Learning Pathways Research Articles

Serial image interpretation tasks improve accuracy and increase confidence in Level 1 echocardiography reporting: a pilot study

BackgroundFocused echocardiography is increasingly used in acute and emergency care, with point-of-care ultrasound integrated into several specialist training curricula (e.g. Emergency Medicine, Cardiology, Critical Care). Multiple accreditation pathways support development of this skill but there is scant empirical evidence to inform selection of teaching methods, accreditation requirements or quality assurance of education in focussed echocardiography. It has also been noted that access to in-person teaching can be a barrier to completing accreditation programmes, and that this may affect learners disproportionately depending on the location or nature of their institution. The purpose of the study was to determine whether serial image interpretation tasks as a distinct learning tool improved novice echocardiographers’ ability to accurately identify potentially life-threatening pathology from focused scans. We also aimed to describe the relationship between accuracy of reporting and participants’ confidence in those reports, and to assess users’ satisfaction with a learning pathway that could potentially be delivered remotely.Methods27 participants from a variety of healthcare roles completed a program of remote lectures and 2 in-person study days. During the program they undertook 4 ‘packets’ of 10 focused echocardiography reporting tasks (total = 40) based on images from a standardised dataset. Participants were randomized to view the scans in varying orders. Reporting accuracy was compared with consensus reports from a panel of expert echocardiographers, and participants self-reported confidence in their image interpretation and their satisfaction with the learning experience.ResultsThere was a stepwise improvement in reporting accuracy with each set of images reported, from an average reporting score of 66% for the 1st packet to 78% for the 4th packet. Participants felt more confident in identifying common life-threatening pathologies as they reported more echocardiograms. The correlation between report accuracy and confidence in the report was weak and did not increase during the study (rs = 0.394 for the 1st packet, rs = 0.321 for the 4th packet). Attrition during the study related primarily to logistical issues. There were high levels of satisfaction amongst participants, with most reporting that they would use and / or recommend a similar teaching package to colleagues.ConclusionsHealthcare professionals undertaking remote training with recorded lectures, followed by multiple reporting tasks were capable of interpreting focused echocardiograms. Reporting accuracy and confidence in identifying life-threatening pathology increased with the number of scans interpreted. The correlation between accuracy and confidence for any given report was weak (and this relationship should be explored further given the potential safety considerations). All components of this package could be delivered via distance learning to enhance the flexibility of echocardiography education.

MP25-07 HOW SURGICAL TRAINING IS PERCEIVED BY YOUNG EUROPEAN UROLOGISTS: RESULTS FROM A ESRU-ESU-YAU UROTEC COLLABORATIVE SURVEY

MP25-07 HOW SURGICAL TRAINING IS PERCEIVED BY YOUNG EUROPEAN UROLOGISTS: RESULTS FROM A ESRU-ESU-YAU UROTEC COLLABORATIVE SURVEY

The relationship and factors affecting perceptions and applications of the deliberative and dynamic curriculum renewal model

This study examines academic staff’s perceptions and applications of the deliberative and dynamic curriculum renewal model (DDCRM) in terms of developing curriculum renewal strategies, identifying graduate attributes, mapping learning pathways, auditing learning outcomes, developing and updating curricula and implementing programmes. The study was conducted at 21 faculties of education of the public universities across Saudi Arabia. The data included a total of 218 academic staff responded to a 5-point Likert scale and multiple-choice questions. A descriptive analysis, t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Scheffe test were used to analyse the data. The results indicate inconsistencies between academic staff perceptions and the application of DDCRM. The factors, both university-and system-related, included a lack of graduate attributes in the current accreditation requirements, heavy focus on short-termism in higher education and a lack of competencies seem to account for this inconsistency.

Resilient cultural practices for cognitive development during childhood within learning pathways with support from mediated mutual reciprocal theory.

