Future Learning Opportunities Research Articles

Competencies Relevant to Physical Activity Specialists in Navigating Mental Health Contexts: A Scoping Review

To inform future learning opportunities, we performed a scoping review to identify competencies relevant to physical activity (PA) specialists in supporting the PA and mental health of people experiencing mental health concerns. CINAHL, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched up to June 22, 2022, for research studies and commentaries. Pertinent text was extracted and subject to content analysis using an inductive approach. Sixty-two competencies from 62 publications were organized into four domains: (a) interacting with mental health care services/systems, (b) responding to mental health concerns, (c) employing PA counseling/coaching to promote mental health among people with diverse mental health needs, and (d) building relationships that are responsive to diverse mental health needs. These findings may serve as a road map for stakeholders interested in developing PA specialists’ confidence to meet the challenges of navigating mental health contexts. Despite consistency across sources, points of divergence warrant consideration from learning institutions and professional bodies.

Literature Review: Exploring the Relationship Between Gender Cognition and Student Academics

In the course of human history, discussion regarding gender differences and sexual roles has never come to an end. In present-day society, cultural influences, together with the “discovered” physiological differences, have contributed to severe gender inequalities and bias that can be perceived in all aspects. Under this distressing situation, education should be an important aspect that must be paid attention to as it is a determining factor of societal development. Based on empirical research, it really should be concerned that the often biased gender cognition may have potentially contributed to educational impairment, for which the disparate attitudes, opinions, and assumptions that people hold about the two genders, based on sufficient empirical research, have strongly influenced students’ academic performance and have further facilitated the formation of inequalities in future learning opportunities, career path, etc.; it is fair to say that these series of connections have gradually formed a negative feedback loop worsening the current inequality situation. This paper will focus primarily on finding the connections between the tendentious beliefs on gender cognition and students’ academics; specifically, empirical research papers regarding how people’s gender cognition may affect different aged students’ academic performance and self-concepts at schools will be reviewed to look for possible relationships.

How do teachers promote self-regulation of learning when students need to learn at home? The moderating role of teachers’ ICT competency

The importance of self-regulation of learning became evident during the Covid-19 pandemic and the accompanying school closures. Using data from N = 254 German teachers, we analyze how teachers promoted self-regulation of learning in distance education and reasons why they did not promote it. Additionally, we examine which teacher and class variables predict the promotion of self-regulation of learning in distance education and whether teachers’ technology competency moderates these relationships. Further, we look into whether these relationships differ during the first lockdown in spring 2020, for which teachers were not able to prepare for ahead of time, and the beginning of the new school year 2020/2021. Qualitative analyses indicate that teachers focused on promoting metacognitive strategies and used technology to engage students. Reasons why teachers did not promote self-regulation of learning are mostly a lack of resources and misconceptions about students’ competences and needs. Regression analysis show that teachers’ self-efficacy to promote self-regulation of learning and students’ grade predict teachers’ promotion of self-regulation of learning in distance education. Moderation analyses reveal interactions between teachers’ technology competency and class size as well as grade—but only for the period after the summer holidays in 2020/2021. This paper uncovers areas of improvement for teacher education, such as their misconceptions, self-efficacy beliefs, and their technology competency—not only for homeschooling during a pandemic, but also for future learning opportunities in the 21st century that will contain the need for more self-regulation of learning due to the increasing use of technology and digital learning.

Utilization of Quick Response Codes for Rapid Facilitator-Generated Feedback During Simulations in Nurse Practitioner Programs

BackgroundDevelopment and utilization of standardized processes is an essential best practice for simulation. This manuscript describes the use of quick response (QR) code technology to standardize and streamline facilitator-generated simulation performance feedback. SampleThe standardized evaluation was implemented with a single specialty cohort of forty-three students, with three evaluating faculty overseeing the simulations. The simulations took place over the course of one calendar year. MethodA standardized feedback evaluation was placed into a secured electronic application that saved each evaluation submitted and allowed for transmission and retrieval of the submissions. A QR code was placed in the physical simulation observation spaces and used by facilitators during the pilot. ResultsThe piloted process was successful in the program's standardization and dissemination of learner feedback. Analytics of the evaluation provides unique longitudinal data points that can inform future simulations and educational engagement. ConclusionUsing a QR code for simulation performance evaluation has promoted the ease and consistent use of an electronic feedback survey while providing new approaches to shape future learning opportunities.

