Authentic Learning Opportunities Research Articles

Developing occupational therapists' capabilities for decision-making capacity assessments: how does asupport role facilitate workplace learning?

IntroductionHealthcare practitioners are required to develop capabilities in an effective and efficient manner. Yet, developing capabilities in healthcare settings can be challenging due to the unpredictable nature of practice and increasing workloads. Unsurprisingly, healthcare practitioner development is often situated outside of practice, for example in formal teaching sessions. Supporting practitioners to develop capabilities through engagement with day-to-day practice, whilst advantageous in terms of authenticity and being highly valued, remains a key challenge for healthcare educators. This qualitative interview study aimed to explain, from the learner’s perspective, how a dedicated support role develops occupational therapists’ capability to contribute to decision-making capacity assessments.MethodsIndividual semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 occupational therapists. Informed by workplace learning theory, interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis process.ResultsParticipants provided rich descriptions of how they developed in their capability to engage in decision-making capacity assessments. Participants reported that their learning was facilitated by the dedicated support role in three key ways: 1) structuring a journey of learning, 2) providing tailored guidance, and 3) fostering a supportive learning environment.DiscussionParticipants valued the authentic workplace learning opportunities afforded by the dedicated support role. Findings suggest that capabilities, such as decision-making capacity assessment, can be developed through practice when enriched by a dedicated support role. However, further research examining the sustainability and transferability of this model and its application to other capabilities are warranted.

Navigating Allyship through Indigenization, Decolonization, and Reconciliation: Perspectives from Non-Indigenous Pharmacy Educators.

As pharmacy schools across Canada and North America work towards authentic and meaningful curriculum and learning opportunities in Indigenous health and cultural safety, the conversation of "why" we need to do this has become clearer, but the task of "how" we do this remains challenging. This curricular transformation can be increasingly more complex to navigate as a non-Indigenous ally and pharmacy educator. Defining your role as an ally is deeply personal and critically important, as it can transform based on the collaborative work undertaken with Indigenous partners and communities. The purpose of this article is to share perspectives gained over years of experience and practical applications of allyship through the lens of three key separate, but interconnected concepts - indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation.

Thinking Differently: A Visual Note Recording Strategy to Improve Learning

The use of visuals in the learning environment is increasing every day. The idea of connecting images with existing knowledge is one way to effectively learn and remember. Since visual literacy has become one of the most important concepts in education today, finding a new way to present and understand information about the concept is an essential part of the learning process. The purpose of this study is to explore the importance of using visual note recording (VNR) in the learning process, and how the participant perceives visual note recording as an aid to thinking and recalling information. A qualitative methodology was used to gain in-depth understanding of visual note recording (VNR) in the learning process. Interviews were used to collect information from five participants representing different nations. Participants were asked questions designed to explore their experiences in using VNR as an aid to enhanced thinking, and to determine how they define the activity of visual note recording. Findings from this study show that VNR can have a great impact on students’ learning ability. The study demonstrates that the use of VNR leads to recalling information more easily, simplifying complex ideas, and enhancing critical and visual thinking skills. This study also points out that VNR is constructive and supports authentic student learning opportunities. Originality : Since there is a paucity of research on VNR and its use in the learning process, either in educational institutions or business organizations, this paper adds value to educators, practitioners and policy-makers. Keywords: visual note recording (VNR), sketchnoting, learning process, cognition, memory recall, visual literacy, visual thinking, critical thinking. DOI : 10.7176/JEP/11-2-02 Publication date: January 31 st 2020

Professional Growth Through Reflection and an Approximation of Practice: Experiences of Preservice Teachers as Teaching Assistants in a Secondary Mathematics Teaching Methods Course

In this article, we describe the experiences of two preservice teachers (PSTs) who served as teaching assistants (TAs) in a secondary mathematics teaching methods course. As TAs, the PSTs approximated practice by being independently responsible for a learning environment and leading discussions with groups of students. Although the PSTs felt stress and pressure in their new role, findings suggest that this experience, coupled with opportunities for reflection, contributed to their growth. Given both these findings and the impetus to increase opportunities for authentic learning, we encourage teacher educators to think more broadly about ways of contributing to PSTs’ learning.