This paper examines resilient cultural practices, informed by cultural values for cognitive development in socialisation during childhood within the learning pathways model. It argues that the active role of children in their learning is not well captured or explained by theories or even empirical data. Learning pathways as a model in this paper is significant because it orients thinking on the fact that all activities children engage in always have social, psychological, and physical implications for cognitive enrichment. The activities are driven by resilient cultural practices informed by cultural norms, beliefs, and values such as responsible leadership qualities and cultivating socio-emotional and moral balance. With the above reasoning, this paper is underpinned by an empirical study with six specific objectives supported by Mediated Mutual Reciprocity theory. The study used a mixed research design and conveniently selected a sample of 73 parents and teachers whose ages ranged from 25-50 years. A questionnaire and an interview guide were used for data collection. The three-sections questionnaire was constructed to find out information about resilient cultural practices and cognitive development. The items in sections two and three were rated on a 5 points Likert scale based on the occurrence of practices and behaviours. The interview guide was constructed to find out information on the three learning pathways; physical, social and psychological that are relevant to children in African cultures. Data were analysed using frequency and proportions and Multiple Regression Analysis to aggregate scores for given conceptual components. Analysis of qualitative data followed the systematic process of thematic and content analysis. Based on qualitative findings, it was realised that African children are exposed to physical, social, and psychological pathways to learning. Quantitative results showed that 85.5% of respondents are high in their resilient cultural practices whereas 14.5% of them are low in resilient cultural practices. In the same line, 74.4% of respondents' cognitive development is high while a proportion of 25.6% is low. The inferential statistics showed that resilient cultural practices are significantly predictive of cognitive processes, reasoning, skills, and strategies at a 0.000 level of significance. Based on the use of the principles of the Mediated Mutual Reciprocal Theory, the study affirms the importance of children's contributory role in their learning and cognitive development. The link between pathways, resilient cultural practices, and cognitive development highlights the significance of children's involvement in their development through participation.

A dynamical model of C. elegans thermal preference reveals independent excitatory and inhibitory learning pathways

Caenorhabditis elegans is capable of learning and remembering behaviorally relevant cues such as smells, tastes, and temperature. This is an example of associative learning, a process in which behavior is modified by making associations between various stimuli. Since the mathematical theory of conditioning does not account for some of its salient aspects, such as spontaneous recovery of extinguished associations, accurate modeling of behavior of real animals during conditioning has turned out difficult. Here, we do this in the context of the dynamics of the thermal preference of C. elegans. We quantify C. elegans thermotaxis in response to various conditioning temperatures, starvation durations, and genetic perturbations using a high-resolution microfluidic droplet assay. We model these data comprehensively, within a biologically interpretable, multi-modal framework. We find that the strength of the thermal preference is composed of two independent, genetically separable contributions and requires a model with at least four dynamical variables. One pathway positively associates the experienced temperature independently of food and the other negatively associates with the temperature when food is absent. The multidimensional structure of the association strength provides an explanation for the apparent classical temperature-food association of C. elegans thermal preference and a number of longstanding questions in animal learning, including spontaneous recovery, asymmetric response to appetitive vs. aversive cues, latent inhibition, and generalization among similar cues.

Learning Styles Theory: Could Students’ Learning Preferences Make STEM Subjects Easier to Learn?

This paper focuses on exploring how the learning process is perceived by the students. The researchers have chosen Kolb and VARK learning models, in order to identify the participant cohorts’ preferred learning pathways, so the researchers can clearly understand their expectations, strengths and preferences utilising the evidence-based inquiry method. The results indicate that none of the two learning models applied can in actuality include all the broad range of learning expectations of the students, regardless of their age. Youngsters seem to be more aligned with the active learning mode, while older students can perform better with more abstract concepts. The geographic origin seems not to have any noticeable impact on the learning styles preferences of the students participating in these trials.

Servant leadership and customer service performance: testing social learning and social exchange-informed motivational pathways

ABSTRACT Drawing on social learning and social exchange theories, we examined a moderated mediation model of the processes through which servant leadership relates to customer service performance. Across two studies, we examined whether frontline employees’ customer-centric attitude (social learning theory) or gratitude towards the organization (social exchange theory) mediates the servant leadership-customer service performance relationship. Additionally, in Study 2, we examined whether initiative climate constitutes a boundary condition of the relationships between the two motivational drivers and customer service performance. Data were obtained from a sample of South Korean (Study 1) and Taiwanese (Study 2) frontline employees. In Study 1, customer-centric attitude and gratitude towards the organization mediate the relationship between servant leadership and service performance but only gratitude towards the organization mediates the servant leadership-customer-directed extra-role performance. The findings of Study 2 reveal that gratitude towards the organization, but not customer-centric attitude mediates the relationship between servant leadership and service performance. Contrary to our prediction, initiative climate did not moderate the relationships between the two motivational drivers and service performance. In sum, our findings provide initial evidence of the importance of social exchange relative to social learning theory in accounting for the customer service performance implications of servant leadership.

