Practice-based Subjects Research Articles

Perspectives of Hybrid Performing Arts Education in the Post-Pandemic Era: An Empirical Study in Hong Kong

While the COVID-19 pandemic has been raging across the continents, performing arts educators have unlearned and adjusted their pedagogies in course delivery to surmount the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Subject to the COVID-19 pandemic situation easing in Hong Kong and around the world, the whole education sector seems to be bouncing back to normal gradually. Meanwhile, there are effective lessons and insights to be learned from the hybrid pedagogy during the pandemic, which could further benefit the new normal period (post-pandemic) of performing arts education. To examine the current practice of digital learning among students and faculty (attitudes towards hybrid, online, and face-to-face learning and preferences about learning mode for professional development/training workshops), this empirical study looks at 408 students and 17 faculty members at a leading performing arts institute in Hong Kong. This study locates the key issues for performing arts educators regarding online/hybrid teaching and learning. It presents lessons and insights for quality insurance and improvement. Findings can inform the future development of digital teaching and learning for the performing arts as well as for other practice-based subjects.

Creativity and opportunity: how COVID-19 fosters digital dance education

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to every sector, including education. Virtual space during the pandemic has enabled a range of creative events, such as streaming performances, cyber tours, and online activities. Within confined spaces, performing artists have quickly become digital experts in pushing boundaries. This paper examines how tertiary dance teachers and students have coped with the sudden change caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 120+ university/college dance teachers and students from different continents participated in this study. The study finds that some technologies work better than others, virtual platforms are congruent with current students’ learning preferences, and restrictions in space boost creativity and empathy. This paper shares timely lessons and insights on tools, pedagogies, and strategies for online teaching and learning. It aims to foster further discussions and interrogations of how far we can push practice-based subjects in education by creatively engaging digital technology.

Digital expansions of physical learning spaces in practice-based subjects - blended learning in Art and Craft & Design in teacher education

Experimentation with learning designs in practical subjects has been given little attention in extant research literature on online and blended learning in teacher education. To meet this scarcity, the present paper presents findings from two learning design experiments in the subjects of Art and Craft & Design in teacher education in Denmark. The purpose of the experiments is to investigate how subject-specific, physical learning spaces can be expanded digitally in blended learning courses in practical subjects in which students must train their craftsman-like skills. The learning design experiment carried out in the subject of Art integrates art museums as physical spaces through the use of virtual reality (VR), whereas the learning design experiment in Craft & Design integrates practical workshops as physical spaces through the use of synchronous online webinars.The findings presented below show that the learning design experiments help integrate authentic learning spaces into the two subjects through the use of digital technology, albeit in different ways. In Art, the learning design tested is experienced as digitally expanded learning spaces by teacher students because the real world outside of campus (in this case, art museums) is integrated into an educational setting through the use of VR. In Craft & Design, the online webinars are experienced as authentic, digitally expanded learning spaces because they provide an opportunity to think and speak in the practical modes of the subject.

WIL-Power: Towards a Signature Pedagogy in Journalism

Capstone courses in undergraduate education, especially in professional schools such as journalism, usually try to teach students to think and perform like the future practitioners they intend to become. Internships, practice-based subjects, work experience courses—they all aim to bridge the students’ knowledge from the largely theoretical to the urgently practical; knowledge that will be essential in the workplace, whether it’s a doctor in a hospital, a lawyer in a courtroom or a teacher in a classroom. Shulman’s ground-breaking insight was to articulate these as Signature Pedagogies and to define them clearly in three dimensions—to think, to perform, and to act with integrity—just as experienced practitioners in the field are doing. This article contends that overseas Work Integrated Learning (WIL) courses such as those examined here, conducted by the researcher for the University of Queensland (UQ), are a Signature Pedagogy because the student participants are required to behave, think and perform ethically, just as foreign correspondents must do.

Interactive Online Learning

This study is focused on the implications of the student voice in digital-based entrepreneurship education basing on the case study example from university-level schooling from Finland. Practice-based subjects, such as entrepreneurship, have been seen in literature as a problematic field for digital-based education. The studied education was implemented using the synthesis of two computer-mediated communication channels. Analysis based on the content analysis of individual portfolios (diaries), which were returned and stored in the asynchronous platform. In the case study environment, the decision of using use two-channel digital teaching platforms (synchronous and asynchronous) seemed to be successful, because dual channels enable wider forms of feedback and student voice activities during and after the lecture. The results of this study encourage educators to use multifaceted digital educational technology in education and as a channel for the student voice also in practice-based subjects, such as entrepreneurship.

Can breastfeeding support be taught online? An evaluation of a training package for student health visitors

This study evaluated an online learning package developed to support student health visitors' education about health promotion in infant feeding and how best to support parents in the community. Online learning is increasingly being used in nursing education, in combination with traditional classroom-based teaching and experience in practice. To meet the needs of students across the South West of England, the University of the West of England (UWE) has developed innovative ways of delivering high-quality, evidence-based education. Study participants (n=66) were enrolled on a specialist community public health nursing course and were part of a cohort that studied at two geographically distant venues in the South West. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using an online survey. The study found that students had the skills and ability to use the online programme, and enjoyed working at home at a self-directed time and pace. Expectations of online learning packages are high in terms of professional presentation and technological quality. While students accepted the concept of online learning, some felt it was not an appropriate method to deliver training about breastfeeding. This evaluation suggests that the majority of students accept online learning as part of a blended learning package, even for practice-based subjects such as breastfeeding promotion and support.

