Level Of Knowledge Acquisition Research Articles

Applying the UNESCO ICT competency framework to evaluate digital competencies among undergraduate students in teacher education in Tanzania

The study employed the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers (ICT CFT) to assess undergraduate student-teachers' digital competencies in an educational context. Within the quantitative approach, the study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design. The data was collected from a sample of 549 student-teachers through the self-developed questionnaire. Data analysis involved both descriptive and inferential analysis. The study found that student-teachers' digital competencies at both knowledge acquisition and knowledge deepening levels were moderate. However, their digital competencies were moderately higher at the knowledge acquisition level, which signifies confidence in basic digital skills. In addition, it was found that gender and age had statistical significance on perceived digital competencies, particularly at the knowledge acquisition level. Based on the findings, it is recommended that while considering the varying levels of comfort with technology across the gender and age groups, a tiered teacher training programme should be put in place where student-teachers can progress from the basic level to the advanced level of digital competencies.

Impact of project-based learning on conceptual achievements and motivation of technology students in electricity

In the field of engineering education, this study explores the impact of Project-Based Learning (PBL) on the conceptual achievements and motivation of technology students in electricity. The research took place at a public university in Colombia, where the aim was to enhance student learning outcomes in this area. The research design was quasi-experimental and included a pre- and post-test analysis, with a control group that received traditional teaching methods and an experimental group that was engaged in interactive instruction via PBL in a team-based format. The results of the study showed that the use of PBL in a team-based environment had a significant positive impact on the students' conceptual performance and motivation. The students who participated in the PBL activities displayed an increased level of knowledge acquisition, as well as a higher degree of motivation compared to the control group. The results also indicated that PBL activities helped students to understand the concepts more effectively, and motivated them to pursue academic goals. The research suggests that PBL can be an effective teaching strategy for technology students in electricity, providing them with a more interactive and engaging learning experience that results in enhanced conceptual performance and motivation. This study sheds light on the importance of incorporating PBL in engineering education, and contributes to the body of knowledge in the field. The findings are expected to be useful for educators, researchers, and educational institutions in their efforts to improve the quality of engineering education and foster student success.

SOCIAL SUCCESS AS A COMPONENT OF STUDENT YOUTH ACTIVITY

The article discusses the concepts of social success and social activity of student youth. The need of an individual to achieve social success and the ability to solve urgent problems in society is becoming increasingly important. Active work is the key to social success and the formation of a socially successful personality. The purpose of the article is to substantiate social success as a condition for the formation of social activity of students. The social success of a student in a higher education institution is formed in the process of certain activities, social activity, and interpersonal interaction. The issue of social success and activity of a higher education student is defined as one of the priority goals in a number of regulatory documents. The authors used the methods of theoretical analysis of modern scientific literature of Ukrainian and foreign researchers, generalization, and systematization to deepen the understanding of the concept of social success and activity of student youth. Research attention is paid to the importance of promoting the level of social activity of student youth and social performance, as this affects not only the formation of an active life position of students, but also helps to improve the level of knowledge acquisition. The article reveals the concept of student's social activity, in particular, as a personality quality manifested in various forms of socially important activities, in particular, those which are a manifestation of social success. The achievement of social success by a person is impossible without his or her social activity in important areas of life. That is why the formation of social activity of student youth is one of the important tasks of a higher education institution, because it will help in the future to form a successful personality who will have an active life position and a desire to influence not only the life of the community, but also the life of the country.

