Transforming traditional physiotherapy hands-on skills teaching into video-based learning

BACKGROUND

Pandemic-induced restrictions forced curriculum transformation from on-site education to virtual learning options. This report describes this transition, the challenge of creating technology-enhanced learning for hands-on psychomotor skills teaching in physiotherapy, and students' evaluations of the new technology-enhanced learning approach in Complex Decongestive Physiotherapy.

METHODS

On-site theoretical background lectures were replaced with e-learning sessions. Faculty hands-on skills demonstrations for the entire class were replaced with video-recorded demonstrations. Videos included verbal and written instructions and were complemented with checklists guiding the students, training in pairs, through their learning tasks. A cross-sectional observational survey for teaching quality evaluated this new technology-enhanced learning approach and assessed students' preference for traditional or video-based hands-on skills learning.

RESULTS

Survey return rate was > 50% (46 participating students). Teaching quality was rated between 1.5 ± 0.5 and 1.8 ± 0.4 (Likert scale from - 2 to + 2). Most students (66.7%) preferred the new approach. They appreciated for example that videos were available all the time, enabling self-paced learning, providing an equally good view on skills demonstrations, and the convenience to be able to rewind, re-view, and use speed adjustment options.

CONCLUSIONS

Students preferred the new video-based learning of skills for Complex Decongestive Physiotherapy. Because in-class live skills demonstrations were omitted, faculty had more time to provide individual feedback and answer questions. The shift from teacher- to student-centered learning enabled students to control their own learning pace. The innovative program was maintained after pandemic-induced restrictions were lifted. The success of this approach should be tested in other physiotherapy settings and different educational institutions.

Jigsaw Classroom: Perceptions of Students and Teachers

Background

Various innovative teaching methods have been designed in an attempt to provide millennial students an interactive and stimulating learning environment. A jigsaw method is one such form of cooperative learning that enables students to develop critical-thinking and ability for effective communication and promotes positive student attitudes toward their own learning. The present study was thus undertaken to introduce a jigsaw-based cooperative learning method and to understand the perception of the students and faculty.

Methodology

This was a cross-sectional study conducted among second year MBBS students. Students were randomly divided into 10 parent groups, with 10 students each. The topic was divided into 10 subtopics. Each student in the parent group was allotted a sub-topic. The students who were given the same sub-topic assembled to form an expert group. They interacted and discussed the subtopic. Students finally returned to their parent groups for peer teaching and presentation. A validated questionnaire was used to gather students and faculty feedback. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze responses to the Likert scale questions. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

The present study included 95 s year MBBS students. Majority (81%) students agreed that this teaching learning method enhanced their communication skills. Seventy-five percent of the students agreed that the activity helped in overcoming shyness and hesitation in the class. Overall the faculty also agreed that the jigsaw method was helpful for the students.

Conclusions

Cooperative learning like jigsaw facilitates learning allowing student-student discussion, improving communication and teaching skills.

Practice and exploration of the "student-centered" multielement fusion teaching mode in human anatomy

Purpose

Human anatomy is a core course of basic medicine and the first professional course for medical students. Traditional teaching includes "teacher-centered" instruction, passive learning, and a lack of interaction between teachers and students as well as between students. The aim of this study was to develop a "student-centered" multielement fusion teaching mode to address the mentioned drawbacks.

Methods

A total of 141 clinical medical students from grades 2016 and 2017 of Chengde Medical University participated in this study. The students were randomly divided into four classes: two experimental classes and two control classes. The experimental classes experienced a "student-centered" multielement fusion teaching mode, while the control classes experienced a traditional teaching method. Formative assessments and questionnaires were used to assess the students' preferences and obtain feedback. Theoretical and experimental tests were carried out to detect the students' scores at the end of the semester.

Results

The results of the questionnaires demonstrated that 100% of the students agreed that the multielement teaching mode was better. In the experimental test, the students in the experimental group achieved a mean score of 16.50 ± 0.3203, which was significantly higher than that of the control group 12.65 ± 0.4731 (P < 0.01). In the theoretical test, the average score of the experimental group was 45.86 ± 0.6273 and that of the control group was 46.59 ± 0.6636; thus, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The application of a "student-centered" multielement fusion teaching mode obtained strong approval from the students. This teaching mode not only improved students' interest in learning and increased the interaction between teachers and students as well as between students but also enhanced students' competence and will lay a solid foundation for their future careers.

Emergency remote teaching evaluation of the higher education in Indonesia

The present study introduces the qualitative and quantitative results obtained in a pilot study of emergency remote teaching (ERT) evaluation in Indonesian higher education. In particular, this study aims to provide basic principles for future ERT implementation. Seven universities in Indonesia were involved in the first phase of the study, aiming to obtain initial information regarding the relevance, content validity, and readability of fundamental initial principles of ERT. The second phase aims to assess the quality ERT scale quality using confirmatory composite analysis (CCA) procedure, involving 2,957 undergraduate students from 22 universities in ten provinces in Indonesia. The results seem to indicate that the ERT principles can be viewed as 1) a complementary tool for ERT design covering five principles including simplicity, accessibility, affordability, flexibility, and empathy; and 2) In Indonesian higher education, affordability and flexibility are the two principles that are rated the lowest based on students' experiences. The lack of access to a fast, affordable, and reliable Internet connection in some areas of Indonesia is a fundamental problem in implementing ERT. This result is likely to be the case in other developing countries with similar geographical characteristics. The findings provide information based on practical experience - showing that learning design in a crisis is dynamic and open to revision based on socio-economic considerations, technological infrastructure, and students 'and teachers' readiness.

