2015 Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Symposium
- Boosting the Confidence Levels in Adult Students
- Introductory Biology Students' Conceptual Models of Genetic Information Flow Improve Independently of their Approaches to Learning
- Creating a YouTube Playlist for the Middleboro Casebook
- Do Hands-On Activities Improve Learning in an Engineering Mechanics Course?
- Evaluation of a Text Messaging Curriculum in Pediatric Graduate Medical Education
- Longitudinal Underserved Community Curriculum
- Low Cost, High Fidelity Surgical Simulation Model for Carotid Endarterectomy
- Patterns of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in Undergraduate Introductory Biology Students
- Predoctoral Endodontic Education: Extracted Human Teeth vs. Simulated Plastic Teeth
- Problem-based Learning in Health Professions Education
- Professional Learning Communities: Teacher Leadership Enhanced
- Robotic Simulation in Medical Emergency Care Training
- Shaping Professional Behaviors and Attitudes through Professional Service Activities
- Shifting the Focus: The Impact of Learner-Centered Pedagogy in Introductory Biology
- Simulation Task Trainer versus Cadaver Model in Teaching Chest Tube Placement
- Teaching Research Methodology in an Interprofessional Education Setting
- Using Appreciative Inquiry to Develop an Entrepreneurial Mindset
Boosting the Confidence Levels in Adult Students
Anbreen Bashir
There are many factors that are important and can play a role in how students perform
in their education. Examples of such factors are anxiety, under preparedness, overconfidence,
lack of resources and even lack of confidence (Eisenberg, 1991). Lack of confidence
is an interesting factor that has a major impact on test results. This factor is especially
critical if the students are being reintroduced to a subject after a long time. Our
study focuses on the lack of confidence factor in adult students (above 45 years of
age) returning to school after more than five years of gap. Various conventional methods
have been used to boost the confidence level in these students. Our study shows that
using the conventional, "chalk and board" teaching method with moments of reflecting
back, is the most efficient way to work with such students and hence help improve
their grades.
Hypothesis: Using technology in teaching is the best way to boost the confidence and
improve the test scores of adult students.
Methods: Two groups of students (above 45 years of age returning to school after more
than five years gap) were taught same topics (six). For one group the instructional
methodology included power point presentations and videos, and for the other group
the instructional methodology included the conventional chalk and board. The exams
given to both the groups were the same. The exam question format was mixed style including
multiple choice questions, short type answers, essay questions, fill in the blanks
and true or false.
Results: The overall average grade for the conventional instructional method was 80%
and the overall average grade for the non-conventional instruction method was 74.56%.
Conclusion: The results suggest that technology is not the best way to improve scores
and confidence levels of adult students. The adults that return to school need reassurance
to bring their confidence levels up. This reassurance can be achieved by using the
conventional method where a teacher pauses while lecturing looks at the students and
tries to gauge if they are following the instructions and sometimes even modifies
the diagrams, draws arrows, writes additional words based on the need in class (Meyers
and Jones, 1993). There is more eye contact involved when the students are taught
using conventional methods and that reassures the students that they have the full
support of the teacher (Kleine, 1986). The impression that the students get from the
non-conventional methods is that teacher is not a core part of the whole process and
that they are left to the mercy of the slides presented to them (Mark et al, 2007).
This is a preliminary study. We need enough students to form a third group that uses
both the instructional methods (conventional and non-conventional). Also we need to
compare the same methodology with different age groups.
Introductory Biology Students' Conceptual Models of Genetic Information Flow Improve Independently of their Approaches to Learning
Ranya Taqieddin
The flow of information, a core concept of biology, is particularly challenging for
students. Understanding how genetic information stored in DNA results in a phenotype
requires that learners integrate concepts and processes across multiple levels of
biological organization (molecular, cellular, and organismal). We adopted a model-based
approach to teaching and learning about the flow of genetic information in a first-semester
introductory biology course on cell and molecular biology, genetics and animal form
and function. Model-based pedagogies challenge students to think abstractly and to
synthesize their understanding of complex multi-level processes into simplified conceptual
representations. We are exploring whether learners who preferentially adopt different
approaches to studying (or learning orientations: deep, surface or strategic) develop
similarly accurate and meaningful models. Briefly, deep learners tend to seek meaning
and connections among concepts, surface learners tend more toward rote memorization,
and strategic learners adapt to assessment demands and to course context.
Throughout the semester, students iteratively built conceptual models representing
how genetic Variation arises and lead to Phenotypic variation (VtP models). We analyzed
student-constructed VtP models at four time points during the semester (post-instruction
homework, exam 1, midterm exam, final exam). For this study, we focused on students'
ability to generate "functional" models, i.e. complete and coherent representations
of the flow of genetic information. Specifically, we investigated whether student
models included and appropriately connected the processes of mutation, transcription,
translation, and phenotypic expression. Analysis of VtP models for students who completed
all four assessments (n=112) showed that model functionality, as a measure of how
many key processes were included and appropriately connected, significantly improved
throughout the course of the semester. Overall improvement was specifically due to
students gradually learning to incorporate and appropriately connect (a) mutation
as the origin of genetic variation, and - statistically significant - (b) phenotype
expression as an outcome of protein function.