LDL-cholesterol and the potential for coronary risk improvement: evidence from a practice based carotid Imaging study

Summary Aim: To determine population-attributable predicted coronary risk for major coronary risk factors and derive potential for reduction of global coronary risk. Methods: We obtained images of carotid atherosclerosis in practice-based subjects from self-referred CORDICARE (COR) and physician-referred KARDIOLAB (KAR) patients and calculated 10-year predicted coronary risk according to Swiss guidelines (AGLA) and via reclassification by post-test risk derived from ultrasound-measured total plaque area of the left and right carotid artery. We calculated predicted coronary risk reduction attributable to achievement of all AGLA goals, and for individual risk factors: smokers became nonsmokers, diabetic patients became nondiabetic patients, HDL level, if not already attained, was increased to 1.5 mmol/l, similarly, LDL level was lowered to 1.8 mmol/l, systolic blood pressure (BP) was lowered to 130 and then 10-year risk was recalculated for every subject. Results: COR included N = 900 (48% female), mean age 59 ± 9 years, KAR included N = 600 (35% female), mean age 58 ± 9 years. COR vs KAR: fewer smokers (12% vs 28%), fewer diabetic patients (3% vs 9%), higher systolic BP (133 ± 15 vs 128 ± 19) and higher HDL (1.6 ± 0.4 vs 1.4 ± 0.4 mmol/l), lower AGLA coronary risk (6.6 ± 7.0 vs 8.1 ± 8.6%), lower post-test risk (13.4 ± 14.1 vs 16.2 ± 16.4%). Predicted percent risk reductions for COR and KAR were: all AGLA treatment goals reached (–46% vs –51%), AGLA LDL goals met (–29% vs –29%), LDL ≤1.8 mmol/l (–52% vs –49%), no smokers (–7% vs –12%), HDL 1.50 mmol/l (–13% vs –21%), blood pressure ≤130 (–7% vs –6%), no diabetes (–1% vs –3%).

Using problem-based learning in web-based components of nurse education

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centred method of teaching, and is initiated by introducing a clinical problem through which learning is fostered by active inquisition ( Tavakol and Reicherter, 2003). Using this teaching and learning strategy for web-based environments is examined from the literature for potential implementation in a Bachelor of Nursing program. In view of the evidence, students accessing online nursing subjects would seem to benefit from web-based PBL as it provides flexibility, opportunities for discussion and co-participation, encourages student autonomy, and allows construction of meaning as the problems mirror the real world. PBL also promotes critical thinking and transfer of theory to practice. It is recommended that some components of practice-based subjects such as Clinical Practice or Community Health Nursing, could be implemented online using a PBL format, which should also include a discussion forum to enable group work for problem-solving activities, and tutor facilitation.

Reviews

Review of the Unspoken Interactions: exploring the role of emotions, interactions and embodied knowledge in practice-based subjects' symposium December 2007 University of the Arts, London Teaching with Emotional Intelligence: A Step-by-Step Guide for Higher and Further Education Professionals, Alan Mortiboys (2005) 1st edition, London: Rutledge (146 p.), First ISBN: 978-0415350-88-4, Price: 19.99 GBP (Paperback)

W01.74 Ten year cardiovascular risk assessment in practice-based subjects: A comparison between a modified PROCAM algorithm (PROCm), the European guides (EU03) and atherosclerosis imaging

W01.74 Ten year cardiovascular risk assessment in practice-based subjects: A comparison between a modified PROCAM algorithm (PROCm), the European guides (EU03) and atherosclerosis imaging

W01.74 Ten year cardiovascular risk assessment in practice-based subjects: A comparison between a modified PROCAM algorithm (PROCm), the European guides (EU03) and atherosclerosis imaging

W01.74 Ten year cardiovascular risk assessment in practice-based subjects: A comparison between a modified PROCAM algorithm (PROCm), the European guides (EU03) and atherosclerosis imaging

Continuing professional education: a challenge for rural health practitioners.

Health professionals in rural and remote areas of Australia are disadvantaged when accessing continuing education. Their geographical isolation influences attendance at seminars, workshops and even informal discussions with colleagues. This paper describes the strategies adopted to meet the continuing education needs of a group of health professionals working in diabetes education and discusses how other specialist areas can provide similar educational opportunities. The education programs for isolated health professionals involved in diabetes care in South Australia were created by a team, and the resources of their associated institutions. Formal working agreements were established to achieve the aim of relevant continuing education for rural health professionals and to ensure ongoing ventures. All programs have been positively received, and evaluations identify the need to develop other, related subjects. Future developments will further utilise advances in technology to extend access and add to the current modes of education delivery. It is the intention of this group to continue to develop practice-based subjects capable of meeting rural health practitioners' needs and thus enhance the quality of care in rural and remote communities.