20-hour Course Research Articles

From traditional to immersive: The impact of 3D technologies on medical student learning

<br><b>Introduction:</b> Three-dimensional (3D) technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), are transforming medical education by providing immersive learning experiences that may enhance spatial understanding, knowledge retention and practical skills. Despite promising benefits, these technologies also present unique challenges, including potential physical and mental health impacts, which remain underexplored.</br> <br><b>Objective:</b> This study aimed to evaluate and compare VR, AR, MR and traditional teaching methods in medical education. The objectives were to assess each method’s effectiveness in enhancing student engagement and comprehension, identify associated health challenges and determine the potential of 3D technologies as complements or alternatives to traditional educational methods.</br> <br><b>Methods:</b> Eighty-four medical students participated in a structured 20-hour course, interacting sequentially with VR, AR, MR and traditional teaching modalities. Students’ experiences were documented through post-course evaluations, which assessed aspects such as immersion, engagement and health-related impacts.</br> <br><b>Results:</b> The study revealed that VR, AR and MR offered significant advantages over traditional methods in areas such as spatial understanding (VR, 64.29%; AR/MR; 67.86%) and visualization of 3D anatomical structures (VR, 57.14%; AR/MR, 69.05%). However, VR was associated with a high prevalence of health issues, including cybersickness (71.43%) and spatial disorientation (75.00%), highlighting the physical and psychological challenges of full immersion. AR/MR presented fewer adverse effects, though eye strain (63.10%) and sensory overload (50.00%) remained concerns. Traditional methods were generally safer but less effective in promoting interactive engagement and spatial comprehension.</br> <br><b>Conclusions:</b> 3D technologies provide valuable enhancements to medical education but require careful integration alongside traditional methods to mitigate health-related challenges. VR, AR and MR are best suited as complementary tools rather than direct replacements, supporting a hybrid educational model that maximizes learning outcomes while managing the physical and psychological impacts associated with immersive technologies. Further research on standardized implementation practices is needed to optimize these tools for broader educational use.</br>

The Application of Case-Based Learning (CBL) Combined with PDCA Cycle in the Clinical Teaching Practice of Breast Ultrasound in Standardized Residency Training

Background: The integration of case-based learning (CBL) with the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle has potential benefits for clinical education, yet its efficacy in ultrasound residency training, particularly for breast ultrasound, requires evaluation. Aim: This study aimed to assess the impact of a combined CBL and PDCA cycle teaching model on the clinical thinking and skills of ultrasound residents compared to traditional teaching methods. Methods: A comparative study was conducted at Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital’s ultrasound medicine base, from August 2020 to June 2023, focusing on residents in training. Sixty-one trainees were randomly divided into two groups: a joint group (n = 31) taught using a PDCA cycle-based model integrated with CBL and a traditional group (n = 30) taught with conventional methods. Both groups underwent a 20-hour course and were subsequently evaluated on theoretical knowledge, clinical thinking, and skills. Comparative statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the performance differences between the two groups. Results: The joint group demonstrated significantly better clinical thinking and skills operation than the traditional group (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed between the groups regarding theoretical knowledge (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The combined CBL-PDCA cycle teaching mode significantly enhances the clinical thinking abilities and operational skills of residents in breast ultrasound training. This innovative approach shows promise as an effective educational strategy to foster intrinsic motivation and higher order learning capabilities among ultrasound residents.

The effects of geriatric oral dental health training to dental students on their elderly attitudes.

To measure the effect of geriatric oral health education on the attitude of dentistry students towards the elderly. The interventional study was conducted in December 2022 at Sivas, and comprised students of the Faculty of Dentistry, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Turkiye in their 4th and 5th academic year. A 20-hour training course was delivered over 3 days by faculty members. Baseline and post-intervention difference was assessed using the Kogan's Attitudes Towards Old People Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. Of the 30 students, 18(60%) were females and 12(40%) were males. The overall mean age was 22.93±1.63 years. Besides, 18(60%) students belonged to 5th year and 12(40%) to the 4th year. The mean Kogan Elderly Attitude Scale score at baseline was 184.13±25.55, while post-intervention it was 195.36±22.36. (p<0.05). Relevant training was found to have a significant impact on the attitude of dentistry students towards the elderly.

