Second-year Class Research Articles

Medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic: a reflection on the JHUSOM experience

BackgroundWe sought to understand the relative risk of COVID-19 infection and identify risk factors for infection to identify targets for mitigation among medical students.MethodsAn observational cohort study of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine students was conducted from June 2020 to July 2021. Blood samples were collected and tested at three visits to assess for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, a questionnaire was administered at each visit to collect demographic information and assess potential social and behavioral risk factors.Results264 students enrolled in the study, and 38 participants completed all study requirements by study end. Roughly 6% of the first- and second-year classes had a reported positive COVID-19 test compared to 5% of third- and fourth-year students. By visit 3, 92% of medical students had detectable antibodies against COVID-19 compared to 4% during the study enrollment period. From study enrollment to visit 3, there was a 10-fold increase in the percentage of students reporting attending large social gatherings and dining in restaurants.ConclusionsOverall, few COVID-19 cases were found among medical students, even those on clinical rotations. As the study progressed, students reported engaging in higher-risk social behaviors in conjunction with increasing vaccination rates among students.

The impact of client centered design projects on attitudes towards disability

First and second year students at the University of Ottawa take design classes which are implemented as hands-on projects where students work in teams and meet with a client to solve their needs and develop and iterate prototypes. The focus of the second-year class is accessibility where over 350 students per year work with a client who has accessibility needs. The paper presents an analysis of the course’s impact on perceptions and attitudes regarding disability and accessibility. Factors considered are program and year of study, age and gender. A pre- and post-test was given to students using awareness, perception and attitude tools to quantify their biases. These results are compared against society at large, as a baseline, and are used to determine if the intervention has an impact on students. The results have shown that the students have the same attitudes and perceptions as the general Canadian population. The exposure to people with disabilities was also showed to help reduce negative attitudes towards disability, uncover some implicit biases and help students feel more comfortable interacting with clients as well as people with disabilities.

Comparison of faculty and student perceptions of sexual and gender minority content in a preclerkship medical curriculum

BackgroundSexual and gender minority (SGM) persons experience stark health disparities. Efforts to mitigate disparities through medical education have met some success. However, evaluations have largely focused on subjective perspectives rather than objective measures. This study aimed to quantify Boston University School of Medicine’s sexual and gender minority (SGM) education through surveys of course directors (CDs) and medical students regarding where SGM topics were taught in the preclerkship medical curriculum. Responses were compared to identify concordance between faculty intention and student perceptions regarding SGM education.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was distributed to preclerkship CDs and current medical students in Spring 2019 and 2021, respectively, regarding where in the mandatory preclerkship curriculum CDs deliberately taught and where first- and second-year students recalled having learned 10 SGM topic domains.Results64.3% of CDs (n = 18), 47.0% of the first-year class (n = 71), and 67.3% of the second-year class (n = 101) responded to the surveys. Results indicate that, as anticipated, deliberate SGM teaching correlates with greater student recall as students recalled topics that were reported by CDs as intentionally taught at a significantly higher rate compared to those not intentionally taught (32.0% vs. 15.3%; p < 0.01). Students most commonly recalled learning SGM-related language and terminology, which is likely partly but not entirely attributed to curricular modifications and faculty development made between distribution of the faculty and student surveys, indicating the importance of all faculty being trained in appropriate SGM terminology and concepts. Discordance between faculty intention and student recall of when topics were taught reveals opportunities to enhance the intentionality and impact of SGM teaching.ConclusionsStudents perceive and recall SGM content that is not listed as learning objectives, and all faculty who utilize this material in their teachings should receive foundational training and be thoughtful about how information is framed. Faculty who intentionally teach SGM topics should be explicit and direct about the conclusions they intend students to draw from their curricular content.

Paediatric cardiology training: burnout, fulfilment, and fears.

