Formal Learning Opportunities Research Articles

Teen participants’ experiences with a teen STEM café program

ABSTRACT It is important that teens are exposed to STEM education both through formal and informal learning opportunities. STEM cafés are an instance of the latter. Within an informal setting, teen science cafés can significantly enhance teens’ view of the importance of science in their lives, positively influencing teens’ understanding of science in the news and increasing their ability and confidence to use facts to support scientific points of view. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the perceived impacts of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) café events on teen participants (n = 68) because cafés are underutilized resources by teens despite having great potential to boost their STEM experiences. Since there is a limited body of literature on teen cafés, the findings of this study add to the small number of empirical studies that have examined the perceived impacts of teen science café programs on participants.

An Interprofessional Faculty Development Program for Workplace-Based Learning.

Most faculty development programs in health professions education, pivotal in cultivating competent and effective teachers, focus on systematic, planned and formal learning opportunities. A large part of clinical teaching however, encompasses ad-hoc, informal and interprofessional workplace-based learning whereby individuals learn as part of everyday work activities. To fully harness the educational potential embedded in daily healthcare practices, prioritizing interprofessional faculty development for workplace-based learning is crucial. Utilizing the 'ADDIE' instructional design framework we developed, implemented and evaluated an interprofessional faculty development program for workplace-based learning. This program, encompassing seven formal training sessions each with a different theme and five individual workplace-based assignments, aimed to support clinical teachers in recognizing and optimizing informal learning. The pilot program (n = 10) and first two regular courses (n = 13 each) were evaluated using questionnaires containing Likert scale items and open textboxes for narrative comments. The quality and relevance of the program to the clinical work-place were highly appreciated. Additional valued elements included practical knowledge provided and tools for informal workplace-based teaching, the interprofessional aspect of the program and the workplace-based assignments. Since its development, the program has undergone minor revisions twice and has now become a successful interprofessional workplace-based alternative to existing faculty development programs. This faculty development program addresses the specific needs of healthcare professionals teaching in clinical settings. It stands out by prioritizing informal learning, fostering collaboration, and supporting integration of formal training into daily practice, ensuring practical application of learned knowledge and skills. Furthermore, it emphasizes interprofessional teaching and learning, enhancing workplace environments.

Cultivating leaders for primary health care: A revised approach for transformative development.

Family physicians require leadership skills to strengthen team-based primary care services. Interviews with South African district managers confirmed the need to develop leadership skills in family physicians. The updated national programmatic learning outcomes for South African family physician training were published in 2021. They sparked the need for curriculum renewal at the University of Cape Town's Division of Family Medicine. A review of the leadership and governance module during registrar training showed that the sessions were perceived to be content heavy with insufficient opportunities for reflection. Following a series of stakeholder engagements, the module convenors co-designed a revised module that was blueprinted on the updated learning outcomes. The module incorporates a group coaching style, facilitating learning through reflection on one's experiences. The revised module was implemented in 2022. It aims to provide a transformative learning experience centred on students' perceptions of themselves as leaders, as well as professional identity formation and resilience building. This short report describes preliminary insights from the revised module's developmental phase and forms part of an ongoing iterative evaluation process.Contribution:Family physicians should lead across all their defined roles. Formal and informal learning opportunities are needed to facilitate their growth as leaders and help them to meet the health needs of communities served by an evolving health care system. This short report describes an example of a revised postgraduate module on leadership and governance, which may be of value to clinician educators and academic departments exploring innovative methods for the African region.

Information literacy in the digital age: information sources, evaluation strategies, and perceived teaching competences of pre-service teachers.

