare students to manage ethical issues. Ethical training should have elements that are delivered before, during and after the elective. Interventions should include case studies covering thirteen ethical issues identified here, linked to ethical principles and a process for responding to ethical issues. We suggest that evaluations of interventions are an important area for future research.

  6. Strengthening Self-efficacy through Supportive Mentoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haacker, R.

    2015-12-01

    The geosciences have had a chronic problem of underrepresentation of students from diverse ethnic, cultural, gender and socio-economic backgrounds. As a community we need to strengthen our support of young scientists from all backgrounds to sustain their enthusiasm and ensure their success in our field. Investing in mentoring programs that empower students and young professionals is one of the best ways to do so. The Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) program, now entering its 20th year, has successfully developed and tested several mentoring models. The personalized, caring and consistent support is one of the key elements of the program's success; since its inception, 90% of SOARS participants have entered graduate school, research or science related careers after graduation. Many of our alumni who are now faculty apply the same mentoring strategies to build self-esteem and perseverance in their students. This presentation will cover the design and implementation of our four mentoring strategies, and provide insights on potential challenges, training aspects and impact assessment. The mentoring strategies include: 1) Multi-faceted, long-term mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds. 2) Empowering advanced students to serve as peer mentors and role models. 3) Training faculty and professional scientists from all backgrounds to become mentors who are aware of diversity issues. 4) Providing mentor training for partner programs and laboratories. All four strategies have contributed to the creation of a mentoring culture in the geosciences.

  7. Burnout and Its Relationships with Alexithymia, Stress, and Social Support among Romanian Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

    PubMed

    Popa-Velea, Ovidiu; Diaconescu, Liliana; Mihăilescu, Alexandra; Jidveian Popescu, Mara; Macarie, George

    2017-05-25

    Medical school students often experience emotional difficulties when handling the challenges of their formation, occasionally leading to burnout. In this study, we measured the prevalence of burnout and its relationships with perceived stress, perceived social support, and alexithymia in medical students from the largest academic medical community in Romania. A cross-sectional survey was administered to a randomized sample of 299 preclinical medical students at the University of Medicine in Bucharest. Participants completed four standardized questionnaires. In addition to the assessment of burnout prevalence, stepwise backward regression was used to establish which variables had the highest correlation to burnout components. Further, t -tests were run to assess gender-related differences. Overall, burnout prevalence was 15.05%. Perceived stress was found to be the strongest predictor of emotional exhaustion and lack of accomplishment, while the strongest predictors of depersonalization were low perceived social support (in women) and alexithymia (in men). Women appear to be more vulnerable to two of the components of burnout (emotional exhaustion and low personal accomplishment) and associate higher perceived stress and alexithymia. These results suggest that interventions addressing academic burnout could benefit from being gender-specific, with focus on key elements, such as perceived stress and alexithymia.

  8. Burnout and Its Relationships with Alexithymia, Stress, and Social Support among Romanian Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

    PubMed Central

    Popa-Velea, Ovidiu; Diaconescu, Liliana; Mihăilescu, Alexandra; Jidveian Popescu, Mara; Macarie, George

    2017-01-01

    Medical school students often experience emotional difficulties when handling the challenges of their formation, occasionally leading to burnout. In this study, we measured the prevalence of burnout and its relationships with perceived stress, perceived social support, and alexithymia in medical students from the largest academic medical community in Romania. A cross-sectional survey was administered to a randomized sample of 299 preclinical medical students at the University of Medicine in Bucharest. Participants completed four standardized questionnaires. In addition to the assessment of burnout prevalence, stepwise backward regression was used to establish which variables had the highest correlation to burnout components. Further, t-tests were run to assess gender-related differences. Overall, burnout prevalence was 15.05%. Perceived stress was found to be the strongest predictor of emotional exhaustion and lack of accomplishment, while the strongest predictors of depersonalization were low perceived social support (in women) and alexithymia (in men). Women appear to be more vulnerable to two of the components of burnout (emotional exhaustion and low personal accomplishment) and associate higher perceived stress and alexithymia. These results suggest that interventions addressing academic burnout could benefit from being gender-specific, with focus on key elements, such as perceived stress and alexithymia. PMID:28587094

  9. The effects of teacher read-alouds and student silent reading on predominantly bilingual high school seniors’ learning and retention of social studies content

    PubMed Central

    Reed, Deborah K.; Swanson, Elizabeth; Petscher, Yaacov; Vaughn, Sharon

    2015-01-01

    Teacher read-alouds (TRA) are common in middle and high school content area classes. Because the practice of reading the textbook out loud to students is often used out of concern about students’ ability to understand and learn from text when reading silently (SR), this randomized controlled trial was designed to experimentally manipulate text reading while blocking on all other instructional elements to determine the relative effects on learning content. Predominantly Spanish–English bilingual twelfth-graders (n = 123) were randomly assigned to either a TRA or SR condition and provided 1 week of high quality instruction in US history. Daily lessons included teaching key terms in the passage, previewing text headings, and conducting comprehension checks. Results of immediate, 1-week delayed, and 1-month delayed assessments of content learning revealed no significant differences between the two groups. Students were also asked to rate the method of reading they believed best helped them understand and remember information. Students in the SR condition more consistently agreed that reading silently was beneficial. Findings suggest low performing adolescents of different linguistic backgrounds can learn content as well when reading appropriately challenging text silently as when the teacher reads the text aloud to them. PMID:26346215

  10. Formation of readiness for future physics teachers by using interactive learning tools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kulikova, N. U.; Danilchuk, E. V.; Zhidkova, A. V.

    2017-01-01

    In this article we give the reviewing of approaches to the preparedness of future physics teachers for the usage of interactive means of education as an important part of their professional activity. We discuss the key concepts such as interactivity, an interactive dialogue, and interactive means of education. The conception of interactive means of education as a tool of teachers' professional activity, which provides a way for the students to intensify their learning in class by using interactive tools and electronic educational resources, is validated. Furthermore, it is proved that interactive means of education allow the students to intensify their learning in the course of an interactive dialogue by means of organization different types of feedback in electronic educational resources (the program behavior depending on a user actions in the form of comments, prompts, elements of arrangement of objects, etc, the control and correction of students' actions by the program, providing with recommendations for further learning, carrying out constant access to reference information, etc), involving in different types of educational activity (modeling, investigation, etc), self-selection of time, speed, content of learning, complexity and priority of the usage of educational information on the screen, etc. By training students - future teachers of physics authors consider technological aspects, methodical features and examples of creation of these resources for physics lesson.

  11. The importance, impact and influence of group clinical supervision for graduate entry nursing students.

    PubMed

    Sheppard, Fiona; Stacey, Gemma; Aubeeluck, Aimee

    2018-01-01

    This paper will report on an evaluation of group clinical supervision (CS) facilitated for graduate entry nursing (GEN) students whilst on clinical placement. The literature suggests educational forums which enable GEN students to engage in critical dialogue, promote reflective practice and ongoing support are an essential element of GEN curricula. The model of supervision employed was informed by Proctor's three function interactive CS model and Inskipp and Proctor's Supervision Alliance. Both emphasise the normative, formative and restorative functions of CS as task areas within an overarching humanistic supervisory approach. The three-function model informed the design of a questionnaire which intended to measure their importance, impact and influence through both structured and open-ended questions. Findings suggest the restorative function of supervision is most valued and is facilitated in an environment where humanistic principles of non-judgement, empathy and trust are clearly present. Also the opportunity to learn from others, consider alternative perspectives and question personal assumptions regarding capability and confidence are a priority for this student group. It is suggested that the restorative function of CS should be prioritised within future developments and models which view this function as a key purpose of CS should be explored. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Assessing the Development of Medical Students’ Personal and Professional Skills by Portfolio

    PubMed Central

    Yielder, Jill; Moir, Fiona

    2016-01-01

    The introduction of a new domain of learning for Personal and Professional Skills in the medical program at the University of Auckland in New Zealand has involved the compilation of a portfolio for assessment. This departure from the traditional assessment methods predominantly used in the past has been challenging to design, introduce, and maintain as a relevant and authentic assessment method. We present the portfolio format along with the process for its introduction and appraise the challenges, strengths, and limitations of the approach within the context of the current literature. We then outline a cyclical model of evaluation used to monitor and fine-tune the portfolio tasks and implementation process, in response to student and assessor feedback. The portfolios have illustrated the level of insight, maturity, and synthesis of personal and professional qualities that students are capable of achieving. The Auckland medical program strives to foster these qualities in its students, and the portfolio provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their reflective abilities. Moreover, the creation of a Personal and Professional Skills domain with the portfolio as its key assessment emphasizes the importance of reflective practice and personal and professional development and gives a clear message that these are fundamental longitudinal elements of the program. PMID:29349315

  13. Reliability, validity, and investigation of the index of learning styles in a Chinese language version for late adolescents of Taiwanese.

    PubMed

    Ku, David Tawei; Shen, Chun-Yi

    2009-01-01

    The Felder-Soloman Index of Learning Styles (ILS) has been a popular instrument for measuring learning styles of college students for the past two decades. Even though several researchers have translated the ILS into Chinese for their own studies, a Chinese version has not been standardized and evaluated, nor has anyone reported on its reliability and validity. Based on data collected from 2,748 students at a large private university in Taiwan, this study investigates the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the ILS. In addition, through factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, problematic test items are identified for further modification. Results show that the reliability of each scale of the ILS has a pattern similar to that of previous studies. The study therefore investigates the identified problematic elements and discusses two key points: (1) the language and translation problems and (2) precision and design. In addition, results of the significant interaction effects of analysis of variance (ANOVA) for active/reflective and sensing/intuitive scales indicate the effect of college differences depends on the levels between genders. Moreover, in general, female students are significantly more intuitive and global and less visual than male students. Other detailed analysis of academic disciplines and gender onILS are also reported.

  14. Impact of Health Education on Knowledge and Behaviors toward Infectious Diseases among Students in Gansu Province, China

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Manli; Han, Xuemei; Fang, Haiqing; Xu, Chang; Lin, Xiaojun; Xia, Shuxu; Yu, Wenhan; He, Jinlu; Jiang, Shuai

    2018-01-01

    Objectives Infectious disease knowledge and behaviors are key elements that ensure student health and safety. This study explores the impact of health education on student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases and determines the factors affecting infectious diseases knowledge and behaviors among students in Gansu, China. Methods A cross-sectional study and three sampling methods were used in two counties, 12 schools, and 32 classes in Gansu, China, from 2012 to 2013. Collected data included the following: (1) sociodemographic characteristics of 2002 students (1001 participants in the intervention group and 1001 in the control group); (2) accuracy of student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases based on comparison of intervention and control groups through X2 test; and (3) mean scores on knowledge and behavior of students with different characteristics toward infectious diseases, as analyzed through analysis of variance (ANOVA). Multiple linear regression was conducted to analyze factors affecting student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases. Results Statistically significant differences were observed among eight items of infectious disease transmission and treatment knowledge between intervention and control groups (P < 0.001). Average accuracies of knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases reached 72.23% and 60.03%. Significant differences were observed in six items on student behavior in rural and urban areas (P < 0.001). Health education, household register, and county affected scores of student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases (P < 0.05). Gender and education level also affected scores of student behaviors toward infectious diseases (P < 0.001). Conclusions Health education contributes to student knowledge and behaviors toward infectious diseases. Students in the control group need intensified health education on infectious diseases. Health education needs to pay particular attention to rural students, all male students, and students at senior high school level living on campus. PMID:29707573

  15. Periodic Table Target: A Game that Introduces the Biological Significance of Chemical Element Periodicity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sevcik, Richard S.; McGinty, Ragan L.; Schultz, Linda D.; Alexander, Susan V.

    2008-01-01

    Periodic Table Target, a game for middle school or high school students, familiarizes students with the form of the periodic table and the biological significance of different elements. The Periodic Table Target game board is constructed as a class project, and the game is played to reinforce the content. Students are assigned several elements…

  16. Analysis of forming of students’ professional communication elements on the base of transporting and civil - engineering university according to the requests of potential employers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Solnyshkova, Olga; Makarikhina, Inna

    2017-10-01

    Prerequisites for students’ professional communication elements forming on the base of civil engineering universities are investigated in the article. Students’ professional communication elements must be used in their future professional activities. The workshop creative experience of interactive electronic educational resources development during the study possesses of geodetic disciplines on the basis of University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (Siberia) is described. The stages of students’ processional communication formation in the process of interactive electronic educational resources creation by students and teachers are proposed. The offers to increase the efficiency of professional communication elements formation for students in the development of interactive electronic educational resources within the student creative workshop were made.

  17. Experiments with the low melting indium-bismuth alloy system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krepski, Richard P.

    1992-01-01

    The following is a laboratory experiment designed to create an interest in and to further understanding of materials science. The primary audience for this material is the junior high school or middle school science student having no previous familiarity with the material, other than some knowledge of temperature and the concepts of atoms, elements, compounds, and chemical reactions. The objective of the experiment is to investigate the indium-bismuth alloy system. Near the eutectic composition, the liquidus is well below the boiling point of water, allowing simple, minimal hazard casting experiments. Such phenomena as metal oxidation, formation of intermetallic compound crystals, and an unusual volume increase during solidification could all be directly observed. A key concept for students to absorb is that properties of an alloy (melting point, mechanical behavior) may not correlate with simple interpolation of properties of the pure components. Discussion of other low melting metals and alloys leads to consideration of environmental and toxicity issues, as well as providing some historical context. Wetting behavior can also be explored.

  18. Encouraging choice, serendipity and experimentation: experiences from Griffith University library (G11) extension and Gumurrii Centre.

    PubMed

    Legerton, Graham

    2013-09-01

    The refurbishment and extension of existing university buildings is a critical consideration for many universities. This article details an architect's perspective of an innovative and collaborative design approach to transforming an existing library into a futuristic and student-centric interactive learning environment. The design is responsive to people, place, the community and the environment, due, in part, to the enhanced physical permeability of the building. Associated user-group forums comprised the end user client, the university's facilities body, the builder, lead architectural consultants, the Centre for Indigenous Students (Gumurrii Centre) and architectural sub-consultants. This article discusses five key design moves--"triangulate", "unique geometries and spaces", "learning aviary", "sky lounge" and "understanding flexibility". It goes on to discuss these elements in relation to designing spaces to enhance interprofessional education and collaboration. In summary, this article identifies how it is possible to maximise the value and characteristics of an existing library whilst creating a series of innovative spaces that offer choice, encourage serendipity and embrace experimentation.

  19. [Healthy eating: implementation of a practice-oriented training program].

    PubMed

    Kulakova, E N; Nastausheva, T L; Usacheva, E A

    2016-01-01

    Health professionals need to have current knowledge and skills in nutrition. The knowledge and skills have to be acquired in programs of continuing medical education, but also in undergraduate medical education. The main purpose of this work was to develop and implement a practice-oriented training program in nutrition and healthy eating for medical students. The subject named "Nutrition" was implemented into second-year medical curriculum. We defined a theoretical framework and terms such as nutrition, healthy eating, and evidence-based nutrition. In order to get learning outcomes we constructed a method of patients counseling and training "Individual food pyramid". The making of "Individual food pyramid" is a key integrate element of the program. It helps to memorize, understand and apply the basic principles of healthy eating in real life contexts. The final program consists of two sections: "General Nutrition" and "Special Nutrition". The most important intended learning outcome is student's lifestyle improvement. The program is practice-oriented and outcome-based.