AN INTEGRATIVE PROJECT IN MICROPROCESSOR INTERFACES

In the third-year microprocessors course given to Mechatronics Engineering students at the University of Waterloo, the lab studies have been redesigned as a scaffolded project. The project aims to provide a more authentic learning opportunity that integrates concepts from the concurrent courses, as well as prior courses. The project was carefully designed to provide some student autonomy while ensuring competence can be achieved by students with a broad range of initial skill levels through the completion of authentic tasks. The impacts of the revised project on student learning were measured using pre- and postproject surveys, course grades and course critiques. Despite significant challenges that were encountered during the first two offerings, the results show that students perceived an increased competence in several key skills, and an increase was seen in overall course satisfaction.

Transformative learning opportunities for students and educators during interprofessional healthcare practice experiences in higher education: Viewed through the lens of Threshold Concepts Theory

Introduction : The transformative nature of collaborative interprofessional learning experiences, for both students and educators, signals the importance of learning opportunities that transcend professional or disciplinary boundaries. Specifically, real-time clinical practice experiences where students and educators from a number of health professions learn with, from and about eachother, while working with patients, enables authentic interprofessional learning opportunities. Methods : This paper reports the qualitative interpretive findings from a mixed methods study on the learning experiences of students and educators from several undergraduate health and allied health programmes engaged in collaborative interprofessional practice in a university context. Interpretive thematic analysis of student and educator focus group transcripts revealed a number of transformational learning thresholds that students and educators transitioned through, over time. Findings : Transformative learning occurred through cumulative collaborative learning experiences. Interprofessional thresholds were identified as: broadening perspectives on health practice; navigating collaborative roles through interprofessional practice (IPP); interprofessional team practice through active learning/learning by doing; integrative professional practice for actioning holistic, patient-centred healthcare. Conclusion : Threshold Concepts Theory (TCT) provided both an interpretive lens for viewing the experiential learning processes that occurred during the student-led interprofessional programme and a theoretical perspective into the transformative nature of knowledge and skills acquisition and integration during interprofessional learning opportunities.

LIGHTNING TALK: Authentic "Learning by Doing" Projects In Business In Market Research Course

Session LOCATION: George's (3rd Floor Johnson Center) Experiential learning environments and œlearning by doing are accepted as effective instructional methods. Application in our market research classes immerses students in an authentic project, e.g. students’ perceived marketing curriculum needs. The information is used to improve the curriculum and to complete class projects. Some voluntarily do projects for real clients, e.g. The Honey Bee Initiative, Executive and Professional Education, and others. Participants will be able to generalize the authentic learning opportunities to their curriculum.

Design and Implementation of the Sex and Gender Specific Health Multimedia Case-Based Learning Modules

This case presents the design and implementation process of multimedia case-based learning modules for a Sex and Gender Specific Health (SGSH) education curriculum. The learning modules were designed to advance understanding of sex and gender differences, increase awareness of gender-specific health issues, and improve clinical knowledge of sex and gender evidence-based medicine. This paper describes the three phases of the project. In the first phase of planning, five diseases actively examined in the medical field were chosen to address sex and gender differences, and the instructional development team specifically adapted a case-based learning framework to provide more authentic and interprofessional learning opportunities for health science trainees. In the second phase, learning modules were structured with multiple revisions incorporating multimedia case-based learning strategies, such as case movie trailers, expert guides, and case solutions. In the third phase, a number of decisions regarding module interface, case videos, and server management were made. Throughout the phases, the instructional designers resolved a number of issues, such as communication with subject matter experts (SMEs), consistency of learning materials, copyright, case movie production tool, closed captioning, server configuration, and dissemination. The design process and challenges described in this paper would be useful for others developing similar instructional materials in a healthcare environment.

