Fourth Year Research Articles

Editorial: “GTAs’ (Re/De) Constructing the Learning and Teaching Space Piece By Piece”

This editorial introduces our fourth issue- “GTAs’ (Re/De) Constructing the learning and teaching space piece by piece.” First, we outline how we continue to build upon the successes that previous JPPP issues have already achieved. Following this, we explain what we mean by the theme and how the nine articles in this issue contribute to this theme. Finally, we conclude the editorial by reflecting on the journal's fourth year and offering some thoughts for future JPPP issues.

Journal of Pedagogic Practice: GTAs’ (Re/De) Constructing the Learning and Teaching Space Piece By Piece”

This editorial introduces our fourth issue- “GTAs’ (Re/De) Constructing the learning and teaching space piece by piece.” First, we outline how we continue to build upon the successes that previous JPPP issues have already achieved. Following this, we explain what we mean by the theme and how the nine articles in this issue contribute to this theme. Finally, we conclude the editorial by reflecting on the journal's fourth year and offering some thoughts for future JPPP issues

Empathy and cultural competence remains stable for medical students: do the humanities have an effect?

There is a paucity of rigorous longitudinal data regarding the relationship between humanities and their effect on multiple psychometrics. Using an observational art course, we assessed pre- and post-course metrics and longitudinal impacts with 120 preclinical medical students taking the "Art of Observation" between 2016 and 2019. Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) and Jeffreys Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool (TSET) were assessed annually for four years. Budner Tolerance of Ambiguity (TOA) Scale was administered before and after the course. The JSE showed no drop in empathy as students progressed from first to fourth year (p = 0.374). The TSET showed statistically significant increases in cultural self-efficacy (p < 0.001) in the cognitive and practical components but no change in the affective component of the scale. After the art course, TOA significantly improved on two [solubility (p = 0.009) and complexity (p = 0.21)] of the three subscales, but not novelty (p = 0.62). Empathy and cultural self-efficacy remained consistently high throughout medical school and did not decrease during the clinical years in an institution prioritizing the humanities and community engagement. Comfort with cultural competency generally improved throughout training. After taking an art course that emphasizes cognitive flexibility and a multiple perspectival approach, students demonstrated greater tolerance for ambiguity.

Knowledge of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance, antibiotic use and eHealth literacy among nursing students in Thailand: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesAntibiotic resistance poses a major global public health threat. However, research on this issue is limited, especially among nursing students. This study aims to examine knowledge of antibiotics and antibiotic...

Enriching the professional identity of early childhood development teachers through mentorship

The purpose of this paper is to highlight three professional identity tensions that are experienced by beginning teachers: the change in role from student to teacher; conflicts between expectations and realities of mentor support given to students (mentees), and contradictory notions of learning to teach. Research shows that Early Childhood Development (ECD) is losing many highly qualified teachers due to the perceived lack of proper mentorship in developing professional identity. This article outlines a study to explore the mentoring needs of ECD teachers in developing a positive professional identity. Participatory Reflection and Action (PRA) as a data collection method, which relied heavily on interpretivism as epistemology was conducted. The research sample consisted of all fourth year (final-year) undergraduate BEd students (n=713), who had to attend the compulsory teaching-practice component of the teacher training programme for the first time during the second and third quarters of the academic year. The BEd (Foundation Phase) students’ completed matrices (maps) were transcribed, coded and categorised through thematic analysis. As a result, two dimensions of the participants’ identity construction emerged: (1) Positive Role Modelling and (2) Missed Opportunities. It is suggested that mentor training, as well as scheduled talk-time and reflection opportunities between the mentors and mentees could transform the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) landscape and enrich the professional identity of Early Childhood Education teachers.

