Positive Educational Experience Research Articles

Supporting the educational integration of young people seeking asylum and refuge: examining good practices from Germany, Sweden and England

ABSTRACT The educational integration of Newly Arrived Migrant and Refugee (NAMR) children and youth in a host country is complex. It requires educational systems responding to their diverse needs. Some of these needs are exacerbated by NAMR young people and their families’ limited understanding of the host country’s policies, structures, and procedures. Amidst these complexities, policy makers, practitioners, and other stakeholders strive for guidance in developing effective interventions that are transferable across different settings. This paper builds on the good practices that were identified and exchanged between seven partnering countries from Europe and the UK in 2017–18 as part of SIRIUS network’s RefuEdu project. Researchers, policymakers, and practitioners shared good practices that were grounded in their knowledge, experience, and examples. A set of core principles and individual sets of good practices are highlighted with action steps from the contexts of Germany, Sweden and England (UK). This may assist policy makers and practitioners in comprehending the challenges and opportunities within the educational integration of NAMR children and youth. The implications are for strengthening their holistic integration alongside positive educational experiences and advancing further research.

Managing Satisfaction in synchronous online learning: results of a statistical study on the material of teaching Russian as a foreign language

Introduction. The widespread adoption of distance learning makes it relevant to reflect on the experience gained during the period of ubiquitous transition to the online format in 2019-2021. The purpose of the research is to investigate the factors influencing student satisfaction with synchronous online courses and to develop recommendations aimed at creating a positive educational experience for students in the online environment, specifically for teachers and methodologists. Materials and methods. This study draws upon survey data concerning the synchronous online acquisition of Russian as a foreign language among tertiary education students, both domestically and internationally. The sample comprised 307 individuals representing 16 countries, all of whom had engaged in at least one synchronous online course in the Russian language. Evaluation of satisfaction regarding the online learning experience centered on the variable denoted as "Course Satisfaction Assessment." The survey instrument was constructed based on the three-factor model, Community of Inquiry (COI), recognized for its efficacy in assessing effective online learning. This model, adapted to suit the context of synchronous online learning, comprehensively incorporates cognitive, pedagogical, and group communication factors. Results. As a result of correlation analysis, the ten most significant correlations with the variable "Course Satisfaction Evaluation" were identified. The most significant correlation of satisfaction with learning was established with positive evaluation of the course content – its practical usefulness and relevance to the needs of learners (r=0,44; p<0,01). Factors related to feedback from the instructor (r=0,34; p<0,01) and the motivational effect of the learning showed a high level of correlation with satisfaction with the training (r=0,35; p<0,01). Meanwhile, the factors of group communication did not show significant correlations. Considering the most important factors of satisfaction, recommendations were formulated to improve the effectiveness of synchronous online learning and enhance student motivation through content and organizational aspects of learning. Conclusion. The conducted study contributes to the understanding of significant aspects of student satisfaction management in synchronous online learning. Practical recommendations have application value for the practice of online learning design and teaching in synchronous online format.

In-silico Functional and Structural Annotation of Rheumatoid arthritis linked Gene and Protein

