Faculty Teachers Research Articles

Flipped Classroom Module on Shock for Medical Students

This module teaches medical students about shock through a flipped classroom approach. By the conclusion of the module, students are able to differentiate the main types of shock, recognize clinical signs of shock, and formulate initial treatment plans. The flipped classroom approach means that students complete the lower levels of cognitive work (gaining knowledge and comprehension) outside of class, so that they can focus on the higher forms of cognitive work (application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) in class with the support of their peers and instructors. Prior to class, students complete advance preparation by reading selected articles. In class, students work through case-based discussion questions in teams. This module has been successfully implemented, with survey data from students showing higher self-rated confidence in their ability to achieve specified objectives after completion of the module. According to survey data, students felt they learned more from the class than from a traditional lecture format, and the class promoted teamwork skills. This module provides a tool for pediatric faculty instructors to redesign a traditional lecture-based class on shock into an interactive, case-based session that uses the flipped classroom approach.

A Multi-Institutional Longitudinal Faculty Development Program in Humanism Supports the Professional Development of Faculty Teachers

A Multi-Institutional Longitudinal Faculty Development Program in Humanism Supports the Professional Development of Faculty Teachers

A Clinical Procedures Course for Medical Students.

Doctors perform many clinical procedures throughout their careers. It is important for students to learn these procedures in a nonthreatening environment. This clinical procedures course introduces students to several basic diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, both invasive and noninvasive. These include managing pediatric and adult airways, starting intravenous lines, inserting arterial and central lines, inserting Foley catheters and nasogastric tubes, and performing lumbar punctures and paracentesis. Small-group teaching is used to achieve these objectives; over the course of 4 weeks, the medical students meet once a week for 4 hours. Each meeting includes teaching and demonstrations of the procedures by faculty instructors and residents. This is followed by practice of the procedures on mannequin simulators and partial task trainers by the students. Feedback is then given to the students by the instructors. Based on conversations during the feedback sessions, the students feel that the materials used in the course are helpful in learning these clinical procedures. The medical students feel that the course familiarizes them with clinical procedures they may be asked to perform on patients during their clinical rotations and postgraduate training.

Perception of students regarding blended learning implementation of community health nursing course at faculty of nursing, Tanta University, Egypt

Background and objective : Blended learning is an approach that alternates online learning for a portion of the traditional face-to-face instructional time. Blended learning offers several advantages to students, faculty and institutions. The community health nursing (CHNg) is considered the first electronic nursing course at Faculty of Nursing-Tanta University. The aim of the study was to assess the perception of students regarding blended learning implementation of community health nursing course at faculty of nursing, Tanta University, Egypt. Methods : A cross-sectional design was used. The study was conducted at Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University, Egypt. All community health nursing undergraduates students (n = 314) were included in the study. The tool of the study was adapted from relevant studies conducted by Roca et al. (2006) and Song (2010) and translated into Arabic, then distributed to students. Results : About 40% of students indicated their agreement about the good reputation of CHNg blended course, loyalty to the course, and that its service and instruction was delivered as promised. On the other hand 60.5% of students indicated their disagreement about the fast browsing of the site, and high percentage of them indicating low instructor interaction. Conclusions and recommendation : Students had good believes about CHNg blended course but not agree about some statements of its usability and usefulness, service and instructor interaction. Faculty instructor and the responsible person in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) unit in the university have to do great efforts to help student to use and get benefit of CHNg blended course.

A Multilevel Analysis of Community College Students’ Transfer to Four-Year Institutions of Varying Selectivity

