Introductory Skills Research Articles

The Application of Functional Training in Badminton Teaching: Basis for Induction Program for Beginners

This study selected 40 students randomly selected from the badminton general training class of Hanjiang Normal College as the experimental subjects, and grouped the sampled students for teaching experiments, the experimental class used the teaching mode of integrating functional training, and the control class used the conventional badminton technical teaching and course organization, and conducted a comparative analysis of the experimental group's and the control group's students' physical fitness, functional status, badminton technical level, and interest in learning the badminton course before and after the experiment to assess the impact of functional training on the learning of basic badminton techniques. After the teaching experiment, the physical quality, functional condition, badminton skill level, badminton course learning interest of the students in the experimental group and the control group were analyzed before and after the experiment, in order to assess the influence of functional training integrated into the teaching of badminton introductory skills on the learning of basic badminton skills.

Communication Skills of Fresh Medical Graduates in a Malaysian Private University

Objective: Effective communication is an integral part of good medical practice. Skills in communication is an art, and comprises of a set of fundamental elements: skills in introducing, questioning, listening, facilitating and closing. The objective of this study was to determine the perceptions of fresh medicalgraduates’ communication skills at Widad University College (WUC). Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2019 among 50 fresh medical graduates of WUC. A standardized questionnaire that asked about skills in fundamental elements of communication with diverse people on diverse issues, was used to collect the data. The data was collated and analyzed utilising a measuring scale ranged from very well to very poor and presented using descriptive statistics. Results and Discussion: Total 46 participants responded giving a response rate 92%. The highest number of participants (79%) responded as very well in introductory skills while the lowest 59% in listening skills. In a diverse group, 70%-74% respondents communicated as very well with patients, patients’ families, superiors, support staffs and colleagues. Only 57%-67% responded as very well in breaking bad news, counselling, and taking informed-consent. Nevertheless, 2%-13% participants’ skills were very poor to uncertain, where 13% uncertain in breaking bad news and 9% in counselling and informed-consenting. Conclusion: Communication skills of most of the WUC fresh medical-graduates were very well and reasonably well. However, the art of communication does not come naturally, 2-13% of the graduates’ skills need to be consciously promoted by faculty during undergraduate training. Medical schools should give more emphasis on the development of more effective communication in all aspects of future doctors. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 21 No. 02 April’22 Page : 404-412

Digital Literacy Skills for Family History Research

Objective – In this case study, an archivist and librarian teamed up to teach an introductory course on family history research for adult learners at their university’s lifelong learning centre. In response to students’ relative lack of digital skills, the instructors developed a new set of introductory skills that they believe are essential for genealogy research. Methods – Authors conducted pre- and post-course surveys to determine student expectations and the extent to which the course met those expectations. Authors coded one of these surveys. Results – Course assessment and class activities exposed the need for a set of digital skills that go beyond a literacy framework to assist family history researchers. After analyzing key themes found in pre- and post-course assessment, authors developed a new tool for genealogy instructors titled Introductory Digital Skills and Practices in Genealogy (IDSG). Conclusion – Archivist/librarian collaborations are an excellent way to cultivate needs-based teaching and outreach opportunities in our wider communities, particularly for adult learners. The Introductory Digital Skills and Practices in Genealogy tool is meant to inspire and assist other library professionals who want to teach family history research, serving as a reminder to centre teaching tangible digital skills as a focal point of instruction.

Student views on transition to higher education in Ireland: Challenges, impacts and suggestions

AbstractThis paper examines students’ perspectives on the main transitional challenges experienced when commencing higher education. It explores which students are most affected by the transition and is the first paper to provide an overview of student recommendations to help improve the transition in an Irish context. The study involves large‐scale surveys and focus groups across four higher education institutions and explores a range of transitional challenges (including academic, social and course‐specific aspects). Over 1,100 student suggestions to improve transition are analysed and many of these recommendations could be easily implemented beyond Ireland. Ten overall recommendations are made which include, among others, specific supports for mature students and those with longer commuting distances, course‐specific introductory skills modules to be given by current students, a first year ‘starter’ pack with course‐specific orientation materials, and the introduction of a student‐shadowing programme for prospective students.