  20. Assessing cultural validity in standardized tests in stem education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gassant, Lunes

    This quantitative ex post facto study examined how race and gender, as elements of culture, influence the development of common misconceptions among STEM students. Primary data came from a standardized test: the Digital Logic Concept Inventory (DLCI) developed by Drs. Geoffrey L. Herman, Michael C. Louis, and Craig Zilles from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The sample consisted of a cohort of 82 STEM students recruited from three universities in Northern Louisiana. Microsoft Excel and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) were used for data computation. Two key concepts, several sub concepts, and 19 misconceptions were tested through 11 items in the DLCI. Statistical analyses based on both the Classical Test Theory (Spearman, 1904) and the Item Response Theory (Lord, 1952) yielded similar results: some misconceptions in the DLCI can reliably be predicted by the Race or the Gender of the test taker. The research is significant because it has shown that some misconceptions in a STEM discipline attracted students with similar ethnic backgrounds differently; thus, leading to the existence of some cultural bias in the standardized test. Therefore the study encourages further research in cultural validity in standardized tests. With culturally valid tests, it will be possible to increase the effectiveness of targeted teaching and learning strategies for STEM students from diverse ethnic backgrounds. To some extent, this dissertation has contributed to understanding, better, the gap between high enrollment rates and low graduation rates among African American students and also among other minority students in STEM disciplines.

  1. Critical Thinking Disposition and Skills in Dental Students: Development and Relationship to Academic Outcomes.

    PubMed

    Whitney, Eli M; Aleksejuniene, Jolanta; Walton, Joanne N

    2016-08-01

    Critical thinking is a key element of complex problem-solving and professional behavior. An ideal critical thinking measurement instrument would be able to accurately predict which dental students are predisposed to and capable of thinking critically and applying such thinking skills to clinical situations. The aims of this study were to describe critical thinking disposition and skills in dental students at the beginning and end of their first year, examine cohort and gender effects, and compare their critical thinking test scores to their first-year grades. Volunteers from three student cohorts at the University of British Columbia were tested using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and California Critical Thinking Skills instruments at the beginning and end of their first year. Based on the preliminary findings, one cohort was retested at graduation when their final-year grades and clinical advisor rankings were compared to their critical thinking test scores. The results showed that students who entered dental school with higher critical thinking scores tended to complete their first year with higher critical thinking scores, achieve higher grades, and show greater disposition to think critically at the start of the program. Students who demonstrated an ability to think critically and had a disposition to do so at the start of the program were also likely to demonstrate those same attributes at the completion of their training. High critical thinking scores were associated with success in both didactic and clinical settings in dental school.

  2. Form Follows Function: A Model for Clinical Supervision of Genetic Counseling Students.

    PubMed

    Wherley, Colleen; Veach, Patricia McCarthy; Martyr, Meredith A; LeRoy, Bonnie S

    2015-10-01

    Supervision plays a vital role in genetic counselor training, yet models describing genetic counseling supervision processes and outcomes are lacking. This paper describes a proposed supervision model intended to provide a framework to promote comprehensive and consistent clinical supervision training for genetic counseling students. Based on the principle "form follows function," the model reflects and reinforces McCarthy Veach et al.'s empirically derived model of genetic counseling practice - the "Reciprocal Engagement Model" (REM). The REM consists of mutually interactive educational, relational, and psychosocial components. The Reciprocal Engagement Model of Supervision (REM-S) has similar components and corresponding tenets, goals, and outcomes. The 5 REM-S tenets are: Learning and applying genetic information are key; Relationship is integral to genetic counseling supervision; Student autonomy must be supported; Students are capable; and Student emotions matter. The REM-S outcomes are: Student understands and applies information to independently provide effective services, develop professionally, and engage in self-reflective practice. The 16 REM-S goals are informed by the REM of genetic counseling practice and supported by prior literature. A review of models in medicine and psychology confirms the REM-S contains supervision elements common in healthcare fields, while remaining unique to genetic counseling. The REM-S shows promise for enhancing genetic counselor supervision training and practice and for promoting research on clinical supervision. The REM-S is presented in detail along with specific examples and training and research suggestions.

  3. Distance education: strategies for maintaining relationships.

    PubMed

    Hill, P

    2000-09-01

    Experience with Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the Bachelor of Applied Health Science (BAppHSc) course suggests that one of the key elements for students is the sense of relationship built up through Problem Based Learning (PBL). Failure to retain students is more likely to be related to personal than academic concerns. The low attrition rate is largely attributed to the sense of community and support the course generates. In 1997, the Centre for Indigenous Health, Education and Research offered the BAppHSc to rural Queensland. Campuses were opened in the Torres Strait and Cairns, with 9 and 5 students respectively. The course consisted of PBL sessions, fixed resource sessions provided by local staff or guest lecturers, video-conferencing and the use of videos, or text. Face-to-face contact hours were concentrated into two blocks of one and two weeks respectively, plus one day per week. Course materials such as journal articles and texts were provided. The nine Torres students and three Cairns students completed the first semester. This paper discusses the differences between the centres and examines strategies for maintaining the sense of relationship in distance education settings. In 1999 applications from other remote areas are challenging the model further. Multiple technologies are envisaged and discussed. In addition, similar methods are being applied to post graduate courses and collaboration with other institutions in the Pacific suggested. This would allow cross crediting of such course-work into a range of courses and institutions, reducing duplication and increasing options.

  4. Anesthesia machine checkout and room setup: a randomized, single-blind, comparison of two teaching modalities.

    PubMed

    Spofford, Christina M; Bayman, Emine O; Szeluga, Debra J; From, Robert P

    2012-01-01

    Novel methods for teaching are needed to enhance the efficiency of academic anesthesia departments as well as provide approaches to learning that are aligned with current trends and advances in technology. A video was produced that taught the key elements of anesthesia machine checkout and room set up. Novice learners were randomly assigned to receive either the new video format or traditional lecture-based format for this topic during their regularly scheduled lecture series. Primary outcome was the difference in written examination score before and after teaching between the two groups. Secondary outcome was the satisfaction score of the trainees in the two groups. Forty-two students assigned to the video group and 36 students assigned to the lecture group completed the study. Students in each group similar interest in anesthesia, pre-test scores, post-test scores, and final exam scores. The median posttest to pretest difference was greater in the video groups (3.5 (3.0-5.0) vs 2.5 (2.0-3.0), for video and lecture groups respectively, p 0.002). Despite improved test scores, students reported higher satisfaction the traditional, lecture-based format (22.0 (18.0-24.0) vs 24.0 (20.0-28.0), for video and lecture groups respectively, p <0.004). Higher pre-test to post-test improvements were observed among students in the video-based teaching group, however students rated traditional, live lectures higher than newer video-based teaching.

  5. An introductory pharmacy practice experience based on a medication therapy management service model.

    PubMed

    Agness, Chanel F; Huynh, Donna; Brandt, Nicole

    2011-06-10

    To implement and evaluate an introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) based on the medication therapy management (MTM) service model. Patient Care 2 is an IPPE that introduces third-year pharmacy students to the MTM service model. Students interacted with older adults to identify medication-related problems and develop recommendations using core MTM elements. Course outcome evaluations were based on number of documented medication-related problems, recommendations, and student reviews. Fifty-seven older adults participated in the course. Students identified 52 medication-related problems and 66 medical problems, and documented 233 recommendations relating to health maintenance and wellness, pharmacotherapy, referrals, and education. Students reported having adequate experience performing core MTM elements. Patient Care 2 may serve as an experiential learning model for pharmacy schools to teach the core elements of MTM and provide patient care services to the community.

  6. AIDS and HIV Training and Education in Criminal Justice Agencies. AIDS Bulletin.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammett, Theodore M.

    This bulletin summarizes key elements of an effective AIDS training and education program for law enforcement and corrections personnel. First, these key elements of training and education for criminal justice personnel are discussed: staff participation in materials development; timely and frequent training; mandatory training; live training by…

  7. Staff nurses and students: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

    PubMed

    Koontz, Angela M; Mallory, Judy L; Burns, Jane A; Chapman, Shelia

    2010-01-01

    Elements identified by student nurses as impacting learning in the clinical learning environment were explored. A significant element identified by participants was the staff nurse. Strategies for improvement and increasing learning opportunities are included in the discussion.

  8. Achievement motivation and level of aspiration: adolescent Ethiopian immigrants in the Israeli education system.

    PubMed

    Horowitz, T R; Mosher, N

    1997-01-01

    This paper focuses on two questions: Are Ethiopian high school children who immigrated to Israel achievement motivated? To what extent does the presence or absence of certain components of the achievement construct in the indigenous value system of Ethiopian students affect progress at school? The study is based on pilot research conducted in Israel in 1987 for which the central research questions were: Are elements of motivation to be found in the indigenous value system of Ethiopian students? If so, what is their effect on progress at school? The research is based on a questionnaire administered to 88 Ethiopian students and 85 veteran Israeli students. The main findings of this research are: There are some elements in the socialization of Ethiopian students that can be looked upon as components of achievement motivation. These include a high level of aspiration, the ability to postpone gratification, and obedience. These elements help the Ethiopian children succeed at school. On the other hand, some elements in the socialization of Ethiopian children hinder their progress: conformity restraints on individual creativity and external locus of control.

  9. The effects of Chinese five-element music therapy on nursing students with depressed mood.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chen-Jung; Sung, Huei-Chuan; Lee, Ming-Shinn; Chang, Ching-Yuan

    2015-04-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Chinese five-element music therapy on nursing students with depressed mood. We randomly assigned 71 nursing students from Taiwan with depressed mood to the music and control groups. The music group (n = 31) received Chinese five-element music therapy, whereas the participants in the control group (n = 40) maintained their routine lifestyles with no music therapy. All of the participants were assessed using the Depression Mood Self-Report Inventory for Adolescence, and their salivary cortisol levels were measured. The study found that there was a significant reduction in depression between the pre- and posttherapy test scores and in salivary cortisol levels over time in the music group. After receiving the music therapy, the nursing students' depression levels were significantly reduced (P = 0.038) compared with the control group (P < 0.001). These results indicate that the Chinese five-element music therapy has the potential to reduce the level of depression in nursing students with depressed mood. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  10. Established and novel approaches for teaching and learning of veterinary parasitology in Berlin.

    PubMed

    Clausen, Peter-Henning; Stelzer, Sandra; Nijhof, Ard; Krücken, Jürgen; von Samson-Himmelstjerna, Georg

    2018-03-15

    The teaching of veterinary parasitology to the large number of students at the Freie Universität Berlin is mainly limited to conventional face-to-face lectures, supplemented by practical classes. Extensive parasite descriptions and diagnostic techniques are at the core of the practical classes, which are also intended to emphasise key biological and veterinary aspects covered in lectures. Further in-depth and specific learning is achieved within a detailed framework of elective courses, with defined learning outcomes for small groups of students, focusing on themes such as 'diagnosis and treatment of ectoparasites in companion animals' or 'zoonotic parasites'. Additionally, structured excursions are designed to offer experience through collaborative international investigations. Organ-based approaches are also an integral part of our veterinary parasitology teaching, done in collaboration with the clinical and para-clinical departments, either via face-to-face interactions or online. Wide-ranging themes, such as 'causes of colic in horses' or 'atopic dermatitis in dogs' are covered. Recently, diverse blended learning elements were introduced into the curriculum (e.g., QuerVet), which makes teaching and learning more flexible, in terms of time and space, and fosters self-directed learning and participation among the students. A new platform to provide online lectures for students, termed VET Talks, was launched in 2015 by the International Veterinary Student's Association (IVSA), and is as a publicly available educational support system for students. Provided free to veterinary students throughout the world, this platform offers students the opportunity to access lectures on interesting topics by outstanding speakers who are nominated by their students. Finally, continuing education (CE) opportunities are provided through specific Masters courses (Master of Equine Medicine, Master of Small Animal Sciences), classical seminars and recent webinars. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Instant messaging and nursing students' clinical learning experience.

    PubMed

    Pimmer, Christoph; Brühlmann, Florian; Odetola, Titilayo Dorothy; Dipeolu, Oluwafemi; Gröhbiel, Urs; Ajuwon, Ademola J

    2018-05-01

    Although learning in clinical settings is a key element of nursing education, for many learners these are challenging developmental contexts often marked by isolation and a lack of belongingness. Despite the massive appropriation of mobile instant messaging (MIM) platforms and the connective properties attendant to them, very little is known about their role in and impact on nursing students' clinical learning experiences. To address this gap, the study, which was part of a multinational research project on the use of mobile social media in health professions education in developing countries, examined the use of the instant messaging platform WhatsApp by nursing students during placements and potential associations with socio-professional indicators. The survey involved a total number of 196 nursing students from 5 schools in Oyo State, Nigeria. The findings suggest that students used WhatsApp relatively frequently and they perceived that this platform strongly enhanced their communication with other students and nurses. WhatsApp use during placements was positively associated with students' maintained social capital with peer students, the development of a professional identity, placement satisfaction and with reduced feelings of isolation from professional communities. The determinants that influenced WhatsApp use during placements were perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. No associations were found between WhatsApp use during placement and age, attitude, subjective norms and placement duration. This study is one of the first of its kind that points to the relevance of mobile instant messaging as part of nursing students' (inter)personal learning environments in clinical settings and, particularly, in the development setting under investigation. Further research is needed to corroborate these findings, to enhance the understanding of the impact mechanisms, and to evaluate a more systematic use of MIM in clinical learning contexts. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. A Curriculum Experiment in Climate Change Education Using an Integrated Approach of Content Knowledge Instruction and Student-Driven Research, Year 2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adams, P. E.; Heinrichs, J. F.

    2010-12-01

    One of the greatest challenges facing the world is climate change. Coupled with this challenge is an under-informed population that has not received a rigorous education about climate change other than what is available through the media. Fort Hays State University is in a second year of piloting a course on climate change targeted to students early in their academic careers. The course is modeled after our past work (NSF DUE-0088818) of integrating content knowledge instruction and student-driven research where there was a positive correlation between student research engagement and student knowledge gains. The second pilot offering utilizes a mix of inquiry-based instruction, problem-based learning, and student-driven research to educate and engage the students in understanding climate change. The course was collaboratively developed by a geoscientist and science educator both of whom are active in citizen science programs. The course model is unique in that 50% of the course is dedicated to developing core knowledge and technical skills (e.g. global climate change, critical analysis, writing, data acquisition, data representation, and research design), and 50% to conducting a research project using available data sets from federal agencies and research groups. A key element of the course is a focus on data sets to make climate change relevant to the students. The research serves as a means of civic engagement by the students as they are tasked to understand their role in communicating their research findings to the community and coping with the local and regional changes they find through their research. The impacts of course changes from the first offering to the second offering of the course will be reported, as well as the structure of the course.

