China, Education, Dental, Graduate, Educational Measurement, Female, Humans, Male, Models, Educational, Teaching, Young Adult, Education, Dental methods, and Teaching Materials

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of microteaching combined with the BOPPPS method (bridge-in, learning objective, pretest, participatory learning, posttest, and summary) on a dental materials course for predoctoral dental students. Participants were 105 fourth-year students in a dental school in China in 2016 and 2017. The control group consisted of 51 students who received conventional teaching, while the experimental group consisted of 54 students who received dental materials education from teachers using microteaching combined with the BOPPPS method. Teaching effectiveness was evaluated by all students after each class, and examination scores for the two groups were compared. The results showed that the evaluations of teacher performance in the experimental group were superior to those in the control group in two areas: effectiveness of communication and clear interpretation of abstract ideas and theories. The evaluation scores for teaching effectiveness were significantly better for the experimental group than for the control group (students were encouraged to participate in class discussion, instructor stimulated interest in the course subject, instructor encouraged students to think for themselves, students learned and understood the subject materials in the course). In addition, the experimental group had significantly higher examination scores than the control group. These results suggest that microteaching based on the BOPPPS model could stimulate the interest and enthusiasm of dental students, improve students' thinking ability, help teachers generate innovative teaching ideas, and improve teaching quality. The findings provide a scientific and rigorous theoretical basis for the promotion of this combined teaching model in various disciplines.

Female, Humans, Male, Pilot Projects, Surveys and Questionnaires, Teaching Materials, Education, Dental methods, Histology education, Learning, Microscopy methods, Students, Dental psychology, Students, Medical psychology, Teaching, and Virtual Reality

Introduction: Virtual microscopy, used as a method to teach histology, has many undeniable advantages. However, the usefulness of this method is somewhat limited by the difficulties students face in finding their way through huge amounts of digital data, compounded by decreased interaction between students and teachers. We describe the results of a recent pilot project which combined the modern teaching methods of active learning, where students themselves present histological slides and make use of the virtual microscopy system.
Methods: Students' responses to a structured questionnaire and examination results were evaluated.
Results: We found that a combination of both electronic materials and textbooks was commonly used by students to prepare for practical teaching sessions, with electronic resources being used regularly by the majority of students. No statistically relevant differences were found between the approaches of dentistry vs general medicine students. Cooperation between students' groups during the preparation for individual presentations was seen to be beneficial by a majority of dentistry students; they reported that the introduction of student-led presentations improved their quality of preparation for practical lessons, as well as increasing their participation and activity level in the lessons themselves. These different approaches and motivations between students of dentistry and general medicine are reflected in the test results where dentistry students are more successful.
Conclusion: We confirm that there are differences in motivation, approaches and examination results between both groups of students, which should be taken into account and which could lead to differentiation of future curricula for both study courses.
(© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Anthropology, Cultural, Australia, Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate, Female, Hospitals, Teaching, Humans, Male, Nursing Education Research, Nursing Evaluation Research, Students, Nursing statistics numerical data, Faculty, Nursing statistics numerical data, Learning, Multilingualism, Students, Nursing psychology, and Teaching

Background: Increasing numbers of undergraduate nursing students speak English as an additional language. Clinical placements can be difficult for many of these students and their clinical facilitators. The causes of challenges are often reported to be students' lack of English language ability or, for some students, learning styles that are not suited to Western style education.
Objective: The purpose of this research was to investigate how clinical facilitators' pedagogic practices in hospital settings enabled or constrained the learning of students for whom English was an additional language.
Method: This research used an ethnographic design to observe the interactions of twenty-one first year students for whom English is an additional language, and their three facilitators. Observations occurred during three two-week clinical placement blocks, in three large metropolitan hospitals in Australia. Written ethnographic field notes were made during the observations. Field notes were analysed in two stages: firstly, to identify major themes, and secondly, to map the spaces and activities where facilitators and students interacted.
Results: The study found that there were multiple learning spaces in the hospitals, each of which was associated with particular learning activities between facilitators and students. These activities provided access to opportunities for learning core nursing skills, as well as for socialisation into the language of nursing. However, not all students had access to these opportunities. The pedagogic practices facilitators used created or constrained learning opportunities for students.
Conclusion: This paper proposes a new way of thinking about the supervision of students for whom English is an additional language in clinical settings. Rather than focusing on a lack of English language proficiency or cultural heritage factors, it proposes that a guided approach to using spaces and activities can maximise students' opportunities for learning.
(Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Humans, Personal Satisfaction, Students, Medical psychology, Surveys and Questionnaires, Teaching Materials, General Surgery education, Internship and Residency methods, and Teaching

