Knowledge Of Research Methodology Research Articles

Attitudes towards continuous professional development and postgraduate education of Croatian students of physiotherapy

Relevance: Contemporary physiotherapy requires continuous professional development (CPD) and growth of evidence based knowledge to satisfy emerging needs of further development of the profession. This requires awareness of the importance of CPD, research and postgraduate education. Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine attitudes of Croatian undergraduate students of physiotherapy towards CPD, postgraduate education and research. Our objective was to provide insight into views and intentions of future physiotherapists regarding their further academic education, CPD activities and their knowledge and interest in active participation in research. Methods/Analysis: A cross-sectional survey study involved 496 (45, 6%) of physiotherapy students enrolled at the University of Applied Health Sciences in Zagreb and the College of Applied Sciences Lavoslav Ruzicka in Vukovar, Croatia during academic year 2015/2016. Participants were undergraduate students ; 68, 9% female and 31, 1% male. Average age of the subjects was 20(range 18-41). A structured 33-items closed ended questionnaire was developed for the study. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 19.0. Descriptive statistics and correlations were performed for all variables of interest. Mann Whitney U test was used to compare students by gender and Kruskall-Wallis H test to compare students by year of study. The level of significance was set at p< 0, 05. Results: Almost all of students (98, 6%) used the Internet for education at least twice per week. However, their usage of scientific databases was moderate (76, 6%), but it tended to grow with the year of study (50% ; 86, 7% ; 95, 1%). Only 15, 2% of students did not plan to enroll in postgraduate study and 36, 4% definitely planned to enroll. Their attitudes toward CPD were very positive ; 89, 9% understood the need to participate in CPD activities. Female students valued higher this need(p˂0, 001). CPD was assessed as very important for efficient physiotherapy practice (4, 5 on Likert scale 1-5). Performing research was also assessed as very important (4, 4). Also, there was a strong positive correlation between importance of research and CPD (r=0, 61 ; p˂0, 001). However, their interest for active participation in research was modest (3, 3), and their self-assessed knowledge regarding research methodology was even worse (2, 8). Publishing of scientific papers was assessed as rather important (3, 6), more to female students (p=0, 002), as well as pursuing master and doctoral degrees (4). Discussion and conclusions: Croatian physiotherapy students have positive attitudes towards CPD. Significant number of students plan to continue with postgraduate study and they are well aware of the importance of postgraduate education. Likewise, they are aware of the value of research in physiotherapy, but they lack in knowledge and interest to participate in research themselves. Their IT competences are sufficient to enable them to use digital media to participate in CPD activities. Impact and Implications: Results of this study emphasize the need to improve our students´ knowledge of research methodology through curriculum and to encourage them to develop basic research competencies. Their interest and ambitions for research could be improved by exposing them to different aspects of research during their study.

Documentary-Making Methodology: Step-by-step Documentation of Life after Grey

One of the unnoticed snares of a first-time documentary filmmaker, besides insufficient research and clear objective(s), is lack of specific knowledge of research methodology. Documentary filmmaking is a separate genre, with many sub-genres, which varies from commercial to alternative/art filmmaking. There is plenty of available literature in books and research articles that deal with separate aspects of this genre of filmmaking in terms of modes and approaches of documentary, research, preproduction, production, postproduction, and so on. However, there is hardly any academic book or article in the Bangladeshi context that comprehensively provides the step-by-step guide to documentary filmmaking, particularly through a pragmatic demonstration of a film that has been made for the purpose of emphasizing the methodology. Theory and practice may not always conform; in such case(s) overcoming unanticipated challenges that threaten an entire project is imperative. This paper endeavours to portray the step-by-step methodological journey of documentary filmmaking from the initial stage of idea generation, through research phase to pre and post production until the official screening from a first-time filmmaker’s perspective. The methodological steps are based on the making of documentary Life after Grey (2015).