Teaching GIS in a Digital Humanities Environment

The University of Georgia Libraries has been teaching a one credit introductory GIS class as part of the Undergraduate Certificate in Digital Humanities which transforms library education from a one-shot model of teaching map and data literacy, to a credit bearing semester long course that provides a deeper understanding of GIS. The class focuses on student learning objectives, which include the ability to critically evaluate cartographic information, gain a proficiency in data literacy as it applies to geospatial data, gain introductory skills in GIS technologies and to use GIS data to explore and answer humanities based research questions in the Digital Humanities.

Supporting and Challenging Student Cognitions in the Classroom

This article reports results of a mixed methods exploration of the effects of reflective supervision on cognitive growth in undergraduate students. Students were enrolled in two sections of an introductory skills practice course containing an experiential exercise designed to enhance skill development. One group received supervision; the other did not. Pretest and posttest analyses of measures used to assess cognitive development showed no statistically significant gains for either group. However, the group receiving supervision made more gains, and analysis of qualitative data revealed evidence of cognitive growth for this group. The research supports further investigation of educational interventions that may promote cognitive development in undergraduate students in helping professions and allied health fields.

Introducing BSW Students to Social Work Supervision Prior to Field

Little empirical information exists about how social work students are prepared to utilize supervision in practice. This study describes an experiential exercise designed to introduce BSW students to social work supervision prior to their field experience. MSW students enrolled in a supervision practice course provided mentored supervision to 42 BSW students in an introductory skills course. The skills course involved a progressive role-play that spanned the whole semester. Mixed methods were used to investigate BSW student perceptions of the exercise. According to survey data, BSW students reported a strong working alliance with MSW students and high satisfaction with the supervision they received. Qualitative data revealed two overarching categories of students: 1) students who reported benefiting from the exercise, and 2) students who reported mixed benefits or no benefits. Students who understood the role of the supervisor were also more likely to reported that they benefited from the exercise. Students who were unclear about the role of the supervisor reported mixed or no benefits of the exercise. Recommendations for social work educators relate to the need for educators to provide information on the use of supervision for BSW students, the necessity for guiding student reflections as part of the supervision exercises, and considering the developmental levels of students when crafting educational interventions.

Tracheoesophageal speech restoration: issues for training and clinical support

ObjectiveThe management of tracheoesophageal speech (TES) is complex and invasive in nature. The current study was designed to examine the nature and perceived adequacy of clinical preparation and ongoing training currently available to clinicians working in this clinical field. A secondary aim was to explore associated workplace staffing and supports available to clinician’s across different services in order to consider additional factors impacting service delivery.MethodsA secure online survey was distributed to individuals who were the main clinician responsible for managing caseloads that included patients using TES.ResultsResponses were received from 32 national centres providing TES services. Results suggested that access to support and training is meeting needs. A desire for more advanced-level professional development opportunities in TES management was indicated.ConclusionIssues from this national cohort study highlight positive results regarding availability of access to introductory clinical skills training in this field. Further enhancements could be achieved through development of advance/complex management training opportunities.

Teaching the iPhone with VoiceOver Accessibility to People with Visual Impairments