Improving Student Feedback Literacy in e-Assessments: A Framework for the Higher Education Context

For students, feedback received from their instructors can make a big difference in their learning by translating their assessment performance into future learning opportunities. To date, researchers have proposed various feedback literacy frameworks, which concern one’s ability to interpret and use feedback for their learning, to promote students’ feedback engagement by repositioning them as active participants in the learning process. However, the current feedback literacy frameworks have not been adapted to digital or e-Assessment settings despite the increasing use of e-Assessments (e.g., computer-based tests, intelligent tutoring systems) in practice. To address this gap, this conceptual paper introduces a feedback literacy model in the context of e-Assessments to present an intersection between e-Assessment features and the ecological model of feedback literacy for more effective feedback practices in digital learning environments. This paper could serve as a guideline to improve feedback effectiveness and its perceived value in e-Assessment to enhance student feedback literacy.

An uncertain time: Clinical nurses' first impressions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID‐19 pandemic overwhelmed the US healthcare system and healthcare providers. Nurses, who comprise one of the most affected groups because they are the largest group of healthcare providers, were in a unique position to speak about their perspectives. As a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic, nurses have experienced ongoing physical and psychological challenges while displaying strength and perseverance during uncertain times. In this study, we explored the perceptions and experiences of nurses in clinical practice caring for patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 during the pandemic. Researchers conducted a qualitative descriptive study with 20 clinical nurses most of whom were enrolled in a graduate program while working in healthcare settings. Semi‐structured interviews conducted through Zoom occurred between August 2020 and December 2020. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts. Five themes emerged: navigating uncertainty, managing death and loss, acknowledging emotional responses, learning opportunities, and facing community undercurrents. Lack of clinical practice guidelines, and inconsistent access to personal protective equipment when providing care to patients with COVID‐19 caused emotional strain for nurses and highlighted future learning opportunities. Providing support to dying patients was devastating to nurses. Concern about community misunderstandings of the pandemic created challenges. Evolving teamwork provided invaluable support to study participants. Nurses shared essential information for revising and creating clinical practice guidelines. Nursing interventions and strategies were used to produce humane and positive patient outcomes and provide a foundation for nurse‐driven care in possible future pandemics.

Development of Empathy Through Participation in Interprofessional Simulation: An Exploratory Study of Master of Occupational Therapy Students’ Perspectives

This exploratory study focused on students’ perspectives of an interprofessional TeamSTEPPS simulation related to grief and loss on the development of empathy. This study used a nonrandom, purposeful sample of 45 first-year occupational therapy students from one Midwestern university during a single semester. Results identified three primary themes specific to empathy with corresponding subthemes. Two primary themes emerged in relation to current and future learning opportunities for enhanced empathy development through engagement with simulated clients. These results were reviewed in light of the occupational therapy literature on empathy and interprofessional education. Limitations include ungeneralizable data and subjective student responses.

Chinese parental academic socialization prior to college entrance examination: insights from urban and rural areas

ABSTRACT Parents’ transmission of reasons for academic achievement, i.e. parental academic socialization, plays an important role in their children's motivation and learning. This study explores Chinese parental academic socialization during the critical period of preparing for getting into colleges through interviews with 38 dyads of parents and their adolescent children from one rural area and one urban area. Results indicated congruity and divergence between urban–rural parents, reflecting rapid modernization and the coexistence of traditional cultural ideologies. Chinese parents generally expected good examination performance and accordingly college admission. They transmitted the messages that entering colleges can elevate social status, repay parents’ sacrifices and bring in more future learning opportunities. In spite of the pivotal examination, some parents expected their children to master skills and enjoy learning itself, who even tried to mitigate or buffer the negative impacts of crucial examinations. The rural parents were more concerned about upward social mobility and offsetting family economic restrain through education than the urban parents, whereas the urban parents placed higher values on enjoying learning itself than the rural parents. The urban–rural differences in parental academic socialization reflect the dramatic sociocultural changes in China in the passing decades.