Developing reliable surgery-specific entrustable professional activities (SSEPA) for the fourth year of medical school

Developing reliable surgery-specific entrustable professional activities (SSEPA) for the fourth year of medical school

Hospital pharmacists’ education, career paths, and continuous education: A cross-sectional survey in Batna, Algeria

Background: This cross-sectional survey aimed to evaluate the perspectives of 61 hospital pharmacists in Batna, Algeria, regarding education, career choices, and continuous education (CE). Methods: Convenience sampling was employed to select pharmacists working in public health hospitals within the Wilaya of Batna. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered through Google Forms between December 20, 2023, and March 20, 2024. The questionnaire covered demographics, reasons for choosing the pharmacy profession, perceived relevance of university studies to current job, satisfaction with career trajectory, and engagement in CE. Results: The study found that 73.8% of respondents were female, with a mean age of 37.74 years and an average of 10.34±3.38 years of work experience. The most influential factor in choosing pharmacy was valuing a respectable job (3.69±1.51). Regarding education relevance, respondents rated their university studies to their current job with a moderate mean score of 2.97±1.16, with the fifth and fourth years emerging as the most relevant years of study to their current job (3.25±1.36 and 3.11±1.31, respectively). Factors influencing job selection included work environment, location of work, and level of responsibility. Over 50% had either not engaged in any CE or had done so more than a year ago, while barriers preventing engagement in CE included the lack of national protocols and personal time. Conclusion: It is urgent to improve the alignment between pharmacy education and job roles and implement CE activities through a national protocol. Additionally, targeted strategies are warranted to enhance job satisfaction and retention among hospital pharmacists in Algeria.

Nitrogen addition alleviates the negative effects of reduction in precipitation on soil multifunctionality in a typical steppe

The increasing frequency of drought events and nitrogen deposition have fundamentally changed soil microbial functions in terrestrial ecosystems. However, most studies have mainly concentrated on the impact of a single environmental factor on ecosystem functions; how drought and nitrogen enrichment interactively affect soil multifunctionality remains largely unknown. In this study, the effects of different drought scenarios [intense drought (ID), chronic drought (CD), and reduced rainfall frequency (RF)] and nitrogen addition on soil microbial biomass, and soil multifunctionality (determined using soil enzyme activity) were examined in the fourth year of a field manipulative experiment conducted in a typical steppe in northern China. The results demonstrated that both ID and CD significantly reduced soil multifunctionality, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). The CD treatment also decreased the ratio of MBC to MBN, while RF had less impacts on soil multifunctionality and the biomass of soil microbes. In contrast, nitrogen addition enhanced soil multifunctionality, MBC and MBN. Structural equation modeling analysis demonstrated that drought decreased soil multifunctionality directly and indirectly by reducing MBN and soil water content, whereas nitrogen addition increased soil multifunctionality mainly by increasing MBN and soil inorganic nitrogen. This study provides the first experimental evidence of the opposing impacts of reduction in precipitation and nitrogen enrichment on soil microbial biomass and soil multifunctionality in a semiarid typical steppe, and suggests that nitrogen fertilization could be an effective measure to alleviate the negative effects of climate drought on soil functions in nitrogen- and water-limited grassland ecosystems.

Effects of Manipulated Rainfall and Intraspecific Variation Within Dominant Species on Community Assembly: Insights From a Long‐Term Grassland Restoration Experiment

ABSTRACTGrasslands converted to agricultural land use can be reestablished by sowing seeds of native species and temporal dynamics of diversity under altered climate can inform community assembly in the context of global change. We quantified three aspects of diversity (species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and functional diversity) in restored prairie plots sown with different ecotypes of two dominant grass species and manipulated rainfall to understand the relative importance of abiotic filtering and population source of dominant species on community assembly. We also evaluated the contributions of intra‐ and interspecific variations in functional traits across plots sown with different ecotypes of dominant species. Since the fourth year of community establishment, species richness decreased over time as dominant species gradually established. Phylogenetic and functional diversity was unaffected by the ecotypic sources of dominant species during restoration. Experimental drought did not affect species richness, phylogenetic, or functional diversity. Community structure in the grasslands was mainly shaped by intraspecific, within‐population variation in the dominant species rather than by differences in traits among species. Our results showed that intraspecific biotic interactions contribute more than environmental filtering to community assembly in a tallgrass‐dominated prairie ecosystem.

