Improvement In Pass Rate Research Articles

Flipped Classroom: Success with First Year Mathematics Students

In the modern era of internet and social media, teachers are pursuing new methods to integrate online resources and techniques into their curriculum and flipped classroom instruction model has been their response to this heightened digital migration. Despite this high amount of interest, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of classroom flipping in mathematics on student academic outcomes. Specifically, no rigorous studies of the effects of flipping a mathematics course on students’ mathematical understandings, course satisfaction and student’s success appear in the literature. This study aims to understand the effectiveness of flipped classroom in first year undergraduate mathematics students at university level by measuring student’s success via (1) students’ overall course satisfaction (2) students’ pre and post-test grade and (3) student’s pass rate. Our study showed improved student’s perception of course satisfaction and improved final grades (post-test compared to pre-test). We noticed some improvement in pass rate of flipped classroom students compared to non-flipped classroom students, but it was not statistically significant. We recommend future studies to see if this student’s success transforms into improvement in student’s attrition, retention, progression and graduation rate.

Effect of Negative Middle Ear Pressure and Compensated Pressure on Wideband Absorbance and Otoacoustic Emissions in Children.

Objective This study investigated pressurized transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) responses and wideband absorbance (WBA) in healthy ears and ears with negative middle ear pressure (NMEP). Method In this cross-sectional study, TEOAE amplitude, signal-to-noise ratio, and WBA were measured at ambient and tympanometric peak pressure (TPP) in 36 ears from 25 subjects with healthy ears (age range: 3.1-13.0 years) and 88 ears from 76 patients with NMEP (age range: 2.0-13.1 years), divided into 3 groups based on NMEP (Group 1 with TPP between -101 and -200 daPa, Group 2 with TPP between -201 and -300 daPa, and Group 3 with TPP between -301 and -400 daPa). Results Mean TEOAE amplitude, signal-to-noise ratio, and WBA were increased at TPP relative to that measured at ambient pressure between 0.8 and 1.5 kHz. Further decrease in TPP beyond -300 daPa did not result in further increases in the mean TEOAE or WBA at TPP. The correlation between TEOAE and WBA was dependent on the frequency, pressure conditions, and subject group. There was no difference in pass rates between the 2 pressure conditions for the control group, while the 3 NMEP groups demonstrated an improvement in pass rates at TPP. With pressurization, the false alarm rate for TEOAE due to NMEP was reduced by 17.8% for NMEP Group 1, 29.2% for NMEP Group 2, and 15.8% for NMEP Group 3. Conclusion Results demonstrated the feasibility and clinical benefits of measuring TEOAE and WBA under pressurized conditions. Pressurized TEOAE and WBA should be used for assessment of ears with NMEP in hearing screening programs to reduce false alarm rates.

Using On-line Testing for Civil Engineering Studies

The use of online resources in the assessment of engineering modules is generally being encouraged in HE institutions. This paper reflects upon the experience of open book testing of first year engineering students in two elements in a continuously assessed two semester long module. This mode of assessment is more convenient for the large percentage of part time students on the programme, who only attend one day per week. A longitudinal study over a five year period shows that not all students like to be assessed in this way, even though evidence indicates improvement in pass rates over those achieved from more traditional modes of testing.

Using Online Testing for Engineering Studies

AbstractThe use of online resources in the assessment of engineering modules is generally being encouraged in higher education institutions. This paper reflects upon the experience of open book testing of first year engineering students in two elements of assessment in a continuously assessed two semester long module. This mode of assessment is more convenient for the large percentage of part-time students on the programme, who only attend one day per week. A longitudinal study over a four year period shows that not all students like to be assessed in this way, even though evidence indicates improvement in pass rates over those achieved from more traditional modes of testing.

External quality assessment in molecular immunohematology: the INSTAND proficiency test program

Genotyping for red blood cell (RBC), platelet (PLT), and granulocyte antigens is a new tool for clinical pathology, transfusion medicine services, and blood banks. Proficiency in laboratory tests can be established by external quality assessments (EQAs), which are required for clinical application in many health care systems. There are few EQAs for molecular immunohematology. We analyzed the participation and pass rates in an EQA for RBC, PLT, and granulocyte antigens. This EQA was distributed by INSTAND, a large nonprofit provider of proficiency tests, twice per year since Fall 2006 as EQA Number 235 Immunohematology A (molecular diagnostic). The coordinators defined at the outset which alleles are mandatory for detection. The number of participants steadily increased from 51 to 73 per proficiency by Fall 2012. More than 60 institutions utilized this EQA at least once a year. Approximately 80% of them participated in RBC, 68% in PLT, and 22% in granulocyte systems. With the exceptions of RHD (82%) and granulocytes (85%), pass rates exceeded 93%. While the pass rate increased for granulocyte and decreased for the ABO system, the pass rates for the other systems changed little over 6½ years. The INSTAND proficiency test program was regularly used for EQA by many institutions, particularly in Central Europe. While the technical standards and pass rates in the participating laboratories were high, there has been little improvement in pass rates since 2006.