Burnout is well characterised in physicians and residents but not in paediatric cardiology fellows, and few studies follow burnout longitudinally. Training-specific fears have been described in paediatric cardiology fellows but also have not been studied at multiple time points. This study aimed to measure burnout, training-specific fears, and professional fulfilment in paediatric cardiology fellows with the attention to time of year and year-of-training. This survey-based study included the Professional Fulfillment Index and the Impact of Events Scale as well as an investigator-designed Fellow Fears Questionnaire. Surveys were distributed at three-time points during the academic year to paediatric cardiology fellows at a large Midwestern training programme. Fellow self-reported gender and year-of-training were collected. Descriptive analyses were performed. 10/17 (59%) of fellows completed all surveys; 60% were female, 40% in the first-year class, 40% in the second-year class, and 20% in the third-year class. At least half of the fellows reported burnout at each survey time point, with lower mean professional fulfilment scores. The second-year class, who rotate primarily in the cardiac ICU, had higher proportions of burnout than the other two classes. At least half of fellows reported that they "often" or "always" worried about not having enough clinical knowledge or skills and about work-life balance. Paediatric cardiology fellows exhibit high proportions of burnout and training-specific fears. Interventions to mitigate burnout should be targeted specifically to training needs, including during high-acuity rotations.

Asian-Origin Complementary and Alternative Medicine Perceptions Among Undergraduate Medical Students: A Cross Sectional Study

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is an important feature of patient medical history. This study sought to investigate the perceptions of medical students at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem, New York (TouroCOM-NY) regarding Asian-origin CAM practices. An anonymous survey was distributed to first and second year TouroCOM-NY medical students, asking about their familiarity with, and general attitude towards, five categories of Asian-origin CAM (acupuncture, reiki, tai chi, Ayurveda, and use of non-mineral/vitamin substances) 107 students responded from the first-and second-year class at TouroCOM-NY in 2018, with an 84% response rate. Demographics were equally distributed between genders and were predominantly of Asian or Caucasian origin (mirroring that of the institution). 59% indicated no knowledge of 2 or more of the CAM practices listed; 41% indicated no knowledge of 3 or more. Only 20% indicated practice of at least one of the listed CAM and noted strong familiarity. This survey demonstrated significant knowledge gaps and attitudes for Asian-origin CAM practices that can be addressed by curriculum change in undergraduate medical education.

Reconstruction of Cymodocea nodosa’s dynamics as a tool to examine the conservation status of a Mediterranean declared marine protected area

Seagrass habitats rank amongst the most valuable ecosystems in the biosphere. They support fisheries production, climate change mitigation, water quality improvement, and coastal protection. Faced with the current global crisis of accelerating losses of this key component of coastal environments, strong efforts have been expended within the conservation movement to flatten their decline curve. Although understanding the functioning of seagrass ecosystems and how they respond to stressors has improved over the last years, major gaps exist for West Africa including basic ecological and distributional knowledge. This study aimed to investigate, for the first time, the structural development and dynamics of two Cymodocea nodosa meadows in Al Hoceima National Park (the unique official marine protected area of the Mediterranean Moroccan coast) using the reconstruction techniques as an indirect measurement of seagrass growth. C. nodosa’s leaves were remarkably invaded by epiphytes while leaf production, shoot density, above and belowground biomass, and vertical and horizontal rhizome elongation were in the lowest recorded values. Shoot age structure showed that since the second-year class, the survival rate of shoots has decreased. Regarding the severely slow recruitment rates, the populations’ net growths declined. Besides this negative growth trend, CymoSkewm biotic index assigned a slightly polluted ecological status to both meadows. The seagrass faces numerous pressures, mainly fishing by trawling and alien species invasion. The primary conservation challenge for C. nodosa of Al Hoceima National Park is ensuring that this marine protected area becomes operationally implemented and actively managed. Until then, the seagrass habitat-forming species is not safeguarded.

