The effects of using the agile methodology as an instructional format for software development courses

The objective of traditional software development courses focuses on competencies in the programming languages and technical tools. Project methodologies and software development are typically taught as theory-driven and separate courses in Information Systems undergraduate programs. Rather than teaching project methodologies as secondary to the learning phase of software development, these methodologies can be actively incorporated into the software development course, applying the theoretical concepts in the classroom with the same tools used in the industry for product development. This research evaluates the effects of instituting the project methodology Agile as an active learning, instructional tool for a low-code software development course using the Mendix platform to give students hands-on learning of Agile while increasing their expertise in software development. The use of Agile in an instructional pedagogical approach enhanced student learning and prepared students with skills directly applicable in the industry. Future research could be applied to measure the Agile methodology as an instructional format for technical courses other than software development.

Wound Closure Skills: Teaching Suturing in Athletic Training Education

Context The examination, diagnosis, and intervention curricular content listed in the 2020 Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education Standards for Accreditation of Professional Athletic Training Programs states that learners must be able to evaluate and manage wounds, including care and closure. Although many wound closure techniques exist in clinical practice, suturing may be a necessary skill for athletic trainers (ATs) and one for which they need proper training. Objective To describe the instructional format and step-by-step process for wound closure using the “simple interrupted” method of suturing. Background Athletic training has continued to evolve in terms of the skills that are permitted within the scope of an AT's practice. The skill of wound closure via suturing has been omitted in athletic training programs due to the invasive nature of the technique. As state practice acts continue to adapt, many athletic training programs are adding suturing to their curricular content, and subsequently, a need exists to educate the credentialed AT. Description A multimodal approach to teaching suturing is recommended. This educational technique focuses on the cognitive introduction module that should occur before the skills lab. Step-by-step instructions are available to ensure that educators are able to properly train others in the task and for learners to gain a baseline understanding of the technique. Clinical Advantage(s) Described herein are multiple strategies related to supplies and techniques to be mindful of the resources available for other athletic training programs. In addition, ATs who are trained and permitted to suture can provide improved patient outcomes through comprehensive interventions at the point of care. Conclusion(s) Learners should be taught the skills of suturing including wound cleaning and anesthetizing and given opportunities to practice the skills over time. By providing budget-conscious options and alternative methods of instruction, this skill can be delivered for most programs.

A Scoping Review of Animated Video’s Effect on Individual Health Knowledge

Objectives: Animated video has the potential to both educate and persuade patient audiences. This scoping review considers use of animated educational video’s effect on individual-level knowledge in order to inform its application to kidney transplant education and interest among patients and their social network. Methods: A scoping review of standalone animated video studies published before December 1, 2020, was conducted in six research databases. Results: Fifteen of 2,066 studies were included. Eight studies were RCTs. The others were pre-post and between-group designs. Studies focused on multiple health topics. Video duration spanned 2 to 16 minutes and video delivery was generally clinic-based. The majority of the publications did not report the use of a learning theory or patient input to inform video development. Significant gains in participant knowledge, including among at-risk groups, were reported in 80% of studies. Improvements in concerns, attitudes, and anxiety were also reported. Conclusion: While few studies applied standalone animated video to adult patient health education, existing research suggests that standalone animation is a powerful and efficient instructional format for a wide range of learners, with added benefit for reducing anxiety. Practice Implications: These characteristics of animation potentially could be useful to improve transplant education delivery.

The Well-being and Instructional Experiences of K-12 Music Educators: Starting a New School Year During a Pandemic

In adapting to remote emergency teaching modes during pandemic-imposed conditions, teachers’ instruction has changed dramatically. Early research indicates that the well-being of music teachers has suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic and that high levels of depression are widespread. The purpose of this survey study was to assess the continued psychological well-being of music teachers working amid a global pandemic based upon previous research we conducted during the Spring 2020 semester when most teachers in the United States were forced into emergency remote teaching. A secondary purpose was to explore the ways that pandemic conditions have affected music teachers’ sense of safety at work and their current teaching situations. Our questionnaire consisted of sections pertaining to (1) demographic and institutional information, (2) well-being and depression, (3) instructional format and preparedness, (4) teaching efficacy compared to the start of the pandemic, and (5) potential positive outcomes of the pandemic-imposed adjustments. In total, 1,325 music teachers responded to our survey. Overall, the participants reported poorer well-being than both published norms and the sample of participants in our previous study. In addition, 17% reported mild depression, 25% reported moderate depression, and 24% reported severe extremely severe levels of depression. Summaries of the participants instructional experiences and their implications for music education are discussed within.

