Curriculum Revision Research Articles

Exploring the social accountability challenges of nursing education system in Iran

BackgroundNursing education in Iran is one of the disciplines of medical sciences and it needs a design tailored to the community needs in terms of theoretical and clinical approaches. This system is currently faced with various challenges. This study aims to explore the challenges of Iranian nursing education system to address community needs.MethodsA study was carried out through an exploratory descriptive qualitative design with content analysis method. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 participants from the nursing society, selected through purposive sampling. The interviews were continued until data saturation. Data analysis was performed simultaneous with data collection by using Graneheim & Lundman approach.ResultsBased on the interviews and simultaneous analyses, a total of 471 codes, 14 subcategories, six main categories, and two themes were extracted. The first theme, “system structure," consisted of three categories: "the need for ongoing revision of curriculum," "the need to recruit qualified students," and "the need for a proportionate educational environment." The second theme was “the education process” with three categories "the need for purposive educational design," "the need for purposive monitoring and feedback," and "the need for appropriate and early interaction with the community." The participants emphasized the continuous revision of the educational curriculum based on the current needs of the community and community-based nursing education.ConclusionsIn general, the results showed that Iranian nursing education system is faced with many challenges in the educational system structure and processes. It is necessary to make appropriate plans to enhance the status of the educational system structure and develop educational designs to address community needs using a hospital/community-based approach.

Thinking for a Change 5.0 Curriculum Revision – Virtual Design, English and Spanish Project (DOJ)

Thinking for a Change 5.0 Curriculum Revision – Virtual Design, English and Spanish Project (DOJ)

The present and future status of oral and maxillofacial pathology in Iran: A multicenter study

Background: At present, the status of oral and maxillofacial pathology (OMFP) in the country is not properly good. This study aimed to investigate the current status and develop practical approaches to improve occupational condition of the specialty in the future from the viewpoint of the beneficiaries.Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The participants were oral and maxillofacial pathologists of the country (200 individuals), OMFP residents (9 individuals), and final year dental students at six dentistry school of the country at 2020 (200 individuals) through multicenter design. At the first phase, the related questionnaires were developed and assessed psychometrically. Reliability of the questionnaires, internal consistency, and repeatability were computed and confirmed. At the second phase, the survey questionnaires on the current and future condition were sent electronically to the study groups. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tests (mean, standard deviation, percentage) and the Pearson test using SPSS.Results: At the first phase, after primary design of the study too, 23 variables with content validity ratio below 0.56 and content validity index (CVI) below 0.79 were omitted. The questionnaire for the specialists was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha of 0.75 and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) as 0.83, and the questionnaire for the students and the residents were confirmed with Cronbach's alpha of 0.95 and ICC of 0.80. Results of the second phase showed that score of tendency of students to select OMFP specialty to continue education was 1.58 ± 0.57 from 5. Satisfaction score of specialists on specialized activity of this specialty is 2.7 ± 1.52 from 5. The most important reason for the students to select this specialty was “interest in being faculty member,” and the “difficulty of the specialty” was the most probable reason for not selecting this specialty. The most important priority of the residents was “interest in specialty” and for the specialists was “being faculty member.” The most important reason to change attitude regarding the specialty by the specialists was mentioned as “high occupational and profession responsibility as well as low income” with the score of 1.38 ± 3.99. “Fundamental revision in the educational curriculum of the specialty” with a score of 4.60 ± 0.93 from 5 was considered as the most important revisionary approach from the viewpoint of specialists.Conclusion: At present, the main problem regarding the OMPF specialty in the country is “high number of graduates and lack of the present occupational opportunities.” Evaluation and validation of the relevant specialized departments, producing occupational opportunities, and fundamental revision in the educational curriculum to train well-powered specialists are necessary.

Attitudes and Perceived Barriers to Research Among Residents in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Trinidad and Tobago: A National Multicenter Cross-sectional Study.

