Small Group Discussions Research Articles

I-RANT: Training session on a novel, scripted, bystander microaggression intervention tool for medical students

BackgroundMicroaggressions, subtle and often unintentional acts of hostility, have been recognized as a significant issue in healthcare, adversely affecting learners’ emotional and physical well-being. Current strategies for addressing microaggressions are broad frameworks without empirical substantiation that leave learners without a clear direction for intervention. This study introduces a novel scripted, succinct, bystander intervention tool to combat microaggressions. The intervention tool developed by the research team, named I-RANT, follows the script of introduction, role naming, affirming the target, negating the microaggression, and transitioning within patient encounters. The study goal was to assess the ability of a training session to impact learners’ recognition of microaggressions, confidence in intervening, and competency in applying the I-RANT tool.MethodsA pre-experimental study was conducted with 97 second-year medical students at a large academic center in the Southeast United States. The I-RANT tool was taught through a 90-minute training session. The session included an introduction lecture, small group discussions, and role-play scenarios. Pre- and post-intervention surveys assessed microaggression recognition via a multiple-choice questionnaire (MCQ) and self-reported confidence in intervening on a Likert scale. Differences were compared via paired T-test. Role-play scenarios were observed by trained faculty and graded for competence using a rubric.ResultsParticipants showed significant improvement in microaggression identification with increase in MCQ score from 4.17 (SD 0.75) pre-intervention to 4.74 (SD 0.42) post-intervention (p < .001) and increased self-reported confidence from 3.2 (SD 1.0) to 4.2 (SD 0.63) (p < .001). Trained faculty evaluated a random sampling of students’ role-play scenarios (n = 30) revealing that 97% of sampled students demonstrated competence in utilizing the I-RANT tool.DiscussionThe I-RANT training session empowered learners to address microaggressions. Learners demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in recognition of microaggressions and confidence in intervening. The majority of learners demonstrated competency in utilizing the I-RANT tool by the end of the training session.ConclusionsThis study supports the effectiveness of our training session in enhancing medical students’ ability to recognize and address microaggressions. I-RANT empowers learners with a tool to intervene against microaggressions within patient encounters.

Balint Groups: A Novel Approach to Address Doctor of Physical Therapy Student Affective Domain Development

Abstract Recent calls for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) education to cultivate the affective domain or “habits of the heart” have highlighted a gap in curricula, where cognitive and psychomotor learning domains are often the focus. Balint groups, traditionally used in medical education, offer a potential method for addressing this gap. These small peer discussion groups provide a space for students to reflect on the emotional and interpersonal complexities of providing patient care through practicing perspective-taking. The authors share information addressing implementation of Balint in DPT education and benefits experienced by students, including perceived improvements in empathy, emotional awareness, and therapeutic patient relationships. By developing these “habits of the hear,” future physical therapists will be better equipped to attend to the humanistic aspects of patient care.

The Effect of the Application of the Problem-Based Learning Model on Communication Problem Solving Ability in Students of the Communication Study Program FISIP UNAS Jakarta

Problem-based Learning (PBL) is a learning method where students are faced with problems that exist in society in real life, to then be used as a trigger in learning. PBL is seen as more effective than the conventional curriculum, which only relies on lectures and practicums. Learning activities in PBL include expert lectures, discussions in small groups, practicum in the laboratory, and clinical skills practicum. Through this activity, it is hoped that students can achieve satisfactory learning achievements, considering that the concept carried by this system is so ideal. Problembased learningg is learning with an approach oriented to a constructivistic view that contains contextual characteristics, collaborative, metacognitive thinking, and facilitates problem solving. Students are able to learn meaningfully that can develop higher-order thinking skills through problem solving. Through this learning, it is hoped that it can increase understanding of meaning, increase independence, increase the development of higher-level thinking skills, increase motivation, facilitate relationships between students and improve skills in building teamwork when solving problems and finding solutions. The design of this study uses a quantitative approach with a survey method through the distribution of questionnaires to communication students of the Communication Psychology course. The results of the research can be used as reference to universities, especially the Communication Study Program, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, UNAS Jakarta, to implement The problem-based learning model plays an active role in the learning process, especially in this independent curriculum.

The utility and feasibility of incorporating death cafes in undergraduate education: A qualitative exploration of medical and nursing students' perspectives

BackgroundThe current medical and nursing curricula place little emphasis on palliative and end-of-life care. Consequently, students are less comfortable in communicating about topics related to death and dying when providing palliative and end-of-life care. Death cafés utilizes a facilitator-led small group to encourage conversations about death and dying to take place alongside food and beverages in a safe environment. In light of the presence of death taboos, there is a need to understand how medical and nursing students perceive the incorporation of a death café within the undergraduate program. ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the perceptions of medical and nursing students regarding the utility and feasibility of incorporating death cafés into their undergraduate education. DesignA qualitative study was conducted. MethodsThis study was conducted in one medical school in a university in Singapore. Participants above the ages of 18 years, pursuing a full time undergraduate medical or nursing program were invited. A purposive sampling approach using the maximum variation sampling technique to enhance representativeness was used to select the participants based on their sociodemographic and academic variables. A total of 32 medical and nursing students were included in the study. Online individual interviews were conducted. The interviews were then transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. ResultsThree main categories were developed from the content analysis: (1) Perceptions of death cafés, (2) Features of a death café, and (3) Contents of a death café conversation. Participants viewed the death café as a platform for conversations surrounding death and dying. Several features such as the presence of a facilitator and discussions to be held in small groups were surfaced. The proposed topics to be discussed ranged from communication skills, coping with death encounters, and understanding more about the concepts of palliative care. ConclusionMedical and nursing students view death cafes as a feasible and potential approach in learning pallative and end-of-life care. The use of a faciliator-guided small group discussion on topics such as coping with death, communication techniques and concepts of palliative care are proposed. Further work is needed to examine how the death café method can potentially impact students' confidence and skills in managing palliative and end-of-life care.

Decreasing Perceived Moral Distress in Pediatrics Residents: A Pilot Study.

Pediatric residents experience ethical dilemmas and moral distress during training. Few studies have identified meaningful methods in reducing moral distress in pediatric trainees. The authors aimed to determine how residents perceive ethics case discussions, whether such a program affects trainee ethics knowledge and perceived moral distress, and if residents' perceived moral distress changes before, during, and after a discussion series. Participants included pediatric residents in a single residency program. Five separate 1-hour sessions were presented over a 5-month period. Each session consisted of a case presentation by a resident developed under the guidance of an ethicist. Multidisciplinary services and content experts were present during sessions. Baseline, postsession, and final surveys were distributed to resident attendees. Open-ended responses were recorded. When comparing baseline and final responses, the only significance was increased preparedness to navigate ethical decisions (p = 0.004). A 10.2% decline was observed in perceived moral distress. An increase in ethics knowledge was observed. Residents favored case-based, multidisciplinary discussions. Residents desire more sessions, time for small-group discussions, and legal insight. Satisfaction was high with 90.7% of respondents feeling better prepared to address ethical concerns. Pediatric trainees desire case-based ethics training that incorporates small-group discussions and insight from multidisciplinary topic experts.

Developing a Curriculum for Trauma and Orthopaedic Higher Surgical Trainees: Implementing Small Group Teaching in a Regional Programme.

Introduction Small group teaching strategies have been considered more efficient than didactic lectures in motivating trainees. There is a lack of studies focusing on the use of small group discussions for higher surgical training. The aims of the current study were to report the implementation of small group teaching and to move away from didactic lectures for a regional trauma and orthopaedics higher surgical trainee teaching programme. Methods Feedback from the teaching sessions was prospectively collected from trainees regarding the delivery of their surgical curriculum and meeting their training needs using formal feedback forms. Twenty-two consecutive regional teaching sessions were included in the analysis, twelve using a variety of teaching methods including didactic lectures, and ten sessions aiming to focus entirely on a small group format. Comparisons were then made between the two teaching formats. Results A weak correlation was found between the teaching feedback scores and the amount of the session comprised of the small group format as per the published schedules (rs = 0.296) and as rated by the trainees (rs = 0.061). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the proportion of small group format teaching and how useful the trainees rated this for their education (rs = 0.597, p = 0.005). Conclusions The assessment of small group format teaching in higher surgical trainee education has not been previously reported. The current study shows that trauma and orthopaedics higher surgical trainee satisfaction with Fellowship of Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) curriculum teaching has a significant correlation with a greater proportion of small group format.

A close look at children’s and adolescents’ arguments: combining a developmental, educational, and philosophical perspective

It is broadly admitted that social contexts of reasoning may prompt children and adolescents to improve the quality of their reasoning. However, it is not clear how this quality may be assessed when it comes to arguments expressed within oral interactions in diverse settings (whole-class or small-group discussions) by students of different ages and cultural backgrounds. This study aims to offer a methodological contribution to the issue of oral argument assessment of children and adolescents, by looking at a large, annotated corpus of dialogic discussions during 111 lessons taking place in five countries. Our analysis combines a structural (Toulmin Argument Pattern) and functional (Walton’s argumentation schemes) approach to argumentative reasoning. Our findings show significant variations across age groups and social settings. The discussion points out the importance of sociocultural framing of argument reasoning development and the continuation of research in argument assessment methods able to grasp important developmental and cultural variations.

Unmet Needs of Children and Young Adults With ADHD: Insights From Key Stakeholders on Priorities for Stigma Reduction.

Individuals with ADHD continue to face stigma, which can negatively impact their access to, adherence to, and quality of mental health services, as well as their overall wellbeing. Perspectives of various stakeholders regarding priorities for stigma reduction remain underexplored. This study explores young adult, parent, teacher, and mental health care professional perspectives on unmet needs of children and young adults with ADHD in the Netherlands, in the context of stigma reduction. A total of 24 respondents participated in seven small focus group discussions (FGDs). The FGDs facilitated in-depth discussions exploring stakeholder group perspectives on unmet needs of children and young adults with ADHD in educational, professional, and social settings. Data was analyzed using thematic content analysis. Three thematic categories of unmet needs were identified: (1) a lack of awareness, knowledge, and understanding of ADHD; (2) insufficient personalized approaches in education and health care; and (3) limited accessibility of information and support services. Within theme 1, respondents primarily highlighted the importance of improving education for primary school teachers and mental health care professionals. Theme 2 underscored the need for increased capacity for personalization and attention to the sociopsychological factors of ADHD, alongside recognizing strengths. Theme 3 emphasized the need for easy access to reliable information and mental health care, including peer networks, as well as proper follow-up and continuity of care. Findings highlight the need for improving our understanding of ADHD as a complex biopsychosocial condition, which requires specific adjustments in education and mental health care. Interventions to improve support and disrupt stigmatization should meet diverse needs, incorporate multi-level strategies, and involve key stakeholders.

Small Class Discussion-based Teaching: Enhancing the Research Ability and Engineering Thinking of Graduate Students in the Field of Instrumentation

This study aims to enhance the learning motivation of engineering graduate students, particularly those specializing in Instrument Science and Engineering. It does so by evaluating the impact of a combined teaching approach that integrates multiple innovative methods. A total of 156 master’s students and 44 doctoral students were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group engaged in small-group discussions, personalized online courses, and flipped classrooms, while the control group followed traditional teaching methods. Over a 20-week intervention period, several aspects were measured, including changes in learning motivation, teacher perceptions, satisfaction of basic psychological needs, and academic emotions. The results clearly indicate that the intervention significantly reduced non-regulatory behaviors and led to improvements in students’ self-regulation, decision-making abilities, and overall academic performance. Furthermore, students in the experimental group demonstrated superior outcomes in various critical areas such as research skills, engineering thinking, communication, and cooperation, all of which were reflected in their test scores when compared to the control group. Additionally, achievement test results in the small-group discussion model showed a negative correlation with class size, implying that the effectiveness of this method may vary depending on student personalities and group dynamics. The study concludes that small-group discussions positively influence engineering thinking, enhance goal clarity, and foster both student initiative and motivation. This teaching approach effectively meets the students’ needs for independent problem-solving and substantially enhances learning motivation, thereby supporting the educational goals in graduate studies related to Instrument Science and Engineering.

Badati Cultural Design as a Learning Model in Increasing Understanding and Awareness of Prospective Taxpayers

The role of the community in development is characterized by a high awareness of paying taxes. People in the age range of compulsory education are potential taxpayers. The existence of badati culture, which is believed to have positive values for the people on the island of Ambon, is then designed in the form of a learning model. Through the implementation of the Badati Learning model, it is expected that it will have an impact on the level of tax awareness of 12th-grade high school students in Ambon City. The Badati model developed has a syntax: (1) formulation of activities, (2) formation of groups in representatives, (3) representatives disseminate to small groups, (4) small groups discuss, (5) the results of small group discussions are returned to the large group, (5) representatives disseminate classically by each representative in the gandong cloth. The research and development method, with the stages of preliminary studies on community leaders and youth leaders in Maluku, model trials. Limited test stages were conducted in two schools, broader test stages were conducted in three schools, and model validation was conducted in two schools. The results of the study illustrated that the Badati model is proven to have a good impact in increasing students' understanding of the importance of tax awareness for development with the average N-gain value at each stage of the trial, which is at a moderate level (limited trial N-gain value 0.6, broader trial, 0.7, and 0.7 validation test). Keywords: Badati learning model, tax awareness

Peer support amongst autistic children: an examination of the communication structure in small-group discussions

Purpose Over the past decade, many studies have investigated peer support between neurotypical and neurodivergent children. Less is known about how autistic children support each other in educational contexts, especially in basic education, where child-adult interactions are still predominant. This study aims to investigate whether and how autistic children supported each other in small-group discussions in the first years of basic education. This paper focused on unraveling the communication structures of these supportive events, aiming to understand further how autistic children make sense of social interactions and intersubjective processes that require peer support. Design/methodology/approach Building on conversation analysis methods, this paper analyzed the transcripts of the small-group discussions, identifying and analyzing the construction of support in children’s dialogues. Nine Finnish children (7–10 years old) attending mainstream school in Finland under intensified support in part-time special classrooms participated in this study. The study adopted a specific method called Idea Diary to frame the small-group discussions. The teacher guided the conversations, providing a dynamic structure for children’s interactions, but students were encouraged to interact among themselves. This paper recorded 11 sessions within the six-month implementation of the Idea Diary, totaling 240 min of data. Findings Results show that the children recognized situations where other children needed support in interactions and intervened in ways that promoted the continuation of the conversation and the clarification of ideas. Autistic children were sensitive to peers’ unspoken needs, capable of identifying subtle nuances of conversation dynamics and able to express support through comments and questions during the small-group discussions. Originality/value This study provides insights into the understudied phenomenon of peer support among autistic children in small-group discussions. It contributes to the growing corpus of research dedicated to exploring and revealing social competencies among autistic people. It discusses implications for developing educational practices that foster social interactions respecting the quality of autistic interactions and the interests of autistic students.

Addressing burnout among nurses of color: Key priorities and calls for action

BackgroundNursing burnout remains a public health crisis. However, few stakeholders have considered the disproportionate toll of burnout among nurses of color, including nurses identifying as Black, Hispanic/Latino, or Native American. PurposeWe convened a one-day conference, titled Solutions to Health Inequities and Nurses’ Emotional Exhaustion (SHINE), to begin identifying contributing factors and solutions to burnout amongst nurses of color. MethodSHINE convened nearly 40 expert stakeholders. The convening included plenaries, small group discussions, and breakout sessions. We employed a deliberative dialogue (DD) methodology to identify key takeaways and implications for research, practice, and policy. DiscussionHigh-priority solutions included: improving the work environment and nurse staffing, reducing stigma against nurses seeking mental healthcare, addressing workplace racism as a root cause of nurse burnout, and increasing support for nurses experiencing racism at work. ConclusionKey priorities identified through SHINE offer a roadmap for nurse leaders to address burnout through an equity-centered lens.

Can a zoom class be dialogic? An examination of a virtual English methods class

Purpose Synchronous virtual classes are becoming more common as universities expand access. However, instructors can feel hesitant as they move to a new style of teaching, especially if they are not sure their chosen pedagogy will work with virtual instruction. The purpose of this dialogic analysis is to examine the experiences of a dialogic teacher in a synchronous virtual English methods course. Design/methodology/approach The 75-min methods class met on Zoom twice a week. Class sessions were recorded. Dialogic analysis was used to analyze moments of whole-class discussion to explain what kinds of discussions happened and determine to what extent the class functioned as a dialogic class. Findings Overall, there was more student voice than teacher voice, and students spent over a third of the class in small group discussions. Even though the teacher still took over, and controlled discussions, the overall class maintained dialogic teaching principles. Despite this, the professor felt displaced for three reasons. In addition, some ideas for increasing the dialogic nature of the class are mentioned. Originality/value Synchronous virtual teaching will continue to grow, but as instructors move to that format, they can examine whether their pedagogies match the format. This paper explored one professor’s pedagogy of dialogic teaching and its compatibility with synchronous virtual teaching. This method of self-analysis could work with any pedagogy and could help instructors be successful in a new format.

Teaching Self-Regulated Learning Through Reflective Writing: Experiences of First-Year Medical Students With the Master Adaptive Learner Model.

In recent years, the Master Adaptive Learner (MAL) model has received widespread attention as a self-regulated learning (SRL) model in medical education. Yet, little research has been done on exploringthe benefits of explicitly teaching this model to undergraduate medical students. We taught this model in a required social science course to first-year medical students at the California University of Science and Medicine. Education was delivered via three two-hour sessions, each involving one hour of didactic presentation followed by one hour of small group discussion. Students then applied the model through a series of six structured reflection essays. After this intervention, we deployed a survey to understand student responses to using the MALmodel. The majority of respondents indicated that the MAL model increased their self-awareness and intentionality in learning. Students also attested that itincreased the depth and breadth of learning about self-identified learning gaps. This study suggests that the MALis an effective SRLmodel to promote metacognition and depth of learning in undergraduate medical students.

Development and validation of the Behavioral Determinants of Deprescribing Questionnaire (BDDQ)

Abstract Background Deprescribing is a strategy to optimize medication use. While health behaviour can successfully be predicted by health behavior theories, the literature on deprescribing relies almost exclusively on questionnaires that measure attitudes only, such as the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire and the Patients Attitudes Towards Deprescribing, resulting in poor predictive validity. The aim of this study was to develop a new tool to measure the psychological determinants of deprescribing among people aged over 60, based on concepts derived from health behaviour theories. Methods A draft self-report questionnaire was developed consisting of 64 questions measuring 11 dimensions representing determinants of deprescribing. As well as previous deprescribing experience, current deprescribing behaviour and willingness to deprescribe. Face validity was assessed by asking 10 health professionals and 13 of older people to complete the questionnaire and comment in a small group discussion, resulting in the removal of 18 items. Construct validity was assessed on a sample of 103 participants aged over 60, using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Internal consistency was assessed via Cronbach’s alpha. Results The EFA could confirm 11 dimensions explaining 70,5% of the total variance, but revealed poor loadings for several items and inadequate alphas (&amp;lt;.50) for two factors. Removal of items and these two dimensions resulted in 26 items measuring 9 dimensions, all showing acceptable internal consistencies (between .52 and .77): perceived risk; relatives’ involvement; deprescribing concerns; attitudes; medication beliefs; healthcare support; perceived difficulties; motivation to comply; communication accessibility. Conclusions This study produced a conceptually based and psychometrically validated questionnaire to assess behavioural determinants of deprescribing. It provides for a more comprehensive investigation of deprescribing intentions and behaviour of older adults. Key messages • A conceptually sound, psychometrically validated questionnaire (BDDQ) was developed. • BDDQ can be used for a more comprehensive study of de-prescribing in older people.