RESEARCH AMONGST JUNIOR AND SENIOR MEDICAL STUDENTS

Background: Evidence based scientific knowledge and research is an integralpart of medicine. This led us to this study to find out the knowledge, attitude and practiceregarding research in medical students of final year and first year at Army Medical College-NUST, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to compare thelevel of knowledge, attitude and practice regarding research amongst medical students of finalyear MBBS and 1st year MBBS. Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study. Place ofStudy: Army Medical College-NUST Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Duration of Study: Three months(October 2013 to December 2013). Materials and Methods: A questionnaire consisting of 23closed questions, was filled by students of first and final year MBBS, through non-probabilityconvenience sampling. The data was analyzed by SPSS 21. p value of &lt; 0.05 was consideredto be significant. Results: Over 50% of first year students and 21.53% of the final year studentshad poor knowledge of research methodology. 89.30% students from final year along with51.30% students from first year were motivated and had interest in research activities. Not asingle student from first year and only 12.37% of students from final year were actively involvedin research process at the time of undertaking the research. 50.40% first year students and58.46% from final year strongly disagreed that there are ample opportunities for research inthe college. Conclusions: A working scientific forum should be established in the collegewith introduction of student mentor link. Students should be guided on how to carry out aresearch and how to make a good research question, how to develop skills for paper writingand evaluating the data collected.

Impact of the Surgical Research Methodology Program on Surgical Residents’ Research Profiles

To evaluate whether implementing the formal Surgical Research Methodology (SRM) Program in the surgical residency curriculum improved research productivity compared with the preceding informal Research Seminar Series (RSS). The SRM Program replaced the RSS in July 2009. In the SRM Program, the curriculum in Year-1 consisted of 12 teaching sessions on the principles of clinical epidemiology and biostatistics, whereas the focus in Year-2 was on the design, conduct, and presentation of a research project. The RSS consisted of 8 research methodology sessions repeated annually for 2 years along with the design, conduct, and presentation of a research project. Research productivity was measured as the number of peer-reviewed publications and the generation of studies with higher levels of evidence. Outcome measures were independently assessed by 2 authors to avoid bias. Student t test and chi-square test were used for the analysis. Frequencies, mean differences with 95% CI, and effect sizes have been reported. In this study, 81 SRM residents were compared with 126 RSS residents. The performance of the SRM residents was superior on all metrics in our evaluation. They were significantly more productive and published more articles than the RSS residents (mean difference = 1.0 [95% CI: 0.5-1.5], p < 0.001) with an effect size of 0.26. The SRM residents presented significantly more projects that were of higher levels of evidence (systematic reviews/meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and prospective cohorts) than the RSS residents (52.5% vs 29%, p = 0.005). In addition, the research performance improved 11.0 grades (95% CI: 8.5%-13.5%, p < 0.001) with an effect size of 0.51 in favor of the SRM Program. Although not all surgeons opt for a career as surgeon-scientist, knowledge of research methodology is crucial to appropriately apply evidence-based findings in clinical practice. The SRM Program has significantly improved the research productivity and performance of the surgical residents from all disciplines. The implementation of a similar research methodology program is highly recommended for the benefit of residents' future careers and ultimately, evidence-based patient care.

Promoting Education, Mentorship, and Support for Pediatric Research

Pediatricians play a key role in advancing child health research to best attain and improve the physical, mental, and social health and well-being of all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. Child health presents unique issues that require investigators who specialize in pediatric research. In addition, the scope of the pediatric research enterprise is transdisciplinary and includes the full spectrum of basic science, translational, community-based, health services, and child health policy research. Although most pediatricians do not directly engage in research, knowledge of research methodologies and approaches promotes critical evaluation of scientific literature, the practice of evidence-based medicine, and advocacy for evidence-based child health policy. This statement includes specific recommendations to promote further research education and support at all levels of pediatric training, from premedical to continuing medical education, as well as recommendations to increase support and mentorship for research activities. Pediatric research is crucial to the American Academy of Pediatrics' goal of improving the health of all children. The American Academy of Pediatrics continues to promote and encourage efforts to facilitate the creation of new knowledge and ways to reduce barriers experienced by trainees, practitioners, and academic faculty pursuing research.

