Voluntary Course Research Articles

3D printed teeth with adhesive bridge preparation guide

In this study a 3D printed tooth with adhesive bridge preparation guide was designed and tested for feasibility and evaluated by students. The tooth, printed by a stereolithographic printer, consisted of two differently colored layers with an integrated adhesive bridge preparation. This showed the extent and thickness of the preparation. 42 dental students in the fourth year of their studies were trained in a voluntary course. The printed teeth were evaluated with a questionnaire using German school grades from 1 (best) to 6 (worst). The production of the printed teeth for the adhesive bridge preparation was feasible and inexpensive. Overall, the students rated the teeth as good (Ø1.9 ± 0.2) in the questionnaire and evaluated the teaching method positively in the free text questions. This method supported the students to visualize the target preparation and develop a self-assessment through the ability to control their work directly on their own. The feasibility of this teaching concept was confirmed. It is suitable for teaching of new preparations forms such as adhesive bridges. The color-coded integrated preparation in the printed teeth and the printed tooth model enabled the students to learn the preparation of an adhesive bridge independently.

Elevating Beyond the Content: The Integration of Mindfulness and Gratitude in the Chemistry Classroom

There are many factors that can negatively impact student learning, including stress which impacts memory and overall well-being. A potential tool for educators to reduce stress and improve well-being is to use contemplative practices in the classroom, such as mindfulness and gratitude. In this Activity, we integrated voluntary daily mindfulness and gratitude practices into nine general and physical chemistry courses. Student perception data were collected through anonymous and voluntary course evaluations. Qualitative analysis of student responses identified themes of stress reduction, well-being enhancement, and attention span improvement inside and outside of the classroom. Quantatitive data analysis revealed that students perceived a learning benefit, enjoyed the practices, and recommend their contiued use in the classroom. This preliminary data suggests that students perceived the mindfulness and gratitude practices as being beneficial to their personal and academic lives. Future studies with control groups are required to quantify the impact on learning by incorporating mindfulness and gratitude practices in chemistry classrooms.

"And how am I going to ask about this?" - introducing the course "sexual anamnesis" in peer teaching for medical students in Würzburg.

A course on sexual anamnesis based on peer teaching was developed, piloted, and evaluated at the medical school of the University of Würzburg. The course is part of the expansion of the communication curriculum and in order to close existing gaps in medical education. An implementation of the course in the curriculum is meant to give all students the opportunity to acquire professional skills in this area. The course consists of knowledge transfer, interactive exercises, role plays with structured feedback, and an exchange with practitioners. A standardized online evaluation of the course took place in regard to teaching quality, subjective learning success, and acceptance. The voluntary course was conducted online in the summer semester of 2021 and in person in the winter semester of 2021/22. A total of 68 students participated. The training of the tutors was realized in cooperation with the "Deutsche Aidshilfe" (DAH). The course was successfully conducted online and in person. A total of 60 students participated in the evaluation. More than 80% of the students rated the course as structured. They assessed an adequate mix of knowledge transfer and practical exercises. More than half of the students reported that they were more confident in performing sexual anamnesis after they participated in the course. There was an open exchange among the students. More than 90% of the students found the peer teaching by the tutors helpful. The implementation of the course closes a relevant gap of the curriculum in Würzburg. Sexual anamnesis will be a regular part of the curriculum starting in the winter semester 2022/23. The concept can also be transferred to other universities.

Methodological heterogeneity biases physical activity metrics derived from the Actigraph GT3X in multiple sclerosis: A rapid review and comparative study.