  13. Student and Staff Perceptions of Key Aspects of Computer Science Engineering Capstone Projects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olarte, Juan José; Dominguez, César; Jaime, Arturo; Garcia-Izquierdo, Francisco José

    2016-01-01

    In carrying out their capstone projects, students use knowledge and skills acquired throughout their degree program to create a product or provide a technical service. An assigned advisor guides the students and supervises the work, and a committee assesses the projects. This study compares student and staff perceptions of key aspects of…

  14. Empathy as an Element of Promoting the Manifestation of Group Creativity and Survey on Empathic Ability of Korean Elementary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woo, Youngjin; Yoon, Jihyun; Kang, Seong-Joo

    2017-01-01

    This research examined the importance of empathy, which was regarded as one of the elements that might assist in accelerating the manifestation of group creativity, and studied the actual state of empathic ability of Korean elementary school students. For such, a cognitive and affective empathic ability test was conducted over 228 students that…

  15. Active enforcement of cigarette control laws in the prevention of cigarette sales to minors.

    PubMed

    Jason, L A; Ji, P Y; Anes, M D; Birkhead, S H

    1991-12-11

    To assess the effect that cigarette legislation would have on reducing merchant sales rates of cigarettes to minors and the affect on adolescent smoking behavior. Observational survey of merchant selling behaviors and adolescent smoking habits before and after passage of legislation. The setting for the merchant survey was Woodridge, Ill (population 25,200), a suburban community of Chicago. The surveys were distributed to adolescents in the local junior high school. Convenience sample of both merchants and adolescent students. Passage of community antismoking legislation. Percentage of stores selling cigarettes to minors in Woodridge and percentage of students who had experimented with cigarettes or were regular smokers. Merchant sales rates in Woodridge decreased from a baseline of 70% before legislation to less than 5% in 1.5 years of compliance checking after legislation. Student surveys showed that the rates of cigarette experimentation and regular use of cigarettes by adolescents were reduced by over 50%. Cigarette control laws can be effective in significantly reducing the rate of cigarettes sold by merchants and rates of cigarette use by adolescents. Key elements of successful legislation implementation are consistent compliance checking and heightened community awareness of the problems and prevalence of adolescent smoking.

  16. An analysis of reported motivational orientation in students undertaking doctoral studies in the biomedical sciences

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background As the source of a sizeable percentage of research output and the future arbiters of science policy, practice and direction, doctoral (Ph.D.) students represent a key demographic in the biomedical research community. Despite this, doctoral learning in the biomedical sciences has, to date, received little research attention. Methods In the present study we aimed to qualitatively describe the motivational orientations present in semi-structured interview transcripts from a cohort of seventeen biomedical Ph.D. students drawn from two research intensive Australian Group of Eight universities. Results Applying elements of self-determination theory, external and introjected control loci (both strongly associated with alienation, disengagement and poor learning outcomes) were identified as common motivational determinants in this cohort. Conclusions The importance of these findings to doctoral learning is discussed in light of previous research undertaken in higher education settings in the United States and the European Union. With motivation accepted as a malleable, context-sensitive factor, these data provide for both a better understanding of doctoral learning and highlight a potential avenue for future research aimed at improving outcomes and promoting meaningful learning processes in the biomedical doctorate. PMID:24571918

  17. Stop Think: a simple approach to encourage the self-assessment of learning.

    PubMed

    Guy, Richard; Byrne, Bruce; Dobos, Marian

    2017-03-01

    A simple "stop think" approach was developed to encourage the self-assessment of learning. A key element was the requirement for students to rate their feeling of difficulty before [FOD (pre) ] and after [FOD (post) ] completing each of three authentic anatomy and physiology concept map exercises. The cohort was divided into low- (group L) and high-performing (group H) groups (based on final subject marks). Both FOD (pre) (group L) and FOD (post) (groups L and H) were significantly negatively correlated with score for some maps. A comparison of FOD (pre) and FOD (post) showed that students changed their mind about difficulty in 58-70% of the completed maps. Students who changed their estimation were asked to provide explanatory comments, and an increase in difficulty was related to problems with map link generation. For students who found the maps easier, 40% of comments indicated that map generation prompted recall of information from memory. Both difficulty estimations and comments supported the contention that students were self-assessing their interaction with the concept maps. Group H was significantly older than group L, had significantly higher levels of deep strategic and deep motivational learning, and had significantly higher marks in two of three concept map exercises. Notwithstanding these differences, the results from the "stop think" approach were similar between groups, indicating that it may be appropriate for students of varying academic ability. It is suggested that "stop think" may be a useful approach to encourage student self-assessment, an important step in assisting self-regulated learning development. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

  18. Elements of instruction in allied health: do faculty and students value the same things?

    PubMed

    Hoppes, Steve; Chesbro, Steven

    2003-01-01

    The purposes of this study were to determine the importance placed on 15 elements of instruction in allied health by students and faculty and to identify similarities and differences in students' and faculty's views. A total of 145 students and 55 faculty in the College of Allied Health at the University of Oklahoma participated in an on-line survey. Focus groups subsequently were conducted to discuss areas of agreement and disagreement between students and faculty. Four common elements were contained in the top-five list of both groups: (1) the teacher's ability to relate course material to clinical situations, (2) the teacher's communication skills, (3) the teacher's preparation and organization, and (4) the teacher's knowledge of the subject. Five of the 15 items were significantly different: (1) the teachers' friendliness and respect for students, (2) the teacher's ability to motivate students, (3) the teacher's ability to challenge students intellectually, (4) the teacher's encouragement of discussion, and (5) the teacher's ability to use a number of teaching techniques. Results of this study will further understanding between allied health faculty and students concerning similarities and differences in instructional values.

  19. How Many Words Does a Picture Really Tell? Cross-sectional Descriptive Study of Pictogram Evaluation by Youth

    PubMed Central

    Korenevsky, Artyom; Vaillancourt, Régis; Pouliot, Annie; Revol, Marine; Steed, Evan; Besançon, Luc; Wahrendorf, Marit-Saskia; Patel, Jaimisha R

    2013-01-01

    Background Communicating health-related instructions with pictograms is useful, but such graphics can be interpreted in different ways. It is crucial to understand which pictogram components are best for accurate communication. Objectives: To catalogue pictograms used to label drugs in clinical practice; to identify the common graphic elements for defined categories of pictograms, by performing a semiotic analysis (studying how signs are perceived and how they should be designed); to identify the key graphic elements common to pictograms preferred by users; and to develop suggestions for future pictogram design on the basis of users’ input. Methods: Literature and Internet searches were performed to identify pictograms and pictogram categories. A call for pictograms was also circulated through the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). Youth at a Canadian pediatric hospital were asked to rate pictograms (including storyboards and prescription labels generated by FIP pictogram software) in terms of how best they represented their intended meanings. Pictograms for which at least 80% of participants “somewhat agreed”, “agreed”, or “strongly agreed” that the graphic conveyed the intended meaning were designated as “preferred” and were selected for analysis. Elements appearing in at least 50% of these preferred pictograms were highlighted as key graphic elements for design of future pictograms. Results: In total, 21 categories were identified for pictograms used in clinical practice, and a total of 204 pictograms were analyzed. Eighty-six participants took part in the survey. For each pictogram category, certain elements were identified as “preferred” and as “key graphic elements”, whereas other elements met neither designation. For all 21 pictogram categories, at least 80% of survey respondents agreed that the FIP storyboard conveyed the intended meaning. Conclusions: Certain key, preferred graphic elements are required for pharmaceutical pictograms to convey their intended meaning. The overlap between preferred and key pictogram elements indicates that both must be considered in development of future pictograms. Redesign of existing pictograms with consideration of the best semiotic elements is in progress. PMID:23950605

  20. 76 FR 6496 - Special Flight Rules Area in the Vicinity of Grand Canyon National Park, Draft Environmental...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-04

    ... being considered include: Alternative A Current Condition: Key elements are corridors open year round, annual allocation cap of 93,971, and no quiet technology incentive. Current tours for helicopters and... to quiet technology aircraft. Alternative F Modified Current Condition: Key elements are similar to...

  1. The Secret to Finland's Success: Educating Teachers. Research Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sahlberg, Pasi

    2010-01-01

    In the last decade, Finland has emerged as the leading OECD country in educational achievement. In examining the sources of Finland's dramatic rise to the top, research shows one key element that has impacted Finland's success above all others: excellent teachers. This policy brief details the key elements of Finland's successful system, examining…

  2. Developing and fostering a dynamic program for training in veterinary pathology and clinical pathology: veterinary students to post-graduate education.

    PubMed

    Lairmore, Michael D; Oglesbee, Michael; Weisbrode, Steve E; Wellman, Maxey; Rosol, Thomas; Stromberg, Paul

    2007-01-01

    Recent reports project a deficiency of veterinary pathologists, indicating a need to train highly qualified veterinary pathologists, particularly in academic veterinary medicine. The need to provide high-quality research training for veterinary pathologists has been recognized by the veterinary pathology training program of the Ohio State University (OSU) since its inception. The OSU program incorporates elements of both residency training and graduate education into a unified program. This review illustrates the components and structure of the training program and reflects on future challenges in training veterinary pathologists. Key elements of the OSU program include an experienced faculty, dedicated staff, and high-quality students who have a sense of common mission. The program is supported through cultural and infrastructure support. Financial compensation, limited research funding, and attractive work environments, including work-life balance, will undoubtedly continue to be forces in the marketplace for veterinary pathologists. To remain competitive and to expand the ability to train veterinary pathologists with research skills, programs must support strong faculty members, provide appropriate infrastructure support, and seek active partnerships with private industry to expand program opportunities. Shortages of trained faculty may be partially resolved by regional cooperation to share faculty expertise or through the use of communications technology to bridge distances between programs. To foster continued interest in academic careers, training programs will need to continue to evolve and respond to trainees' needs while maintaining strong allegiances to high-quality pathology training. Work-life balance, collegial environments that foster a culture of respect for veterinary pathology, and continued efforts to reach out to veterinary students to provide opportunities to learn about the diverse careers offered in veterinary pathology will pay long-term dividends for the future of the profession.

  3. Developing and Fostering a Dynamic Program for Training in Veterinary Pathology and Clinical Pathology: Veterinary Students to Post-graduate Education

    PubMed Central

    Lairmore, Michael D.; Oglesbee, Michael; Weisbrode, Steve E.; Wellman, Maxey; Rosol, Thomas; Stromberg, Paul

    2011-01-01

    Recent reports project a deficiency of veterinary pathologists, indicating a need to train highly qualified veterinary pathologists, particularly in academic veterinary medicine. The need to provide high-quality research training for veterinary pathologists has been recognized by the veterinary pathology training program of the Ohio State University (OSU) since its inception. The OSU program incorporates elements of both residency training and graduate education into a unified program. This review illustrates the components and structure of the training program and reflects on future challenges in training veterinary pathologists. Key elements of the OSU program include an experienced faculty, dedicated staff, and high-quality students who have a sense of common mission. The program is supported through cultural and infrastructure support. Financial compensation, limited research funding, and attractive work environments, including work–life balance, will undoubtedly continue to be forces in the marketplace for veterinary pathologists. To remain competitive and to expand the ability to train veterinary pathologists with research skills, programs must support strong faculty members, provide appropriate infrastructure support, and seek active partnerships with private industry to expand program opportunities. Shortages of trained faculty may be partially resolved by regional cooperation to share faculty expertise or through the use of communications technology to bridge distances between programs. To foster continued interest in academic careers, training programs will need to continue to evolve and respond to trainees' needs while maintaining strong allegiances to high-quality pathology training. Work–life balance, collegial environments that foster a culture of respect for veterinary pathology, and continued efforts to reach out to veterinary students to provide opportunities to learn about the diverse careers offered in veterinary pathology will pay long-term dividends for the future of the profession. PMID:18287474

  4. Southern Great Plains Rapid Ecoregional Assessment: pre-assessment report

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Assal, Timothy J.; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Carr, Natasha B.

    2015-01-01

    An overview on the ecology and management issues for each Conservation Element is provided, including distribution and ecology, landscape structure and dynamics, and associated species of management concern affiliated with each Conservation Element. For each Conservation Element, effects of the Change Agents are described. An overview of potential key ecological attributes and potential Change Agents are summarized by conceptual models and tables. The tables provide an organizational framework and background information for evaluating the key ecological attributes and Change Agents in Phase II.

  5. A matter of definition--key elements identified in a discourse analysis of definitions of palliative care.

    PubMed

    Pastrana, T; Jünger, S; Ostgathe, C; Elsner, F; Radbruch, L

    2008-04-01

    For more than 30 years, the term "palliative care" has been used. From the outset, the term has undergone a series of transformations in its definitions and consequently in its tasks and goals. There remains a lack of consensus on a definition. The aim of this article is to analyse the definitions of palliative care in the specialist literature and to identify the key elements of palliative care using discourse analysis: a qualitative methodology. The literature search focused on definitions of the term 'palliative medicine' and 'palliative care' in the World Wide Web and medical reference books in English and German. A total of 37 English and 26 German definitions were identified and analysed. Our study confirmed the lack of a consistent meaning concerning the investigated terms, reflecting on-going discussion about the nature of the field among palliative care practitioners. Several common key elements were identified. Four main categories emerged from the discourse analysis of the definition of palliative care: target groups, structure, tasks and expertise. In addition, the theoretical principles and goals of palliative care were discussed and found to be key elements, with relief and prevention of suffering and improvement of quality of life as main goals. The identified key elements can contribute to the definition of the concept 'palliative care'. Our study confirms the importance of semantic and ethical influences on palliative care that should be considered in future research on semantics in different languages.

  6. A Californium-252 Neutron Source for Student Use

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowen, H. J.

    1975-01-01

    Describes an undergraduate chemistry experiment which utilizes small samples of Californium 252 as a neutron source for the activation of 12 other elements. The students prepare decay curves of the radioactive isotopes and perform nondestructive activation analyses for gram amounts of some elements. (MLH)

  7. School of Ice: An Advanced Professional Development Program for Geoscience Faculty at Minority-Serving Institutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huffman, L. T.

    2017-12-01

    The School of Ice (SOI) program from the US Ice Drilling Program Office (IDPO) is designed for college faculty who teach at minority-serving institutions or historically black colleges and universities, but lessons learned transfer easily to any science course based on current research. The institute builds participants' background knowledge about ice core science and climate change while also providing experiences with activities and labs for transferring information to their students. After three years of highly successful workshops, our model has provided valuable lessons for creating powerful experiences for participants. This presentation will identify some of the key ideas including pairing researchers and educators as presenters; creating leadership teams capitalizing on partner strengths; building a science community willing to participate in education and outreach; and building participants' science content background knowledge and confidence while providing them with teaching models for transferring the knowledge to their students. Another important element is to demand teacher buy-in to ensure replication and dissemination. Also, IDPO's drilling technologies make it an ideal platform for intertwining engineering concepts and practices with science research to meet new science standards. In this session, we will share results of the institute evaluations including the impact on the educators as well as longitudinal analysis of data from interviews with past participants concerning continued impacts on their teaching, their courses and their students. Faculty who have attended this institute in the last three years have reported increases in their understanding of the content and how to teach it. They also report increased confidence in their ability to teach ice core science and climate change concepts. Elements of these successful workshops can inform both the development of college professional development and student courses, as well as the creation of successful education and outreach programs for science research teams wanting to increase broader impacts of their research results.

  8. Teaching Computational Thinking: Deciding to Take Small Steps in a Curriculum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madoff, R. D.; Putkonen, J.

    2016-12-01

    While computational thinking and reasoning are not necessarily the same as computer programming, programs such as MATLAB can provide the medium through which the logical and computational thinking at the foundation of science can be taught, learned, and experienced. And while math and computer anxiety are often discussed as critical obstacles to students' progress in their geoscience curriculum, it is here suggested that an unfamiliarity with the computational and logical reasoning is what poses a first stumbling block, in addition to the hurdle of expending the effort to learn how to translate a computational problem into the appropriate computer syntax in order to achieve the intended results. Because computational thinking is so vital for all fields, there is a need to initiate many and to build support in the curriculum for it. This presentation focuses on elements to bring into the teaching of computational thinking that are intended as additions to learning MATLAB programming as a basic tool. Such elements include: highlighting a key concept, discussing a basic geoscience problem where the concept would show up, having the student draw or outline a sketch of what they think an operation needs to do in order to perform a desired result, and then finding the relevant syntax to work with. This iterative pedagogy simulates what someone with more experience in programming does, so it discloses the thinking process in the black box of a result. Intended as only a very early stage introduction, advanced applications would need to be developed as students go through an academic program. The objective would be to expose and introduce computational thinking to majors and non-majors and to alleviate some of the math and computer anxiety so that students would choose to advance on with programming or modeling, whether it is built into a 4-year curriculum or not.