Flourishing levels among health and non-health profession students in Saudi Arabian colleges.

This study aimed to evaluate the levels of flourishing among university students, compare these levels between students in health-related and non-health-related colleges, and identify factors that predict flourishing. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia, involving 1,148 students from the first to fourth year across both academic sectors. Data were collected utilizing the self-reported Global Flourishing Study Questionnaire (GFS) during the period from September 2023 to June 2024. Multistage sampling techniques were employed to ensure a representative sample, with data collection facilitated through a self-administered electronic link on QuestionPro resulting in a response rate of 51.7%. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22, incorporating descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and regression analysis to identify predictors of flourishing. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were assessed using Cronbach's alpha and Pearson's correlation analysis. The study included nearly equal proportions of students from health (51.0%) and nonhealth (49.0%) colleges. The average flourishing score was 85.6 (SD=18.6), with a slight increase in health colleges (85.7) compared with non-health colleges (85.4). Factors that significantly affected flourishing included gender, employment status, exercise frequency, experiences of abuse, and income. In the multiple regression analysis, well-being emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by external factors, disposition, and behavior. Gender exhibited a positive association with flourishing, whereas religion had a negative influence. Furthermore, employment and higher income levels were found to positively contribute to flourishing. This study revealed elevated levels of flourishing among university students in Saudi Arabia, with a notable average score of 85.6. Although the differences between students enrolled in health-related and non-health-related colleges were minimal, significant predictors of flourishing were identified, including well-being, external factors, disposition and behavior, gender, religious affiliation, employment status, income, frequency of exercise, and experience of abuse. These findings underscore the complexity of flourishing and highlight the necessity of considering a range of sociodemographic and lifestyle factors to promote student well-being.

The 2018 Classification of Periodontal Diseases: An Observational Study on Inter-examiner Agreement among Undergraduate Students.

The objective of the present observational study was to assess the inter-examiner agreement for the diagnosis of periodontitis using the 2018 CPD among fourth and fifth year undergraduate students. It is hypothesised that there is no difference in the inter-examiner relaibility between fourth- and fifth-year undergraduate students regarding staging and grading periodontal disease using the 2018 Classification of Periodontal Diseases (CPD). All participants received training on the 2018 CPD scheme through a mandatory periodontics course conducted by a periodontist. Documentation for seven deidentified periodontitis patients, comprising medical history, dental history including tooth loss, intra-oral photographs and radiographs, periodontal charts reporting probing depth, plaque and bleeding on probing scores, furcation involvement and clinical attachment loss, was sent via e-mail to undergraduate students. The cases consisted of one sextant, and the participants were instructed to assume the sextant to be a true representation of the entire dentition. Power analysis was done on pilot data, and the level of significance was set at p0.05. The percentage of undergraduate students in the fourth and fifth year that correctly identified the stage of periodontitis according to the 2018 CPD ranged between 28% and 72% and 18.5% and 77.8%, respectively. The percentage of undergraduate students in the fourth and fifth year that correctly identified the grade of periodontitis ranged between 40% and 88% and 51.8% and 92.5%, respectively. The overall staging and grading ranged between 22.8% and 74.1%, and 45.66% and 87.4%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between fourth- and fifth-year undergraduate students with regards to assigning the correct diagnoses to case documentation in terms of either stage or grade. Fourth- and fifth-year undergraduate students demonstrated high inter-examiner agreement using the 2018 CPD.

The Difficulties Faced by Saudi Learners of English in Translating Collocations from English into Arabic

The objective of this research was to assess the translation skills of Saudi students in rendering a specific set of English collocations into Arabic. To achieve this, twenty students in their fourth year from the Department of Languages and Translation participated in the study. The data collection method utilized was a translation test, in which students were required to translate ten collocations embedded in full sentences within one hour. These sentences were sourced from Hussain Ghazala’s Translation as Problems and Solutions. Each student translated sentences containing one of the specified collocations to address the research questions concerning the difficulties faced by Saudi EFL learners and the strategies they employ during translation. After administering the test, the researcher collected and analyzed the students’ translations. The analysis revealed that more than three-quarters of the students faced significant challenges in accurately and effectively translating English collocations into Arabic. This difficulty was largely due to their tendency to translate the individual words within the collocations separately, often relying on literal translation and incorrect paraphrasing. In light of these findings, the study offers several practical recommendations aimed at assisting Saudi English learners in overcoming these challenges and improving their ability to translate collocations more effectively.

