Development of a questionnaire to measure teachers' student-centred perspectives based on the Onion Model

Exploring the role of moxibustion robots in teaching: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Artificial intelligence has gradually been used into various fields of medical education at present. Under the background of moxibustion robot teaching assistance, the study aims to explore the relationship and the internal mechanism between learning engagement and evaluation in three stages, preparation before class, participation in class, and consolidation after class.

METHODS

Based on the data investigated in 250 youths in university via multistage cluster sampling following the self-administered questionnaire, structural equation model was built to discussing factors of study process about moxibustion robots.

RESULTS

It was found after moxibustion robot teaching assistance that preparation before class, participation in class and consolidation after class positively predicted learning engagement. Learning engagement, preparation before class, participation in class, consolidation after class positively predicted effect evaluation. Learning engagement played a mediating role in the effect of preparation before class and consolidation after class on evaluation.

CONCLUSION

Employing artificial intelligence in three stages of class can improve the quality and efficiency of medicine education and promote its innovation and development. Serviceable and valuable reference and inspiration for future teaching improvement and industrial development can be provided via the systematic research and analysis of the practical application of moxibustion robot in teaching.

Situations that prompt teachers in problem-based curricula to reflect on their beliefs, identity and mission

Teachers have different perceptions of how to enhance student learning. Whereas some take a teacher-centred perspective, others lean more towards a student-centred approach. Many studies in higher education have invoked Korthagen's onion model (2014) to explain how teachers' perspectives can impact their teaching practices. Spanning six interrelated layers, this model contains both outer (environment, behaviour, competencies) and inner (beliefs, identity, and mission) aspects. Focusing essentially on teachers' outer aspects, previous studies have paid scant attention to how particular situations affect teachers' inner aspects and, consequently, how teachers perceive student-centred learning. In this descriptive qualitative study, we explored situations that encouraged or discouraged teachers to embrace student-centred beliefs, identities and missions. We held three focus-group discussions with 18 teachers from two Indonesian medical schools, performing a thematic analysis of the data thus obtained. We found that certain situations made teachers reflect on their inner aspects, which either favourably or adversely affected their acceptance of a student-centred learning approach. Teachers' outer aspects (i.e. their prior problem-based teaching and learning experiences, learning situations from their own training as well as clinical duties) strongly interacted with their inner aspects, thereby shaping their teaching perspectives. Understanding how specific situations can influence teachers' inner aspects might help institutions to design faculty development programmes that address teachers' specific educational needs.

Development and validation of a competency evaluation index system for nurse endoscopists with different stages performing endoscopy nursing in China: A modified Delphi study

BACKGROUND

The advancement of endoscopic techniques has resulted in an increasing need for comprehensive competency in endoscopy nursing. However, there is currently no unified competency evaluation index system for nurse endoscopists in China.

AIMS

To develop and validate of a competency evaluation index system for nurse endoscopists with different stages performing endoscopy nursing in China.

DESIGN

A modified Delphi study.

SETTINGS

Data were collected in a medical university affiliated hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 569 participants in different fields were included at various phases of this research.

METHODS

The preliminary indicators were designed after conducting a literature review, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Two rounds of correspondence with 30 experts using the Delphi method were conducted to evaluate the content of the index followed by reliability and validity tests. The competency evaluation index system for nurse endoscopists at different stages was developed through expert meetings based on the Delphi consultation results according to the novice-to-expert model.

RESULTS

After two rounds of Delphi method consultation, we have established 4 first-level indicators ('Cognitive skill', 'Practice professional skills', 'Professional development skills' and 'Personal characteristics and inner qualities') and 21 s-level indicators, which are the detailed description of first-level indicators. According to the index weight analysis, the four first-level indicators are ranked from the largest to the smallest as practical professional skills, cognitive skills, professional development skills, personal characteristics and intrinsic qualities. Three different stages of nurse endoscopists competency evaluation forms and criteria were developed: primary stage (New skilled), intermediate stage (Capable) and advanced stage (Expert).

CONCLUSIONS

The establishment of a competency evaluation index system based on the novice-to-expert model can accurately assess competency levels and help to effectively train the nurse endoscopists at different stages. Future research should focus on imbedding these competencies in nurse education.

Developing and validating an Interdisciplinary Teaching Readiness Scale (ITRS) for pre-service teachers in China

Assisting pre-service teachers in developing readiness for interdisciplinary teaching has been recognized as a crucial direction in teacher education in China. However, there is currently a lack of reliable instrument to measure the readiness. We developed and validated an Interdisciplinary Teaching Readiness Scale (ITRS) for pre-service teachers to fill the gap. We utilized literature review and interdisciplinary teaching competence framework to develop the initial item pool for the ITRS. Data were collected from 234 pre-service teachers at S Normal University (Sample A) for item analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA), followed by data collection from 543 pre-service teachers in China (Sample B) for confirmatory factor analysis(CFA), convergent validity, discriminant validity, and reliability testing. Item analysis on Sample A data using the critical ratio method revealed discriminative items, indicating no need for item deletion. PCA showed that the ITRS has a three-factor structure, explaining 77.282% of the total variance. CFA on Sample B demonstrated a good model fit (GMIN/DF = 4.189, RMSEA = 0.077, GFI = 0.852, AGFI = 0.821, NFI = 0.939, RFI = 0.932, CFI = 0.953, IFI = 0.953). Analysis of the AVE for each dimension indicated good convergent and discriminant validity. Reliability testing revealed a high overall Cronbach's α coefficient of 0.972 for the ITRS, indicating good internal consistency. Ultimately, we confirmed that the ITRS consists of three factors(including interdisciplinary teaching knowledge structure readiness, interdisciplinary teaching skills readiness, interdisciplinary teaching attitudes readiness) and 24 items. In conclusion, the ITRS that has been developed shows great potential for promoting the professional development of pre-service teachers, evaluating the effectiveness of teacher education programs, and supporting the development of educational policy. The extensive utilization of this instrument will help to comprehensively assess the overall level of pre-service teachers' readiness for interdisciplinary teaching and to promote the professional growth of pre-service teachers in China. Furthermore, the ITRS, through the implementation of culturally adaptable modifications, can offers invaluable instrumental support and insightful guidance to pre-service teacher education programs globally.

