Self-perceived Learning Research Articles

Undergraduate pharmacy students' perceived learning using a team-based debate approach

IntroductionCurrently, teaching and learning in higher institutions is moving away from traditional didactic lecture-based learning towards student-centered learning. The objectives of this study were to implement a team debate as a method of teaching and learning about pharmacy regulatory issues, and evaluate students' perceptions of a team debate. MethodsThis was a pre-and post-study with a validated 11-item online questionnaire. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, standard deviations, and percentages), while paired sample t-test was used to compare pre- and post-study mean scores of the survey items. P values < .05 were taken to be statistically significant. ResultsOne hundred and forty-two students enrolled in a mandatory “Pharmacy Regulation and Control” course at a Nigerian University during the 2020 academic year participated in the study. The average age of the participants was 25.56 ± 2.96 years (Range = 20–38 years), and the majority were males (n = 99, 69.7%). All the questionnaire items and the total score improved significantly (P < .05) after the group debate exercise. ConclusionThe study shows that team debate was well received by the participants and demonstrates that incorporation of team-based debate into a didactic style course improved student's self-perceived learning. Thus, it is recommended that pharmacy educators in Nigeria should consider incorporating team debate to complement didactic teaching to enhance learning.

A comparative study of perceptions and experiences of online Chinese language learners in China and the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract This study compared the perceptions and experiences of 173 students studying Chinese as a foreign language in universities online during the COVID-19 pandemic in China and the United States. Controlling students’ previous diversity of Chinese course delivery modes across countries and Chinese language levels, three two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were conducted to compare differences among three dependent variables: 1) satisfaction towards online classes; 2) self-perceived learning effectiveness online versus onsite; and 3) willingness to take a virtual Chinese course in the future. The results did not find statistical significances regarding students’ satisfaction and willingness across countries and language levels. However, the results found students in the United States (US) viewed online classes as significantly less effective than learning in-person, which was different from the views of students in China. The Pearson correlation analysis indicated that there were positive correlations among these three variables. Pearson chi-squared tests found that, significantly, students in the US preferred to take Chinese courses in-person. Pearson’s chi-squared tests on categories formed from the three open-ended questions highlighted the importance of four factors influencing the success of students’ online classes: technology, emotion and motivation, learning productivity, and teaching presence. Pedagogical recommendations are discussed.

COVID-19 Disruptions in Health Professional Education: Use of Cognitive Load Theory on Students' Comprehension, Cognitive Load, Engagement, and Motivation.

This study explored the impact of online lectures that were developed using principles of cognitive load theory (CLT) and cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML) on health profession students' lecture comprehension, cognitive load, cognitive engagement, and intrinsic motivation in learning. A total of 215 first-year undergraduate students in medical, dentistry, and nutrition programs participated in this pre-post quasi experimental study. The students attended a typical face-to-face lecture on Day-1 of the intervention, followed by a CLT-based online lecture 8 weeks thereafter. Their comprehension of the lecture topics was measured through pre- and post-lecture assessments, and their cognitive load, cognitive engagement, and motivation were measured immediately after each lecture session. The analysis revealed that the CLT-based online lectures promoted the students' comprehension of the lecture content (p < 0.001), self-perceived learning (p < 0.001), engagement toward the learning material, and motivation to learn (p = 0.025). It was also effective at reducing the students' intrinsic and extraneous cognitive loads (p < 0.001). Hence, designing online lectures using CLT and CTML principles could be an effective method to promote students' knowledge and comprehension, cognitive engagement, and learning motivation. However, further research is needed to investigate the applicability and impact of CLT-based online lectures in non-health profession disciplines.