  9. Metonymy and reference-point errors in novice programming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Craig S.

    2014-07-01

    When learning to program, students often mistakenly refer to an element that is structurally related to the element that they intend to reference. For example, they may indicate the attribute of an object when their intention is to reference the whole object. This paper examines these reference-point errors through the context of metonymy. Metonymy is a rhetorical device where the speaker states a referent that is structurally related to the intended referent. For example, the following sentence states an office bureau but actually refers to a person working at the bureau: The tourist asked the travel bureau for directions to the museum. Drawing upon previous studies, I discuss how student reference errors may be consistent with the use of metonymy. In particular, I hypothesize that students are more likely to reference an identifying element even when a structurally related element is intended. I then present two experiments, which produce results consistent with this analysis. In both experiments, students are more likely to produce reference-point errors that involve identifying attributes than descriptive attributes. Given these results, I explore the possibility that students are relying on habits of communication rather than the mechanistic principles needed for successful programming. Finally I discuss teaching interventions using live examples and how metonymy may be presented to non-computing students as pedagogy for computational thinking.

  10. Practical private database queries based on a quantum-key-distribution protocol

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

    Jakobi, Markus; Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, D-10117 Berlin; Simon, Christoph

    2011-02-15

    Private queries allow a user, Alice, to learn an element of a database held by a provider, Bob, without revealing which element she is interested in, while limiting her information about the other elements. We propose to implement private queries based on a quantum-key-distribution protocol, with changes only in the classical postprocessing of the key. This approach makes our scheme both easy to implement and loss tolerant. While unconditionally secure private queries are known to be impossible, we argue that an interesting degree of security can be achieved by relying on fundamental physical principles instead of unverifiable security assumptions inmore » order to protect both the user and the database. We think that the scope exists for such practical private queries to become another remarkable application of quantum information in the footsteps of quantum key distribution.« less

  11. Understanding death attitudes: the integration of movies, positive psychology, and meaning management.

    PubMed

    Niemiec, Ryan M; Schulenberg, Stefan E

    2011-01-01

    The portrayal of death is one of the most common themes in movies and is often unrealistic, promoting misconceptions to the public. However, there are also many films that portray death acceptance in an instructive way. Such films depict the development of character strengths useful in embracing life and lessening death anxiety, namely zest, curiosity, self-regulation, and humor. Moreover, the role of meaning in films is pivotal for understanding death attitudes. The authors discussed key elements in a number of popular, independent, and international films and emphasized the use of films as an important adjunct for both teachers and clinicians addressing death attitudes with students and clients. A program of death education using movies is briefly discussed.

  12. Commentary: ambiguity and uncertainty: neglected elements of medical education curricula?

    PubMed

    Luther, Vera P; Crandall, Sonia J

    2011-07-01

    Despite significant advances in scientific knowledge and technology, ambiguity and uncertainty are still intrinsic aspects of contemporary medicine. To practice confidently and competently, a physician must learn rational approaches to complex and ambiguous clinical scenarios and must possess a certain degree of tolerance of ambiguity. In this commentary, the authors discuss the role that ambiguity and uncertainty play in medicine and emphasize why openly addressing these topics in the formal medical education curriculum is critical. They discuss key points from original research by Wayne and colleagues and their implications for medical education. Finally, the authors offer recommendations for increasing medical student tolerance of ambiguity and uncertainty, including dedicating time to attend candidly to ambiguity and uncertainty as a formal part of every medical school curriculum.

  13. Building a generalized distributed system model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mukkamala, R.

    1992-01-01

    The key elements in the second year (1991-92) of our project are: (1) implementation of the distributed system prototype; (2) successful passing of the candidacy examination and a PhD proposal acceptance by the funded student; (3) design of storage efficient schemes for replicated distributed systems; and (4) modeling of gracefully degrading reliable computing systems. In the third year of the project (1992-93), we propose to: (1) complete the testing of the prototype; (2) enhance the functionality of the modules by enabling the experimentation with more complex protocols; (3) use the prototype to verify the theoretically predicted performance of locking protocols, etc.; and (4) work on issues related to real-time distributed systems. This should result in efficient protocols for these systems.

  14. Strategy Keys as Tools for Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herold-Blasius, Raja

    2017-01-01

    Problem solving is one of the main competences we seek to teach students at school for use in their future lives. However, when dealing with mathematical problems, teachers encounter a wide variety of difficulties. To foster students' problem-solving skills, the authors developed "strategy keys." Strategy keys can serve as material to…

  15. Head to head: The role of academic competition in undergraduate anatomical education.

    PubMed

    Van Nuland, Sonya E; Roach, Victoria A; Wilson, Timothy D; Belliveau, Daniel J

    2015-01-01

    Competition is a key element in many educational games and is often adopted by educators in an effort to motivate and excite their students. Yet, the use of academic competition in educational institutions remains the subject of much debate. Opponents argue that academic competition causes an increase in student anxiety and divides their attention. However, if the contexts of academic competition are defined, could the inclusion of a game-like competition in a university course be a viable and beneficial method of engaging students? Students (n = 67) were recruited from an undergraduate human anatomy course at Western University. Using a crossover design, students were exposed to a competitive tournament either at the time of their first term test or second term test. The anatomical knowledge of participating students was assessed prior to the start of the study using a baseline anatomy test. Following treatment with an online competitive anatomy tournament, student's term test grades and final course grades were analyzed. Both the second term test scores (F(2,64) = 3.743, P = 0.029) and overall course grades (F(2,64) = 3.356, P = 0.041) were found to be significantly different (P < 0.05) for individuals in the competitive group when compared to their non-competing peers. As suggested by the literature where organized competition in the classroom correlates to improved academic performance, this study uncovered significant results pertaining to increased academic performance resulting from participating in tournament-based competition. In light of these positive results, further exploration of the effects of academic competition on student performance across age brackets and disciplines is warranted. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.

  16. Understanding Career Context as a Key to Best Serving Adult Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bohonos, Jeremy

    2014-01-01

    Professional development plays a key role in motivating many adult learners. Understanding these students' career contexts allows for more effective program development and better student services. This article presents five broad categories of career context and provides a brief framework which educators can use to more effectively…

  17. Student Engagement: Key to Personalized Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferlazzo, Larry

    2017-01-01

    Personalized learning has the potential to greatly improve student achievement--but realistic teachers know that any instructional strategy will only be effective if students are willing to do the work. That is why Larry Ferlazzo emphasizes the importance of weaving intrinsic motivation into every personalized learning classroom. Four key elements…

  18. A coordination class analysis of college students' judgments about animated motion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thaden-Koch, Thomas Christian

    The coordination class construct was invented by di5essa and Sherin to clarify what it means to learn and use scientific concepts. A coordination class is defined to consist of readout strategies, which guide observation, and the causal net, which contains knowledge necessary for making inferences from observations. A coordination class, as originally specified, reliably extracts a certain class of information from a variety of situations. The coordination class construct is relatively new. To examine its utility, transcripts of interviews with college students were analyzed in terms of the coordination class construct. In the interviews, students judged the realism of several computer animations depicting balls rolling on a pair of tracks. When shown animations with only one ball, students made judgments consistent with focusing on the ball's speed changes. Adding a second ball to each animation strongly affected judgments made by students taking introductory physics courses, but had a smaller effect on judgments made by students taking a psychology course. Reasoning was described in this analysis as the coordination of readouts about animations with causal net elements related to realistic motion. Decision-making was characterized both for individual students and for groups by the causal net elements expressed, by the types of readouts reported, and by the coordination processes involved. The coordination class construct was found useful for describing the elements and processes of student decision-making, but little evidence was found to suggest that the students studied possessed reliable coordination classes. Students' causal nets were found to include several appropriate expectations about realistic motion. Several students reached judgments that appeared contrary to their expectations and reported mutually incompatible expectations. Descriptions of students' decision-making processes often included faulty readouts, or feedback loops in which causal net elements or readouts were adjusted. Comparisons of the interviewed groups' coordination were found to echo differences and similarities in animation judgments made by larger groups of students who were not interviewed.

  19. The selection criteria elements of X-ray optics system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Plotnikova, I. V.; Chicherina, N. V.; Bays, S. S.; Bildanov, R. G.; Stary, O.

    2018-01-01

    At the design of new modifications of x-ray tomography there are difficulties in the right choice of elements of X-ray optical system. Now this problem is solved by practical consideration, selection of values of the corresponding parameters - tension on an x-ray tube taking into account the thickness and type of the studied material. For reduction of time and labor input of design it is necessary to create the criteria of the choice, to determine key parameters and characteristics of elements. In the article two main elements of X-ray optical system - an x-ray tube and the detector of x-ray radiation - are considered. Criteria of the choice of elements, their key characteristics, the main dependences of parameters, quality indicators and also recommendations according to the choice of elements of x-ray systems are received.

  20. Key Elements in Successful Training A Comparative Study of Two Workplaces. Project Report, 2000-2001.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adult Literacy and Numeracy Australian Research Consortium, Alice Springs. Northern Territory Centre.

    This publication presents case studies of two sites--one with and one without a history of involvement in Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL)-funded training programs. Case study 1, "Partnership, Flexibility, and Experience: Key Elements in Successful Training" (Jenny McGuirk), investigates a food processing company in New South Wales…

  1. Organic memristive device as key element for neuromorphic networks

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

    Erokhin, Victor

    Organic memristive device has three important properties allowing to consider it as a key element of neuromorphic systems. First, its electrical properties are somehow similar to those of synapses. Second, it can be easily transferred into an oscillator. Third, organic nature of the devices allow to assemble them into stochastic 3D networks capable to learning and adaptations.

  2. Vital Collaboratives, Alliances, and Partnerships: A Search for Key Elements of an Effective Public-Private Partnership

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Charles Keith

    2010-01-01

    Owing to the significant structural changes that have occurred in the global marketplace over the past 2 decades, a corresponding increase of public-private partnerships have been established among the business sector, local governments, and public community colleges. This qualitative project sought to identify and substantiate key elements that…

  3. How Strategic Planning Keeps You Sane when Delivering Distance Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacNeil, Dixie; Luzius, Kim; Dunkin, Sonya

    2010-01-01

    This paper details the advantages of creating a strategic plan in the development and delivery of distance programs at the authors' own institution. The steps involved in the planning process and the three key elements of a successful strategic plan are addressed. The key elements include a program plan explaining the roles/responsibilities of…

  4. "The Future Is Old": Immersive Learning with Generation Y Engineering Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blashki, Katherine; Nichol, Sophie; Jia, Dawei; Prompramote, Supawan

    2007-01-01

    This paper explores the application of four elements deemed to be essential to immersive learning; immersion, engagement, risk/creativity and agency. The authors discuss the implementation of these four elements within two very different classroom environments, one secondary and one tertiary, to illustrate the importance of students' active…

  5. The Importance of Interior Design Elements as They Relate to Student Outcomes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tanner, C. Kenneth; Langford, Ann

    This study investigated the following questions: (1) "What are the perceptions that elementary school principals have concerning the influence of interior design elements such as floor and wall coverings, lighting, flexibility, acoustics, color, texture, patterns, cleanliness, and maintenance on student achievement, teacher retention, and student…

  6. Bringing Science Research into Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allwood, Dan A.; Dean, Julian; Bryan, Matthew T.; Baker, Alan

    2009-01-01

    Finite element modelling software has been used to allow secondary school students to study nanoscale magnetic materials for hard drive recording applications. The students were introduced to the basic concepts of finite element modelling using a freely available internet game before modelling the magnetization reversal of single magnetic grains.…

  7. Data Element Dictionary: Student. Second Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, James S.

    This document is intended to serve as a guide for institutions in the development of data bases to support the implementation of planning and management systems. This publication serves to identify and describe those student-related data elements: (1) required to support current National Center for Higher Education Systems (NCHEMS) products; (2)…

  8. Using Game Elements to Increase Student Engagement in Course Assignments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armier, David Des, Jr.; Shepherd, Craig E.; Skrabut, Stan

    2016-01-01

    Gamification incorporates game-elements in non-gaming situations to enhance student engagement and desired behavior. This study examined participant's willingness to take part in gamified activities where reward systems were not directly tied to course grades. Participants enrolled in a technology integration course for preservice teachers, were…

  9. How "Blended" Should "Blended Learning" Be?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ostrowski, Boguslaw; Windeatt, Scott; Clark, Jill

    2017-01-01

    Concerns about progression rates of international students enrolled in an academic English course to prepare them for university studies led to the addition of an online teaching component, including both synchronous and asynchronous elements. Due to what appeared to be inconsistent student engagement with the online element, this study was…

  10. Key ingredients of anti-stigma programs for health care providers: a data synthesis of evaluative studies.

    PubMed

    Knaak, Stephanie; Modgill, Geeta; Patten, Scott B

    2014-10-01

    As part of its ongoing effort to combat stigma against mental illness among health care providers, the Mental Health Commission of Canada partnered with organizations conducting anti-stigma interventions. Our objective was to evaluate program effectiveness and to better understand what makes some programs more effective than others. Our paper reports the elements of these programs found to be most strongly associated with favourable outcomes. Our study employed a multi-phased, mixed-methods design. First, a grounded theory qualitative study was undertaken to identify key program elements. Next, each program (n = 22) was coded according to the presence or absence of the identified key program ingredients. Then, random-effects, meta-regression modelling was used to examine the association between program outcomes and the key ingredients. The qualitative analysis led to a 6-ingredient model of key program elements. Results of the quantitative analysis showed that programs that included all 6 of these ingredients performed significantly better than those that did not. Individual analyses of each of the 6 ingredients showed that including multiple forms of social contact and emphasizing recovery were characteristics of the most effective programs. The results provide a validation of a 6-ingredient model of key program elements for anti-stigma programming for health care providers. Emphasizing recovery and including multiple types of social contact are of particular importance for maximizing the effectiveness of anti-stigma programs for health care providers.

  11. [HAND HYGIENE BELIEFS AND PERCEPTIONS OF NURSING STUDENTS].

    PubMed

    Hernández-García, Ignacio; Cardoso-Muñoz, Antonio Manuel

    2016-05-01

    A key element to promote the compliance of hand hygiene (HH) among health care workers (HCWs) is to analyze their perceptions of it. Our objective was to evaluate the beliefs and perceptions that nursing students have on HH. A cross-sectional study was performed during the 2011-2012 school year. It included all enrolled nursing students from a Spanish University. The information was obtained by a self-administered questionnaire, which assessed the importance of HH to control nosocomial infections (NI), beliefs (by Hand Hygiene Beliefs Scale-HHBS) and perceptions of the importance given to HH in the curriculum (by Hand Hygiene Importance Scale-HHIS). Associations were analyzed using logistic regression. 146 students of the 270 (54.1%) completed the questionnaire. Assessing the importance of HH as NI control measure ranged from 4 to 10 points (median = 9). The more agreement HHIS item was to consider HH as an important part of the curriculum (76.1%), while HHBS item was to believe that hands washing after going to the toilet reduces the transmission of infectious diseases (100%). Importance of HH to control NI valued with > 9 points was associated with the agreement to consider it as an relevant part of the curriculum (OR:2.5), and to believe that HCWs play an important role in preventing NI (OR: 4.3). HH was rated as an important NI control measure. Educational programs should be carried out at universities to students do HH, whether they observe poor compliance among HCWs in their practices.