Education Research: Enhancing Medical Student Interest in Careers in the Clinical Neurosciences Through a Hands-on Procedure Workshop

Background and Objectives It is predicted that the current shortfall of neurologists will continue to grow beyond current training rates. It is well documented that medical students often possess stigmatizing beliefs toward neuroscience-based careers. Preclerkship medical education is where many medical students lay the foundation for specialty interests, and at some medical schools, it may be their only direct exposure to neurology. Providing preclerkship students with exp osure to the unique aspects of clinical neuroscience such as procedures is a possible avenue for increasing student interest. Methods and Curriculum Description We sought to assess the influence of a procedure workshop on student specialty interest. We organized a hands-on procedure workshop for preclerkship medical students to learn examination skills and procedures used by adult/pediatric neurologists, neurosurgeons, and psychiatrists. Twelve different stations were run by faculty, trainees, and technicians. Attendance was optional, and students were free to move between stations according to their time and interests. Most stations involved some brief education and time for students to practice or take part in the procedure. Attendees completed an exit survey on their retrospective interest in the relevant specialties before attending the workshop, prospective interest after attending the workshop, and the helpfulness of each station in understanding the procedure. Statistical analyses were performed on the survey responses to determine change in specialty interest resulting from the workshop. Results and Assessment Data A total of 111 students attended the workshop, and 104 (94%) filled out the postsurvey. Most were from the second-year medical student class. Approximately 41% of the second-year class attended. There was an increase in student interest (d = 0.6346) in the clinical neurosciences by the Fisher exact test (p &lt; 0.0001). Thirty-three attendees (32%) reported an increased interest in the specialties. Of the students who reported having no prior interest in the clinical neuroscience specialties, 82% (18/22) had an increased interest as a result of the workshop. Discussion and Lessons Learned A hands-on procedure workshop improved medical student interest in the clinical neurosciences. Although its effect on future specialty choice is unclear, preclerkship experiences such as a procedure workshop may be a useful addition to medical school curricula to foster interest in neurology and the clinical neurosciences.

Using contextual teaching and learning (CTL) approach to improve students' speaking ability

The objective of this research is to investigate the implementation of Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) to improve students’ speaking skills in the aspects of accuracy, clarity, and fluency. This research employed a quantitative method in nature. A pre-experimental design with pre-test and post-test was used. The population of this research was all second-year students. The sample of this research was one of the second-year classes chosen by using the purposive sampling technique. The instrument used in this research was a speaking test: pre-test and post-test. The data collected were analyzed statistically. The results showed that the implementation of contextual teaching and learning (CTL) improved students’ speaking skills in terms of accuracy, clarity, and fluency. The result of Wilcoxon showed the value of Asymp. Sig (2-tailed) for accuracy, clarity, and fluency is 0.000 which means that the resulting test is less than the minimum requirements of the statistics range (0.05). Therefore, the use of CTL in teaching and learning speaking is very beneficial for students to improve their speaking skills. Thus, the hypothesis of this research was accepted. There is a significant improvement in students’ speaking skills after they were taught by using CTL.

Virtual Integrated Patient: An AI supplementary tool for second-year medical students

Introduction: With the COVID-19 pandemic, Singapore underwent a national lockdown in which most organisations, including schools were closed. Halting face-to-face tutorials resulting in decreased clinical contact for medical students. Prior to the pandemic, we had developed the Virtual Integrated Patient (VIP). Equipped with conversational technology, it provides students online practice in various clinical skills such as history-taking, physical examination and investigations. The aim of this paper is to describe the supplementary use of VIP in the second-year class, in which a pilot study was conducted. Methods: The VIP platform was introduced to the cohort and used to supplement the teaching of history-taking in the “Communication with Patients” (CWP) module for second-year students. Traditionally, CWP tutorials involve face-to-face history-taking from standardised patients (SPs). Students, who consented to participating in the trial, had an additional 3 weeks’ access to VIP to practice their history-taking skills. They completed a survey on their user experience and satisfaction at the end of the 3 weeks. Results: Out of the 106 participants, 87% strongly agreed or agreed that using VIP helped in remembering the content while 69% of them felt that VIP increased their confidence and competence in history-taking. Conclusion: VIP was well-received by students and showed promise as a tool to supplement history-taking tutorials, prior to students’ encounter with SPs and real patients. Hence, this trend showed its potential as an alternative when clinical rotations were delayed or cancelled. Further research can be done to evaluate its effectiveness in this context.