Learning Styles Theory: Could Students’ Learning Preferences Make STEM Subjects Easier to Learn?

This paper focuses on exploring how the learning process is perceived by the students. The researchers have chosen Kolb and VARK learning models, in order to identify the participant cohorts’ preferred learning pathways, so the researchers can clearly understand their expectations, strengths and preferences utilising the evidence-based inquiry method. The results indicate that none of the two learning models applied can in actuality include all the broad range of learning expectations of the students, regardless of their age. Youngsters seem to be more aligned with the active learning mode, while older students can perform better with more abstract concepts. The geographic origin seems not to have any noticeable impact on the learning styles preferences of the students participating in these trials.

Lesions to Caudomedial Nidopallium Impair Individual Vocal Recognition in the Zebra Finch.

Many social animals can recognize other individuals by their vocalizations. This requires a memory system capable of mapping incoming acoustic signals to one of many known individuals. Using the zebra finch, a social songbird that uses songs and distance calls to communicate individual identity (Elie and Theunissen, 2018), we tested the role of two cortical-like brain regions in a vocal recognition task. We found that the rostral region of the Cadomedial Nidopallium (NCM), a secondary auditory region of the avian pallium, was necessary for maintaining auditory memories for conspecific vocalizations in both male and female birds, whereas HVC (used as a proper name), a premotor areas that gates auditory input into the vocal motor and song learning pathways in male birds (Roberts and Mooney, 2013), was not. Both NCM and HVC have previously been implicated for processing the tutor song in the context of song learning (Sakata and Yazaki-Sugiyama, 2020). Our results suggest that NCM might not only store songs as templates for future vocal imitation but also songs and calls for perceptual discrimination of vocalizers in both male and female birds. NCM could therefore operate as a site for auditory memories for vocalizations used in various facets of communication. We also observed that new auditory memories could be acquired without intact HVC or NCM but that for these new memories NCM lesions caused deficits in either memory capacity or auditory discrimination. These results suggest that the high-capacity memory functions of the avian pallial auditory system depend on NCM.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Many aspects of vocal communication require the formation of auditory memories. Voice recognition, for example, requires a memory for vocalizers to identify acoustical features. In both birds and primates, the locus and neural correlates of these high-level memories remain poorly described. Previous work suggests that this memory formation is mediated by high-level sensory areas, not traditional memory areas such as the hippocampus. Using lesion experiments, we show that one secondary auditory brain region in songbirds that had previously been implicated in storing song memories for vocal imitation is also implicated in storing vocal memories for individual recognition. The role of the neural circuits in this region in interpreting the meaning of communication calls should be investigated in the future.

학습경로 생성을 위한 잠재된 학습 콘셉트의 선후관계 분석

As people use non-face-to-face learning frequently, interest in adaptive learning for efficient learning is increasing. In order for students to easily learn, it is necessary to set up a learning path that considers students' learning outcomes. However, as everyone recognizes, learning pathways are not created based on learning logs, but rather rely on the curriculum that experienced teachers have used. However, the answer to the question “Can today's students learn efficiently with the existing curriculum system?” is perhaps not certain. In addition to studies whose subjects were creating a learning path, this study uses a structural equation model, Hidden Markov Model (HMM) and inductive reasoning to create a hierarchical learning path between latent factors at a higher level. Using the mathematics learning data of company D in Korea, a learning path of concepts rather than a learning path of subdivided concepts was created. It was confirmed that the subdivided concepts showed reliable observation values for the upper concepts and that the subdivided concepts conveyed the contents whose concepts were conveyed with validity.

Pesticides as a risk factor for cognitive impairment: Natural substances are expected to become alternative measures to prevent and improve cognitive impairment.