Attitude, Educational Measurement, Humans, Social Perception, Students, Medical psychology, Teaching Materials, Geriatrics education, Postcards as Topic, Problem-Based Learning methods, and Teaching

One means to uncover common attitudes toward aging and older adults is to perform content analyses of popular print media forms such as newspapers, magazines, and even greeting cards. This active learning activity involves small groups of undergraduate students replicating, in a limited way, elements of a published research study on the messages conveyed by age-related birthday cards. In the exercise, each group of students is asked to analyze a set of 15 different birthday cards and to share qualitative and quantitative findings with classmates before submitting a written "discussion section" on their results to the instructor. The author demonstrates how this exercise, because it is aligned with key course learning outcomes as well as with coursework preceding and following the activity, is integrated into the overall learning environment of the course. Comments on student findings, the potential benefits of and modifications to the exercise, and the transferability of the exercise to other course contexts are also provided.

Academic Performance, Adolescent, Adult, Cadaver, Dissection education, Dissection methods, Education, Medical ethics, Education, Medical standards, Female, Humans, Male, Perception, Surveys and Questionnaires, Teaching Materials, Textbooks as Topic, Young Adult, Anatomy education, Education, Medical methods, Learning, Musculoskeletal System anatomy histology, Students, Medical psychology, and Teaching

Medical schools have traditionally used a lecture and dissection-based approach for educating students about human anatomy. There is growing interest in the adoption of alternative teaching and learning activities (TLAs) that incorporate the use of cadaveric prosection and computer-based learning into musculoskeletal (MSK) anatomy curricula. The purpose of this investigation was to examine retrospectively how different TLAs influenced student perceptions about learning, and performance on MSK anatomy examinations. Pre-clerkship students from the same medical school were compared. One group completed 15hours of dissection-based laboratory instruction; another group completed 15hours of prosection-based laboratory instruction. All other aspects of the curricula were the same. Information was gathered about student perceptions using a standardized survey that compared six different TLAs on eight specific learning objectives. Academic performance on examinations was compared. Ninety-three medical students (50% of first year class/34% of second year class) participated. Only 27 had taken a MSK anatomy course prior to enrolling in medicine. Both groups rated learning via medical imaging and clinical case-based scenarios highly. While each group also ranked both methods of cadaveric teaching highly, only the prosection group thought there was a significant difference. No differences in academic performance were noted between groups. Data support the inclusion of cadaveric-based teaching, medical imaging and clinical case-based scenarios as key elements of a MSK anatomy curriculum, and suggest that academic performance is not influenced by the method of cadaveric instruction. These results should help guide the selection of effective MSK anatomy TLAs within undergraduate medical programs.
(Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Checklist, Communication, Cooperative Behavior, Humans, Leadership, Teaching Rounds organization administration, Hospitals, Medical Records standards, Patient Care Team standards, Teaching, and Teaching Rounds standards

Background: Ward rounds, a keystone of hospital surgical practice, have recently been under the spotlight. Poor-quality ward rounds can lead to a greater number of adverse events, thereby cascading to an increased financial strain on our already burdened healthcare systems. Faced with mounting pressures from both outside and inside health organizations, concerted efforts are required to restore it back into prominence where it can no longer take a backseat to the other duties of a surgeon.
Methods: The nucleus of this narrative review is derived from an extensive literature search on surgical ward rounds.
Results: In this review, we focus on the need for reforms, current characteristics of surgical ward rounds, obstacles encountered by competing interests and proposed solutions in delivery of effective ward rounds that can meet with newly laid guidelines.
Conclusion: Ward rounds should be standardized and prioritized to improve patient care.

Adult, Educational Measurement, Educational Technology methods, Faculty, Dental, Female, Humans, Learning, Male, Problem-Based Learning, Schools, Dental, Sex Factors, Surveys and Questionnaires, Tennessee, Young Adult, Education, Dental methods, Pediatric Dentistry education, Personal Satisfaction, Students, Dental psychology, and Teaching