Students' self-reported approaches to studying were determined by their responses
to an adapted version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST;
Entwistle, 2000). Survey response rate was 76%; we identified 27 students as "deep",
38 as "surface", and 27 as "strategic" learners. Our preliminary data suggested that
strategic learners may be more attuned to the meaning (or function) of their whole
models than to the accuracy of details within the model itself. However, we did not
detect statistically significant differences in model functionality among the three
groups of students reporting different learning approaches. If supported by further
analysis, these initial findings would indicate that (a) initial ability to construct
complete and coherent VtP models, and (b) model improvement over time, are independent
of students' learning approach. We will discuss the significance and possible implications
of these findings for model-based instruction.
Creating a YouTube Playlist for the Middleboro Casebook
Jeremy Green, Nicholas Moliterno, and Sobia Shahab
Case teaching is a popular method of management education but its relationship with
technology is complicated. There have been some efforts on case teaching in hybrid
and distance learning courses, but proponents of case teaching generally emphasize
case discussions as in-class activity immune to technological advances thought to
threaten residential education. Traditionally, cases are taught using a chalk and
talk lecture to facilitate class discussions. A more recent development is the use
of multimedia in case teaching. Between 2000 and 2015, Harvard Business School Press
published 49 multimedia cases, but mostly on the manufacturing industry and only one
on the health care services industry. The purpose of this project is to create multimedia
content for an undergraduate course in health management, and to explore its influence
on student experiences and learning outcomes.
The Middleboro Casebook can be found on syllabi across the country and in recent years
has been the center of discussions on innovative teaching at national faculty conferences.
A unique feature of the book is that it contains no discussion questions or assignments
which encourages faculty to create their own assignments containing additional material.
Topics and additional materials for the course were curated by the instructor and
carefully selected to enhance the casebook. Nonfictional materials were added to the
cases since the casebook itself is fictional. These additional materials included
scholarly literature, newspaper articles, blog posts, and YouTube videos. The YouTube
playlist for The Middleboro Casebook could enhance student experiences and learning
outcomes. Videos appeal to senses of sight and sound that readings do not and should
help students to become excited about the topics and retain information from the materials.
Assignment letters related the readings and videos to the casebook and encouraged
critical thinking. .
Currently, 50 students are enrolled across two sections of the class and are completing
their assignment letters in small group discussions. Student experiences will be measured
with the university wide standard Small Group Instructor Feedback at the middle of
the semester with the IDEA Student Ratings of Instruction System at course conclusion.
Learning outcomes will be analyzed by performing a content analysis of the completed
group assignment letters and relating student performance on the activities to competency-based
learning objectives that emphasize the development of critical thinking and written
communications skills.
Next steps are to prepare an abstract for presentation at the 2016 Association of
University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) Annual Meeting and a manuscript
submission for publication in the Journal of Health Administration Education. The
playlist will be shared on the AUPHA Innovative Teaching, Management, Policy, and
Public Health faculty forums to facilitate its use with courses in other disciplines
and at other institutions. Further work will include designing a randomized controlled
trial measuring outcomes associated with student access to the playlist, assigning
groups of students to record their own video responses to the assignment letters,
and a more detailed study of the types of videos that best supplement cases, i.e.
newsreels or Khan Academy, and the effects of video length.
Do Hands-On Activities Improve Learning in an Engineering Mechanics Course?
Michelle Sabick, Laura C. Feamster, Andrea Fischer, and Joao Lopez
Introductory engineering courses such as physics and mechanics can be difficult for
students to grasp because they often discuss concepts that are difficult to visualize.
One tool often employed to help students understand these concepts and correctly solve
mechanics problems is the free body diagram (FBD), a two-dimensional representation
of one member of interest in a mechanics problem and the forces and moments acting
on that member. FBDs are often graded components of test questions in mechanics and
they can be very useful to students in solving problems correctly. In addition, FBDs
provide a good indication of the student's understanding of the material.
This study seeks to compare the relative merits of two course delivery styles: one
with a more traditional lecture set up (two large group lecture hall 75-minute meetings
per week) and another with more emphasis on hands-on activities to demonstrate the
concepts, in creating deep understanding of mechanics concepts. For the version with
more hands-on activities, a series of fifteen 75-minute small group hands-on activities
were incorporated into what is normally a standard lecture-style course (one 75-minute
large-group lecture hall meeting per week and one 75-minute small-group hands-on meeting
per week). The hands-on activities were designed to reinforce students' deep understanding
of basic statics concepts and help students overcome misperceptions. Both courses
were taught by the same instructor in successive spring semesters during the 2012-2013
and 2013-2014 academic years.