Physical activity (PA) is reduced in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), though it is known to aid in symptom and fatigue management. Methods for measuring PA are diverse and the impact of this heterogeneity on study outcomes is unclear. We aimed to clarify this impact by comparing common methods for deriving PA metrics in MS populations. First, a rapid review of existing literature identified methods for calculating PA in studies which used the Actigraph GT3X in populations with MS. We then compared methods in a prospective study on 42 persons with MS [EDSS 4.5 (3.5-6)] during a voluntary course of inpatient neurorehabilitation. Mixed-effects linear regression identified methodological factors which influenced PA measurements. Non-parametric hypothesis tests, correlations, and agreement statistics assessed overall and pairwise differences between methods. In the rapid review, searches identified 421 unique records. Sixty-nine records representing 51 eligible studies exhibited substantial heterogeneity in methodology and reporting practices. In a subsequent comparative study, multiple methods for deriving six PA metrics (step count, activity counts, total time in PA, sedentary time, time in light PA, time in moderate to vigorous PA), were identified and directly compared. All metrics were sensitive to methodological factors such as the selected preprocessing filter, data source (vertical vs. vector magnitude counts), and cutpoint. Additionally, sedentary time was sensitive to wear time definitions. Pairwise correlation and agreement between methods varied from weak (minimum correlation: 0.15, minimum agreement: 0.03) to perfect (maximum correlation: 1.00, maximum agreement: 1.00). Methodological factors biased both point estimates of PA and correlations between PA and clinical assessments. Methodological heterogeneity of existing literature is high, and this heterogeneity may confound studies which use the Actigraph GT3X. Step counts were highly sensitive to the filter used to process raw accelerometer data. Sedentary time was particularly sensitive to methodology, and we recommend using total time in PA instead. Several, though not all, methods for deriving light PA and moderate to vigorous PA yielded nearly identical results. PA metrics based on vertical axis counts tended to outperform those based on vector magnitude counts. Additional research is needed to establish the relative validity of existing methods.

Potential of digitalization within physiotherapy: a comparative survey

BackgroundDue to the global digitalization, implementation of digital elements into daily work can support physiotherapists’ work but may also pose some challenges. Only little is known about physiotherapists’ attitude towards digitalization. This study primarily aimed to analyze physiotherapists’ attitude towards digitalization and to what extend digital tools have been implemented into their daily work. In second analysis, participants’ characteristics such as age, working place, gender and mode of survey participation were assessed.MethodsA 12-main-item survey amongst voluntary course participants of one physiotherapeutic training center was conducted via paper-based as well as online questionnaires between July 2018 and June 2019 including questions on participants’ general as well as particular attitude towards digitalization, the use of (mobile) applications and possible advantages and disadvantages of the ongoing digital transformation. Sub-analysis was performed for age (≤40 years versus > 40 years), gender, mode of participation (paper vs. online) and working place (practice vs. hospital).ResultsOverall, 488 physiotherapists participated in the survey. In comparison of the age groups, younger participants had more concerns about data security (p = 0.042) and insufficient financial remuneration (p < 0.001). Younger participants stated higher satisfaction with data literacy than their counterparts (p = 0.0001). Physiotherapists working in the outpatient sector, rather than in hospitals, expected digitalization to increase more in relevance (p < 0.001). The online respondents (OG) indicated that they had more knowledge about key aspects of the current legal situation regarding digitalization than participants completing the paper-based survey (p = 0.002). 50.4% of the considered digitalization as useful for their job.ConclusionsThe majority of participants saw high potential for digitalization in the physiotherapy sector. Younger physiotherapists seem to be more concerned about data security and insufficient financial remuneration. Physiotherapists in the outpatient sector seem to see more potential in digital transformations. General concerns like missing reimbursement, lack of data security or knowledge on legal frameworks should be addressed in the future. Further studies should focus on identifying specific digital tools which can support physiotherapists.

Teaching of the patient workup process improves students' perceptions of preparation for advanced pharmacy practice experiences