Industry-school projects as an aim to foster secondary school students\u2019 interest in technology and engineering careers

Industry-school partnerships offer authentic learning opportunities and can support the development of students’ interest in a STEM career. The expectancy-value model of achievement-related choice can help to explain how several factors influence career choice. Interest-enjoyment values and attainment values are most important in students’ motivation to participate in out-of-school technology and design activities. Our research question is the following: Is there a development in secondary school students’ career interests in science-based technology-related professions while participating in industry-school partnerships? We employed a longitudinal, mixed-methods research design. The sample consists of 213 secondary school students from 9 classes and 72 students from 4 classes in 4 neighbouring schools who served as a control group. All of the students filled out a questionnaire before and after the visit. The questionnaire items were based on scales relating to an expectancy-value model. Four groups of students were interviewed with respect to the industry visit experiences. Analyses indicated that attitudes for applying technology became relevant for predicting career interest in a technology profession in the project group after the end of the project. However, career interest did not increase over time. In the qualitative analysis, four topics emerged that elucidated why career interest did not increase. Overall, the results demonstrate that factory visits combined with embedded tasks are one way to overcome fixed ability self-concepts and allow the students to reconsider a career in the technology and engineering industry towards the end of secondary school.

Her Storyor their own stories? Digital game-based learning, student creativity, and creative writing

AbstractThis qualitative study investigates a media transfer project in which a digital game was used to promote student creativity in an English as a foreign language (EFL) class. The paper first addresses the potential of opportunities for stimulating student creativity and motivation. Creativity has been highlighted as a core competency and has garnered considerable interest in many fields in recent years; however, creativity and creative writing are rarely cultivated in EFL writing classrooms. This study uses a digital game and designs a creative writing project to provide an authentic learning opportunity through which students were able to develop their creativity, use the target language in a meaningful way, and enjoy learning. A murder mystery game,Her Story, was selected because it provides a springboard for creative writing due to its fragmented and ambiguous narrative. Based on the game plot, 25 Korean university students reimagined the narrative in creative writing projects of their own. The study analyzes the students’ writing according to three constructs in Torrance’s model of creativity: originality, flexibility, and elaboration. The results demonstrate how the students’ writing exhibits considerable creativity in all three constructs. Student reflection papers and surveys indicate that participating in the project enhanced the students’ motivation for and engagement in learning.

Isopleth

Online resources can help novice developers learn basic programming skills, but few resources support progressing from writing working code to learning professional web development practices. We address this gap by advancing Readily Available Learning Experiences, a conceptual approach for transforming all professional web applications into opportunities for authentic learning. This article presents Isopleth, a web-based platform that helps learners make sense of complex code constructs and hidden asynchronous relationships in professional web code. Isopleth embeds sensemaking scaffolds informed by the learning sciences to (1) expose hidden functional and event-driven relationships, (2) surface functionally related slices of code, and (3) support learners manipulating the provided code representations. To expose event-driven relationships, Isopleth implements a novel technique called Serialized Deanonymization to determine and visualize asynchronous functional relationships. To evaluate Isopleth, we conducted a case study across 12 professional websites and a user study with 14 junior and senior developers. Results show that Isopleth’s sensemaking scaffolds helped to surface implementation approaches in event binding, web application design, and complex interactive features across a range of complex professional web applications. Moreover, Isopleth helped junior developers improve the accuracy of their conceptual models of how features are implemented by 31% on average.

Problem-Based Learning, Assessment Literacy, Mathematics Knowledge, and Competencies in Teacher Education

Problem-based learning could have a great impact in teacher education not only to support prospective teachers’ learning, but also to help them to design and implement learner-centered experiences to satisfy requirements of reform-based curriculum. In this paper, we discuss the nature and role of problem-based learning to support authentic learning opportunities in an undergraduate teacher education program. We address its use in an educational assessment course aimed at developing prospective teachers’ assessment literacy and competencies. We focus on two sections of the course for elementary school prospective teachers in which students were also engaged in activities involving assessment in teaching mathematics and share examples of the content of the course. A study of the impact of the course on the students’ knowledge is in progress.