Tunisian EFL Students’ Perceptions toward Their Writing Difficulties

The research is intended to investigate Tunisian students’ own perception of the difficulties they encounter in the writing task. To achieve this objective, a questionnaire was administered to students enrolled in the “Faculty of Letters Arts and Humanities” in Kairouan, in Tunisia. Students were classified into three groups: first-, second- and third-year students. The researcher used 120 questionnaires filled in by the students as data for this study; moreover, 30 students participated in a semi-structured interview to complete the data. The questionnaire results revealed that Tunisian EFL students faced spelling and grammar difficulties. ANOVA also revealed that the first-year students did not recognise that Arabic and English greatly differ in their respective punctuation systems. The second-year class, however, were fully aware of this difference. Additionally, the interview shed light on other aspects or different difficulties experienced by students in writing: a cruel “lack of vocabulary”, Arabic language interference, the organisation of the essay and especially the academic essay and difficulty with writing an argumentative essay.

Becoming Educators in Oceania: From Ridge to Reef to the Region and Then Returning Home

Becoming Educators in Oceania:From Ridge to Reef to the Region and Then Returning Home Rosarine Rafai (bio), Jiokapeci Qalo-Qiolevu (bio), Maca Radua-Stephens (bio), Debra McDougall, David Oakeshott, and Rachel Emerine Hicks, Special Issue Editors The Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies at the University of the South Pacific (usp) became a flourishing hub of creative thought and practice under the direction of founder Epeli Hau'ofa. Much has been written about the visual and performing art that has emerged from the center—work that has helped to realize Hau'ofa's vision of usp as a "hatching ground" for a powerful new sense of regional identity (2008, 51). This dialogue piece focuses on an aspect of the center's work that has received less attention: academic teaching. It is based on a conversation between Rosarine Rafai, Jiokapeci Qalo-Qiolevu, and Maca Radua-Stephens, three educators who teach a compulsory second-year class called "Pacific Worlds" (uu 204), which is run through the Oceania Centre and enrolls thousands of students across thirty-three million square kilometers of ocean and four time zones on usp's fourteen regional campuses and at its ten smaller in-country centers.1 Their conversation shows how some of the creative and relationship-building processes that have been described in relation to the center's artistic production are brought into the classroom and maintained amid the challenges of online delivery. The Oceania Centre was indelibly shaped by Hau'ofa's own mana as Oceania's most celebrated scholar-storyteller. Its creative production was also enabled by its position on the margins of the formal structures of the university. As Lea Lani Kinikini Kauvaka observed, the center "was a learning space that showed us just how, for the large majority of learners, classroom-style brick-and-mortar learning imported by nineteenth-century missionaries was not working as well as it ought to" (2016, 144). [End Page 442] Hau'ofa's students and colleagues have recalled that he was determined not to ask for too much from the university administration so that the center could fly under the radar, welcoming artists without formal training or accreditation to learn and work together (Naidu 2019, 27; White 2008, xvii–xviii; Teaiwa 2010). Katherine Higgins observed that "Hau'ofa had a limited budget but plenty of time to imagine something unique: a home for Oceanian arts and culture" (2009, 41). In her rich descriptions of the work of the Red Wave Collective, a group of painters and sculptors working at the center in the 2000s, Higgins highlighted how the center's physical space and architecture helped create an environment that "fosters the potential of each individual while simultaneously forming a dedicated community of artists who learn from one another" (2009, 39). Situated on the geographic edge of the university's Suva campus, the center features meeting spaces without walls that draw on Pacific vernacular architecture. Over the years, these open spaces have brought together a range of creators—dancers and welders, musicians and painters—to work across genres and generate a unique contemporary Oceanic vision. The openness of the center's physical structures has been mirrored in broader approaches to Oceanic identity. In 1996 and 1997, Hau'ofa declared, "As far as I am concerned, anyone who has lived in our region and is committed to Oceania is an Oceanian" (2008, 51). His words were particularly powerful in the context of the deeply divisive racialized politics of Fiji and Solomon Islands at the turn of the millennium. Artists at the center have also grappled with their own hybrid identities and have sought to articulate visions of a more inclusive Oceania in song, dance, and images (Higgins 2009, 45–46). Some observers praise the Oceania Centre for maintaining integrity in an era when larger forces were undermining usp's core mission. Vijay Naidu described changes in the university in response to the rise of free-market approaches to education, the growing influence of donor nations on usp's administration, and constraints on discussion of politics, economics, and policy on usp's Suva campus in the years since Fiji's interim government came into power after the 2006 coup...