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of different types of instructional styles-traditional lecture with and without video examples and contemporary format that simulated a flipped classroom-on dental students' learning of behavior guidance techniques (BGTs) in pediatric dentistry. The study also sought to determine if students had an improved comfort level with BGTs with these instructional methods, if videos improved learning and comfort with BGTs, and if there were differences in outcomes by gender. All 96 second-year dental students at one U.S. dental school were recruited to participate in the study in 2017. Students were randomly divided into three groups: contemporary instruction (CI), traditional instruction with video (TIV), and traditional instruction with no video (TI). CI students watched a 20-minute mini-lecture and were divided into discussion groups led by calibrated faculty members. TIV students received 50 minutes of traditional lecture with video examples. TI students received a traditional lecture with no video examples. All groups completed a questionnaire prior to and on completion of the course. The questionnaire assessed students' learning and perceptions of the learning experience. All students participated in the course and the assessments, for a 100% response rate. The students' post-course scores improved for all teaching methods (TI>CI>TIV) with no significant differences among them. CI students rated comfort with BGTs and usefulness of videos higher than the other groups, but the difference was not statistically significant. Students rated their satisfaction with and usefulness of the course high for all groups (>3 on a four-point scale). Learning style and comfort treating children were not statistically significant by gender. Overall, the students reported high satisfaction with all the teaching methods. Although the differences were not statistically significant, discussion groups were ranked highest in satisfaction and usefulness.

Adult, Attitude of Health Personnel, Curriculum, Educational Technology, Faculty, Dental, Female, Humans, Male, Qualitative Research, Surveys and Questionnaires, United States, Dental Hygienists education, Oral Hygiene education, Students, Dental psychology, and Teaching

Clinical instructors play a significant role in student learning in dental hygiene education, but more information is needed on which instructor characteristics best promote student development. The aim of this study was to identify clinical dental hygiene instructor traits that are effective and ineffective for student learning as defined by dental hygiene students and instructors. A qualitative study using grounded theory and critical incident technique was conducted to investigate junior students', senior students', and instructors' perceptions in one U.S. dental hygiene program in 2014. The methods used were an open-ended electronic survey, one-on-one interviews, and focus groups. Qualities identified were coded and organized into categories and themes, then tabulated by importance by cohort. A total of 24 junior students, 22 senior students, and nine clinical faculty members participated in all three parts of the study. The surveys revealed 322 qualities and characteristics, and the interviews revealed 162, which were then coded into 26 and 23 categories of effective and ineffective traits, respectively. Three major themes of instructor characteristics emerged: affective, pedagogical, and expertise-related. Variances in the frequency of these themes were found between junior and senior students. Differences were also noted between students and instructors in terms of the importance of several characteristics. Specific effective teaching methods were also discovered in the interviews. In this study, multiple effective and ineffective dental hygiene clinical instructor characteristics were identified. These findings have implications for curriculum, instructor training, and evaluation and create a foundation for future research.

China, Humans, Male, Nursing Education Research, Surveys and Questionnaires, Clinical Competence, Delphi Technique, Education, Nursing methods, Simulation Training, and Teaching

Background: Simulation has been widely adopted in nursing education, as is known to all, the quality of simulation could be affected by many factors. Since there is not a comprehensive and scientific evaluation Index system, it is important to construct an evaluation Index system to guide high-quality simulation.
Objectives: To construct the Evaluation Index system of Nursing Simulation teaching Quality and determine the weight of each indicator.
Design: It is a phenomenological research study.
Settings: The study was mainly conducted in one universities in China.
Participants: 27 nursing education experts from China participated in this study.
Methods: This study combines the Delphi method and Analytic Hierarchy Process method.
Results: Evaluation Index system of Nursing Simulation teaching Quality is built using Delphi method, including five first level index (Teacher, Student, Simulation design characteristics, Educational practices and Outcomes), 14 secondary index and 62 tertiary index. It's determined through a two-rounded experts consultation involving 27 experts. The recovery rates of two rounds consultation questionnaire were respectively 96.43% and 100%, and coefficient authority was 0.89. The Kendall's W of second and third level index were respectively 0.515 and 0.589 (P < 0.001). And the weighted value of quality index are established at all levels with the consistency ratio (C.R.) <0.1, demonstrating that Teacher (0.4109) came first among the five first-level index followed by Student (0.2593), the Educational practices (0.1812), Simulation design characteristics (0.096) and Outcomes (0.0527).
Conclusions: The quality index of nursing simulation education is scientific and reliable, so as its weight assignment. It can be a guidance for high-quality simulation teaching, and it is a valid tool to evaluate the quality of simulation teaching in nursing.
(Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Animals, Coenzyme A Ligases, Gene Expression, Humans, Mice, RNA, Small Interfering, Genetics education, RNA Interference, Students, and Teaching

RNA interference is a gene silencing phenomenon mediated by short double-stranded RNAs, which has become a widely used research technology for reverse genetics. In order to make students understand the technology better, the students were required to select target genes, to design small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and primers, and then to test the effect of gene silencing mediated by siRNAs. Taking the fifth group in 2018 as an example, Mus musculus acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 1 (Acsl1) was selected as the target gene, two pairs of siRNAs targeting Acsl1 mRNA were designed and transfected into 3T3-L1 by electroporation, then the total RNAs were extracted and synthesized to cDNA, and the expression levels of mRNAs were finally tested by relative quantitative PCR. The results showed that both pairs of siRNAs had more than 60% silencing effects. In the past three years, about 83% of the students completed all the experiments successfully and screened out at least a pair of effective siRNA. This teaching practice for undergraduates enhances students' understanding of RNA interference principle and technology, and exercises students' lab experience and scientific research ability.

