Four-year Course Research Articles

A problem-based introduction to microwave technology for undergraduates

In China, Microwave Technology is a specialised basic course for the undergraduate student whose major is electronics and information engineering. At Beihang University (BUAA) it is arranged in the first semester of the junior year (i.e. the third of a four-year course) and mainly includes transmission line theory, the theory of waveguides, microstrip transmission lines, the analysis of microwave networks and microwave passive components. In this paper, a problem-based introduction to microwave technology is presented, with the aim of increasing the students’ interest and motivation to study this course. A pyramidal course structure for electrical engineering undergraduates in BUAA is then proposed, and the course orientation and outline of the Microwave Technology course incorporated within it. Questionnaire-based surveys demonstrate the positive effect of the course.

Locating Traces of Hidden Visual Culture in Rare Books and Special Collections: A Case Study in Visual Literacy

AbstractThe author describes the recent collaboration of a special collections librarian and an art history professor at McGill University to integrate primary source material into a semester-long undergraduate course assignment and subsequent exhibition and catalog. The fourth-year art history course, Canadian Slavery and Its Legacies: A Curatorial Seminar, required students to select and prepare an exhibition catalog entry for two visual objects (prints, maps, books, plates, ephemera, objects) from within the holdings of McGill Rare Books and Special Collections. Through in-class visits and individual consultation, the librarian guided students in navigating special collections for the first time, thus easing feelings of “archival anxiety” and illustrating the role of special collections in academic research.

The Four-Year Course of Major Depressive Disorder: The Role of Staging and Risk Factor Determination

Background: Much is still unclear about the mechanisms underlying the course of major depressive disorder (MDD). This study aimed to identify risk factors that predict a poor prognosis of MDD while taking into consideration its chronicity at baseline. Methods: In patients with MDD (n = 767), we examined whether baseline clinical factors, sociodemographics, childhood trauma, personality and life events predicted the 4-year course (i.e. sustained recovery, temporary recovery and chronic course) of MDD. Baseline chronicity of MDD was taken into account by testing whether associations were different for patients with nonchronic versus chronic MDD at baseline. Results: In patients with nonchronic MDD at baseline, 27.8% developed a chronic disorder during follow-up, whereas 53.0% of patients with chronic MDD at baseline had a persistent chronic disorder during follow-up. Severity of MDD, childhood trauma and greater age were important general risk factors for a poor prognosis, independent of MDD chronicity at baseline. In contrast, low extraversion was only important for the course of nonchronic MDD at baseline, while higher education and negative life events (in patients with high neuroticism) were only relevant for the course of chronic MDD at baseline. Conclusions: One out of 4 patients with nonchronic MDD progressed to a chronic disorder, while half of the patients with chronic MDD remained chronic during follow-up. Since several risk factors for a poor prognosis differed for patients with nonchronic and chronic MDD at baseline, treatment targets should be adjusted for current chronicity of MDD.

Affirming professional identities through an apprenticeship: insights from a four-year longitudinal case study.

A four-year course, entitled Physician Apprenticeship, was introduced at McGill University's Faculty of Medicine in 2005. The primary objective of the course is to assist students in their transition from laymen to physicians. The goal of this study was to understand the apprenticeship learning process, particularly its contribution to professional identity formation. For data collection, the authors used a longitudinal case study design with mixed methods. They conducted the study over a four-year curricular cycle, from 2008-2009 to 2011-2012. The case consisted of three apprenticeship groups. Students (n = 24) and teachers (n = 3) represented two subgroups for data analysis. Physician Apprenticeship activities promoted and sustained medical professionalization in the participants. Salient features of successful apprenticeship learning were access to authentic clinical experiences as well as the provision of a safe learning environment and guided critical reflection. The latter two ingredients appear to be mutually reinforcing and contributed to the creation of meaningful student-teacher relationships. Teachers exhibited several qualities that align with a parental role. Students became increasingly aware of having entered the kinship of physicians. Teachers experienced a renewal and validation of their commitment to the ideals of medicine. Findings strongly suggest that a longitudinal apprenticeship in an undergraduate medical program can contribute to the formation and reaffirmation of professional identity. The case study design permitted the authors to create a provisional conceptual model explicating important features of the apprenticeship learning process.