PERCEPÇÕES DOCENTES SOBRE A UTILIZAÇÃO DA METODOLOGIA DE RESOLUÇÃO DE PROBLEMAS PARA A EDUCAÇÃO INCLUSIVA NO ENSINO DE QUÍMICA E CIÊNCIAS

TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THE USE OF THE PROBLEM-SOLVING METHODOLOGY FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN THE TEACHING OF CHEMISTRY AND SCIENCE. This manuscript aims to present and analyze the contributions of a training process on the principles of Inclusive Education integrated with the Problem-Solving (PS) methodology. This research intervention involved a 20-hour training course conducted during three consecutive semesters, with a total of 32 participants, including graduates in Chemistry and Biological Sciences from a Brazilian federal public university, as well as Chemistry and Biology teachers working in basic education in Rio Grande do Sul. Data were collected using initial and final procedures, field diary entries, and semi-structured interviews with three participants who implemented PS in a school context. According to the triangulated results, the formative action contributed to the conceptual construction of the theoretical aspects that were worked on. It also demonstrated that PS can democratize the teaching and learning process among students with and without disabilities by considering the different possibilities of learning school problems and representations of scientific knowledge. The methodology favors respect for the students’ developmental specificities, as well as educational interaction and mediation in an active and collaborative way between students and teachers.

Assessing the impact of a knowledge translation intervention on physical therapists’ self-efficacy and implementation of motor learning practice

BackgroundThe application of motor learning (ML) principles and research in physical therapy can optimize patient outcomes. However, the translation of the accumulated knowledge in ML to clinical practice is limited. Knowledge translation interventions, which are designed to promote changes in clinical behaviors, have the potential to address this implementation gap. We developed, implemented, and evaluated a knowledge translation intervention for ML implementation that focuses on building clinical capacity among physical therapists for the systematic application of ML knowledge in clinical practice.MethodsA total of 111 physical therapists underwent the intervention, which consisted of the following: (1) an interactive didactic 20-hour course; (2) an illustrated conceptual model of ML elements; and (3) a structured clinical-thinking form. Participants completed the Physical Therapists’ Perceptions of Motor Learning (PTP-ML) questionnaire pre and post intervention. The PTP-ML was used to assess ML-related self-efficacy and implementation. Participants also provided post-intervention feedback. A sub-sample (n = 25) provided follow-up feedback more than a year after the completion of the intervention. Pre–post and post-follow-up changes in the PTP-ML scores were calculated. The information gathered from the open-ended items of the post-intervention feedback was analyzed to identify emerging themes.ResultsComparing pre- and post-intervention scores, significant changes were found in the total questionnaire scores, self-efficacy subscale scores, reported implementation subscale scores (P < .0001), and general perceptions and work environment subscale score (P < .005). The mean changes in the total questionnaire and self-efficacy scores also significantly exceeded the Reliable Change Index. In the follow-up sample, these changes were maintained. Participants felt that the intervention helped them organize their knowledge in a structured manner and consciously link their practice elements to concepts in ML. Discussion of clinical cases was reported to be the most valuable educational method, and the illustrated conceptual model of ML elements was the least valued. Respondents also suggested support activities to maintain and enhance the learning experience, including on-site mentorship and hands-on experience.ConclusionsFindings support the positive effect of an educational tool, most prominently on physical therapists’ ML self-efficacy. The addition of practical modeling or ongoing educational support may enhance intervention effects.

