Instructional Course Research Articles

Assessment of Microsurgery Simulation Course Access in Plastic Surgery Training Programs.

Microsurgery requires complex skill development with a steep learning curve for plastic surgery trainees. Flap dissection courses and simulation exercises are useful to acquire these skills. This study aims to assess plastic surgery training programs' access to and interest in microsurgical courses. A survey was distributed to plastic surgery residency and microsurgery fellowship program directors (PDs). The survey collected program demographics and attendance of trainees at structured microsurgical skills or flap dissection courses. We assessed if PDs thought trainees would benefit from instructional courses. There were 44 residency PD responses (44/105, 41.9%, 36 integrated, 8 independent), and 16 fellowship PD responses (16/42, 38.1%). For residency PDs, 54.5% (24/44) sent residents to flap courses, and 95% (19/20) of remaining PDs felt residents would benefit from attending. In addition, 59.1% of programs (26/44) sent residents to microsurgical skills courses, and 83.3% (15/18) of remaining PDs felt residents would benefit from attending. When examining fellowship PDs, 31.2% of programs (5/16) sent fellows to flap dissection courses and 10/11 of remaining PDs felt fellows would benefit from attending a course (90.1%). Half of programs (8/16) sent fellows to microsurgical skills courses, and 7/8 remaining PDs felt fellows would benefit from attending (87.5%). Only half of the plastic surgery trainees have access to microsurgical skills and flap dissection courses. The majority of residency and fellowship PDs feel that training courses are valuable. Expanding access to these courses could provide a significant benefit to microsurgical education in plastic surgery training.

A simple state-of-the-art spectrometer for student labs: Cost-efficient, instructive, and widely applicable

We present a simple, cost-effective, yet instructive spectrometer for use in undergraduate instructional laboratory courses. Deliberate design choices are made to enhance the learning experience provided by the setup, where every component is accessible to students, allowing them to fully understand the function of each individual item. The result is a state-of-the-art spectrometer, built from commercially available components, which balances pedagogical simplicity with the potential for a wide range of applications. Our setup prepares students for future spectroscopy work in research labs. Furthermore, data-taking by means of a CCD camera and the subsequent analysis teach students fundamental computational skills. Within one image, the spectrometer can cover a spectral range of 40 nm and its spectral resolution is about 0.1 nm, limited by the imaging optics. Systematic uncertainties arising from mechanical play of the grating's rotation stage limit the reproducibility of the setup to 0.65 nm. While these parameters can be improved, we decided to maintain the pedagogical and straightforward nature of the presented setup, as any increase in cost or complexity would undermine its educational benefits. Using the spectrometer in an undergraduate instructional laboratory makes possible a variety of valuable experiments, such as calibration measurements, investigation of different types of uncertainties and measurements errors, and historically important measurements (e.g., the Balmer series or solar spectrum). We are convinced that the presented spectrometer will greatly benefit the learning experience of students for many years to come.

Effect of the Lecture Handouts on the Quality of Students’ Learning (QSL) in University of Guilan, Iran (case study, research methodology course)

The aim of present research was to investigate the effect of lecture handout on the Quality of Teaching and Learning (QSL). Two features of the layout were distinguished- headings and text. Both were varied: the headings were present or absent, and the text was full, key points only, or absent. Five conditions were compared: (a) heading and full text; (b) headings and key points; (c) headings but no text; (d) no headings and no text (equivalent to an 'own-notes') and (E) lecturer reading-student writing. A randomized groups design, analyzed by t- test comparisons between all pairs of conditions, was adopted in preference to a factorial design and ANOVA. This was because the assumption of additively could not be made for conditions constructed out of different combinations of semantically meaningful material. To ensure the ecological validity, the experiment was conducted during a normal course of instruction in research methodology.

Expanding trauma education during war: pediatric trauma fundamentals training in Ukraine.