Information literacy has become indispensable in navigating today's fast-paced media environment, with teachers playing a pivotal role in fostering reflective and critical digital citizenship. Positioned as future gatekeepers, pre-service teachers are the key to teaching media skills and especially information literacy to future generations of pupils. Given the particular challenges facing educators today compared to previous generations, it is important to determine whether the next generation of teachers feel adequately prepared and perceive themselves as competent to pass on these skills to their future pupils. However, previous research has highlighted deficiencies in formal learning opportunities at universities, underscoring the need for further investigation into pre-service teachers' information acquisition, evaluation practices as well as their perceived relevance to teaching, and person-related factors associated with their perceived competence in teaching information literacy. An online questionnaire was presented to participants, employing a mixed-method approach. We qualitatively examined the sources of information used by pre-service teachers and the evaluation strategies they employ, while quantitatively analyzing relationships between pre-service teachers' person-related factors and their perceived teaching competence. Participants assessed their perceived teaching competence, perceived learning opportunities, self-efficacy (general and related to information assessment), perceived informedness, selective exposure, need for cognition, need for cognitive closure, and mistrust in media coverage. Data from 371 participants revealed digital media dominance in information acquisition over traditional sources, albeit with a prevalence of surface-level evaluation strategies over reflective approaches. Two distinct dimensions of perceived competence in teaching information literacy emerged: one focusing on information assessment while the other centers on the understanding of news creation processes. Perceived competence in teaching information literacy was significantly associated with self-efficacy in information assessment, perceived informedness, selective exposure to information as well as perceived learning opportunities focusing on information evaluation. Moreover, pre-service teachers employing diverse information evaluation strategies demonstrated a heightened sense of perceived competence in teaching information assessment. Our results provide valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of pre-service teachers' perceived competence in teaching information literacy. Theoretical implications for future research as well as practical implications for teacher education and the structure of future curricula are discussed.

Exploring formal and informal learning opportunities during morning report: a qualitative study

BackgroundMorning reports are an essential component of physicians’ daily work. Attending morning reports is prioritized by junior doctors as it provides them with an opportunity to learn diagnostic reasoning through discussion of cases. While teaching formats during morning reports have previously been reported, an in-depth analysis of what learning opportunities exist, e.g., how teaching is enacted during morning reports, is lacking. This qualitative study explores learning opportunities during morning reports.MethodsWe used an explorative design based on video-recordings of 23 morning reports from two surgical departments, an internal medicine department and an emergency department. We used thematic analysis combined with and inspired by Eraut’s theoretical framework of workplace learning.ResultsBoth formal and informal learning opportunities were identified. Formal learning opportunities had the character of planned teaching activities, and we identified four themes: (1) modes of teaching, (2) structure, (3) presenter role, and (4) participant involvement. Informal learning, on the other hand, was often implicit and reactive, while deliberate learning opportunities were rare. The data showed many missed opportunities for learning.ConclusionBoth formal and informal learning opportunities are present during morning reports. However, a prevalent focus on medical topics exists, leaving other important aspects of the medical role under-discussed. Pedagogical methods could be employed more optimally, and harnessing the potential of missed opportunities should be encouraged.

Employee Training Policies of High Revenue Companies: Analysis of Case Examples From Turkey

Purpose: The present study explores the primary characteristics of employee training practices by way of analysing the employee training policies of the top two companies with the highest sales revenue in Turkey. The primary characteristics of employee training practices are examined within the scope of the corporate employee training activities and the practices to cope with the challenges in the organization of employee training. Methods: Employing qualitative approach, document analysis was conducted within the context of two cases. The two companies with the highest sales revenue in Turkey were selected as cases in the study. The companies were determined through criterion sampling in line with the financial performance based on net sales revenue, stability of financial performance and potential for corporate training policy development criteria. The six years of sustainability and activity reports of the companies were analysed through thematic analysis. The documents were analysed through thematic analysis using open coding. Employee training policies and practices were presented under the sub-themes of personnel training types, subjects of personnel training, training infrastructure, factors considered in the design of training processes and supportive practices for training processes. Findings: Employee training of the companies mostly consists of formal and non-formal training activities designed according to the needs of employees. These training activities aim at both occupational and personal development of the employees. The training activities, which are mostly organized with the use of internal resources, also allow employees to make their own personal development plans. The dominant common aspects of the employee training policies of the companies show that the successful integration of employee training to the career management systems increases the efficiency of training activities. The study results also illustrate that the employee training policies can be strengthened through corporate capacity development activities. Conclusion: Institutionalization of training practices that contribute to workplace learning has an important role in the financial gains of highly competitive organizations. The success of corporate training practices for employees requires both an effective design in terms of content and process and a strong establishment of corporate training infrastructure. The provision of formal and informal learning opportunities structured according to employee needs through a strong corporate training infrastructure and planning the career development of employees based on the outputs of training activities are the indicators of successful company performance.

