Research-related Skills Research Articles

CUREing cancer: Development and implementation of a molecular biology-focused course-based undergraduate research experience using a cancer cell culture model.

Many students in the sciences are interested in exploring research opportunities; however, the one-on-one faculty mentorship model often lacks the ability to supervise large numbers of students. An alternative mechanism for exposing undergraduate students to the research process is participation in a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE). CUREs promote inclusivity in research, and provide structure for both students and faculty while engaging students in scientific discovery. This study describes a model for a CURE in cancer biology, and reports student outcomes. Students utilized bioinformatics to predict targets genes of miR-100, a microRNA that is differentially expressed in a cell culture model of breast cancer metastasis. Students were required to engage with primary literature to write a grant proposal for their target gene, and then were trained to perform basic molecular biology techniques to test their individual hypotheses. Additionally, the course integrated opportunities to troubleshoot experiments and present data to the group, and culminated in a publication style scientific report discussing the results of their individual research project. Students reported significantly increased confidence in executing various molecular biology techniques and research-related skills based on pre- and post-assessment surveys. Student feedback also indicated that they gained an understanding of primary literature, experimental design, and scientific writing as a result of the course. This study supports that CUREs can be an effective pedagogy for not only engaging larger groups of students in research, but also improving their confidence and skill set in the laboratory.

Is research-based learning effective? Evidence from a pre–post analysis in the social sciences

ABSTRACT Research-based learning (RBL) is regarded as a panacea when it comes to effective instructional formats in higher education settings. It is said to improve a wide set of research-related skills and is a recommended learning experience for students. However, whether RBL in the social sciences is indeed as effective as has been postulated for other disciplines has not yet been systematically examined. We thus administered a pre–post-test study to N = 952 students enrolled in 70 RBL courses at 10 German universities and examined potential changes in cognitive and affective-motivational research dispositions. Latent change score modelling indicated that students increased their cognitive research dispositions, whereas most affective-motivational research dispositions decreased. The instructors’ interest in the students’ work served as a significant predictor of changes in research interest and joy. Practical implications for designing RBL environments can be inferred from the results.

I was once a world famous magician: Using improv to improve performance in the classroom

A wise improv actor once told me that when students come to class, they expect to be bored. Unfortunately for information literacy instructors, there may be no place where this is more true than our own classrooms. Research has shown that the confidence students have in their research-related skills often does not match their proficiency with those skills.For some students, this means that they enter our classrooms believing that they already know how to effectively find, evaluate, and use information as part of the research process. As a result, they are not open to the idea that there might be more to learn. So they expect to be bored.

Mentoring for Inclusion: The Impact of Mentoring on Undergraduate Researchers in the Sciences.

Increasing inclusion of underrepresented minority and first-generation students in mentored research experiences both increases diversity in the life sciences research community and prepares students for successful careers in these fields. However, analyses of the impact of mentoring approaches on specific student gains are limited. This study addresses the impact of mentoring strategies within research experiences on broadening access to the life sciences by examining both how these experiences impacted student success and how the quality of mentorship affected the development of research and academic skills for a diverse population of students at a public, minority-serving institution. Institutional data on student grades and graduation rates (n = 348) along with postresearch experience surveys (n = 138) found that students mentored in research had significantly higher cumulative grade point averages and similar graduation rates as a matched set of peers. Examination of the relationships between student-reported gains and mentoring strategies demonstrated that socioemotional and culturally relevant mentoring impacted student development during mentored research experiences. Additionally, extended engagement in research yielded significantly higher development of research-related skills and level of independence in research. Recommendations are provided for using mentoring to support traditionally underrepresented students in the sciences.