High-quality research forms the basis of evidence-based practice and sets the foundation for trainees to develop critical thinking skills and approach clinical problems with an inquisitive mind. The attitudes to research however vary widely and there are significant barriers to conducting research relevant to each clinical discipline. Understanding both the attitudes of residents to research and the barriers to conducting research could allow for strategies to improve this core aspect of clinical development. This aim of this study was to characterise current attitudes and perceived barriers towards conducting research among residents in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Trinidad and Tobago. An online survey was sent to all residents in the four major public hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago. The 10-min previously piloted questionnaire contained questions related to demographics, career level, research experience, attitudes to research as well as perceived barriers to conducting research. The response rate was 74% (48/65). Although most (77%) respondents were interested in performing research, lack of time (56%) and insufficient training in research (59%) were the main barriers. Lack of mentorship or supervision as well as departmental issues such as access to case notes, electronic databases and bureaucratic issues were also found to hamper a research-oriented environment. For residents in Obstetrics and Gynecology, curricula revision is urgently required to include protected research time, training in research methodology, formal and dedicated research mentors in order to promote a research-oriented culture that ensures a greater understanding and output of research in this specialty.

An Innovative Undergraduate Medical Curriculum Using Entrustable Professional Activities.

The need to educate medical professionals in changing medical organizations has led to a revision of the Radboudumc's undergraduate medical curriculum. Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) were used as a learning tool to support participation and encourage feedback-seeking behavior, in order to offer students the best opportunities for growth. This paper describes the development of the Radboudumc's EPA-based Master's curriculum and how EPAs can facilitate continuity in learning in the clerkships. Four guiding principles were used to create a curriculum that offers possibilities for the students' development: (1) working with EPAs, (2) establishing entrustment, (3) providing continuity in learning, and (4) organizing smooth transitions. The new curriculum was designed with the implementation of EPAs and an e-portfolio, based on these 4 principles. The authors found that the revised curriculum corresponds to daily practice in clerkships. Students used their e-portfolios throughout all clerkships, which stimulates feedback-seeking behavior. Moreover, EPAs promote continuity in learning while rotating clerkships every 1 to 2 months. This might encourage curriculum developers to use EPAs when aiming for greater continuity in the development of students. Future research needs to focus on the effect of EPAs on transitions across clerkships in order to further improve the undergraduate medical curriculum.

Institutionalizing Crisis-Sensitive Education Planning, Preparedness and Capacity Building through Media and Technology Practical Skills for Undergraduate Pre-Service Teachers

Abstract: There is consensus that teacher educators should be held responsible for the trainees that they graduate. COVID-19 led to rapid response to the crisis by promoting adoption of remote learning. Ministries of education all over the world aligned rapid response to their long-term learning priorities. Efforts should be geared towards enhancing the skills of teacher educators and the trainee teachers in crisis risk reduction and management through micro-teaching course. Educational media practical skill training is critical to ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all. Teachers need Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge to use technology for economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental conservation. Digitalization of the curriculum is about looking ahead of crises that may disrupt learning. However, studies on integration of ICT into pedagogy have revealed gross incompetence of teachers and lack of infrastructure and instructional leadership to support its implementation. Additionally, Ministries of Education in Africa have not institutionalized crisis-risk reduction and management into education policies and programs. Moreover, effective continuous professional development for teacher educators and learners has not been institutionalized in higher education in Kenya. Therefore, adoption and integration of ICT into higher education curriculum and pedagogy is still at a nascent stage. A study was done among fourth year pre-service teacher trainees at Maasai Mara University to establish how effective the media practical skills training prepared them for teaching practice and Technological Pedagogical Knowledge Content. The findings revealed that there was a relationship between media practical skills training and teaching practice. They also revealed that most of the students had pedagogical and content knowledge but no Technological Knowledge. This study has recommended revision of the teacher education curriculum, capacity building of teacher educators in 21st Century skills on Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and provision of well-equipped resource centers in teacher training institutions.

Structured Engagement of Community Partners to Revise a Pregnancy Options Counseling Curriculum for Pediatric Residents.