On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a large-scale offensive in Ukraine, resulting in significant casualties to civilians, including children. As part of a seven-stream trauma education initiative, a novel pediatric trauma fundamentals course (PTF) was developed to provide standalone pediatric trauma education by our academic/NGO partnership. The objective of the program was to develop, implement, and evaluate a novel PTF educational course in the active armed conflict zone of Ukraine. A novel two-day PTF course was internally developed, translated into Ukrainian, and implemented across eight Oblasts (regions) in Ukraine from November 2022 to December 2023. Participants completed pre-and post-assessments in knowledge and self-confidence, and critical skills were assessed against objective skill checklists. Change in knowledge and self-confidence were analyzed, respectively, with the nonparametric Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test and McNemar's test for paired data. Anonymous course evaluations were solicited after each course. Six to eight-week follow-up surveys were conducted to assess skill utilization and stewardship. Four hundred and forty-six Ukrainian health care providers were trained during 30 courses across 8 Oblasts in Ukraine during the intervention period. Aggregated knowledge and self-confidence significantly improved across all measures. Ukrainian instructors of courses received higher raw scores across all evaluation points on instructor feedback surveys as compared to international instructors. Six to eight-week follow-up surveys demonstrated participants had positive views of the training, have used the training on patients, and have taught the material to other health care providers. Our novel PTF intervention demonstrates a successful partnership-based model for implementing pediatric trauma education in an active conflict zone in Ukraine. Challenges to implementing such programs can be mitigated through strategic partnership-based models between academic institutions and organizations with local knowledge and expertise. Ukrainian instructors provide course experiences similar or superior to international instructors, likely due to multiple factors related to language, culture, and context.

The impact of course design features, gender, and academic level on student attitudes towards “Introduction to IPE” course: Mixed-methods analysis / Der Einfluss von Kursgestaltung, Geschlecht und akademischem Niveau auf die Einstellungen der Studierenden zum Kurs „Einführung in IPE: Mixed-Methods-Analyse”

Abstract Introduction Interprofessional education (IPE) has been increasingly emphasized as a potential factor in high-quality health care. Despite a rising trend in online IPE courses, less attention has been given to how interactional formats intersect with learner characteristics. This study was to examine the impact of the introductory IPE online course on student attitudes about IPE and identify students’ perceived value of specific instructional course components, such as Student–Student (SS) and Student–Content (SC) aspects, with respect to different academic levels and gender. Methods A mixed-methods design was used and involved quantitative data about the attitudes measured by the SPICE-R2 survey and qualitative open-ended questions about students’ opinions. Participants completed the pre- and post-survey, before and after completing an online course. Results 2,373 students completed the online course and consented to have their responses in this analysis. The two-way ANOVA showed significant effects of academic levels on all three subdomains (Roles, Teamwork, and Outcomes; all p < 0.001), highlighting varied gains across levels, and the qualitative data were confirmatory or confirmatory plus expansive. Students preferred SC more than SS interaction. Conclusion This online course was an effective learning activity for improving students’ attitudes toward IPE. Learning components focusing on real-life patient experience was the most valued and thus impactful course component. Mixed method findings highlighted important awareness of the impact of learner characteristics on the perceived value of course components. Tailoring IPE course content and delivery to meet diverse learners’ learning needs and expectations would be more impactful.

The Construction of Teaching Reform Mode of University students’ Psychological health instruction Course under the Perspective of New Media

Abstract The swift growth of the Internet era, fueled by new media technology, has led to transformative changes across various industries through modern network information. This paper presents a comprehensive model of psychological health instruction for college students, integrating new media technology and peer education principles to address the nuances of their psychological development. Additionally, it introduces an index to assess the effects of educational reforms on mental health instruction and applies regression analysis and factor analysis to identify key influencing factors. The state of psychological health education is evaluated using a fuzzy assessment method. In this comparative study on psychological instruction methods, the score for psychological health instruction reached 4.43, marking a 0.46 increase from the traditional educational approach. Empirical analysis reveals that the instructional effectiveness index for mental wellness instruction accumulates a participation value of 93.693%. This research has the potential to advance the psychological health of university students, enhance the overall impact of psychological health education, and offer useful insights into the evolution and reform of the mode of psychological health instruction for university students.