Impact of a pharmacy practice research capacity-building programme on improving the research abilities of pharmacists at two specialised tertiary care hospitals in Qatar: a preliminary study

The aim of this study was to develop and implement a pharmacy practice research training programme and to determine the effect of the programme on pharmacists' knowledge of, and attitudes towards, research. An intensive 26-h training programme on pharmacy practice research methodology and biostatistics was designed and delivered. Thirty pharmacists from the National Center for Cancer Care and Research and the Heart Hospital in Qatar were recruited. A pre-test–post-test study design was used to subjectively and objectively assess research competencies and attitudes among the trainees. Both descriptive and inferential analyses including Wilcoxon signed-rank, McNemar χ2 and paired t-tests were performed to assess the utility of the training (P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant). After completing the training sessions, all subjectively assessed research-related skills were significantly improved (P < 0.05). This was also confirmed with an overall significant improvement in the objectively assessed research-related knowledge (P < 0.05). Overall, there was a significant improvement in the mean total knowledge score after the training programme (13.4 ± 6.4 versus 20 ± 6.0; P < 0.001). A modest change was observed when attitude towards research was assessed immediately after the training. This study demonstrated that it was feasible to design and implement a pharmacy-tailored research training programme and that such programme could improve pharmacists' knowledge and attitude on short term. This pilot study calls for further research to investigate the long-term outcomes of such programmes.

Doctoral Dissertation Supervision: Identification and Evaluation of Models

Doctoral research supervision is one of the major avenues for sustaining students’ satisfaction with the programme, preparing students to be independent researchers and effectively initiating students into the academic community. This work reports doctoral students’ evaluation of their various supervision models, their satisfaction with these supervision models, and development of research-related skills. The study used a descriptive research design and was guided by three research questions and two hypotheses. A sample of 310 Ph.D. candidates drawn from a federal university in Eastern part of Nigeria was used for this study. The data generated through the questionnaire was analyzed using descriptive statistics andt-tests. Results show that face-to-face interactive model was not only the most frequently used, but also the most widely adopted in doctoral thesis supervision while ICT-based models were rarely used. Students supervised under face-to-face interactive model reported being more satisfied with dissertation supervision than those operating under face-to-face noninteractive model. However, students supervised under these two models did not differ significantly in their perceived development in research-related skills.

Quality assessment and response to the Spanish Health Minister's report regarding the scientific clinical evidence of homeopathy

S POSTER PRESENTATIONS Development and implementation of a researchtraining program in Homeopathy within the Master’s degree for medical doctors of the University of Barcelona (UB) Sergio Abanades*, Marta Duran, Maite Bravo and Gonzalo Fernandez Acad emia M edico Homeop atica de Barcelona (AMHB), Barcelona, Spain *Corresponding author. E-mail: s.abanades@gmail.com (S. Abanades) Introduction: There is a growing offer of homeopathic courses in Europe. Nevertheless, there training in evidence-based research in homeopathy is not always available. The scientific evidences of homeopathy are crucial for the integration of homeopathy in public health. Thus, knowledge in this field is necessary for novel and experimented homeopaths to understand evidence-based medicine (EBM) and contribute to generate valid scientific data. Aims: The aim of this project was to design and implement a clinical research training in homeopathy within the Master’s degree for medical doctors (MDs) of the University of Barcelona (UB), Spain. Methods: TheMaster’s degree for medical doctors of the University of Barcelona (UB) is a two-years course based on the “Basic Teaching Standards in Homeopathic Medicine” approved by the European Committee of Homeopathy. A research programme was designed by two MDs clinical researchers, specialised in both clinical pharmacology and homeopathy. The program is divided in four major areas: 1) review of the scientific evidences of Homeopathy following EBM standards (basic science, effects of ultradilutions, effects in healthy volunteers, clinical evidences) 2) developing critical reading skills in EBM and pertinent analysis of relevant homeopathic research publications 3) training in developing an EBM research protocol and in planning, developing and publishing a scientific paper. 4) Preparation and presentation of the pertinent research dissertations work. Results: Since 2010 60MDs and veterinary doctors have been trained in this program enhancing their knowledge of evidence-based homeopathy and their research-related skills. Dissertation’s work comprise several different research areas including veterinary research, design and execution of “provings”, design of randomised and controlled clinical trials, epidemiological studies, studies in healthy humans, replication of previous published work etc. Conclusions: Training in homeopathic research increases the awareness of the scientific evidences of homeopathy and can contribute to increase the generation of valid scientific data in homeopathy. This can enhance the quality of clinical reports and observational studies and promote adequate clinical trials to answer clinical practice research questions. Quality assessment and response to the Spanish Health Minister’s report regarding the scientific clinical evidence of homeopathy