Sixty seconds about each student\u2013studying qualitative and quantitative differences in teachers\u2019 knowledge and perceptions of their students

This study explored the content and nature of teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of their students. The knowledge and perceptions of seven Dutch secondary school teachers regarding the same 33 students in one second-year school class were studied. Each teacher was invited to tell (in 60 s per student) how he/she perceived and what he/she knew about, each individual student. Interview data were analysed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Results showed within- and between-teacher differences in the content, amount and evaluative nature of their knowledge and perceptions. In addition, there were within- and between-student differences in how their teachers knew and perceived them. The results suggest that teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of their students varies per teacher-student combination and substantiate an interpersonal nature of teachers’ knowledge and perceptions. To understand the function of teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of students for teaching, future research should focus on how different knowledge and perceptions lead to differential educational trajectories for individual or specific groups of students.

First experiences of creativity in mathematics for a primary school in Italy

ABSTRACT In the early years of school, pupils have a very positive approach towards any new topic. Very often, the first contact with mathematics in the Italian school risks giving a limited and somehow negative impression, generating long-lasting effects. In this paper, we report on a series of experiences carried out in a second-year class of a primary school that allowed us to introduce new concepts and approaches through games and puzzles. The aim was to stimulate the creativity and empower pupils. We have used simple materials and applied the Puzzle-Based Learning method. Despite the limited time devoted to this experience, the outcomes have been extremely positive.

89. BEYOND SCREENING: USING ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE (ACE) SCREENING TO PILOT A WELLNESS PROGRAM

Background The AAP recommends ACE screening, but effective implementation and support for patients with high ACE scores is challenging. Many providers are hesitant to screen without intervention support. The second-year resident class worked sequentially to implement ACE screening and use the momentum from screening to pilot an integrated wellness program. Aim Statement 1. Screen for ACE in >80% of patients at annual preventative care visits by December 2019 2. Determine resources needed by patients with high ACE scores 3. Implement an integrated wellness program for patients with high ACE scores. Interventions Interventions addressed barriers for our primary drivers: medical assistants (MA), providers, and families. A MA champion taught best screening strategies and communicated updates. Providers received educational sessions and progress updates via email and monthly meetings. EHR was modified to simplify documentation. Intake forms were streamlined to combat form fatigue. Residents created a QI sign out to update the next resident team and share successes. The wellness nurse developed a menu of services including information about toxic stress and a strength's-based wellness assessment. Integrative techniques were provided to improve resilience, develop strengths, and connect patients to mental health services. Measures Monthly ACE screening rates were determined by measuring the number of screens compared to preventative care visits. Patients with a score of 3 with symptoms or 4-10 were referred to a wellness team. Secondary measures were ACE team referrals, wellness assessments, counseling sessions, integrative interventions, and resources provided. Results ACE screening improved from 2 to 89% in 18 months. During the first 5 months of the wellness program, there were 161 referrals, 80 full wellness assessments, 136 integrative appointments, and 92 in-office counseling sessions. Community resources (food, housing) were provided 617 times, and 2230 pieces of written education were distributed by the wellness team. Conclusions and Next Steps Interventions have shown a sustained increase in ACE screening rates. After establishing the wellness program, there was a marked increase in the number of screens, referrals and wellness appointments. The addition of dedicated staff allowed for better care coordination and resource distribution. Next steps are to decrease no show rates for wellness appointments and to monitor resilience scores and patient surveys for ongoing improvements to the program.