A closer look at the incorporation of pedagogy aided with technology for Creating Conducive Learning Environment

Educational technology is important because it helps today's teachers to integrate new technologies and tools into their classrooms. This allows a student to flip the notion of a classroom on his/her head by choosing when and where to learn. Video lectures, recordings, and digital resources make it possible for students to learn at their own pace. The walls of the classrooms are no longer a barrier as technology enables new ways of learning, communicating, and working collaboratively. Technology has also begun to change the roles of teachers and learners. This paper discusses the systematic five-step teaching-learning process for effective engagement in the class. These five steps - The Instructional Process, Modular Design, and Course Delivery, Creating a Lively classroom, Employing technology and Assessment are proven processes, and, an effective implementation of the same yielded very good results in terms of enhancement of the skills and overall development of the students' learning perspectives. Giving varied assignments to different groups based on their interest, had a spike in exhibiting their potential. Assessment through rubrics increased the clarity for students to perform and present their work effectively. This was implemented for the computer networks course for CSE branch students and Biomedical Instrumentation and Digital Health course for Biotechnology branch. The impact and results were amazing. There was an overall development of their knowledge and skills. Keywords—Evaluation; Learning; Pedagogy; Rubrics; Teaching; Technology.

ЗАГАЛЬНА ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКА СИСТЕМИ ІМІТАЦІЙНОГО МОДЕЛЮВАННЯ GPSS

The article examines the general characteristics of the GPSS simulation modeling system. Researching the topic is relevant because it is essential for comprehending and effectively utilizing a fundamental tool in the realm of simulation modeling. GPSS (General Purpose Simulation System) has been a prominent simulation language and environment for several decades, serving as a key instrument for modeling and analyzing complex systems across various domains. It is noted that the GPSS World simulation system is a modern and powerful tool for research and analysis of various systems, in particular in the field of mass service systems. Through its development history from the original GPSS to the latest version GPSS World, it has acquired a number of improvements that make it unique and highly effective. This system has a high level of interactivity, extensive functionality and the ability to model both discrete and continuous processes. Visualization and animation tools built into the system facilitate convenient observation and analysis of simulation results. Exploring the general characteristics of GPSS is essential for several reasons. Investigating the fundamental characteristics of GPSS provides insights into its underlying principles, methodologies, and computational mechanisms. By comprehensively studying the features and capabilities of GPSS, researchers can identify opportunities for enhancing its performance, scalability, and usability. GPSS offers a range of modeling constructs, simulation controls, and statistical analysis tools. Exploring its general characteristics allows researchers to uncover the full spectrum of modeling capabilities and adapt them to diverse application scenarios. As simulation modeling evolves, GPSS continues to evolve alongside new methodologies, techniques, and technologies. Investigating its general characteristics facilitates integration with advanced modeling approaches such as agent-based modeling, discrete-event simulation optimization, or hybrid simulation paradigms. Researching the general characteristics of GPSS contributes to educational initiatives in simulation modeling and operations research. It provides valuable content for instructional materials, textbooks, and courses aimed at introducing students to simulation concepts, programming languages, and best practices.

Enhancing Learner Engagement in Online Education through ADDG9E Model

Abstract—Nowadays, Online Education has been an inevitable choice of practice in the teaching-learning process. Learner engagement is one of the ineluctable challenges faced by the course teachers. For sustaining the learner's engagement throughout the course, teachers have to plan teaching-learning activities such as learning environment, content delivery, active student engagement, assessment, and evaluation. To plan teaching–learning activities effectively, the ADDG9E Instructional Design model, the combination of ADDIE and the Gagne’s 9 events models, has been proposed. Computer Programming CP101x – online bridge course has been offered to first-year engineering students. This course has been offered to improve the problem-solving skills of the learners. The proposed model has been implemented for organizing an online bridge course using the Moodle platform. The experimental results show that the proposed model has improved the learner's engagement, sustainability in learning, formative and summative assessment scores compared to physical classroom teaching. The course feedback shows that how well the learners have enjoyed their learning in the proposed ADDG9E Instructional Design modelbased online bridge course on computer programming. Keywords— ADDIE Model, Gagne’s 9 Events Model, Online Instructional Design, Online Learning, Online Course Design, Student Engagement, Self-Learning, Self-Motivation.

Teaching Strategies for Small-Size EMI Classes of Specialized Courses

With the internationalization of higher education, English Medium Instruction (EMI) courses have shown a global growth trend. However, many instructors of specialist subjects lack EMI training and effective teaching methods. Based on the authors’ own teaching experience, this paper analyzes the factors that affect EMI classes, the characteristics of EMI class for specialized courses, and probes into the teaching strategies suitable for this kind of small-size classes.

