Explicit constructivism: a missing link in ineffective lectures?

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Prakash
Keyword(s):  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Respiratory System ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Regulation Of Respiration ◽  
Missing Link ◽  
Construction Of Knowledge ◽  
Interactive Lectures ◽  
Second Year ◽  
To Receive

This study tested the possibility that interactive lectures explicitly based on activating learners’ prior knowledge and driven by a series of logical questions might enhance the effectiveness of lectures. A class of 54 students doing the respiratory system course in the second year of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery program in my university was randomized to two groups to receive one of two types of lectures, “typical” lectures ( n = 28, 18 women and 10 men) or “constructivist” lectures ( n = 26, 19 women and 7 men), on the same topic: the regulation of respiration. Student pretest scores in the two groups were comparable ( P > 0.1). Students that received the constructivist lectures did much better in the posttest conducted immediately after the lectures (6.8 ± 3.4 for constructivist lectures vs. 4.2 ± 2.3 for typical lectures, means ± SD, P = 0.004). Although both types of lectures were well received, students that received the constructivist lectures appeared to have been more satisfied with their learning experience. However, on a posttest conducted 4 mo later, scores obtained by students in the two groups were not any different (6.9 ± 3 for constructivist lectures vs. 6.9 ± 3.7 for typical lectures, P = 0.94). This study adds to the increasing body of evidence that there is a case for the use of interactive lectures that make the construction of knowledge and understanding explicit, easy, and enjoyable to learners.

Are Future Doctors Prepared to Address Patients’ Nutritional Needs? Cooking and Nutritional Knowledge and Habits in Medical Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 155982762110181
Author(s):  
Sam Sugimoto ◽  
Drew Recker ◽  
Elizabeth E. Halvorson ◽  
Joseph A. Skelton
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
The United States ◽  
First Year ◽  
Nutritional Knowledge ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Nutritional Needs ◽  
Second Year ◽  
First Year Medical Students

Background. Many diseases are linked to lifestyle in the United States, yet physicians receive little training in nutrition. Medical students’ prior knowledge of nutrition and cooking is unknown. Objective. To determine incoming medical students’ prior nutrition knowledge, culinary skills, and nutrition habits. Methods. A dual-methods study of first-year medical students. Cross-sectional survey assessing prior knowledge, self-efficacy, and previous education of cooking and nutrition. Interviews of second-year medical students explored cooking and nutrition in greater depth. Results. A total of 142 first-year medical students participated; 16% had taken a nutrition course, with majority (66%) learning outside classroom settings. Students had a mean score of 87% on the Nutritional Knowledge Questionnaire versus comparison group (64.9%). Mean cooking and food skills score were lower than comparison scores. Overall, students did not meet guidelines for fiber, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Interviews with second-year students revealed most learned to cook from their families; all believed it important for physicians to have this knowledge. Conclusions. Medical students were knowledgeable about nutrition, but typically self-taught. They were not as confident or skilled in cooking, and mostly learned from their family. They expressed interest in learning more about nutrition and cooking.

scholarly journals In-Touch digital platform for unconventional learners

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelique Patrice Paul
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Adaptive Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Learning Technology ◽  
Traditional Classrooms ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Digital Platform ◽  
On Demand ◽  
To Receive

In-Touch is an adaptive learning technology, which extends the learning experience beyond the classroom hours and environment for unconventional learners. It serves as a safe online space for students to receive customized help from their teachers. It also mediates and promotes conversation between parents and teachers. In-Touch integrates three elements crucial to promoting success of unconventional learners: on demand help, student-centered approach, and confidence-building. For the purpose of the study, unconventional learners were defined as someone who does not learn in the methods that are currently offered in traditional classrooms. The design of In-Touch is based on a pilot study that considered the needs of parents and teachers who are raising and teaching unconventional learners

Wikipedia as a Tool for Active Learning. Experience Gained within the Framework of the Wikifabricación Project

2013 ◽  
Vol 759 ◽  
pp. 73-82
Author(s):  
J.V. Abellán-Nebot ◽  
G.M. Bruscas ◽  
J. Serrano ◽  
F. Romero
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Technical Writing ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Educational Innovation ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Undergraduate Engineering ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Innovation Project ◽  
Second Year

Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, is one of the most visited websites on the Internet and it is a tool which students often use in their assignments, although they do not usually understand the basics underlying it. To overcome this limitation and promote the active learning approach in our courses, last year an educational innovation project was carried out that was aimed mainly at improving students skills in technical writing as well as their ability to review the technical contents of the Wikipedias. Additionally, it sought to explore new opportunities that these tools can offer both teachers and students. This paper describes the experiment carried out in a second-year undergraduate engineering course, the results of which show that introducing activities such as edition and revision within Wikipedia is an interesting way to enhance transversal competencies as well as others related to the main contents of the course.

