Program Structure Research Articles

Antibullying Interventions in Schools: Assessing the Evidence Base.

This systematic review used established rating criteria to describe the level of evidence for interventions aimed at preventing or reducing bullying perpetration and victimization in schools, synthesized the evidence for students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, and reviewed the literature for available information to conduct an economic analysis of the interventions. Major databases, gray literature, and evidence-base registries were searched to identify studies published from 2008 through 2022. The authors rated antibullying intervention models as having high, moderate, or low evidence depending on the number and rigor of studies with positive findings. Overall, 80 articles reporting on 71 original research studies describing a total of 48 antibullying interventions met the inclusion criteria for this review. Two schoolwide interventions received a high-evidence rating: the KiVa (Kiusaamista Vastaan) Antibullying Program and the Friendly Schools program. Multilevel interventions with components at the levels of school, classroom, and individual student most consistently showed strong evidence for reducing bullying behavior in elementary and middle school grades. Four interventions yielded positive effects in reducing bullying and victimization among diverse samples of students. Antibullying interventions can reduce bullying in schools. Some interventions show effectiveness with students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds. The gains relative to per-student costs were in the range that is considered cost-effective. Most implementation costs are spent on staff training and support. Research on successful implementation of whole-school interventions and additional synthesis of evidence pertaining to program structures would further advance the antibullying evidence base.

Using Project ECHO to deliver a tele-mentoring and teaching program on palliative care in South Asia: Interpretive description of participants' experiences with a community of practice for learning.

To explore the learning experiences of participants (learners and teachers), in a yearlong tele-teaching and mentoring program on pediatric palliative care, which was conducted using the Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) model and consisted of 27 teaching and clinical case discussion sessions for palliative medicine residents in India and Bangladesh. The goal of the study is to explore how participation and learning is motivated and sustained for both residents and teachers, including the motivators and challenges to participation and learning in a novel online format. Qualitative interviews with ECHO participants, including learners and teachers were conducted. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis of interview data was conducted within an interpretive description approach. Eleven physicians (6 residents, 5 teachers) participated in interviews. Key elements of the ECHO program which participants identified as supporting learning and participation include small group discussions, a flipped classroom, and asynchronous interactions through social media. Individual learner characteristics including effective self-reflection and personal circumstances impact learning. Providing opportunities for a diverse group of learners and teachers, to interact in communities of practice (COP) enhances learning. Three major themes and 6 subthemes describing learning processes were identified. Themes included (1) ECHO program structure, (2) learner characteristics, and (3) COP. Subthemes included flipped classroom, breakout rooms, learning resources, personal circumstances, self-awareness of learning needs, and community interactions. Project ECHO suggests a novel model to train health providers, which is effective in low- and middle-income countries. Online learning programs can lead to learning through community of practice when learners and teachers are able to interact and engage in peer support and reflective practice. Educators should consider incorporating small group discussions, a flipped classroom design, and opportunities for asynchronous interactions to enhance learning for participants in online learning programs.

Face-to-face and virtual mathematics enrichment for rural schools:

In this paper the authors report on the University of Southern Queensland’s (USQ) Mathematics Rural and Regional Communities (MRRC) project. This project is an extension to the Mathematics Enrichment Program (MEP), which has been running since 2007. Since the MEP’s inception, more than 500 students, 29 schools, 15 pre-service teachers (who are involved to gain practical teaching experience) and many volunteer university lecturers and other mathematics and education professionals have been involved. The MRRC project builds on USQ’s MEP to offer content in an online or virtual format. Through an interactive virtual environment, the MRRC project connects regional high schools to USQ’s two campuses to build the capacity of the teachers and students involved. The authors describe the overall aim and structure of the MRRC program, preliminary evaluations of the program, analysis of the virtual space and future plans for the program.

Impact of COVID-19 on antimicrobial stewardship activities in Italy: a region-wide assessment