The effect of spaced learning on the learning outcome and retention of nurse anesthesia students: a randomized-controlled study

BackgroundPoor learning and retention are common problems of students, which may be alleviated by optimization of widely used educational methods such as lectures. This study aimed to investigate the effect of spaced learning on the learning outcome and retention of nurse anesthesia students.MethodsThis was a randomized controlled study with a pre-and post-test design on 64 nurse anesthesia students who were divided into two groups of spaced lecture (n = 32) and conventional lecture (n = 32). The spaced lectures included three 30-minute training sessions with 10-minute intervals while the conventional sessions including 90 min of continuous training. Students’ knowledge was measured using one valid and reliable questionnaire developed by the research team. All students in both groups took a pre-test, and their level of knowledge acquisition was evaluated immediately after the training. Their level of knowledge retention was tested two and four weeks after the lecture.ResultsThere was no significant difference between the two groups regarding demographic characteristics (p > 0.05). In the pre-test, the mean score of knowledge in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group, there was no significant difference (p = 0.177). But after the intervention, the mean scores of learning outcome and retention in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.001, eta = 0.576). Also, the results showed that learning outcome and retention across the three academic semesters in the two groups are significantly different, and students with a higher academic semester obtained a significantly higher mean score of knowledge and retention (p < 0.001, eta = 0.604).ConclusionSpaced learning improves nurse anesthesia students’ knowledge and retention more than conventional method. Future studies focusing on spaced learning should specifically examine the impact of duration and number of intervals, as well as the time gap between training and measurement of learning retention.

ФОРМУВАЛЬНЕ ОЦІНЮВАННЯ НАВЧАЛЬНИХ ДОСЯГНЕНЬ ЗДОБУВАЧІВ ВИЩОЇ ОСВІТИ НА ЗАНЯТТЯХ ХІМІЇ

The article identifies the main methodological approaches to formative assessment of higher education students’ learning achievements in chemistry teaching. Formative assessment, considered as assessment to improve learning, is envisaged by the concept of modern education, which determines a change in the approach to assessment. The use of this type of assessment in higher education does not have such a wide range of applications compared to general secondary education, but in recent years teachers have increasingly noted its advantages working with students. Higher education can use a variety of formative assessment methods to measure student progress and understanding. In chemistry teaching such methods may include self-assessment, chemical experiments and laboratory work, written work (laboratory reports, diagnostic work, etc.), tests, group work, individual consultations. These types of work can stimulate students’ activity and help them to develop collaborative and problem-solving skills. Formative assessment in higher education in the field of chemistry can include various methods and tools to determine students’ learning progress and skills development. This type of assessment, as a person-centred form of control, becomes a tool for continuous feedback in higher education, allowing teachers and students to stay in touch throughout the le arning process and to improve the level of knowledge acquisition and practical skills. It is important to ensure that assessment methods are varied to reflect different aspects of learning and skill development. It is also important to provide constructive feedback to encourage further improvement among higher education students.

A pilot study comparing immersive virtual reality simulation and computerized virtual patient simulation in undergraduate medical education

Simulation-based teaching is an integral feature within medical education and following the emergence of virtual simulation, an array of possibilities exists for educators to choose between. However, evidence informing their use is scarce, particularly regarding outcomes assessing user experience and knowledge acquisition, and experimental studies comparing different approaches to virtual simulation. Therefore, this study compared immersive virtual reality (VR) simulation to computerized virtual patient (VP) simulation measuring their effect on knowledge acquisition and retention, as well as user experience, in fifth-year medical students. This pilot study, of a randomized crossover design, comprised 18 participants independently completing an immersive VR simulation and a computerized VP simulation. All participants completed the same two scenarios and received an induction to both modalities. Multiple-choice questions were employed to assess knowledge acquisition and retention, with participants completing the questions immediately before and after the simulation and following a 12-week interval. User experience questionnaires were completed after the simulation, utilizing both Likert scale and open-ended questions. Statistical analysis comprised a Student’s Both interventions achieved statistically significant levels of knowledge acquisition and retention. However, VR simulation achieved higher levels of acquisition (2.11; 95% CI = 0.89, 3.32, The findings indicated that both interventions are effective and acceptable educational tools. However, learning does not appear to be uniform across different virtual simulators, with participants achieving higher levels of learning following immersive VR simulation. Moreover, participants reacted significantly more positively to VR simulation, though potential applications were identified for both interventions. This study highlights the importance of an evidence-based approach to the implementation of novel simulation technologies. The findings contribute to an underexplored area of the literature and offer a step towards enabling medical educators to make an informed decision regarding the application of virtual simulation in their context.