Teaching Python for Data Science: Collaborative development of a modular & interactive curriculum

We are bioinformatics trainees at the University of Michigan who started a local chapter of Girls Who Code to provide a fun and supportive environment for high school women to learn the power of coding. Our goal was to cover basic coding topics and data science concepts through live coding and hands-on practice. However, we could not find a resource that exactly met our needs. Therefore, over the past three years, we have developed a curriculum and instructional format using Jupyter notebooks to effectively teach introductory Python for data science. This method, inspired by The Carpentries organization, uses bite-sized lessons followed by independent practice time to reinforce coding concepts, and culminates in a data science capstone project using real-world data. We believe our open curriculum is a valuable resource to the wider education community and hope that educators will use and improve our lessons, practice problems, and teaching best practices. Anyone can contribute to our educational material on GitHub (https://github.com/GWC-DCMB).

Examining Students’ Online Course Perceptions and Comparing Student Performance Outcomes in Online and Face-to-Face Classrooms

Through the use of existing grade and student survey data, this study investigated online courses offered at a public four-year university. Specifically, the study explored differences in student success rates between online and face-to-face courses for traditional undergraduate students as well as the climate of student perceptions towards online courses. Our general results suggest that students performed better in, and had higher levels of preference toward, traditional face-to-face formats. However, overall perceptions of online courses were positive, with students viewing instructional technologies as reliable and easy to use, as well as reporting that online technologies facilitated prompt feedback, enhanced their problem-solving skills, and met their learning needs. Alongside this, students exhibited positive views towards their instructors’ skill level and use of technology to support academic success. Logistic regression analyses of differences in student success across instructional formats revealed interaction effects with variables of age (nontraditional/traditional), aid status and whether or not courses were taken to fulfill general education or major requirements, suggesting a more complex effect of instructional format across student subpopulations. The variability in the results observed in the current study warrant further exploration before definitive conclusions on the impact of instructional format on student outcomes and perceptions can be made.

Project-Based Learning and Traditional Online Teaching of Research Methods During COVID-19: An Investigation of Research Self-Efficacy and Student Satisfaction

Research methods courses are a critical component of teaching the applications of evidence based practice in the health professions. With the shift to online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic, new possibilities for teaching research methods have emerged. This case study compares two 5-week asynchronous online graduate level research methods courses in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders. One online section of the course used traditional methods (TDL) common in face-to-face courses with recorded slide-based lectures, written discussion forums, and a final presentation. The other online section of the course used project-based learning (PBL), which consisted of weekly projects that forced students to engage with the literature and work both collaboratively and autonomously. We measured students’ research self-efficacy and course satisfaction before and after their courses. Overall, research self-efficacy was higher for the TDL class at both time points. However, the PBL class showed a higher percent increase in research self-efficacy, specifically for more difficult and unfamiliar tasks like statistical analysis. Students in both courses were equally satisfied with their course and instructor; however, students in the PBL class reported a greater workload and level of difficulty. We interpret the results as showing benefits of PBL in facilitating greater engagement with the research literature and course content; while TDL had advantages in students’ confidence with the course, likely due to familiarity with the instructional format.

237 Sleep disturbances, online instruction, and learning during COVID-19: evidence from 4148 adolescents in the NESTED study