Background/Context Transfer from community colleges to selective four-year institutions is an issue that assumes great importance for the democratization of postsecondary education. Yet research on what influences transfer to selective four-year institutions is surprisingly sparse. Transfer research typically lumps four-year schools receiving community college transfers into one group. This approach neglects heterogeneity in institutional selectivity and fails to study forces underlying the varied pathways to four-year institutions. Purpose This research fills the gap in the literature by exploring the following question: What student and institutional factors are associated with transfer from community colleges to four-year institutions of varying selectivity? This study is aimed at identifying beneficial experiences to support community college students’ pathway to the baccalaureate, especially at selective institutions. Research Design This study drew upon several national data sources and a nationally representative sample of all first-time postsecondary students beginning at a public two-year college in 2003–2004. Based on the study's conceptual framework that depicts the relationship between transfer and various individual and institutional factors, I analyzed the hypothesized relationships using a multilevel path model. Findings The study shows that few community college students transferred to highly selective institutions. In terms of individual factors that distinguish those who transfer to highly selective institutions from their counterparts who transfer to moderately or less selective schools, holding baccalaureate expectations and transfer intent seems to benefit those who transfer to selective institutions much more strongly than those who transfer to less selective ones. Similarly, rigorous course-taking distinguishes not only those who transfer from those who do not, but also those who transfer to highly selective institutions from their transfer counterparts headed toward moderately or less selective colleges. However, integrative experiences and first-term GPA show no significant relationship with upward transfer. As for institutional characteristics, percentage of certificates and vocational associate degrees awarded is negatively associated with transfer to highly and moderately selective institutions, while it does not particularly affect chances of transfer to less selective institutions. Furthermore, employment of part-time instructional faculty and staff does not benefit or hurt community college students’ chances of transfer, and, overall, proximity to selective institutions does not appear to be influential either. Conclusions This study's findings reinforce persistent issues associated with access and transfer to selective institutions for community college students. Both education policy and research must continue to tackle challenges and create opportunities to help broaden community college student access to four-year institutions.

Student-faculty team teaching – A collaborative learning approach

In this study, we aim to gage students’ satisfaction, learning outcomes, and experiences with student-faculty team-teaching in an undergraduate quantitative-research-methods course. Three peer tutors co-taught with a faculty instructor each year, receiving pedagogical-placement credits. Data were collected via bi-weekly journals, a focus group, and a questionnaire on students’ satisfaction and learning experiences. Data were analyzed through descriptive and thematic analyses. Peer tutors reduced student anxiety, increased engagement, and availability of help inside/outside class. Peer tutors described uncertainty about their roles and tension with classmates. However, peer tutors gained new perspectives, skills, and described supportive student-faculty teaching teams as assets to improving the course experience for students.

Student voice as risky praxis: democratising physical education teacher education

ABSTRACTBackground: Student voice agendas have been slow to permeate higher educational institutions. Curricula in universities, like those in primary and secondary education, are still usually made for students by teachers who, while they may have the best interests of the students in mind, rarely if ever engage students in curriculum decision-making. The need for more equitable, dialogic and democratic engagement by students is particularly relevant in the context of teacher education. It has been argued that pre-service teachers should experience democratic practices during their teacher education experiences in order to have the confidence, knowledge and skills to support democratic opportunities in schools.Purpose: Through the participatory action research project described in this paper we sought to position pre-service teachers as pedagogical consultants who would design feedback strategies, gather feedback with faculty and co-construct physical education teacher education (PETE) curricula. We saw this process as a democratic possibility that might create opportunities for pre-service teachers to critique and transform their own educational experiences. In this paper we detail the process we used to support dialogue about teaching and learning between students and faculty members and draw on the perspectives of the students, pedagogical consultant, lecturer and teaching and learning advocate involved in this project.Participants and setting: The project was undertaken with one cohort (77) of pre-service teachers during the final year of a four-year undergraduate PETE programme in an Irish university and focuses on the democratization of one PETE course.Data collection: Data were generated with and by the pre-service teachers, the pedagogical consultant, the lecturer and the regional teaching and learning advocate. The primary data collection methods were interviews and observation.Data analysis: The data were reviewed repeatedly looking for patterns, themes, regularities, paradoxes, variations, nuances in meaning and constraints [Rubin and Rubin 1995. Qualitative Interviewing. The art of Hearing Data. London: Sage]. The authors coded all data sets independently using constant comparison [Glaser 1965. “The Constant Comparative Method of Qualitative Analysis.” Social Problems 12 (4): 436–445] and then shared their processes and subsequent codes. Our analysis engages Greene’s [1988. The Dialectic of Freedom. New York: Teachers College Press] dialectical theory, to explore how naming and holding the tensions involved in this research and pedagogical enterprise was not stultifying but generative.Findings: Three key dialectics were constructed from the data: student–teacher, critical reflection–learning and responsibility–accountability. We speak to each of these themes from the perspectives of the students, the pedagogical consultant and the lecturer who participated in this project.Discussion and conclusion: Our discussion turns to the challenges and benefits associated with the pursuit and realization of democratic possibilities in PETE.