Survey of GP registrars' training experience and confidence in managing children and adolescents with mental health conditions in primary care.

The aim of thisstudy is to assess General Practitioner (GP) trainees' training experience, and confidence in assessing and managing children and adolescents with common mental health conditions in primary care in Ireland. An online anonymous questionnaire was distributed to third and fourth year GP registrars enrolled in the Irish College of General Practitioners training schemes. The online questionnaire evaluated participants' training experiences and confidence levels in key areas of child and adolescent mental health in primary care. Sixty participants completed the survey out of 406, yielding a response rate of 14.8%. The majority (88%) reported no formal training or experience working in Child and Adolescent Mental Healthcare Services (CAMHS) during their GP training scheme. Responses indicated that many participants rated their competency, skills, and knowledge in essential areas of Child and Adolescent Mental Health as needing improvement. Similarly, their awareness of referral pathways and specialty services was below expectations, with poor perceived access to services. A large proportion (91.7%) expressed a definite need for further training in child and adolescent mental health disorders. The results highlight the need for enhanced training and support for GP trainees in the field of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, ensuring their ability to effectively and confidently address these common issues in primary care.

Comparison of Surgery test scores using Concept Maps and Interactive Lectures among the Undergraduate Medical Students

Objective: Concept Maps (CM) aid in the acquisition of new information, and comprehend prior knowledge with better retention. Their use is not explored in undergraduate surgical education in our country, hence this study aimed to compare the surgery test scores of undergraduate medical students taught by concept maps and interactive lectures. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was carried out at the Department of Surgery, at a Private University Hospital among 60 students of fourth year MBBS from 2017-2018. The students were divided into Group-A taught by interactive lectures and Group-B taught by CM. Post class Multiple Choice Questions test was taken and scores were compared for immediate effects on knowledge and short term knowledge retention using the Unpaired t- test. A P-value of &lt; 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Our study reported a mean test score of 19.5 (2.75 ± 0.49) for the Group-A, while 21.1 (3.49 ± 0.65) for Group-B with a negative t value of 2.003 with a significant p-value of 0.05. This showed that the test scores of Group-A were lower than the scores of Group-B. Conclusions: Concept Maps is an effective and promising way to give learners better understanding of complex concepts in short amounts of time. providing valuable evidence for instituting the use of concept maps as a continuous teaching strategy for medical students. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.10.10526 How to cite this: Masood Z, Jawaid M, Aly SM, Muhammad Z. Comparison of Surgery test scores using Concept Maps and Interactive Lectures among the Undergraduate Medical Students. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(10):2305-2308. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.10.10526 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Secular change in seaweed species composition and coverage of Sargassaceae on the artificial reef in Wakasa Bay, Japan.

The threat of declining seaweed beds has been a concern around the world. Seagrass and seaweed (brown algae) beds are essential habitats supporting fisheries. However, approximately 22% of these habitats have been lost in Japan due to increased coastal landfill sites and ports. This study aims to rehabilitate the depletion of these habitats by constructing an artificial reef in Wakasa Bay, Japan, and monitoring Sargassaceae succession in the second and fourth years after the construction was completed. In this study, we set up four sites on the artificial reef. Then we identified the seaweed species composition and coverage of the Sargassaceae using underwater visual observation by scuba divers. The seaweed coverage was already over approximately 80% in the second year after construction. The Sargassum horneri and S. confusum dominated during the first and second sampling in the second year after construction, and Myagropsis myagroides and S. patens during the third and fourth sampling in the fourth year after construction. Thus, the recovery of species composition takes longer than that of coverage. Therefore, observing species composition recovery is essential when constructing the artificial reef.