Investigating the impact of social media platforms use among children on formal and informal learning: From the uses and gratifications theory perspective

Social media has become one of the primary sources of communication, information, entertainment, and learning for users. Children gain several benefits as social media helps them acquire formal and informal learning opportunities. This research also examined the effect of social media on formal and informal learning among school-level children in Ajman, United Arab Emirates (UAE), moderated by social integrative and personal integrative needs. Data was gathered by using structured questionnaires, which were distributed among a sample of 364 children. Results revealed that social media significantly affects Informal and formal learning among children, indicating its usefulness in child education and development. The results also indicated a significant moderation of social integrative needs on social media’s direct effect on informal learning, indicating the relevant needs as an important motivating factor. However, the moderation of personal integrative needs on social media’s direct effect on formal learning remained insignificant. Overall, this research highlighted the role of social media in providing learning opportunities for children in the UAE. It is concluded that children actively seek gratifications from social media, shaping their learning within structured educational contexts in their daily lives. Through the lens of UGT, certain needs play a critical role in strengthening the gratification process, affecting how children derive learning advantages from their interactions on social media platforms. Finally, implications and limitations are discussed accordingly.

Learning to Paint: An Autoethnographic Exploration of Adult Learning Beyond Formal Learning Contexts

This reflexive autoethnography explores my experience of learning about myself as I experienced painting with watercolors. The focus of this research is understanding the interaction of identity, emotion, and belonging within the context of my own adult learning experience. The central emphasis seeks to offer contributing factors to adult learning in a context outside of formal learning opportunities, such as in university or school-based learning. I employed the reflexive process of autoethnography through journal entries, photographic documentation, and recalling to examine my own experience of learning in a non-academic setting. Various theories of self-identity, participation, and learning were explored to frame my own learning experience. This methodological approach allowed the pursuit of adult learning to emerge as something deeply intertwined with an individual’s understanding of their identity, affective experiences, and sense of belonging. These considerations have capacity to further current conceptualizations of the process of adult learning experiences. Implications for facilitators of adult learning are offered.

STUDENTS' PERSPECTIVES ON THE LEARNING PROCESS OF ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES (ENGLISH AND JAPANESE) IN A BILINGUAL PUBLIC SCHOOL IN MANAUS

This study aimed to explore elementary school students' perspectives regarding their bilingual learning experiences in a public state school in Manaus, Brazil offering instruction in Portuguese and Japanese. An online questionnaire assessing perceptions of language learning was administered to 165 students in grades 8 and 9, ranging in age from 12 to 14 years old, without distinguishing gender. Data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed through the theoretical lens of several prominent frameworks in the field, including those proposed by Ferreira and Araújo (2021), Cook (2011), Dornyei (2005), Fan and Chen (2011), Gao (2019), Lazar (2007), Locke (1997), Norton and Toohey (2011), Krashen (2011), and Peng and Woodrow (2010). Findings suggest language teaching in this setting could benefit from promoting holistic exposure to the target language by integrating formal and informal learning opportunities that combine linguistic knowledge development with listening, reading comprehension, and cultural immersion. This study provides initial insights into learner perspectives to inform the design of empirically-supported bilingual education programs.