Experiência interdisciplinar no ensino de biologia celular e desenho arquitetônico

Atualmente muitos são os desafios encontrados no processo de ensino e aprendizagem nas escolas, em especial nos cursos técnicos integrados ao ensino médio. Nesse panorama, a abordagem interdisciplinar pode vir em resposta a muitas frustrações metodológicas encontradas pelos docentes em seu cotidiano escolar. Partindo desse pressuposto, o presente trabalho buscou investigar a colaboração da interdisciplinaridade em uma turma de segundo ano do Curso Técnico em Edificações Integrado ao Ensino Médio, do Instituto Federal do Paraná (IFPR), campus Umuarama, PR. Participaram da pesquisa trinta e seis discentes, que tinham o desafio de praticar uma atividade integradora entre os componentes curriculares de Biologia e Desenho Arquitetônico II, em um bimestre letivo. A proposta interdisciplinar consistia em elaborar um projeto arquitetônico – desenvolvido apenas até o nível de planta baixa – que utilizasse como referência a morfologia e composição de um tipo celular, sorteado a cada estudante. Deste modo, todos os alunos possuiriam um modelo distinto para usar como inspiração projetiva. Ao final, os resultados foram analisados de maneira qualitativa (a partir do discurso dos estudantes durante o processo e da apresentação gráfica dos projetos) e apontaram que a interdisciplinaridade colaborou com o sistema educacional, trazendo mais qualidade e dinamismo ao processo de ensino e aprendizagem.

Barriers to and factors influencing the pursuit of pharmacy student research

IntroductionThe objective of this study was to identify perceived barriers and factors influencing student pursuit of research during pharmacy school. MethodsA voluntary, paper-based or electronic questionnaire was administered to all pharmacy students at a private college of pharmacy in mandatory courses during the 2016–2017 academic year. Survey questions collected information pertaining to demographics, factors influencing student pursuit of research, and barriers to pursuit of research. Participation was incentivized with gift cards. ResultsA total of 623 students completed the survey (79% response rate). The average respondent was female (69.1%), 25-years old (IQR 23–26 years), employed (69.9%), and had a prior degree (66.6%). During pharmacy school, 27.3% of respondents pursued a research project. Of students not pursuing a research project during pharmacy school, the amount of interest to complete a project differed significantly between professional years (P < .01) with the second-year class having the highest interest. Lack of time (91.3%), unfamiliarity with the research process (81.8%), and too much coursework (80.5%) were cited as the top three perceived barriers that prevented students from pursuing research. A mandatory research class (87.6%), presentations describing faculty research interests (83.4%), and ability to work with a friend (83.9%) would most strongly influence students to complete research. ConclusionsStudents report additional information regarding research opportunities would positively influence their decision to pursue research while in pharmacy school. Future studies should evaluate strategies to familiarize students with the research process.

Flexibility Processes of Pre-service Teachers in Problem Solving with Technology

Researchers point at the need to study the creative processes of students in problem solving, as these may indicate how to encourage creative problem solving. The present research attempts to study, based on the heuristic framework of Polya, pre-service teachers' flexibility processes when they solve a mathematical problem with technology. The research was held in a teacher college, where two second-year classes of 49 mathematics pre-service teachers (24 in the academic year 2017-2018 and 25 in the academic year 2018-2019) participated in the research. The pre-service teachers were requested to solve the halving-the-rectangle problem with technology, specifically with the GeoGebra software. The research results indicated that generally the participants, who performed flexibility processes, used a sequence of creativity processes: conjecturing, specialization, verifying consequences with technology and generalization. The conjecturing process utilized mathematical relationship or inference from analogy, where the inference from analogy advanced gradually through solution modifications.