Research knowledge and behavior of health workers at Federal Medical Centre, Bida: A task before learned mentors

Background: Clinical research has been acknowledged to have positive impacts on healthcare systems. However, health workers at Federal Medical Centre, Bida (FMCB) were presumably adjudged as indisposed to research. Thus, a scientific study became imminent. The present study sought to determine research knowledge and behavior of health workers at FMCB. Methods: A 25-point questionnaire was administered to 247 stratified randomly selected employees of the hospital. Results: Most participants (99.4%) believed that research is relevant to healthcare services. A good number (73.1%) of them selected abstract as the first section of journal articles, but not many (32.5%) selected research idea as the first step in research methodology. In terms of knowledge about tools for health related research, most participants (83.8%) said they could operate computer system, but only few (25.6%) could recognize SPSS as software for data analysis. Conclusion: Health workers at FMCB acknowledged the impacts of health services research. However, not many possessed adequate knowledge of research methodology and the right computing skills. Evolving a better research culture would require the few researchers in the hospital to play continuous mentorship role along with the need for the hospital management to provide an enabling environment promoting a positive research culture.

How knowledgeable are investigators studying therapies of traditional medicines?

Context:Research methodology in traditional Indian system of medicine.Aim:To determine the knowledge level of investigators conducting clinical trials in traditional medicines (TMs) including Ayurveda.Materials and Methods:This was a questionnaire survey conducted for selected researchers trained in any specialty and working in TM. 2087 researchers were selected based on selection criteria. A validated and pretested questionnaire containing the questions regarding regulatory issues, literature search, evidence-based medicine, clinical trial design, patient selection, and study reporting were sent either through E-mail or post. The answered questionnaires were analyzed. The parameters were analyzed based on median and interquartile range (IQR).Results:Forty two responses were received through E-mail and 21 researchers responded through post. Out of 63, six researchers sent incomplete responses. Among the remaining 57 respondents; 34 (59.6%) investigators had postdoctoral degree, 43 investigators (75.4%) did not receive any structured training on research methodology, 23 (40.4%) had two decades of research experience. Thirty three (74%) of investigators who received government funding didn’t have any training on research methodology. Ayurveda experts group had better knowledge compared to pharmaceutical sciences and basic science group although they had a dilemma about conducting clinical evaluation of TM within the specific framework of rigorous clinical pharmacological principles without ignoring the Ayurvedic concepts such as Dosha, Prakruti etc., Investigators below 30 years possessed higher knowledge of research methodology when analyzed based on the age. The respondents working in research organizations, government organizations, and academic institutions had lower knowledge compared to those who were in private organizations/practice.Conclusions:It is recommend that investigators, peer reviewers, and fund managers involved in traditional medicine research need training especially in research methodology.

Identification of Scientific Researches Conducted during UNIPLAC’S Medical Degree, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Scientific Research held during graduation provides students with better training, by allowing the improvement of activities related to their future profession, a better relationship between teachers and students, as well as enabling the knowledge of research methodology. The purpose of this work is to identify the Scientific Research conducted during the medical degree at Universidade do Planalto Catarinense-UNIPLAC, since the implementation of this course at the University (2004) until July 2013. Through a descriptive and quantitative approach, the data related to the scientific research conducted during the medical degree were held. Fifty-eight Scientific Researches were performed by students, who were instructed by qualified teachers. From this information, the fields of knowledge covered by the Scientific Projects were recognized, as well as the profile of researchers. The epidemiology was the field related to the greatest approach and it covered twenty-eight Scientific Researches. Females predominate among the researchers, with a participation of thirty-one exhibitioners and fifteen advisors. The researches were carried out mainly by students who study the early years of medical degree. The tripod Research, Education and Extension are very important as they introduce the students to the scientific universe during graduation, encourage them to produce knowledge and technology through their own researches after the degree, contribute to a better academic background, and provide a continuous update during the professional life, and encourage self-taught professionals. This electronic document is a “live” template. The various components of your paper [title, text, heads, etc.] are already defined on the style sheet, as illustrated by the portions given in this document.

Methodologies and study designs relevant to medical education research

Research is an important part of educational scholarship. Knowledge of research methodologies is essential for both conducting research as well as determining the soundness of the findings from published studies. Our goals for this paper therefore are to inform medical education researchers of the range and key components of educational research designs. We will discuss both qualitative and quantitative approaches to educational research. Qualitative methods will be presented according to traditions that have a distinguished history in particular disciplines. Quantitative methods will be presented according to an evidence-based hierarchy akin to that of evidence-based medicine with the stronger designs (systematic reviews and well conducted educational randomized controlled trials) at the top, and weaker designs (descriptive studies without comparison groups, or single case studies) at the bottom. It should be appreciated, however, that the research question determines the study design. Therefore, the onus is on the researcher to choose a design that is appropriate to answering the question. We conclude with an overview of how educational researchers should describe the study design and methods in order to provide transparency and clarity.