BackgroundIn the region of Piedmont, in Northern Italy, formal monitoring of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs has been in place since 2012. The objective of our study was to provide an updated assessment of AMS programs operating in our region, and to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stewardship activities.MethodsA retrospective observational study was conducted to investigate AMS programs implemented in acute-care trusts participating in a broader healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) prevention and control program, promoted by the regional health department. Within this program, structure, process, and outcome indicators of AMS programs were investigated, using a previously developed scoring system. Differences between scores prior to (2019) and during the pandemic (2021) were assessed. Linear regression was used to assess whether the 5-year trends (2017–2021) in outcome measures in relation to structure and process scores were statistically significant. Compound annual growth rates (CAGR) for each outcome were calculated to illustrate changes in outcome rates over time.ResultsAll public trusts in the Region (20) and a small number of private institutions (3) provided data for this study. A modest, non-significant improvement was found for 2021 structure, process, and total scores compared to respective 2019 scores. A significant improvement was found concerning the definition of a formal mission statement, whereas significantly less trusts included monitoring adherence to antimicrobial policy or treatment guidelines in their programs. Overall consumption of antibiotics for systemic use saw an increase in 2021, with 2021 recording the highest median overall consumption compared to all previous years considered in this study. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant enterobacteria (CRE) rates decreased over the 5-year period. Significant downwards trends in MRSA rates were identified for high-outlier structure and process groups.ConclusionsResults of this study suggest AMS programs in Piedmont were not set back following the pandemic. This outcome was possible thanks to well-established programs, coordinated within a regional framework. Continued efforts should be dedicated to supporting AMS programs and contrasting AMR, even when the focus is shifted towards other public health emergencies.

A Guiding Model for Undergraduate Medical Education Well-Being Programs.

Most medical schools have instituted undergraduate medical education (UME) well-being programs in recent years in response to high rates of medical student distress, but there is currently significant variability in the structure of UME well-being programs and limited guidance on how to best structure such programs to achieve success. In this article, the authors, all leaders of medical student well-being programs at their home institutions and members of the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Student Affairs Committee on Student Affairs Working Group on Medical Student Well-Being between 2019 and 2023 offer guidance to the national community on how best to structure a UME well-being program. They use the current literature and their professional experiences leading well-being efforts at 7 different institutions to review the case for addressing medical student well-being, propose a guiding model, and make recommendations for strategies to implement this model.The proposed guiding model emphasizes the importance of the learning environment and efficiency of learning to medical student well-being, as well as personal resilience. Based on this model, the authors recommend specific and tangible well-being strategies to implement systemic interventions to improve the learning environment, efficiency of learning, and personal resilience, including formalizing the well-being program; hiring qualified, dedicated, and empowered well-being leadership with clear responsibilities; acting as a central hub for resources and as a liaison with mental health care; and establishing robust program evaluation methods.

Building a robust pharmacy research program: Reflections from a large healthcare system not affiliated with a college of pharmacy

AbstractProfessional standards for academic health care system pharmacy departments and clinical pharmacists advocate for research and scholarly activities. Developing and sustaining a research program in a clinical pharmacy department is challenging. Over the span of a decade, a robust pharmacy research program was developed in an academic medical center not affiliated with a college of pharmacy. The aim of this manuscript is to provide a framework suitable for scaling research in pharmacy departments within an academic medical center. Objectives to accomplish the aim includes describing the structure and evolution of the clinical pharmacy department research program, listing measurable outputs and achievements of the pharmacists and the program and describing the barriers encountered and solutions that were enacted to overcome them. Elements critical to building and sustaining a research program in the pharmacy department included long‐term commitment from within the department, a departmental research infrastructure, support from institutional leadership, research funding from the institution, and a growth mindset in accordance with company initiatives to support evolving research needs. A research curriculum was developed for pharmacy residents and pharmacists, created electronic tools for research proposal scientific reviews and allocation of funds, and established departmental research career development awards that allowed for protected time to pursue research and professional development. Over the first 10 years of the program, publication rates grew more than three‐fold, faculty appointments and promotions increased approximately five‐fold, and pharmacist investigators obtained extramural federal funding. Further offsetting clinical workload relative to dedicated research time remains a challenge. The experience and success at this academic medical center suggest it is feasible to develop a robust, sustainable clinical pharmacy department research program.

Transforming academic librarianship through AI reskilling: Insights from the GPT-4 exploration program

The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic librarianship necessitates a corresponding evolution in librarians' competencies. This case study examines the GPT-4 Exploration Program at the University of New Mexico's College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences, which aimed to foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation by providing hands-on experience with advanced AI technology. Drawing on Malcolm Knowles' Adult Learning Principles, the program's structure and implementation are analyzed, highlighting the diverse range of projects undertaken by participants. The study reveals that effective AI reskilling involves cultivating a culture of continuous learning, adaptability, and collaborative exploration, anchored in a practical, hands-on approach. Participants reported significant improvements in AI literacy and confidence in applying AI tools to their work. The program's success demonstrates the potential of well-structured reskilling initiatives in empowering library professionals to navigate the evolving landscape of AI in academic libraries. The case study offers insights and strategies for other academic libraries seeking to develop AI reskilling initiatives, emphasizing the importance of fostering a supportive learning environment, addressing technical and ethical challenges, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of such programs. The GPT-4 Exploration Program serves as a blueprint for integrating AI into library services and operations.