Effective Teaching Methods for the Assessment and Treatment of Exertional Heat Illness in Athletic Training Education

Context Athletic training education should focus on evidence-based teaching through providing authentic learning opportunities. Objective To examine the effectiveness of 2 different instructional methods' impact on pre–athletic training students' assessment and treatment of a patient with exertional heat stroke (EHS). Design A pretest, posttest randomized control trial study design was used. Setting Five undergraduate athletic training programs. Patients or Other Participants Thirty-six pre–athletic training students volunteered to participate. Thirty-two participants completed the research interventions (19 = hybrid simulation [HS], 13 = case-based learning [CLB]). Intervention(s) All participants received educational material and classroom presentation regarding EHS. Participants completed the preintervention Knowledge, Preferences, and Practices of Certified Athletic Trainers Regarding Recognition and Treatment of Exertional Heat Stroke (KPP-EHS) survey. Approximately 2 to 3 weeks after receiving the educational material, the participants completed HS or CBL intervention protocol and completed the postintervention KPP-EHS survey. The HS intervention consisted of a clinical scenario using a standardized patient and rectal thermometer task trainer. The CBL intervention involved completing a case-study worksheet regarding a clinical scenario. At the 6-week follow-up time point participants completed the KPP-EHS survey. Main Outcome Measure(s) Composite and subscale scores from the KPP-EHS survey. Results A factorial repeated measure 2 × 3 (Group × Time) analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant main effect for time of the total composite score of both groups (F = 28.005, P = .000, partial η2 = 0.659). Bonferroni post hoc testing revealed a statistically significant difference between time points 1 and 2 (mean difference = −25.176, P = .000, 95% confidence interval −34.036, −16.317) and time points 1 and 3 (mean difference = −32.842, P = .000, 95% confidence interval −44.917, −20.767). Conclusions Athletic training educators should consider the use of HS and CBL in conjunction with didactic course work to prepare students to appropriately manage EHS.

E-Learning in Developing Countries: Is it a Panacea? A Case Study of Sudan

Despite the increasing costs of education and the growing use of information communication technologies (ICTs) in developing countries, the need for more educational opportunities is increasing. This paper aims to answer the question: is e-learning a panacea for education in developing countries? It is based on the case country Sudan, and analyzes students’, academics’, and policymakers’ attitudes toward e-learning, ICTs, and educational technology. This study uses an exploratory research approach, and relies mainly on two data collection instruments: questionnaire and semi-structured interview. A survey was conducted on a population of academics and students at five public universities in Sudan, as well as policymakers from these institutions and the higher education ministry. A convenience sample of 400 was chosen as the target population representation. A total of 388 valid questionnaires were returned. The results show more conservative attitudes toward e-learning and ICTs among academics and policymakers. The study concludes that there is an increasing demand in developing countries for more authentic learning opportunities and simulated experiences that the e-learning can provide. E-learning, however, is a paradigm entirely different from traditional face-to-face education. To do e-learning work, a different roles and practice is required for the educator.

Making it real: The development of a web-based simulated learning resource for occupational therapy students

Equipping students with graduate attributes that ensure they are ready to work in complex health environments is highly important. Recently there has been increased use of simulation in health education to assist in the acquisition of graduate attributes, and to provide meaningful and authentic learning opportunities. The Deakin University Occupational Therapy program developed a unique web-based Occupational Therapy Simulations for Learning resource. This resource comprised 18 filmed scenarios that were previously non-existent or only available to students in written format. The scenarios depict people with a range of health conditions, mock graduate interviews, and occupational therapists conducting simulated clinical assessments and interventions. This study explored the effectiveness of the resource in the development of empathy, active listening, and information gathering skills. It also compared experiences of students and academics who had previously used written case studies. Survey results demonstrated statistically significant differences in relation to the realness of case studies, understanding how the client was feeling, development of empathy, clinical assessment skills, and the usefulness of the resource overall. This study demonstrates that the use of simulated case studies offers authentic learning for occupational therapy students and promotes development of key graduate attributes.

Exploring quality of life through an online international collaboration

ABSTRACTIn today’s classrooms, learning does not have to be bounded by physical space. By having access to a range of digital communication technologies, students and teachers can synchronously and asynchronously engage in authentic learning opportunities extending beyond the local community. They can be learning and interacting with others from around the world. This occurred with Grade 3 students from a school in Alberta, Canada, and Lima, Peru who investigated how their physical environments influence their quality of life. Over a seven-week period, the two groups engaged in synchronous and asynchronous activities in addressing this topic. A case study approach was used to research the project. Four key findings emerged from the data to inform teaching practice for designing and facilitating online international collaborative learning.