scholarly journals Answering Huxley: “now” students take a “then” exam

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-400
Author(s):  
P. K. Rangachari
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Anatomy And Physiology ◽  
University Of Toronto ◽  
Thomas Henry Huxley ◽  
History Of ◽  
Second Year ◽  
The University ◽  
Insight Into

Twenty-eight undergraduate students in a health sciences program volunteered for an exercise in the history of examinations. They had completed a second-year course in anatomy and physiology in which they studied modern texts and took standard contemporary exams. For this historical “experiment,” students studied selected chapters from two 19th century physiology texts (by Foster M. A Textbook of Physiology, 1895; and Broussais FJV. A Treatise on Physiology Applied to Pathology, 1828). They then took a 1-h-long exam in which they answered two essay-type questions set by Thomas Henry Huxley for second-year medical students at the University of London in 1853 and 1857. These were selected from a question bank provided by Dr. P. Mazumdar (University of Toronto). A questionnaire probed their contrasting experiences. Many wrote thoughtful, reflective comments on the exercise, which not only gave them an insight into the difficulties faced by students in the past, but also proved to be a valuable learning experience (average score: 8.6 ± 1.6 SD).

scholarly journals Efficacy of Standardized Extract ofBacopa monnieri(Bacognize®) on Cognitive Functions of Medical Students: A Six-Week, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Navneet Kumar ◽  
L. G. Abichandani ◽  
Vijay Thawani ◽  
K. J. Gharpure ◽  
M. U. R. Naidu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Bacopa Monnieri ◽  
Normal Range ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Double Blind Placebo ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Second Year ◽  
To Receive

Rationale.Bacopa monnieri, popularly known as Brahmi, has been traditionally used in Ayurveda since ages for its memory enhancing properties. However, data on placebo-controlled trial ofBacopa monnierion intellectual sample is scarce. Hence this study was planned to evaluate the effect ofBacopa monnierion memory of medical students for six weeks.Objective. To evaluate the efficacy ofBacopa monnierion memory of medical students with six weeks’ administration.Method and Material. This was a randomized double blind placebo-controlled noncrossover, parallel trial. Sixty medical students of either gender from second year of medical school, third term, regular batch, were enrolled from Government Medical College, Nagpur, India. Baseline biochemical and memory tests were done. The participants were randomly divided in two groups to receive either 150 mg of standardized extract ofBacopa monnieri(Bacognize) or matching placebo twice daily for six weeks. All baseline investigations were repeated at the end of the trial. Students were followed up for 15 days after the intervention.Results. Statistically significant improvement was seen in the tests relating to the cognitive functions with use ofBacopa monnieri. Blood biochemistry also showed a significant increase in serum calcium levels (still within normal range).

scholarly journals Undergraduate paramedic students’ experience of paramedic tutors teaching public health

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marguerite Claire Sendall ◽  
Athena Ng ◽  
Laura McCosker
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Health System ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Teaching Style ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Second Year ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Positive Effect

Introduction Previous studies have shown teaching public health in medical courses improves students’ analytical, problem-solving and communication skills. However, little research to date has shown if public health teaching is helpful to paramedic students. The aim of this study was to examine if having paramedic tutors teach public health had a positive effect on students’ learning and interest in public health. Methods 184 second-year paramedic students at an Australian university completed a printed survey and provided feedback about their learning experience. Students answered multiple choice and open-ended questions about whether their understanding of a public health subject was improved by having a paramedic tutor, and if having different tutors each week affected students’ learning. Results Most students reported their understanding of public health improved when the subject was taught by a paramedic tutor and when paramedic scenario examples were included in teaching. Nearly half felt having different tutors each week made learning difficult. The following themes emerged from student narratives: the relevance of public health to their career; an improved understanding of public health; a realisation about the importance of public health; difficulties presented by an inconsistent teaching style; and poor follow-up and conflicting advice. Conclusion Teaching public health from a paramedic perspective enabled students to understand the relevance of paramedic practice and the role paramedics play in the public health system. Having the same paramedic tutor teaching each week helped students understand the relationship between public health and paramedic practice.

scholarly journals A dramaturgical perspective of online university student behaviours in a second year psychology class