10.F. Skills building seminar: How public health professionals can use the right to health to advance climate action and justice

Abstract The climate crisis is the single biggest threat to global health, peace and security, a crisis multiplier, and a significant driver of health inequalities. In many areas of public health policy, legal action and litigation have delivered significant and long-lasting impacts. In April 2024, the European Court of Human Rights concluded that Switzerland had violated the right to health of older women in Switzerland by failing to meet its past greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets and set future GHG targets. State-of-the-art public health evidence provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change were vital to the Court’s decision, which has implications for all Council of Europe member states, and globally. Rigorous scientific evidence of health harms, including but not limited to heat stress, can inform other climate litigation grounded in the right to health. Public health researchers and practitioners are essential to this litigation. In recognition of this emerging role, in November 2023 the Faculty of Public Health (UK) and the Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health launched ‘From analysis to action: climate change litigation. A guide for public health professionals’ at the 16th European Public Health Conference. The guide was also endorsed by ASPHER, ASPPH, EUPHA, Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education, Global Network for Academic Public Health, Lancet Countdown, Public Health Ethics and Law Global Network, and WFPHA. This workshop will familiarise participants with recent rights-based climate litigation and explore the role of public health professionals in identifying, collecting, storing, assessing and presenting this evidence in a form that is accessible to court officials without medical training. First, there will be short presentations on 1) the role of the law in climate action and the role of scientific evidence of health harms in human rights litigation, and 2) How to collect and use scientific evidence of health harms in climate litigation (15 minutes). Small group discussions will follow, addressing questions such as: The health harm of climate change-related heat stress was a major factor in the 2024 decision of the European Court of Human Rights in KlimaSeniorinnen v. Switzerland: What other health harms could support future cases? In what population groups? What opportunities do you see today for public health researchers and practitioners to compile such evidence to make the most compelling case? How can public health researchers and practitioners work more closely with legal experts and affected communities to bring this evidence to court? (20 minutes) The workshop will conclude with a plenary discussion of these questions and the small group responses. (25 minutes) As a result of the workshop, participants will be better prepared to identify opportunities to contribute compelling evidence of health harms in climate litigation. Key messages • Rigorous scientific evidence of climate change-related health harms is proving central to success in rights-based climate litigation. • Public health professionals have a key role in identifying and presenting compelling evidence of health harms in climate litigation. Speakers/Panelists David Patterson University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands Farhang Tahzib Faculty of Public Health, Haywards Heath, UK

Supporting inclusion in teaching and learning STEM subjects within the DISCO+ project

Aim. The objectives of DISCO+ (Dropout and Inclusion at SChOol) project are two- fold: to implement an inclusive approach and prevent early school leaving in STEM sub- jects. The participating partner institutions apply cooperative engineering to develop units in mathematics and science subjects that can be implemented in different European educational contexts to meet the project objectives. Within the project (WP2) 16 transna- tional groups of pre- and in- service teachers take part in an eTwinning digital training sessions on the notion of school inclusion in Europe, the implementation of the principle of equality between girls and boys, the development of the critical thinking in learning scientific disciplines. Small group discussions refine each participant’s understanding of the issues involved, and the work carried out makes it possible to go beyond the local character of the definitions and to reach a common and shared understanding of the intercultural nuances present in each country. These exchanges will help build links be- tween participants and create a network of European colleagues. The groups’ experience books will serve as a basis for posters, which will be presented in June 2024. These pres- entations can be filmed and contribute to a 5-hour MOOC, which will be developed at a later phase in the project. Methods. By adopting a methodology which includes collectively designing teach- ing-learning sequences in transnational context, the project applies transnational engi- neering. Each partner involved in the creation of one or more teaching-learning sequenc- es must question the conditions of transferability of its point of view, its analyses and its testimonies in different educational contexts. In other words, the intercultural component of sequences designed jointly by partners from different countries should be ensured by addressing socially relevant issues and enriching their treatment with a variety of cul- tural viewpoints. The design of sequences on a transnational scale from this intercultural perspective will also make it possible to deal with the language issue in subjects such as mathematics and science. This methodology intends to develop a common culture on key issues such as sustainable development, inclusion and gender equality and to contribute to the creation of a European citizenship. Results. The activities will result in several deliverables, which include a round ta- ble, dedicated to the notion of school inclusion on a European scale, a four-month long eTwinning digital training in 16 transnational groups (teacher trainees, practioners) dis- cussing and exchanging ideas on inclusion in European education systems, teaching Sci- ence subjects, equality of girls and boys and developing critical thinking. Group experi- ence notebooks will be published as the result of exchanges between students, and will be dissemminated through the realisation of a poster session allowing the mutualisation of the work of the different working (16 transnational) groups. During the implementa- tion of „cooperative engineering” around inclusion and STEM teaching approaches by deconstructing representations of these objects to identify European variables and in- variants, an „online serious game”, and an accompanying guide is to be developed. The production of at least 4 teaching units (one per transnational team), two of which will be in mathematics and two in earth sciences (at least one unit is taught in the mother tongue and another in a CLIL approach) will be filmed and analysed by each “cooperative en- gineering” group on the eTwinning platform. Several activities will be used to produce resources, which in turn will be scripted into am5-hour MOOC training module to be made available on the platform already developed as part of the DICO+ project. Conclusions. In conclusion, the structure of the DISCO+ project will enable it to ad- dress the entire educational community in each country, including pupils, teachers, fu- ture teachers, trainers of trainers and inspectors.

Physicians’ attitudes toward gastroprotective strategies for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescription

Introduction There is a paucity of information regarding providers’ attitudes toward gastric-protective strategies with concurrent use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). We aimed to assess gastric-protective strategies used upon prescribing NSAIDs and providers’ awareness of societal guidelines for preventing NSAID-induced gastric complications. Methods A standardized 10-item questionnaire was sent to all orthopedic providers in North Carolina and South Carolina. The survey design and refinement were based on a literature review, item generation, and small and large focus group discussions. Results Forty-two orthopedists responded to the survey (response rate 16%). The most frequently used NSAIDs were meloxicam (79%), naproxen (69%), and ibuprofen (64%). NSAIDs were most commonly prescribed on an as-needed basis (52%), followed by <3 months (43%). The most common indications were degenerative arthritis (95%) and herniated disk (45%). Gastrointestinal adverse effects of NSAIDs were managed by discontinuing NSAID therapy (73%) or switching to a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor (40%). A small proportion were managed by referring to another physician (36%). Some clinicians prescribed gastric prophylaxis for patients at high risk for NSAID-induced gastric complications (24%). The academic setting was significantly associated with gastric prophylaxis and frequent assessment for NSAID-induced gastric adverse events. Providers with >20 years of experience showed similar trends. In low-risk patients, compliance with gastroprotective prophylaxis prescription was low (5%). Most providers were unaware of the societal guidelines for NSAID-induced gastric complications or the preventive strategies. Conclusion Prescription of gastric-protective medications with concurrent NSAID therapy is relatively low among orthopedists. Academic setting and higher years of experience showed a significant trend toward more gastric-protective medication prescription, COX-2 inhibitor use, and frequent assessments for gastric adverse events when prescribing NSAID therapy. Provider education on the latest societal guidelines and computer-based alerts can increase compliance and assessment for NSAID-induced gastric complications and preventive strategies.

Fostering students' potential understanding in mathematics learning: Use of teacher questions in small-group discussion

Fostering students' potential understanding in mathematics learning: Use of teacher questions in small-group discussion

Preparing health care learners using an interprofessional virtual simulation: A team-based community intervention

The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the complexities of a public health crisis and the health disparities associated with social determinants of health (SDOH). Health care practitioners are uniquely positioned to address SDOH. The goal of this virtual interprofessional simulation is to prepare health care learners to engage with stakeholders during team-based community interventions. The 3-h experience includes small group discussions on SDOH in interprofessional teams, simulation with role-play modeling a community task force meeting, and debrief. An internally developed survey was administered at the end of each simulation to assess impact on knowledge, skills, attitudes, and commitment to change. At least seven health professions participated. Findings showed the activity was well received, met learning objectives, and addressed IPEC core competencies. Learners gained the knowledge and skills essential to collaboratively develop an intervention plan. Thematic analysis revealed commitment to community involvement and advocacy and seeking collaboration to promote change.