Development and implementation of a research-training program in Homeopathy within the Master's degree for medical doctors of the University of Barcelona (UB)

S POSTER PRESENTATIONS Development and implementation of a researchtraining program in Homeopathy within the Master’s degree for medical doctors of the University of Barcelona (UB) Sergio Abanades*, Marta Duran, Maite Bravo and Gonzalo Fernandez Acad emia M edico Homeop atica de Barcelona (AMHB), Barcelona, Spain *Corresponding author. E-mail: s.abanades@gmail.com (S. Abanades) Introduction: There is a growing offer of homeopathic courses in Europe. Nevertheless, there training in evidence-based research in homeopathy is not always available. The scientific evidences of homeopathy are crucial for the integration of homeopathy in public health. Thus, knowledge in this field is necessary for novel and experimented homeopaths to understand evidence-based medicine (EBM) and contribute to generate valid scientific data. Aims: The aim of this project was to design and implement a clinical research training in homeopathy within the Master’s degree for medical doctors (MDs) of the University of Barcelona (UB), Spain. Methods: TheMaster’s degree for medical doctors of the University of Barcelona (UB) is a two-years course based on the “Basic Teaching Standards in Homeopathic Medicine” approved by the European Committee of Homeopathy. A research programme was designed by two MDs clinical researchers, specialised in both clinical pharmacology and homeopathy. The program is divided in four major areas: 1) review of the scientific evidences of Homeopathy following EBM standards (basic science, effects of ultradilutions, effects in healthy volunteers, clinical evidences) 2) developing critical reading skills in EBM and pertinent analysis of relevant homeopathic research publications 3) training in developing an EBM research protocol and in planning, developing and publishing a scientific paper. 4) Preparation and presentation of the pertinent research dissertations work. Results: Since 2010 60MDs and veterinary doctors have been trained in this program enhancing their knowledge of evidence-based homeopathy and their research-related skills. Dissertation’s work comprise several different research areas including veterinary research, design and execution of “provings”, design of randomised and controlled clinical trials, epidemiological studies, studies in healthy humans, replication of previous published work etc. Conclusions: Training in homeopathic research increases the awareness of the scientific evidences of homeopathy and can contribute to increase the generation of valid scientific data in homeopathy. This can enhance the quality of clinical reports and observational studies and promote adequate clinical trials to answer clinical practice research questions. Quality assessment and response to the Spanish Health Minister’s report regarding the scientific clinical evidence of homeopathy

Using Older People's Life Stories to Teach Developmental Psychology and Aging: Benefits and Difficulties

The goals of this study were to design and implement an experiential learning assignment in an undergraduate developmental psychology and aging course and to explore students' perceptions of it. One hundred and forty-three first-year students enrolled in an introductory course on developmental psychology across the life span recorded, transcribed, and analyzed the life story of an older person. Afterwards, they wrote a paper that combined theoretical concepts and reflections on this story and were asked about the benefits and difficulties of the task. The answers to these questions were content analyzed. The reported benefits were grouped into two categories: benefits related to the academic objectives of the project (improving learning of developmental concepts, research-related skills, and attitudes towards old age) and personal growth. The former were reported by approximately two-thirds of the participants and, in most cases, were related to the acquisition of theory. The latter were mentioned by 70.6% of students, and learning some kind of life lesson was the most cited benefit. Students mentioned some difficulties in interviewing, transcribing, and analyzing the interview, and in writing the paper. Interviewing seemed to be the most difficult task. Collecting and analyzing an older person's life story seems to have many positive effects, not only on students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes, but also on their personal development. Thus, despite the difficulties posed by this experiential learning assignment, it might be a useful tool to complement more traditional lecture-based teaching methods in developmental psychology and aging courses.