Simplified Chinese Trauma Advanced Practice Nurses' Core Competency Scale: A development and psychometric validation study

BACKGROUND

The core competency of trauma advanced practice nurses (APNs) is directly related to the quality of trauma nursing work.

OBJECTIVES

To develop an instrument to measure trauma APNs' core competency and examine its psychometric properties.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional psychometric validation study.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 762 trauma nurses recruited from several tertiary hospitals in 14 different provinces of China between June 2023 and May 2024 provided valid data for analysis.

METHODS

The Simplified Chinese Trauma Advanced Practice Nurses' Core Competency Scale (TAPNCCS-SC) was developed through five steps. Step 1) Creation of the operational definition: Based on the onion model, an operational definition of core competencies for trauma nurses is proposed. Step 2) Item generation: Based on the theoretical model, literature review, semi-structured interviews, and Delphi consultation, a preliminary scale was developed. Step 3) Item content validation: 6 experts reviewed items for content validity; Step 4) Pilot study: 21 nurses were selected to test the readability of the preliminary scale; and Step 5) Psychometric evaluation: Item analysis, content validity, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, convergent validity, internal consistency reliability, and half-reliability were conducted.

RESULTS

The TAPNCCS-SC consists of 34 items and three dimensions (knowledge and skills, professional competencies, and occupational qualities). The explained variance of the 3-factor was 81.86 %. The CFA showed an acceptable-fitting 3-factor model (χ2/df = 3.653, RMSEA = 0.088, SRMR = 0.402, CFI = 0.920, IFI = 0.920, and TLI = 0.914). For convergent validity, AVE was 0.784-0.804 and CR was 0.974-0.980. The internal consistency and split-half reliability for the total scale were 0.991 and 0.945, respectively. The I-CVI ranged from 0.83 to 1.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed scale exhibits high reliability and validity and is suitable for assessing the core competency of trauma APNs, which can help nursing managers plan relevant training and enhance trauma care competency.

Developing student-centred perspectives in PBL: how teacher profiles reveal educational needs for faculty development programmes

BACKGROUND

In Asian higher education, PBL is not always successful, as few teachers have embraced a student-centred perspective. To cultivate such essential perspectives, faculty development programmes should address teachers' specific educational needs, which sadly is currently not sufficiently the case. This study aimed to identify teacher profiles that would reveal these specific educational needs of teachers and to investigate the relationship between these profiles and the amount of PBL training previously received.

METHODS

To identify the said profiles, we performed latent profile analysis on a stratified random sample of 543 teachers based on a survey of teaching perspectives on the six aspects of Korthagen's onion model of reflection (environment, behaviour, competencies, beliefs, identity and mission). Additionally, we employed Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests to investigate the aforementioned relationship.

RESULTS

We identified six teacher profiles that resemble the diffusion of innovations theory's classification of innovation adopters: Innovators, Early adopters, Early majority 1, Early majority 2, Late majority and Laggards. The Chi-square test demonstrated that the amount of PBL training received did not differ significantly across profiles, although teachers with a more innovative profile had undergone slightly more PBL training. The Mann-Whitney test furthermore revealed for three profiles that more PBL training was associated with a higher overall score for student-centredness. When aspects were considered separately, however, this was not the case.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings confirmed that current faculty development programmes are not sufficiently tailored to teachers' needs. We therefore propose that faculty development programmes be redesigned to address teachers' specific educational needs as reflected in the profiles based on the 6 aspects of the onion model. We expect such a tailored approach to more effectively promote the development of student-centred perspectives.

Construction of a competency framework of dental hygienists: A Delphi study

AIM

To explore the basic and core competencies of dental hygienists, construct a systematic and scientific competency framework for dental hygienists taking into account China's national conditions and provide a theoretical basis for the future training in China and other countries that have not yet established the competencies of dental hygienists.

BACKGROUND

The establishment of dental hygienists role is essential for the public to improve the dental health level. Currently, more than 50 countries around the world have established the role of dental hygienists and defined the core competencies needed by dental hygienists. However, studies on developing a standardized and unified consensus of competencies of dental hygienists are lacking in China.

METHODS

Based on the literature review and theoretical research, this study explored the theoretical basis and fundamental principle of constructing the competency framework for dental hygienists. Moreover, a correspondence questionnaire on dental hygienists' competency framework was initially constructed to clarify the specific content of each competency. Finally, the Delphi method was adopted to establish the indicators of the dental hygienists' competency framework according to the principle of expert selection and inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

The three rounds of Delphi consultation experts were from nursing, stomatology and management and other fields. Three rounds of Delphi results showed that the expert authority, enthusiasm and coordination coefficients were high. Thereafter, a competency framework of dental hygienists with 4 primary indicators, 15 secondary indicators and 50 tertiary indicators was constructed, which included theoretical knowledge, professional skills, professional abilities and occupational qualities.

CONCLUSION

Literature and theoretical research methods along with Delphi expert consultation were used to construct the competency framework of dental hygienists based on the onion model. The competency framework of dental hygienists was scientific, reasonable and practical, which is consistent with the current health situation in China and has distinct Chinese characteristics. Some of our findings, offer ideas for other developing countries that have not yet set up the role of dental hygienists or are in an initial stage.