Background and purposeOne of the most common daily tasks on Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) is “working up” patients for inpatient rounds or outpatient visits. The purpose of this study was to assess a change in student pharmacist comfort level in performing a patient workup before and after the Pre-APPE Workshop by specifically teaching this process. Educational activity and settingThe patient workup process was included in the Pre-APPE Workshop, a one-week APPE orientation course at the end of the third professional year. Students completed a 34 question self-assessment prior to instruction and after completion of the course to assess their comfort level with working up patients and readiness for APPEs. Student perceptions were compared pre- and post-assessment. Additionally, performance on assignments and results from a voluntary course evaluation were assessed. FindingsOne hundred and fifty-two (100%) students enrolled in the Pre-APPE Workshop completed the pre- and post- self-assessments. Differences in student comfort level were found between the pre- and post-course self-assessments (median, [interquartile range]) related to performing an inpatient workup (3 [2–3] versus 3 [3–3], median change 0 [range − 2, 3]), and the outpatient workup (3 [2–3] versus 3 [3–4], median change 1 [range − 2, 3]), Overall, students felt more prepared to start APPEs after the Pre-APPE Workshop (3 [2–3] versus 3 [3–4]). SummaryIncorporating teaching of the patient workup process into the pre-APPE curriculum improved student pharmacist's comfort level with completing patient workups, and perceptions of preparation for APPE rotations.

The Importance of Optional Practical Anatomy Courses for Undergraduate Speech Therapy Students.

An in-depth understanding of the anatomy discipline is essential for the work of healthcare professionals. In recent decades, the content and time of teaching anatomy have decreased in all health science degrees. The aim of this study was to look for alternatives for compensating the reduction of the teaching of anatomy by supplementing students with a practical training course and to know evaluations of the course given by students enrolled in the degree in Speech Therapy and its impact on their academic results. All students (100%) positively evaluated having acquired skills and attitudes for their future professional life. The majority of the students (95.8%) believed that their knowledge was acceptable; 97.2% of the students thought they would have the possibility to apply their acquired anatomical knowledge as professionals; 98.5% were satisfied with the voluntary course; and finally, the percentage of students that passed the "Anatomophysiology of language and voice organs" course increased from previous academic years. Optional (theoretical/practical) undergraduate courses can be used in parallel to overcome the devaluation of anatomical studies in new curricula. The optional undergraduate anatomy course in the Speech Therapy program has been positively evaluated because it stimulated students' motivation and appealed to their interest in anatomy. Students considered that these courses would help them in their training and they could put what they had learned into practice in their future professions. However, very little evidence for the impact of optional practical courses exists, yet it could be an efficient method to increase anatomical knowledge.

Development of a Web-Based Intervention Course to Promote Students' Well-Being and Studying in Universities: Protocol for an Experimental Study Design.

BackgroundThe decline in the well-being among university students well as increasing dropouts has become a serious issue in universities around the world. Thus, effective ways to support students’ well-being and their ability to study are highly needed.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to build an intervention course for university students, which promotes both students’ well-being as well as their learning and study skills, and to describe the experimental study design that explores the effects of this intervention course.MethodsResearch has shown that psychological flexibility has a great effect on the well-being as well as the study skills of students pursuing higher education. The basis of our intervention course was to promote psychological flexibility and students’ study skills with the help of peer support and reflection.ResultsThis course was offered as a voluntary course to all the students at the University of Helsinki twice during the academic year 2020-2021. The first course was from October to December and the second course was from January to March. This course was advertised in fall 2020 through social media and by different student organizations and program leaders at different faculties of the University of Helsinki. As of October 2020, we enrolled 566 students comprising 310 students for the course in fall 2020 and 256 students for the course in spring 2021. Of the 256 students who enrolled in the second course, 170 students voluntarily participated in this study and they answered the questionnaires, including all the measures, simultaneously with the participants in the first group and thus served as the control group. The effect of this course will be measured with multiple data, including questionnaire data, reflective journals, and physiological data of well-being with a longitudinal experimental design. This research very strictly follows the ethical guidelines drawn up by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity. We expect to publish the results of this study in fall 2021 at the latest.ConclusionsWe argue that a web-based, 8-week intervention course, which promotes both student well-being and their study skills, is a good way to support students pursuing higher education, and both aspects should be considered when supporting university students.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/23613

3D Printed Teeth with Included Veneer Preparation Guide.