Tell Me Your Life: Including Life Stories in an Adult Development and Aging Course

The goals of this study were to determine the learning impact of an assignment that consisted of interviewing and analyzing older people’s life stories, and to explore how the assignment was evaluated by students. Participants in the study were 122 first-year social education students enrolled in an adult development and aging course. They evaluated the assignment using an eight-adjective questionnaire and were asked about the benefits of the task. Their answers to the questionnaire were then reviewed using content analysis. The results indicated that marks on the life story assignment predicted marks on an exam about basic course concepts. Students considered that the assignment was interesting, useful, and integrated into the course, although most of them also thought that it was very time-consuming. They identified benefits related to the explicit goals of the course (improvement in the learning of developmental concepts, the acquisition of research-related skills, and the deactivation of aging stereotypes) and personal, growth-related benefits. The authors discuss the difficulties posed by the assignment and its usefulness as a complement to more traditional, lecture-based teaching methods in adult development and aging courses.

The Need for More Workshops in Laparoscopic Surgery and Surgical Anatomy for European Gynaecological Oncology Trainees

The objective of this study was to highlight the relative preference of European gynecologic oncology trainees for workshops that could support and supplement their training needs. A Web-based survey was sent to 900 trainees on the European Network of Young Gynaecological Oncologists database in November 2011. Respondents were asked to rate a 13-item questionnaire (using a 1- to 5-point Likert scale) on workshop topics they felt would most benefit their training requirements. Free text space for additional topics was also provided. Descriptive analysis was used to describe the mean scores reported for different items. A complete linkage hierarchical cluster analysis with Dendron plot was used to assess any clustering of data, and Cronbach α was used to assess the internal reliability of the questionnaire. One hundred ninety trainees from 37 countries responded to the survey, giving a 21% response rate. The 3 most important topics reported were laparoscopic surgery; surgical anatomy, and imaging techniques in gynecologic oncology. The Dendron plot indicated 4 different clusters of workshops (research related skills, supportive ancillary skills, related nonsurgical subspecialties, and core surgical skills) reflecting different competencies trainees need to meet. There was no significant association between individual country of training and workshop preference. The mean duration of the workshop preferred by 71% of respondents was 2 days. Cronbach α of the 13-item questionnaire was 0.78, which suggests good internal consistency/reliability. This report for the first time highlights the relative importance and significance European trainees attach to some of their training needs in gynecologic oncology. Laparoscopic surgery, surgical anatomy, and imaging appear to be the 3 areas of greatest need. The European Society of Gynaecological Oncology, other national specialist societies, and institutions should direct additional training efforts at these areas.

The Development of a Blended Learning Experience to Enable a Personalised Learning Approach to Researcher Development for Research Students

The introduction of a blended learning approach facilitates the development of transferable, employability, and research related skills within higher education. Research students engage in a variety of learning communities including membership of research teams based on their department or faculty, wider communities based around the Graduate School or Research Skills Training, and also communities beyond their university such as student research networks and discipline based global networks. By matching their skills to the Researcher Development Framework, through the Postgraduate Training Scheme, we can facilitate the development of transferable, employability, and research related skills.

New Zealand occupational therapists' views on evidence‐based practice: A replicated survey of attitudes, confidence and behaviours