Health, illness and neoliberalism: an example of critical realism as a research resource

ABSTRACT Neoliberalism, health and illness are all vast topics that range from global to local, personal to political. Critical realism offers valuable concepts, which help to extend and deepen analysis of these large, complex research areas. These include attending to unseen causal influences, absence, values, power, interests, structure and agency and morphogenesis. The four planes, which connect all interrelating forms of social being, provide a framework for managing large, wide-ranging and inter-disciplinary research data and for contextualizing small studies. Critical realism is contrasted with paradigms such as positivism, realist evaluation and actor network theory. This paper is based on a 20-hour generic course about critical realism for doctoral students, initiated by Roy Bhaskar. It uses the example of neoliberalism, health and illness to illustrate how useful critical realism can be as a research resource. The paper is also about the importance of understanding contemporary health in the context of neoliberalism.

Evaluating a Muscle Ultrasound Education Program: Theoretical Knowledge, Hands-on Skills, Reliability, and Satisfaction of Critical Care Physiotherapists

ObjectiveTo evaluate learning results of critical care physiotherapists participating in a muscle ultrasound (MUS) educational program.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingA custom-made 20-hour MUS course was performed over a 2-week time period, including knobs familiarization, patient positioning, anatomic landmarks, image acquisition, and limb muscle measurements.ParticipantsNineteen critical care physiotherapists with little to no prior experience in ultrasound (N=19).InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresTheoretical knowledge, hands-on skills acquisition, and satisfaction were assessed. Inter- and intrarater reliability on landmarks, thickness, and pennation angle of quadriceps between participants was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Reliability among instructors measured prior to the course was also reported as a reference.ResultsThe percentage score (mean±SD) of knowledge questionnaires was 69±11 (pre-course), 89±10 (post-course), and 92±9 (hands-on skills). Course satisfaction scores ranged from 90%-100%. Pooled interrater reliability of participants (median ICC [interquartile range]) was good (0.70 [0.59-0.79]) for thickness, moderate (0.47 [0.46-0.92]) for landmarks, and absent (0.00 [0.00-0.05]) for pennation angle and the intrarater reliability was good (0.76 [0.51-0.91]) for thickness and weak (0.35 [0.29-0.52]) for pennation angle. Interrater ICC values for instructors were excellent (0.90) for thickness, good (0.67) for landmarks, and moderate (0.41) for pennation angle and intrarater ICC values were excellent (0.94) for thickness and good (0.75) for pennation angle.ConclusionsAlthough our sample was quite small and homogeneous, increased theoretical knowledge, high hands-on performance acquisition, and good satisfaction of physiotherapists were observed. Reliability was moderate to excellent for thickness and landmarks and absent to weak for pennation angle. Landmarking and pennation angle remain challenges for physiotherapist training in the application of MUS. Further studies are needed to identify variables that could modify reliability during MUS training.

How to train a complex skill in surgery: Qualitative evaluation of a simulation-based strategy

Background: Learning complex tasks in surgical requires the coordination and integration of technical and non-technical skills have an impact on the performance of work teams. Objective: The aim of this study is to report the results of a simulation-based educational strategy for training in complex surgical skills considering the participants’ perceptions. Material and methods: In 2019, 10 healthcare professionals participated in a 20-hour course divided in 6 hours of online training and 14 hours of onsite training. The strategy designed included the integration of case resolution activities, role-playing, practice with synthetic and virtual simulators and high-fidelity simulation. At the end of the course, a questionnaire was administered to explore participants’ perceptions on what they had learned and on their attitude changes. Results: Fifty percent of the participants perceived their skills and knowledge improved at the end of the course compared with their perception at the beginning of the course while 80% perceived the impact of the course on their professional activity was good or excellent. All the participants agreed with the need for improving non-technical skills. The experience was rated as positive or very positive by all participants, who were eager to repeat it. Conclusion: The participants’ perceptions of this educational program demonstrates that this method is highly accepted. Raising awareness of non-technical skills during the reflection stage suggests the need for changes in attitude and in self-perception of efficacy. We believe that simulation-based training offers the possibility of improving the overall performance of the surgical team. Future studies should focus on this goal.