Moving from a conventional telephone keypad to a cellular telephone with a touch-screen can seem quite challenging for some people. When one is visually impaired, there is always the option of using VoiceOver, the iPhone's built-in access technology that is designed to allow individuals with visual impairments the ability to access the visual information on the device's screen (see, for example, Apple, n.d.). This accessibility feature also allows items on the screen to be spoken aloud when touched. With the use of additional finger gestures (taps and flicks or swipes of one or multiple fingers on the screen), VoiceOver is designed to provide users with visual impairments the same amount of information as is accessible to sighted users using the device. The learning curve can seem steep and daunting, but the right teaching strategies can make the process of adjusting to a cellular telephone with a touchscreen easier for people with visual impairments. Teaching students to identify the similarities that exist in applications or apps (the location of buttons or icons, for example) can increase comprehension for individuals who have experienced challenges in exploring unfamiliar apps. Connecting the dots can begin with establishing basic comfort with receiving voice feedback from the device, learning basic orientation skills, and beginning training with the Phone app, which allows individuals to dial numbers and manage contacts. Individuals who teach the use of the iPhone with VoiceOver may not realize the importance of orientation skills when interacting with apps. Being mindful of the location of items within an app can enhance the ability of learners to develop basic problem-solving strategies. This report intends to provide readers with a method for teaching introductory skills for using the iPhone with VoiceOver. STRATEGIES FOR COMFORT AND BUILDING FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS Before delving into the Phone app, some primary building blocks have to be laid to make learning the iPhone less tedious. Comfort is key for conducive learning environments, so the learner needs to feel comfortable touching the screen and listening to VoiceOver's feedback. This comfort level will increase with training. When introduced to the idea of Voice-Over, learners tend to want to press their fingers down in different areas of the screen. One way to counteract this response is to have a student slowly glide a finger over the surface of the screen. As visual items or icons on the telephone's touchscreen are announced by Voice-Over, teachers can explain briefly what each item is. Lest learners begin to think that the slow-glide gesture is the primary way to navigate an iPhone with Voice-Over, teachers should next introduce the idea of using distinct finger gestures to operate the device. Have the learner perform a four-finger double tap to enter Help mode and experiment with the other finger gestures recognized by the iPhone. In Help mode, learners will receive auditory messages describing the correct finger gesture and its function. Once learners feel comfortable with finger gestures, introduce them to the layout of the home screen, which is the primary screen of the device. Show learners how to navigate to the major areas of the screen (Status Bar, Dock, and the array of apps) by placing a finger in the area, then having them perform finger gestures to navigate to the same location. Explain that whenever VoiceOver speaks an item, a little black box is drawn around that item. When the item is spoken, the focus is placed on that item. If the learner performs a double tap, the focused item is opened. The focus can be on an icon at the bottom of the home screen, but the learner can double tap anywhere and still open the icon because of where the focus is placed. Once the learner finds the desired item, he or she can perform a double tap or keep a finger on the item and tap anywhere on the screen with an additional finger to interact with the item. …

PTH-134 Setting Up An Endoscopy Unit in Northern Malawi

Introduction There is a major need for endoscopic services in Malawi due to the very high incidence of both variceal bleeding related to schistosomiasis and gastro-oesophageal cancer. The availability of facilities and trained staff to perform variceal band ligation (VBL) and endoscopic stent insertion would benefit local patients. The aim of this project was to set-up an endoscopy unit at Mzuzu Central hospital (MCH), the regional hospital in Northern Malawi, which serves a population of approximately 2 million. Methods After an initial assessment visit, four on-site training visits (two accompanied by endoscopy nurse trainers) were undertaken by a UK endoscopy trainer between 2012–2015. Endoscopy equipment was donated and shipped out from Glasgow. The local endoscopists and endoscopy nurses also attended formal endoscopy training courses at the recognised regional training centre in Blantyre. Malawi-adapted DOPS and unit GRS were undertaken and numbers of procedures audited. Results During this period, six donated endoscopes and many accessories were delivered to MCH. Local clinicians and nurses had four weeks of on-site intensive training and attended five formal training courses. Skills in diagnostic endoscopy and VBL were taught and there was an introduction to stent insertion. A total of 20 DOPS were undertaken showing a gradual improvement in endoscopic skills. The unit GRS assessment improved with regard to patient consent, clinical monitoring, reporting and audit. A nine-month audit of consecutive endoscopic procedures at MCH revealed either varices or upper GI cancer in 28% cases. Over the total study period, the annual number of endoscopies undertaken at MCH increased from 108 to 376, with VBL cases increasing from 17 to 51. Conclusion A functioning endoscopy unit has been set up at MCH with introductory skills provided to local endoscopists and nurses, by both on-site training and attendance at formal training courses. Advanced training of more endoscopists in therapeutic endoscopy and ongoing equipment support is required to ensure the unit becomes sustainable. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Research Active Programme: A pilot inclusive research curriculum in higher education

ABSTRACTParticipation of people with disabilities in producing and using research is critical for monitoring the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Research Active Programme (RAP) is a module designed to build research capacity of students with intellectual disabilities. RAP was implemented over 11 weeks in 2 Irish universities. The mixed methods programme evaluation was completed from the students' perspectives, attending to curriculum content, pedagogical approach, the research knowledge and skills acquired by students. Twenty-five students completed interviews before and after engaging in RAP. Focus groups and quizzes were held after sessions to assess learning outcomes. Content analysis was used to interpret student perspectives. RAP was an effective approach for supporting students with intellectual disabilities to develop introductory research knowledge and skills; however, across the cohort, there were differences in demonstrated learning. Student expectations with respect to overall curriculum design, learning outcomes and delivery were reviewed. Specifically, learning outcomes, module delivery and assessment strategies were critiqued. Overall, the RAP curriculum supported research skill development in students. This module prepared people with intellectual disabilities to engage more fully as research partners in monitoring the implementation of the CRPD.