  12. Transforming the junior level: Outcomes from instruction and research in E&M

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chasteen, Stephanie V.; Pollock, Steven J.; Pepper, Rachel E.; Perkins, Katherine K.

    2012-12-01

    Over the course of four years, we have researched and transformed a key course in the career of an undergraduate physics major—junior-level electricity and magnetism. With the aim of educating our majors based on a more complete understanding of the cognitive and conceptual challenges of upper-division courses, we used principles of active engagement and learning theory to develop course materials and conceptual assessments. Our research results from student and faculty interviews and observations also informed our approach. We present several measures of the outcomes of this work at the University of Colorado at Boulder and external institutions. Students in the transformed courses achieved higher learning gains compared to those in the traditionally taught courses, particularly in the areas of conceptual understanding and ability to articulate their reasoning about a problem. The course transformations appear to close a gender gap, improving female students’ scores on conceptual and traditional assessments so that they are more similar to those of male students. Students enthusiastically support the transformations, and indicate that several course elements provide useful scaffolding in conceptual understanding, as well as physicists’ “habits of mind” such as problem-solving approaches and work habits. Despite these positive outcomes, student conceptual learning gains do not fully meet faculty expectations, suggesting that it is valuable to further investigate how the content and skills indicative of “thinking like a physicist” can be most usefully taught at the upper division.

  13. Another Strategy for Teaching Histology to A&P Students: Classification versus Memorization.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bavis, Ryan W.; Seveyka, Jerred; Shigeoka, Cassie A.

    2000-01-01

    Defines dichotomous keys as common learning tools based on identification rather than memorization. Provides an example of a dichotomous key developed for introducing histology in human anatomy and physiology (A&P) courses and explains how students can use the dichotomous key. Discusses the goals of the exercises and the process of…

  14. Nutritional habits in Italian university students.

    PubMed

    Teleman, Adele Anna; de Waure, Chiara; Soffiani, Valentina; Poscia, Andrea; Di Pietro, Maria Luisa

    2015-01-01

    Dietary habits have been indicated by research as key elements in both disease pathogenesis and prevention and health promotion. We analyzed data collected from Italian university students regarding consumption of fruits, vegetables, fast-foods, sweets, energizing drinks, and coffee, average number of eating episodes per day and regularity of breakfast habits. 44% of the university student population eats in average at least 1 portion of fruit per day. 22.5% eats at least 2 portions of vegetables per day. 8.5% eats in average 5 times per day with 48.6% declaring an average of 3 eating episodes per day. 11.3% consumes eccessive amounts of caffeine. 49.1% of the females reaches the recommended consumption of fruit, compared to only 33.8% of males (p < 0.05). 27.7% of females eats at least 2 portions of vegetables per day, compared to 12.0% of males (p < 0.05). Eccessive coffee drinkers pass from 8.9% in the 18-21 age group to 16% in the 25-30 year old age group (p < 0.05). This study showed that the eating habits of young adults do not follow national recommendations. Less than 50% of university students eats at least 1 portion of fruit per day and less than 1 out of 4 eats at least 2 portions of vegetables per day. Less than 10% of the students eats in average 5 times per day and more than 1 out of 3 does not have breakfast regularly every morning. Interventions targeting university students are required in order to increase their knowledge on healthy eating habits and to ameliorate their dietary behaviours.

  15. The Association Between Premedical Curricular and Admission Requirements and Medical School Performance and Residency Placement: A Study of Two Admission Routes.

    PubMed

    George, Paul; Park, Yoon Soo; Ip, Julianne; Gruppuso, Philip A; Adashi, Eli Y

    2016-03-01

    The curricular elements of undergraduate premedical education are the subject of an ongoing debate. The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University (AMS) matriculates students via the traditional premedical route (TPM) and an eight-year baccalaureate/MD program-the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME)-which provides students with a broad and liberal education. Using the juxtaposition of these two admission routes, the authors aimed to determine whether there is an association between highly distinct premedical curricular and admission requirements and medical school performance and residency placement. The cohorts studied included all of the PLME (n = 295) and TPM (n = 215) students who graduated from the AMS between 2010 and 2015. Outcome variables consisted of multiple measures of medical school performance, including standardized multiple-choice examination scores and honors grades, and residency placement. The authors employed unadjusted tests of averages and proportions (independent t tests and chi-square tests) to compare variables. The TPM students attained marginally, but statistically significantly, higher average scores on standardized multiple-choice examinations than their PLME counterparts. The number of undergraduate premedical science courses completed by PLME students accounted for less than 4% of the variance in key metrics of medical school performance. The residency placement record of the PLME and TPM cohorts proved comparable. These findings suggest that the association between medical school performance and residency placement and undergraduate premedical curricular and admission requirements is weak. Further study is needed to determine the optimal premedical preparation of students.

  16. Secondary School Students' Understanding of the Socio- Emotional Nature of the New Zealand Key Competencies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brudevold-Iversen, Tessa; Peterson, Elizabeth R.; Cartwright, Claire

    2013-01-01

    In its 2007 curriculum, New Zealand introduced Key Competencies (KCs) that are intended to ensure students' future participation in the economy, communities, and also to introduce metacognitive and socio-emotional dimensions to learning. The KCs also have important implications for contributing to students' wellbeing and resilience. However, they…

  17. The ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2010. Key Findings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Shannon D.; Caruso, Judith Borreson

    2010-01-01

    This document presents the key findings from "The ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2010". Since 2004, the annual ECAR (EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research) study of undergraduate students and information technology has sought to shed light on how information technology affects the college experience. We…

  18. Key Events in Student Leaders' Lives and Lessons Learned from Them

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sessa, Valerie I.; Morgan, Brett V.; Kalenderli, Selin; Hammond, Fanny E.

    2014-01-01

    This descriptive study used an interview protocol developed by the Center for Creative Leadership with 50 college student leaders to determine what key developmental events young college leaders experience and the leadership lessons learned from these events. Students discussed 180 events and 734 lessons learned from them. Most events defined by…

  19. Key Factors that Influence Recruiting Young Chinese Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Zhenmin

    2007-01-01

    The discussion in this paper is based on the assumption that international education is equated to recruiting and educating international students, even though its true concept goes far beyond this narrow understanding. The purpose of this research is to look at the key factors that influence recruiting young Chinese students, and make sure all…

  20. Manipulating 3D-Printed and Paper Models Enhances Student Understanding of Viral Replication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Couper, Lisa; Johannes, Kristen; Powers, Jackie; Silberglitt, Matt; Davenport, Jodi

    2016-01-01

    Understanding key concepts in molecular biology requires reasoning about molecular processes that are not directly observable and, as such, presents a challenge to students and teachers. We ask whether novel interactive physical models and activities can help students understand key processes in viral replication. Our 3D tangible models are…

  1. A Statewide Partnership for Implementing Inquiry Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lytle, Charles

    The North Carolina Infrastructure for Science Education (NC-ISE) is a statewide partnership for implementing standards-based inquiry science using exemplary curriculum materials in the public schools of North Carolina. North Carolina is the 11th most populous state in the USA with 8,000,000 residents, 117 school districts and a geographic area of 48,718 miles. NC-ISE partners include the state education agency, local school systems, three branches of the University of North Carolina, the state mathematics and science education network, businesses, and business groups. The partnership, based upon the Science for All Children model developed by the National Science Resources Centre, was initiated in 1997 for improvement in teaching and learning of science and mathematics. This research-based model has been successfully implemented in several American states during the past decade. Where effectively implemented, the model has led to significant improvements in student interest and student learning. It has also helped reduce the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students and among students from different economic levels. A key program element of the program is an annual Leadership Institute that helps teams of administrators and teachers develop a five-year strategic plan for their local systems. Currently 33 of the117 local school systems have joined the NC-ISE Program and are in various stages of implementation of inquiry science in grades K-8.

  2. Learning from each other: results of a decade of close collaboration between scientists and educators at CMMAP

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Denning, S.; Burt, M. A.; Jones, B.

    2015-12-01

    Since 2006, the Center for Multiscale Modeling of Atmospheric Processes (CMMAP) has sponsored a fertile collaboration among researchers in many fields, graduate and undergraduate student, K-12 teachers, science outreach professionals, and evaluators. This collaboration included groundbreaking work in climate modeling, ecology, political science, sociology, psychology, and English. At the undergraduate level, we engaged more than 80 faculty in 26 Departments at a major public university who now teach one another's content in dozens of classes. Hundreds of English Composition students learned about climate change while developing basic writing skills. We also worked very closely with public schools to develop and test curriculum enhancement kits for teaching standards-aligned climate science in K-12 classrooms and built a successful series of Professional Development workshops for teachers at three different grade levels. Nearly 200,000 students participated in these programs in public schools and millions of individuals around the world used our web-based tools. The success of this collaborative program is apparent in traditional metrics and assessments of content knowledge. Equally important, the sustained interaction with education professionals had a substantial impact on the climate scientists and faculty involved in the program, and on our graduate students. We outline some of the key elements that made CMMAP's program successful, and offer suggestions for other institutions seeking to enhance climate literacy.

  3. Coaching the Coach: A Program for Development of Faculty Portfolio Coaches.

    PubMed

    Kopechek, Jack; Bardales, Cheryl; Lash, A Todd; Walker, Curtis; Pfeil, Sheryl; Ledford, Cynthia H

    2017-01-01

    Faculty coaching is recognized as an essential element for effective use of portfolios in undergraduate medical education, yet best practices for training these coaches are uncertain. New portfolio coaches participated in a multifaceted training program that included orienting modules, a 7.5-hr training workshop featuring analysis of reflective writing, an Observed Structured Teaching Exercise (OSTE), and subsequent longitudinal coaches' meetings for timely task training. Four desired coaching skills were emphasized in the initial training: creating a safe environment, explicitly using performance data, asking questions that elicit reflection, and guiding the student to develop future goals and plans. We collected and analyzed several outcomes: (a) coaches' self-assessment at key intervals, (b) open-ended written responses to three coaching vignettes, (c) video recordings of the OSTE, and (d) subsequent student evaluation of the coach. In an attempt to capture learning from the workshop, both the responses to written vignettes and the video-recorded encounters were coded for presence or absence of the four desired skills. Our portfolio and coaching program was instituted as part of a major undergraduate medical education reform. A new cohort of 25 coaches is enrolled with each matriculating student class, and each coach is assigned to work individually with 8-10 students, forming a coaching relationship that continues over 4 years. Coaches are compensated at 5% full-time equivalent. On coach self-assessment, the majority of coaches reported significant improvement in their perceived ability to assess a student's level of reflection, enhance reflection, use performance data, and guide a student to develop goals and plans. After two semesters, coach perception of improved abilities persisted. Students rated coaches as excellent (82%), reporting that coaches created safe environments (99%), promoted insight (92%), and aided in goal setting (97%). Written responses to vignettes before the OSTE found that several coaches omitted desired behaviors; however, posttraining responses showed no discernable pattern of learning. Coding of the OSTE, in contrast, documented that all coaches demonstrated all four of the desired skills. Although coaches reported learning related to key skills, learning was not apparent when responses to written vignettes were examined. In contrast, skills were demonstrated in the OSTE, perhaps due to the added structured tasks as well as anticipation of feedback. In conclusion, this portfolio coach training program achieved its desired aim of providing students with portfolio coaches who demonstrated the desired skills, as reported by both coaches and students.

  4. Towards a Pedagogy of Science Teaching: An Exploration of the Impact of Students-Led Questioning and Feedback on the Attainment of Key Stage 3 Science Students in a UK School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Magaji, A.; Ade-Ojo, G.; Betteney, M.

    2018-01-01

    This mixed method study investigated the extent to which the use of a model built around student-led questioning and feedback improved the learner engagement and attainment of a cohort of students. It compared outcomes from an experimental with a control group of students in Key-Stage 3 using a set of parameters. It found that the experimental…

  5. Improving Written Language Performance of Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Delano, Monica E

    2007-01-01

    The effects of a multicomponent intervention involving self-regulated strategy development delivered via video self-modeling on the written language performance of 3 students with Asperger syndrome were examined. During intervention sessions, each student watched a video of himself performing strategies for increasing the number of words written and the number of functional essay elements. He then wrote a persuasive essay. The number of words written and number of functional essay elements included in each essay were measured. Each student demonstrated gains in the number of words written and number of functional essay elements. Maintenance of treatment effects at follow-up varied across targets and participants. Implications for future research are suggested. PMID:17624076

  6. Work at school: teacher and parent perceptions about children's participation.

    PubMed

    Lowe, Susan; Chapparo, Christine

    2010-01-01

    Little research has been carried out on the behaviours that lead to children's successful participation in work roles at school. The objective of this study was to identify some of the elements critical to participation of students by listening to the perspectives of teachers and parents of children who have difficulties with school work. The study is part of a larger research project aimed at developing an assessment tool to describe the participation of children at school with particular reference to students who experience a difficulty with learning. 50 teachers and 44 parents of children referred to occupational therapy for problems with school work. A survey approach using an open ended written response questionnaire. The findings indicated that there are core elements of participation in work that are commonly perceived as crucial by teachers and parents. These included common definitions of work participation with the emergence of several themes relative to work roles and meaning, opportunity for inclusion in school work, risk taking and enjoyment as part of work, and thinking processes. Differences between teacher and parent responses related to perceived reasons for a difficulty with participation, activities which require high levels of participation and aspects of participation that are most difficult to change. This study provided descriptive data on which to build further research into children's experiences of work, and highlights the need for occupational therapists to consider perceptions of key stakeholders when assessing children's work ability at school.

  7. Activating Technology for Connected Health in Cancer: Protocol for a Research and Training Program.

    PubMed

    Mountford, Nicola; Dorronzoro Zubiete, Enrique; Kessie, Threase; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya; Nuño-Solinís, Roberto; Coyle, David; Munksgaard, Kristin B; Fernandez-Luque, Luis; Rivera Romero, Octavio; Mora Fernandez, Matilde; Valero Jimenez, Pedro; Daly, Ailish; Whelan, Ruth; Caulfield, Brian

    2018-01-24

    As cancer survival rates increase, the challenge of ensuring that cancer survivors reclaim their quality of life (QoL) becomes more important. This paper outlines the research element of a research and training program that is designed to do just that. Bridging sectors, disciplines, and geographies, it brings together eight PhD projects and students from across Europe to identify the underlying barriers, test different technology-enabled rehabilitative approaches, propose a model to optimize the patient pathways, and examine the business models that might underpin a sustainable approach to cancer survivor reintegration using technology. The program, funded under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 722012, includes deep disciplinary PhD projects, intersectoral and international secondments, interdisciplinary plenary training schools, and virtual subject-specific education modules. The 8 students have now been recruited and are at the early stages of their projects. CATCH will provide a comprehensive training and research program by embracing all key elements-technical, social, and economic sciences-required to produce researchers and project outcomes that are capable of meeting existing and future needs in cancer rehabilitation. ©Nicola Mountford, Enrique Dorronzoro Zubiete, Threase Kessie, Begonya Garcia-Zapirain, Roberto Nuño-Solinís, David Coyle, Kristin B Munksgaard, Luis Fernandez-Luque, Octavio Rivera Romero, Matilde Mora Fernandez, Pedro Valero Jimenez, Ailish Daly, Ruth Whelan, Brian Caulfield. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 24.01.2018.