The effectiveness of each style will be quantified by comparing students' overall
course grade outcomes as well as by their specific performance in creating FBDs on
final examinations in both courses. In addition, the time-sequence of students' improvement
in using FBDs will be evaluated for the hands-on course by evaluating FBDs across
a series of four exams throughout the semester long course. The students' effectiveness
in applying free-body diagrams will be quantified using a scoring rubric on specific
problems from de-identified scanned student exams (Rosengrant et al., 2009). In addition,
comparison of final exam performance from the Spring 2013 final exam (no hands-on
activities) to the Spring 2014 final exam (hands-on activities) will be compared using
the same rubric. In addition, two additional rubrics-one assessing students' understanding
of moments of force and one assessing their problem solving ability overall-will be
developed as part of this ongoing project.
Evaluation of a Text Messaging Curriculum in Pediatric Graduate Medical Education
Matthew Broom and Amy Ladley
Background: The duty-hour restrictions implemented in 2011 by the Accreditation Council
for Graduate Medical Education have raised considerable concerns regarding the duration
and quality of education for residents. It is imperative for residency programs to
address educational concerns related to duty-hour restrictions and to find viable
alternative methods to educate residents. One way to maximize educational yield is
catering to residents' preferred methods of communication. Text messaging is a powerful
avenue for reaching residents quickly and effectively, but its utility in educating
residents has hardly been evaluated. Though the feasibility of texting has been demonstrated,
its ability to improve standardized test scores and provide insight on resident texting
preferences is lacking. Building on previous work, we have revised our text-messaging
program (Text4Peds) to explore these ends and designed the present study. We hypothesized
that 1) Q&A texts would be the preferred message format among pediatric residents,
and 2) tailoring categories of messages with American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) content
specific information would result in a greater performance improvement in those areas
when compared to content areas not highlighted by text messages.
Objectives: Evaluate pediatric resident 1) satisfaction with a hybrid question-and-answer
(Q&A) texting format and 2) pre-post pediatric in-training exam (ITE) performance.
Design/Methods: A prospective study with pediatrics and internal medicine-pediatrics
residents. Residents were divided into subgroups: adolescent medicine (AM) and developmental
medicine (DM). Program messages (n=120), were primarily derived from topics and themes
found among the most-missed pediatric ITE questions among SLU pediatric residents
in 2012 and 2013. Messages were sent Monday-Friday at two o'clock in the afternoon,
so as not to interrupt morning rounds and scheduled educational didactics. The majority
of messages (72%, n=86) were a one-way message of a concise and commonly tested facts
("pearls"), the remaining (28%, n=34) of messages (one message per week) were presented
in Q&A format, requesting a response from the user. Messages were further categorized
into the general pediatric licensing exam subtypes published by the ABP. Residents
completed surveys gauging perceptions of the program and pre- and post-program ITE
scores were analyzed.
Results: Of 61 residents, 41 (67%) enrolled in the six-month program; 32 (78%) completed
a post program survey. Of those, 21 (66%) preferred a Q&A format with an immediate
text response versus information-only texts. Regarding program feasibility, participants
received 4708 (86%) of 5446 sent messages. The percent change in ITE scores between
2013 and 2014 was significant. Comparing subgroups, there was no significant difference
between the percent change in ITE score, and neither group performed significantly
better on either the adolescent or developmental section of the ITE.
Conclusions: A text message-based curriculum for pediatric resident education was
successfully implemented in our residency program. Messages were delivered with a
high success rate and residents found educational value in the messages. Overall,
participants improved their ITE score, but no improvement was seen in the targeted
subgroups on the exam. While Q&A texts are preferred by residents, further assessment
is required to assess their effect on educational outcomes.
Longitudinal Underserved Community Curriculum
Christine Jacobs
Research Question: Can a longitudinal curriculum in underserved community health during
family medicine residency affect knowledge, attitudes, confidence and likelihood of
practicing in an underserved community?
The Longitudinal Underserved Community Curriculum (LUCC) is a project of the Saint
Louis University Family Medicine Residency (SLUFMR), established July 2011 with a
mission of training ""clinically skilled, academically trained family physicians committed
to practicing in an urban setting and improving the health of underserved families/populations.""
The LUCC is designed to increase resident knowledge, clinical skills, and personal
commitment to care for underserved patients and families. The project includes educational
and community engagement activities, targeted resident recruiting, and the formulation
and dissemination of a curriculum tool for use in other residencies.