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawn Marie Gilmore
Keyword(s):  
Social Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
University Student ◽  
Online Teachers ◽  
Collaborative Technologies ◽  
Psychology Class ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Online University Students ◽  
Social Networking Tools

This study applies dramaturgical sociology, specifically Goffman’s approach to region behaviour, to explore where students spend their time doing class related tasks in spaces other than the LMS. The context for this research is a case study of a second year psychology class at an Australian university. Data was collected about students’ front stage setting (the LMS) and backstage setting (students’ experiences on Facebook).  Over a 12-week semester 126 students were observed in the LMS. During the semester, 21 students completed fortnightly questionnaires about where they spent their time and with whom. At the end of the semester, 14 students participated in online interviews. The findings that emerged from the data illustrated how the characteristics of the audience in each setting, as well as the timing of communication and duration of each setting, may have impacted a student’s social learning experience.  This knowledge can help online teachers to understand the characteristics of a setting that might determine where students prefer to situate their learning experience. While this paper uses a dramaturgical perspective of online university students in a second year psychology class, the students’ experiences can generally be used to understand how LMS’s, social networking tools, and collaborative technologies support and impede social learning experiences in higher education.

scholarly journals A clerical error provides a unique opportunity to study the effect of previously seen exam questions on exam results

2016 ◽  
pp. 49-52
Author(s):  
T J Prior ◽  
M Lorch
Keyword(s):  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Working Through ◽  
Short Survey ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Better Than

Due to a clerical error identical chemistry exam papers were set two years running. In the second year that the paper was used it was distributed as a ‘past paper’ for use as a revision aid, and lecturers worked through all the questions during classes. The students were also provided with model answers. Despite this, the cohort of students that had seen and reviewed the questions (n=50) performed no better than the previous year’s students (n=68) who had no prior knowledge of the questions. After the mistake was discovered the students were given a short survey to assess their reactions to the paper. Most thought the practice paper had helped them revise, furthermore they did not notice that they had already seen the exam paper. The students’ results and reactions shed doubt on the value of working through exam questions in lessons.

scholarly journals Is Twitter a Pedagogical Tool in Higher Education? Perspectives of Education Graduate Students

2015 ◽  
pp. 83-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Bista
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Text Book ◽  
Pedagogical Tool ◽  
Academic Activities ◽  
To Receive

This study presents the perspectives of education graduate students of using Twitter as a pedagogical tool for 15 weeks as a required social media activity in class. The results indicated that each course participants reported a positive learning experience of using Twitter. Although this was their first experience with Twitter, participants reported that Twitter provided space and opportunities to engage in academic activities as a new pedagogical tool. Participants reported they used Twitter to receive immediate and frequent course information, ask questions to the mentor, update course assignment, and to share helpful information from outside the text book to their fellow classmates and mentor.  This study also highlights suggestions and implication of Twitter in personal and professional developments. 

scholarly journals INTRODUCTING A NEW ENGINEERING COURSE: A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Dare ◽  
Brian Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
First Year ◽  
Design Element ◽  
Design Project ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Second Year ◽  
The University ◽  
First Time

A Task Force was created by the Faculty of Engineering at the University of New Brunswick in September 2004 charged with creating a new course for all first year engineering students to be delivered for the first time in September 2005. The course, to be taken by approximately 270 students, was to integrate material from other first year courses, introduce the students to working in teams, contain a substantial design element through a design project, and introduce communication skills. Nine professors from throughout engineering “volunteered” to help develop and deliver the course. In this paper we own up to what we did wrong during the first two years of delivery of this course, and (naturally!) counter this by celebrating our successes. Students are assessed based on a combination of individual and team submissions, with some submissions being oral and others written. This paper will outline the complex assessment scheme we initially used, and how we later simplified it. Rubrics were used to evaluate many of the course assignments. For most of the instructors, this was the first time they had used rubrics and so it was a learning experience to both develop and apply them. We show how we adapted their use in the second year of delivery after the experiences of the first year. We were pleased with the way that the assessments were mostly built around the design project – this helped the students grasp why clear communication is vital and enabled them to obtain continual feedback on the project. We were also delighted that an element of social responsibility was introduced into the course by making the project an international “Engineers Without Borders” project based in Africa. We believe this added an additional dimension to the course and especially the project. The professor-delivered skits were especially popular! Delivered by two wannabe actors, they introduced the students in a humorous manner to the different types of engineering that are taught at UNB. Engineering students at UNB have to commit to their specific engineering field from their first day at UNB, so these skits were included to ensure the students were exposed to all the UNB engineering disciplines. We conclude the paper with our plans for delivery of the course in September 2007 and beyond.

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