Scientific Skills Present in Chilean School Textbooks from First to Fourth Grade in Natural Sciences

Objective: This research focused on identifying and classifying the scientific skills present in Chilean school textbooks of Natural Sciences from the first to the fourth year of Basic Education. Theoretical Framework: We sought to determine their presence, frequency, cognitive level and types of skills, comparing them with curricular documents and UNESCO declarations on the subject. Method: The study, descriptive in nature, employed the integrative method, using document analysis to compile quotations, patterns of behavior and categories. For quantitative aspects, descriptive statistics were used, analyzing by course and thematic units. Results and Discussion: It was found that the most promoted skills were observation and explanation, fundamental for scientific learning. Scientific skills were identified at all educational levels, varying in frequency. Third and fourth year showed a greater frequency and variety of higher cognitive level skills, although some, such as creating, evaluating, reflecting and imagining, did not have the expected frequency. The lower cognitive skills did not show significant differences between educational levels. The scientific skills present in the school texts coincide in general with those declared in the Curricular Bases and by UNESCO, both in type and educational level. Implications of the investigation: the investigation implies that the scientific skills that declare the Curriculum Bases and scientific literature are promoted, mostly, in school texts on Natural Sciences for basic education, verifying correspondence between the documents. Originality/Value: the study contributes to literature by contributing new knowledge to the state of affairs of the knowledge of Natural Sciences in basic education, as well as highlighting the need to promote more creativity and imagination in school texts. At the same time, the results will be an input for teachers to pay more attention to higher-level scientific processes.

간호대학생의 문화지능이 문화적 역량에 미치는 영향: 다문화 자기효능감의 매개효과 중심으로

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between cultural intelligence, cultural competence and multicultural self-efficacy in nursing students and to examine the mediating effect of multicultural self-efficacy on the relationship between cultural intelligence and cultural competence in nursing students. Methods Data were collected through an online survey from 1 to 15 August 2022 from 190 first to fourth year nursing students in two nursing schools in city D. The collected data were analysed by descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, stepwise multiple regression and Sobel's test using SPSS/23.0 program. Results The mean scores of cultural intelligence, multicultural self-efficacy and cultural competence of the nursing students were 92.29, 74.74 and 96.66 respectively. Cultural competence was significantly positively correlated with cultural intelligence (r=.54 p&lt;.001) and multicultural self-efficacy (r=.47 p&lt;.001). In addition, multicultural self-efficacy played a partial mediating role in the relationship between cultural intelligence and cultural competence among nursing students (Z=5.98, p&lt;.001), with an explanatory power of 55%. Conclusions In order to strengthen the cultural competence of nursing students, it is necessary to activate curricular and non-curricular training programs that enhance cultural intelligence and multicultural self-efficacy, and when applying the programs, it is necessary to provide intensive training and operational strategies in a small group format in a friendly environment.

Sarcomas of the Head and Neck Region

Introduction: Sarcomas are relatively rare malignant tumors of mesenchymal origin, representing only about 1% of tumors in the head and neck region. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study involved patients with sarcomas of the head and neck region who were diagnosed and treated over a 5-year period. Results: Nine patients were included, 4 men and 5 women. The mean age of the patients was 51 years. Eight patients had soft tissue sarcomas, and 1 patient had osteosarcoma. The most common histologic types were dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and angiosarcoma. Tumors presented predominantly with local symptomatology. All patients were treated only by surgical excision. No distant or regional metastases were found in any patient. Complete surgical excision was achieved in all cases, except in patients with chondrosarcoma of the nose and sinuses, who died due to local progression in the second year of follow-up. Other patients were disease-free during the observed period; a patient with osteosarcoma died in the fourth year of follow-up without recurrence of the malignant disease. Conclusion: Large prospective and multicenter studies are necessary to provide relevant data on the distribution of different types of sarcoma in the head and neck region, their clinical behavior and response to therapeutic modalities, as well as on recurrence, presence of metastases, and survival.