Workshop report: Clinical training and integration of genetic counselors into interprofessional teams in the German-speaking countries

In spring 2022, the inaugural cohort of Genetic and Genomic Counseling MSc students graduated from the Medical University of Innsbruck, representing a significant milestone for the establishment of the genetic counselor (GC) profession in the German-speaking countries. A pivotal component of their education was a 15-week clinical training period. The placement experiences of both students and supervisors offered valuable insights into the attitudes of medical geneticists toward the profession. To share the knowledge gained by these pioneers and offer guidance to potential placement institutions, the MSc program team organized an online workshop on the education and training of GCs in German-speaking countries in October 2022. The first part of the workshop focused on the training program and professional profile of GCs in the German-speaking countries. It covered educational aspects, such as the structure of the MSc degree program and specific communication training. Additionally, it addressed challenges arising from the integration of GCs into existing genetics centers. The second part of the workshop delved into first-hand experiences of genetic counseling students and placement providers during clinical training. Featuring insights from supervisors, this session facilitated a discussion about the roles of GCs within interprofessional genetics teams. The workshop participants agreed on a growing demand for GCs and highlighted positive experiences, as well as challenges within participating institutes that had hosted a student. In this article we summarize suggestions for the education and training of GCs in the German-speaking countries where the profession is newly established.

TECHNOLOGY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING OF PHILOLOGY MASTERS

TECHNOLOGY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING OF PHILOLOGY MASTERS

디지털 리터러시 성인학습에서 교육 형식성이 디지털 역량개발에 미치는 영향

This study investigates the impact of educational formality on developing dig ital competency, a key outcome of digital literacy learning for adults, which has become increasingly popular. We surveyed 151 adult learners with experience in digital literacy learning to assess their pursuit of formal learning structures and measured their resulting digital capabilities. Multiple regression analysis performed using SPSS 27.0 software revealed a positive impact of educational formality on digital competency development. However, qualitative aspects of formality, such as step-by-step continuous learn ing and the exploration of related content, were shown to exhibit greater influence than quantitative aspects such as program structure, professional instructors, and evaluations. These findings suggest that adult digital literacy programs operated by educational institutions should stress qualitative formality to foster adult learners‘ continuous improvement and knowledge growth.

Analysis of Interaction Mechanisms between Java and JavaScript Programming Languages: from LiveConnect to Graal.js

The article is devoted to the study of the mechanisms of interaction between the popular programming languages Java and JavaScript using a retrospective approach. The author consistently examines the development of tools of this kind, starting from LiveConnect technology and Java applets of the mid-1990s and ending with the interpreters of the last decade. Particular attention is paid to comparing the performance of the currently relevant tools Nashorn and Graal.js. The latter is an implementation of the JavaScript language based on the Truffle framework and Context API, which is a Polyglot context for executing all supported guest languages with the Graal JIT compiler, ensuring their optimal performance. The author gives a definition to the term "warm-up", which is recommended by the GraalVM developers to achieve the highest performance. This is a kind of pre-compilation mode, the process of repeated preliminary execution of JavaScript code by the interpreter before its actual usage in order to obtain information about the most frequently utilized fragments of the program, its functions, types and data structures, alongside with their subsequent caching and optimization. The results of testing based on a project from Oracle and the authors application made it possible to verify the results declared by the GraalVM developers and can be used to optimize and improve the performance of multilingual projects using a unified technology stack, as well as when migrating the server code base from Java to JavaScript.

Payments and penalties in ecosystem services programs

Payment for ecosystem services (PES) program contracts include penalties for non-performance to ensure that these programs receive the environmental benefits they have been paying for. The standard penalty structure in PES programs requires participants to pay back all program payments received if the contract is terminated before the end of the contract lifetime. We derive the optimal non-completion penalty structure, which decouples the penalty from payments received. In contrast to the backward-looking standard penalty, the optimal penalty is forward-looking and equals the principal's net future environmental benefits lost due to contract non-completion. The optimal penalty thus falls over the life of the contract, in contrast to the standard penalty, which rises over the life of the contract. A numerical policy simulation with heterogeneous agents based on features in federal agricultural conservation programs in the United States suggests that the optimal penalty structure can increase realized net environmental benefits significantly. Our results suggest that performance of most kinds of PES programs can be enhanced by decoupling non-completion penalties from payments and by adjusting how penalties vary over contract lifetimes.