연결된 시대의 새로운 학습 환경으로서 커넥티드 러닝(Connected Learning)방법론에 대한 탐색

Objectives The purpose of this study is to develop a connected learning concept map that connects individual interests, supportive relationships, and new opportunities by utilizing digital technology and networks in all directions.
 Methods To this end, we developed a concept map by deriving design principles and key activity processes based on literature and case studies on connected learning concept and components. And to confirm the validity of the completed concept map, validity (CVI) and inter-rater agreement (IRA) were conducted from the expert group.
 Results Learning goals, design principles, and learning stages were derived through literature review, and based on them, a draft concept map was completed. The results of this study were evaluated positively in terms of the validity test (CVI) of the expert group, the inter-rater agreement (IRA), relevance, validity, understanding, usefulness, and expected effects. The final presented concept map of connected learning is before learning starts (identifying interest and creating an environment to support various learning paths), learning progress (approaching topics based on interest and exploring exploration methods - exploring topics through social connection - social practice - oriented project development - Project promotion and execution (production) - Sharing of new opportunities and discussion for connection/expansion) After completion of learning (connection to actual opportunities), design principles and core guidelines were presented step by step. 
 Conclusions The concept map of connected learning developed in this study explains the learning method for students living in the connected era. This approach is critical to recognizing the value of learning experiences in informal spaces, strengthening connections to formal learning and new opportunities, and expanding access to learning formats.

FTP8.2 The Development of a Peer Led Plastic Surgery Teaching Programme for Junior Doctors working in a University Based Teaching Hospital

Abstract Background The busy nature of Plastic Surgery departments often means that formal teaching and learning opportunities can be somewhat scarce. This can result in junior doctors struggling to manage their work duties effectively. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of implementing a peer led teaching programme on the ability of junior doctors to manage their workload. Methods A teaching programme including elective and trauma topics on Plastic Surgery aimed at the level of junior trainees was implemented following discussion with our five juniors. The sessions were led by the registrar team and varied from formal lecture-based teaching to case-based discussions. After each session attendees completed a survey which included questions regarding their knowledge on the topic and their confidence on managing these cases before and after the session and on general aspects of the session. Results There were 8 teaching sessions included. The feedback rate for each was 100%. The results showed that all trainees either agreed or strongly agreed that the sessions were useful, and the content was delivered clearly and effectively. All trainees reported an improvement in confidence in their knowledge following the sessions. Trainees agreed and strongly agreed that the knowledge they gained would help them manage their elective and on-call duties more effectively. Conclusion This study shows that the establishment of a peer led teaching programme by utilising ideas from junior and senior members of staff, can allow trainees to be more confident in managing their workload. Thereby, potentially, allowing for delivery of a more effective service within Plastic Surgery Departments.

Becoming an Actionable Scientist: Challenges, Competency, and the Development of Expertise

Demand has grown for actionable science to support real-world decision-making around climate change and related environmental management challenges. Producing actionable science requires scientists to hold a distinct set of competencies, yet relatively little is known about what these competencies are or how to train scientists to develop them. We conducted interviews with mid- and late-career scientists to empirically identify competencies they used when producing actionable science and to understand how they developed those competencies. We describe expertise in terms of 18 competencies—categorised as cognitive, interpersonal, or intrapersonal—that scientists integrated and applied to address the challenges associated with actionable science. We argue that scientists must engage in the social process of producing actionable science (i.e., learning by doing) to become an expert. Expert actionable scientists discussed the importance of learning through different contexts, processes, interactions, and relationships. By naming the competencies that constitute expertise, as well as methods for expertise development, our findings facilitate greater conscious awareness of the process of becoming an actionable scientist, a gradual process that starts during graduate training and continues as a career proceeds. Our results can inform the development of formal learning opportunities as well as the informal learning process that occurs whereby scientists take charge of their own learning.