SU-E-T-550: Significant Improvement in Agreement Between Calculated and Measured Dose Distributions: Proper Modeling of Elekta LINAC Couchtops in Pinnacle Treatment Planning System

Purpose: To demonstrate the importance of properly modeling the treatment couch to dose calculation in patient treatment using arc therapy. Methods: Two treatment couch tops (Aktina AK550 and Elekta iBeam evo) of Elekta LINACs were scanned using a CT simulator. Various parts of the couch tops were contoured and their densities were measured and recorded by the Pinnacle treatment planning system (TPS) using the established CT density table. These contours were saved as organ models to be loaded into a treatment plan, and placed beneath the patient/phantom. 10 different patient plans (5 VMAT, 5 SBRT) using arc therapy were evaluated using the Delta4 dosimetry system. The Delta4 phantom measurements were compared to calculated plans both with and without modeling the couch, and the differences were evaluated on an individual beam basis for a total of 24 arcs. Student's t test was utilized to determine statistical significance. Results: The improvement in average pass rate within a dose difference of 3% was 3.1% (76.9% to 80%) for VMAT beams with p = 0.046. The improvement in pass rate with λ-index < 1 (3%, 3mm) was 1.4% (96.8% to 98.1%) with p=0.018. For SBRT, only the dose difference improvement was significant at an average improvement of 3.3% (73.4% to 76.7%) and p = 0.0027. The maximum improvement in dose and λ-index pass rate for a single VMAT beam was 16.5% and 5.0%, respectively. The same for a single SBRT arc was 10.5% and 15.8%, respectively. Conclusion: Ignoring the treatment couch, a standard of practice in 3D and static IMRT planning in Pinnacle TPS, can overestimate the dose delivered especially using arc therapy. This work shows that modeling the couch during treatment planning can improve the agreement between calculated and measured dose distributions. Consequently, we have implemented these couch models clinically.

Effect of Different Single-Session Educational Modalities on Improving Medical Students' Ability to Demonstrate Proper Pressurized Metered Dose Inhaler Technique

Objective. Pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) remain important therapeutic options for obstructive lung diseases. The ability to instruct and evaluate inhaler technique is a crucial skill that all medical professionals should possess; unfortunately, many professionals lack proficiency with pMDIs. We aimed to determine if brief education interventions of differing modalities can positively affect medical students’ skills over the long term. Methods. The baseline ability of medical students and first year residents to use pMDIs was scored via a 10-point scoring system. Students were randomized to receive no education, one-on-one instruction, or video instruction. Students were then retested immediately after the education and at the 3-month mark for retention of acquired skills. Results. Video, one-on-one and the placebo groups modalities statistically improved the average medical student’s score in the immediate retesting (7.5 and 7.4 vs. 4.7, p < .01, respectively). Moreover, the proportion of passing grades at the immediate recall significantly improved for both modalities. During retention testing, only video education had a statistically significant improvement in pass rate over the control group, as defined by an average score of 7 or better (8 vs. 1, p < .05). Conclusions. One-on-one teaching and video education were able to improve medical students’ ability to use pMDIs in short-term testing. However, only video education retained significant improvement compared with control after 3 months. This suggests that compared with traditional one-on-one teaching, video education is an effective means of teaching medical students how to improve their pMDI technique.

SU-E-T-481: Dosimetric Verification of Large IMRT Fields at Shorter SSDs Using Two-dimensional Arrays - a Comparison to EDR-2 Films

Purpose: The dosimetric verification of large IMRT fields is crucial, if the target length is not entirely covered by the two‐dimensional detector arrays, due to its limited active area for the measurements. Therefore, our aim is to overcome this limitation by doing the measurements at shorter SSDs, where the treatment field size is smaller compared to the field size at isocenter. Methods: Four cervical carcinoma patient plans with large IMRT fields (PTV Length‐20.50, 21.50, 22.50 and 24.00cm) were chosen, where PTV length was not entirely covered by I'matriXX two‐dimensional array (Active area 24×24 cm2) placed at the isocenter. To overcome this, for each patient, IMRT plans (6MV, Sliding window) were verified at 95cm (array at isocenter), 90cm, 85cm and 80cm SSDs using I'matriXX and EDR‐2 films. The dose planes measured with I'matriXX and EDR‐2 films were compared with their effective dose planes at TPS. For gamma index analysis, 3%/3mm criteria were used. Initially, I'matriXX and films were calibrated at corresponding SSDs. Results: For I'matriXX Vs TPS, as the SSD decreases, significant improvement in pass rate of gamma was observed. At shorter SSDs, gamma was improved up to 4.4%. This is due to the improved coverage of the fields at I'matriXX plane at shorter SSDs and it is consistent for all the cases. For I'matriXX, the average pass rate of gamma was 97.75±2.63%, 98.96±0.86%, 99.36±0.50% and 99.52±0.33% for 95cm, 90cm, 85cm and 80cm SSDs, respectively. I'matriXX showed better results at shorter SSDs than EDR‐2 films. For film, which is field size independent, the average pass rate was 97.66±0.80%, 97.16±1.14%, 96.57±1.62% and 94.43±2.30% for 95, 90, 85 and 80cm SSDs. Both I'matriXX and films are sensitive to calibration and correction factors at different SSDs. Conclusions: By using proper calibration and correction factors, I'matriXX may be used at shorter SSDs for the verification of larger IMRT fields.