Playspace users’ experience of a socially inclusive playspace: the case study of Livvi’s Place, Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia

ABSTRACT Inclusive play is a fundamental right for all children however few studies exist on playspaces and children with impairment. Drawing on Australia’s early childhood learning framework, Belonging, Being and Becoming, this study aims to explore whether Livvi’s Place, an inclusive playspace in Port Macquarie, Australia, met the principles and values articulated in the framework, and whether the playspace, was meeting its goal of social inclusion. One hundred and ninety three online and face-to-face questionnaire surveys of adult playspace users were completed. The early childhood learning framework was used to inform the survey design and analytical framework. Results indicate the playspace model adopted promotes a sense of social inclusion as users expressed feelings of safety, welcome, and of belonging at the playspace. Users felt they could be themselves, live in the moment, and enjoy their experiences there. The friendships formed, conversations started, and playful interactions experienced at Livvi’s Place demonstrate that it facilitates people connecting and becoming members of the local community. Findings revealed Livvi’s Place was meeting the principles and values of Belonging, Being and Becoming and meeting its goal of social inclusion. Areas for improvement were identified, providing future learning opportunities for inclusive playspace development and provision.

Knowledge and Attitudes of Hospice and Palliative Care Professionals toward Diversity and Religious Literacy in Cyprus: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: This study is the first to document knowledge-base and knowledge attitudes about cultural competence and religious literacy in hospice and palliative care in Cyprus. Objective: The aim of this article is to investigate and document the knowledge-base and attitudes toward advancing knowledge and expertise of hospice and palliative care professionals in Cyprus. Measurements: A cross-sectional self-administered online survey, which reached 80 hospice and palliative care professionals employed in the sector, was used. The response rate was 64%, which increases the generalizability of the results. Forty-one surveys were completed fully and included in the study. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Frederick University in Cyprus (EEBK EP 2019.01.28). Results: This study shows that self-awareness, reflexivity, and respect toward the other and other people's culture and religion are associated with the current knowledge-base of the professionals, as well as attitudes toward future learning opportunities, lifelong learning, and initiating learning between professionals and agencies. The results present three themes: knowledge development, knowledge empowerment, and knowledge exchange. Conclusions: Professionals and organizations need to nurture and promote lifelong learning, supervision, and enable individual practitioners to engage with activities that will enhance their self-awareness, reflexivity, and attitude toward the unique identities of others.

Help and Solidarity Interactions in Interactive Groups: A Case Study with Roma and Immigrant Preschoolers

Peer interactions in early childhood education play a key role in establishing the first structures of social relationships and foundations for future development. Engaging in social exchanges with different people enriches children’s concurrent and future learning opportunities. Building on the importance of diversifying interactions, interactive groups (IGs) are a specific dialogue-based classroom organization format that creates an inclusive learning environment by allocating students to small heterogeneous groups with an adult volunteer per group. This classroom organization format has produced reported evidence of enhancing social cohesion and academic achievement, mainly in elementary education. However, its potential to foster positive peer interactions in Early Childhood Education among disadvantaged children remains unexplored. Therefore, this case study explores in depth the type and frequency of positive peer interactions in interactive groups in a preschool classroom serving mainly Roma and immigrant children with a very low SES. The results show that in this context, children acknowledge each other’s work and provide help, guidance, and solidarity interactions when solving academic tasks. Our analysis reveals that children internalize the rules and functioning of the IG since those aspects emerge in their conversations during the activity. Implications for practitioners and policymakers are also discussed.

A cleft care workshop for speech and language pathologists in resource-limited countries: The participants' experiences about cleft care in Uganda and satisfaction with the training effect

Objectivesworkshops and specialized training programs are often inaccessible for speech and language pathologists (SLPs) based in resource-limited countries given the lack of supply, the long travel distances and the excessive participation fees. To stimulate life-long learning opportunities for all, this study described and measured the effect of a free, two-day cleft care workshop for SLPs in Uganda. The workshop included different topics related to the assessment and treatment of children with a cleft of the palate with or without a cleft of the lip (CP ± L). MethodsThe participants who presented during the two-day course were asked to complete a pre- and post-workshop questionnaire to evaluate their satisfaction. The pre-workshop form also included some questions concerning cleft care in Uganda. Both the pre- and post-workshop forms included three visual analogue scales to investigate the evolution of the participants' estimation of their knowledge regarding speech in patients with a CP ± L and to assess the changes in their self-confidence in the diagnosis and treatment of this population. Resultsseventeen SLPs completed the pre- and post-workshop questionnaires. In general, the participants were highly satisfied with the different themes covered in the program. After the training course, the participants rated their general knowledge about CP ± L and their self-confidence in the diagnosis and treatment of children with a CP ± L significantly higher than before the workshop. Conclusionthe vast majority of the SLPs reported that cleft care was not easily accessible in Uganda. The most commonly reported obstacle for cleft care was a lack of knowledge about this matter in the SLPs themselves highlighting the importance of the organization of additional education opportunities. The participants reported a significantly higher level of self-confidence in diagnosing and treating children with a CP ± L after the workshop. The content of this workshop can form the basis for future learning opportunities for SLPs based in resource-limited countries.