The engagement of community partners, including patients, is increasingly recognized as important in developing medical education curricula. Structured methodology for partner engagement in curriculum development is lacking in the existing literature. This article describes a structured approach to engaging community partners to provide input on revising a curriculum for pediatric residents about pregnancy options counseling with adolescents. We used the five-step Method for Program Adaptation through Community Engagement: (1) development of a panel of community partners including patients and professionals, (2) and (3) partner evaluation of the existing curriculum and recommendations for revisions, (4) summarization of partner feedback, and (5) development of the revised curriculum. We surveyed partners about their perceived impact on the revision and satisfaction with the process. Seventeen partners participated. Five experienced adolescent pregnancy, while the remaining 12 included healthcare and social service professionals. All partners provided multiple recommendations, generating 124 discrete recommendations. Twenty recommendations were suggested by multiple individuals. The authors reviewed all recommendations by category during consensus meetings and determined which recommendations would be incorporated into the revised curriculum to meet stated learning objectives. We implemented 14 of these 20 recommendations, including adding a values clarification exercise, information about mental health crisis resources, and more detail about adoption. We also incorporated 15 individual recommendations pertaining to curriculum clarity. Recommendations from professionals and patients were similar. Fourteen out of 17 participants completed the survey at the close of the project. All respondents understood their roles, were satisfied with their degree of engagement, and felt that their expectations for participation were met or exceeded. This study describes a methodology for a formal process to engage community partners in curriculum development and revision processes. Such methodology can ensure that medical education curricula are optimally attuned to the needs of key community members and integrate the patient's voice.

The EvMed Assessment: A test for measuring student understanding of core concepts in evolutionary medicine.

Universities throughout the USA increasingly offer undergraduate courses in evolutionary medicine (EvMed), which creates a need for pedagogical resources. Several resources offer course content (e.g. textbooks) and a previous study identified EvMed core principles to help instructors set learning goals. However, assessment tools are not yet available. In this study, we address this need by developing an assessment that measures students' ability to apply EvMed core principles to various health-related scenarios. The EvMed Assessment (EMA) consists of questions containing a short description of a health-related scenario followed by several likely/unlikely items. We evaluated the assessment's validity and reliability using a variety of qualitative (expert reviews and student interviews) and quantitative (Cronbach's α and classical test theory) methods. We iteratively revised the assessment through several rounds of validation. We then administered the assessment to undergraduates in EvMed and Evolution courses at multiple institutions. We used results from the pilot to create the EMA final draft. After conducting quantitative validation, we deleted items that failed to meet performance criteria and revised items that exhibited borderline performance. The final version of the EMA consists of six core questions containing 25 items, and five supplemental questions containing 20 items. The EMA is a pedagogical tool supported by a wide range of validation evidence. Instructors can use it as a pre/post measure of student learning in an EvMed course to inform curriculum revision, or as a test bank to draw upon when developing in-class assessments, quizzes or exams.

Three-pronged (3P) Approach to Strengthen Feedback Mechanism in Engineering Education

Abstract: Effectiveness in teaching-learning process and attainment of program outcomes are the areas for which educational institutes are largely accountable. Internal feedback mechanism is the key to enhance the quality of teaching-learning process thereby contributing towards attainment of program outcomes and hence important for the growth of institute. This mechanism should be strong enough for receiving adequate information from stakeholders to help in tweaking or improving the processes. Feedback from students has been a common mechanism being followed in the educational institutes. Also, the industry feedback is considered for curriculum revision. In this paper we will discuss about threepronged (3P) approach for such a feedback mechanism. Three prongs in this approach are the closed loop feedback mechanism, sensitizing students about the importance of feedback and agility in feedback process. Designing feedback and analyzing the feedback received from all the sources in tandem is the backbone of this approach and has been discussed in detail in this paper. The paper presents case study of implementation of proposed 3P approach to enhance the students' learning of computer programming course. Keywords: feedback, teaching-learning process, feedback design, feedback analysis, agility

Another case of the theory to practice gap: South Korean early childhood education and care

Motivated by an increasingly globalized and technological world, countries around the world are rewriting their education policies in favor of play-based learning. South Korea, a country that recently reformed its early childhood curriculum to reflect an emphasis on a whole-child, active play pedagogy, is an important case of how child- and play-centered curriculum may translate into implementable practices. This study surveyed 182 Korean early childhood educators to explore their difficulties in implementing the 2019 Revised Nuri Curriculum. It investigated how these teachers conceptualize play from a science of learning perspective. Understanding their role in play and how play can elicit learning were reported as specific challenges. The study reports a misalignment between teachers’ belief that free play is most beneficial for learning and findings from the scientific literature supporting guided play as most effective for achieving a learning goal. The potential of further Nuri Curriculum revisions reflective of the science of learning paired with continuous professional development for Korean teachers is discussed.