Changes to a CA Programme - Practitioners' Perspectives

This paper examines the perceptions of practitioners of the new directions taken by NZICA with respect to its academic and professional programme requirements to obtain CA Institute membership. The “future viability of any professional body is dependent on continuously attracting new members, ideally the best and the brightest new tertiary graduates”, and this is “undoubtedly the case for New Zealand’s professional accounting body, the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA)” (Malthus & Fowler 2009, p. 26). In this study, the concurrent triangulation approach to mixed methods described by Creswell (2009) was used to collect data. This approach enabled the results of the two quantitative and qualitative databases to be integrated and compared. It was found that accounting practitioners felt the changes made by NZICA may devalue the brand, while the reduction in liberal papers would result in a narrower degree. Overall, accounting practitioners agreed that three to four years of tertiary accounting education was adequate, a broader four-year course would result in a better-rounded graduates. The reduction in the length of the tertiary programme caused concern that future graduates would be less mature. Accounting practitioners also felt that the changes would harm the credibility of NZICA internationally. However, some accounting practitioners did welcome the fact that the NZICA membership requirements will be more aligned with Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia. Accounting practitioners felt that the new technical modules would offer more flexibility. They believed that the four technical modules should repeat the material taught at university, as long as a balance was maintained between technical and practical skills. They also believed that the changes would result in an increased onus on the employer. Additionally, accounting practitioners agreed that on-the-job training should not replace a tertiary qualification in accounting. Accounting practitioners noted that on-the-job training replacing tertiary education meant that individuals who learn better through practical experience would be advantaged. However, if there was no tertiary education, then graduates would face a steep learning curve.

Four-Year Course of Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid Antibody Titers in a Patient with Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis

The natural long-term course of antibody titers in patients with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis remains uncertain. We measured anti-NMDAR antibodies in a patient with anti-NMDAR encephalitis who had a severe disease course for 5 years. The antibody titers in the first serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were 1:1600 and 1:320, respectively. During gradual recovery, the serum and CSF titers initially decreased, but remained unchanged during the last 2 years. Four years after the onset of disease, the serum and CSF antibody titers were 1:200 and 1:80, respectively. Anti-NMDAR antibodies can persist for prolonged periods in patients with a poor clinical course.

Forensic Entomology: An IntroductionForensic Entomology: An Introduction

Dorothy Gennard's role in the fourth-year course in Forensic Science at the University of Lincoln has placed her in an excellent position to design a text that caters for this level. It was generally agreed (e.g. Villet & Richards 2008; Higley & Huntington 2009) that the first edition of her book, published in 2007, was a useful text for teaching introductory courses in forensics, and this substantially revised edition is even better suited to that niche. Other recently revised texts are either difficult to acquire (Haskell & Williams, 2008) or more expensive reference works (Amendt et al. 2010; Byrd & Castner 2010).

A Study on the Systematization and the Present Curriculum Condition of Space Design: Witha Focus on Four-Year Course Colleges in Korea and Japan

A Study on the Systematization and the Present Curriculum Condition of Space Design: Witha Focus on Four-Year Course Colleges in Korea and Japan

Reconstructing Earth's Climate History: Inquiry‐Based Exercises for Lab and Class

For instructors in natural science undergraduate programs, there is a clear need to have students explore and understand the scientific evidence of past climate variability and learn what this tells us about the role of humans in shaping present‐day climate. Indeed, research in the field of paleoclimatology has provided data that identifies one of the most pressing challenges facing society—global warming. Herein lay my motivation to fill an important gap in my university's undergraduate program in geography and environmental studies. To that end, about a year ago I began to develop a new fourth‐year course in paleoclimatology.