Evidence-based practice is internationally recognised as an essential component of contemporary occupational therapy, and as being critical to the future of the profession. However, its uptake by therapists has been modest with barriers such as therapists attitudes, skills and organisational support frequently cited. This study explored New Zealand therapists' perceptions of their behaviours, skills and attitudes regarding evidence-based practice. A survey comprising open and closed questions was emailed to all therapists holding practicing certificates who had consented to be contacted about research (n = 1587) with 30% (n = 473) of surveys returned. Therapists' evidence-based practice attitudes, skills and behaviours were examined using descriptive statistics. Relationships between therapists' perceptions of evidence-based practice and demographic characteristics of therapists were explored using Chi-square analysis. Text responses were analysed using content analysis. New Zealand therapists have a positive attitude towards evidence-based practice (84%), but report moderate reference to research literature (56%) during clinical decision-making and moderate (66%) to low (35%) levels of confidence in research-related skills. Therapists with training in evidence-based practice had higher levels of confidence, perceived research as more relevant to practice and reported less barriers to implementing evidence-based practice than other therapists. A perception that evidence-based practice is separate to clinical reasoning was widely held. New Zealand therapists' evidence-based practice behaviours, skills and attitudes are largely consistent with international comparisons. However, if New Zealand therapists are to enact the ideal of being 'evidence-based' then accessible training in evidence-based practice-related skills is indicated and should include education of what evidence-based practice means.

A Multi-institutional Study of Students’ Perceptions and Experiences in the Research-based Capstone Course in Sociology

In this article, we describe student perceptions of, and experiences in, a one-semester, required sociology research capstone course. The data come from 106 students in eight sections of the course taught at three institutions. We used multiple methods for data collection: questionnaires, focus groups, and learning reflection essays. Our results include students’ having a good sense of what to expect from the course, reporting learning many research-related skills, and having more positive attitudes about the course in the postmeasures than in the premeasures. Students also stated that the highly structured nature of the course was important for their success but somewhat frustrating. Other important student perceptions were that the course was demanding and time consuming; past courses helped prepare for the capstone experience but that there are gaps in this preparation; they learn best via active learning, feedback, and application; they are proud of their course achievements; and they are engaged in the discipline but are ambiguous about future work in sociology.

Chicks in science! Helping students grok vertebrate embryo morphogenesis, primary literature and biology databases through active and service learning

Goal: to improve a teacher's ability to help her students develop research-related skills and develop their lasting understanding of the foundational concepts of embryology and development. In tonight's session we will work through Kathryn Tosney's Origami Embryo, and see first-hand how a simple, active, 3-dimensional modeling experience that integrates germ layer changes over time can enhance understanding of embryology. Participants will gain confidence useful for teaching with this amazing tool. Students have contacted me 10 years after doing this exercise to share it with their peers or students. We will also work through the new literature-curation effort GEISHA is developing to help students anywhere build their skills for utilizing the primary literature and genomic databases. Bring your laptop. There will be time for discussion with peers interested in active learning over chick snacks.

Going beyond the textbook: The need to integrate open access primary literature into the Chemistry curriculum

Unrestricted, open access to scholarly scientific literature provides an opportunity for chemistry educators to go beyond the textbook, introducing students to the real work of scientists. Despite the best efforts of textbook authors to provide information about recent research results, textbooks are not a substitute for learning to use the primary literature. Chemical educators can use open access articles to develop research-related skills, to foster curiosity, and to cultivate the next generation of scientists. It is becoming increasingly important for chemical educators to teach undergraduates how online journals are changing the nature of chemical research. Some institutions can not afford online subscription costs, and open access journals can be an important resource to provide practical experience. Open access publications eliminate the barriers to the central work of scientists providing chemistry educators (whether at well-endowed or economically limited colleges) with the key resources for enhancing student learning through current, relevant research.