Surgical skills curricula in American College of Surgeons Accredited Education Institutes: An international survey

BackgroundA clear understanding of simulation-based curricula in use at American College of Surgeons Accredited Education Institutes (ACS-AEIs) is lacking. MethodsA 25-question online survey was sent to ACS-AEIs. ResultsThe response rate approached 60%. The most frequent specialties to use the ACS-AEIs are general surgery and obstetrics/gynecology (94%). Residents are the main target population for programming/training (96%). Elements of the ACS/Association of Program Directors in Surgery Surgical Skills Curriculum are used by 77% of responding ACS-AEIs. Only 49% of ACS-AEIs implement the entire curriculum and 96% have independently developed their own surgical skills curricula. “Home-grown” simulators have been designed at 71% of ACS-AEIs. Feasibility (80%), evidence of effectiveness (67%), and cost (60%) were reasons for curriculum adoption. All programs use operative assessment tools for resident performance, and 53% use Messick's unitary framework of validity. Most programs (88%) have financial support from their academic institute. Majority of ACS-AEIs had trainees evaluate their faculty instructors (90%), and the main form of such faculty evaluation was postcourse surveys (97%). ConclusionThis study provides specific information regarding simulation-based curricula at ACS-AEIs.

Cultivating creative and engaged learners through strengths-based approaches

Mason instructional faculty have the opportunity to use a Gallup self-discovery assessment, StrengthsFinder, free to Mason faculty, staff and students, that has been proven to enhance student engagement in and outside the classroom (Lopez, S. J., & Louis, M. C., 2009). The strengths-based educational approach and applications can be applied universally across all disciplines and fields, enhancing students’ learning and engagement. Once a student understands their top 5 talents, instructors can create and use a wide variety of activities and assignments to engage the students in reflective learning. This interactive session will feature best practices using strengths-based approaches and the StrengthsFinder assessment from instructional faculty in various academic colleges. Participants will explore the various ways they can integrate strengths in academic courses.

Abstract 3463: The use of HeLa cells as a cancer genetics education tool for middle and high schools

Abstract Hands-on, inquiry based learning, and one-on-one mentoring are the most effective methods of disseminating scientific information pertaining to cancer. The Science Youth Initiative (SYI) is a K-12 science education partnership between the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans (LSUHSC-NO) and local schools. The workshops are coordinated with LSUHSC-NO faculty and school teachers to maximize the level of student learning and complement their classroom curriculum and academic level. Since 2009, the SYI has reached more than 2100 K-12 students to date, of which about 77% were middle and high school students. A diverse group of trainees from the LSUHSC-NO Schools of Medicine, Graduate Studies, Public Health, Allied Health Professions, and Nursing help educate the K-12 students and serve as role models. The benefit of having a variety of health care professionals with a range of expertise is that students receive cancer information from multiple perspectives. The program utilizes the book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, which is part of the curriculum in many schools. During these workshops, middle and high school students are able to stain and examine HeLa cell chromosomes, thereby learning about chromatin instability commonly associated with cancer. Students also learn about DNA isolation, PCR, restriction digestion, and gel electrophoresis as they engage in workshop discussions on science history, bioethics, the human papilloma virus (HPV), and cervical cancer. Pre and post workshop surveys were developed to evaluate the participants’ learning and retention of the material covered, self-confidence in the academic material, awareness of science career options, and evaluation of the program. Results of the current academic year demonstrate: (1) a 51% increase in test scores based on the material covered (2) 59% of students were interested in participating in a medical or research related internship after the workshop (3) 54% of students were interested in working part-time in the medical sciences after the workshop. Participating schools included rural, urban, public/charter and private schools. These varied in socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds: some which had almost 100% African American/Hispanic student body, while others had a diverse distribution of African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Caucasian students. The program's use of HeLa cells as a cancer genetics education tool has been successful in making health sciences and cancer research topics more interesting and accessible, motivating a variety of students to improve their grades, and promoting various health science related career opportunities. Citation Format: Ayesha Umrigar, Mary Moore, Fern Tsien. The use of HeLa cells as a cancer genetics education tool for middle and high schools. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3463.