Uso de textos didáticos no ensino de química da educação básica

O presente trabalho traz apontamentos acerca do papel da leitura no Ensino de Química e de Ciências da Natureza. O estudo relata o desenvolvimento, a aplicação e a análise de mediações de leitura realizadas durante o estágio como pesquisa da Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA) com uma turma de segundo Ano do Ensino Médio de uma escola pública estadual no município de Caçapava do Sul, RS, durante o Programa Residência Pedagógica. Nesse contexto, foram desenvolvidas atividades de leitura e interpretação relacionadas a textos presentes em livros didáticos que abordam os conteúdos de Cinética Química, Equilíbrio Químico e Eletroquímica. A pesquisa de natureza qualitativa e foi organizada pela leitura de textos em livros didáticos. A análise foi realizada pela interação dos estudantes com os textos apresentados e posterior elaboração de questões as quais eles gostariam que fossem discutidas e debatidas em sala de aula. Também foram apresentadas questões cujas respostas estavam presentes nos textos a fim de verificar a capacidade de interpretação por parte dos alunos. A análise dos dados foi orientada pelos pressupostos da análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Das observações das atividades de leitura e das observações realizadas durante as aulas emergiram categorias de análise, sendo elas: (i) dificuldade de aprendizagem no Ensino de Química (ii), potencialidades das atividades de leitura nas aulas de Química; (iii) contribuições na formação inicial. Os resultados mostraram-se satisfatórios no que se refere a melhorias com relação à compreensão dos conceitos químicos apresentados. Assim, pode-se verificar que atividades com leitura nas aulas de Química podem contribuir com a aprendizagem, tanto por despertar o interesse pela leitura, como por melhorar a compreensão de conteúdos específicos da área de Ciências da Natureza.

Anchoring ocean literacy: participatory iBook design within secondary science classrooms

ABSTRACTThis article elucidates a participatory design process in which a prototype iBook was embedded within the context of secondary science classrooms through multiple interventions. The fundamental design intention of the iBook is to increase students’ ocean literacy in a curriculum that lacks marine science. Two e-learning ecologies were identified across two schools; an iPad school and non-iPad school. Participants include two second-year science classes (14–15-year-olds) and their respective teachers. Science teachers were asked to implement the iBook, based on their appraisal, as an accompaniment to their lessons throughout three interventions. Qualitative data took the form of teacher interviews, teacher reflections and student exit cards. Findings illuminate emergent design principles of iBooks that enthuse students with content; mainly to draw upon their personal interest corresponding to interactive technologies. The benefits of participatory design research are highlighted with reference to augmenting student ocean literacy in the science classroom.

Novel Approach to Introducing an Ultrasonography Curriculum With Limited Instructor Resources.

Ultrasonography is becoming more prevalent in clinical practice, but medical schools looking to implement preclinical training are limited by financial and faculty resources. To design a single-instructor model to save faculty resources and to determine whether this model is effective at teaching ultrasonography to preclinical medical students. This single-instructor model included 3 components: (1) flipped classroom, where students watched an online lecture covering examination techniques; (2) in-person scanning sessions, where students scanned each other after the instructor went through lecture content and pathologic images, a video camera to show probe placement and examination technique, and a live feed from an ultrasonography demonstration; and (3) feedback on written examination questions and course evaluations. When compared with a traditional ultrasonography curriculum, which requires approximately 600 instruction hours annually, this program required 96 hours. Students reported appreciation of exposure to ultrasonography but expressed desire for smaller group sizes and greater individual instruction. Students performed well on written test questions, with the first-year class answering 88% correctly and the second-year class answering 90.6% correctly. Although this educational format was used successfully to teach introductory ultrasonography to preclinical students, feedback suggested that students would prefer more individual instruction. The authors look toward implementing a peer-instructor format, forming smaller laboratory groups, and improving skill assessment.