Evaluating the level of inquiry in postsecondary instructional laboratory experiments: results of a national survey

A national survey on chemistry instructional laboratories was administered to faculty members at four-year postsecondary institutions in the United States for the purpose of exploring levels of inquiry-based instruction implemented in laboratory courses. Respondents were asked to rate the level of choice their students had in deciding six key characteristics of the experiments used in their course (e.g., what research questions to explore); the more choices students get to make, the more inquiry-based instructional experience. MANOVA and post hoc analyses suggest that there are differences in the level of inquiry across chemistry course levels; lower-level courses (i.e., general chemistry and organic chemistry) implement lower levels of inquiry-based laboratory instruction compared to upper-level courses (i.e. more chemistry major-focused courses). We found no evidence of association between the level of inquiry courses and institutions’ highest chemistry degree awarded, American Chemical Society approval to award certified bachelors degrees, or external funding to transform postsecondary chemistry courses. Our study contributes to the chemical education community's growing understanding of the state of postsecondary chemistry laboratory instruction. Results further suggest that there is an opportunity for faculty members and department leaders to reflect on their instructional laboratory courses and implement more inquiry-based instructional laboratory experiences across the entirety of the postsecondary chemistry curriculum.

Development of an interactive e-module based on a case method to improve higher-order thinking skills

The objective of this study is to create a case-method-based interactive e-module that will enhance the higher-level thinking skills (HOTs) of students. Research and Development (R&D) utilizing the ten-step Borg & Gall model development constitutes this research method. This investigation is restricted to the seventh stage. This study's participants were FKIP UNIPA first-semester students enrolled in instructional mathematics courses. The sample for the study was determined by cluster random sampling. The participants in this research were partitioned into two groups: the experimental group consisted of students majoring in English education, while the control group comprised students majoring in Indonesian language education. In this study, questionnaires, interviews, validator assessment forms, and HOTs tests were utilized to collect data. Three data analysis techniques were utilized in this study: validity, practicability, and effectiveness. The outcomes demonstrate the e-module's validity. The practicality assessment yielded an 81.44% response rate from students in the very practical category. The HOTs of the pupils in the experimental class were superior to those of the control class. The mean HOTs of students in the control group were 67.67, whereas those in the experimental group have an average HOTs of 75.50.

Integrating problem‐based learning into a school counseling classroom instruction course

AbstractSchool counseling graduate programs can fall short of preparing students with authentic and systems‐focused skills in classroom instruction. We offer three problem‐based learning assignments for counselor educators to help school counselors‐in‐training develop pedagogical skills and deliver lessons that address authentic problems facing students and schools.

The design strategies of the O-AMAS model for effective teaching of English major courses

The cultivation of English talents has become a central concern among teachers in the instruction of English major courses. The utilization of the O-AMAS model as a pedagogical framework has the potential to enhance the instructional design and courses organization, hence fostering the improvement of academic performance and learning outcomes among students. This article examines the design approach of the O-AMAS model in order to enhance the effectiveness of English major teaching. The purpose of this exploration is to provide a reference for practitioners in the field.

A proposal for blended language learning project focuses on ESL learners

The evolving societal landscape and technological advancements have redefined educational demands, leading to notable improvements in teaching methodologies driven by continuous technological evolution. Blended learning, a widely embraced approach, transcends traditional educational boundaries, emphasizing the paramount role of student communication and interaction in an era of extended education beyond physical classrooms. Collaborative learning groups are increasingly integrated into blended teaching, with group formation as a pivotal element. This study draws upon cognitivism, collaborative learning, and social interdependence principles to address issues within group cooperative activities in blended teaching. It leverages the strengths of blended teaching and collaborative learning, designing instructional activities and conducting action research in practical teaching settings. The research methodology unfolds in phases: a literature review explores the current landscape of blended collaborative learning, providing insights into challenges; a theoretical exploration, grounded in educational theory, delves into the design of teaching activities within blended environments; the technical investigation combines collaborative grouping with machine learning to propose innovative grouping strategies; and the action research phase validates findings through specific instructional courses and research subjects.

A Template for a Distance Learning E-course at a Bulgarian University – the Experience of St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnov

The high-quality e-course design is key to the success of distance instruction. Building on a brief overview of the scientific literature, the main elements in the design of an e-course are theoretically substantiated. The structure of a universal template for a quality distance instruction course has been discussed. The research results suggest that the teachers questioned have no experience with designing an e-course. Their attitude towards the utility of the template is hesitant. The percentage of those who wished to be trained to work with the template is high, which is in an inverse relationship with the assessment of utility, that is, the fewer teachers need additional training to work with the template, the more positively this impacts their opinion on the template’s utility. The template is particularly beneficial for the start of the teacher’s professional development, which considerably eases their workload and helps them make pedagogically sound decisions.