  8. E-Model for Online Learning Communities.

    PubMed

    Rogo, Ellen J; Portillo, Karen M

    2015-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the students' perspectives on the phenomenon of online learning communities while enrolled in a graduate dental hygiene program. A qualitative case study method was designed to investigate the learners' experiences with communities in an online environment. A cross-sectional purposive sampling method was used. Interviews were the data collection method. As the original data were being analyzed, the researchers noted a pattern evolved indicating the phenomenon developed in stages. The data were re-analyzed and validated by 2 member checks. The participants' experiences revealed an e-model consisting of 3 stages of formal learning community development as core courses in the curriculum were completed and 1 stage related to transmuting the community to an informal entity as students experienced the independent coursework in the program. The development of the formal learning communities followed 3 stages: Building a Foundation for the Learning Community, Building a Supportive Network within the Learning Community and Investing in the Community to Enhance Learning. The last stage, Transforming the Learning Community, signaled a transition to an informal network of learners. The e-model was represented by 3 key elements: metamorphosis of relationships, metamorphosis through the affective domain and metamorphosis through the cognitive domain, with the most influential element being the affective development. The e-model describes a 4 stage process through which learners experience a metamorphosis in their affective, relationship and cognitive development. Synergistic learning was possible based on the interaction between synergistic relationships and affective actions. Copyright © 2015 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

  9. Drawing with Light and Clay: Teaching and Learning in the Art Studio as Pathways to Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Albertson, Constant; Davidson, Miriam

    2007-01-01

    In this essay, Albertson and Davidson explore the attributes of photography and ceramic arts education to identify eight key elements integral to engagement in these art studios for under-served and disenchanted learners. They suggest that these key elements can provide numerous clues as to how teachers and school communities might reimagine both…

  10. California Charter Oversight: Key Elements and Actual Costs. CRB 12-001

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blanton, Rebecca E.

    2012-01-01

    This study was mandated by SB537 (Simitian, Chapter 650, Stats. of 2007, codified at Ed. Code Section 47613), which requires the California Research Bureau (CRB) to prepare and submit to the Legislature a report on the key elements and actual costs of charter school oversight. Charter schools are public schools that are operated by entities other…

  11. The long (LINEs) and the short (SINEs) of it: altered methylation as a precursor to toxicity.

    PubMed

    Carnell, Ammie N; Goodman, Jay I

    2003-10-01

    Although once thought of as "junk" DNA, the importance of interspersed elements in the genome has become increasingly appreciated in recent years. In a broad sense these are collectively referred to as transposable elements, which encompass both transposons and retrotransposons. The latter include long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs). Expression of these elements leads to genetic instability. Therefore, it is important that they remain transcriptionally silenced, and DNA methylation plays a key role in this regard. A framework for understanding the possible interplay between altered DNA methylation, an epigenetic change, and mutational events is presented. A case is made as to how retrotransposable elements, specifically LINEs and SINEs, are likely to emerge as key players in furthering our understanding of mechanisms underlying a variety of toxicities, including carcinogenesis but not limited to this endpoint.

  12. Semantic Elements in Deep Structures as Seen from a Modernist Definition of Clarity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lemke, Alan

    Typically, teachers approach ambiguity in student writing by suggesting that students focus on diction, syntax, and writing format; however, the works of modernists (including T.S. Eliot, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Karl Marx, and Pablo Picasso) suggest the importance of conceptions of semantic clarity. Transformational models for syntactic elements in…

  13. Prospective Students' Perceptions of University Brands: An Empirical Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Roger; Ali-Choudhury, Rehnuma

    2009-01-01

    A model of the elements of a university brand was developed together with an instrument for measuring how favorably each of these elements was perceived by a sample of young people who were considering entering university. One hundred and ninety-eight students undertaking pre-university courses in two further education colleges in East London…

  14. Combining Content and Elements of Communication into an Upper-Level Biochemistry Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whittington, Carli P.; Pellock, Samuel J.; Cunningham, Rebecca L.; Cox, James R.

    2014-01-01

    This report describes how a science communication module was incorporated into an advanced biochemistry course. Elements of communication were taught synergistically with biochemistry content in this course in an effort to expose students to a variety of effective oral communication strategies. Students were trained to use these established…

  15. The Heart of School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DiMartino, Joseph; Clarke, John H.

    2008-01-01

    Successful advisory programs have a number of things in common across a wide variety of schools. They all divide the student body into small groups, usually of 20 or fewer students, that meet regularly with an adult in the school community. In addition to this basic element, successful advisory programs have five other elements in common: (1) They…

  16. Three Techniques to Help Students Teach Themselves Concepts in Environmental Geochemistry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, I. Foster

    1984-01-01

    Describes techniques in which students learn to: (1) create elemental "fairy tales" based on the geochemical behavior of elements and on imagination to integrate concepts; (2) to visually eliminate problems of bias; and (3) to utilize multiple working hypotheses as a basis for testing concepts of classification and distinguishing…

  17. Getting the Most Out of Progress Files and Personal Development Planning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Croot, David; Gedye, Sharon

    2006-01-01

    Progress Files have been set by the government as a specific element of all higher education provision in England and "should consist of two elements: a transcript recording student achievement which should follow a common format devised by institutions collectively through their representative bodies; and a means by which students can …

  18. Element Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herald, Christine

    2001-01-01

    Describes a research assignment for 8th grade students on the elements of the periodic table. Students use web-based resources and a chemistry handbook to gather information, construct concept maps, and present the findings to the full class using the mode of their choice: a humorous story, a slideshow or gameboard, a brochure, a song, or skit.…

  19. Improving the Retention of First Year Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bishop, Graham

    The thesis compares student attrition rates in two UWS Schools for 2004 and 2005. It analyses possible reasons why students discontinue and identifies strategies and approaches to improving the quality of the teaching and learning environment for these students. The thesis focuses on the retention of first year students in the School of Engineering at the University of Western Sydney. Low retention rates are costly to the university, leading to inefficient use of resources, failure to fulfil student aspirations, and intervention between the university and the student. In each chapter, the thesis addresses student retention, satisfaction and performance and the interrelation between them and outlines the measures taken by the School of Engineering to improve these measurements for students commencing in 2006 and proposes many recommendations for further improvements in subsequent years. Each chapter addresses these issues by following the student pathway, commencing with the student leaving High School and entering their chosen university and course of study. At each stage, the relevant issues are addressed which have a direct or indirect impact on student retention, satisfaction and performance. Use is made of reports and papers published by universities and organisations, as outlined in the Literature Review. The research questions provide data through the results obtained from surveys. Typical Retention Rates are 75% for UWS, 81% for the Sector, 76% for the New Generation Universities (NGUs) and 62% for the School of Engineering on which this research is focussed. This thesis confirms the research from many countries that closely links student retention with the quality of teaching and learning. Key issues are: • a sound first year student orientation and welcome by staff; encountering efficient, effective and accurate student. The introduction of a more effective and tailored orientation program in 2007 attracted, at UWS School of Engineering, 92% attendance and greater awareness by the students of their study program and the available support services; • having student queries responded to promptly and effectively; The introduction of a First Year Coordinator in 2007 proved to be well received, with a significant number of students having prompt responses to their queries, as compared with previous years; clear expectations management about services and key academic issues like assessment; the marketing of UWS Engineering programs was addressed in 2006 and 2007, with an expansion of the marketing program operated for feeder schools and improved awareness of student expectations prior to entry: an ongoing exercise; having committed, accessible, responsive and capable teaching staff; the accessibility and responsiveness of teaching staff to first year student issues, as outlined in this thesis, is being addressed in 2007; receiving prompt and helpful feedback on their learning; an issue being addressed by the First Year Teaching Team as an essential element of the teaching and learning process; together with: effective use of an appropriate selection from a myriad of learning strategies and resources which give emphasis to active learning, practice oriented learning, peer supported learning and self-managed learning; supported by a reliable infrastructure and support systems; and consistently encountering staff that are responsive and committed to giving service to student support. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

  20. How Do Medical Schools Identify and Remediate Professionalism Lapses in Medical Students? A Study of U.S. and Canadian Medical Schools.

    PubMed

    Ziring, Deborah; Danoff, Deborah; Grosseman, Suely; Langer, Debra; Esposito, Amanda; Jan, Mian Kouresch; Rosenzweig, Steven; Novack, Dennis

    2015-07-01

    Teaching and assessing professionalism is an essential element of medical education, mandated by accrediting bodies. Responding to a call for comprehensive research on remediation of student professionalism lapses, the authors explored current medical school policies and practices. In 2012-2013, key administrators at U.S. and Canadian medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education were interviewed via telephone or e-mail. The structured interview questionnaire contained open-ended and closed questions about practices for monitoring student professionalism, strategies for remediating lapses, and strengths and limitations of current systems. The authors employed a mixed-methods approach, using descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis based on grounded theory. Ninety-three (60.8%) of 153 eligible schools participated. Most (74/93; 79.6%) had specific policies and processes regarding professionalism lapses. Student affairs deans and course/clerkship directors were typically responsible for remediation oversight. Approaches for identifying lapses included incident-based reporting and routine student evaluations. The most common remediation strategies reported by schools that had remediated lapses were mandated mental health evaluation (74/90; 82.2%), remediation assignments (66/90; 73.3%), and professionalism mentoring (66/90; 73.3%). System strengths included catching minor offenses early, emphasizing professionalism schoolwide, focusing on helping rather than punishing students, and assuring transparency and good communication. System weaknesses included reluctance to report (by students and faculty), lack of faculty training, unclear policies, and ineffective remediation. In addition, considerable variability in feedforward processes existed between schools. The identified strengths can be used in developing best practices until studies of the strategies' effectiveness are conducted.

  1. Houston prefreshman enrichment program (Houston PREP). Final report, June 10, 1996--August 1, 1996

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

    NONE

    1996-10-01

    The 1996 Houston Pre-freshman Enrichment Program (PREP) was conducted on the campus of the University of Houston-Downtown from June 10 to August 1, 1996. Program Participants were recruited from the Greater Houston area. All participants were identified as high achieving students with an interest in learning about the engineering and science professions. The goal of the program was to better prepare our pre-college youth prior to entering college as mathematics, science and engineering majors. The program participants were middle school and high school students from the Aldine, Alief, Channel View, Crockett, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Bend, Galena Park, Houston, Humble, Katy, Klein,more » North Forest, Pasadena, Private, and Spring Branch Independent School Districts. Of the 197 students starting the program, 170 completed, 142 students were from economically and socially disadvantage groups underrepresented in the engineering and science professions, and 121 of the 197 were female. Our First Year group for 1996 composed of 96% minority and women students. Our Second and Third Year students were 100% and 93.75% minority or women respectively. This gave an overall minority and female population of 93.75%. This year, special efforts were again made to recruit students from minority groups, which caused a significant increase in qualified applicants. However, due to space limitations, 140 applicants were rejected. Investigative and discovery learning were key elements of PREP. The academic components of the program included Algebraic Structures, Engineering, Introduction to Computer Science, Introduction to Physics, Logic and Its Application to Mathematics, Probability and Statistics, Problem Solving Seminar using computers and PLATO software, SAT Preparatory Seminars, and Technical Writing.« less

  2. Chemical thermodynamic data. 1. The concept of links to the chemical elements and the historical development of key thermodynamic data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wolery, Thomas J.; Jové Colón, Carlos F.

    2017-09-01

    Chemical thermodynamic data remain a keystone for geochemical modeling and reactive transport simulation as applied to an increasing number of applications in the earth sciences, as well as applications in other areas including metallurgy, material science, and industrial process design. The last century has seen the development of a large body of thermodynamic data and a number of major compilations. The past several decades have seen the development of thermodynamic databases in digital form designed to support computer calculations. However, problems with thermodynamic data appear to be persistent. One problem pertains to the use of inconsistent primary key reference data. Such data pertain to elemental reference forms and key, stoichiometrically simple chemical species including metal oxides, CO2, water, and aqueous species such as Na+ and Cl-. A consistent set of primary key data (standard Gibbs energies, standard enthalpies, and standard entropies for key chemical species) for 298.15 K and 1 bar pressure is essential. Thermochemical convention is to define the standard Gibbs energy and the standard enthalpy of an individual chemical species in terms of formation from reference forms of the constituent chemical elements. We propose a formal concept of "links" to the elemental reference forms. This concept involves a documented understanding of all reactions and calculations leading to values for a formation property (standard Gibbs energy or enthalpy). A valid link consists of two parts: (a) the path of reactions and corrections and (b) the associated data, which are key data. Such a link differs from a bare "key" or "reference" datum in that it requires additional information. Some or all of its associated data may also be key data. In evaluating a reported thermodynamic datum, one should identify the links to the chemical elements, a process which can be time-consuming and which may lead to a dead end (an incomplete link). The use of two or more inconsistent links to the same elemental reference form in a thermodynamic database will result in an inconsistency in the database. Thus, in constructing a database, it is important to establish a set of reliable links (generally resulting in a set of primary reference data) and then correct all data adopted subsequently for consistency with that set. Recommended values of key data have not been constant through history. We review some of this history through the lens of major compilations and other influential reports, and note a number of problem areas. Finally, we illustrate the concepts developed in this paper by applying them to some key species of geochemical interest, including liquid water; quartz and aqueous silica; and gibbsite, corundum, and the aqueous aluminum ion.

  3. The impact of programmatic assessment on student learning: theory versus practice.

    PubMed

    Heeneman, Sylvia; Oudkerk Pool, Andrea; Schuwirth, Lambert W T; van der Vleuten, Cees P M; Driessen, Erik W

    2015-05-01

    It is widely acknowledged that assessment can affect student learning. In recent years, attention has been called to 'programmatic assessment', which is intended to optimise both learning functions and decision functions at the programme level of assessment, rather than according to individual methods of assessment. Although the concept is attractive, little research into its intended effects on students and their learning has been conducted. This study investigated the elements of programmatic assessment that students perceived as supporting or inhibiting learning, and the factors that influenced the active construction of their learning. The study was conducted in a graduate-entry medical school that implemented programmatic assessment. Thus, all assessment information, feedback and reflective activities were combined into a comprehensive, holistic programme of assessment. We used a qualitative approach and interviewed students (n = 17) in the pre-clinical phase of the programme about their perceptions of programmatic assessment and learning approaches. Data were scrutinised using theory-based thematic analysis. Elements from the comprehensive programme of assessment, such as feedback, portfolios, assessments and assignments, were found to have both supporting and inhibiting effects on learning. These supporting and inhibiting elements influenced students' construction of learning. Findings showed that: (i) students perceived formative assessment as summative; (ii) programmatic assessment was an important trigger for learning, and (iii) the portfolio's reflective activities were appreciated for their generation of knowledge, the lessons drawn from feedback, and the opportunities for follow-up. Some students, however, were less appreciative of reflective activities. For these students, the elements perceived as inhibiting seemed to dominate the learning response. The active participation of learners in their own learning is possible when learning is supported by programmatic assessment. Certain features of the comprehensive programme of assessment were found to influence student learning, and this influence can either support or inhibit students' learning responses. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. The use of animation video in teaching to enhance the imagination and visualization of student in engineering drawing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ismail M., E.; Mahazir I., Irwan; Othman, H.; Amiruddin M., H.; Ariffin, A.