Detour or New Direction: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Professional Identity Formation of Postgraduate Residents.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in numerous disruptions to health professions education training programs. Much attention has been given to the impact of these disruptions on formal learning opportunities in training; however, little attention has been given to the impact on professional socialization and professional identity formation. This study explored the impact of the pandemic and resultant curricular changes on the professional identity of family medicine residents. 23 family medicine residents at the University of Toronto were interviewed between September 2020 and September 2022. Using symbolic interactionism as a theoretical framework, thematic analysis explored the meanings residents attributed to both experiences that were disrupted due to the pandemic, and new experiences that resulted from these disruptions. Participant responses reflected that disruptions in training did not always align with their expectations for family medicine and plans for future practice; however, these new experiences also reinforced their understanding of what it means to be a family physician. While participants felt the pandemic represented a loss of agency and negatively impacted relationships in their training program, it also provided a sense of belonging and membership in their profession. Finally, these new experiences continually blurred the line between professional and personal identities through the impact of the pandemic on participants' sense of well-being and safety. The impact of the pandemic on training experiences extends beyond the loss of formal learning opportunities. Participant responses reflect the collective influence of the formal, informal, and hidden curriculum on the professional socialization and professional identity formation of residents-and how these different curricular influences were disrupted due to the pandemic. These training experiences have important implications for the future practice of residents who completed their training during the pandemic and highlight the role of training programs in supporting the professional identity formation of residents.

Are undergraduate internships worth the effort? Time to reconceptualize work-based learning for building protean meta-competencies

ABSTRACT Internships are widely recognized within higher education as a useful work-based learning (WBL) approach to enhance student employability. However, there remains a need to understand whether internships provide a developmental experience that includes higher-level (soft) skills such as self-responsibility, flexibility and innovation. Our study inductively analyses 154 undergraduate student-interns’ reflective diaries over a 3-year period to explore the relationship between internship experience and the development of higher-level skills, or protean ‘meta-competencies’. In the research, we find the interns’ developed three meta-competencies that can broadly be categorized as self-regulation, self-awareness and self-direction. Our findings also highlight the role of socio-political dynamics of internship work in shaping students’ experiences as an indicator of the changing world of work. The study has implications for higher education institutions (HEIs) and host organisations in adopting a WBL approach that supports interns with reflexive engagement with situated organizational practices and accessing (in)formal learning opportunities in the workplace. Our research, therefore, offers insights into a learner-centred WBL approach that contributes towards a more holistic internship/WBL experience that facilitates student interns in developing protean meta-competencies and graduate employability.

Incoming professionals’ perspectives on the application of new knowledge in care organisations for people with intellectual disabilities: a concept mapping study

Objectives Within care organisations for people with intellectual disabilities, numerous strategies are employed to stimulate the application of new knowledge, and professionals play a key role in this process. Consequently, gaining insight into professionals’ perspectives on how to encourage the application of new knowledge is vital, especially in the case of incoming professionals. They have a stronger need for new knowledge due to having acquired only a limited knowledge base about intellectual disabilities in their education. Therefore, this study focused on the incoming professionals’ perspectives on factors stimulating application of new knowledge within the care and support for people with intellectual disabilities. Methods A concept mapping study was conducted with incoming support staff, psychologists, and intellectual disabilities physicians. Data collection included brainstorming, pile sorting and rating to create three concept maps, which were interpreted by experts. Results Overall, the participants generated 234 statements. Incoming support staff primarily expressed their preference for experiential and work-based learning and described their role as being knowledge receivers. Incoming psychologists and physicians expressed their ownership of knowledge in requesting opportunities to develop themselves. Conclusion To enhance incoming professionals’ application of new knowledge, care organisations for people with intellectual disabilities can encourage professionals in manifold ways, ranging from providing (in)formal learning opportunities and accessible sites to creating a learning culture.

Adult Education in Scotland a Critical Analysis of Strategic and Policy

The extent to which local governments attach importance, and implement relevant policies relating to, adult Learning can be understood as an integral part of the learning quality and living standard of human communities. Based on existing research on adult education, this study will use classic policy analysis to provide a perspective on the background, perceptions and challenges of adult Learning facing the Scottish Government. Secondary research shows that Scotland has a commitment to improving the right of everyone to high-quality learning to meet their lifelong needs. Because adult education provides formal learning opportunities for those who have completed compulsory schooling, it can equip adults with the necessary knowledge, skills and confidence to play a positive and productive role in personal, work, family and community life.