“Discover and Explore”: Creating Impactful STEAM Learning Experiences for Museum Professionals

AbstractProjects that blend Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) can present a number of challenges, including the integration of disparate concepts or ideas. Weaving the arts together with mathematics and the sciences for museum visitors in meaningful ways is currently an area of development for many museum professionals. This article examines five essential elements for museum professionals’ learning and development. These elements are examined through a case study of a professional development program designed to support museum professionals to collaboratively develop STEAM programming and exhibits. Drawing on this research, recommendations for future learning opportunities are offered.

Reducing academic inequalities for English language learners: Variation in experimental effects of Word Generation in high-poverty schools

ABSTRACT Most U.S. classrooms serve students with various linguistic and academic needs. Tier-I universal approaches support English language learners (ELLs) without segregating them into a different track and thereby constraining future learning opportunities. The current study examines whether Word Generation (WG), a Tier-I discussion-based program designed to build academic literacy and linguistic practices, provides differential gains for non-ELL and ELL students in vocabulary, social perspective-taking skills, academic language, and reading comprehension. We found that WG had positive impacts for both non-ELL and ELL students on taught academic vocabulary and social perspective positioning skills. Furthermore, WG had additional positive effects for ELLs in social perspective articulation and academic language in the second year of implementation. These results provide evidence that WG supports those linguistic and sociocognitive skills that precede development of deep reading comprehension for ELLs as well as non-ELLs.

Attributes and Actions Required to Advance Quality and Safety in Hospitals: Insights from Nurse Executives.

To lead effectively within their organizations, nurse executives must possess quality and safety literacy and be able to engage and motivate clinicians to participate in safety and quality initiatives. Given the paucity of research in Canada, a study was undertaken to explore nurse executives' understanding of the key concepts and strategies associated with patient safety and quality improvement, and their engagement with patient safety and quality improvement in their hospitals and healthcare systems. This study used an exploratory qualitative design with a content analysis approach on 20 nurse executives working in hospitals in Ontario. Three key themes emerged from the narrative data set including: (1) being a strategic and system thinker while possessing the emotional intelligence to influence staff; (2) building credibility and relationships with point-of-care staff, board of directors, and leadership team and (3) creating a culture of safety and high reliability. Study findings can be useful in informing future learning opportunities for nurse executives and nurses leaders at all levels to enhance their quality and safety literacy.

Affordance theory and multiple language learning and teaching

ABSTRACTThis article argues that the concept of affordances as put forward by James J. Gibson can make a major contribution to our understanding of multilingualism. It can throw some light on multilingualism in general as well as on specific aspects like successful and unsuccessful transfer, the challenges involved in teaching for multilingualism, opportunities for enhancing learner autonomy as well as for creating a sound basis for lifelong and lifewide learning, the particular importance of cooperative learning in multilingual settings, the pivotal role of motivation in multiple language learning, the effects of the political and social context on the emergence, maintenance or decay of multilingualism and the possibility of developing new quality criteria for multilingualism research. Affordance theory with its focus on the individual, the environment and the emergent character of language learning opportunities is particularly well-suited for dealing with the complexity of individual and societal multilingualism. As affordances are located between past experience and potential future action affordance theory takes prior learning experiences, future learning opportunities as well as situational motivational factors into account.