A GLOBAL REMOTE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE: NEEDS ASSESSMENT FROM INTERPROFESSIONAL CRITICAL CARE PROVIDERS FROM BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

TOPIC: Education, Research, and Quality Improvement TYPE: Original Investigations PURPOSE: The need for swift international collaboration alongside rapidly deployable remote medical knowledge transition and implementation programs has been highlighted during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual programs have emerged as cost-effective alternatives to in-person education to spread best practices to resource-limited locations and garner purposeful learner engagement. Understanding local practice needs is paramount to the development of an effective quality improvement initiative. This study aimed to gain insight into the interests, clinical challenges, and attitudes of a group of interprofessional critical care providers from Bosnia and Herzegovina in preparation for a longitudinal remote education and quality improvement program. METHODS: A novel learning needs assessment tool was implemented in a cohort of critical care professionals from four hospitals in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A sequential explanatory design was employed, and a mixed-method assessment was conducted in three phases. 1) Utilizing the Delphi method, twenty statements containing common critical care entrustable professional activities (EPAs) were developed by a board of intensivists and medical education specialists. 2) Local learners used Q Sort methodology to rank-order EPAs based on self-perceived learning priorities, with subsequent by-person factor analysis. 3) Learners were invited for focus-group interviews to gather details of the rationale behind their rankings. RESULTS: Forty nine out of 105 participants completed the rank-order survey (response rate 47%). Factor analysis categorized the participants into two main groups based on the typology of their opinions, 22 participants into factor 1 and 9 participants into factor 2. The highest-ranked EPAs amongst the two factors were “evaluation and management of the patients with shock, stabilization, and resuscitation of critically ill patients” and “evaluation and management of ARDS,” respectively. Statements regarding common ICU complications and procedures were regarded as neutral. The lowest rank amongst factor 1 was “patient-centered care, communication skills, and interprofessional collaboration.” Participants in factor 2 ranked “preoperative evaluation and management” and “common hematologic and oncologic complications” the lowest. The rationale behind rank orders focused on the current patient population and perceived EPA importance to critical care practice. Participants in factor 1 displayed pessimistic attitudes toward patient-centered care and interprofessional collaboration due to cultural and healthcare system constraints. Interviewees in both factors described local challenges and expressed a need for change. CONCLUSIONS: We conducted a remote needs assessment in an international, interprofessional group of critical care providers. In addition to building trust with learners, the acquired knowledge of cultural differences, needs, and barriers to implementation will guide an ongoing remote education and quality improvement initiative. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: This investigation will shape a critical care best practices quality improvement initiative and remote education program in a country with limited resources. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Marija Bogojevic, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Yue Dong, source=Web Response Patent/IP rights for a licensed product relationship with Ambient Clinical Analytics Please note: From 2016 Added 05/23/2021 by Ognjen Gajic, source=Web Response, value=Royalty no disclosure on file for Pedja Kovacevic; No relevant relationships by Heyi Li, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Aida Mujakovic, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Alexander Niven, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Manja Spahalic, source=Web Response no disclosure on file for Slavenka Straus; No relevant relationships by Simon Zec, source=Web Response

Access Ratings for Buildings: Feasibility Study and Implications for Interdisciplinary Training using the AccessTools App