Academic Medical Centers statistics numerical data, Fee-for-Service Plans, Hospitals, Community economics, Hospitals, Teaching statistics numerical data, Humans, Medicare, United States epidemiology, Academic Medical Centers economics, Economics, Hospital, Health Care Costs statistics numerical data, Hospital Mortality, and Hospitals, Teaching economics

Humans, Integrative Medicine education, and Teaching

Aged, Female, Fixation, Ocular physiology, Humans, Macular Degeneration complications, Macular Degeneration physiopathology, Male, Ophthalmoscopy, Vision, Low etiology, Vision, Low physiopathology, Eye Movements physiology, Macular Degeneration rehabilitation, Quality of Life, Reading, Teaching, Vision, Low rehabilitation, and Visual Acuity physiology

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes reading impairment, reduced quality of life (QoL), and secondary depression. We have shown that support with magnifying aids improved reading speed (RS), emotional and cognitive status, and QoL. The present study investigates whether additional reading training (RT) (after adapting to appropriate visual aids) can further improve vision rehabilitation.
Methods: Patients with dry AMD were randomly assigned to 2 groups. The primary RT group (P-RTG, n = 25) trained with sequentially presented text (RSVP), and the control group (CG, n = 12) performed placebo training (crossword puzzles) and later crossed over to RT, so that altogether 37 participants performed reading training. Patients trained at home on a PC for 6 weeks. RS was assessed during reading printed paragraphs of text aloud. Using a scanning laser ophthalmoscope, we examined fixation stability and preferred retinal locus (PRL) for fixating a cross, as well as PRL and eye movements during reading single words. We assessed emotional status by Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), cognitive status by dementia detection test ( DemTect ) and QoL by Impact of Vision Impairment (IVI) profile. Visual acuity and magnification requirement were examined by standard procedures. All variables were measured before and after placebo training, before and after RT, and after 6 weeks without training (follow-up).
Results: RS improved significantly in the P-RTG during RT, but not in the CG during placebo training. The effect remained stable at follow-up. Fixation performance and eye movement variables did not change. Emotional status (MADRS) improved in P-RTG during RT and showed a significant difference of the change of scores between the 2 groups. Complete IVI scores improved significantly during RT and remained stable.
Conclusion: The results indicate that patients with AMD, who already use magnifying aids, benefit from additional RT and that it can contribute in preventing depression and improve QoL.
Trial Registration: The study was registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00015609).

Aged, Child, Female, Femoral Artery, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Netherlands epidemiology, Postoperative Complications etiology, Postoperative Complications prevention control, Retrospective Studies, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome, Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal surgery, Catheterization, Peripheral adverse effects, Endovascular Procedures adverse effects, Hospitals, Teaching, Postoperative Complications epidemiology, Stents, and Vascular Closure Devices

The objective is to evaluate our center's experience with the safety and efficacy of the percutaneous approach to endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (PEVAR) with use of the Perclose Proglide device, in the first period after introduction in our center in 2014. We retrospectively identified all patients that underwent PEVAR or endograft extension with percutaneous approach in our center in the urgent and elective setting. Included were all procedures performed between the introduction of the technique in January 2014 and February 2016 when PEVAR had become the predominant technique in our center. Exclusion progressed from expected difficulty of the procedure as estimated by the operator to total calcification of the ventral wall of the CFA towards the end of the study period. Surgical and clinical reports were used to analyze patient characteristics, procedural success, and short-term outcome after 30 days. Follow-up imaging was used to assess mid-term access site complications at 1 and 2 years postoperatively. A univariate regression analysis was conducted to determine significant predictors of access-related complications with the Perlcose Proglide system. Of all 78 patients (mean age 74, SD: 7 years, 70 men), 68 (87.2%) underwent PEVAR and 10 (12.8%) underwent endograft extension procedures with percutaneous approach. Sixty-seven (85.9%) patients underwent an elective procedure and 11 (14.1%) patients underwent urgent PEVAR. The total number of vessels that was percutaneously accessed was 142. Direct technical success of the procedure as analyzed per vessel was 98.6% (140/142), with two cases of conversion to the femoral cut-down approach. A total of 274 Perclose Proglide devices were placed. Device failure of the Perclose device occurred in 5.8% (16/274) and was reason for conversion to cut-down procedure in one case. Mean duration of the procedure and median time of hospitalization were 100 (SD: 34) min and 2 (IQR 1, 3) days, respectively. Event-free survival per vessel after 30 days was 91.0%, with two minor access-related complication. Fifty-five individual patients (105 vessels) were eligible for inclusion in the 1-year follow-up analysis. Of these patients, 19 (34 vessels) could be included in the 2-year follow-up analysis. No additional access site complications occurred at mid-term follow-up. No significant predictors of device failure were found. The percutaneous approach to EVAR appears to be a safe and effective option with high success rate and low complication rate in a real-world setting. Based on our findings, we conclude that the technique can safely be introduced in a vascular center.