Improving Resilience and Combating Burnout in US Army Health Care Teams.

In 2015, the Army Office of the Surgeon General adapted a Veterans Health Administration course for health care teams to implement holistic health practices to improve the resiliency of health care teams and patient care. The Army course Move to Health was piloted in health care teams at 8 military clinics. During the 20-hour course, health care teams learned techniques to improve their resiliency and created action plans to incorporate holistic health into the workplace, a known factor in decreasing burnout. A process and outcome evaluation of this course was conducted using a within-group design. Surveys were administered to health care teams at precourse and 2-month follow-up, and 186 participants completed both surveys. Burnout among team members did not significantly change from precourse (52%, n = 96) to follow-up (48%, n = 90). At follow-up, team members described using resiliency building strategies for self-care, significantly improved their self-efficacy to treat patients holistically in the patient-centered care home model, and reported increased satisfaction with patient centered care home (all are p < 0.01). However, 70% (n = 131) of team members reported that they had not completed action plan implementation and did not report improved job satisfaction. Informed by the literature, Move to Health combines an individual resiliency intervention with organizational change, facilitating action plans to mitigate burnout. This manuscript explores potential reasons for why burnout did not significantly change within the 2-month period following the intervention. Reducing burnout among health care teams is vital to ensure that optimal health care is provided to the military and its beneficiaries.

Active teaching model to promote critical thinking.

To present the experience of elaboration and implementation of the Active Teaching Model to Promote Critical Thinking (MEAPC), associated to Problem-Based Learning (PBL), for undergraduate students in Nursing. Case report on the experience of the educational intervention (MEAPC + PBL) with undergraduate students in Nursing, in a 20-hour course on Basic Life Support (BLS). The MEAPC was validated by judges to guide the analysis of clinical cases. Critical Thinking (CT) skills were assessed using the California Critical Thinking Skills Test. The educational intervention took place in two phases: elaboration and implementation, allowing not only the production of knowledge about BLS, but also the development of CT and exchange of experiences for teaching-learning. The association of the MEAPC to the PBL in the course of BLS organized the learning, gave opportunity to acquire knowledge and to stimulate the skills of the CT.

Phoneme -Grapheme decoding in Phonics-Based Instruction of English as a Second Language at an Italian High School: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Recent neurological breakthroughs in our understanding of the Critical Period Hypothesis and prosody may suggest strategies on how phonics instruction could improve L2 language learning and in particular phoneme/grapheme decoding. We therefore conducted a randomised controlled-trial on the application of prosody and phonics techniques, to improve phoneme-grapheme decoding, to test these findings on a typical late high school cohort of Italians. A trial group of 24, 17-18 year-olds followed a short 10-week, 20-hour trial course and were compared to a control (14 students) preparing for the Cambridge First Certificate exam. The trial group were given phoneme/grapheme decoding material and event-related-potential reinforcement in substitution of traditional exam practice, taught from a current textbook and web-site material. Results showed that the trial-group significantly improved in both orthography (p=0.048) and pronunciation (p=0.000), in particular in the long vowel and digraph categories. Furthermore, they significantly improved in a shortened interview category (p=0.024), for lexis, discourse and pronunciation. Due to the trial’s small size, we concentrated on reducing type 2 statistical errors to a minimum. We believe that our results confirmed the neurological findings of the use of prosody in TESOL and confirmed the validity of phonics techniques for L2 teaching. We also consider that the results are sufficiently robust to warrant a full-sized trial of phonics and prosody as a valid TESOL teaching technique

Effet de la formation en Initiative des Hôpitaux Amis des Bébés sur la durée de l’allaitement maternel exclusif à Kinshasa : un essai randomisé par grappes