Research Objectives To test the feasibility of a hybrid web-based and mLearning protocol designed to train students to assess the accessibility of public buildings in the community. Design This multi-site randomized feasibility trial involved students engaging in the web-based learning module and public building evaluation using AccessTools app. Students were randomized in the order in which they completed the learning module and building evaluated. Setting Students completed learning online and evaluated restaurants in their community. Participants Rehabilitation therapy students enrolled in assistive technology related courses participated in the study. Interventions The learning module provided in-depth training on how to evaluate the accessibility of public buildings and the app provided a hands-on opportunity for evaluating two local restaurants near each site. Main Outcome Measures (1) recruitment capability and sample characteristics, (2) data collection procedures and outcome measures, (3) the acceptability and suitability of the training procedures, (4) the resources and ability to implement the study, and (5) the participants’ responses to intervention. Students provided information on satisfaction of the training protocol, self-perceived learning, and knowledge via 20 item pre- and post-test. Results 218 students participated in the study which represented greater than 95% enrollment rate. Students were satisfied to very satisfied with the protocol and indicated that they learned much to very much in 8 of 9 learning modules. The knowledge quiz demonstrated a normal distribution. Student scores on the knowledge evaluation increased from approximately 60% to 85% after completion of both phases of the protocol. Students indicated that the protocol was acceptable and suitable for supporting learning wants and needs. Conclusions This study demonstrates the feasibility of using a hybrid training protocol for learning to evaluate the accessibility of public buildings. The training protocol was acceptable, suitable, and demonstrated signals of significant gains in learning. Although findings are promising, additional research is needed to engage additional stakeholders (e.g., architectural/design) to facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations and improved outcomes for people with disabilities. Author(s) Disclosures This work was developed in part under a grant from NIDILRR grant number 90IFDV0006. To test the feasibility of a hybrid web-based and mLearning protocol designed to train students to assess the accessibility of public buildings in the community. This multi-site randomized feasibility trial involved students engaging in the web-based learning module and public building evaluation using AccessTools app. Students were randomized in the order in which they completed the learning module and building evaluated. Students completed learning online and evaluated restaurants in their community. Rehabilitation therapy students enrolled in assistive technology related courses participated in the study. The learning module provided in-depth training on how to evaluate the accessibility of public buildings and the app provided a hands-on opportunity for evaluating two local restaurants near each site. (1) recruitment capability and sample characteristics, (2) data collection procedures and outcome measures, (3) the acceptability and suitability of the training procedures, (4) the resources and ability to implement the study, and (5) the participants’ responses to intervention. Students provided information on satisfaction of the training protocol, self-perceived learning, and knowledge via 20 item pre- and post-test. 218 students participated in the study which represented greater than 95% enrollment rate. Students were satisfied to very satisfied with the protocol and indicated that they learned much to very much in 8 of 9 learning modules. The knowledge quiz demonstrated a normal distribution. Student scores on the knowledge evaluation increased from approximately 60% to 85% after completion of both phases of the protocol. Students indicated that the protocol was acceptable and suitable for supporting learning wants and needs. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using a hybrid training protocol for learning to evaluate the accessibility of public buildings. The training protocol was acceptable, suitable, and demonstrated signals of significant gains in learning. Although findings are promising, additional research is needed to engage additional stakeholders (e.g., architectural/design) to facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations and improved outcomes for people with disabilities.

Negative emotions, cognitive load, acceptance, and self-perceived learning outcome in emergency remote education during COVID-19.

Learning related emotions (LREs) are determinant for students’ achievement both in face-to-face and online education. Research has also shown that LREs tend to affect technology acceptance which in turn affects learning outcomes as well. Today though, the negative psychological impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the sudden transmission to obligatory remote education might yield different functions of emotions and acceptance on learning outcomes. In this context, the current study seeks to model the relations between students’ negative emotions, acceptance of (emergency) remote education, and self-perceived knowledge improvement. The suggested model was examined and validated on 116 university students that attended fully remote courses in Greece during the COVID-19 crisis. The results suggested that negative emotions of boredom and cognitive load are significant predictors of students’ acceptance of remote learning components: i) online attending a lecture, ii) online communicating with professor, and iii) online collaborating with peers. Anxiety directly affected perceived knowledge improvement, boredom, and cognitive load; Boredom was also affected by cognitive load. In addition, acceptance of remote learning components indirectly affected perceived knowledge improvement mediated by learnability. Boredom was the strongest predictor of online attending a lecture and online collaborating with peers, while online communication with professor was the strongest predictor of learnability. The contribution of this study and the structural findings are further discussed in the paper.

Three Weeks of Team-Based Leaning Do Not Overload Undergraduate Students.

Team-based learning (TBL) is a flipped-classroom approach requiring students to study before class. Fully flipped curricula usually have fewer in-class hours. However, for practical reasons, several programs implement a few weeks of TBL without adjusting the semester timetable. Students fear that they will be overloaded by the individual and collaborative study hours needed to prepare for TBL. We implemented three consecutive weeks of TBL in a 15-week lecture-based course on the renal system. In-class time and assessments were unchanged for all courses. Four hundred fifty-nine first-year undergraduate medical students (229 in 2018; 230 in 2019) were invited to complete weekly logs of their individual and collaborative study hours during lectures and TBL, along with questionnaires on cognitive load and perception of the course. Our program changed from A to E grading in 2018 to pass-fail grading in 2019. Participants (n = 324) spent a similar number of hours studying for TBL vs. lectures with a mean of 3.1h/week. Collaborative study was minimal outside class (median 0.1h/week). Results remained similar with pass-fail grading. If in-class time were reduced, 18% of participants said they would have used freed-up time to study for TBL. Studying for TBL generated similar extraneous cognitive load and lower intrinsic load compared to studying for lectures; students were less stressed, and maintained high levels of motivation and self-perceived learning. Three weeks of lectures were replaced by TBL without reducing in-class time. Students did not report overload in study hours or in cognitive load. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01314-x.