Pesticides are the most effective way to control diseases, insects, weeds, and fungi. The central nervous system (CNS) is damaged by pesticide residues in various ways. By consulting relevant databases, the systemic relationships between the possible mechanisms of pesticides damage to the CNS causing cognitive impairment and related learning and memory pathways networks, as well as the structure-activity relationships between some natural substances (such as polyphenols and vitamins) and the improvement were summarized in this article. The mechanisms of cognitive impairment caused by pesticides are closely related. For example, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation can constitute three feedback loops that interact and restrict each other. The mechanisms of neurotransmitter abnormalities and intestinal dysfunction also play an important role. The connection between pathways is complex. NMDAR, PI3K/Akt, MAPK, Keap1/Nrf2/ARE, and NF-κB pathways can be connected into a pathway network by targets such as Ras, Akt, and IKK. The reasons for the improvement of natural substances are related to their specific structure, such as polyphenols with different hydroxyl groups. This review's purpose is to lay a foundation for exploring and developing more natural substances that can effectively improve the cognitive impairment caused by pesticides.

Developing a Centralized Hub for Research Data Services: Trainings and Resources in Health Sciences Contexts.

In 2021, a new national center was funded by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to build capacity for providing data services within health sciences libraries by coordinating, developing, and disseminating trainings, curricular resources, and curated pathways for learning. Research data services has been a growing service component for health sciences libraries for over a decade, and efforts have come from individuals, professional societies, task forces, and interest groups; however, there is still a great deal of unrealized potential in this area as well as growing needs driven by new requirements from funders and publishers and increasing demand from institutions for data science skills and support for data-related research needs. The National Center for Data Services (NCDS) was established in July 2021 and is the newest of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM)'s national offices and centers. NCDS works with the NNLM's seven regional medical libraries and national offices and centers, and draws upon extensive connections with national data and library organizations, all toward the aim of developing capacity for data services in the health information community while centering efforts toward equity, diversity, and accessibility throughout.

Level of satisfaction on online teaching method among undergraduate students – A Descriptive Cross-sectional study

Introduction: Formal education is the smooth pathway for learning, or gaining of knowledge, skills and values in a controlled atmosphere with the avowed goal of instructing students. The deadly infectious disease COVID-19 had a significant impact on the global economy and education sector forced many schools and colleges to remain closed temporarily. So, many colleges and universities have begun to offer online courses as a viable alternative to traditional face-to-face instruction. Nearly 30% of students were taking a course online with 21% growth rate for online enrollment of the overall higher education student population. Aim and Objective: The aim of the study is to assess the level of satisfaction on online teaching method among undergraduate students with their selected demographic variables. Methodology: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted with 100 undergraduate students selected by using purposive sampling technique. Satisfaction level was assessed by using self-structured Student’s satisfaction scale. Results: 1(1%) of the student was dissatisfied, 1 (1%) of the student was moderately dissatisfied, 67 (67%) of the students were moderately satisfied and 31 (31%) of the students were satisfied with online method of teaching. The overall mean score on level of satisfaction online teaching method was 74.72 ±11.14. Conclusion: Domains such as teaching strategies, student involvement and learning outcome are critical for educational management to achieve higher levels of satisfaction and performance for online courses among students.

Does Science Shape Sentiment? Scientific Inputs and the Deliberations in the Convention on Biological Diversity

Can the tone of scientific reports shape the ensuing political debates? This question is of utmost importance as global science bodies like the IPCC and IPBES release increasingly fervent calls to action. This article seeks an initial study about whether global science bodies can influence the negotiations by state parties by performing a multifaceted sentiment analysis of scientific inputs into the debates of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The article articulates two social learning pathways in which science can influence the tone of debates: pushing and participation. It then finds these pathways lacking in the incorporation of science into the CBD negotiations, and empirical work demonstrates limited effect on the sentiment or tone of debates as a result of scientific inputs. The conclusion reflects on the role that multifaceted sentiment analysis can play in understanding the increasingly complex politics of science on global governance institutions and particularly in the case of biodiversity governance.

Learning Pathways and Students Performance: A Dynamic Complex System.