    2017-05-01

    The rapid development of information technology today has given a new breath toward usage of computer in education. One of the increasingly popular nowadays is a multimedia technology that merges a variety of media such as text, graphics, animation, video and audio controlled by a computer. With this technology, a wide range of multimedia element can be developed to improve the quality of education. For that reason, this study aims to investigate the use of multimedia element based on animated video that was developed for Engineering Drawing subject according to the syllabus of Vocational College of Malaysia. The design for this study was a survey method using a quantitative approach and involved 30 respondents from Industrial Machining students. The instruments used in study is questionnaire with correlation coefficient value (0.83), calculated on Alpha-Cronbach. Data was collected and analyzed descriptive analyzed using SPSS. The study found that multimedia element for animation video was use significant have capable to increase imagination and visualization of student. The implications of this study provide information of use of multimedia element will student effect imagination and visualization. In general, these findings contribute to the formation of multimedia element of materials appropriate to enhance the quality of learning material for engineering drawing.

  5. Teaching Competences Necessary for Developing Key Competences of Primary Education Students in Spain: Teacher Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De-Juanas Oliva, Ángel; Martín del Pozo, Rosa; Pesquero Franco, Encarnación

    2016-01-01

    In Spain the syllabus of primary education students and their future teachers is broken down by competences. As teacher educators we were interested in finding out "which teaching competences teachers consider are most necessary to facilitate learning of student key competences." Therefore, we conducted a study with a sample of 286…

  6. Addressing the Persistence and Retention of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education: Incorporating Key Strategies and Supports on Campus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Getzel, Elizabeth Evans

    2008-01-01

    This article explores the key characteristics of postsecondary education programs that help youth and young adults with disabilities persist and remain in college. Student support factors include services that develop stronger self-determination skills, teach and support young adults' self-management skills, expose students to assistive…

  7. Review of the Third Year of the Partial Immersion Program at Key Elementary School, Arlington, Virginia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rhodes, Nancy C.

    The third year of the partial immersion program in grades one through three at Key Elementary School (Arlington, Virginia), where half the day is taught in English and half in Spanish, is reported. The review includes classroom observations, student and teacher interviews, student assessment, and parent and staff interviews. Student assessments…

  8. Export Odyssey: An Exposition and Analytical Review of Literature Concerning an Undergraduate Student Project in International Marketing on Key Teaching-Learning Dimensions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williamson, Nicholas C.

    2001-01-01

    Describes Export Odyssey (EO), a structured, Internet-intensive, team-based undergraduate student project in international marketing. Presents an analytical review of articles in the literature that relate to three key teaching-learning dimensions of student projects (experiential versus non-experiential active learning, team-based versus…

  9. Teacher Directed Behavior Toward Individual Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oien, Fred M.

    A study of five teachers and 316 junior high school physical education students reveals an unequal distribution of positive reinforcement teacher behavior among individual students. Factors influencing the amount of rewarding behavior directed to students include elements such as student gender, teacher perception of student skill level, student…

  10. Element-topology-independent preconditioners for parallel finite element computations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Park, K. C.; Alexander, Scott

    1992-01-01

    A family of preconditioners for the solution of finite element equations are presented, which are element-topology independent and thus can be applicable to element order-free parallel computations. A key feature of the present preconditioners is the repeated use of element connectivity matrices and their left and right inverses. The properties and performance of the present preconditioners are demonstrated via beam and two-dimensional finite element matrices for implicit time integration computations.

  11. 1958-2008: 50 years of youth fitness tests in the United States.

    PubMed

    Morrow, James R; Zhu, Weimo; Franks, B Don; Meredith, Marilu D; Spain, Christine

    2009-03-01

    The AAHPER Youth Fitness Test, the first U.S. national fitness test, was published 50 years ago. The seminal work of Krause and Hirschland influenced the fitness world and continues to do so today. Important youth fitness test initiatives in the last half century are summarized. Key elements leading to continued interest in youth fitness testing at the start of the 21st century include (a) concerns about children and youth fitness levels, (b) AAHPER(D)-led youth fitness battery development, (c) differentiation between performance-related and health-related fitness testing, (d) the numerous youth fitness tests developed, (e) collaborative discussions on development and adoption of a unified national youth fitness battery, (f) computerization of youth fitness test results, (g) differentiation between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced evaluation of student results, and (h) concern about youth fitness levels (again, but with a focus on health). We have come full circle on youth fitness interests. This article summarizes the key youth fitness tests in the second half of the 20th century and projects future considerations.

  12. A Digital Ethnography of Medical Students who Use Twitter for Professional Development.

    PubMed

    Chretien, Katherine C; Tuck, Matthew G; Simon, Michael; Singh, Lisa O; Kind, Terry

    2015-11-01

    While researchers have studied negative professional consequences of medical trainee social media use, little is known about how medical students informally use social media for education and career development. This knowledge may help future and current physicians succeed in the digital age. We aimed to explore how and why medical students use Twitter for professional development. This was a digital ethnography. Medical student "superusers" of Twitter participated in the study The postings ("tweets") of 31 medical student superusers were observed for 8 months (May-December 2013), and structured field notes recorded. Through purposive sampling, individual key informant interviews were conducted to explore Twitter use and values until thematic saturation was reached (ten students). Three faculty key informant interviews were also conducted. Ego network and subnetwork analysis of student key informants was performed. Qualitative analysis included inductive coding of field notes and interviews, triangulation of data, and analytic memos in an iterative process. Twitter served as a professional tool that supplemented the traditional medical school experience. Superusers approached their use of Twitter with purpose and were mindful of online professionalism as well as of being good Twitter citizens. Their tweets reflected a mix of personal and professional content. Student key informants had a high number of followers. The subnetwork of key informants was well-connected, showing evidence of a social network versus information network. Twitter provided value in two major domains: access and voice. Students gained access to information, to experts, to a variety of perspectives including patient and public perspectives, and to communities of support. They also gained a platform for advocacy, control of their digital footprint, and a sense of equalization within the medical hierarchy. Twitter can serve as a professional tool that supplements traditional education. Students' practices and guiding principles can serve as best practices for other students as well as faculty.

  13. Multimedia Based on Scientific Approach for Periodic System of Element

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sari, S.; Aryana, D. M.; Subarkah, C. Z.; Ramdhani, M. A.

    2018-01-01

    This study aims to describe the application of interactive multimedia on the concept of the periodic system of elements. The study was conducted by using the one-shot case study design. The subjects in this study were 35 high school students of class XI IPA. Results showed that the stages of observing, questioning, data collecting (experimenting), and communicating are all considered very good. This shows that multimedia can assist students in explaining the development of the periodic system of elements, ranging from Triade doberrainer, Newland Octarchic Law, Mendeleyev, and the modern periodic, as well as atomic radius, ionization energy, and electronegativity of an element in the periodic system.

  14. Learning-style preferences of Latino/Hispanic community college students enrolled in an introductory biology course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarantopoulos, Helen D.

    Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify, according to the Productivity Environment Preference Survey (PEPS) instrument, which learning-style domains (environmental, emotional, sociological, and physiological) were favored among Latino/Hispanic community college students enrolled in introductory biology classes in a large, urban community college. An additional purpose of this study was to determine whether statistically significant differences existed between the learning-style preferences and the demographic variables of age, gender, number of prior science courses, second language learner status, and earlier exposure to scientific information. Methodology. The study design was descriptive and ex post facto. The sample consisted of a total of 332 Latino/Hispanic students enrolled in General Biology 3. Major findings. The study revealed that Latino/Hispanic students enrolled in introductory biology at a large urban community college scored higher for the learning preference element of structure. Students twenty-five years and older scored higher for the learning preference elements of light, design, persistence, responsibility, and morning time (p <= 0.05). Females scored higher in the preference elements of (a) light, (b) temperature (warmth), (c) authority and (d) auditory (p <= 0.05). Significant differences were found for the elements of sound, warmth, motivation, several ways, and intake between the students with no prior science coursework and those who completed more than one (p <= 0.05). No significant learning-style preferences were found between second English language learners and those who learned English as their primary language (p <= 0.05). Students who frequently read science articles scored higher for the elements of motivation, persistence, responsibility, and tactile (p <= 0.05). Conclusions and recommendations. The conclusions were that Latino/Hispanic students need detailed guidance and clearly stated course objectives. The recommendations were: (1) College professors, counselors, and administrators must become aware of the Dunn learning-style model and instruments and on recent learning-style research articles on ethnically diverse groups of adult learners; and (2) Instructors should plan their instruction to incorporate the learning-style preferences of their students.

  15. Heat Switches for ADRs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    DiPirro, M. J.; Shirron, P. J.

    2014-01-01

    Heat switches are key elements in the cyclic operation of Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerators (ADRs). Several of the types of heat switches that have been used for ADRs are described in this paper. Key elements in selection and design of these switches include not only ON/OFF switching ratio, but also method of actuation, size, weight, and structural soundness. Some of the trade-off are detailed in this paper.

  16. Using simulation to improve the capability of undergraduate nursing students in mental health care.

    PubMed

    Kunst, Elicia L; Mitchell, Marion; Johnston, Amy N B

    2017-03-01

    Mental health care is an increasing component of acute patient care and yet mental health care education can be limited in undergraduate nursing programs. The aim of this study was to establish if simulation learning can be an effective method of improving undergraduate nurses' capability in mental health care in an acute care environment. Undergraduate nursing students at an Australian university were exposed to several high-fidelity high-technology simulation activities that incorporated elements of acute emergency nursing practice and acute mental health intervention, scaffolded by theories of learning. This approach provided a safe environment for students to experience clinical practice, and develop their skills for dealing with complex clinical challenges. Using a mixed method approach, the primary domains of interest in this study were student confidence, knowledge and ability. These were self-reported and assessed before and after the simulation activities (intervention) using a pre-validated survey, to gauge the self-rated capacity of students to initiate and complete effective care episodes. Focus group interviews were subsequently held with students who attended placement in the emergency department to explore the impact of the intervention on student performance in this clinical setting. Students who participated in the simulation activity identified and reported significantly increased confidence, knowledge and ability in mental health care post-intervention. They identified key features of the intervention included the impact of its realism on the quality of learning. There is some evidence to suggest that the intervention had an impact on the performance and reflection of students in the clinical setting. This study provides evidence to support the use of simulation to enhance student nurses' clinical capabilities in providing mental health care in acute care environments. Nursing curriculum development should be based on best-evidence to ensure that future nursing graduates have the skills and capability to provide high-quality, holistic care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Preventing and responding to complaints of sexual harassment in an academic health center: a 10-year review from the Medical University of South Carolina.

    PubMed

    Best, Connie L; Smith, Daniel W; Raymond, John R; Greenberg, Raymond S; Crouch, Rosalie K

    2010-04-01

    There is a high incidence of sexual harassment and gender discrimination in academic health center (AHC) settings according to multiple surveys of medical students. Therefore, it is incumbent on AHCs to develop programs both to educate faculty, residents, and students and to handle complaints of possible episodes of sexual harassment or gender discrimination. Despite the apparent high prevalence of gender discrimination and sexual harassment, and the importance of handling complaints of gender discrimination and sexual harassment in a prompt, consistent, and rational manner, there are few descriptions of programs that address those concerns in AHCs.Herein, the authors describe their experiences in dealing with complaints of sexual harassment and gender discrimination for a 10-year period of time (late 1997 to early 2007) at the Medical University of South Carolina, through an Office of Gender Equity. They describe their complaint process, components of their prevention training, and the outcomes of 115 complaints. Key elements of their policies are highlighted. The authors offer an approach that could serve as a model for other AHCs.

  18. A social media self-evaluation checklist for medical practitioners.

    PubMed

    Visser, Benjamin J; Huiskes, Florian; Korevaar, Daniel A

    2012-01-01

    Increasing numbers of medical practitioners and medical students are using online social and business-related networking websites such as Facebook, Doc2doc and LinkedIn. These rapidly evolving and growing social media have potential to promote public health by providing powerful instruments for communication and education. However, evidence is emerging from studies, legal cases, and media reports that the use of these new technologies is creating several ethical problems for medical practitioners as well as medical students. Improper online activities may harm not only individual reputations and careers, but also the medical profession as a whole, for example by breach of patient confidentiality, defamation of colleagues and employers, undisclosed conflict of interests that bias the medical practitioner's medical advice, posting of advice/information without an evidence base, and infringement of copyright. We developed a self-evaluation checklist for medical practitioners using social media. The checklist addresses three key elements in the use of social media: personal information and accessibility, connections, and postings. It contains questions specifically formulated to evaluate a medical practitioner's social media profile, to prevent unintended, improper online activities and to promote professional online behaviour.

  19. [The importance of full graphic display in a graphic organizer to facilitate discourse comprehension].

    PubMed

    Akio, Suzuki; Shunji, Awazu

    2010-04-01

    In order to examine the importance of fully representing graphic information items in graphic aids to facilitate comprehension of explanatory texts, we established and randomly assigned fifty university students into the following four groups: (a) participants who study the text without the aid, (b) participants who study the text with the aid, whose literal (key words) and graphic (arrows, boxes, etc.) information items are fully displayed, (c) participants who study the text with the aid, whose graphic information items are fully displayed but whose literal information items are partially displayed, and (d) participants who study the text with the aid, whose literal and graphic information items are partially displayed. The results of two kinds of comprehension tests "textbase and situation model" revealed that groups (b) and (c) outperformed groups (a) and (d). These findings suggest that graphic aids can facilitate students' text comprehension when graphic information items are fully displayed and literal information items are displayed either fully or partially; however, the aid cannot facilitate comprehension when both literal and graphic elements are displayed partially.

  20. Applying Symmetries of Common Objects to Help Students Understand Stereoselectivity for Apparently Symmetric Substrates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jittam, Piyachat; Ruenwongsa, Pintip; Panijpan, Bhinyo

    2008-01-01

    We have found it an effective way of teaching symmetry in the context of stereoselectivity, to use common everyday objects with the same point groups as the substrates involved. This has helped students to distinguish between those symmetry elements which allow for stereospecificity and those which preclude it. Two symmetry elements, the simple…

  1. An Educational Card Game for Learning Families of Chemical Elements

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mariscal, Antonio Joaquin Franco; Martinez, Jose Maria Oliva; Marquez, Serafin Bernal

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes an educational card game designed to help high school students (grade 10, 15-16 years old) "understand," as opposed to memorize, the periodic table. The game may also be used to identify different chemical elements found in daily life objects. As an additional value, students learn the names and symbols of the displayed…

  2. "Hello, I'm Carbon.": Writing about Elements and Compounds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stout, Roland P.

    2010-01-01

    General chemistry students are asked to assume the identity of an element and to write their own story. In the spirit of pedagogical approaches such as writing-to-learn and writing across the curriculum, this assignment has several objectives, most significantly to connect students to the discipline of chemistry in a robust way. Facilitating this…

  3. Lecture Capture with Real-Time Rearrangement of Visual Elements: Impact on Student Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yu, P.-T.; Wang, B.-Y.; Su, M.-H.