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease marked by chronic inflammation and immune system dysregulation. The Ankyrin repeat domain 55 (ANKRD55) gene, located on chromosome 5q11.2, has been associated with RA susceptibility. Understanding the gene and protein characteristics could illuminate pathways involved in RA and aid in the development of targeted therapies. Objective: To conduct a detailed analysis of the ANKRD55 gene and protein, focusing on its structure, expression profile, functional domains, and polymorphisms, thereby establishing its role in RA and potential as a therapeutic target. Methods: Using bioinformatics tools, we analyzed ANKRD55's genomic localization (NCBI), peptide sequences (Uniprot), physicochemical properties (Protparam Server), signal peptides (SignalP v4.1), transmembrane helices (TMHMM), and glycosylation sites (NetNGlyc 1.0). Polymorphism and methylation patterns were examined using PolyPhen and MethyCancer, respectively. Splice variants were identified, and protein-protein interaction networks were assessed (STRING database). Protein domains were characterized, including the prediction of RhoGAP domains. Structural modeling was conducted to identify potential drug-binding pockets with the DoGSite Scorer server. Results: ANKRD55's expression was predominantly observed in the testis (RPKM 1.8) and to a lesser extent in lymph nodes (0.8), appendix (0.6), and brain (0.2). It encodes a 614-amino-acid protein with a molecular weight of approximately 68.4 kDa and a pI of 6.72. Six splice variants were identified, enriching the understanding of its potential isoform diversity. No significant N-glycosylation sites were predicted, and methylation analysis suggested a nuclear localization without DNA methylation sites. Structural analysis revealed drug-binding pockets with volumes ranging from 233.35 to 5389.58 A^3, with drug scores between 0.78 and 0.82. Conclusion: The study concludes that while several factors contribute to student satisfaction in public sector medical colleges, infrastructure and facilities, along with quality instructional materials and clinical exposure, are key drivers. Enhancing these areas could lead to a more positive educational experience for students.

Digital Learning Content in Automotive Technology Program Towards Student Cognition in TVET: A Partial Experiment

This study examines, via a partial experiment, the impact of the automotive technology program digital learning content on students' cognition. Consequently, the researcher conducted a partial experiment in this study to evaluate the functionality and usability of digital content. It fits with the social stigma of TVET, shaped by the perception that vocational education and training exist to serve school leavers rather than as an essential strategy to provide competent workers to the labour market. In total, 47 students in the Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Honours) in the Mechatronics (Automotive) programme participated in the investigation. The study's findings indicated that digital learning content has a significant positive influence on the cognitive and psychomotor achievement of students. The functionality of digital learning content is evaluated based on its capacity to produce the desired learning outcomes and its compatibility with the current curriculum. Assessing the usability of digital learning content involves measuring usability, navigation, and overall user experience. This evaluation demonstrates that the digital learning content is functional and usable, providing students with a positive learning experience. In addition, the results of this test demonstrate a significant improvement in students' cognitive achievement, indicating that digital learning content is beneficial in facilitating the learning process, and students are evaluated on their ability to perform practical tasks related to the course material. The results of this evaluation demonstrate a significant improvement in the psychomotor performance of students, indicating that digital learning content can enhance their practical skills. This study concluded that incorporating digital learning content into the curriculum for automotive technology has a significant positive influence on students' cognitive and psychomotor achievement. Available digital learning content can facilitate learning and provide students with a positive educational experience. These findings suggest that incorporating digital learning content into automotive technology programs may be a valuable addition to conventional learning methods. This study implies that digital learning effectively facilitates the learning process and that students are evaluated on their ability to complete practical tasks related to the course material. Consequently, this study was conducted to aid educators in using digital learning for students in automotive programs.

Impact of Digitalization on Automotive Technology Curriculum Concerning Student Psychomotor Achievement

Through the implementation of digital learning content, this study sought to investigate the impact of digitalization on automotive technology curriculum. A quasi-experiment was conducted to assess the functionality and usability of the digital content, as well as its effect on psychomotor performance. 47 students enrolled in the Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Honours) in Mechanical, Manufacturing, and Mechatronic (Automotive) programme participated in the study. The study found that the digital learning content had a significant positive influence on the psychomotor achievements of the students. The functionality of the digital learning content was evaluated based on its capacity to deliver the desired learning outcomes and its compatibility with the existing curriculum. In addition, we evaluated the efficacy of the digital content by measuring its usability, navigation, and overall user experience. The analysis is based on the four primary research questions to determine the effect of digital learning content on students' cognitive and psychomotor achievement in automotive technology programs. IBM SPSS Statistical Version 23 was utilized to analyse the listed variable. p 0.05 is the significance level for all analyses. The findings are presented in the sections that follow. These evaluations revealed that the digital content is functional and effective, providing students with a positive learning experience. In addition, the results of these tests indicated that the digital learning content effectively facilitated the learning process. Finally, students were evaluated based on their ability to complete practical tasks related to the course material. The results of these evaluations demonstrated a significant increase in the psychomotor performance of the students, indicating that the digital learning content was able to improve their practical skills. This study concluded that incorporating digital learning content into the curriculum for automotive technology had a significant positive influence on the psychomotor achievements of students. The digital content is functional, usable, and effective in facilitating learning, providing students with a positive educational experience. These results suggest that incorporating digital learning content into a programme for automotive technology can be a valuable addition to conventional learning methods.