The freedom to teach: Using open educational resources in your courses

Open educational resources (OER) are “high-quality, openly licensed, online educational materials that offer an extraordinary opportunity for people everywhere to share, use, and reuse knowledge” (William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, n.d.). These materials range from full courses and course materials (including textbooks) to streaming videos and software.Innovative educators recognize that OER offer an exciting alternative to restrictive (and expensive) textbooks by allowing them the freedom to select quality content that better fits their pedagogy. Students benefit from more engaged learning, lower costs, and the ability to revise and remix these materials as assigned by their instructor. The virtual sky is the limit!The 4-VA Collaborative at George Mason University recently announced a competitive grants pilot program (February, 2016) to incentivize Mason instructional faculty to identify existing, or create new, open digital content and incorporate it into their course(s). The proposed interactive presentation session will build on the Mason 4-VA pilot program. A team of four faculty members from Mason and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College will lead the session. Discussion topics to be covered include defining OER, describing Creative Commons licenses, strategies for integrating OER in courses, and identifying quality materials. Participants should bring a laptop as they will be divided into small groups during the session to familiarize themselves with websites that aggregate OER content applicable to their discipline(s).By the end of this session, participants will be able to:Define OER,Understand Creative Commons licenses,Outline the first steps in planning an OER project, andIdentify some online sources for discipline-specific OER.We anticipate that OER collaborations will emerge from this session. ReferencesMason 4-VA Collaborative. (February, 2016). Course Redesign: Using Open Educational Resources. Retrieved from http://4va.gmu.edu/call-for-proposals William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. (n.d.) Open Educational Resources. Retrieved from http://www.hewlett.org/programs/education/open-educational-resources

Impact of a statewide early childhood curriculum enhancement initiative on community college faculty and paraprofessional students

ABSTRACTAs the number of young children with disabilities being included in diverse early childhood settings continues to increase, employing personnel with the requisite knowledge and skills to support their active participation and learning becomes of paramount importance. Because paraprofessionals frequently serve in this capacity, it is critical that their preservice training programs provide them with the information and experiences needed to work effectively in inclusive environments. In this article, we describe the development and implementation of a collaborative initiative between a major urban research university and a state’s community college system and member institutions to enhance the preparation of paraprofessionals to work with young children with disabilities and their families. Supplemental content, assignments, and resources were incorporated into six core courses in the early childhood development curriculum statewide, and program administrators and instructional faculty received training and professional development to facilitate consistent use of the course modifications. We report on gains in knowledge and confidence experienced by both faculty and paraprofessional students, and we identify programmatic practices that support adoption, fidelity of implementation, and sustainability of curricular innovations. Implications of enhanced training programs for increasing access of young children with disabilities to inclusive high-quality early childhood programs are discussed.

The invisible work of distributed medical education: exploring the contributions of audiovisual professionals, administrative professionals and faculty teachers.

Distributed medical education (DME) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Much of the published literature on DME has focused on the experiences of learners in distributed programs; however, our empirical work leads us to believe that DME changes the context significantly, not only for learners, but also for other important members of the educational community including audiovisual professionals, administrative professionals and faculty teachers. Based on a three-year ethnographic study, we provide a detailed account of how alliances between various workers involved in DME develop to produce and deliver an undergraduate medical curriculum across geographically separate campuses. We explore the question 'What is the work involved in the delivery of a DME program?' and cast a critical gaze on the essential but invisible, and therefore potentially unrecognized and underappreciated, contributions of AV professionals, administrative professionals, and faculty teachers. Our goal is to make visible the complexity of DME, including the essential contributions of these workers. The study was theoretically framed in sociomateriality and conceptually framed in Star and Strauss' notion of articulation work.