Evaluating the impact of lifelong education on older adults: A case study from Hong Kong

In light of its low fertility rate and long life span, Hong Kong is facing the challenge of a rapidly ageing population. To foster successful ageing, learning throughout life regardless of age is promoted as lifelong learning. A total of 20 older adults who are studying the Diploma in Active Ageing at the School of Professional Education and Executive Development of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University participated in a questionnaire survey while 16 older adult students participated in individual in-depth interviews in the present study. The results show that those who have received both informal and formal learning opportunities experienced positive changes to their physical, psychological and social health. The participants reported that the current lifelong learning policy provides insufficient financial support and insufficient promotion of formal education for older adults. For older adults to pursue further education, there is a need to provide more generous subsidies and relax age eligibility restrictions. To sustain lifelong learning, both informal and formal education for older adults should be promoted equally in order to meet the diverse interests and ability of older learners.

Humanism and Skill Development among the Rohingya Refugees through Content-based Instruction

This paper aims to assist the government of Bangladesh to develop a policy for improving educational outcomes and emotional contentment of the refugees living in the camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Bangladesh now has become the world’s largest shelter spot sheltering over a million Rohingyas after a massive wave of violence broke out in Myanmar. This is a milestone that the Bangladesh government in collaboration with UNICEF has declared to ensure access to formal learning and skill training opportunities for Rohingya refugee children by launching Myanmar Curriculum Pilot. With the help of many international and national NGOs’ approximately 300,000 children and adolescents are studying at 3,400 learning centers (LCs) in the refugee camps, out of which over 70 percent (2,800) are enrolled in UNICEF - supported centers. This study reveals due to the traditional adaptation of the learning teaching approach are ineffective to meet the goal. This study is significant in identifying effective approaches and techniques. Content-Based Instruction (CBI) is considered an empowering approach that encourages learners to learn a language by using it as a real means of communication from the very first day in class. Finally, this paper will discuss teaching English as a global language through CBI will be beneficial for Rohingya refugees to skill development, helping them to become more resilient.

An Innovative Survey on Sexual Knowledge Source of College Students in Zhuang Areas of China

This paper studies the sexual knowledge of college students in Zhuang areas of border China, and discusses the current situation of sexual knowledge of college students in Zhuang areas. The data were collected by questionnaire and analyzed by quantitative content analysis. 525 college students in Zhuang areas were investigated. The conclusion shows that the Zhuang College Students' sexual knowledge is seriously insufficient, and the Zhuang College Students' understanding of sexual knowledge is not comprehensive. The Zhuang college students have a good grasp of the sexual knowledge of pregnancy and contraception, but they have a poor grasp of the sexual transmission route, while the Zhuang female college students have a better grasp of the sexual knowledge than the Zhuang male college students. There is no significant difference in mastering sexual knowledge between rural and urban areas, and there is no significant difference in mastering sexual knowledge between different grades. Among the 525 Zhuang college students tested, 95.05% thought they needed to understand sexual knowledge. The Zhuang college students themselves still had urgent needs. Most of the students in Zhuang universities acquire sexual knowledge through the Internet, newspapers and students, and lack formal and systematic learning opportunities. Social and cultural backgrounds shape college students' sexual knowledge. At present, there is a serious lack of sexual knowledge among college students in frontier ethnic areas. It has had a great impact on people's lives. Zhuang college students hope to learn more about sexual physiology and psychology through school lectures or compulsory courses. Gender difference is a crucial factor for the differences in sexual knowledge of Zhuang college students.

Exploration of adventure therapy community and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand

This research explored the use of adventure therapy in Aotearoa New Zealand, how practitioners have learned their skills, and what they perceive the field needs to support its development. The mixed methods study used interpretive description methodology to analyse focus group and survey data. The field is diverse and includes practitioners from outdoor education, youth work, and therapy professions. They share common understanding of, and passion for adventure therapy practices. Formal learning opportunities are limited, and a Community of Practice model exists. Practitioners should use adventure therapy strategies within their discipline boundaries and practice with a trauma informed lens. The field would benefit from more education and training opportunities, from intentionally strengthening the Community of Practice model, and from Māori research to enhance appropriateness of practice for the unique cultural context of Aotearoa New Zealand.