Identification of Factors Affecting the Satisfaction of Students with Public Sector Medical Colleges: A Survey Based Study

Background: This study explores the factors influencing student satisfaction in public sector medical colleges, emphasizing the impact of various educational aspects on the overall experience of students. Objective: To examine the determinants of student satisfaction in public sector medical colleges, with a focus on infrastructure, quality of instructional materials, and clinical and practical training exposure. Methods: A survey-based primary data collection was utilized, with a sample size of 100 students from public sector medical colleges. The survey included questions targeting different aspects of the educational experience. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the correlation and regression among the variables. Results: The correlation analysis showed a significant relationship between all examined variables and student satisfaction. Infrastructure and facilities emerged as the most influential factors, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.957 (p < 0.001). Student satisfaction with practical training and clinical exposure had a correlation of 0.608 (p < 0.001), and the quality of teaching and learning materials was correlated at 0.475 (p < 0.001). The regression analysis yielded an R-squared value of 0.917, indicating a strong positive correlation between these factors and student satisfaction. Conclusion: The study concludes that while several factors contribute to student satisfaction in public sector medical colleges, infrastructure and facilities, along with quality instructional materials and clinical exposure, are key drivers. Enhancing these areas could lead to a more positive educational experience for students.

‘He’s actually learning’: an Appreciative Inquiry story of a student with complex learning characteristics

ABSTRACT The compulsory education of students who have complex learning characteristics has received little attention in New Zealand research literature. This paper explores the positive educational experiences of a student who transferred from one high school to another in the same city, which resulted in him ‘actually learning’. Using Appreciative Inquiry (AI) methodology, qualitative interviews and focus groups were held with educators and the student’s mother, and time was spent with the student. Thematic analysis revealed the significance of communication/relationships, values and flexible teaching and learning practices. The analysis also revealed that educators’ beliefs included relational understandings of disability and a presumption of competence, while their practice evidenced elements of inclusive pedagogy.

TERTIARY STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON ELSA SPEAK APPLICATION FOR PRONUNCIATION LEARNING

In the context of Industry 4.0, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into English language education is increasingly prevalent. Notably, the proliferation of English language applications, exemplified by the Elsa Speak Application, underscores the noteworthy advancements in pedagogical tools for English instruction. This study aims to scrutinize the perspectives of non-specialized students within the High-quality program at Can Tho University (CTU), investigating their encounters with learning English pronunciation through the application of Elsa Speak. The research employed a structured questionnaire distributed to a cohort of 180 students. The outcomes reveal a predominantly positive reception among students regarding the process of acquiring pronunciation skills through the Elsa Speak Application. Significantly, the application contributes to an augmented grasp of pronunciation, development of English language proficiency, and overall enhancements in learning outcomes. This exploration provides insights into the efficacy of the Elsa Speak Application in fostering positive educational experiences for non-specialized students, thereby contributing valuable data to the discourse on the integration of AI in language education within the Industry 4.0 paradigm.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0018/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