The purpose of this study was the design, feasibility, and evaluation of a 3D printed tooth model with internal preparation for dental education in veneer preparation. A tooth with two different colored layers for the crown and the preparation form was designed and printed by a stereolithographic printer. In a voluntary course, 40 third- to fifth-year dental students were trained with these printed teeth in the clinical course. They had the opportunity to prepare four 3D printed teeth with an integrated veneer preparation. During their studies, they used standardized model teeth. The students rated the advantage in a questionnaire according to German school grades (1 best to 6 worst). For reliability analysis, Cronbach's alpha was calculated. Significant differences between groups were calculated using the Mann-Whitney U-test. The production of the teeth was feasible and cost-effective. The overall mean rating of the printed teeth in the questionnaire was 1.8 ± 0.18. The students rated the learning results with the printed tooth as significantly better than the standard model tooth (mean 3.0 ± 0.86 vs. mean 2.1 ± 0.95; p < 0.001). The item "is a more suitable exercise option" in contrast to standard model teeth was evaluated with 1.9 ± 0.61. The item "the included preparation was clearly visible in color" was rated with 1.7 ± 0.71. "The tooth model illustrated visually an ideal preparation" was rated with 1.8 ± 0.65. Additionally, the students were interested in including more printed teeth into their studies (1.7 ± 0.86). In the open questions the students reported great benefits of this method. The feasibility of this teaching concept was confirmed. The students favored working on the innovative 3D-teeth with internal veneer preparation, emphasizing the usefulness of this technique in dental education. The tooth enabled the students to control their preparation permanently on their own.

Documentação linguística como parte das políticas de formação intercultural de docentes indígenas

As tecnologias de descrição linguística e a formação docente, com vistas, respectivamente, à documentação, à conservação linguística e à educação escolar diferenciada, são importantes ações de fortalecimento das línguas e dos povos minorizados. Nessa linha de raciocínio, o presente texto objetiva discutir processos de formação docente na perspectiva intercultural, sustentados por ações que levem os estudantes a refletirem sobre a gramática de suas próprias línguas. Para tanto, o ponto de partida e o fundamento empírico da discussão são três experiências de formação de professores plurilíngues, realizadas pela pesquisadora durante seu próprio processo de formação como linguista, elaborando uma descrição gramatical de língua indígena e: 1) como monitora no magistério indígena de São Gabriel da Cachoeira-AM (SGC); 2) como professora no mesmo magistério; e 3) em curso voluntário na comunidade de Nova Vida-SGC. Essas experiências permitem repensar a suposta oposição entre formação docente e descrição gramatical, além de reconsiderar a complementaridade entre essas duas práticas.&#x0D; &#x0D; Yatuka pinimasa&#x0D; Ike, kua paperamiri upe akuntai musapiri viagi Tawa upe. Ampinima Nheengatu gramatika, purakisa ixe umbuesara. Yepesa viagi, 2007, apuraki monitora linguístika sui. Ixe, umbuesara Marcos asui 73 uyumbuesara ita Magistério Indígena yampinima kua papera Barekeniwa Taukusa. Mukuimsa viagi, 2007, ixe umbuesara Magistério Indígena upe. Yapuraki narrativas, jornal asui teatro Nheengatu rupi. Musapirisa viagi, 2008, ixe umbuesara Nova Vida upe. Yapuraki muzika Nheengatu rupi. Tenki yambue Nheengatu gramatika narrativa irum.

Motivation as ethical self-formation in learning te reo Māori as a second language

ABSTRACT This article explores the motivation of non-Māori learners of te reo Māori as an L2. Inspired by calls for contextualised investigations of the L2 motivation of learners of LOTEs, our study utilises an ethical self-formation framework [Hennig, B. B. 2010a. “Language Learning and the Self: Exploring Hong Kong Students’ Motivation for Learning German as a Third Language from a Foucauldian Ethical Perspective.” Doctoral diss., University of Hong Kong. https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/tc/bibs/fdb173c8] to analyse data from semi-structured interviews with 10 learners enrolled in a voluntary course of Māori language for staff at a New Zealand university. Through a discussion of findings associated with three of the framework’s axes (ethical substance, mode of subjection and telos), we offer an interpretation of the learners’ L2 motivation as linked to a self-directed process aimed at achieving an improved version of themselves, and of this process of self-formation as rooted in personal belief systems about the value of te reo Māori in their personal and professional lives and for New Zealand as a whole. Overall, the ethical self-formation framework emerges as a useful lens for highlighting the links between the learners’ L2 motivation, their personal connections with te reo Māori and their sense of membership in an ideal collective New Zealand identity, and for exploring dimensions of the convergence of the personal and the societal in L2 motivation.