    2015-01-01

    The primary goal of this study is to create and test a lecture-capture system that can rearrange visual elements while recording is still taking place, in such a way that student performance can be positively influenced. The system we have devised is capable of integrating and rearranging multimedia sources, including learning content, the…

  4. Demonstration Technique to Improve Vocabulary and Grammar Element in Teaching Speaking at EFL Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Husnu, Muhammad

    2018-01-01

    This study aimed at examining the effectiveness of demonstration technique to improve vocabulary and grammar element in teaching speaking at EFL learners. This research applied true-experimental design. The respondents of the study were 32 students (class IIA) as experimental group and 32 students (class IIB) as control group from the second…

  5. An innovative approach to interdisciplinary occupational safety and health education.

    PubMed

    Rosen, Mitchel A; Caravanos, Jack; Milek, Debra; Udasin, Iris

    2011-07-01

    The New York and New Jersey Education and Research Center (ERC) provides a range of graduate continuing education for occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals in training. A key element of the education is to provide interdisciplinary training to industrial hygienists, ergonomists, occupational medicine physicians and other health and safety trainees to prepare them for the collaboration required to solve the complex occupational health and safety problems they will face in their careers. This center has developed an innovative interdisciplinary training approach that provides an historical aspect, while allowing the graduate students to identify solutions to occupational issues from a multi-disciplinary approach. The ERC developed a tour that brings students to sites of historical and/or contemporary significance in the occupational safety and health and environmental fields. The ERC has conducted five tours, and has included 85 students and residents as participants. 80% of participants rated the tour as providing a high amount of OSH knowledge gained. 98% of the participants felt the goal of providing interdisciplinary education was achieved. This tour has been successful in bridging the OSH fields to better understand how occupational and environmental exposures have occurred, in order to prevent future exposures so that workplace conditions and health can be improved. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  6. Implementation of Free Text Format Nursing Diagnoses at a University Hospital's Medical Department. Exploring Nurses' and Nursing Students' Experiences on Use and Usefulness. A Qualitative Study

    PubMed Central

    Frigstad, Sigrun Aasen; Nøst, Torunn Hatlen; André, Beate

    2015-01-01

    Background. Nursing documentation has long traditions and represents core element of nursing, but the documentation is often criticized of being incomplete. Nursing diagnoses are an important research topic in nursing in terms of quality of nursing assessment, interventions, and outcome in addition to facilitating communication and continuity. Aim. The aim of this study was to explore the nurses' and nursing students' experiences after implementing free text format nursing diagnoses in a medical department. Method. The study design included educational intervention of free text nursing diagnoses. Data was collected through five focus group interviews with 18 nurses and 6 students as informants. The data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results. The informants describe positive experiences concerning free text format nursing diagnoses' use and usefulness; it promotes reflection and discussion and is described as a useful tool in the diagnostic process, though it was challenging to find the diagnosis' appropriate formulation. Conclusion. Our findings indicate a valid usability of free text format nursing diagnoses as it promotes the diagnostic process. The use seems to enhance critical thinking and may serve as valuable preparation towards an implementation of standardized nursing diagnoses. Use and support of key personnel seem valuable in an implementation process. PMID:26075091

  7. Model of the Students' Key Competences Development through Interactive Whiteboard in the Subject of Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brecka, Peter; Valentová, Monika

    2017-01-01

    The basis of the submitted study are the continuously rising demands to alter the curricula with the aim to develop students' key competences in order to increase their professional versatility. The lack of scientific research and discussions show that little investigation has been done on the issue of development of key competences. Therefore,…

  8. A Collaboration on Collaboration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cobleigh, Brent

    2004-01-01

    NASA's 2003-2004 Leadership Development Program class recognized that effective collaborations are often the key to achieving mission success. Personal connections and common goals were key elements of their work together and key findings of their collaboration benchmarking within the agency.

  9. Societal-Equity-Enhancing Criteria and Facility-Host Incentives Supporting Five Key Elements in the January 2012 Blue Ribbon Commission Report - 13015

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

    Eriksson, Leif G.; Dials, George E.; George, Critz H.

    2013-07-01

    In February 2009, the Obama Administration announced it would abandon USA's only candidate SNF/HLW-disposal facility since 1987. In 2010, all related activities were stopped and the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future was established 'to recommend a new strategy for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle', which it did in January 2012, emphasizing eight key elements. However, Key Element 1, 'A new, consent-based approach to siting future nuclear facilities', is qualitative/indeterminate rather than quantitative/measurable. It is thus highly-susceptible to semantic permutations that could extend rather than, as intended, expedite the siting of future nuclear facilities unlessmore » it also defines: a) Whose consent is needed?; and b) What constitutes consent? The following 'generic', radiation-risk- and societal-equity-based criteria address these questions: 1. Identify areas affected by projected radiation and other health risks from: a. The proposed nuclear facility (facility stakeholders); and b. The related nuclear-materials-transportation routes (transportation stakeholders); then 2. Surround each stakeholder area with a buffer zone and use this enlarged foot print to identify: a. Stakeholder hosts; and b. Areas not hosting any stakeholder category (interested parties). 3. Define 'consent-based' as being at least 60 percent of the 'population' in the respective stakeholder category and apply this yardstick to both 'in favor' and 'against' votes. Although criteria 1 and 2 also need facility-based definitions to make Key Element 1 measurable, the described siting approach, augmented by related facility-host incentives, would expedite the schedule and reduce the cost for achieving Key Elements 4-6 and 8, politics permitting. (authors)« less

  10. The role of learning environment on high school chemistry students' motivation and self-regulatory processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Judd, Jeffrey S.

    Changes to the global workforce and technological advancements require graduating high school students to be more autonomous, self-directed, and critical in their thinking. To reflect societal changes, current educational reform has focused on developing more problem-based, collaborative, and student-centered classrooms to promote effective self-regulatory learning strategies, with the goal of helping students adapt to future learning situations and become life-long learners. This study identifies key features that may characterize these "powerful learning environments", which I term "high self-regulating learning environments" for ease of discussion, and examine the environment's role on students' motivation and self-regulatory processes. Using direct observation, surveys, and formal and informal interviews, I identified perceptions, motivations, and self-regulatory strategies of 67 students in my high school chemistry classes as they completed academic tasks in both high and low self-regulating learning environments. With social cognitive theory as a theoretical framework, I then examined how students' beliefs and processes changed after they moved from low to a high self-regulating learning environment. Analyses revealed that key features such as task meaning, utility, complexity, and control appeared to play a role in promoting positive changes in students' motivation and self-regulation. As embedded cases, I also included four students identified as high self-regulating, and four students identified as low self-regulating to examine whether the key features of high and low self-regulating learning environments played a similar role in both groups. Analysis of findings indicates that key features did play a significant role in promoting positive changes in both groups, with high self-regulating students' motivation and self-regulatory strategies generally remaining higher than the low self-regulating students; this was the case in both environments. Findings suggest that classroom learning environments and instruction can be modified using variations of these key features to promote specific or various levels of motivation and self-regulatory skill. In this way, educators may tailor their lessons or design their classrooms to better match and develop students' current level of motivation and self-regulation in order to maximize engagement in an academic task.

  11. Voluntary medical male circumcision: a qualitative study exploring the challenges of costing demand creation in eastern and southern Africa.

    PubMed

    Bertrand, Jane T; Njeuhmeli, Emmanuel; Forsythe, Steven; Mattison, Sarah K; Mahler, Hally; Hankins, Catherine A

    2011-01-01

    This paper proposes an approach to estimating the costs of demand creation for voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) scale-up in 13 countries of eastern and southern Africa. It addresses two key questions: (1) what are the elements of a standardized package for demand creation? And (2) what challenges exist and must be taken into account in estimating the costs of demand creation? We conducted a key informant study on VMMC demand creation using purposive sampling to recruit seven people who provide technical assistance to government programs and manage budgets for VMMC demand creation. Key informants provided their views on the important elements of VMMC demand creation and the most effective funding allocations across different types of communication approaches (e.g., mass media, small media, outreach/mobilization). The key finding was the wide range of views, suggesting that a standard package of core demand creation elements would not be universally applicable. This underscored the importance of tailoring demand creation strategies and estimates to specific country contexts before estimating costs. The key informant interviews, supplemented by the researchers' field experience, identified these issues to be addressed in future costing exercises: variations in the cost of VMMC demand creation activities by country and program, decisions about the quality and comprehensiveness of programming, and lack of data on critical elements needed to "trigger the decision" among eligible men. Based on this study's findings, we propose a seven-step methodological approach to estimate the cost of VMMC scale-up in a priority country, based on our key assumptions. However, further work is needed to better understand core components of a demand creation package and how to cost them. Notwithstanding the methodological challenges, estimating the cost of demand creation remains an essential element in deriving estimates of the total costs for VMMC scale-up in eastern and southern Africa.

  12. Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Challenges of Costing Demand Creation in Eastern and Southern Africa

    PubMed Central

    Bertrand, Jane T.; Njeuhmeli, Emmanuel; Forsythe, Steven; Mattison, Sarah K.; Mahler, Hally; Hankins, Catherine A.

    2011-01-01

    Background This paper proposes an approach to estimating the costs of demand creation for voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) scale-up in 13 countries of eastern and southern Africa. It addresses two key questions: (1) what are the elements of a standardized package for demand creation? And (2) what challenges exist and must be taken into account in estimating the costs of demand creation? Methods and Findings We conducted a key informant study on VMMC demand creation using purposive sampling to recruit seven people who provide technical assistance to government programs and manage budgets for VMMC demand creation. Key informants provided their views on the important elements of VMMC demand creation and the most effective funding allocations across different types of communication approaches (e.g., mass media, small media, outreach/mobilization). The key finding was the wide range of views, suggesting that a standard package of core demand creation elements would not be universally applicable. This underscored the importance of tailoring demand creation strategies and estimates to specific country contexts before estimating costs. The key informant interviews, supplemented by the researchers' field experience, identified these issues to be addressed in future costing exercises: variations in the cost of VMMC demand creation activities by country and program, decisions about the quality and comprehensiveness of programming, and lack of data on critical elements needed to “trigger the decision” among eligible men. Conclusions Based on this study's findings, we propose a seven-step methodological approach to estimate the cost of VMMC scale-up in a priority country, based on our key assumptions. However, further work is needed to better understand core components of a demand creation package and how to cost them. Notwithstanding the methodological challenges, estimating the cost of demand creation remains an essential element in deriving estimates of the total costs for VMMC scale-up in eastern and southern Africa. PMID:22140450

  13. English Learner (EL) Students Who Are Hispanic/Latino. Fast Facts [2 of 2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of English Language Acquisition, US Department of Education, 2015

    2015-01-01

    he Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) has synthesized key data on English learners (ELs) into two-page PDF sheets, by topic, with graphics, plus key contacts. The topics for part two of this two part report on English Learner (EL) students who are Hispanic/Latino include: (1) Poverty Level of Hispanic/Latino Students: 2013; (2)…

  14. An Investigation of University Student and K-12 Teacher Reasoning about Key Ideas in the Development of the Particulate Nature of Matter

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robertson, Amy D.

    2011-01-01

    This dissertation describes a systematic investigation of university student and K-12 teacher reasoning about key ideas relevant to the development of a particulate model for matter. Written assessments and individual demonstration interviews have been used to study the reasoning of introductory and sophomore-level physics students, introductory…

  15. Case Report: The Impact of a Resubmission Intervention on Level 1 Distance Learning Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pinchbeck, Jessica; Heaney, Caroline

    2017-01-01

    Student retention and success are key performance indicators within higher education. One of the key opportunities to address both of these lies with the support offered to students who fail a module but are entitled to resubmit. This study investigates the value of implementing a resubmission intervention to improve the quantity and quality of…

  16. How well do middle school science programs measure up? Findings from Project 2061's curriculum review

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kesidou, Sofia; Roseman, Jo Ellen

    2002-08-01

    The purposes of this study were to examine how well middle school programs support the attainment of key scientific ideas specified in national science standards, and to identify typical strengths and weaknesses of these programs using research-based criteria. Nine widely used programs were examined by teams of teachers and specialists in research on teaching and learning. Reviewers found that whereas key ideas were generally present in the programs, they were typically buried between detailed or even unrelated ideas. Programs only rarely provided students with a sense of purpose for the units of study, took account of student beliefs that interfere with learning, engaged students with relevant phenomena to make abstract scientific ideas plausible, modeled the use of scientific knowledge so that students could apply what they learned in everyday situations, or scaffolded student efforts to make meaning of key phenomena and ideas presented in the programs. New middle school science programs that reflect findings from learning research are needed to support teachers better in helping students learn key ideas in science. The criteria and findings from this study on the inadequacies in existing programs could serve as guidelines in new curriculum development.

  17. Trace Elements and Health

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pettyjohn, Wayne A.

    1972-01-01

    Summarizes the effects of arsenic, lead, zinc, mercury, and cadmium on human health, indicates the sources of the elements in water, and considers the possibility of students in high schools analyzing water for trace amounts of the elements. (AL)

  18. Bringing Geoscience Research into Undergraduate Education in the Classroom and Online

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reed, D. L.

    2008-12-01

    The growth of the cyberinfrastructure provides new opportunities for students and instructors to place data- driven, classroom and laboratory exercises in the context of an integrated research project. Undergraduate majors in a classroom section of the applied geophysics course at SJSU use Google Earth to first visualize the geomorphic expression of the Silver Creek fault in the foothills of the eastern Santa Clara Valley in order to identify key research questions regarding the northward projection of the fault beneath the valley floor, near downtown San Jose. The 3-D visualization, both regionally and locally, plays a key element in establishing the overall framework of the research. Students then plan a seismic hazards study in an urban environment, which is the primary focus of the class, using satellite imagery to locate specific stations along a geophysical transect crossing the inferred location of the fault. Geophysical modeling along the transect combines field-based data acquisition by members of the class with regional geophysical data, downloaded from an online USGS database. Students carry out all aspects of the research from project planning, to data acquisition and analysis, report writing, and an oral presentation of the results. In contrast, online courses present special challenges as students may become frustrated navigating complex user interfaces, sometimes employed in research-driven online databases, and not achieve the desired learning outcomes. Consequently, an alternate approach, implemented in an online oceanography course, is for the instructor to first extract research data from online databases, build visualizations, and then place the learning objects in the context of a virtual oceanographic research expedition. Several examples of this approach, to engage students in the experience of oceanographic research, will be presented, including seafloor mapping studies around the Golden Gate and across the major ocean basins, using data obtained in part through the use of the Marine Geoscience Data System and GeoMapApp. Students also locate and undertake submersible dives inside hydrothermal vents using visualizations provided by the OceanExplorer program and New Millennium Observatory of NOAA/PMEL. Other learning activities include participation, at least virtually, in an iron fertilization experiment in the Southern Ocean (SOFeX) and the development of a model of surface circulation using data from the Global Drifter Program and the National Data Buoy Center. One factor contributing to student learning is to establish a research context for the class early on, so that students become engaged in a sense of exploration, testing and discovery.

  19. Element Cycles: An Environmental Chemistry Board Game

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pippins, Tracy; Anderson, Cody M.; Poindexter, Eric F.; Sultemeier, S. Whitney; Schultz, Linda D.

    2011-01-01

    "Element Cycles" is an activity designed to reinforce correlation of essential elements and their different forms in the ecosystem. Students are assigned essential elements to research as homework, then share results, and construct game boards with four ecosphere sections: geosphere (earth), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere…

  20. Platinum Partitioning at Low Oxygen Fugacity: Implications for Core Formation Processes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Medard, E.; Martin, A. M.; Righter, K.; Lanziroti, A.; Newville, M.

    2016-01-01

    Highly siderophile elements (HSE = Au, Re, and the Pt-group elements) are tracers of silicate / metal interactions during planetary processes. Since most core-formation models involve some state of equilibrium between liquid silicate and liquid metal, understanding the partioning of highly siderophile elements (HSE) between silicate and metallic melts is a key issue for models of core / mantle equilibria and for core formation scenarios. However, partitioning models for HSE are still inaccurate due to the lack of sufficient experimental constraints to describe the variations of partitioning with key variable like temperature, pressure, and oxygen fugacity. In this abstract, we describe a self-consistent set of experiments aimed at determining the valence of platinum, one of the HSE, in silicate melts. This is a key information required to parameterize the evolution of platinum partitioning with oxygen fugacity.

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