Despite numerous advantages of breastfeeding, in Democratic Republic of the Congo, the rate of children exclusively breastfed up to six months remains low. The lack of breastfeeding support received by mothers from health care providers is an important factor of early cessation of breastfeeding. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the training of health care providers, in the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in Kinshasa. A total of 422 mothers, recruited during the first antenatal care visit in 12 maternities and followed up to six months after delivery, were included in a cluster randomized trial. In the experimental group, health care providers were trained using the "20-Hour Course For Maternity Staff". Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the effect of the intervention on the duration of EBF. The rate of EBF at six months was 2.8%; the median duration of EBF was 10.9 weeks (IQR 4.3 to 14.9). The hazard of discontinuing EBF before six month was 1.4 times higher in the control group (adjusted HR [95%CI]=1.40 (1.10-1.78), P=0.007). In this study, training of health care providers in the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative was associated with a significant improvement in the duration of EBF. Extending this training to different maternities could improve the coverage of EBF in Kinshasa.

ICT Learning by Older Adults and Their Attitudes toward Computer Use.

Information and communication technologies have proven to be an effective way of helping older adults improve independence outcomes, but such technologies are yet not widely used by this segment of the population. This paper aims to study computer use and senior citizens' attitudes toward computer technology in the context of a 20-hour course in basic skills. A questionnaire was used to conduct pre- and postcourse analyses with a sample of 191 adults over the age of 60. The findings show that direct contact with computers generates more positive attitudes toward computer use and also positive relationships with attitudes, user behavior, training expectations, and self-confidence. Results are discussed in the light of need-to-know attitudes toward computer use and training in new technologies as an opportunity for life-long learning and for improving quality of life in old age.

Met and unmet needs of informal caregivers of older cancer patients having chemotherapy

primarily caring for older adults. Therefore, most oncology nurses are geriatricnursesbydefault. According to the2008 InstituteofMedicine report however, healthcare professionals are not prepared to care for older adults. Objectives: Our objective is to create a team, primarily of nurses, but including the professions of rehabilitation, social work, nutrition, and pharmacy, to form an interdisciplinary resource team that is trained in geriatrics at our comprehensive cancer center. Methods: The Geriatric Institutional Assessment Profile (survey of nurses regarding geriatric care) completed in 2012 (n = 422) and 2013 (n = 375) asked oncology nurses to identify top priorities on how to improve care for geriatric patients. To meet the needs identified by the analysis, a 16 member interdisciplinary team was formed and a curriculum was developed to teach key geriatric principles to the team regarding caring for older adults with cancer. Results: The 2012 and 2013 survey of nurses identified their top two priorities of how to improve the care of older adults with cancer: 1) increased need for education in geriatrics (2012 [41%], 2013 [45%]) and 2) the availability of geriatric specific resources including professionals with expertise in the field (2012 [13%], 2013 [16%]). An interdisciplinary team was formed, consisting primarily of nurses, but also including the professionals of rehabilitation, pharmacy, social work, and nutrition. All participants completed a 20-hour geriatric course. The course consisted of online educational modules, as well as lectures and discussion sessions. Topics included physical changes of aging, geriatric assessment parameters (including assessment of function, cognition, nutrition, comorbidity, and polypharmacy), psychosocial issues, geriatric specific syndromes, and available resources. The group meets monthly to review key components of the educational modules, as well as to discuss patient cases and apply the lessons learned to real situations. Conclusion: Our institution’s assessment uncovered the need for geriatric education and resources which resulted in the development of a program to educate nurses and other health care professionals. We subsequently developed a team to focus initiatives to improve the care of older adults with cancer at our institution. This project was an example of how institution specific evidence can lead to targeted education aimed at improving the care of older adults with cancer.

Effectiveness of evidence-based medicine training for undergraduate students at a Chinese Military Medical University: a self-controlled trial.