Methods: Residents attended monthly hour-long lectures throughout the residency and
twelve monthly day-long seminars during postgraduate year (PGY)-2 which focused on
aspects of caring for underserved patients. A pre- and post-curriculum study design
assessed knowledge gain in each content area, as well as self-reported Likert-scale
ratings of attitudes, beliefs, and confidence related to underserved care. Qualitative
data were collected at focus groups after each year of seminars.
Outcomes: The project began September 30, 2011, and is currently in its fourth year.
Resident questionnaires revealed positive changes in attitudes and knowledge related
to underserved care. Following completion of the curriculum, nearly all (85.7%) of
participants felt confident or totally confident in their ability to incorporate culturally
relevant information into a treatment plan. Over half of the participants (57.1%)
reported feeling extremely well aware of the obstacles faced by underserved populations
seeking health care and of the relationship among sociocultural background, health
and medicine. Knowledge of issues related to underserved populations increased by
38.95% following the seminars and 31.58% following the lectures. There was no apparent
increase in likelihood of practicing in an underserved practice setting following
completion of the program.
Next steps: The curriculum changes slightly each year through an annual review process.
The curriculum and evaluation methods are being shared with other residencies at national
conferences. The description of the project is being submitted for publication. The
materials are being formatted to be posted in a digital library.
Low Cost, High Fidelity Surgical Simulation Model for Carotid Endarterectomy
Alon Neidich, Christopher Kinsella, and Brian Peterson
Introduction and Objectives: The development of surgical models allows physicians
during and after training to acquire and hone new skills. Advances in digital technology
have been responsible for the development of a variety of endovascular training options.
For open vascular operations, there is a paucity of effective, affordable models for
training. Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) has become an increasingly safe and common
procedure in the United States. In 2009 an estimated 140,000 CEAs were performed.
The procedure, first developed in the mid 1950s has become the most common vascular
surgery procedure performed. Although surgical simulation is gaining in importance
in surgical education, limited options exist for CEA practice. A search of commercially
available surgical models for carotid endarterectomy was performed. A single carotid
endarterectomy trainer was available and listed for $500 USD. Mastery of a procedure
involves four phases: 1) accumulation of knowledge 2) supervised performance integration
3) independent execution 4) evaluation of outcomes. We propose the high fidelity,
low cost surgical simulation model can play an integral role in facilitating this
learning cycle.
Methods: Using generic and household items, construction of a surgically accurate
neck model was attempted. Goals of the construction included (1) realistic technical
simulation of a carotid endarterectomy, (2) low cost for initial unit, (3) low cost
for each unit reuse.
Senior residents assisted junior residents in the CEA procedure after reviewing the
anatomy and operative plan under sterile conditions in the operating room with a vascular
instrument set.
Results: A high-fidelity surgical model of the neck and its vascular anatomy was constructed.
Junior residents were successfully taken through the procedure by senior residents
and reported increased comfort with the operation. Further, senior residents reported
a greater appreciation for surgical exposure and operative conduct. The material cost
of the model and its reuse was $30 and $10, respectively.
Conclusions: Our investigations showcases the opportunity to utilize the high fidelity
model for supervised performance integration. Further investigations towards utilizing
the model in other phases of learning including accumulation of knowledge during gross
anatomy for medical students is actively being pursued.
Furthermore, this model can be utilized for other neck operations for surgeons including
tracheostomy and cricothyroidotomy. Our model provides facility for multiple surgeries.
Overall, this model allows for repetitive, deliberate practice towards the acquisition
of important surgical skills outside of the operating room. There is a great need
for low cost high fidelity models and our work product is the first step towards making
open surgical simulation utilitarian and successful.
Patterns of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in Undergraduate Introductory Biology Students
Amanda Sebesta
Under social cognitive theory, self-regulated learning (SRL)-the metacognitive ability to monitor and influence one's learning process-involves using strategies to achieve learning goals. SRL has been shown to mediate academic performance in various contexts. Therefore, we investigated SRL strategy use in a learner-centered, large introductory biology course for majors, enrolling mostly freshmen. Introductory biology is notoriously a challenging course; moreover, a learner-centered instructional design may be novel to many students who are transitioning from high school to college. In addition to mastering disciplinary content and skills and applying critical and integrative thinking, students are expected to assume more responsibility and proactive behavior in their studies. In this exploratory study, we determined patterns of SRL strategy use in introductory biology overall and in relation to achievement on course exams. We developed and administered a questionnaire, grounded in Zimmerman's social-cognitive view of SRL, asking students (a) how often they used each of 15 SRL strategies, (b) their exam grade, and (c) their study plan for the following exam. Students in two course sections completed the questionnaire anonymously, and we analyzed pooled data (n=388 for Exam 1, and n=385 for Exam 2). Reported SRL strategy use, in aggregate, did not noticeably change between exams. Regardless of exam grade, students reported most often seeking information on their own (or from peers) to complete assignments, taking notes on what they learn, restructuring their study environment, reviewing their notes, and reviewing the textbook or class recordings. The least frequently reported strategy was seeking instructor or TA assistance. Higher-achieving students reported using particular strategies significantly more frequently than their lower-achieving peers. These included, for both exams, evaluating the quality of their work, seeking information independently, taking notes, using sample exams, and reviewing their own graded assignments. Understanding patterns of self-regulation, especially in relation to grades, may help instructors develop targeted mentoring and interventions for promoting SRL strategies in introductory biology.