다관점 디브리핑 적용 하이브리드 간호 시뮬레이션 교육

Objectives The purpose of this study was to develop and apply hybrid nursing simulation training with multi-perspective debriefing, to identify nursing students' learning attitude, confidence in learning, standardized patient evaluation, and to explore educational experiences.
 Methods This study was a mixed method case study design of descriptive research study and qualitative content analysis. The participants of the study were 126 senior nursing students. A survey was conducted to measure the learning attitude, confidence in learning, standardized patient evaluation level of nursing students, and the educa-tional experience was qualitatively analyzed through descriptive data in the reflection journal.
 Results As a result of the descriptive research study, the subjects' learning attitude was 4.36±10.48 points, learn-ing confidence was 6.78±1.77 points, and standardized patient evaluation was 4.40±0.48 points. The ‘hybrid sim-ulation experience’ was shown in three categories: (1) satisfaction with hybrid simulation, (2) difficulty of hybrid simulation, and (3) effect of hybrid simulation education. The ‘multi-perspective debriefing experience’ was shown in four categories: (1) debriefing methods and strategies, (2) debriefing with instructor, (3) debriefing with standardized patients, and (4) peers-led and self-debriefing using video.
 Conclusions This study is significant in that it suggests a hybrid nursing simulation training with multiperspective debriefing that can increase nursing students' learning attitude and confidence in learning and promote a positive educational experience.

138 Falls management simulation

Abstract Background Simulation is a clinical education opportunity that creates an experience without having to go through a real event. Simulation facilitates a debriefing for the participants of the ‘event’. Simulations support healthcare professionals in developing knowledge and skills. Falls are common in hospital and are potentially serious events. Prompt patient post-fall assessment is important in identifying injuries, ensuring safe observations levels and taking action to prevent the next fall. Our aim was to improve post fall patient care through a Falls Management Simulation. Methods Falls management simulations, with a standardised patient event, took place on two Specialist Geriatric wards between February and April 2023 with 31 learners taking part consisting of CNM’s, staff nurses, healthcare assistants, and physiotherapists. Post simulation participants completed a Kirkpatrick’s level 1 and 2 evaluation. Results Kirkpatrick’s level 1 evaluation (feedback questionnaire) asks participants to rate eight general statements about the programme. The median outcome for each of these statements indicated participants found the simulation to be a positive learning experience. Kirkpatrick’s level 2 evaluation (self-assessment pre and post training) showed an improvement in knowledge post simulation. Participants were asked to evaluate their level of knowledge pre and post simulation from very high to very low. In the assessment of injuries post fall and, the care of the patient after an unwitnessed fall participants’ knowledge improved post simulation from a median of unsure (pre simulation) to very high (post simulation). Conclusion The feedback on the simulation reflected an increase in participant’s knowledge and confidence on the management of a patient post-fall. This education programme is in its early development. We aim to continually monitor and adapt the simulation to meet the learners’ needs, provide variation for repeat learners and ensure it is a positive educational experience for all.

Oral maxillofacial surgery resident, faculty and practitioner role models and dental students' interest in oral maxillofacial surgery careers: Does gender matter?

Residency programs in oral maxillofacial surgery (OMS) have the lowest percentage (2020: 18.4%) of female graduates among all dental specialty programs. When considering this underrepresentation of female OMS residents, prior studies have not examined how OMS role models might shape dental students' interest in OMS careers. The objectives were to assess female versus male students' OMS-related career motivation, their experiences/attitudes toward three groups of OMS role models (i.e., OMS residents, faculty, and practitioners), and relationships between role model-related experiences/attitudes and career motivation. 363 female and 335 male students from 14 United States and two Canadian dental schools participated in this cross-sectional study by responding to an online survey. 13.8% of female and 26% of male respondents (p<0.001) were much/very much interested in OMS careers. More male than female students had shadowed an OMS in an office setting (43.4%vs. 35.1%; p<0.05). The groups did not differ in their motivation to learn more and earlier about OMS nor in the quantity of OMS-related experiences prior to and during dental school. However, male students were more satisfied with the quality of these experiences (5-point scale with 5=most positive: Means: 3.76vs. 3.53; p<0.05), were more comfortable approaching/working with OMS instructors (3.51vs. 3.19; p<0.01) and reported to have learned more from residents (3.52vs. 3.31; p<0.05) and faculty (3.75vs. 3.45; p<0.01) than female students. Female students agreed less that OMS residents, faculty, and practitioners encouraged students to pursue OMS (3.27vs. 3.44; p<0.01 / 3.46vs. 3.63; p<0.01 / 3.45vs. 3.61; p<0.01). Role model-related experiences and attitudes correlated with an interest in an OMS career. The two groups do not differ in the quantity of most OMS experiences before and during dental school and their motivation to learn more and earlier about OMS. However, female students' less positive OMS-related educational experiences and less positive attitudes toward role models correlate with a lower interest in OMS careers.