Design considerations in emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic: a human-centered approach

This paper is in response to the article entitled "The process of designing for learning: understanding university teachers' design work" (Bennett et al., Educ Tech Res Dev 65:125-145, 2017). Bennett et al. (Educ Tech Res Dev 65:125-145) present a descriptive model of the design process that reports findings from a qualitative study investigating the design processes of 30 instructors from 16 Australian universities through semi-structured interviews. This exploratory study provides rich, contextualized descriptions about university teachers' design process and pinpoints key design characteristics as top-down, breadth-first, iterative, responsive, and reflective. These key design characteristics revealed by the rich contextual descriptions could provide applicable insights into the design process especially for new instructors. The findings of the study could inform how learning design could be adapted during an emergency remote teaching (ERT) as it is dynamic and open to revision. A noteworthy limitation of the study is that complementary data such as design artifacts could be utilized to ensure data triangulation in addition to self-reported data obtained via interviews. The study found that university instructors' design process did not appear to draw on instructional design models. Therefore, future studies could focus on to what extent and how such models could be used by university instructors. Lastly, future studies may explore how technology is used in ERT design to support their needs. In this article, I share how design can be informed by humanizing pedagogy and pedagogy of care during ERT.

Chaos: exploring an engaging online model for rapid application during the pandemic

This paper is in response to the article entitled "A design framework for enhancing engagement in student-centered learning: own it, learn it, and share it" (Lee and Hannafin 2016). The authors propose a framework that could assist teachers in their transition from face to face classroom settings to a completely digital, student-centered, learning format. The article provides an outline and questions that can be applied to current teaching methodologies but will require ongoing teacher training. The difficulty in applying this outline is a possible lack of understanding of student-centered learning techniques, lack of time to train teachers and, possibly, teacher apathy towards online education. This article provides an adaptable framework schools can use immediately, and the effectiveness of its application should be studied.

[Exploration and practice in the construction of curriculum on epidemiology in preventive medicine]

Epidemiology is one of main courses for undergraduate students majoring in preventive medicine. There are some limitations in the traditional epidemiology teaching, which is usually characterized in indoctrinated education: "lectured by the teachers and listened by the students." In Zhejiang University, staff of the epidemiology division tried to explore a new teaching mode as 'student-centered, teacher-leading, question-based, and combining with literature discussion and course practice.' After practicing for two years, students were inspired in learning initiatives, with teaching effectiveness obviously improved.

Case-based learning: What traditional curricula fail to teach

BACKGROUND

Case-based learning seeks to contextualize learning and to enhance the transition of nurses to practice. This instructional approach is gaining widespread interest in nursing education since the unfolding process emulates the work environment. Case-based learning holds great promise to the development of professional skills. An assumption that was worth researching to determine what those skills are.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed at exploring perceptions of nursing students who had completed two undergraduate nursing courses using case-based learning to be able to identify professional skills that may be gained by this instructional approach.

DESIGN

The qualitative focus group research technique was used to explore the perceptions of 16 nursing students who used CBL in two adult health nursing courses in the junior year of an undergraduate nursing program in Beirut, Lebanon. The sample was divided into three groups of four to six students each.

METHOD

Thematic analysis using cross-group analysis and inductive constant comparison.

FINDINGS

The analyzed data converged on three learning practices that were developed by the case study approach: (a) recognizing the particulars of a clinical situation, (b) making sense of patient data and informing decisions, and (c) reflection. In-depth analysis of these practices helped unravel four professional attributes that form the tenets of case-based learning: (1) a salience of clinical knowledge, (2) multiple ways of thinking, (3) professional self-concept, and (4) professional caring.

CONCLUSION

Since professional skills are developmental in nature, educational programs may play an active role in the skill acquisition process. In search of those ineffable skills, four professional attributes emerged from the study findings. Findings support concerns of higher education regarding the ability of the traditional curriculum to meet the expectations of employers at the workplace.

Delivery of a urology online course using Moodle versus didactic lectures methods

PURPOSE

To subjectively and objectively compare an accessible interactive electronic library using Moodle with lectures for urology teaching of medical students.

METHODS

Forty consecutive fourth-year medical students and one urology teacher were exposed to two teaching methods (4 weeks each) in the form of problem-based learning: - lectures and - student-centered group discussion based on Moodle (modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment) full time online delivered (24/7) with video surgeries, electronic urology cases and additional basic principles of the disease process.

RESULTS

All 40 students completed the study. While 30% were moderately dissatisfied with their current knowledge base, online learning course delivery using Moodle was considered superior to the lectures by 86% of the students. The study found the following observations: (1) the increment in learning grades ranged from 7.0 to 9.7 for students in the online Moodle course compared to 4.0-9.6 to didactic lectures; (2) the self-reported student involvement in the online course was characterized as large by over 60%; (3) the teacher-student interaction was described as very frequent (50%) and moderately frequent (50%); and (4) more inquiries and requisitions by students as well as peer assisting were observed from the students using the Moodle platform.

CONCLUSIONS

The Moodle platform is feasible and effective, enthusing medical students to learn, improving immersion in the urology clinical rotation and encouraging the spontaneous peer assisted learning. Future studies should expand objective evaluations of knowledge acquisition and retention.