Predoctoral Endodontic Education: Extracted Human Teeth vs. Simulated Plastic Teeth
Karl Woodmansey
Purpose: This abstract reports the results of a survey of predoctoral endodontic educators
in the U.S and Canada, exploring their programs' use of extracted human and simulated
plastic teeth.
Methods: In August 2014, with approval of the University of the Pacific IRB, a hyperlink
to a web-based survey consisting of 27 questions was e-mailed to the 67 predoctoral
endodontic directors of the dental schools in the US & Canada using an e-mail list
provided by the American Association of Endodontists.
Conclusions: Forty predoctoral directors submitted surveys (60%). The findings were
varied.
When asked "In your school's PRECLINICAL endodontic laboratory curriculum, what type
of teeth are used by students for simulation exercises: (select one)," 16% reported
using human teeth, 16% reported using plastic teeth and 26% reported using both types
of teeth.
When asked, "If your students use extracted human teeth for laboratory simulation
exercises, do your students have an adequate supply these teeth?" 70% reported having
an adequate supply and 30% reported an inadequate supply.
When asked, "If there are patient shortages, are simulation exercises using extracted
teeth or plastic teeth accepted as substitutes for clinical experiences?" 56% reported
permitting substitution while 44% did not.
In an open comments section of the survey, several respondents cited their use of
extracted human teeth as the most realistic simulation of live patients. Some respondents
preferred using simulated teeth for standardization between students and for examination
purposes. Another reported influence is the fact that all regional licensing board
examinations, except the Western Regional Examination Board (WREB), utilize plastic
teeth. Several respondents cited the ethical issues of using extracted human teeth
that may not have been expressly donated with approval or informed consent for such
educational uses. Others spoke of the infection control issues related to the use
of human teeth.
Depending on the program, contemporary predoctoral endodontic education utilizes both
extracted human teeth and simulated teeth composed or various polymers. The directors
of the predoctoral endodontic programs appear to have a variety of reasons supporting
their choice of teeth.
Problem-based Learning in Health Professions Education
Kristine L'Ecuyer and David Pole
A problem based learning (PBL) framework was utilized in a series of six interprofessional team seminars (IPTS) for post-baccalaureate students from seven health professions. The goal of IPTS was to develop a collaborative practice-ready workforce prepared to respond to patient care needs through use of concrete examples, skills development, critical thinking, and problem solving in safe, faculty-facilitated small groups. The collaborative nature of PBL closely correlates with teaching methodologies of the IPTS series. This study analyzed critical reflection assignments of nursing students in accelerated programs to determine the effectiveness of IPTS at preparing students for interprofessional collaborative practice. Findings indicated that PBL is an effective method for teaching interprofessional collaboration skills to nursing students.
Professional Learning Communities: Teacher Leadership Enhanced
Maria Habboushi
The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate whether faculty members
in private institutions of higher education in Lebanon engage in learning communities
to develop teacher leadership roles. The unit of analysis for this study was comprised
of part-time and full-time faculty members teaching English as a foreign language
(EFL) at three universities in Lebanon. The population who participated included 275
EFL part-time teachers and full-time teachers. Data collection methods included a
survey adapted from the teacher IC Maps in Learning Forward and an email interview,
and was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The research questions
were: 1- What does teacher leadership mean to individuals in higher education in Lebanon?
2- Do EFL faculty members in higher education in Lebanon engage in learning communities
to develop leadership roles? 3- How do EFL faculty members in Lebanon engage in learning
communities to develop leadership roles?
115 respondents completed the survey, which makes the return rate 41.8% and was deemed
acceptable. Five surveys were eliminated because they were incomplete, and were thus
treated as missing data. Analysis of the survey data showed no significant differences
related to the practices of the EFL faculty with regards to the standards. All the
standards had a low mean score which means that faculty members in higher education
in Lebanon do not participate in learning communities as outlined by the standards.
Therefore, they do not practice leadership roles. Nine faculty members out of 115
responded to the email interview, which makes the return rate 7.8% and was deemed
as unacceptable. However, analysis of the email interviews showed a timid attempt
at forming learning communities. These communities were not to enhance professional
learning, but to verify students' results or to check that faculty were on par with
each other regarding the weekly schedule especially for those who taught in multi-level
sections.