Microcredit, gender norms, and women’s experiences of economic coercion and agency in Matlab, Bangladesh

Microfinance organizations in Bangladesh often direct microloans to women, due in part to women’s high repayment rates. Questions remain about how microfinance institutions are addressing – or enabling – economic coercion of women taking out loans. In-depth interviews with 25 men and 24 women examined how the structure of microcredit programs, and men’s reactions to such structures, enabled or challenged women’s economic agency. We found that loan access and control was gendered, that loans were socially disruptive and engendered shame among men and women, and that this social disruption and shame was managed through practices of concealment. Interviews revealed that inequitable gender structures governing microloan administration are impeding gender transformative experiences with microloans. The results of this study illustrate the importance of considering structural and normative elements of gender systems to understand women’s experiences of economic agency and coercion around microloans.

Virtual Visiting Professorship Program as an Opportunity for Academic and Clinical Advancement Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey of Participants.

To identify structure, benefits, and shortcomings of a multi-institutional virtual visiting professorship (VVP) program from 2020 to 2022, 2 years after inception and after gradual resumption of an in-person, prepandemic academic environment. An IRB-exempt, 70-question survey about structure, benefits, and shortcomings of the VVP program was distributed to its participants (14 breast imaging departments across the U.S.), using the snowball sampling technique. A total of 72 responses were received; 54.2% (32/59) radiologists >5 years of experience, 18.6% (11/59) radiologists <5 years of experience, 15.3% (9/59) residents, and 8.5% (5/59) fellows. Radiologists' attendance increased from 8% (5/59) to 53% (31/59) over 2 years, with 69% (41/59) of respondents supporting continued participation. The most important factors for attendance were expanding breast imaging knowledge (86.4% [51/59]) and the virtual format (76.2% [45/59]). The number of presented lectures increased from 1 to 3 lectures in 43.7% (7/16) of programs in year 1 and from 4 to 9 lectures in 50% (8/16) of programs in year 2. The greatest professional benefits were collaborations on publications for organizers (56.3% [9/16]) and building academic portfolios for presenters (50% [7/14]). For trainees, attending the program increased their knowledge (64.3% [9/14]) and enthusiasm for breast imaging (50% [7/14]). The VVP program facilitated scholarly collaboration among breast imaging radiologists, promoted academic portfolios for junior faculty, and increased enthusiasm for breast imaging for trainees. These accomplishments extended beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, as evidenced by the growth of the program after resumption of an in-person academic environment. Future expansion to other programs would benefit more practicing radiologists.

Competency-based and less time-bound: a new approach to the macro-structure of a medical school curriculum

ABSTRACT Shifting to a competency-based (CBME) and not time-bound curricular structure is challenging in the undergraduate medical education (UME) setting for a number of reasons. There are few examples of broad scale CBME-driven interventions that make the UME program less time-bound. However, given the range of student ability and varying speed of acquisition of competencies, this is an area in need of focus. This paper describes a model that uses the macro structure of a UME program to make UME curricula less time-bound, and driven more by student competency acquisition and individual student goals. The 3 + 1 curricular model was derived from the mission of the school, and includes a 3-year core curriculum that all students complete and an individualized phase. Students have an 18 month individualized educational program that meets their developmental needs and their educational and professional goals. This is achieved through a highly structured advising system, including the creation of an Individualized Learning Plan, driven by specific goals and targeted Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA). Students who struggle in achieving core competencies can use individualized time to support competency development and EPA acquisition. For students who have mastered core competencies, options include obtaining a masters degree, clinical immersion, research, and community-based experiences. Students can also graduate after the 3-year core curriculum, and enter residency one year early. Structural approaches such as this may contribute to the norming of the developmental nature of medical education, and can advance culture and systems that support CBME implementation at the UME level.

행복의 관점에서 본 인공지능 기반 음악교육 방향 모색

The purpose of this study is to review music programs installed in AI(Artificial Intelligence) reveal the structure, and find the direction of music education, focusing on happiness, which has recently received increasing attention. For this research, the researcher review the formation and standards of happiness theory and extract happiness-related elements mentioned in the Ministry of Education's curriculum. Then, explore government policies on AI and the structure of programs equipped with music technology using AI. In conclusion, based on the analysis of happiness and AI music programs, the researcher drew implications for the direction of AI music education based on true happiness.