Introduction of a new teaching concept for crown preparation with 3D printed teeth.

For both students and teachers, it is challenging to learn and teach a correct crown preparation. The purpose of this study was the design, feasibility and evaluation of a 3D printed tooth model with internal preparation for dental education in crown preparation and to analyse the quality of the prepared printed teeth in comparison with prepared standard model teeth. A printable tooth was designed and printed by a stereolithographic printer. 38 fourth-year dental students in the first clinical course in prosthodontics were trained in a voluntary course using printed teeth. Different aspects of the printed tooth were evaluated by a questionnaire using German school grades (1 best to 5 worst). The quality of the preparation with the printed teeth and standard training teeth was also rated in an evaluation form done by an expert group consisting of five experienced dentists. The workflow was feasible and cost-effective for the production of the teeth. The overall rating of the printed tooth was Ø 2.0±0.34 in the questionnaire completed by the students. The students rated the printed tooth model (Ø 2.1±0.85) as significantly better than the standard model tooth (Ø 3.3±0.77; P=.000). The students reported great benefits in the use of this model tooth, for example valuable replacement of a standard model and real teeth, direct control of material loss. The quality of the preparation was evaluated by the expert group as significantly better with an overall mean grade of Ø 2.6±0.37 for the printed teeth compared to Ø 2.9±0.42 for the standard model teeth (P=.000). The feasibility of this teaching concept was confirmed. The students favoured to work on the innovative 3D-teeth with internal preparation, emphasising the usefulness of this technique in dental education. The expert group confirmed also the significant training effect of this tooth model in contrast to a standard model tooth.

A self-report of the Healer\u2019s art by junior doctors: does the course have a lasting influence on personal experience of humanism, self-nurturing skills and medical counterculture?

BackgroundHealer’s Art (HA) is a voluntary course offered during medical school. The course aims to address the growing loss of meaning and commitment experienced by doctors through the exploration of compassion, empathy and awe in medicine, and early exposure to a supportive community of practice. This project aimed to evaluate the potential influence of HA on junior doctor graduates.MethodsJunior doctors who had undertaken HA during their medical studies were interviewed. A thematic analysis was performed on the results of these semi-structured interviews.ResultsTen junior doctors who had undertaken the HA course participated in interviews. All interviewees described the HA as a positive and enlightening experience in their medical education. The thematic analysis identified four major themes: developing empathy in the doctor-patient journey, self-care and self-awareness, the creation of a supportive community, and coping with the challenging medical culture.ConclusionsHA provides experiential learning that enables participants to explore humanistic medicine. Self-selected junior doctors recall the course as a positive experience, and perceive themselves to be continuing to employ the techniques from HA in the healthcare setting. The concepts taught in the HA course appear to have a lasting personal impact on some junior doctors, who identify the course as influencing their self-reported positive patient-doctor relationships and supportive relationships with medical peers.

Concept and contents of a voluntary course for medical students' achievement of a basic qualification in patient safety during the practical year of medical studies.