The researcher recommends the introduction of the standards to enable teams to collaborate
in professional learning communities so that faculty members can match their present
behavior to align with the standards to achieve the desired behavior. In addition,
the researcher recommends the use of the standards as professional learning for faculty,
in light of the absence of professional development opportunities in Lebanon. The
use of the standards as professional learning will serve a dual role of improving
instructional methods while serving as professional development. Therefore, this would
ultimately lead to the end result of teacher leadership which is lacking in Lebanon.
Robotic Simulation in Medical Emergency Care Training
Christine Werner and Wesley Burch
Purpose: Medical emergency care (MEC) using robotic simulation technology was developed
for Physician Assistant (PA) students to determine whether educational innovative
MEC simulation training improved students' preparedness in assisting with various
types of trauma cases, cardiac codes and medically unstable patients in the emergency
room. This project fits the DCHS mission to serve humanity through student engagement,
education and scholarship.
Methods: Students complete MEC training in their didactic and clinical year using
robotic simulation in cardiology and emergency medicine courses. The didactic MEC
training consists of procedure skills, team practices, and case scenario practicums.
A second MEC case practicum is completed in the clinical year, at the end of their
emergency medicine rotation. Students are then surveyed to evaluate their MEC training
experience using a five-point Likert scale design with the data analyzed using descriptive
statistics with SAS 9.3.
Results: Over 90% of the students either strongly agreed or agreed MEC training using
robotic simulation helped prepare them for emergency medicine rotation and it increased
their confidence and communication skills while working with MEC cases.
Discussion: MEC training increased students' confidence and preparedness during emergency
medicine events. This study supports published research findings that have demonstrated
the usefulness of robotic medical simulation in MEC education. This project continues
to measure academic and professional outcomes of PA students using robotic simulation
for MEC training.
Shaping Professional Behaviors and Attitudes through Professional Service Activities
Cynthia Matlock
Overview: Literature addresses multiple aspects of professionalism, however, nominal
information can be found on the student occupational therapist's perceptions of behavior
and attitude development. A research study was conducted to explore student perspectives
related to professional behaviors and attitudes. Of the three questions, this poster
focuses on answering What effect does participation in professional activities have
on professional development?
The poster will present the research design, participant sampling, data collection
and analysis, findings, implications, and future areas of study. The objectives are
threefold:
• Be informed of a qualitative research inquiry exploring the formation of students
as they acquire professional behaviors and attitudes in an educational program.
• Be conversant of an intentional learning activity, the professional service activity,
and its effect on the development of professional behaviors and attitudes from the
student occupational therapist perspective.
• Be able to generalize the study's findings for application to an educational program.
Description: If we agree that shaping professional characteristics is as significant
as acquiring knowledge and skills, then why do we struggle with methodology to instill
the very attributes sought by the profession? Formation is a complex process. It requires
practice, experience, mentorship, and critique. Due to our already full syllabi, the
development of professional behaviors and attitudes frequently becomes two dimensional-
lecture presentations or self-assessment assignments.
A non-specific term, ‘professional service activity' indicates participation in a
field or discipline. Examples include membership in/service to the national association
or attending continuing education offerings. In the context of the curriculum's three
semester Professional Development Seminars, faculty and staff members assisted in
the creation of a list of activities. Activities included both intra- and extra- departmental.
The learning activity begins with students self-selecting a professional service activity
team of interest. Team members develop, implement, and evaluate the progress and outcomes
of their tasks. Integrated classroom assignments seek to reveal a connection between
student participation in the professional service activity and the acquisition of
professional behaviors and attitudes. The ultimate objective was to determine the
effect of an intentional learning activity on the development of professional behaviors
and attitudes through the lens of the student occupational therapist.
Faculty and student evaluation is positive: the Professional Service Activity is a
viable experience to facilitate professionalism. Summarizing her participation, on
student wrote "As clinicians, we will have to work in several different groups. Therefore,
I realize that I am going to have to use the same professional traits as I used in
the OT bulletin board group. I will have to be adaptable, respectful, and punctual
when working with these individuals to make our interventions work. Thus, I will try
to keep this new knowledge in mind when I enter into a professional relationship with
other professions."
Concluding, professional service activities can assist in shaping our soon-to-be occupational
therapy colleagues with the necessary professional behaviors and attitudes for practice
in healthcare. The outcomes of the study may be able to be generalized: professional
service activities may be an effective, intentional learning task for integration
in other educational programs.
Shifting the Focus: The Impact of Learner-Centered Pedagogy in Introductory Biology
Laurie Russell, Elena Bray Speth, and Amanda Sebesta
The science education literature provides ample evidence of the benefits of active
learning in terms of student learning, retention, and motivation. The community is
now beginning to explore how active learning environments impact other aspects of
student learning and development, including affect, metacognition, and self-regulation.