중국의 2022년 개정 초⋅중학교 교육과정 탐구

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the procedures and contents of China's national level curriculum revision, focusing on the general framework of the 2022 revision of the elementary and middle school curriculum, and to draw implications for the revision of the Korean curriculum.
 Methods This study analyzed the documents and related prior research and government policy data of China's revised national curriculum for elementary and secondary schools. Goal setting, curriculum organization structure, common guidelines for subject curriculum quality control, framework document system, etc.
 Results First, the Chinese national curriculum is divided into three school-level curriculums: kindergarten, compulsory education schools, and high school. China's national curriculum revision cycle went through a long revision cycle of about 10 years for each school level. Second, the purpose of the revision is to emphasize the socialist state idea, to focus on core competencies for education reform in preparation for the future society, and to improve the curriculum for problem solving and educational reform. The educational goal is ‘a new human being with the ideal, ability, and responsibility required by the times’. In the curriculum organization, the 6-3 system was operated as a 5-4 system, allowing autonomy in the role of the region and school, and the integration of education between the two school levels for 9 years of compulsory education and the linkage between school levels were strengthened. Curriculum suggested key competencies, achievement standards and quality management plans based on them. In the curriculum document system, the principles and directions of curriculum revision are emphasized in the first half of both the general curriculum and each section, and the readability is clearly stated.
 Conclusions Implications include the stability of the Chinese curriculum revision cycle for about 10 years, the linkage of curriculum by school level and curriculum and the pursuit of independence at the same time, guidance on the role of the nation-local-school in designing and teaching the subjects. The principles of the learning process, evaluation, and operation are presented relatively clearly.

A Scoping Review: Scoping Review: Appropriate Big Ideas of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology to Teach in Chemistry for Secondary School

In the last decade, the nanotechnology sector is rising to take over the manufacturing of consumer products including pharmaceuticals. Due to the rapid advancement of nanotechnology, Malaysia has also taken the lead by introducing nanotechnology to Form Five students in 2021 following the revision of curricula in 2017. While research on which big ideas in nanotechnology to teach is still lacking around the world, the goal of this scoping review was to identify appropriate big ideas of nanotechnology to include in the secondary school curriculum, as well as students' and teachers' perspectives on teaching and learning nanotechnology using the Model of Educational Reconstruction (MER). The scoping review was conducted by adopting a framework with five stages which are (1) identifying the research question, (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) study selection, (4) charting the data, and (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting the results. From the 30 pertinent articles included in this paper, it was found that big ideas that were used in many of the included articles are size and scale, self-assembly, size-dependent properties, volume-to-surface area concept, and applications of nanotechnology. Students were most likely to perform well when they are given tasks after learning nanotechnology with one or two of the big ideas of nanotechnology. Students gave positive feedback when they learned this unit with hands-on activities, using models, and when they attend nanotechnology conferences, whereas teachers wanted more courses on teaching nanotechnology to be provided because most science teachers were trained before nanotechnology was included in science teachers' educational program. Overall, experts feel that while deciding the big ideas of nanotechnology to teach, teachers' perspectives on the appropriateness of nanotechnology's insertion point into the current curriculum should be considered.