Exploring the Impact of CPS-Based Robot-Assisted Teaching in STEM Education: Enhancing Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes

Cyber-physical systems (CPS), along with information technology devices such as portable devices and robots, materials including knowledge contents, and Internet resources, can be integrated into curricula to guide learners in observing and experiencing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) knowledge and skills. This integration provides opportunities for learners to cultivate their abilities to design creative works. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of a robot-assisted teaching and learning system in STEM education on learners’ academic knowledge, skills, and attitudes. To achieve this objective, an experimental design was employed, with 30 college students assigned to learn and create a Drawdio electronic sound synthesizer using robot teachers and tablet computers. Pre- and post-tests were administered to measure students’ academic achievement in STEM, and a survey was conducted to assess their attitudes toward STEM. The findings of the study indicate that the combination of robot teachers and tablet computers served as a supplementary learning resource within the learning environment. It accelerated knowledge acquisition, expanded hands-on experiences, and improved engagement and motivation among the learners. These results suggest that robot-assisted teaching and learning systems have the potential to enhance learning outcomes and attitudes among students. However, it is important to note that human teachers still outperformed robot teachers in certain aspects, particularly in higher levels of knowledge acquisition according to Bloom’s taxonomy. Therefore, this study suggests the adoption of a collaborative model involving both robot and human teachers to effectively promote STEM education in the classroom.

Levels of mastering theoretical knowledge of higher mathematics in computerized testing

This paper deals with the problem of computer testing of students level of theoretical knowledge on Higher Mathematics. When assessing students in Mathematics, their mastery of skills and abilities to solve problems and to use theoretical material falls into different categories. Test tasks to assess the ability to solve typical problems are often based on the prediction of the success of their solution by students, taking into account teaching experience, task examples from published sets of tests on Higher Mathematics. The process of tasks development is rather complicated for many reasons. In particular, when discussing some tasks with the student during the exam, the teachers questions usually do not have a test form and it is more difficult to predict the success of the students performance in this case. Therefore, the paper proposes to correlate test tasks to assess the mastery of theoretical material in higher mathematics with a certain hierarchical system of levels of knowledge acquisition. Matching test tasks knowledge with mastering level allows you to take into account their development and the depth of the study of theoretical material in mathematical disciplines. The paper deals with the hierarchical system of four levels of knowledge assimilation (recognition, mechanical reproduction, fragmentary understanding, integral understanding), gives examples of tasks for each level and the results of the success in individual test tasks, which can be useful for teachers when developing tests to check the theoretical knowledge of Mathematics.

Assessing the Impact of Immersion on Learning in Medical Students: A Pilot Study Comparing Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Virtual Simulation

Introduction Virtual simulation within health professions education can be categorized as two-dimensional or three-dimensional, dependent upon how users interact with the scenario. A core difference between these two categories is the degree of immersion experienced by the user. The importance of immersion for knowledge-based learning is unclear. Hence, this pilot study compares two virtual simulators to determine the impact of immersion on knowledge acquisition and retention and user experience. Methods This randomized crossover trial consisted of 25 fifth-year medical students attending two consecutive teaching sessions using two-dimensional and three-dimensional virtual simulation, respectively. Multiple-choice questions, completed immediately before and after, and one-month after the sessions, were employed to determine knowledge acquisition and retention. Questionnaires, consisting of Likert-scale and open-ended questions, evaluated user experience. Quantitative data was analyzed using a Student’s t-test and qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Both interventions demonstrated statistically significant levels of knowledge acquisition and retention, though there was no significant difference in the extent of learning between the simulators. The two interventions offered valuable and acceptable approaches to virtual simulation, though Likert-scale responses indicated that participants significantly preferred three-dimensional virtual simulation. Free-form responses revealed themes of education and technology, with subthemes of desirability, learning, curriculum integration, fidelity, hardware and software. Conclusions The findings indicate that higher levels of immersion do not appear to offer greater educational benefit, with two-dimensional simulation possibly offering an equally valuable learning experience to three-dimensional simulation. Participants appeared to significantly prefer three-dimensional virtual simulation, though potential uses for both simulators were identified.