Investigating parents' degrees of trust and communication towards teachers in Indonesian kindergartens

The parent-teacher interaction has been identified as a critical component in the development of children. Teachers' capacity to educate children is influenced by the level of trust parents have in them. Creating a supportive environment at home and cooperating with the school are essential components of a positive educational experience for all parties involved. Prior research, however, found little parental involvement particularly in establishing a quality relationship with the schools in Indonesian kindergartens. This research aimed to examine Indonesian parents’ degrees of trust and communication toward the teachers in 8 kindergartens in Dairi regency, North Sumatra. In constructing the questionnaire, 9 early childhood education practitioners were invited to make content suggestions before conducting a validity test and reliability through factor analysis. The validity is guaranteed by the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure result of .872 and Barlett's Test (Chi-Square = 3451.561, df = 406, p 0.05). The reliability was measured using Cronbach's Alpha obtaining an alpha coefficient of .870, indicating good reliability. The findings from the 203 questionnaires consisting of 29 items that were distributed indicate parents’ favorable attitudes toward teachers. Besides, the parent’s background does not reflect their attitudes and practices. Suggestions, including delivering the concept of partnership to the parents and increasing the opportunities of participating in school activities, are provided to promote greater quality of the parent-teacher relationship.

Impact of Australian general practice alcohol and other drugs education: a qualitative evaluation.

Many GPs are challenged to deliver safe and effective care for patients who use alcohol and other drugs (AOD). The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) developed the AOD GP Education Programme to support Australian GPs and optimise AOD care in the community. How the programme impacted GP participants is not yet fully understood. To explore the views and experiences of GP participants who completed the AOD GP Education Programme, and AOD experts who were involved in the programme as a presenter or mentor. Situated in the constructivist paradigm, this qualitive descriptive study engaged GPs across Australia. This study employed semi-structured, online, focus groups interviews. Data were analysed thematically. Five focus groups were held with a total of 35 GP participants. Five themes developed, which illustrated that the study participants viewed the programme design as comprehensive and flexible. It has also been shown that participants' individual learning needs were addressed. Impacts of the programme on clinical practice included the following: confidence to care for patients who use AOD; confidence to collaborate with colleagues in delivery of AOD care; confidence to develop AOD professional networks in their community setting; and confidence to manage complex AOD presentations. Participants described the AOD programme as a high quality and positive educational experience. The prioritisation of core treatment skills (whole-person care and structured approaches to behavioural change) was a feature of the professional development programme. The AOD programme design is a practical model to implement for future AOD GP education and continuing professional development.

Educational Experience and Instructional Design Effectiveness Within the Community of Inquiry Framework

Within its 20 years of development, the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework has become the most widely used theoretical framework in e-learning. It is considered in much of the distance education literature to be a robust collaborative-constructivist process model that uses three essential elements to interpret educational experience: cognitive presence, teaching presence, and social presence. Widespread use of the CoI framework has resulted in several criticisms, such as having no guidelines for implementation, no incorporation of assessment and evaluation metrics, and no widespread consensus on the current model’s ability to represent all the contributing factors that promote a positive educational experience. However, there is an opportunity to overcome these shortcomings, some of which may exist, and to use the CoI’s extraordinary strength in creating a positive education experience, by adding instructional design effectiveness. The purpose of this combination of a literature review and opinion is to present the CoI framework and its major controversies to shine a light on its importance as one approach to designing critical parts of e-learning. Additionally, given the CoI’s purpose of creating a positive educational experience, this paper argues to make explicit to instructional designers and instructors the need to address using the CoI framework within an effective overall design.