The Relationship among School Mindfulness, Classroom Anxiety, and High School Student Life Satisfaction

Purpose. The study aims to improve student life throughout the school years by exploring the use of mindfulness-based instruction to reduce classroom anxiety. Many school systems in Asia do not use mindful based instruction at primary, secondary and high school education. Emphasis on academic achievement as measured in terms of grade scoring and competitive exam results is high, and leads to significant stress on students. It is believed that mindfulness coaching could help reduce overall stress levels in high school students. Methodology. The study is a correlational design in which convenience sampling was used. It aims to measure school mindfulness by Hoy (2004), classroom anxiety by Richmond (2001), and high school student life satisfaction by Heubener (1991) for a sample of 80 high school students drawn from the private school system of Pakistan. Results. The study reported moderate to weak positive correlations between the three constructs. It was found that there was a significant link between school mindfulness, student life satisfaction, and classroom anxiety. The study reported that age and gender have no significant impact on school mindfulness, student life satisfaction and classroom anxiety. Conclusions. The study indicates the development of mindfulness-based training at the school level to improve student life satisfaction. The study indicates the possibility of Western mindfulness instruction courses being implemented in the Eastern traditional school system. School mindfulness can help students to meaningfully grow in their academic careers. It further can enhance their coping and stress handling techniques as they proceed into higher education. The study will pave way for the implementation of school mindfulness programs and workshops to be delivered by mindfulness certified instructors and counselors, which is at present a rarity in traditional academic system.

Fostering Student Agency Through Ungrading: Project- and Portfolio-Based Methods and Case Studies

Students in service writing courses, particularly those enrolled in non-writing majors, often struggle with low confidence in their writing ability, resulting in a desire to “just get through” the class with a passing grade. Furthermore, instructors of such courses often struggle with a balance between what students actually need to learn in order to be successful in their careers and the level at which they want students to be proficient in writing practices–and students struggle with the same notions. Using a pedagogy called “ungrading,” students are released from their fear of “bad grades” caused by the feeling of being at the mercy of their instructor–this release fosters empowered students who can focus on their actual learning and improvement in writing. Using case studies from my TCOM 2010: Technical Writing and TCOM 3030: Instructional Design courses at Kennesaw State University, this innovative practices article introduces two methods for implementing ungrading in any class, including resources from my classes and considerations for implementing these methods in other fields.

Humanising teacher education through translanguaging: experiences from an online English-medium instruction (EMI) course

ABSTRACT This study examines how a teacher educator perceives and enacts translanguaging to humanise teacher education in an online English-medium instruction (EMI) course in China. Drawing on multiple sources of data, including classroom observations and the post-course interview, the findings reveal a set of translanguaging strategies, which helped the teacher educator humanise the students, field of knowledge, as well as himself in the online course. The findings enrich the existing understanding about the intertwined and mutually supportive relationship between translanguaging and humanising pedagogy. In particular, the study shows that when translanguaging is used in an embodied, emergent, and interactive manner, it can create a humanising space to support students’ content learning and whole-person development. The paper concludes with a clarion call for humanising teaching and teacher education through translanguaging in increasingly globalised and multilingual classrooms.

Student Peer Review and Receptiveness to Feedback in Global Classrooms.

Development of skills in peer-to-peer feedback in multicultural and global contexts is important to excellent teaching practice in nursing education. This study identified student attitudes toward giving and receiving peer-to-peer feedback between international peers in a graduate-level online instructional design course. Twenty-one graduate nursing students in 2 nurse educator programs from the United States and Finland participated in this descriptive study. Pre- and postcourse Feedback Orientation Scale (FOS) scores were analyzed in combination with student reflections on learning experiences related to peer-review course activities. Mean pre- to postcourse overall FOS scores increased, suggesting greater student receptiveness to peer feedback, particularly in the dimensions of utility and self-efficacy. Postcourse reflections demonstrated increased appreciation for opportunities to triangulate feedback from multiple, diverse sources. Opportunities for graduate students in nurse educator programs to exchange peer-to-peer feedback with international peers foster growth in positive attitudes toward receiving and using peer feedback.