Clinical reasoning pattern used in oral health problem solving – A case study in Indonesian undergraduate dental students

BackgroundHealth professionals are known to use various combinations of knowledge and skills, such as critical thinking, clinical reasoning, clinical judgment, problem-solving, and decision-making, in conducting clinical practice. Clinical reasoning development is influenced by knowledge and experience, the more knowledge and experience, the more sophisticated clinical reasoning will be. However, clinical reasoning research in dentistry shows varying results .AimsThis study aims to observe the clinical reasoning pattern of undergraduate dental students when solving oral health problems, and their accordance with their knowledge acquisition.Material and methodsThis qualitative study employed the think-aloud method and the result was assessed through verbal protocol analyses. Five respondents from final year dental undergraduate students were agreed to participate. A unique hypothetical clinical scenario was used as a trigger. The audio data were transcribed, interpreted, and categorized as a clinical reasoning pattern; and the concept maps created were assessed by a Structure of Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy as knowledge acquisition.ResultsObservations on clinical reasoning patterns and the level of knowledge acquisition in five undergraduate dental students showed varying results. They applied clinical reasoning patterns according to their knowledge acquisition during didactical phase. Learners with inadequate knowledge relied on guessing, meanwhile learners with adequate knowledge applied more sophisticated reasoning pattern when solving problems.ConclusionsVarious problem-solving strategies were encountered in this study, which corresponded to the level of knowledge acquisition. Dental institutions must set minimum standards regarding the acquisition of conceptual knowledge accompanied by improvement of clinical reasoning skills, as well as refinement of knowledge and procedural skills.

Comparison of Knowledge Retention after the Use of a Virtual Patient versus a High-Fidelity Physical Simulator and Traditional Training

Aim: This research assesses the effect of a virtual patient simulation platform CyberPatient (CP) compared to a high-fidelity physical simulator SimJunior (SJ) and traditional bedside training (TBT) on knowledge retention and competencies in a health education environment. Material: A total of 143 fifth-year medical students were randomly assigned to three groups: TBT-Group (n = 55) received traditional education; CP-Group (n = 44) was trained with a virtual patient platform CyberPatient; and SJ-Group (n = 44) was trained using a high-fidelity simulator SimJunior. Educational content for all groups included competencies on pediatric asthma. Methods: Students’ level of knowledge acquisition was measured with a multiple-choice question test (MCQ) administered before the application of educational methods (Assessment I), immediately after completion of pediatric asthma training (Assessment II), and knowledge retention was measured two months later the completion of training (Assessment III). At the end of the study, student satisfaction was also measured by a survey questionnaire containing 5 questions rated on a Likert scale. Results: Assessment of acquired knowledge immediately after completion of pediatric asthma training revealed a significant difference between TBT-Group and SJ-Group (p p Conclusions: Virtual training with CyberPatient and high-fidelity physical simulation had a significant (p

Organization of distance learning of mathematics in institutions of secondary and higher education

The article discusses two ways of organizing distance learning – synchronous and asynchronous modes. The differences of the model curricula in the school education system “New Ukrainian School” (NUS) from the existing curricula are described. Some distance learning technologies are described, namely: cloud technologies, STEAM education, Case method, Crossense, Game technologies, or gamification, Health-saving technologies, Project method, storytelling and tools used by teachers during distance learning. The following services are provided for the organization of online learning: Gios, My class, EDERA, “Mathematics is simple” course. Changes in the organization of the process of teaching mathematics are described, which take place in accordance with the concept of the “New Ukrainian School” (NUS). The methods, organizational forms and teaching tools used in higher education institutions when combining distance learning with face-to-face learning are described. The specific features of the educational process during distance learning in institutions of higher education are described. Various forms and measures are proposed for the organization of the educational process in order to maintain the appropriate level of knowledge acquisition and the formation of relevant skills in geometry during distance learning of future mathematics teachers.