The Alignment between The Official Physical Education Curriculum and The Taught Curriculum

Although the written physical education curriculum is the same throughout the country, the implementation phase in schools differs from each other. Hence the purpose of this study is to examine the implementation process of the 5th-grades physical education and sports curriculum (updated in 2018) in different school contexts. Case study pattern was used. The participants of the study are two physical education teachers in Eskisehir. The data collection process consisting of observations, interviews, and field notes was completed in the fall semester of the 2018-2019 academic year. As a result of the analysis, the implementation process of the curriculum sub-theme which is related to the main theme of "taught curriculum", were reached. In conclusion, it can be said that the implementation process in schools is mostly teacher-centered, including the teaching of sports techniques and evaluating the psychomotor domain. The game-based and student-centered structure of the updated program could not be implemented by the teachers in the study. Also, it can be stated that the sufficiency of physical education course materials and the suitability of the areas used in physical education lessons are important factors in the implementation process of the curriculum.

Исследование эффективности промпт-инжиниринга и квантованных LLM в создании структуры академических курсов

This article presents the outcomes of an experiment employing large language models (LLMs) in the development of university course structures. Various prompt engineering methods, including zero-shot, few-shot, chain-of-thought, and tree-of-thought, were employed to formulate queries to LLMs. Primarily, quantized models such as mistral-7b-instruct, mixtral-8x7b-instruct, openchat_3.5, saiga2_13b, starling-lm-7b-alpha, tinyllama, among others, were utilized for the experiment. The generated course structures were compared with data obtained from ChatGPT-4. Models openchat_3.5.q5_k_m and starling-lm-7b-alpha.q5_k_m demonstrated comparable quality in generating educational program structures to ChatGPT-4. The experiment underscores the potential applications of LLMs in the field of education and highlights promising directions for further research.

A Comparison of the Internship Experiences of Aspiring School Leaders in a Principal Residency and Traditional Principal Preparation Program in Texas

The principal internship is a crucial component of principal preparation programs (PPP) in the U.S. and, increasingly, in other countries. The purpose of this study was to compare the experiences and work of principal candidates enrolled in one principal residency program (PRP) to candidates enrolled in a traditional principal preparation program at the same university. Using an embedded case study design, we collected survey, log, and interview data from interns enrolled in two different programs at one university across two semesters. We analyzed the quantitative data using descriptive statistics and iterative rounds of coding to analyze the interview and log data. Our findings suggest that the interns in both groups had a wide variety of authentic leadership experiences but that the residents had higher levels of engagement than did the traditional interns. Our findings add to our understanding of the depth and quality of interns’ leadership experiences and how program structures may shape those experiences. We conclude with recommendations for principal preparation programs.

126 20 YEARS SHAPING A NEW GENERATION OF HISPANIC CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCHERS: UPR-MSC POSTDOCTORAL MASTER IN CLINICAL &amp; TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAM

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: This project presents the Post-doctoral Master of Science in Clinical and Translational Research (MSc) program’s outcomes in 20 years of its implementation. This program is a joint offering between the Schools of Health Professions and School of Medicine of the University of Puerto Rico. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: This study consists of secondary data analysis of academic and administrative documents. It also includes data from the Annual Evaluation retreats reports and an Alumni Follow-up Survey using an electronic questionnaire. All 121 Scholars admitted to the program from academic years 2003 to 2023 were included in the sample. Data analysis included descriptive statistical analysis of quantitative data and qualitative content analysis regarding recruitment/admissions, faculty composition, curriculum design, Scholars’ outcomes, and program’s financial support sources. Quantitative data were analyzed using the statistical software SPSS. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Scholars of the program had been recruited from the UPR-MSC and several partner institutions with diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and research areas. Faculty and committee members have representation from the six MSC-Schools and partner institutions. The academic Program structure has changed over the years, and currently, more than 65% of the courses are offered online. Several financial sources have been identified to support the scholars. The Scholars’ portfolios of grant submission and publication productivity evidence the program’s success. Graduates have also been successful in advancing to positions that foster research impacting Hispanics. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The Post-doctoral Master’s in Clinical and Translational Research program (MSc) has contributed to the formation of committed Hispanic clinical and translational researchers impacting minorities and contributing to diversity in the research workforce.