Experiences of Early and Enhanced Clinical Exposure for Postgraduate Neonatal Nursing Students at the University of Zambia, School of Nursing Sciences: Lessons and Implications for the Future.

Early and Enhanced Clinical Exposure immediately places postgraduate students in a clinical setting and incorporates continual hands-on instruction throughout their studies. It aims to motivate students by strengthening their academics, improving clinical and communication skills, and increasing their confidence. The underlying principles are to provide a clinical context and to ensure that the patient remains the centre of learning. The School of Nursing Sciences implemented this model in 2021 to produce hands-on Masters-level neonatal practitioners who can work in multidisciplinary clinical contexts. Therefore, this study explored the experiences of postgraduate nursing students on the Early and Enhanced Clinical Exposure model and draw implications for the future. A phenomenological study design was utilized at the University of Zambia, School of Nursing Sciences and comprised of eight Master of Science Neonatal Nursing students in their second year. Convenience sampling was used to select the study site and participants. Data was collected between 15th January 2023 and 31st January 2023 using an in-depth interview guide. Audio recording and notes were transcribed immediately after data collection. Data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis and codes and themes were constructed from the coded data. Ethical clearance and permission were sought before conducting the study. Four major themes emerged from the study: identity and role confusion, challenging and hectic experiences, positive educational experiences, and personal and professional growth. These themes contributed to the promotion of evidence-based practice by helping students to assess, diagnose, and treat various conditions, as well as gain interest, experience, knowledge, and exposure. The model has a significant impact on motivation to learn, as evidenced by reported increased skill level with potential for use in clinical practice. It is recommended that it be implemented in all postgraduate programs for full-time students.

Building restaurant customers’ technology readiness through robot-assisted experiences at multiple product levels

The growing popularity of robot-related research contexts in hospitality and tourism calls for in-depth analysis of how different product/service designs strategies integrating robots may influence customers' experiences. Employing a scenario-based 2 × 2 × 2 experimental research design, this study assesses service robots applied at three different product/service levels (i.e., core, facilitating, and augmented). From surveying 378 customers of mid-priced casual restaurants and 312 tourists of a mid-priced theme park restaurant, findings of the study suggest that using robots at all three product/service levels lead to a more positive educational experience but not entertainment experience. The study further extends the literature by positioning dining at a robotic restaurant as an important occasion to showcase the latest technologies to customers. By providing memorable entertainment and educational experiences, customers’ technology readiness could be enhanced, making them more willing to try new technologies. Such a focus brings in unique contributions both in literature and practice.

Key tips to providing a psychologically safe learning environment in the clinical setting

Having psychological safety embedded in preceptorship relationships facilitates positive interpersonal and educational experiences for students. Psychological safety refers to a student’s belief as to whether or not it is safe for them to take interpersonal risks, such as asking questions, sharing an idea for improvement or speaking up to maintain patient safety. Having psychological safety leads to collaboration, positive student learning experiences and effective patient care. This article presents key guidelines for preceptors to provide a psychologically safe learning environment for their students. Guidelines fall under four categories 1) before meeting students, 2) first meeting students, 3) continued relationship with students, and 4) general rules. These guidelines are informed by current literature on psychological safety and preceptorship and the author's clinical expertise in nursing preceptorship. We conceptualise psychological safety in a nursing preceptorship for preceptors to denote the experience of inclusivity, empowerment, and well-being of students within the social, cultural and physical clinical learning environment. A crucial attribute to cultivating a psychologically safe environment involves being an accessible and approachable preceptor.