Remote Teaching in a Preclinical Phantom Course in Operative Dentistry During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Observational Case Study.

BackgroundDuring the acute COVID-19 pandemic, physical access to the University Medical Center Göttingen was restricted for students. For the first time at our dental school, theoretical knowledge was imparted to students via asynchronous online screencasts and discussed via synchronous video meetings only.ObjectiveWe aimed to assess the acceptance and effectiveness of distance education as a new teaching format for theoretical knowledge within the preclinical course in Operative Dentistry (sixth semester of the undergraduate dental curriculum in Germany).MethodsThe phantom course comprised distance education (first phase, 11 weeks) and subsequent on-site practical demonstrations and training (second phase, 10 weeks). All theoretical knowledge was taught via online screencasts during distance education (except for the first week, 3 screencasts were uploaded per week resulting in a total of 30 screencasts). Until the end of the term, all students (N=33) were able to view the screencasts for an unlimited number of times. Theoretical knowledge was assessed in a summative examination after practical on-site teaching. Acceptance and effectiveness of the new curriculum and distance education were also measured based on an evaluation survey and students’ self-perceived learning outcome, which was compared to the outcome from the two pre–COVID-19 terms.ResultsEach screencast was viewed by a mean of 24 (SD 3.3) students and accessed a mean of 5.6 (SD 1.2) times per user (ie, by students who accessed the respective screencast at least once). During distance education, the number of accesses showed a linear trend over time. During the practical training phase, screencast views declined and increased again prior to the examination. Screencasts covering topics in Cariology, Restorative Dentistry, and Preventive Dentistry were viewed by more students than screencasts covering topics in Endodontology or Periodontology (both P=.047). Examination items in Periodontology showed inferior results compared to the other topics (P<.001). Within the different topics, students’ self-perceived learning outcome did not differ from that during the pre–COVID-19 terms. Although most students agreed that the presented screencasts contributed to their learning outcome, pre–COVID-19 term students more strongly felt that lectures significantly contributed to their learning outcome (P=.03).ConclusionsScreencasts showed high acceptance and effectiveness among the students but were not used as a learning tool by all students. However, students who viewed the screencasts accessed each screencast more frequently than they could have attended a conventional lecture. Screencast views were mostly due to intrinsic motivation.

Hands-on live demonstration vs. video-supported demonstration of an aesthetic composite restoration in undergraduate dental teaching.

Live hands-on demonstration of dental procedures is a central format in undergraduate dental teaching. It captures the immediacy of the clinical situation and allows for direct communication between instructor and students, but it also requires an experienced instructor who is able to handle both the performed treatment and its visualization alongside the actual teaching. The aim of the present work is to compare the hands-on demonstration of a class IV composite restoration to a teaching format where the instructor guided the students through a prerecorded procedural video of the same treatment. The effect of both interventions on the students' self-perceived learning outcomes was analyzed by questionnaires (response rate 100%) in a randomized controlled double-blind (participants, outcome assessor) parallel group design (September 10 to October 3, 2019). In-class discussions were explored qualitatively by thematic analysis. Both teaching formats increased the students' self-reported motivation, self-efficacy, and patient-centeredness in a similar way, with no significant differences between interventions. During in-class discussions, both the instructor and the students were more active in the video group. In contrast to the hands-on group, discussions in the video group also involved patient-related topics, such as aesthetics and general health. The video-supported teaching format considerably reduced the amount of time spent on optimizing the visualization of the performed treatment. Video-supported instructor-guided demonstrations may represent a promising teaching format as an alternative to live hands-on demonstrations of dental procedures in undergraduate dental education.