It is well established that active learning pedagogies aim to shift classroom dynamics
from teacher-centered to learner-centered, increasing students' responsibility for
their own learning.
We investigated the impact of an active learning pedagogy on student perceptions of
barriers to engagement and learning. This research was conducted in a large-enrollment
introductory biology course for science majors at a large private research university.
The course had five large sections of about 130 students each, taught by 4 different
instructors. Three sections implemented an active pedagogy in a flipped learning environment;
specifically, students in these sections were expected to engage with selected content
and prescribed homework activities prior to class, and class time was devoted primarily
to application, case studies, group work, and model building. The other two course
sections implemented a traditional, lecture-based pedagogy. In all sections, we collected
(a) evidence of student learning outcomes (based on identical pre-test and post-test
questions on fundamental biology concepts taught in the course), and (b) end-of-term
survey data documenting students' self-reported perceptions of barriers to classroom
engagement and learning.
Analysis of the pre-test/post-test questions showed that learning gains in the active
sections were equal to or slightly greater than learning gains in the traditional
sections. Survey response data from sections taught by the same instructor were pooled.
A single instructor taught two active sections (group A, n=240 respondents), a second
instructor taught one active section (group B, n=123 respondents), and two instructors
co-taught the two traditional sections (group C, n=188 respondents). Students reported
overall higher levels of engagement in the active classroom: 79% of students in group
A and 75% of students in group B reported being engaged for 80% or more of class time,
compared to 50% of students in group C reporting this level of engagement. Asked to
explain the reasons for their lack of engagement, students in the active sections
(groups A and B) referred to personal issues unrelated to the course significantly
more often than students in the traditional sections (group C). Moreover, group C
students perceived the class environment and various aspects of the pedagogy as barriers
to engagement significantly more often than their peers. Group C students also identified
the class environment and academic resources as obstacles to their learning of biology
significantly more often than students in the active sections. Importantly, similar
proportions of students in all course sections reported course content, pace or difficulty
as a barrier to engagement and learning.
Our data indicate that an active learning pedagogy, while resulting in similar learning
gains and similar perceptions of course rigor, promotes, in learners, a shift toward
students assuming responsibility for being engaged in class rather than attributing
such responsibility to the instructor or the environment.
Simulation Task Trainer versus Cadaver Model in Teaching Chest Tube Placement
Ting Xu Tan and Erin Quattromani
Background: Residents in Emergency Medicine (EM) and Surgery are expected to become
skilled and confident in performing tube thoracostomies (chest tubes) during their
residency education. There has been no standard or approved educational method for
teaching this procedure to residents. Historically, residency programs employ the
apprenticeship model of "see one, do one, teach one" at the bedside to teach tube
thoracostomy but this method is less favorable as a sole modality. Both cadavers and
simulation task trainers (mannequins) have been used in residency education to gain
general procedural expertise. To date, there is no study specifically comparing the
effectiveness of simulation task trainer versus cadaver model at teaching chest tubes.
Objectives: To compare simulation task trainer versus cadaver for teaching thoracostomy
procedural skills to EM and surgery residents.
Methods: This is a prospective, randomized controlled study consisting of residents
at a tertiary care teaching hospital. All subjects were randomized into simulation
task trainer or cadaver training groups based on their prior experience with chest
tube placements. They were given access to audiovisual material on chest tubes prior
to their training session. Subjects then participated in a hands-on simulation-based
deliberate practice training session according to their assigned simulation modality
in July 2015. The training was done one-on-one with a single trained faculty member.
Those in the cadaver group practiced with embalmed cadavers while those in the simulator
group practiced on a TraumaMan (mannequin) task simulator (SIMULAB Corporation, Seattle,
WA). The primary outcomes of this study is confidence in placing a chest tube as well
as ability to subsequently place a chest tube in the clinical setting during the six
months following the initial training session. Secondary outcomes include retention
of chest tube placement skills and confidence in their ability measured six months
post-training. Mean scores were compared using two-sample t-test.
Results: Sixteen junior residents (8 EM, 8 surgery residents) participated in the
study and were randomized to cadaver group (n=8) and simulation group (n=8). No significant
differences in characteristics existed between the two groups in terms of age, prior
experience or confidence. Pre-training confidence levels were low for both groups,
2.50 ±1.85 (cadaver) vs 3.00 ±3.07 (simulation), p = 0.70. After training, both groups
had a statistically significant increase in mean confidence, 8.00 ±1.31( p <0.001)
for simulation and 8.13 ±1.36 (p = 0.002) for cadaver group. There was no statistical
significance in post-training confidence between groups (p = 0.85) or in the change
in confidence of the two groups (p = 0.67).