In this study, learning pathways are modelled by networks constructed from the log data of student-LMS interactions. These networks capture the sequence of reviewing the learning materials by the students enrolled in a given course. In previous research, the networks of successful students showed a fractal property; meanwhile, the networks of students who failed showed an exponential pattern. This research aims to provide empirical evidence that students' learning pathways have the properties of emergence and non-additivity from a macro level; meanwhile, equifinality (same end of learning process but different learning pathways) is presented at a micro level. Furthermore, the learning pathways of 422 students enrolled in a blended course are classified according to learning performance. These individual learning pathways are modelled by networks from which the relevant learning activities (nodes) are extracted in a sequence by a fractal-based method. The fractal method reduces the number of nodes to be considered relevant. A deep learning network classifies these sequences of each student into passed or failed. The results show that the accuracy of the prediction of the learning performance was 94%, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 97%, and the Matthews correlation was 88%, showing that deep learning networks can model equifinality in complex systems.

Cerebellar and basal ganglia structural connections in humans: Effect of aging and relation with memory and learning.

The cerebellum and basal ganglia were initially considered anatomically distinct regions, each connected via thalamic relays which project to the same cerebral cortical targets, such as the motor cortex. In the last two decades, transneuronal viral transport studies in non-human primates showed bidirectional connections between the cerebellum and basal ganglia at the subcortical level, without involving the cerebral cortical motor areas. These findings have significant implications for our understanding of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. While these subcortical connections were established in smaller studies on humans, their evolution with natural aging is less understood. In this study, we validated and expanded the previous findings of the structural connectivity within the cerebellum-basal ganglia subcortical network, in a larger dataset of 64 subjects, across different age ranges. Tractography and fixel-based analysis were performed on the 3 T diffusion-weighted dataset using Mrtrix3 software, considering fiber density and cross-section as indicators of axonal integrity. Tractography of the well-established cerebello-thalamo-cortical tract was conducted as a control. We tested the relationship between the structural white matter integrity of these connections with aging and with the performance in different domains of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination. Tractography analysis isolated connections from the dentate nucleus to the contralateral putamen via the thalamus, and reciprocal tracts from the subthalamic nucleus to the contralateral cerebellar cortex via the pontine nuclei. Control tracts of cerebello-thalamo-cortical tracts were also isolated, including associative cerebello-prefrontal tracts. A negative linear relationship was found between the fiber density of both the ascending and descending cerebellum-basal ganglia tracts and age. Considering the cognitive assessments, the fiber density values of cerebello-thalamo-putaminal tracts correlated with the registration/learning domain scores. In addition, the fiber density values of cerebello-frontal and subthalamo-cerebellar (Crus II) tracts correlated with the cognitive assessment scores from the memory domain. We validated the structural connectivity within the cerebellum-basal ganglia reciprocal network, in a larger dataset of human subjects, across wider age range. The structural features of the subcortical cerebello-basal ganglia tracts in human subjects display age-related neurodegeneration. Individual morphological variability of cerebellar tracts to the striatum and prefrontal cortex was associated with different cognitive functions, suggesting a functional contribution of cerebellar tracts to cognitive decline with aging. This study offers new perspectives to consider the functional role of these pathways in motor learning and the pathophysiology of movement disorders involving the cerebellum and striatum.

Application of Mobile Learning in Higher English Education Systems Using Cognitive Web Services

Students choose from various learning pathways and resources while using mobile learning, which creates a universal learning environment. Machine learning techniques developed to handle AI-related challenges are known as cognitive web services. Adaptive education methods and good knowledge path design can help achieve the goal of studying whenever. In addition, mobile learning devices' display capabilities are becoming a critical determinant of students' attention and time to proficiency. Getting the necessary mobile learning components is now a hot issue. Current mobile learning environments do not include cognitive learning services to be self-adaptive to improvise the standard of the intended service. Student Performance ratio 92.11%, Students' efficiency ratio 89.9, Professional teaching ratio 95.23%, Error rate 43.86%, English learning ratio 93.32%, Interactive ratio 92.5% and Learning flexibility ratio 94.86% are obtained as the experimental results for the suggested method, which proves that the system is more efficient.