Objective: Regarding the urgent need of qualification in the field of patient safety, the respective education and training were completed by a voluntary course for 10-15 students in their practical year (PY) provided in cooperation of the private University Hospital of Marburg and the Medical Faculty of the Philipps-University of Marburg. At the same time, this course was intended to develop important knowledge for implementing improvements of the current PY teaching as well as revising the curriculum of Marburg in the medium term.Project description: The PY course on patient safety is offered every six months since 2016 and comprises about 80 lessons.It is based on the principles of shifting simple knowledge transfer to autonomous preparation by the students themselves, of revising already experienced situations of the professional routine, of working with real data of current patients of the PY students, of fostering teamwork, and of applying very deliberately a large combination of methods with numerous interactive types of teaching.The topics of those 13 course units include the majority of the most important problem categories of patient safety as reported in the literature such as communication, drug safety, diagnostic errors, and handovers as well as methods for systematic identification and analysis of errors. In the context of a project task, the students evaluate by means of the global trigger tool and 10 patient files of their current wards each if harm has occurred in the treatment of these patients. Afterwards, the students elaborate in teams of 2 a fishbone diagram for one case where an avoidable harm had emerged. In this graph, the deficient process, the factors contributing to its development, the safety measures that are already applied in the department as well as suggested improvements of the students are visualized. In the final lesson of the course, the students explain and describe their diagram to a member of the managing board of the university hospital.Successful participation is confirmed by an official certificate issued by the Medical Center for Quality in Medicine (Ärztliches Zentrum für Qualität in der Medizin) stating that the course meets the level II requirements (“Basic qualification”) of the training concept on “patient safety” of the Germany medical staff.Results: After meanwhile 5 episodes of this course, the whole curriculum obtained a mean score of “very good” based on the standard questionnaire of the Medical Faculty of the University of Marburg. The students perceive an enormous increase in competence regarding the implementation of specific projects to improve patient safety.Furthermore, the intensive cooperation with the PY students led to conceiving and establishing further 7 PY courses for the benefit of patient safety and consolidation of entrustable professional activities. In combination with experiences gained elsewhere from courses on patient safety, the collected knowledge could be used for a first draft of teaching and education of patient safety during the entire clinical studies that takes into account the local conditions.Conclusion: In the process of anchoring the topic of patient safety in the Marburg curriculum of medical studies, the introduction of an extensive voluntary course in the second four months of the clinical internship (practical year) turned out to have a very positive effect. Supported by the management board of the hospital and the medical faculty, we consider it useful to permanently provide such an extensive course for a group of students who want to early and intensively deal with the topic of patient safety.

Field experiences in geosciences: A case study from a multidisciplinary geology and geography course

Multidisciplinary field investigations courses offer exciting alternatives to traditional learning. They offer a more holistic view of Earth and an opportunity for students to experience the relationships between all of the different elements instead of just one individual segment. We designed a multidisciplinary field investigations course for upper division students of the earth sciences. The course provides an opportunity for geology, environmental science, environmental studies, and geography students to collaborate on projects while learning about the interconnections between geology and geography as they shape unique landscapes. We use the field investigations courses that we have taught in the Greater Yellowstone region, Pacific Northwest, and Southwest United States as case studies to demonstrate the advantages of combining disciplines into a single course. We collected voluntary course evaluations from the student participants of these courses to evaluate the course and learn the benefits of field experiences in the geosciences. These data along with faculty experience and observation suggest that a holistic approach in undergraduate field courses broadens student experiences, enhances peer-based and collaborative learning, builds team-working skills, and fosters a curiosity about the natural environment.

Peer-mentoring Program during the Preclinical Years of Medical School at Bonn University: a Project Description.

Introduction: To better prepare young medical students in a thorough and competent manner for the ever increasing clinical, scientific, as well as psychosocial requirements, universities should enable a close, personal transfer of experience and knowledge. Structured mentoring programs are a promising approach to incorporate clinical subjects earlier into the preclinical training. Such a mentoring program facilitates the prioritization of concepts from a broad, theory-heavy syllabus. Here we report the experiences and results of the preclinical mentoring program of Bonn University, which was introduced in the winter semester of 2012/2013. Project desciption: The program is characterized by the concept of peer-to-peer teaching during the preclinical semesters of medical school. Regular, voluntary course meetings with different clinical case examples provide students the opportunity to apply knowledge acquired from the basic science curricula; furthermore, a personal contact for advice and support is ensured. Thus, an informal exchange of experiences is made possible, which provides to the students motivational and learning aids, in particular for the oral examination at the end of the premedical semesters as well as for other examinations during medical school. Results: Over the course of the preceding three years the number of participants and the interest in the program grew steadily. The analysis of collected evaluations confirms very good communication between mentors and students (>80%), as well as consistently good to very good quality and usefulness in terms of the mentors’ subject-specific and other advice. The overall final evaluation of the mentoring program was always good to very good (winter semester: very good 64.8±5.0%, good 35.2±5.0%, summer semester: very good 83.9±7.5%, good 16.1±7.5%) Summary: In summary, it has been shown that the mentoring program had a positive impact on the development, education and satisfaction of students beginning their preclinical semesters at Bonn University.