Conclusions: Both educational methods of simulation task trainer and cadaver model
for teaching chest tube placement are associated with significant increased confidence
of the resident. There is no statistically significant difference in increased learner
confidence between either modality after initial training. Next we will assess the
resident's ability to independently place chest tubes in the clinical setting as well
as retention of confidence and procedural skill at a six-month follow up skill session.
Teaching Research Methodology in an Interprofessional Education Setting
Leslie Hinyard and Clair Reynolds
Context: As IPE programs have been shown to improve students' knowledge and attitudes
concerning working collaboratively with other health care professionals (Cooper, Carlisle,
Gibbs, & Watkins, 2001), the next logical step is for students to understand the importance
of how to study and measure such health outcomes. This implies a need for IPE programs
to include a course on outcomes-research methodology to aid students in asking IPE/IPP-relevant
questions and identify appropriate measures and methods to assess key patient outcomes.
Furthermore, a course in health outcomes research methods supports many of the competencies
associated with IPE programs, including: problem solving, decision making, communication,
shared knowledge and skills, a focus on patient-centered practice, and working collaboratively
as a team (Stevenson, Seenan, Morlan, & Smith, 2012).
Purpose: Recognizing the importance of building students' skillsets to address assessment
of health outcomes from an interprofessional perspective, the ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÍø
Center for Interprofessional Education and Research (SLU-CIER), along with the Saint
Louis University Center for Outcomes Research (SLUCOR), implemented a health outcomes
research course as part of the minor in Interprofessional Practice.
Research design: Students were divided into interprofessional small groups based on
their major. The course utilized a scaffolding approach and assessed learning outcomes
using two group presentations and one individual reflection paper. The final reflection
papers asked students to examine and reflect on their experiences in the course, what
they learned, and how their experiences have changed how they will approach problems
in the future. A content analysis of the reflection papers is the foundation of this
report.
Main Findings: Analyses revealed students firmly believe that stable interprofessional
teams were essential for meeting the course objectives and that team stability across
the semester helped build the trust necessary to work effectively on their large projects.
Additionally, breaking down the research process via the scaffold approach made the
difficult topic more manageable and less frightening to students who were initially
worried about the larger tasks they were being asked to complete. Finally, it was
recommended that the course begin with a review of each profession and how they typically
interact within clinical settings for students who do not yet have clinical experience.
Implications for practice: The development and implementation of the course in Interprofessional
Health Outcomes Research was a positive experience for both students and the instructor.
Utilizing scaffolded, active learning strategies gave the students ownership of their
learning allowing them to develop not only an understanding of the research process,
but skills in team building and communication with other professionals.
Using Appreciative Inquiry to Develop an Entrepreneurial Mindset
Whitney Linsenmeyer
Research Question: How can appreciative inquiry be used to develop an entrepreneurial
mindset in a graduate-level management course?
Background: Entrepreneurship education has been rapidly gaining traction over the
past several decades, from just over a dozen colleges and universities offering entrepreneurship
courses in 1970 to nearly 1,600 in 2002 (Katz, 2003). Critical to the spirit of entrepreneurship
education is the cultivation of an entrepreneurial mindset, which is marked by skills
such as creative problem solving, comfort with ambiguity, resilience, and calculated
risk-taking (Human, Clark & Baucus, 2005).
Given the newness of entrepreneurship education, best practices for teaching and learning
are a relatively new field of research. Many educators are considering appreciative
inquiry (AI) as a pedagogical tool that complements the cultivation of an entrepreneurial
mindset (Assudani & Kilbourne, 2014). AI is a positive philosophy that convenes whole
systems to inspire change by emphasizing conversational learning, positive inquiry,
and a shift from fixing what is broken (i.e problem solving) to embracing strengths
and greater capacities for the whole (Cooperrider, Whitney & Stavros, 2003). Conklin
(2009) outlines the AI process through four phases: discovery (what has been?), dream
(what could be?), design (what should be?), and delivery (what will be?).
Though AI has been used in diverse settings, AI as a classroom approach has only emerged
in the literature within the past ten years (Conklin & Hartman, 2014). Therefore,
the purpose of this study is to describe how appreciative inquiry can be used to develop
an entrepreneurial mindset in a graduate-level management course.
Methods: This paper describes the design of a graduate-level management course to
cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset using AI as a pedagogical tool. The four major
components of the course (one reflection paper, two group projects, and one networking
assignment) will be discussed within the context of the four phases of AI: discovery,
dream, design, and delivery.
Illustrative quotes from students' work will be used to demonstrate how each course
component guides students through the phases of AI. Additionally, the results of the
course evaluation (IDEA) will be used to discuss students' perceptions of how the
course met the relevant objectives.
Lastly, this paper discusses the usefulness of AI as a pedagogical tool in various
courses beyond the traditional business and management curriculum, and concludes with
the need for further research in relevant disciplines.