Sustaining Ethical ePortfolio Practices: Insights from AAEEBL’s Task Force Year 4

This paper recognises the importance of digital ethics when using ePortfolios and provides information about the development of a comprehensive resource from the Association for Authentic, Experiential and Evidence-based Learning (AAEEBL) Digital Ethics in ePortfolios Task Force’s four-year work. With the public release of ChatGPT addressing ethical challenges in education is critical. Over three years, the global Task Force diligently drafted, refined, and published a suite of digital ethics principles, strategies, scenarios, and resources, which is available as open source. In the fourth year (July 2022-June 2023), the Task Force formed three sub-groups to manage the growing number of objectives. The Development group explored intersections between principles and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), while evaluating data responsibility. The Outreach group disseminated the work through engaging workshops and publications, which also allowed the wider community feedback opportunities to further enhance the resources. Furthermore, the Research group undertook the ePortfolio Mapping Project to shed light on labour dynamics within ePortfolio practice across North America. The survey instrument was then adapted for data collection in Australia, and New Zealand. The paper highlights the significant achievements of these collective efforts, shares preliminary research findings, and offers valuable insights. It aims to promote ethical ePortfolio usage to enhance teaching, learning and assessment. Practitioner Notes Recognising potential ethical challenges in digital learning is critical. ePortfolios enable integrated learning experiences to meet a range of pedagogical objectives, including the tracking of learning processes as well as end artefacts. Learning how to apply ethical decision-making in using ePortfolios is essential. Comprehensive resources have been developed to assist educators, students, professional staff, and other digital pedagogy stakeholders. Research is underway into current ePortfolio practices which will inform future thinking, advocacy, and awareness.

The gaps and strengths towards effective infection prevention and control on a background of knowledge attitude and perception on COVID-19 among undergraduate students in Southeastern Nigeria: a multicentre online cross-sectional survey

The advent of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic posed a serious health burden locally and globally as it altered people’s daily activities due to restrictive preventive measures instituted by countries and health authorities to curb its spread like wildfire. The undergraduate population remains at the epicentre for the spread and curbing of COVID-19. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and perception of COVID-19 among undergraduate students in Southeastern Nigeria. The gaps and strengths achieved towards effective infection prevention and control in the eastern states were assessed. This was a cross-sectional online population-based survey conducted among undergraduate students attending Universities in 5 states (Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo), located in Southeastern Nigeria from June 29 to July 20, 2020. A structured pre-tested questionnaire was designed for the Google survey tool (Google Forms), and the generated link was shared with students online. From a total of 1,012 respondents from Universities in Southeastern Nigeria, 560 (55%) were females and 452 (45%) were males. The overall mean age of the respondents was 21.63±0.65years. The age distribution did not vary considerably across states (t=-0.007, p=0.995&gt;0.05). The majority (93.8%) of the respondents were Igbos, Yorubas, and Hausas accounting for 2.6% and 0.4% respectively while 3.3% did not identify their ethnic group. Christians (96.0%) were dominant compared to Islam (2.7%) while traditionalists and other non-captured worshippers accounted for 0.5% and 0.8% respectively. Most of the respondents were in second and fourth years in the university. The variation across the states is statistically significant ( =112.01, p=0.000&lt;0.05). The respondents identified that their main source of information concerning COVID-19 was social media (26.9%). The level of knowledge was highest among people in Anambra state (78.0%); followed by those in Enugu state (74.3%), those in Abia state (72.2%), those in Imo state (70.8%), and lastly, by those in Ebonyi state (65.4%). The participants’ attitudes about COVID-19 safety practices were on average moderately positive (49.2%) with the best result in Imo state (60.5%), followed by Abia state (55.3%), Ebonyi state (52.4%), Enugu state (42.9%) and lastly Anambra state (35.1%). In summary, the respondents’ general perception of the realness, infectiveness, and source is positive (&gt;50.0%) in all the Southeastern states. The knowledge, attitude, and perception of COVID-19 among undergraduate students in Eastern states, of Nigeria were appreciable but a lot has to be done in terms of enhanced public health education, positive behavioural changes as well as proactive preventive measures to curb the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic.