A Web-Based e-Learning Course: Integration of Pathophysiology into Pharmacology

FE-learning and the virtual transformation of histopathology teaching during COVID-19: its impact on student learning experience and outcome

BACKGROUND

Medical and pathology education has gone through an immense transformation from traditional face-to-face teaching mode to virtual mode during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study evaluated the effectiveness of online histopathology teaching in medical education during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in Griffith University, Australia.

METHODS

Second-year medical students (n = 150) who had previously completed one year of face-to-face histopathology teaching, completed an online questionnaire rating their learning experiences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic after the completion of their histology and pathology practical sessions. The students' histopathology assessment results were then compared to the histopathology results of a prior second-year cohort to determine if the switch to online histopathology teaching had an impact on students' learning outcome.

RESULTS

A thematic analysis of the qualitative comments strongly indicated that online histopathology teaching was instrumental, more comfortable to engage in and better structured compared to face-to-face teaching. Compared to the previous year's practical assessment, individual performance was not significantly different (p = 0.30) and compared to the prior cohort completing the same curriculum the mean overall mark was significantly improved from 65.36% ± 13.12% to 75.83% ± 14.84% (p < 0.05) during the COVID-19 impacted online teaching period.

CONCLUSIONS

The transformation of teaching methods during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic improved student engagement without any adverse effects on student learning outcomes in histology and pathology education.

Telehealth in Nursing Education: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Telehealth encompasses a broad variety of technologies and methods to deliver virtual medical, health, and education services. This systematic review examined the research completed in the past 10 years to determine the prevailing state of the science related to nursing education and telehealth.

METHOD

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses was followed. The criteria for inclusion were nursing education research related to telehealth in an academic setting.

RESULTS

A total of 13 articles met the inclusion criteria. A lack of rigorous research design, valid and reliable instrumentation, and measurable outcomes were noted.

CONCLUSION

This review found a lack of research focused on nursing education associated with telehealth. One article validating 14 nursing telehealth entrustable professional activities with 52 corresponding competencies was found to have the potential to guide curricular integration, measure outcomes, and build a program of telehealth nursing education research. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(11):633-635.].

Case-Based Asynchronous Interactive Modules in Undergraduate Medical Education

Undergraduate medical education traditionally consists of 2 years of lecture-based courses followed by 2 years of clinical clerkships. However, over the past couple decades, undergraduate medical education has been evolving toward non-lecture-based integrated curriculums, requiring a collaborative curriculum. Additionally, e-learning platforms have become efficacious and essential to delivering education asynchronously to students. At Thomas Jefferson University, the Pathology and Obstetrics and Gynecology departments collaborated to create a pilot series of case-based asynchronous interactive modules to teach gynecologic pathology in a clinical context, while interweaving other educational components, such as evidence-based medicine, clinical skills, and basic sciences. The case-based asynchronous interactive modules were given to third-year medical students during their obstetrics and gynecology clerkship. Students interpreted histologic and clinical images while being evaluated on clinical management skills, gynecologic diagnoses, general principles of population health and pathology. Sixty-eight students from 3 blocks completed a pre and posttest. All participants showed improvement in interpreting gynecologic pathology in routine clinical scenarios as well as improved case-based decision-making, with an average score increase by 5.7%. Learner feedback was positive, with suggestions to apply this method to other medical specialties, particularly radiology. Asynchronous interactive modules are an efficacious and popular method of pathology education.

Evaluation of multidisciplinary strategies and traditional approaches in teaching pathology in medical students

This study aims to evaluate the impact on the implementation of multiple strategies to improve medical student's pathology learning experience. In two consecutive years, medical students after a whole year of enrolling in pathology teaching, were invited to complete questionnaires rating and commenting on the personal learning experience of multiple teaching resources delivered in pathology. In both years, the overall score was high (mean score = 4.57 ± 0.63 /5) for the newly introduced sessions, namely histology lectures, clinical integrations and virtual microscopy pre-practical sessions. However, this was only marginally different from that of traditional practical (mean = 4.37 ± 0.68/5) and pathology lecture sessions (mean = 4.42 ± 0.61 /5). In addition, 53% positive correlation was noted for the overall responses between virtual microscopy guided pathology modules and practical sessions indicating the benefit of virtual microscopy in better preparing students for these sessions (P < 0.001). Qualitative comments suggested that the virtual microscopy sessions along with clinical scenario based learning were extremely useful for students' learning in pathology. To conclude, a multidisciplinary approach by clinical integration and flexibility in the mode of delivery by the use of virtual microscopy has the potential to better engage students to the learning of pathology.

Interactive E-learning module in pharmacology: a pilot project at a rural medical college in India

Many medical educators are experimenting with innovative ways of E-learning. E-learning provides opportunities to students for self-directed learning in addition to other advantages. In this study, we designed and evaluated an interactive E-learning module in pharmacology for effectiveness, acceptability and feasibility, with the aim of promoting active learning in this fact-filled subject. A quasi-experimental single-group pre-test/post-test study was conducted with fourth-semester students of the second professionals course (II MBBS), selected using non-probability convenience sampling method. An E-learning module in endocrine pharmacology was designed to comprise three units of interactive PowerPoint presentations. The pre-validated presentations were uploaded on the website according to a predefined schedule and the 42 registered students were encouraged to self-learning using these interactive presentations. Cognitive gain was assessed using an online pre- and post-test for each unit. Students' perceptions were recorded using an online feedback questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale. Finally, focused group discussion was conducted to further explore students' views on E-learning activity. Significant attrition was observed during the E-learning activity. Of the 42 registered students, only 16 students completed the entire E-learning module. The summed average score of all three units (entire module) was increased significantly from 38.42 % (summed average pre-test score: 11.56/30 ± 2.90) to 66.46 % (summed average post-test score: 19.94/30 ± 6.13). The class-average normalized gain for the entire module was 0.4542 (45.42). The students accepted this E-learning activity well as they perceived it to be innovative, convenient, flexible and useful. The average rating was between 4 (agree) and 5 (strongly agree). The interactive E-learning module in pharmacology was moderately effective and well perceived by the students. The simple, cost-effective and readily available Microsoft PowerPoint tool appealed to medical educators to use this kind of simple E-learning technology blended with traditional teaching to encourage active learning among students especially in a rural setup is attractive.

Factors affecting the actions and emotional reactions of nursing teachers following encounters with students who present them with Internet information

OBJECTIVE

The Internet is a preferred source of information for nursing students. The purpose of the research was to identify teachers' reactions towards students who present them with information retrieved from the Internet.

METHOD

A total of 137 nursing teachers from 15 nursing schools in Israel were surveyed by a questionnaire. The dependent variable was nursing teachers' actions following encounters with students who present them with information from the Internet. Independent variables were: teacher's emotional reactions, teachers' Internet efficacy, Internet anxiety, and perceived student Internet efficacy.

RESULTS

The intensity of positive emotional reactions was the only predictor of teachers' actions towards Internet information retrieved by students. When teachers perceived students as having higher Internet efficacy, their emotional reactions were more positive and they took more actions. Teachers' Internet anxiety was negatively correlated with their positive emotional reactions and actions. No correlation was found between nursing teachers' Internet self efficacy and their reactions or actions following an encounter with students presenting Internet information. Positive emotional reactions mediated correlations between teachers' Internet anxiety, perceived student Internet efficacy, and teachers' actions.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing teachers' positive emotions foster openness and acceptance of Internet information retrieved by students.

Effectiveness of integrating case studies in online and face-to-face instruction of pathophysiology: a comparative study

Due to growing demand from students and facilitated by innovations in educational technology, institutions of higher learning are increasingly offering online courses. Subjects in the hard sciences, such as pathophysiology, have traditionally been taught in the face-to-face format, but growing demand for preclinical science courses has compelled educators to incorporate online components into their classes to promote comprehension. Learning tools such as case studies are being integrated into such courses to aid in student interaction, engagement, and critical thinking skills. Careful assessment of pedagogical techniques is essential; hence, this study aimed to evaluate and compare student perceptions of the use of case studies in face-to-face and fully online pathophysiology classes. A series of case studies was incorporated into the curriculum of a pathophysiology class for both class modes (online and face to face). At the end of the semester, students filled out a survey assessing the effectiveness of the case studies. Both groups offered positive responses about the incorporation of case studies in the curriculum of the pathophysiology class. This study supports the argument that with proper use of innovative teaching tools, such as case studies, online pathophysiology classes can foster a sense of community and interaction that is typically only seen with face-to-face classes, based on student responses. Students also indicated that regardless of class teaching modality, use of case studies facilitates student learning and comprehension as well as prepares them for their future careers in health fields.

Virtual learning object for the simulated evaluation of acute pain in nursing students

This study aimed to evaluate the results of the application of a virtual learning object for the simulated evaluation of acute pain in the learning of undergraduate nursing students and to verify the opinions of the students regarding the quality of the technology. This was a quasi-experimental, non-randomized, before and after study performed with 14 students in the seventh phase of the undergraduate nursing course of the Federal University of Santa Catarina. The pre (8.84) and post-test (9.31) means revealed significant differences in learning after the intervention (p=0.03). In the qualitative evaluation the flexibility of access, access independent of time/place, freedom to decide the best learning route and the similarity with reality were highlighted. It constitutes a promising educational tool, an interactive experience, similar to reality, dynamic and constructive learning. The application of the technology has brought positive results for learning about pain evaluation, contributing to fill the gap in the teaching of the thematic.