ICTs and Project-Based Learning (PBL) in EFL: Pre-service Teachers’ Attitudes and Digital Skills

Although there is a rich body of literature about the implementation of ICTs in foreign language learning, none has investigated the technological attitudes and digital skills of pre-service teachers thanks to the adoption of a Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodology. This study analyses the attitudes and digital skills of pre-service teachers through the implementation of ICT-based projects in the EFL classroom. For this purpose, 120 teacher candidates at the University of Alicante (Spain) participated in this experiment. First, all students were administered a pretest to measure the degree of technological affinity and digital skills. Then, they were divided into smaller groups (cooperative learning) in order to design and create several ICT-based projects aimed at teaching English as a foreign language to children and young learners. All the participants later presented their projects and evaluated the results (peer-evaluation) from a technical and pedagogical perspective. Finally, they completed a post-test based on their self-perceived learning outcomes in relation to ICT integration. The results revealed significant learning gains in digital and higher-order thinking skills (create, analyse, evaluate). Teaching candidates show a positive attitude towards the integration of ICTs in the EFL classroom but demand better training as regards the adoption of new technologies, particularly given the current situation and the need for increased on-line teaching.

Anxiety is associated with extraneous cognitive load during teaching using high-fidelity clinical simulation

ABSTRACT High-fidelity clinical simulation is currently a well-established teaching tool. However, high-fidelity representations of patients in critical conditions have the potential to elicit emotions among learners and impact their cognitive load (CL). Teaching with clinical simulation may induce both emotional and cognitive overloads. The relationship between anxiety and CL during clinical simulation was studied. Forty-one undergraduate medical students participated in this study; 19 males and 22 females. The state-anxiety component of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was administered during clinical simulation teaching sessions at time points: pre-scenario, post-scenario and post-debriefing. The Cognitive Load Scale (Leppink et al.) questionnaire was also completed post-scenario. This assessed the three components of CL: intrinsic cognitive load (ICL), extraneous cognitive load (ECL) and self-perceived learning (SPL). Median CL scores for ICL, ECL and SPL were compared between groups of low-anxiety and high-anxiety participants using a Mann-Whitney U test. State-anxiety scores were high for both the pre-scenario and post-scenario time points with a significant reduction following post-debriefing. The median (interquartile range) state-anxiety scores were 41.0 (33.0–50.0), 46.0 (33.0–52.0) and 31.0 (23.0–39.0) for the pre-scenario, post-scenario and post-debriefing time points respectively. Students with high state-anxiety had higher ECL scores (median = 2.0) than students with low state-anxiety (median = 0.9) at the post scenario time point (U = 220, p = 0.043). No statistical relation was seen with state-anxiety for either ICL or SPL. State-anxiety immediately after the simulation scenario is associated with ECL but not ICL or SPL.

Effectiveness of clinical scenario dramas to teach doctor-patient relationship and communication skills

BackgroundThe doctor-patient relationship in China has deteriorated in recent years, and poor doctor-patient communication is one of the main reasons. How to effectively carry out doctor-patient communication training originated from the West among Chinese medical students still to be studied. In the past decade, Peking Union Medical College has adopted clinical scenario drama to teach doctor-patient relationship and clinical communication skills. The aim of this study was to introduce clinical scenario dramas and evaluate its effectiveness in promoting doctor-patient relationships and clinical communication skills through students’ self-perceptions in Chinese medical students.MethodsThis study was a retrospective, self-controlled study and conducted from March 2009 to October 2018. Doctor-patient relationship and communication skills training were administered to all sixth-year medical students, which involved lectures and various clinical scenario dramas. The program totaled 24 h, of which each class session was 3 h, with 8 sessions in total. All students were requested to complete an anonymous 5 likert self-rating survey including self-confidence in using communication skills and self-perceived learning attitude and ability before and at the end of the course. In addition, they were requested to evaluate the curriculum after completion of the course.ResultsClinical scenario dramas helped students improve their self-confidence in clinical communication skills except for psychosomatic history taking (p < 0.05). The interests for participation in clinical scenario dramas were higher compared to attending lectures (4.39 ± 0.610 Vs 4.07 ± 0.831, p<0.01). Study participants were highly satisfied in the course setting, teaching instructors and content (4.61 ± 0.546, 4.65 ± 0.535, 4.63 ± 0.534). The self-evaluation results demonstrated that clinical scenario dramas improved the learning ability of medical students (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe use of clinical scenario dramas was helpful in teaching doctor-patient communication skills.

Evaluating the Effect of boundaryless Career Attitude on Internal and External Self-Perceived Employability through Learning Goal Orientation

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of boundaryless career attitude on internal and external self-perceived employability through learning goal orientation. Two hundred one bank employees was selected using multistage cluster sampling and data were analysed with the structural equation modelling. Validity of the scales was assessed using content and construct validity and their reliability were measured by Cronbach's alpha. Data analysis showed a positive relationship between boundaryless career attitude (values-driven attitude and self-directed career management) and internal and external self-perceived employability and learning goal orientation. Moreover, there is a positive relationship between learning goal orientation and internal and external employability. Learning goal orientation plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between boundaryless career attitude and internal and external employability.

Learning with technology in physiotherapy education: design, implementation and evaluation of a flipped classroom teaching approach

BackgroundThe purpose of the study was to describe the design, implementation and evaluation of a flipped classroom teaching approach in physiotherapy education. The flipped classroom is a blended learning approach in which students receive digital lectures as homework, while active learning activities are used in the classroom. Flipped classroom teaching enables a learning environment that aims to develop higher-order cognitive skills.MethodsThe study design was a historically controlled, prospective, cohort study. An eight week theoretical course on musculoskeletal disorders was redesigned, moving from a conventional approach to a flipped classroom model. Pre-class learning material consisted of about 12 h of video lectures and other digital learning resources that were split up over the duration of the course. In-class activities consisted of seven full-day seminars where students worked in groups in order to solve problem-based assignments. The assignments were designed to reflect authentic clinical problems and required critical thinking and reasoning. Outcomes were measured with course-grades and compared with historical controls of conventional teaching, using descriptive statistics. Self-perceived learning outcomes and students’ experiences were also collected in a survey.ResultsFifty-one students passed the course exam, two failed and one did not attend (n = 54). The share of students with Excellent, Very good and Good (ABC) performances increased by more than 10% relative to any previous year. In addition, Satisfactory, Sufficient and Failed performances (DEF) decreased by more than 10%. Almost two thirds of the students preferred the flipped classroom approach as compared with conventional teaching. Interaction with peers and educators, and flexibility, were the most positive factors that were reported by students. Long seminars, time-constraints and low motivation with respect to preparation and educators’ roles were the most common complaints.ConclusionsA flipped classroom approach in physiotherapy education resulted in improved student performances in this professional programme, when compared with conventional teaching. Students responded positively to the collaborative learning environment, especially with respect to the associated autonomy and flexibility. There were indicators that all groups did not work optimally and that accountability to other group members did not always ensure pre-classroom preparations.

Culture, Identity and Learning: A Mediation Model in the Context of Blogging in Teacher Education

National culture has been an influential framework for comparative and international research. However, current theories suggest that people and societies are rather more complex constructs than their cultural layer. This work is based on a previous study in which, when students from Spain were compared to German students, the former showed higher levels of identity with their blogs and learning impact. The current study is a step forward as it presents the differences in identity and learning impact in blogging between Spanish and Israeli student teachers and offers a mediation model in which the relationship between culture and learning is mediated by the identity factor. The results show that Spanish student teachers feel more identified with their blogs and thus perceive a greater learning impact. Accordingly, this work suggests that blogging could act as learning spaces that may raise students’ identity with their learning products and their self-perceived learning impact.

3297 What do early career researchers need? Exploring early career researchers’ learning needs to develop an Emerging Investigator website

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Early career researchers at Mount Sinai have access to a wide range of resources and support. It can, however, be challenging for new investigators to know where to find information and who to ask for help. To address this issue, an Emerging Investigators website was conceived to bring together resources, provide educational support and foster a community of early career investigators at Mount Sinai. In order to ensure this resource effectively meets the needs of this cohort of researchers, and to determine the scope and content of the proposed website, a series of focus group interviews were undertaken with early career researchers at various stages of their careers. The aims of these focus groups were to 1) explore the self-perceived challenges faced by early career researchers that could be addressed through education and / or support, 2) explore the self-perceived learning needs of early career researchers that are not currently being addressed at Mount Sinai, 3) determine the website content that early career researchers would find valuable to support them in their development. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: A convenience sample of early career researchers at Mount Sinai were contacted for participation (N = 20). A total of 13 participants responded and three focus groups were conducted, one with the KL2 scholars (N=4), one with TL1 postdocs (N=4) and one with PORTAL students (N=5) during Spring 2018. Participants were initially asked to consider the challenges that early career researchers face. They were subsequently asked to consider which of these challenges they thought could be addressed through education or support. Participants were then asked to consider what they wished they knew more about in relation to research knowledge, skills or behaviors. Participants were finally asked to discuss the resources or support they thought would help them to manage the challenges or meet the learning needs they identified. The interview questions were semi-structured to allow the conversation to flow, and to allow the participants to discuss issues of importance to them. At the end of the discussion, participants were asked to rank their top priorities for inclusion in an Emerging Investigators website, up to a maximum of 3 per person. Focus group sessions lasted between 1 and 1.5 hours. All key points were captured by the participants on flip-chart paper and sticky notes. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Interview data was transcribed and thematic analysis was used to identifying patterns or themes within the data. A theoretical thematic analysis was conducted, driven by the specific research questions. Each segment of data that was relevant to the research questions or captured something interesting was coded. These codes were examined and further grouped into six key themes that were consistent across all three focus groups. These themes were categorized as: Mapping the research pathway, Research skills, Personal development, Mentorship, Community of Practice and Opportunities at Mount Sinai. Within each of these themes, more specific codes align directly with learning needs for early career investigators at Mount Sinai. When asked to prioritize topics for inclusion in the website, the pre-doc PORTAL students selected research skills that included statistics, navigating the IRB and writing and publication, as well as mapping the research landscape at Mount Sinai. Both the post-doc TL1s and the KL2s also selected some research skills such as scientific writing and conference presentation, but also prioritized personal development and “soft skills” such as leadership, management, collaborating with others and finding a work-life balance. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: The themes articulated by the focus group participants have formed the basis for developing the Emerging Investigators website. Each of the key themes will be reflected in the learning and resources provided on the website. The prioritization of topics differed between groups, reflecting the different stages and levels of experience of these researchers. As a result, the website provides key learning and “top tips” suitable for all levels of early career researchers, but with links to further reading and resources for those at a more advanced level who are interested in learning more. In addition, the reported need for communication, collaboration and social interaction with peers and other researchers across Mount Sinai resulted in the addition of further web-based resources such as a discussion forum, a blog to feature research and provide a sounding board for research efforts, and a calendar of events targeted specifically at early career researchers. The focus groups provided much valued insight to underpin this project and ensure that a valuable resource is created that will meet the needs of early career researchers. The website is currently under development with a view to launch a pilot site in early 2019.

Exploring Best Practices for Online STEM Courses: Active Learning, Interaction &amp; Assessment Design

The purpose of this study was to examine effective design practices for online courses in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at a large four-year public university in southeastern United States. Our research questions addressed the influence of online design practices on students’ perception of learning and learning satisfaction. An online survey was completed by 537 students from 15 online STEM courses in spring 2016. The survey results indicated that effective online STEM courses integrated active learning activities, interactive engagement strategies, and robust assessments. In particular, assessment design significantly impacted students’ self-perceived learning and learning satisfaction for students of all populations. The findings inform instructors and instructional designers on how to design effective, inclusive, and engaging online STEM curriculum. Online STEM instructors are strongly encouraged to utilize the Universal Design for Learning principles in course design, which benefit all students including students with disabilities.