Not just a blip in someone’s life: integrating brokering practices into out-of-school programming as a means of supporting and expanding youth futures

PurposeThis article makes a case for the importance of brokering future learning opportunities to youth as a programmatic goal for informal learning organizations. Such brokering entails engaging in practices that connect youth to events, programs, internships, individuals and institutions related to their interests to support them beyond the window of a specific program or event. Brokering is especially critical for youth who are new to an area of interest: it helps them develop both a baseline understanding of the information landscape and a social network that will respond to their needs as they pursue various goals. The paper aims to describe three critical levers for brokering well in informal settings: creating learning environments that allow trust to form between youth and educators and enable educators to develop an understanding of a young person’s interests, needs and goals; attending to a young person’s tendency (or not) to reach out to educators after a program is over to solicit assistance; and enabling potential brokers to efficiently locate appropriate future learning opportunities for each young person who approaches them. The authors also include a set of program practices for providers who wish to increase their brokering impact, as well as recommendations geared primarily toward organization leaders. The authors hope that this paper brings clarity and enhanced significance to the practice of brokering as a strategy to support youth pathways toward meaningful futures.Design/methodology/approachInsights presented here are the result of a participatory knowledge building and sharing process with a community of after-school providers known as the Mozilla Hive NYC Learning Network. The topic of discussion was how these providers might continue to support young people in their intensive project-based programs after the program was over. The authors of this article, acting as embedded research partners to Hive NYC, contributed insights to these discussions based on ethnographic fieldwork and case studies of high-school-age youth in the Hive NYC context.FindingsThe authors articulate a set of brokering practices and a conceptual model that communicates how brokering might lead to valued long-term outcomes for youth, including increased social capital.Originality/valueThe intent is that information and perspectives from this article will inform youth-serving practice and serve as a catalyst for further conversations and activities geared toward promoting youth pathways of learning and identity development.

How Does Technology Influence on Education in Nowadays?

Technology is undoubtedly having a major impact on every aspect of our lives and that includes today’s learning environments. It is shaping the way in which students learn, teachers deliver material and the way in which we design spaces for future learning opportunities. It is said that schools aren’t just investing in computer stations and keyboards and we are witness to the fact, based on our planning and design work, and that they are quickly embracing the “constant contact” trends that have changed our global culture. As technology continues to evolve, it brings with it new opportunities and challenges for educators and students. Social networking is a great example of technology that can help — or hinder — education, depending on how it is used and integrated into teaching plans. Privacy and security are two concerns that can come with using social networking in the classroom. It can also become a distraction to students, or even a tool used for bullying. Learning spaces now, more than ever, are being designed to help with communication and information sharing. From tablets used to asking kids to “raise their hands” virtually, to viewing a lecture via Skype or FaceTime, the traditional four walls and a chalkboard are transforming rapidly. According to a recent USA Today article, a New York-based educational technology startup released the first device, an Androidpowered touchscreen tablet, “designed for kids both to take to school and bring home. For sale only to schools for now, the Amplify tablet comes pre-loaded with virtually everything a student will encounter during the school day, including all the textbooks, lessons, tests and e-books she might be assigned. ”

Reflecting on a critical incident within the workplace

Reflection is a vital aspect of any healthcare worker's routine. Reflecting effectively and using it to identify future learning needs takes time and practice. Using Mezirow's Transformational Learning Theory (1991) and Berlo's Model of Communication (1994) as a structure can ensure this is consistent and successful. Reflection is particularly important when dealing with critical incidents in the workplace; this model can be used as the basis for discussion and evaluation and to identify future learning opportunities.

Creation of plastinated placentas as a novel teaching resource for medical education in obstetrics and gynaecology.

Knowledge of the gross anatomy of the placenta is fundamental in order to help identify potential complications during pregnancy. The placenta is difficult to study without a three-dimensional appreciation of its structure. The aim of this study was to develop a collection of plastinated placenta specimens and accompanying clinical educational materials to provide learning resources for placental abnormalities and their associated pregnancy outcomes. These plastinates and educational modules were used as teaching resources for both undergraduate and post-graduate medical trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Placentas were plastinated by S10 silicone plastination. Clinical education materials were created that included ultrasound images, photographs and information on the associated pregnancy outcomes. Utility of the plastinates was assessed using questionnaires completed by 70 medical students and 33 attendees at the 8th and 9th Annual International Human Placenta Workshop held at Queen's University, Kingston, ON. Attendees included graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, medical residents, research investigators and clinicians. Data collected demonstrated that 76.7% of medical student (n=60) and 78.1% of Placenta Workshop attendees (n=32) preferred plastinates as a supplemental learning resource compared to textbooks and images alone (36.7% and 37.5% respectively). All respondents also expressed the desire to have plastinated placentas available for future learning opportunities. Plastinated placentas are a valuable addition as teaching resources for many demographic groups with an interest in placental anatomy and pathology. Medical trainees and residents in Obstetrics and Gynaecology would benefit from the availability of plastinates as educational tools.