Introducing a molecular basis to physiology in undergraduate medical education.

Medical professionals in India need to understand the concepts of molecular genetics to stay up-to-date with clinical care as well as to strengthen basic research in the biomedical sciences. We introduced a modular course on 'Fundamentals in molecular and cellular biology' for first-year medical undergraduate students in the second semester of the first MBBS year in 2015, as part of 'Innovations in teaching physiology' at St John's Medical College. This was a voluntary, add-on course with didactic lectures, hands-on practical classes and a research paper presentation. Evaluation of students' performance in the course took into account their performance in the research paper presentation-based group activity and their attendance for the hands-on practical sessions. Feedback on the content, delivery, evaluation and future improvements of the course was sought from the students. About 65% of students regularly attended the 10-hour long course. Of the students evaluated for the course, 43% achieved the highest, and 11% achieved the lowest grade assigned. Nearly 72% of the students provided feedback on the course. This first outing of the modular course on 'Fundamentals in molecular and cellular biology' generated excitement among the students and achieved some learning for them. It also brought to light hidden challenges in conducting such a voluntary course for medical students in India. Our experience with the course will help in designing a better-integrated course for exposure of first-year medical students to advances in molecular biology and its applied aspects as they progress through the MBBS course.

The effectiveness of hybrid dynamic visualisation in learning genetics in a Hong Kong secondary school

Background: A teaching method to improve students’ ability to communicate ideas in genetics across the macro–micro levels of organisation was investigated in this study.Purpose: It is designed to help students deconstruct the level of organisation of each tier of a genetic diagram, as the symbols used in such diagrams (i.e. lines and letters) can be too abstract to serve as hints for students to identify the level of organisation.Design and method: The method employs hybrid dynamic visualisation, which combines static (e.g. a genetic diagram) and dynamic visualisations (e.g. meiotic cell division, fertilisation). The method also addresses the learning problem wherein students isolate the conceptual components of the processes of meiotic cell division and fertilisation from the procedural components of genetic diagrams. The new pedagogy was trialled in a voluntary enrichment course with 22 Secondary Six (or 12th grade) students.Results: The results of conceptual assessments and individual interviews show that the participating students, in general, provided more explanations at the molecular level, although there is considerable room for improvement in making a smooth macro–micro transition. Students also had a better grasp of the symbolic representation and mathematical concepts of genetics. In addition, their responses in individual interviews revealed that they shared a restricted understanding of the term ‘recessiveness’.Conclusion: Possible scaffolds for revisiting the concept of recessiveness in regular teaching are suggested.

Tutoring na Wydziale Oceanografii i Geografii Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego - motywy zaangażowania w nową ofertę dydaktyczną

The aim of the paper is to identify students` and teachers` motives of involvement in tutoring - a new educational offer in the academic year 2014/2015 at the Faculty of Oceanography and Geography of the University of Gdańsk. First, the theoretical concept of tutoring is presented, followed by the description of the process of implementation of the voluntary course of tutoring at the Faculty. Finally, results of the one-question survey conducted among 11 tutors and their 14 tutees is presented. The research revealed that a motive of development of academic skills and knowledge is present in every students` opinions. More than half of the teachers became tutors to help students and because they find tutoring developmental.

Use of spaced education to deliver a curriculum in quality, safety and value for postgraduate medical trainees: trainee satisfaction and knowledge

PurposeQuality, patient safety and value are important topics for graduate medical education (GME). Spaced education delivers case-based content in a structured longitudinal experience. Use of spaced education to deliver quality...