BackgroundTo evaluate the effect of the integration of evidence-based medicine (EBM) into medical curriculum by measuring undergraduate medical students’ EBM knowledge, attitudes, personal application, and anticipated future use.MethodsA self-controlled trial was conducted with 251 undergraduate students at a Chinese Military Medical University, using a validated questionnaire regarding the students’ evidence-based practice (EBP) about knowledge (EBP-K), attitude (EBP-A), personal application (EBP-P), and future anticipated use (EBP-F). The educational intervention was a 20-hour EBM course formally included in the university’s medical curriculum, combining lectures with small group discussion and student-teacher exchange sessions. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests to test the significance of the difference between a before and after comparison.ResultsThe difference between the pre- and post-training scores were statistically significant for EBP-K, EBP-A, EBP-P, and EBP-F. The scores for EBP-P showed the most pronounced percentage change after EBM training (48.97 ± 8.6%), followed by EBP-A (20.83 ± 2.1%), EBP-K (19.21 ± 3.2%), and EBP-F (17.82 ± 5.7%). Stratified analyses by gender, and program subtypes did not result in any significant changes to the results.ConclusionsThe integration of EBM into the medical curriculum improved undergraduate medical students’ EBM knowledge, attitudes, personal application, and anticipated future use. A well-designed EBM training course and objective outcome measurements are necessary to ensure the optimum learning opportunity for students.

Introduzione di una Checklist per Ridurre Gli Eventi Avversi in Chirurgia Urologica: Nostra Esperienza

The main purpose of our study was to determine, through the introduction of a checklist in the operating room, the incidence rate of adverse events and their predictability in a representative sample of patients admitted to our Urology unit and undergoing surgery. The study includes 324 patients. The checklist includes 3 phases (Sign In, Time Out, Sign Out), 20 items with checks to be performed during surgery and the marking of boxes after a successful check. All the staff in the operating room has been specifically trained with a theoretical and practical 20-hour course. The overall average incidence of adverse events reported was determined by 4.8%, is consistent with the expectations of the study protocol, and is at a lower level than the average median rate of international studies (8.9%). The overall complication rate fell from 11% to 7.9%, the rate of intra-hospital mortality from 1.7% to 0.9%, the rate of surgical site infection decreased from 8.2% to 4.7%. The results were consistent with the results of other international studies similar in scope in terms of study (definition of the rate of adverse events) and epidemiological study (retrospective study). The variability of the results obtained in our inquiry is likely attributable to varied factors occurred during the study.

Hospital Practices and Breastfeeding Rates before and after the UNICEF/WHO 20-Hour Course for Maternity Staff

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is the most widely promoted program for increasing breastfeeding rates. To evaluate the impact of BFHI training on hospital practices and breastfeeding rates during the first 12 months of life. Eighty percent of maternity medical and nursing staff at the University Hospital in Split, Croatia, completed the updated and expanded United Nations Children's Fund/World Health Organization 20-hour course. Seven hundred seventy-three mothers (388 in the pre- and 385 in the post-training group) were included in a birth cohort and interviewed at discharge and at 3, 6, and 12 months postpartum to evaluate hospital practices and infant feeding. Six out of 10 Baby-Friendly practices were assessed using standard BFHI forms. Three months after training was completed, 3 of the Baby-Friendly practices assessed (Step 4, "Initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth"; Step 7, "Rooming-in"; and Step 8, "Feeding on demand") had significantly improved. The proportion of newborns exclusively breastfed during the first 48 hours increased from 6.0% to 11.7% (P < .005). There was no difference in breastfeeding rates at discharge or at 3, 6, or 12 months between the pre- and post-training groups. Training of health professionals, based on the BFHI, was associated with significant improvement in some Baby-Friendly hospital practices and initial exclusive breastfeeding rates. A high rate of in-hospital supplementation may partly explain the lack of improvement in breastfeeding exclusivity and duration after discharge. Strong institutional support and commitment is needed to enable full implementation of recommended Baby-Friendly practices.