The Essential Research Curriculum for Doctor of Pharmacy Degree Programs

In 2008, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy appointed the Task Force on Research in the Professional Curriculum to review and make recommendations on the essential research curriculum that should be part of doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree programs. The essential research curriculum provides all students with critical and analytical thinking and lifelong learning skills, which will apply to current and future practice and stimulate some students to pursue a career in this field. Eight key curricular competencies are as follows: identifying relevant problems and gaps in pharmacotherapeutic knowledge; generating a research hypothesis; designing a study to test the hypothesis; analyzing data results using appropriate statistical tests; interpreting and applying the results of a research study to practice; effectively communicating research and clinical findings to pharmacy, medical, and basic science audiences; interpreting and effectively communicating research and clinical findings to patients and caregivers; and applying regulatory and ethical principles when conducting research or using research results. Faculty are encouraged to use research-related examples across the curriculum in nonresearch courses and to employ interactive teaching methods to promote student engagement. Examples of successful strategies used by Pharm.D. degree programs to integrate research content into the curriculum are provided. Current pharmacy school curricula allow variable amounts of time for instructional content in research, which may or may not include hands-on experiences for students to develop research-related skills. Therefore, an important opportunity exists for schools to incorporate the essential research curriculum. Despite the challenges of implementing these recommendations, the essential research curriculum will position pharmacy school graduates to understand the importance of research and its applications to practice. This perspective is provided as an aid and a challenge to those in leadership and teaching positions within schools and colleges of pharmacy.

Statistics for cowards: a field study of the effects of re-designing order and presentation in statistics courses for social science college students

Problem StatementMost social science curricula include at least a basic component of statistics courses. These courses are typically dreaded by the students who perceive them as ‘hard’ and ‘irrelevant’ to their line of academic training. As a result their achievements and performance in the field of scientific literacy are often compromised. Purpose of StudyThis field study examined the potential effects of a new way of presenting old materials on student attitudes and implementation of statistical knowledge. MethodsA field study, following a longitudinal design was conducted through a 2-academic years period. A total of 364 students provided input for our analysis. We re-designed two elements of the standard curriculum of the introductory statistics courses in Education and Psychology: 1) We re-designed the order of subject presentation to match a ‘social science’ logic or line of reasoning (rather than a statistical logic), and 2) we re-designed the assignments to be more content –specific. Outcome measures included: 1) Teaching quality assessment, a standard survey filled out by the students evaluating both teachers and courses taught. (2) Rates of student involvement in ‘individual study’ projects of empirical nature – as an indicative activity representing successful implementation of statistical and research-related skills in the social sciences. Findings and ResultsThe results provided evidence supporting the effectiveness of the intervention described: Students’ assessment of both courses and teachers (though the faculty remained the same before and after the intervention) rose significantly. The rise remained significant even after controlling for potential intervening factors. Rates of student involvement in research activities more than doubled, but patterns differed between the 2 programs we sampled. Conclusions and RecommendationsModifying structure and presentation may benefit both teachers and learners struggling to effectively come to terms with statistical and scientific reasoning in the social sciences. Further implications and directions for future studies are pointed out.

Systematic assessment of the training needs of health library staff

The aim of research conducted for the National Library for Health was to identify what type of training was required, and how the training should be delivered. The article describes the systematic approach used to collate and synthesise the findings of published and unpublished studies (1999-2004) on the training needs of health library staff. The research included two workshops with health library staff to discuss the interim findings (in late 2004). The results showed that health librarians required specialist skills in information retrieval and knowledge management, as well as more advanced research related skills. The conclusions note the need for an agreed competency framework, but also some vision of the capabilities of librarians in the future. For librarians working outside the health sector, the findings indicate that the profession needs to offer career advancement through specialist routes as well as through the managerial route.

A framework of operating models for interdisciplinary research programs in clinical service organizations

A framework of operating models for interdisciplinary research programs in clinical service organizations is presented, consisting of a “clinician–researcher” skill development model, a program evaluation model, a researcher-led knowledge generation model, and a knowledge conduit model. Together, these models comprise a tailored, collaborative approach to enhancing research-informed practice in community-based clinical service organizations. The models place different degrees of emphasis on the development of research-related skills in practitioners, the generation of knowledge tailored to clinical practice, and knowledge sharing. The nature, philosophical basis, roles of research staff members, outputs and impacts, and strengths and limitations of each model are described, in the context of a long-standing, interdisciplinary research program in a children's rehabilitation service organization. The use of the model framework as a tool for the design of interdisciplinary, community-based research programs is discussed.