Whither goes the “maps” course? Maintaining map-use concepts, skills, and appreciation in GIS&T curricula

Popular and professional interest in maps and map-making has never been greater. Despite this engagement, introductory skills courses in “map use” have largely disappeared in undergraduate geography and cartography programs at US universities, with research indicating that both map-use course enrollments and the existence of such courses themselves are on the decline. While the map-use course and its content may have been replaced by, repackaged as, or incorporated into an integrated geographical information systems-cartography–remote sensing foundations course, how do we ensure that an understanding of maps and their unique characteristics is not lost in the mix? This essay describes a recent course redesign experience incorporating information literacy, technology fluency, and spatial thinking principles to maintain map-use concepts, skills, and appreciation in an introductory geographic information science and technology (GIS&T) foundations course, meeting both GIS&T and general education curricular goals.

DNA and 普通話 (Mandarin): Bringing introductory programming to the Life Sciences and Digital Humanities

The ability to write software (to script, to program, to code) is a vital skill for students and their future data-centric, multidisciplinary careers. We present a ten-year effort to teach introductory programming skills in domain-focused courses to students across divisions in our liberal arts college. By creatively working with colleagues in Biology, Statistics, and now English, we have designed, modified, and offered six iterations of two courses: “DNA” and “Computing for Poets”. Larger percentages of women have consistently enrolled in these two courses vs. the traditional first course in the major. We share our open source course materials and present here our use of a blended learning classroom that leverages the increasing quality of online video lectures and programming practice sites in an attempt to maximize faculty-student interactions in class.

Comparison of chiropractic student scores before and after utilizing active learning techniques in a classroom setting

Objective : We report the differences in final examination scores achieved by students at the culmination of two different teaching strategies in an introductory skills course. Methods : Multiple choice examination scores from six consecutive academic calendar sessions over 18 months (n = 503) were compared. Two groups were used: Cohort A (n = 290) represented students who were enrolled in the course 3 consecutive academic sessions before an instructional change and Cohort B (n = 213) included students who were enrolled in 3 consecutive academic sessions following the instructional change, which included a more active learning format. Statistical analyses used were 2-tailed independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD), and effect size. Results : The 2-tailed independent t-test revealed a significant difference between the two groups (t = -3.71, p < .001; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29-4.20). Significant difference was found in the highest performing subgroup compared to the lowest performing subgroup in Cohort A (F = 3.343, p = .037). For Cohort A subgroups 1 and 2, Tukey's HSD was p < .028. In Cohort B, no difference was found among subgroups (F = 1.912, p = .150, HSD p > .105). Conclusion : Compared to previous versions of the same course taught by the same instructor, the students in the new course design performed better, suggesting that using active learning techniques helps improve student achievement.

Programmatic Design for Teaching the Introductory Skills and Concepts of Lumbar Spine Procedures to Physiatry Residents

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a 2-day course teaching the introductory skills and concepts of lumbar spine procedures to physiatry residents. This is a 3-yr prospective study of a 2-day musculoskeletal course teaching the introductory skills and concepts of lumbar spinal procedures to the residents at a large academic physical medicine and rehabilitation program. The residents attending the course took multiple-choice pretests and posttests as well as participated in a procedural skills competency demonstration. Forty-two residents participated. The results were stratified according to the level of training and repetition of the material and revealed gains of medical knowledge at each level of residency training (P < 0.001). The postgraduate year 2 residents seemed to have the greatest overall improvement (P = 0.04). Half of the residents scored lower than 65% on the pretest, and these residents ultimately had the largest posttest gains. Forty (95.2%) residents achieved a grade of pass in the skills-based test. The residents felt that the course was valuable or extremely valuable. The comprehensive 2-day course teaching the skills and concepts of spinal interventions for physiatry residents enhances medical knowledge as an introduction to interventional spine care. Those who benefited the most were the residents who had the greatest deficit of medical knowledge on this topic before the course. This course curriculum does not replace fellowship training or closely monitored mentorship in the performance of spinal procedures.