의사 인지 이론 관점에서 본 2015 개정 고등학교 수학에서 대학 수학으로의 정적분 담론의 이행

According to the 2015 national curriculum revision, the high school mathematics 2 textbook introduces the definite integral as the difference of the anti-derivatives at the endpoints. However, because most calculus and elementary analysis textbooks at the university level define definite integral as the limit of Riemann sums, students who learned mathematics according to 2015 curriculum revision in high school are forced to use the word “definite integral” differently in university. Sfard views mathematics as a discourse, and she explains the historical development of mathematics and mathematics learning as the change of discourse in the participationist’s perspective. This article looks at the transition problem of the definite integral from school and university in the commognitive framework of Sfard. The comparative analysis of high school and university mathematics discourse about definite integral demonstrates that the two discourses are incommensurable not only in the different word use of definite integral but also the different meta-rule of using definitions and proving. Furthermore, the historical analysis shows that this meta-level change in the transition can be traced to the mathematical revolution from 18th result-oriented calculus to 19th rigorous calculus based on precise definitions and proof. This analysis helps instructors to understand the nature and meaning of the challenges of students in the transition of definite integral between school and university mathematics, to be aware of the commognitive conflict in the communication with students about definite integral, and to design a lesson that helps student change their discourse. The commognitive perspective can contribute to instructors seeing the didactical possibilities in the transition and improve their teaching approach.

English

The English Language is widely used in nearly all countries around the world, and Tanzania is not an exception. Learning theories such as humanism, cognitivism, constructivism, and behaviourism are applied as a way to achieve the expected aims of English learning and teaching in Tanzania. This study aims to understand the challenges of using behaviourism theory in English language learning and teaching. This will be important for everyone involved in education, particularly English language teaching: Teachers, parents, textbook and/or supplementary book writers, syllabus designers, policymakers, education planners, and other educational stakeholders. This study opts to use a qualitative approach based on case study design to guide the study. The study used two instruments; a documentary review and an interview. The interview involved six primary teachers from different primary schools in Tanzania. The documentary review entailed reading various academic articles that contained information about behaviourism theory in English teaching. The finding indicates that challenges to using behaviourism theory in teaching English can be categorised into learner-based, teacher-based, and environmental-based. Learner-based challenges include such psychological problems as anxiety, which limit the application of key principles of behaviourism theory in teaching English. Teacher-based challenges include the ability of teachers, especially in the application of key principles of behaviourism theory in teaching English to primary school students in Tanzania. In conclusion, among other things, regular in-service training for primary school teachers, curriculum revision, and improvement of teaching and learning will be critical in minimising the challenges of using behaviourism theory in teaching English in Tanzanian primary schools.   Key words: Behaviorism, second language, English teaching.

운동역학적 지도법을 기준으로 비교해 본 2015 개정 교육과정과 캐나다 온타리오주 체육교육과정

The purpose of this study was to compare the 2015 revised curriculum and the Ontario curriculum to find out how the principle of body movement is taught in elementary school. As a result, both curriculum recognized physical activity as an important essence and medium of physical education, and contained content that emphasized not only motor skills but also the development of students' social attitudes. However, in terms of understanding and practical application of physical activity, the 2015 revised curriculum lacks specific methods that can be taught in the field, while the Ontario curriculum includes questions and answers that can make students understand the principles of physical activity. Therefore, it is judged that the education of physical activity based on the biomechanical principle can be done more efficiently. It is necessary to enhance students' understanding of physical activity by biomechanical method in the revision of the Korean curriculum.

초등 실과 교과서의 소프트웨어 단원에 대한 발문 유형 분석

This study analyzed practical elementary school textbooks to ascertain the types of questions asked on software (SW) programming units, with the aim of identifying a writing direction for an impending curriculum revision. In this context, the scope of analysis was limited to units corresponding to “programming structures and elements.” To classify relevant questions, we used a framework from a previous study that analyzed types of questions pertaining to “SW and robot unit.” The results were as follows.
 First, the ratio of closed questions (71.03%) was approximately 2.45 times higher than the ratio of open questions (28.97%). Second, the characteristics of the type of question by publisher were the same in that all six publishers had a higher closed questions than the open questions ratio, but there were publishers who did not use memory questions(A, D) and divergent thinking questions(C) depending on how they were composed. Third, our analysis of the types of questions found in each unit component showed that most recognitional questions were provided in the introduction and developing sections, while most evaluation questions were provided in the organizing section.
 To summarize, we found a higher ratio of closed questions (which restrict student thinking) than open questions These results are expected to be used as basic data for writing SW programming units for practical arts textbooks.