How Ageism Affects the Health Quality and Interventional Strategies among the Elderly Population

&lt;p&gt;年齡歧視是對高齡者產生刻板印象、偏見與差別對待之負面認知態度及行為，是全球嚴重議題，本文探討年齡歧視如何影響高齡者健康品質與介入改善策略。年齡歧視造成健康品質負面效應包括：被排除接受醫療服務與治療、缺少工作機會、心智疾病、身體疾病、被排除參與臨床研究、影響生活品質與幸福感等11項健康領域。健康專業人員與高齡者本身對年齡歧視也造成醫療決策與溝通模式負面效應。改善年齡歧視介入策略包括：運用高齡正面教育與接觸體驗模式、同理心擬真訓練與實證研究彌補實務落差。結語：年齡歧視存在於社會、高齡者、健康專業人員與醫療體系，藉由促進世代間相互瞭解，跨專業之教育訓練與研究合作，以改善年齡歧視，提升高齡者健康品質。&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ageism is a critical global problem that is defined as negative attitudes and behaviors toward older individuals, including stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. The aim of this review article was to elucidate how ageism affects the health quality of older individuals and the interventional strategies developed to combat ageism. Previous studies have highlighted the adverse effects of ageism on health quality among 11 health domains, including denied access to health care and treatment, lack of employment opportunities, mental illness, physical illness, exclusion from health research, and poor quality of life and well-being. The previous studies revealed that among health professionals and older individuals, ageism was associated with negative effects on medical decision-making and communication. Moreover, interventional strategies developed to combat ageism involved the use of positive education and contact experience models, empathy simulation training, and evidence-based research to bridge gaps in practice. In conclusion, ageism is a common phenomenon in society and health care systems and among older individuals and health care professionals. Ageism problems must be resolved and the health quality of older individuals must be improved through intergenerational understanding and through interprofessional teamwork in educational training and research. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

"Learning from the experts" - a novel advanced cadaveric course for Gynaecological Oncology (GO) Cytoreductive Surgery.

Ovarian cancer cytoreductive surgery necessitates the use of advanced Simulation-Based Learning (SBL) to optimise skill-based teaching and achieve technical proficiency. We describe and appraise the role of a novel postgraduate cadaveric course for cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian/fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer. Several consultant-level surgeons with expertise in upper gastrointestinal, colorectal, hepatobiliary and urological surgery, were invited to teach their counterpart gynaecological oncology (GO) surgeons. The 2-day course curriculum involved advanced dissections on thiel-embalmed cadavers. All dissections included applicable steps required during GO cytoreductive surgeries. We used a feedback questionnaire and structured interviews to capture trainers and delegates views respectively. All delegates reported a positive educational experience and improvement of knowledge in all course components. There was no difference in the perception of feedback across junior versus senior consultants. Trainers perceived this opportunity as a "2-way learning" whether they got to explore in depth the GO perspective in how and which of their skills are applicable during cytoreductive surgery. Collaborating with other surgical specialities promotes a "learning from the experts" concept and has potential to meet the rapidly increased demand for multi-viscera surgical excellence in GO surgery. The concept of involving experts from other surgical disciplines in advanced cadaveric courses for cytoreductive surgery in ovarian cancer, will solidify the effort to achieve excellence in the GO training. Such courses can be essential educational adjunct for most GO fellowships.

Emirati female students pursing technical and vocational education and training (TVET): perceptions from the UAE

ABSTRACT One way the United Arab Emirates uses to increase the employability skills of its nationals is by promoting and encouraging students to pursue technical and vocational education and training (TVET). This goal includes both female and male Emirati youth. However, studies show that females are still under-represented in TVET. Therefore, this study aims at exploring Emirati female students’ perceptions of their educational experiences in TVET, the challenges they faced, and their future expectations. The study followed a mixed methods design with data collected through an online survey. Findings revealed that participants have an overall positive educational experience despite the academic and cultural challenges they experience. They believe their vocational education enables them to have a better future be it a career or in continuing their education. Despite these positive influences, additional efforts are needed to improve vocational training and alter the mindset and perception of vocational education.