Methodical features of the implementation of level differentiation in teaching mathematics to students of ZZSO in the conditions of inclusive education

Problem formulation. On the basis of the State standard of basic general secondary education , the acquisition by children with special educational needs of high-quality, unified and professional education is considered one of the main and necessary conditions for their successful socialization, ensuring their participation in the life of society, which brings the results of self-realization in various types of professional and social activity. In fact, inclusive education allows to guarantee the socialization of children in a better way than training in correctional and developmental schools. In order to implement this direction to the full extent, updates are needed in teaching methods, in particular, in the teaching of mathematics. The aim of the article is to determine the methodological features of the implementation of level differentiation in the teaching of mathematics to students of primary and secondary schools in the conditions of inclusive education . Materials and methods. To conduct this research, the following methods were applied in a complex: analysis of psychological-pedagogical and methodical literature, systematization and generalization of different views on the methodology of teaching mathematics in conditions of inclusion. Results. On the basis of the analysis of questions regarding the methodical features of the implementation of level differentiation in the teaching of mathematics of secondary school students in the conditions of inclusive education, the main principles on which the organization of the inclusive education system is based were determined, the essence of the concept of «differentiation» in the process of teaching mathematics was examined in detail, and different types of differentiation were distinguished. It is indicated that for the correct application of different-level tasks, the teacher needs to take into account the composition of the contingent of students in inclusive classes, and a scheme for dividing students into groups is provided. Taking into account the composition of students in an inclusive class, the levels of knowledge acquisition are highlighted: advanced level (gifted children and children with a high degree of education); basic level (children of the age norm, children with OOP (with preserved intelligence)); minimally adaptive (children with intellectual disabilities and children with medium or low developmental potential). Depending on the features of students’ perception and processing of information, including those with special educational needs, the following categories are distinguished: audials , visual and kinesthetic . It is described by what signs the above categories can be recognized in the learning process. Methodological features are presented, which can be applied in the preparation of different level tasks of selected levels of knowledge acquisition, taking into account the peculiarities of perception of each level. Conclusions. The application of the presented methodological features in the preparation of tasks, in accordance with the types of information perception by students ( audials , visuals , kinesthetics ) , allows you to organize learning in an inclusive class, involving all students in the process, including children with special educational needs, this element of learning technology helps effectively teach diverse children in the existing

ПІДГОТОВКА МАЙБУТНІХ УЧИТЕЛІВ ПОЧАТКОВОЇ ОСВІТИ ДО ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ІНТЕРАКТИВНИХ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ В ОСВІТНЬОМУ ПРОЦЕСІ

The article is devoted to the use of interactive technologies by future teachers of primary education in educational institutions. The essence of interactive learning, which is carried out by forms of activity, when all participants of the educational process interact with each other, exchange information, solve problems together, evaluate the actions of participants, is revealed. It was determined that interactive technologies in education have great potential for improving the quality and efficiency of education. The concept of an interactive complex, which includes a computer, special software, a projector and an interactive whiteboard, is considered, and the method of its use is described. But the use of interactive technologies is not limited to the use of interactive complexes. For independent work, students use various interactive programs that allow learning the material in a playful, easy and interesting way. It is clarified that with the help of software training tools that simulate non-computer interactive methods, which include case technologies, role-playing and business games, as well as virtual laboratories, virtual tours, virtual excursions are successfully used in the educational process thanks to the use of modern multimedia tools. The stages of training classes using multimedia equipment are highlighted. It becomes obvious that by using interactive programs in the educational process, the teacher will have the opportunity to implement various teaching methods; significantly reduce the volume of material by using demonstration modeling; use the computer as a simulator; monitor the level of knowledge acquisition; to ensure more effective, controlled and managed independent work; it will be easier to overcome psycho-emotional barriers due to a certain anonymity of contact with the computer. It has been proven that the use of interactive technologies in the educational process of a higher education institution will contribute to the improvement of the quality of methodical training of the future teacher of primary education, the deepening of knowledge, abilities and skills, the increase of motivation and the encouragement of independent search, the expansion of one's horizons and the development of oneself as an individual. Key words: interactive whiteboard, information technologies, interactive learning tools, multimedia tools, technologies of the educational process.