민속놀이의 교육적 가치 탐색과 초등학교 민속놀이 활성화 방안

Objectives This study found that the importance and proportion of Korean folk play were decreasing in the 2015 revised curriculum, and tried to find ways to revitalize Korean folk play in school. For this, firstly, the Korean folk play’s educational values which were reflected in the curriculum documents and reflection aspect were examined. Based on this, strategies to revitalize Korean folk play in Elementary school were proposed.
 Methods The data such as previous studies related to Korean folk play, curriculum documents, etc were collected, and as the research method, the literature analysis method was applied.
 Results The educational values of Korean folk play were categorized into traditionality, artistry, playfulness, and enjoyment. The aspect of reflecting the educational value of Korean folk play was presented as a content element of the related area without an independent area during the 1st to 3rd curriculum. In the 4th to 6th curriculum, an independent content area was newly established. In the 7th curriculum, the activities by area were divided into mandatory and optional activities, so the examples of physical activity in Korean folk play increased. In the revised curriculum of 2007 and 2009, the independent small and middle areas of Korean folk play were established. In the 2015 revised curriculum, Korean folk play was deeply related to ideas of an educated person and key competencies of curriculum revision. In addition, it had a close relationship with Expressive movement ability and Athletic performance competence, which were the competency of Physical education competencies. Despite the organic relationship with the idea of an educated person and competencies, Korean folk play was gradually introduced as the content factor of the area, and the proportion of this decreased.
 Conclusions The ways to revitalize Korean folk play in Elementary school were as follows. First, to enhance the status of Korean folk play, expand the opportunities to choose Korean folk play. Second, teach Korean folk play by integrating or linking between subjects. Third, expand the opportunities to participate in Korean folk play such as linking Korean folk play with the 4th industrial revolution technology.

우리나라와 일본 수학 교과서의 순환소수 내용 비교

In this paper, to provide an idea for the 2022 revised mathematics curriculum by restructuring the content of the 2015 mathematics curriculum, the content elements of recurring decimals of textbooks, which showed differences in the curriculum of Korea and Japan, were analyzed. As a result of this study, in Korea, before the introduction of the concept of irrational numbers, repeating decimals were defined in the second year of middle school, and the relationship between repeating decimals and rational numbers was dealt with. In Japan, after studying irrational numbers in the third year of middle school, the terminology of repeating decimals is briefly dealt with. Then, when learning the concept of limit in the high school <Mathematics Ⅲ> subject, the relationship between rational numbers and repeating decimals is dealt with. Based on the results of the study, in relation to the optimization of the amount of learning in the 2022 curriculum revision, implications for the introduction period of the circular decimal number, alternatives to the level of its content, and the teaching and learning methods were proposed.

Nursing Cultural Competence in Israel: Does Practice Make It Better?

Because of globalization, immigration, and mass exodus from countries due to political conflicts, there is an ever-changing mix of people with diverse cultural backgrounds who require institutions to provide continuing education to ensure that effective services are provided to everyone. Part of the transcultural challenges involves religion, socioeconomic differences and languages, and ethnic backgrounds that differ. The objective of this study was to examine whether a transcultural training program for undergraduate nursing students in Israel could enhance students' cultural competence. In this study, 319 senior undergraduate nursing students were asked to complete the Transcultural Health Care Screening Questionnaire as a measure of their cultural competence. The students' cultural competence was satisfactory but less than it had been in previous years. The authors suggest that cultural competence needs to be considered as a contextual, developmental, and experiential process that requires ongoing attention and curricular revisions.

Development of a concept-based curriculum

BackgroundA sense of urgency for Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) curriculum revision was created by local and national nursing leaders calling for transformation in nurse preparation that delivers effective care in complex healthcare environments. A concept-based curriculum (CBC) is an evidence-based model that minimizes content saturation and prepares graduates to use clinical reasoning to deliver safe patient care. MethodsKotter's (1996) change model, recognized as a best-practice approach to organizational transformation, guided the transition of a content-laden BSN curriculum to a CBC. Resources were provided to increase faculty's knowledge of CBC and decrease change-related anxiety. ConclusionThe first CBC cohort's end-of-program outcomes revealed a 100% first-time NCLEX – RN pass rate, higher than the traditional curriculum's pass rates averaging 94-97%. This curriculum revision process demonstrates how faculty can develop a CBC and address challenges they encountered. The process effectively actualized the vision of preparing graduate nurses to better transition into clinical practice.