The effectiveness of the pervasive method in ethics pedagogy: A longitudinal study of journalism and mass communication students

This study answers Christians’ (1978) call for research on the ‘pervasive method’ of ethics instruction. Longitudinal student surveys identified a robust level of concern and suggested penalties for the core ethical issues of plagiarism and fabrication in professional media careers that increased as students progressed through their program of study. Similar, positive findings were also observed among students from many disparate areas of vocational interest. Qualitative instructor assessments of specific techniques for teaching ethics in an introductory skills course and a senior-level capstone seminar further explicate observed increases in students’ ethical growth. Results suggest that the pervasive model as an approach to ethical instruction through socialization can be effective in advancing students’ ethical development.

Handpiece and bur skills evaluation during an introductory clinical skills programme in a graduate-entry dental school: a pilot study

To assess the effect of an introductory Clinical Skills Program on the development of two tasks aimed at teaching a Class II cavity preparation technique. A prospective, observational study. Twenty three first year students (F: 19; M: 4) were asked to complete two cavities on a Frasaco(®) tooth 46 using a FG 565 pear-shaped diamond bur. Task One: A groove was cut from the central fissure area to within 1mm of the marginal ridge which was 5mm in length, 2mm in width and 2mm in depth. Task Two: As for Task One and in addition, a slot was cut vertically downward at the marginal ridge to create a box 2mm in length, 2mm in width and 3mm in depth. Both tasks were undertaken at the start of an introductory Clinical Skills course and two months later after further skills practice. Cavity dimensions were measured using a digital caliper with a depth gauge. Data were analysed using a two-sample t-test (MINITAB(®) 15.1). Regarding Task One, a statistically-significant improvement in groove width was noted (p=0.001). Concerning Task Two, both the groove width and the box width improved and both were statistically significant p=0.023 and p=0.049, respectively). A Clinical Skills Program would appear to result in an improvement in cavity preparation, particularly in relation to cavity width.

Clinical Medical Students' Self-Assessed Comfort With Technical Skills

: Medical students spend significant time in the operating room during clinical training. Many technical skill domains are learned through trial and error, which can affect student confidence and patient safety. This project assessed the technical knowledge and comfort of third-year medical students to identify their needs for technical skills training before surgical exposure. : One hundred nine students provided data in an anonymous survey on the first day of their core obstetrics/gynecology clerkship. The survey used a 4-point Likert scale to query self-assessed competence, comfort, and knowledge of technical skill domains for the operating room. : Students who rated introductory skill domains positively rated themselves higher on complex skill domains (2.47 vs 3.75, P < 0.001). Most students (91%) who positively assessed complex domains also rated introductory domains positively. There was good correlation with comfort in the operating room and the introductory skill domains of surgical scrub (0.782) and gowning and gloving (0.784) (P < 0.001). : Students who rate complex domains highly overwhelmingly rate introductory skills highly, providing an opportunity to triage technical skill knowledge. A focus on introductory skill domains may be beneficial for preparing preclinical students for the operating room.

From trace evidence to bioinformatics: Putting bryophytes into molecular biology education

Students benefit most from their science education when they participate fully in the process of science in the context of real-world problems. We describe a student-directed open-inquiry lab experience that has no predetermined outcomes and requires students to engage in all components of scientific inquiry from posing a question through evaluating and reporting results. Over 5 weeks, students learn how bryophytes are used in forensics and become proficient in important molecular biology lab skills including DNA isolation, polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, capillary electrophoresis, and genotyping. For this portion of the experience, there is no specialized equipment necessary outside of gel electrophoresis supplies and a thermocycler. In an optional extension of the experience, students sequence a plastid intron and use introductory bioinformatics skills to identify species related to their forensics case. Students who participated in the lab experience performed well on content-based assessment, and student attitudes toward the experience were positive and indicative of engaged learning. The lab experience is easily modified for higher or lower level courses and can be used in secondary education.

Integrating Computation and Visualization to Enhance Learning IR Spectroscopy in the General Chemistry Laboratory: Computer-Assisted Learning of IR Spectroscopy

ABSTRACT An exercise to compute and visualize the IR spectra of small organic molecules was incorporated into a general chemistry laboratory module on the synthesis of aspirin. The effectiveness of the computation–visualization component was measured by pre- and postquizzes, a survey, and correct interpretation of experimental IR spectra. The assessment results showed that the students' conceptual understanding of IR spectroscopy was enhanced and that their ability to interpret IR spectra improved. Students learned the basics of the Scigress Explorer software package, gained invaluable introductory skills in molecular modeling and computational chemistry, and enjoyed the experience.