The “Near-Peer” Approach to Teaching Musculoskeletal Physical Examination Skills Benefits Residents and Medical Students

BackgroundThe musculoskeletal physical examination (MSK PE) is an essential part of medical student training, and it is best taught in a hands-on, longitudinal fashion. A barrier to this approach is faculty instructor availability. “Near-peer” teaching refers to physicians-in-training teaching their junior colleagues. It is unknown whether near-peer teaching is effective in teaching this important physical examination skill. ObjectiveTo investigate attitudes of medical students and physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) residents regarding near-peer teaching in an MSK PE curriculum. DesignQualitative, anonymous paper and online surveys. SettingTertiary academic center with a medical school and PM&R training program. ParticipantsNinety-nine second- and third-year medical students and 13 PM&R residents in their third or fourth postgraduate year. MethodsAttitudes of second- and third-year medical students were measured immediately after their MSK PE course. Resident attitudes were measured in a single cross-sectional sample. Main Outcome MeasurementsStudent attitudes were assessed via a questionnaire with 5-point Likert scales and a free-text comment section. The resident questionnaire included a combination of multiple-choice questions, rankings, free-text responses, and Likert scales. ResultsAll 99 students completed the questionnaire. The majority of students (n = 79 [80%]) reported that resident involvement as hands-on instructors of examination skills was “very useful,” and 87 (88%) indicated that resident-led small discussion groups were “very helpful” or “somewhat helpful.” Fifty-seven of 99 students (58%) reported that the resident-facilitated course was “much better” than courses without resident involvement. Twelve of 13 eligible residents completed the survey, and of those, 8 found teaching “very helpful” to their MSK knowledge, and 11 became “somewhat” or “much more confident” in clinical examination skills. ConclusionsOur study supports educational benefits to medical students and resident instructors in our MSK PE program. We recommend including near-peer teaching in medical student education, particularly for hands-on skills; we also recommend providing opportunities for PM&R residents to participate in formal near-peer education. Level of EvidenceNot applicable.

Improved Student Learning through a Faculty Learning Community: How Faculty Collaboration Transformed a Large-Enrollment Course from Lecture to Student Centered.

Undergraduate introductory biology courses are changing based on our growing understanding of how students learn and rapid scientific advancement in the biological sciences. At Iowa State University, faculty instructors are transforming a second-semester large-enrollment introductory biology course to include active learning within the lecture setting. To support this change, we set up a faculty learning community (FLC) in which instructors develop new pedagogies, adapt active-learning strategies to large courses, discuss challenges and progress, critique and revise classroom interventions, and share materials. We present data on how the collaborative work of the FLC led to increased implementation of active-learning strategies and a concurrent improvement in student learning. Interestingly, student learning gains correlate with the percentage of classroom time spent in active-learning modes. Furthermore, student attitudes toward learning biology are weakly positively correlated with these learning gains. At our institution, the FLC framework serves as an agent of iterative emergent change, resulting in the creation of a more student-centered course that better supports learning.

Factors Affecting Self-Efficacy of Teachers in International Private Universities in Thailand

The objective of this study was to study factors, namely nationality and faculty, which affected self-efficacy of teachers in international private universities in Thailand. This quantitative research studied in 10 institutions. The population of this study was 3,000. Stratified sampling by faculty was used to select 341 teachers. Analysis included percentage, mean, and two-way ANOVA. The findings indicated that: 1) In general, teachers’ nationality and faculty relatively affected their self-efficacy with a statistical significance of .01. 2) The analysis of all faculties showed that Thai and Western teachers perceived their self-efficacy at the highest level. 3) When analyzing by each faculty, Filipino and Western teachers in Business Administration had the highest self-efficacy. Thai and Western teachers, in the Humanities and Social Sciences, had the highest self-efficacy. Thai and Filipino teachers in Education had the highest self-efficacy. Outside these faculties, Indian teachers had the highest self-efficacy, in general. Overall, results indicate that nationalities and faculty have affected self-efficacy of teachers at a certain level. Due to the limitations of this study it is recommended to study further, so that more evidences will verify this conclusion.