Introduction COVID-19 fundamentally altered education in the United States. A variety of in-person, hybrid, and online instruction formats took hold in Fall 2020 as schools reopened. The Nationwide Education and School in TEens During COVID (NESTED) study assessed how these changes impacted sleep. Here we examined how instruction format was associated with sleep disruption and learning outcomes. Methods Data from 4148 grade 6-12 students were included in the current analyses (61% non-male; 34% non-white; 13% middle-school). Each student’s instructional format was categorized as: (i) in-person; (ii) hybrid [≥1 day/week in-person]; (iii) online/synchronous (scheduled classes); (iv) online/asynchronous (unscheduled classes); (v) online-mixed; or (vi) no-school. Sleep disturbances (i.e., difficulty falling/staying asleep) were measured with validated PROMIS t-scores. A bootstrapped structural equation model examined how instructional format and sleep disturbances predict school/learning success (SLS), a latent variable loading onto 3 outcomes: (i) school engagement (ii) likert-rated school stress; and (iii) cognitive function (PROMIS t-scores). The model covaried for gender, race-ethnicity, and school-level Results Our model fit well (RMSEA=.041). Examining total effects (direct + indirect), online and hybrid instruction were associated with lower SLS (b’s:-.06 to -.26; p’s<.01). The three online groups had the strongest effects (synchronous: b=-.15; 95%CI: [-.20, -.11]; asynchronous: b=-.17; [-.23, -.11]; mixed: b=-.14; [-.19, -.098]; p’s<.001). Sleep disturbance was also negatively associated with SLS (b=-.02; [-.02, -.02], p<.001). Monte-carlo simulations confirmed sleep disturbance mediated online instruction’s influence on SLS. The strongest effect was found for asynchronous instruction, with sleep disturbance mediating 24% of its effect (b = -.042; [-0.065, -.019]; p<.001). This sleep-mediated influence of asynchronous instruction propagated down to each SLS measure (p’s<.001), including a near 3-point difference on PROMIS cognitive scores (b = -2.86; [-3.73, -2.00]). Conclusion These analyses from the NESTED study indicate that sleep disruption may be one mechanism through which online instruction impacted learning during the pandemic. Sleep disturbances were unexpectedly influential for unscheduled instruction (i.e., asynchronous). Future analyses will examine specific sleep parameters (e.g., timing) and whether sleep’s influence differs in teens who self-report learning/behavior problems (e.g., ADHD). These nationwide data further underscore the importance of considering sleep as educators and policy makers determine school schedules. Support (if any):

675 COVID-19 Instruction Style (In-Person, Virtual, Hybrid), School Start Times, and Sleep in a Large Nationwide Sample of Adolescents

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted how and when adolescents attended school. This analysis used data from the Nationwide Education and Sleep in TEens During COVID (NESTED) study to examine the association of instructional format (in-person, virtual, hybrid), school start times, and sleep in a large diverse sample of adolescents from across the U.S. Methods In October/November 2020, 5346 nationally representative students (grades 6–12, 49.8% female, 30.6% non-White) completed online surveys. For each weekday, participants identified if they attended school in person (IP), online-scheduled synchronous classes (O/S), online-no scheduled classes (asynchronous, O/A), or no school. Students reported school start times for IP or O/S days, and bedtimes (BT) and wake times (WT) for each applicable school type and weekends/no school days (WE). Sleep opportunity (SlpOpp, total sleep time proxy) was calculated from BT and WT. Night-to-night sleep variability was calculated with mean square successive differences. Results Significant differences for teens’ sleep across instructional formats were found for all three sleep variables. With scheduled instructional formats (IP and O/S), students reported earlier BT (IP=10:54pm, O/S=11:24pm, O/A=11:36pm, WE=12:30am), earlier WT (IP=6:18am, O/S=7:36am, O/A=8:48am, WE=9:36am), and shorter SlpOpp (IP=7.4h, O/S=8.2h, O/A=9.2h, WE=9.2h). Small differences in BT, but large differences in WT were found, based on school start times, with significantly later wake times associated with later start times. Students also reported later WT on O/S days vs. IP days, even with the same start times. Overall, more students reported obtaining sufficient SlpOpp (>8h) for O/S vs. IP format (IP=40.0%, O/S=58.8%); when school started at/after 8:30am, sufficient SlpOpp was even more common (IP=52.7%, O/S=72.7%). Greater night-to-night variability was found for WT and SlpOpp for students with hybrid schedules with >1 day IP and >1 day online vs virtual schedules (O/S and O/A only), with no differences in BT variability reported between groups. Conclusion This large study of diverse adolescents from across the U.S. found scheduled school start times were associated with early wake times and shorter sleep opportunity, with greatest variability for hybrid instruction. Study results may be useful for educators and policy makers who are considering what education will look like post-pandemic. Support (if any):

Ready, Fire, Aim: Adapting to COVID-19

This paper provides insight into the rapid transition experienced by the students and staff who, before COVID-19 mandated shutdowns, were part of a blended instructional format for their classes. The students reported general satisfaction with the online transition while expressing reservations about the loss of personal interaction and concerns about inabilities to engage field experiences deemed critical to completion of the program.