Technological Support for the Cultural Training System for Students at Technical Universities

The paper studies the trends of higher technical education development and establishes the relationship between education and culture as one of the conditions for solving the problems of modern society. The authors determine that one of the main problems that hinder the formation of the culture of the future engineer is the lack of a reasonable selection of cultural elements. The presence of such elements ensures the full development of the specialist. The most generalized socio-cultural components of culture are (1) the sphere of material production, (2) the cultural sphere, and (3) the sphere of communication. The authors determine the components of the culturological training content as the implementation of the support system of the integrated professional, universal cultural, and moral cultural development of technical university students. It is experimentally proved that the implementation of a cultural training system of a future engineer leads to statistically significant changes in the levels of knowledge acquisition, the formation of skills and qualities of a future specialist.

Polanyi and the Revised Taxonomy: Teaching Technology for High-Level Creative Thinking and Risk Taking

This paper presents a model for mastery learning. The framework for this model overlays the cognitive and knowledge dimensions from Krathwohl’s revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy, the Revised Taxonomy, with Polanyi's theory of personal knowledge. A simplified framework integrates Polanyi's concepts of subsidiary and focal awareness with the Revised Taxonomy levels of knowledge acquisition to form a new model consisting of two dynamic parts: base thought and elevated thought. The base/elevated thought framework serves as a model for mastery learning with regards to the usefulness, application, and integration of technology into the creative problem-solving process. Allocating base knowledge to other means of instruction (for example, online tutorials or flipped classroom techniques) frees up the instructor's time and allows the expert (teacher) to engage novices (students) in more direct student-instructor contextual learning requiring higher levels of cognitive thinking. While this paper proposes the use of the framework within the context of a technology-focused model, its application has potential for other learning scenarios.

INFOMEDIA LITERACY IN THE UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL PROCESS: RESULTS OF IMPLEMENTATION

Obtaining information through the latest technologies and media channels actualizes the development, understanding, interpretation, integration into the educational process of ideas and content of media education. The result is media literacy / information literacy. Therefore, pedagogical, didactic and methodological aspects of the relevant discipline reflect the educational, cognitive, activity needs of a modern person. In this context, the approach by which teachers can share their own experience of teaching information literacy is relevant. During the discussion of content and formal aspects, learning outcomes and feedback, it is possible to form the optimal content and quality tools for use in dynamic educational circumstances.&#x0D; The purpose of the article is to demonstrate the focus of the content of the elective course «Information Media Literacy» on the achievement of program learning outcomes and to analyze the feedback data obtained by surveying students. The research methodology is based on the basic competencies proposed in the project «Study and Distinguish: Information Media Literacy». The research used the methods of the survey group (including questionnaires), methods of analysis and generalization of collected data, elements of the quantitative method and forecasting. Infomedia literacy teaching is aimed at developing a critical orientation in a particular environment, the ability to interact effectively with it, the willingness to use the acquired knowledge and skills in various situations of interaction with the media. &#x0D; In the educational process of higher education, it is important to self-analyze the educational activities and find out the quality of teaching. Naturally, the formulation of learning outcomes according to certain criteria is mostly indicative. But even approximate indicators give grounds for conclusions about the level of knowledge acquisition, the development of skills and abilities and their prolongation in the life of an individual. One of the ways of self-analysis is a questionnaire, which was conducted among students of (non)pedagogical specialties of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University after studying infomedia literacy. The analysis of the received answers demonstrated a high level of interest in the content of the course and awareness of the competencies of media literacy, critical thinking, social tolerance, resilience, information and visual literacy, digital security, innovation. It also confirmed the effectiveness of the forms of cooperation and activities involved, outlined the range of issues and practices of the information sphere, which requires more attention in the future presentation of the course.&#x0D; It is concluded that the study of information literacy offers effective approaches and tools, the use of which provides identification, understanding, avoiding / overcoming threats to the information environment.