Catheter-Related Infections prevention control, Catheterization, Central Venous instrumentation, Humans, Catheterization, Central Venous nursing, Clinical Competence, Inservice Training methods, Nursing Staff, Hospital education, and Teaching Materials

After a survey revealed practice gaps in central venous catheter care, one organization was challenged to identify a novel approach to educate nurses. Through a search for evidence, a project workgroup discovered an existing but beneficial teaching method, using a mobile cart to deliver meaningful education at the point of care. Successful outcomes and sustained practice change were realized.

Peer Teaching, Teaching Methods, Problem Solving, College Students, Computer Science Education, Mathematics, Student Development, Teacher Role, College Faculty, Grades (Scholastic), and Program Effectiveness

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of peer tutoring program as compared to classroom tutoring on problem solving and algorithm development skills of higher education students in Computer Sciences. Peer tutoring has emerged as one of the most effective mechanisms of enabling learning and improving academic performance of students at all levels of education. It has since been put into practice by various institutions in a number of ways involving the tutor, the tutee and teachers or school administration who work together through a systematic process. Peer tutoring has emerged as one of the most effective mechanisms of enabling learning and improving academic performance of students at all levels of education. Primary research where selected students were trained and assigned peer tutees in the algorithms and problem solving class taught to undergraduates in the first semester. Students were placed in pairs. A pair consists of a peer tutor selected based on certain criteria and a tutee. The interesting aspect of this study is that it tests the impact of working in pairs had a positive impact on both on the tutor and the tutee.

Foreign Countries, Language Teachers, Second Language Instruction, English (Second Language), English for Academic Purposes, Teacher Collaboration, Knowledge Base for Teaching, College Faculty, Teacher Education Programs, Educational Change, Teacher Attitudes, Team Teaching, Teacher Role, Role Perception, and Iran

Many studies have addressed the issue of collaborative teaching in EAP courses; however, there is a gap in the literature concerning EAP teachers' cognitions and actual practices regarding collaborative EAP teaching, especially in contexts like Iran where EAP courses are taught by either language teachers or content teachers - subject specialist teachers - with little or no cooperation between them. Therefore, the current nationwide study explored the cognitions and practices of language teachers and content teachers at medical sciences universities in Iran regarding collaborative EAP teaching. The participants were 128 representative language teachers and 190 representative content teachers, teaching at all five types of universities across the country. The instruments included questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that the differences between the two groups of EAP teachers overshadow the similarities between them. The findings also disclosed inconsistencies between the two groups of EAP teachers in terms of their cognitions and actual practices. The conclusions outline implications for the EAP community throughout the world and specifically accentuate the urgent need for teacher education programs in Iran and micro- and macropolicy reforms in the Iranian EAP educational system.

Teaching Methods, Teaching Models, Problem Solving, Creative Thinking, Metacognition, Junior High School Students, Instructional Effectiveness, Outcomes of Education, Thinking Skills, Essay Tests, and Grade 7

This study aims (a) to determine the effect of synectics model on creative thinking skill (b) to determine the effect of synectics model on metacognition skill. (c) to find out the relationship between creative thinking and metacognition skills. This study uses a quasi-experimental type with one group pretest posttest design. The study population was 612 junior high school students with a total sample of 242. The instruments used consisted of essay tests which were assessed using the rubric of creative thinking skills and questionnaires about metacognition skill. Data were analyzed based on parametric statistical calculations. The results showed that the synectics model had an effect on creative thinking and metacognition skills. The results of the correlation analysis show R of 0.873. Based on the regression line equation Y = 12.27 + 0.8847x, that every 1-point increase in the score of metacognition skill results in an increase of 0.8847 creative thinking skill.