Consciousness-raising in animal welfare through practical experience with horses

In Italy, Law no. 189/2004 (enforced by law n. 201/2010) on safeguarding animal welfare establishes penalties for anyone keeping animals in conditions that are incompatible with their physiological or ethological needs. Thus, in order to recognize the condition of poor welfare or mistreatment, the training of a veterinarian needs to adopt a new approach to animal well being —that is somewhat different from the health ideas that have been prevalent so far. In this research we carry out an evaluation of the competence of veterinary students after a theoric 20-hour course in ethology and after three weeks of practical horses handling class. For two years 24 students were selected to took part in a program of horse management, in order to reach a high level of practical competence, from the ability to recognize non-verbal signals from horses, to cleaning and grooming, and to a more specific and refined ability—the establishment of a relationship with horse. While the skill level at the beginning was generally low, being the students’ backgrounds mainly urban, at the end of the practical course nearly 90% of them succeeded in the area of horse-human relationship, reaching evaluations in a range of good-excellent scores (p < 0.01). By combining over the years the applied ethology knowledge with the more profession-oriented health-related subjects, veterinary education will give students the resources that can better assist them in facing the challenges they will meet in their working lives. The fact that too many unlawful horses’ estab-lishments are often found all over the countries point indeed to a need for new experienced, well-trained professional people.

A Train the Trainer Model for Integrating Evidence-Based Medicine into a Complementary and Alternative Medicine Training Program

Public interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has grown over the past decade, accompanied by increased demand for evidence-based approaches to CAM practice. In order to define the role evidence-based decision making has in CAM practice, CAM professionals must have a full understanding of evidence-based medicine (EBM) concepts. This paper describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of a week-long intensive EBM short course for CAM faculty at a naturopathic and classical Chinese medicine institution. This 20-hour course, entitled Principles of EBM for CAM Professionals, teaches participants how to access and appraise biomedical literature, apply it to their work, and teach these concepts to their students. Results from precourse and postcourse evaluations suggest that, in a small group of participants, there were significant changes in EBM practice attitudes, self-appraised skills, and objectively assessed skills as a result of this course. Participants indicated they were committed to increasing their use of EBM in practice, enhancing EBM skills, using EBM in teaching, and working to change the culture at their institution to support use of EBM. At six months, 80% of participants had fully or partially followed through on their commitment to change plans.

Training senior teachers in compulsory computer based language tests

Abstract The IBT TOEFL has become the principal example of online high stakes language testing since 2005. Most instructors who do the preparation for IBT TOEFL face two main realities: first, students are eager and highly motivated to take the test because of the prospective implications; and, second, specific studies would be necessary to see if instructors may be familiarized with the use of computers in teaching and/or language testing for other high stakes tests. Now, many standardized tests are going online as well such as IELTS, BULATS and others (Garcia Laborda, 2007). National Boards of Education are also considering this possibility for the national university entrance examination (PAU) (Garcia Laborda & Magal Royo, 2007; Garcia Laborda, 2006). However, in this case, teachers may not be willing or well prepared to face the challenge due to factors such as ICT familiarity. To date, many papers have explored the role of teacher training in their adaptation to the inclusion or implementation of ICT in the foreign language classroom (Zepp, 2005; Tan et al., 2003; Rehbein et al., 2003). However, it is necessary to consider the differences between the use of ICT for language testing (as opposed to general teaching) and the profile of senior high school foreign language teachers who may not be as flexible as their younger colleagues. This paper describes the trainees’ final attitudes of a six-month course held in Valencia (Spain). 26 teachers from private schools who teach many of the students who take the test every year participated in an in-service teacher training course in Valencia. Instructional methods principally included training in ICT strategy and use through face-to-face instruction and also autonomous learning, group work, synchronous and asynchronous communication, and computer based test design. The teachers’ responses to long discussions in a control session and to a questionnaire, along with the observations of a 20-hour course and the results of the familiarization with different tools show that for this type of training it is not only necessary to familiarize teachers with the testing tool but also with the process of creating online tests and with the testing process itself (Chapelle & Douglas, 2006; Stoynoff & Chapelle, 2005). Results from the platform use and the final questionnaire indicated that the majority of trainees reacted positively to the training and were eager to let the research team work with their students. However, they still felt they would not be able to use ICT for testing in their classes.