Does training matter? Comparing the behaviour management strategies of pre-service teachers in a four-year program and those in a one-year program

Survey-based research was conducted with Australian pre-service teachers to identify the classroom management strategies that they would employ, their confidence in employing them, and the effectiveness of the strategies. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify significant differences in these variables between pre-service teachers in the final year of a four-year teacher training course and pre-service teachers undertaking a one-year, stand-alone teaching program. The results of this study indicate that the most frequently reported strategies by all the Australian pre-service primary teachers surveyed were rewards and initial corrections. The pre-service teachers were selective in the type of corrective strategies they would employ, with a preference for relatively less intrusive reactive strategies. All of the pre-service teachers here found rewards and preventative strategies to be the most effective. The only significant differences found between the four-year trained and one-year trained pre-service teachers were around preventative strategies. Specifically, four-year trained pre-service teachers employ preventative strategies significantly more often than pre-service teachers in the one-year teaching course. Similarly, four-year trained pre-service teachers are significantly more confident in using preventative strategies than those in the one-year course. The implications of the results for teacher education programs are considered.

Birmingham university turned down for five-year MPharm, but four-year course gets green light

Birmingham university turned down for five-year MPharm, but four-year course gets green light

An innovative OSCE clinical log station: a quantitative study of its influence on Log use by medical students.

BackgroundA Clinical Log was introduced as part of a medical student learning portfolio, aiming to develop a habit of critical reflection while learning was taking place, and provide feedback to students and the institution on learning progress. It was designed as a longitudinal self-directed structured record of student learning events, with reflection on these for personal and professional development, and actions planned or taken for learning.As incentive was needed to encourage student engagement, an innovative Clinical Log station was introduced in the OSCE, an assessment format with established acceptance at the School. This study questions: How does an OSCE Clinical Log station influence Log use by students?MethodsThe Log station was introduced into the formative, and subsequent summative, OSCEs with careful attention to student and assessor training, marking rubrics and the standard setting procedure. The scoring process sought evidence of educational use of the log, and an ability to present and reflect on key learning issues in a concise and coherent manner.ResultsAnalysis of the first cohort’s Log use over the four-year course (quantified as number of patient visits entered by all students) revealed limited initial use. Usage was stimulated after introduction of the Log station early in third year, with some improvement during the subsequent year-long integrated community-based clerkship. Student reflection, quantified by the mean number of characters in the ‘reflection’ fields per entry, peaked just prior to the final OSCE (mid-Year 4). Following this, very few students continued to enter and reflect on clinical experience using the Log.ConclusionWhile the current study suggested that we can’t assume students will self-reflect unless such an activity is included in an assessment, ongoing work has focused on building learner and faculty confidence in the value of self-reflection as part of being a competent physician.

The Influence of Social Contingencies on Teacher Education Students Undertaking a Rural Internship

Hughes (1999) categorised non-work demands such as domestic responsibilities and health of family members (including self) as social contingencies. A literature review on social contingencies, examined from a medical, nursing, and allied health standpoint, revealed that certain factors, especially related to financial matters, impact directly on the professional experience or deter potential students from electing to participate in a rural-based experience. This review was then extended to include teacher education research but it was found that these studies were small in number, somewhat dated, and lacking a strong focus on what stressors arise beyond the classroom and the school for teacher trainees. The present study was planned to reduce existing gaps in the research literature and to better understand the effects of the professional experience in different residential settings by seeking to: 1. examine the predictive capacity of stress in relation to the perceived impact of social contingencies on internship learning; 2. identify factors which distinguish between those students who lived away and stayed at their usual term residence while undertaking an internship; and, 3. explore in greater detail the social contingencies, and other related factors, that influence learning during an internship. The sample consisted of 84 teacher education students attending an Australian regional university. These students were enrolled in the final semester of a four-year course and had just completed a 10-week internship in a rural or remote setting. A survey was the sole means of data collection. The survey data were analysed and the main findings were: financial pressure was viewed by the teacher trainees as the most prominent contingency impacting on their learning; the same trainees rated internet and phone access as the next two most important factors; and, two scales, labelled as personal/health care and life organisation were shown to be the only significant independent variables helping to distinguish between teacher trainees who lived away and those who stayed at their usual term residence during the internship. The implications of the study for course managers, course designers, rural educators, and policy makers conclude the paper.