The teaching of critical appraisal skills in urology residency: What is the evidence?

The manuscript by Roth and Siemens1 is a topical one that deals with attitudes towards and knowledge of evidence-based medicine (EBM) among graduating urology residents. The authors also discuss the prevalence and structure of EBM curricula in Canadian urology training programs. The findings from this self-reported survey of 29 chief residents are concerning but not surprising. Formal teaching of EBM in residency was reported by less than a third of respondents and only slightly more than half received instruction during medical school. Most urology resident exposure to EBM occurs in a journal club format and most respondents were not aware of 8 commonly used web-based EBM resources available to practitioners. Knowledge of the fundamentals of EBM terminology was correspondingly limited, but there was strong support for developing formal instruction and evaluation of these important concepts. A lack of time during residency and a lack of faculty with the requisite expertise were cited as the most common reasons for the limited exposure to EBM. These are similar to barriers reported in other specialty training programs as outlined in a recent systematic review of this topic.2 In general, limited time, competing responsibilities and resident lack of knowledge and skills were cited as the most common barriers to the application of EBM in the published literature. Interestingly, in one Canadian study included in this review, several surgical residents reported a fear of repercussion from staff surgeons when confronting them with new evidence.3 (There were no urology residents in this study!) As new faculty with advanced education in EBM come on board, our training of urology residents in this area may self-correct as long as the teachers are enabled to apportion the necessary time in urology curricula to this important facet of postgraduate education. This is easier said than done. There is considerable curriculum compression in residency training programs today with requirements for teaching of all the CanMEDS core competencies to maintain Royal College accreditation. Evidence-based medicine falls under the scholar rubric of CanMEDS. Item 6.2 of the Royal College general standards of accreditation states that “The program must ensure that there are effective teaching programs in the critical appraisal of medical literature using knowledge of research methodology and biostatistics.”4 Hosting journal clubs as the sole method of teaching critical appraisal is not likely to be deemed sufficient to receive a passing grade by an external reviewer of our residency programs. Under the old apprenticeship model of training, scholarship involved honing our clinical skills in concert with the incorporation of expert opinion into one’s personal database. In the hierarchy of EBM, expert opinion is the lowest level of evidence and therefore a lower value is placed on authority than did previous traditional medical paradigms.5,6 Urologists need to continue to climb the pyramidal levels of evidence if we are to remain a scholarly specialty. That said, not all urologists (me included) need to be the principal investigator of a randomized controlled trial, be capable of conducting a meta-analysis, or wax eloquent about the difference between an odds ratio, a risk ratio, and a hazard ratio. However, we should all be aware of what these tools entail, whether they are in existence for questions that arise in our clinical practices, and where to access them if they do exist.

Conducting an article critique for a quantitative research study: perspectives for doctoral students and other novice readers

The ability to critically evaluate the merits of a quantitative design research article is a necessary skill for practitioners and researchers of all disciplines, including nursing, in order to judge the integrity and usefulness of the evidence and conclusions made in an article. In general, this skill is automatic for many practitioners and researchers who already possess a good working knowledge of research methodology, including: hypothesis development, sampling techniques, study design, testing procedures and instrumentation, data collection and data management, statistics, and interpretation of findings. For graduate students and junior faculty who have yet to master these skills, completing a formally written article critique can be a useful process to hone such skills. However, a fundamental knowledge of research methods is still needed in order to be successful. Because there are few published examples of critique examples, this article provides the practical points of conducting a formally written quantitative research article