Retention and Reform: An Evaluation of Peer-Led Team Learning

This study describes an evaluation of the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) reform model in first-semester general chemistry. PLTL was implemented in place of one-third of the available lecture time, maintaining the same amount of structured class time under the reform. The evaluation demonstrates that classes implementing the PLTL reform at the setting featured a statistically significant improvement of 15% in the pass rate for the classes, compared to conventional, lecture-only classes at the same setting. Additionally, the PLTL classes maintained a comparable score on a comprehensive American Chemical Society final exam to that of the conventional classes. Combined, these findings suggest that the improvement in pass rates occurs while maintaining the same level of rigor in the PLTL classes. Examining student groups shows that students in underrepresented minority groups demonstrated the largest improvement in pass rates with the PLTL reform.

SU‐GG‐T‐159: Has IMRT Delivery Improved in the Last 5 Years?

Purpose: To determine whether institutions that participate in clinical trials are delivering IMRT more accurately than they were five years ago. Method and Materials: Anthropomorphic head phantoms were mailed to institutions wishing to participate in national clinical trials using IMRT. The phantoms consisted of an imagable insert containing a primary PTV, a secondary PTV and an OAR. The insert also housed TLD and radiochromic film. The institutions imaged the phantom and planned and delivered an IMRT treatment as though it were a patient. The phantom was returned and the TLD and film were analyzed. The delivered dose distribution was compared with the institutions' treatment plans and the results judged against 7% dose and 4 mm DTA criteria developed by the RPC and the RTOG. Results: Between 2001 and 2007 the phantom was irradiated 475 times. The overall pass rate was 76%. The pass rate prior to 2005 was 70%. The pass rate for 2005 was 76% and the pass rates for 2006 and 2007 were 76% and 80% respectively. Conclusion: Institutions interested in participating in NCI sponsored IMRT protocols are delivering IMRT more accurately than they were 4 years ago. One of the reasons for this is improved modeling capabilities in treatment planning systems. One of the most common treatment machine/planning system combinations has shown an improvement in pass rates since a new version of software became available. Other reasons could include improvements in the tools for patient‐specific QA and improvements in the commissioning of IMRT systems. Though there has been improvement, there is still room for more. 20% of the irradiations are still failures. Adequate IMRT quality assurance and commissioning is essential now as always. Conflict of Interest: Work supported by PHS grant CA10953 and CA081647 from the NCI, DHHS.

The Rule of Five Revisited: Applying Log D in Place of Log P in Drug-Likeness Filters

The much publicized "Rule of 5" has been widely adopted among the pharmaceutical industry. It is used as a first step filter to perform virtual screening of compound libraries, in an effort to quickly eliminate lead candidates that have poor physicochemical properties for oral bioavailabilty. One of the key parameters used therein is log P, which is a useful descriptor, but one that fails to take into account variation in the lipophilicity of a drug with respect to the ionic states present at key biological pH values. Given that the majority of commercial pharmaceuticals contain an ionizable moiety, we propose that log D is a better descriptor for lipophilicity in the context of the Rule of 5. It gives more physiologically relevant results, thereby reducing the number of potential false-negatives incorrectly eliminated in screening. Using a series of commercial compound libraries, this study showed that the adapted Rule of 5 using log D instead of log P provides notable improvement in pass rate for compounds that have the desired lipophilicity at a relevant physiological pH.

Problem‐based Learning in Analytical Science Undergraduate Teaching

Problem‐based learning (PBL) was employed for teaching analytical science theory and laboratory practice to a cohort of BSc Biomedical Science first year undergraduate students (n = 48). The course structure is outlined. Learning outcomes and experiences were monitored by in‐depth interviews, questionnaires and performance in coursework, examination and technical skills. Investigations indicated that students were very positive about the practical applications of PBL and that they related theory to practice. They valued the benefits of group work and improving their problem‐solving skills. However, they were negative about taking responsibility for their own learning and examination revision notes. A comparison of examination performance with the previous year, when a traditional didactic approach was used, showed a slight improvement in pass rate. Staff perceptions of PBL teaching centred on the challenges of changing from efficient teaching to effective learning.