Selected abstracts from the 24th Annual Meeting of the Society in Europe for the Simulation Applied to Medicine

Ethics statement: The authors declare that they have followed the guidelines for scientific integrity and professional ethics. The article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects. Introduction & Aim: Stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In eligible patients with acute ischemic stroke, early treatment with intravenous thrombolysis is crucial for a good patient outcome. We introduced simulation training sessions in conjunction with an improved treatment protocol as part of a quality improvement project to reduce door-to-needle times in stroke thrombolysis. Methods: A questionnaire assessing our preexisting treatment protocol was sent to all members of the stroke team. A panel of experts reviewed the responses and suggested potential changes to streamline the treatment protocol. In February 2017, we introduced the new protocol along with weekly videotaped in-situ scenario based simulation sessions with all stroke team members as participants. Previous stroke patients acted as markers. Kirkpatrick’s four-level training evaluation model was used for assessment. Here we present 1) Participant reactions (level 1) on a Likert item from 0-10, and 2) Median door-to-needle times in stroke thrombolysis, a measure of clinical behavioral change (level 3), using a statistical process control method. Simulated performance and long term patient outcomes will be assessed in future analysis. Results & Discussion: Participant reactions were predominantly positive. Self-perceived learning scored a median of 8 (IQR 7-9). We compared door-to-needle times for 478 prospectively included patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis at our hospital from January 2014 – July 2017. There was a significant reduction in median door-to-needle time from 27 (IQR 19-41) to 13 minutes (IQR 9-21, p<0.001) for the 78 patients in the post-intervention group. The results remained significant regardless of time of admission. There were no significant changes in the rate of stroke mimics, prehospital time or fatal intracranial hemorrhage. Simulation training in conjunction with protocol improvement led to an immediate and significant reduction of median door-to-needle time in stroke thrombolysis (Fig. 1). To our knowledge, no other published data have shown lower median treatment times. Combining simulation training with protocol change holds promise as a method both for effective implementation and significant results in attempts to reduce in-hospital delays in stroke thrombolysis. Effects on non-technical skills, provider variability and long term patient outcomes are yet to be evaluated.

Fostering foreign language skills through an extracurricular drama project

ABSTRACT Drama activities can have a variety of benefits for foreign language learners of all ages. Staging an entire play, however, is not often possible as part of traditional foreign language education due to curricular, programmatic and departmental constraints. This article summarises an extracurricular German theatre project carried out at a small private college in the US with undergraduate students of all levels of German. The semester-long project culminated in the performance of Albrecht Dürer's Die Physiker (The Physicists) in the German language. The article summarises benefits of using drama to enhance foreign language skills and offers recommendations for implementations of similar projects for other language instructors. Further, challenges of organising extracurricular foreign language drama projects at the college level will be outlined. The article ends with a brief analysis of students’ experiences during the project based on a feedback survey completed by the participants. Students’ self-perceived learning outcomes are highlighted.

Towards a Higher Learning Motivation among Malaysian Undergraduate Students - A Case Study of Motivation Change in Malaysian Undergraduate Students after the Global Study Program (GSP) in Japan

This research paper outlines the Malaysian and Japanese undergraduate students' learning motivation, before and after joining a Global Study Program (GSP) held in Chiba University, Japan from 14 March-28 March 2016. A total of 15 Malaysian undergraduate students from Multimedia University, consisting of 2nd year to 4th year students, joined the GSP together with 15 Japanese 1st year to 4th year undergraduate students from Chiba University. The study focused on examining students' learning motivation in three experiment phases. The 1st phase of experiment consisted of conducting surveys on all students before the commencement of GSP. The 2nd phase of experiment consisted of daily observational measurements toward students' motivation and performance. Lastly, the 3rd phase of experiment consisted of conducting the same surveys again on all students after the GSP. Note that the survey consisted of 29 questions covering value components, expectancy components, affective components and self-perceived learning components. The results of this study indicated that the learning motivation of Malaysian and Japanese undergraduate students had significantly improved after joining the GSP course.