Validating Knowledge and Fostering Creativity in the University

Copyright © 2013, Kowsar Corp.; Published by Kowsar Corp. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Dear Editor, The last issue of this journal addressed an important topic – undergraduate students’ knowledge of research methodology. Jamali et al. (1) reported from a study suggesting that extracurricular workshops in combination with research experience improved students’ knowledge of principles in research methodology. The authors acknowledge the value of research for the development and well-being of societies. Living in the small country of Sweden, which has developed tremendously as a result of technical and scientific innovations, I have to agree. Now, each era, and each society has its own needs for research outcomes. In hindsight it is easy to conclude that Sweden’s economic growth and well-being was associated with an innovative climate and the pioneering spirit of entrepreneurship. The needs of tomorrow’s society are however more difficult to foresee. Combining the knowledge of the past with the energy and spirit of new generations, should put any society in a good position to tailor research needs to society’s well-being. And so, the new generation needs thorough knowledge of research methodology. This knowledge, as suggested by Jamali et al. (1), is promoted by workshops in research methodology. Similar ideas are implemented at the medical programme in the Swedish medical university of Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Stockholm, Sweden, in order to inspire and form future scientists. The KI approach is to integrate research methodology into the medical programme consisting of 5 weeks of study over 10 semesters that ends with a project report (2). Scientific inquiry differs from simple inquiry in its mechanisms for safeguarding against error and bias. In order to validate new knowledge, students need foundations in sound research methodology. Four categories of establishing knowledge were presented by Peirce (3). The different ways to establish knowledge is ranked from the method of tenacity (the lowest degree of certainty) to the method of science (the highest degree of certainty). The philosopher Gadamer states that “all understanding inevitably involves some prejudice” (4) (p. 272). Threats from prejudice and error need to be dealt with. The historical Enlightenment movement brought mechanisms to discover prejudice from a) human authority and; b) over hastiness in ourselves (4). Knowledge of research methodology may help acknowledge prejudice and offers us the tools to interpret findings in relation to our own culture. However, scientific progress also needs growth of ideas to flourish. Enquiry starts with curiosity and ideas need to be cultivated under favourable conditions. Tornqvist, who investigated the creativity in the environments of Nobel laureates argues that “Individuals with unique skills and creative capacities are the main prerequisite for invention and thorough renewal” (5). Furthermore, he acknowledged how innovations develop into societal benefits. A dialectic relationship between new ideas and interaction with society is needed in addition to methods of asserting secure knowledge. Consequently, in addition to research methodologies, a supporting climate can also benefit innovations to develop into productive outcomes -improved health for people and societal well-being.

Making “Health in All Policies” a Reality Requires You!

Making “Health in All Policies” a Reality Requires You!

Effects of Spirituality in Breast Cancer Survivors : Critique of Quantitative Research

A research critique is a careful appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of the study. Critique of quantitative study involves an in-depth review of how each step of the research was undertaken and conducted. The ability to evaluate the quantitative design research article is a necessary skill for practitioners and researchers of all disciplines, including nursing, in order to judge the integrity and usefulness of the evidence and conclusions made in an article. In general, this skill is automatic for many practitioners and researchers who already possess a good working knowledge of research methodology, including: hypothesis development, sampling techniques, study design, testing procedures and instrumentation, data collection and data management, statistics, and interpretation of findings. However, research critique is a mechanism to provide feedback for improvement and development.

One-on-one consultation on protocol development and statistics analysis in health sciences postgraduate students : short report

According to publications in the UK and USA there is a lack or limitation in the knowledge of research methodology, statistics, and critical appraisal skills of medical literature evaluation among registrars and clinicians. As a consequence, utilisation of biostatistical consultation services became necessary and is provided in the most prestigious academic hospitals and medical schools of the world. In South Africa (SA) as a result of rules changes by the Health Professional Council of SA (HPCSA) to become a specialist, a compulsory qualification in research was added. Therefore courses in research methodology, applied statistics and scientific writing were implemented since 2007 at the University of the Witwatersrand and from 2009 biostatistical consultations were conducted.

Experiences of learning through collaborative evaluation from a masters programme in professional education