Evaluation of a nurse practitioner clinical practicum module using a capability education framework: A case study design.

The aim of this research was to evaluate a nurse practitioner's clinical practicum module designed with a capability education framework. The objectives were to determine if the module prepared students adequately for their role and to determine if the Mini-CEX assessment tool was suitable for use with nurse practitioners. Capability is a necessary part of expertise, where a capable person takes responsibility to develop their own education, knowledge and skills. The capability learning framework offers nurse practitioners flexible learning pathways between the student, the university and clinical practice. This capability learning framework focuses on the wider complexities of nurse practitioner practice as opposed to a point-in-time assessment. A case study design was used. Mixed methods including, document review, focus group and field notes were used in the case study evaluation adhering to the standards for the reporting of organisational case studies. A layered incremental approach to learning and assessments were applied. Students and assessors were satisfied with using the Mini-CEX assessment tool in the module. The Mini-CEX tool was familiar to clinical mentors, who compared students demonstrating competency in a similar manner to medicine. The feedback component of the tool provided deep and meaningful engagement for students. The module provided mentors with insight and understanding of the nurse practitioner role. Students identified the transitioning process from competent to capable practitioners. The module learning and assessments were mapped to regulatory nurse practitioner standards and requirements. The module provided comprehensive preparation for students to develop their nurse practitioner role. The Mini-CEX assessment tool is a fitting assessment for nurse practitioner students, particularly when supplemented with a corresponding reflective exercise. The assessments and feedback provided the students with opportunities to focus on agreed learning outcomes in their specialist area of practice. Nurse practitioners are required to practice autonomously and independently at a level of capability in clinical practice. The education preparation of nurse practitioner students must be directed appropriately.

Integration of artificial intelligence performance prediction and learning analytics to improve student learning in online engineering course

As a cutting-edge field of artificial intelligence in education (AIEd) that depends on advanced computing technologies, AI performance prediction model is widely used to identify at-risk students that tend to fail, establish student-centered learning pathways, and optimize instructional design and development. A majority of the existing AI prediction models focus on the development and optimization of the accuracy of AI algorithms rather than applying AI models to provide student with in-time and continuous feedback and improve the students’ learning quality. To fill this gap, this research integrated an AI performance prediction model with learning analytics approaches with a goal to improve student learning effects in a collaborative learning context. Quasi-experimental research was conducted in an online engineering course to examine the differences of students’ collaborative learning effect with and without the support of the integrated approach. Results showed that the integrated approach increased student engagement, improved collaborative learning performances, and strengthen student satisfactions about learning. This research made contributions to proposing an integrated approach of AI models and learning analytics (LA) feedback and providing paradigmatic implications for future development of AI-driven learning analytics.

Disruptive innovation in effective learning systems: the impact of personalized instructor-created software-aided assessments to increase retention and knowledge

PurposeThis paper aims to propose an innovative method for deploying a personalized instructor-created software-aided assessment system, that will disrupt traditional learning environments by allowing students to confidentially and with indirect supervision from the instructor, assess their knowledge and ability to achieve the course outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThrough empirical evaluation in real-world educational settings, the authors examine the impact of augmenting human activity in the classroom with an innovative software platform to transform the learning process.FindingsFindings indicate that this software-aided assessment system effectively augments human interactivity by providing timely instructor-designed feedback to increase knowledge retention and skillsets.Practical implicationsThis study has shown that incorporating disruptive innovation through the use of software-aided assessment systems increases the effectiveness of the faculty in the classroom and enhances student learning and retention. Thus, a transformative software-aided assessment system design that incorporates artificial intelligence into the learning pathway should be pursued. These software-aided assessments are disruptive innovation as they are formative, frequent and require little direct involvement from the instructor.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to incorporate artificial intelligence into the assessment process by analyzing results of pilot programs at several universities. The results demonstrate how using software-aided transformative assessments in various courses have helped instructors assess students’ preparedness and track their learning progress. These software-aided systems are the first step in bringing disruptive innovation to the classroom as these software-aided assessment instruments rapidly assess learners’ knowledge and skills based on short, easily created, multiple-choice tests, with little direct engagement from the faculty.