Knowledge acquisition of Chinese expatriates: managing Chinese MNEs in Kazakhstan

This article advances understanding of the interplay between cultural intelligence of Chinese expatriates managing Chinese multinational enterprises in Kazakhstan and the level of knowledge acquisition from local employees. Drawing on rich quantitative data, and framed by Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory, Sternberg's Theory of Successful Intelligence and Bandura's Social Learning Theory, the article advances knowledge of the relationship between cultural intelligence, innovativeness and knowledge acquisition. The article also draws particular attention to the moderated mediation model of the research and contributes to the literature by enhancing our understanding of Chinese expatriates' knowledge acquisition from local employees by viewing interpersonal skills as a moderating factor. • Cultural Intelligence was positively associated with innovativeness which in turn influences knowledge acquisition. • Interpersonal skills moderates the link between Cultural Intelligence and innovativeness. • Innovativeness mediates the link between Cultural Intelligence and knowledge acquisition. • Chinese MNEs in Central Asia

Feasibility of virtual reality based training for optimising COVID-19 case handling in Uganda

BackgroundEpidemics and pandemics are causing high morbidity and mortality on a still-evolving scale exemplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Infection prevention and control (IPC) training for frontline health workers is thus essential. However, classroom or hospital ward-based training portends an infection risk due to the in-person interaction of participants. We explored the use of Virtual Reality (VR) simulations for frontline health worker training since it trains participants without exposing them to infections that would arise from in-person training. It does away with the requirement for expensive personal protective equipment (PPE) that has been in acute shortage and improves learning, retention, and recall. This represents the first attempt in deploying VR-based pedagogy in a Ugandan medical education context.MethodsWe used animated VR-based simulations of bedside and ward-based training scenarios for frontline health workers. The training covered the donning and doffing of PPE, case management of COVID-19 infected individuals, and hand hygiene. It used VR headsets to actualize an immersive experience, via a hybrid of fully-interactive VR and 360° videos. The level of knowledge acquisition between individuals trained using this method was compared to similar cohorts previously trained in a classroom setting. That evaluation was supplemented by a qualitative assessment based on feedback from participants about their experience.ResultsThe effort resulted in a COVID-19 IPC curriculum adapted into VR, corresponding VR content, and a pioneer cohort of VR trained frontline health workers. The formalized comparison with classroom-trained cohorts showed relatively better outcomes by way of skills acquired, speed of learning, and rates of information retention (P-value = 4.0e-09). In the qualitative assessment, 90% of the participants rated the method as very good, 58.1% strongly agreed that the activities met the course objectives, and 97.7% strongly indicated willingness to refer the course to colleagues.ConclusionVR-based COVID-19 IPC training is feasible, effective and achieves enhanced learning while protecting participants from infections within a pandemic setting in Uganda. It is a delivery medium transferable to the contexts of other highly infectious diseases.

Gap Analysis of Competence-related Learning Outcomes of PhD Graduates

This research aimed to investigate the disparity between the levels of competence-related learning outcomes and those anticipated from PhD programmes at four public institutions in Punjab.The study was done in two parts using a mixed-methods confirmatory methodology. During the first phase, a self-designed questionnaire was used to gather electronic data from 269 PhD grads to measure their projected levels of competence-related learning outcomes. The purpose of this phase was to gather this data. Meanwhile, 72 teaching staff were questioned for confirmation of the results of the first phase of the research. PhD students predicted a high degree of knowledge gain, while faculty members believed that PhD holders displayed a moderate level of knowledge acquisition. A sample t-test demonstrated a statistically significant gap between the levels of competence-related learning outcomes realized by PhD graduates and those anticipated. According to the conclusions of the research, the HEC should include pertinent elements of the NQF in the curriculum designs for the PhD programme.