This paper presents findings from a collaborative evaluation project within a masters programme in professional education. The project aimed to increase knowledge of research methodologies and methods through authentic learning where participants worked in partnership with the tutor to evaluate the module which they were studying. The project processes, areas of the course evaluated and the data collection methods are outlined. The findings focus on key themes from evaluating the effectiveness of using a collaborative evaluation approach, including: enhanced student engagement; creativity of the collaborative evaluation approach; equality between the tutor and students; and enhanced research skills. Discussion focuses on the outcomes and effectiveness of the project and tutor reflections on adopting a collaborative approach. This paper highlights lessons from the project relevant to those interested in staff–student partnership approaches and those facilitating postgraduate learning and teaching programmes and educational research courses. Cet article présente les résultats d’un projet collaboratif d’évaluation ayant eu lieu dans le cadre d’un programme de master en formation professionnelle. Le projet visait à accroître les connaissances des méthodes et méthodologies de recherche par l’entremise d’un apprentissage authentique dans le cadre duquel les participantes œuvraient en partenariat avec le tuteur à l’évaluation du module auquel elles prenaient part. Les processus du projet, les parties du cours ayant été évaluées et les méthodes de collecte des données sont présentées. Les résultats se concentrent sur les thèmes principaux provenant de l’évaluation de l’efficacité d’une approche collaborative d’évaluation. Ceux‐ci comprennent : l’engagement accru des étudiantes ; la créativité de l’approche collaborative d’évaluation ; l’égalité entre le tuteur et les étudiantes ; et les compétences de recherche développées. La discussion porte sur : les résultats et l’efficacité du projet de même que des réflexions du tuteur au sujet de l’adoption d’une approche collaborative. L’article met en lumière les leçons tirées de ce projet pouvant être pertinentes pour ceux qui seraient intéressés par les approches de partenariat enseignant‐étudiant et pour ceux qui ont la charge de programmes de 2e ou 3e cycle en pédagogie universitaire ou de cours de recherche en éducation.

Tennessee Master Horse Owner Program: Evaluation of In-Service Training

In Vietnam, needs to update medical and public health research capacity, but advanced training in research methodology in universities is still very limited. The first university-certified research training course aimed at physicians was conducted in Ho Chi Minh City in 2000. This paper describes the processes, outcomes and lessons learned from the project, to enable the training course to be repeated to increase research capacity among health professionals in Vietnam and other developing countries. Based on needs assessment, the 9-month, part-time course offered advanced training in practical research skills, including epidemiology, biostatistics and qualitative research methods. Thirty-seven trainees (teaching staff, interns and clinicians) completed the course, which included four group research projects. With active support from university management, the course was rigorous and participation was excellent. Trainees's knowledge of research methodologies increased, and their self-evaluation of achievement of the training objectives was high. The total score of the epidemiology and biostatistics test improved from 56% (median) in the pre-course test to 83% in the post-course test. The group research project results were disseminated through a conference and publication in peer-reviewed journals. The course has since been repeated twice as a 1-month intensive course to accommodate trainees from distant regions. This type of rigorous in-service research training at universities and teaching hospitals in developing countries appears to be an effective, sustainable approach. It also holds promise for producing research data that are responsive to a country's own needs and which are likely to be applied in health policy and practice. Further evaluation of the impact and cost of such models is indicated.

Education Research: The challenge of incorporating formal research methodology training in a neurology residency

Physicians often do not have good understanding of research methodology. Unfortunately, the mechanism to achieve this important competency in a busy neurology residency program remains unclear. We tested the value and degree of acceptance by neurology residents of a multimodal educational intervention that consisted of biweekly teaching sessions in place of an existing journal club, as a way to provide formal training in research and statistical techniques. We used a pre- and post-test design with an educational intervention in between using neurology residents at the University of Iowa as subjects. Each test had 40 questions of research methodology. The educational intervention consisted of a biweekly, structured, topic-centered, research methodology-oriented elective seminar following a year-long predefined curriculum. An exit survey was offered to gather resident's perceptions about the course. While a majority of residents agreed that the intervention enhanced their knowledge of research methodology, only 23% attended more than 40% of the sessions. There was no difference between pretest and post-test scores (p = 0.40). Our experience suggests that, in order to accomplish the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education goals regarding increasing competency of residents in knowledge about research methodology, a major restructuring in the neurology residency curriculum with more intense formal training would be necessary.

Education scholarship: it's not just a question of ‘degree’

Background: Although medical faculty are frequently encouraged to participate in education scholarship, there is a paucity of literature addressing how to support those who wish to do so.Aims: The purpose of this study was to explore faculty involvement in and support needs for pursuing education scholarship.Methods: A purposive sample of 108 medical faculty with an interest in medical education were invited to participate in a two-phase, mixed-methods study (survey and focus groups).Results: Seventy-three faculty (67.6%) completed the questionnaire with 16 subsequently participating in focus group sessions. Nearly 40% had enrolled in or completed formal education training. Although the majority had been involved in at least one education project during the past five years, few had received funding or published their work. Three support-related themes emerged: education research support; enhancing colleague interactions; and ongoing development activities. Three related barriers were identified: time, access to support staff, and knowledge of research methodology. No significant differences were identified between those with and without additional education training.Conclusions: Assisting faculty to participate in education scholarship is a complicated endeavor. Institutional supports should not be limited to those with advanced degrees nor rely on Master-level degree programs to provide all the necessary training.