Singer Perceptions of Collegiate Mid-Level Choral Experiences

In this descriptive study, researchers surveyed choristers ( N = 630) from 16 mid-level collegiate choirs nationwide to investigate their perceptions and behaviors as they related to the strategies used by directors to facilitate ensemble identity. Also investigated were the factors affecting choristers’ dedication to choir and their intentions regarding future enrollment in the choral program. Results indicated that mid-level collegiate choristers hold very diverse opinions regarding the effectiveness of directors’ strategies. While participants indicated that many factors influenced their dedication to choir, those same factors did not directly affect reenrollment. Data indicated that choristers were dedicated when they did not have conflicts; felt committed; had an engaging, dedicated, and encouraging full-time faculty instructor; viewed the repertoire and ensemble as quality; and built friendships. Choristers who wanted to remain in their mid-level ensemble primarily cited the influence of personal and external factors followed by musical factors. Those who wanted to move into a different choir primarily sought the prestige of performing in a top-level choir.

Leadership Actions Informed by Faculty and Team Collective Teacher Efficacy

Leadership Actions Informed by Faculty and Team Collective Teacher Efficacy

The Efficacy of Residents as Teachers in an Ophthalmology Module

Resident physicians have reported spending upward of 25% of their time teaching fellow residents and medical students. Until relatively recently, there have not been formal requirements in residency programs to learn teaching skills. The first goal of this study was to develop a novel residents-as-teachers training program to educate Ophthalmology residents on facilitating group learning and emphasizing critical-thinking skills. The second goal was to educate residents on how to teach clinical reasoning skills. We designed a longitudinal residents-as-teachers program that consisted of a 2-hour workshop, voluntary observation of their teaching in the small group, and student feedback on their teaching. The focus of the workshop was to educate the residents on how to facilitate critical thinking and clinical reasoning in a small group format. Voluntary video recording of residents' teaching was offered, and feedback on their teaching was provided. Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science. In total, ten second-year medical student groups consisting of approximately 7 to 11 students in each group were organized in this course and each group had one teacher: 4 senior Ophthalmology residents and 6 community faculty. This study found that the resident teachers who completed the residents-as-teachers program were equally as effective as community faculty teachers in building medical students' comprehension of ophthalmic principles during small group seminars according to the students' evaluation of teaching performance. We also found that all of the medical students' responses were overwhelmingly positive toward having residents as teachers. The medical students particularly noted residents' preparedness and effectiveness in facilitating a discussion during the small group seminars. Our novel program was effective at teaching residents how to teach critical-thinking skills and the resident teachers were well received by medical students in the classroom. Given the requirement that residents learn teaching skills during residency and our preliminary success, we plan to continue inviting residents to teach small group seminars in Ophthalmology, and we will continue to provide them with the residents-as-teachers program.

A dual instructional model for computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software integrating faculty member and specialized instructor: Implementation, reflections, and recommendations

Teaching qualitative methods to students has become more frequent in social work programs. The use of computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software has also increased. Improper use of these software programs, however, can lead to misinterpretation of qualitative data. Computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software instruction has evolved in an ad hoc manner in spite of the importance of correct use of this software. This results in a lack of thorough knowledge of computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software or knowledge of the software that poorly incorporates qualitative methodology. We propose a new model that addresses these barriers by incorporating computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software instruction with qualitative inquiry via a dual instruction method. This model centers on the collaboration between the qualitative faculty instructor and a specialized computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software trainer. The result of this is integration of qualitative research knowledge with computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software skills. Both the faculty member and specialized computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software trainer have the opportunity to work with the students and collaborate with one another. This paper describes the new model, including its conception and requirements for its implementation. We discuss our own experiences implementing the model and offer individual reflections of the faculty member, the trainer, and a student from the pilot program. The results appear to be more effective and appropriate use of this software.