Embracing the Power of Digital in Literacy Education: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Digital Activities

This mixed methods program evaluation explores the perceptions of students and teachers who participated in digital activities at a university-sponsored literacy festival. The goal of the digital activities was to introduce a diverse student population to digital tools that may be used to assist in understanding, evaluating, and creating literature. Thoughtfully planned and executed digital activities have the potential to increase student motivation, collaboration, and creativity, which may lead to an improvement in student achievement. Incorporating technology in instruction empowers students and promotes opportunities for authentic learning. The purpose of this evaluation was to examine the efficacy of the digital activities to provide formative feedback to guide enhancements of the digital workshop at future annual literacy festivals and contribute to the discussion of digital learning activities on student literacy achievement.

I-DIGEST framework: towards authentic learning for indigenous learners

There is a distinct lack of authentic and relevant learning opportunities for Indigenous learners in formalized educational settings. This is due to multiple factors including the lack of incorporation of Indigenous knowledge into educational curriculum. A significant portion of Indigenous knowledge is in relation to the land and is experientially grounded. Therefore, any knowledge system used by Indigenous learners must take into account that learning is contextual to a place and should include a significant experiential learning component within the curriculum. Digital storytelling has emerged as a methodology for incorporating Indigenous knowledge into learning and with the literature identifying the lack of a formal curriculum design process, a framework is presented for incorporating digital storytelling into learning curriculum, allowing for authentic and relevant learning opportunities for Indigenous learners. To test the efficacy of our framework approach, prototype tools have been created to generate learning objects to be used in a case study course. Experts in the field of education and Indigenous knowledge were then asked to provide feedback on the efficacy of the framework. Strengths identified include the inclusion of knowledge holders and community members in the design process as well as providing a visual and oral alternative to the standard written method of expression. Weaknesses identified include possible lack of knowledge and support from educators as well as a lack of protocol to determining valid, relevant knowledge. Additional benefits identified include using this approach beyond the physical boundaries of a community, to allow, for remote community members to contribute to the knowledgebase.

Nursing students' perceptions of a collaborative clinical placement model: A qualitative descriptive study.

Clinical placements are specifically designed to facilitate authentic learning opportunities and are an integral component of undergraduate nursing programs. However, as academics and clinicians frequently point out, clinical placements are fraught with problems that are long-standing and multidimensional in nature. Collaborative placement models, grounded in a tripartite relationship between students, university staff and clinical partners, and designed to foster students' sense of belonging, have recently been implemented to address many of the challenges associated with clinical placements. In this study a qualitative descriptive design was undertaken with the aim of exploring 14 third year third year nursing students' perceptions of a collaborative clinical placement model undertaken in an Australian university. Students participated in audio recorded focus groups following their final clinical placement. Thematic analysis of the interview data resulted in identification of six main themes: Convenience and Camaraderie, Familiarity and Confidence, Welcomed and Wanted, Belongingness and Support, Employment, and The Need for Broader Clinical Experiences. The clinical collaborative model fostered a sense of familiarity for many of the participants and this led to belongingness, acceptance, confidence and meaningful learning experiences.

Changing to Concept-Based Curricula: The Process for Nurse Educators.

Background:The complexity of health care today requires nursing graduates to use effective thinking skills. Many nursing programs are revising curricula to include concept-based learning that encourages problem-solving, effective thinking, and the ability to transfer knowledge to a variety of situations—requiring nurse educators to modify their teaching styles and methods to promote student-centered learning. Changing from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning requires a major shift in thinking and application.Objective:The focus of this qualitative study was to understand the process of changing to concept-based curricula for nurse educators who previously taught in traditional curriculum designs.Methods:The sample included eight educators from two institutions in one Western state using a grounded theory design.Results:The themes that emerged from participants’ experiences consisted of the overarching concept, support for change, and central concept, finding meaning in the change. Finding meaning is supported by three main themes: preparing for the change, teaching in a concept-based curriculum, and understanding the teaching-learning process.Conclusion:Changing to a concept-based curriculum required a major shift in thinking and application. Through support, educators discovered meaning to make the change by constructing authentic learning opportunities that mirrored practice, refining the change process, and reinforcing benefits of teaching.