First steps in educational research: the views of Turkish chemistry and biology student teachers

This qualitative study examined student teachers' views on the value of undertaking small‐scale research as part of the secondary teacher training course, and evaluated quality of the research reports prepared by the student teachers in terms of meeting the methodological requirements. Data was gathered by a questionnaire composed of open‐ended question and completed by 76 chemistry and biology student teachers, semi‐structured interviews were done with 11 of those who completed the questionnaire and 14 research reports was analysed. The results indicate that student teachers valued small‐scale research project as a learning activity, and gained significant knowledge of research methodology as well as the title/concepts they studied and problem solving skills. Most saw research as offering the potential to provide valuable insights into teaching and learning. Cette étude qualitative vise à analyser les opinions des candidats‐maîtres en secondaire sur la valeur d'une recherche à une petite échelle et à évaluer du point de vue de la méthodologie la conformité aux critères du rapport de recherche préparé par les candidats‐maîtres. Les données ont été obtenues par un questionnaire composé des questions ouvertes‐fermées, rempli par 76 candidats‐maîtres dans le domaine de la chimie et de la biologie, par une analyse des interviews semi‐structurés réalisées avec 11 étudiants choisis parmi 76 et celle de 14 rapports de recherches préparés par les candidats. Les résultats révèlent que les candidats‐maîtres considèrent une recherche à une petite échelle comme profitable et qu'ils apprennent à maîtriser à la fois la méthodologie et le thème/le concept recherché et qu'ils améliorent ainsi leur capacité de résoudre un problème. La majorité des participants se mettent d'accord sur l'utilité des recherches à effectuer par les candidats pour leur apprentissage. Las opiniones de este estudio cualitativo profesores examinados del estudiante sobre el valor de emprender la investigación en reducida escala como parte del curso de aprendizaje secundario de profesor, y calidad evaluada de los informes de la investigación se prepararon por los profesores del estudiante en términos de resolver los requisitos metodológicos. Los datos fueron recopilados por un cuestionario integrado por la pregunta ampliable y terminado por 76 química y profesores del estudiante de la biología, las entrevistas semi‐estructuradas fueron hechas con 11 de los que terminaron el cuestionario y 14 informes de la investigación eran analizados. Los resultados indican que los profesores del estudiante valoraron proyecto de investigación en reducida escala como actividad que aprendía, y conocimiento significativo ganado de la metodología de la investigación así como el title/concepts ellos estudiaron y las habilidades el solucionar de problema. La mayoría vieron la investigación como ofrecimiento del potencial de proporcionar penetraciones valiosas en la enseñanza y aprender. In dieser qualitativen Arbeit werden die Ansichten der Kursteilnehmerlehrer über den Wert des Unternehmens der kleinräumigen Forschung als Teil der Sekundärausbildung der Lehrer‐kursieren überprüft und die vorbereitete Qualität der Forschung‐Reports wird von den Kursteilnehmerlehrern in dem Entsprechen der methodologischen Anforderungen ausgewertet. Die Daten wurden durch einen Fragebogen erfasst durchgeführt, der aus offener Frage bestand und von 76 Chemie‐ und den Biologiekursteilnehmerlehrern verwendet wurde, 11 davon waren in halb‐strukturierten Interviews erfolgt, die den Fragebogen durchführten und 14 Forschung Reports wurden analysiert. Die Resultate zeigen an, dass die Kursteilnehmerlehrer das Projekt für kleinröumige Forschung für vorteilig halten und dadurch sie sowohl Methodenlehre für Forschung als wie Thema/Begriff Verhältnis erlernen. Sie drücken aus, daß sie fähig gewesen sind, dadurch die Probleme zu lösen. Die meisten verstanden, dass wissenschaftliche Forschung zum Erlernen und Lehren großen Beitrag leisten.