학제에 따른 치위생(학)과 학생의 진로정체감과 전문직업성의 비교

본 연구는 3년제, 4년제 치위생과 재학생의 학제에 따른 진로정체감과 전문직업성을 비교하여 향후 치과위생사의 교육과정 개발과 교육방향 설정의 기초자료를 활용하고자 충청지역에 재학 중인 치위생과 학생 579명을 대상으로 설문조사하였으며, SPSS WIN 12.0을 이용하여 분석한 결과 다음과 결론을 얻었다. 1. 학제별 학년에 따른 진로정체감은 3년제에서는 1학년(2.73)이, 4년제에서는 3학년(2.67)이 가장 높았으며, 전문직업성은 3년제에서는 1학년(3.34), 4년제에서는 4학년(3.29)이 가장 높았다. 2. 전공선택동기에 따른 진로정체감은 3년제(2.78), 4년제(2.75)에서 '높은 급여'가 가장 높았으며(p<.01), 전문직업성은 3년제에서는 '적성', '평생직업'(3.44)이, 4년제에서는 '평생직업'(3.29)이 가장 높았다(p<.01). 3. 학제에 따른 진로정체감과 전문직업성은 유의한 상관관계가 나타났다. 본 결과로 3년제와 4년제에서 전문직업성이 진로정체감보다 점수가 높았고, 학제에 따른 입학만족도, 전공 선택의 비교에서는 3년제가 4년제보다 진로정체감이나 전문직업성이 평균점수가 높음을 알 수 있었다. 그러나, 3년제에서는 학년이 올라갈수록 두 항목의 점수가 낮았고, 4년제에서는 학년이 올라갈수록 두 항목의 점수가 높음을 알 수 있었다. 따라서, 각 학제의 특성에 맞는 차별화된 자아증진 프로그램 및 진로에 대한 교육프로그램이 개발되어야 할 것이다. The purpose of this study was to compare the career identity and professionalism of dental hygiene students according to an educational system(three-year course and four-year course). In this study, we conducted survey of 579 dental hygiene students in Chungcheong Province. The collected data were analyzed with a SPSS WIN 12.0 program. The findings of the study were as follows: 1. In regard to career identity by educational system and academic year, the freshmen(2.73) had the best career identity in the three-year course and the juniors(2.67) excelled the others in the four-year course. In terms of professionalism, the freshmen(3.34) were most excellent in the three-year course, and the seniors(3.29) were the best in the four-year course. 2. As to career identity by motivation of choosing the major, the students who have chosen the major in hopes of being well paid had the best career identity both in the three-year course(2.78) and four-year course(2.75). In terms of professionalism, they who have chosen the major in consideration of their own attitude and for the purpose of getting a lifelong occupation(3.44) were the best in the three-year course, and the students who wanted to get a lifelong job(3.29) were most excellent in the four-year course(p<.01). 3. The educational system had a significant correlation to career identity and professionalism.

Process of discovery: A fourth-year translational science course

BackgroundThe Liaison Committee on Medical Education notes the importance of educating medical students on clinical and translational research principles.PurposeTo describe a fourth-year course, “Process of discovery,” which addresses teaching these principles, and to discuss students’ perceptions of the course.MethodsCore components and pedagogical methods of this course are presented. Course assessment was performed with specific pre- and post-course assessments.ResultsDuring academic years 2004 to 2009, 562 students were enrolled, with assessment response rate of 94% pre-course and 85% post-course. The students’ self-assessment of their current understanding of clinical and translation research significantly increased, as well as their understanding of how clinical advances will take place over the next decade.ConclusionsA fourth-year course teaching clinical and translational research is successful, is seen as a positive experience and can meet the requirements for including clinical and translational research in the medical school curriculum.

A Standardized Rubric to Evaluate Student Presentations

To design, implement, and assess a rubric to evaluate student presentations in a capstone doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) course. A 20-item rubric was designed and used to evaluate student presentations in a capstone fourth-year course in 2007-2008, and then revised and expanded to 25 items and used to evaluate student presentations for the same course in 2008-2009. Two faculty members evaluated each presentation. The Many-Facets Rasch Model (MFRM) was used to determine the rubric's reliability, quantify the contribution of evaluator harshness/leniency in scoring, and assess grading validity by comparing the current grading method with a criterion-referenced grading scheme. In 2007-2008, rubric reliability was 0.98, with a separation of 7.1 and 4 rating scale categories. In 2008-2009, MFRM analysis suggested 2 of 98 grades be adjusted to eliminate evaluator leniency, while a further criterion-referenced MFRM analysis suggested 10 of 98 grades should be adjusted. The evaluation rubric was reliable and evaluator leniency appeared minimal. However, a criterion-referenced re-analysis suggested a need for further revisions to the rubric and evaluation process.

Providing universal access to antiretroviral therapy in Thyolo, Malawi through task shifting and decentralization of HIV/AIDS care

To describe how district-wide access to HIV/AIDS care was achieved and maintained in Thyolo District, Malawi. In mid-2003, the Ministry of Health and Médecins Sans Frontières developed a model of care for Thyolo district (population 587, 455) based on decentralization of care to health centres and community sites and task shifting. After delegating HIV testing and counseling to lay counsellors, uptake of testing increased from 1300 tests per month in 2003 to 6500 in 2009. Shifting responsibility for antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiations to non-physician clinicians almost doubled ART enrollment, with a majority of initiations performed in peripheral health centres. By the end 2009, 23, 261 people had initiated ART of whom 11, 042 received ART care at health-centre level. By the end of 2007, the universal access targets were achieved, with nearly 9000 patients alive and on ART. The average annual cost for achieving these targets was € 2.6 per inhabitant/year. The Thyolo programme has demonstrated the feasibility of district-wide access to ART in a setting with limited resources for health. Expansion and decentralization of HIV/AIDS service-capacity to the primary care level, combined with task shifting, resulted in increased access to HIV services with good programme outcomes despite staff shortages.

Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Effect of Gender on Performance of Undergraduate Dental Students at the University of Jordan, Amman

The purpose of this study was to see if gender-based differences exist in the performance of dental students at the University of Jordan (UJ), Amman. The retrospective analysis included data from two groups of students: 413 fourth-year dental students (178 males and 275 females) from four consecutive years (2005 through 2008) and 357 fifth-year students (128 males and 229 females) who graduated in the years 2005 to 2008. The influence of gender on the results of the fourth-year students in six theoretical and six clinical courses and the cumulative GPAs of the fifth-year students were studied. In both theoretical and clinical fourth-year courses, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed significant main differences in raw scores between the two gender groups. Female students were significantly better in five theoretical courses. In clinical courses, female students outscored male students in pediatric dentistry and prosthodontics, male students outperformed female students in conservative dentistry and orthodontics, and no significant gender differences were seen in oral surgery and fixed prosthodontics. The cumulative GPAs of the female graduated students were significantly higher than those of the male students. The results showed a significant relationship between gender and academic performance of dental students for these classes. The reasons for these findings should be further investigated.

Total educational costs of an integrated nursing curriculum

Innovative changes in undergraduate Nursing programs have brought about new methodologies and the need for cost evaluation. This study aims to develop a model for cost estimation, and to estimate educational costs of an integrated Nursing curriculum at a public university. This is a case study conducted in stages: model development, data collection, analysis and interpretation. The cost-construction model consisted of six steps: data collection; educational and support activity costs; four-year course educational costs; educational support costs; joint product costs and total educational costs. Findings showed a total educational cost per student/year US$ 3,788.82. Course team faculty included 97 members. The cost analysis in faculty contact hours is the most appropriate cost unit as it most consistently reflects faculty time devoted to teaching. The knowledge about educational costs provided information that may be useful for a different approach to the integrated curriculum management, with a view to putting its educational objectives in practice.