Remote Learning Facilitated by MyScope Explore

In response to the requirements imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we developed a remote learning undergraduate workshop for 44 students at the University of Newcastle by embedding scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of Maratus (Peacock) spiders into the MyScope Explore environment. The workshop session had two main components: 1) to use the online MyScope Explore tool to virtually image scales with structural color and pigmented color on Maratus spiders; 2) to join a live SEM session via Zoom to image an actual Maratus spider. In previous years, the undergraduate university students attending this annual workshop would enter the Microscopy Facility at the University of Newcastle to image specimens with SEM; however, in 2020 the Microscopy Facility was closed to student visitors, and this virtual activity was developed in order to proceed with the educational event. The program was highly successful and constitutes a platform that can be used in the future by universities for teaching microscopy remotely.

FOCUS on Fiction: Your Online Companion to K-12 Literature

Focus on Fiction (www.eddept.wa.edu.au/cmis/eval/fiction) is widely respected throughout Australia as a comprehensive online gateway to children's literature. This workshop session will investigate its content and the ways it can be used to create class or library programs that integrate the latest online technologies into literature-based programs. NB: This paper provides background information for a workshop session that will be presented through a webpage.

PHARMACY STUDENTS’ OPINIONS OF USING MOCK QUESTIONS TO PREPARE FOR SUMMATIVE EXAMINATIONS

Objective: Mock questions are thought to benefit to students through help with learning, revealing specific areas of learning difficulties, practice examination timing and aiding a higher mark in the examination. The literature suggests practice questions have a direct impact on students’ academic performance and improving examination confidence. The aim of the study was to gather opinions of pharmacy students on using mock examinations and practice questions to prepare for summative examinations. Methods: Paper based questionnaires were distributed to all fourth year pharmacy students at the start of a university scheduled workshop session. The data was transcribed onto a Microsoft Excel™ spreadsheet and analysed. Results: Out of all fourth year pharmacy students 73% completed the questionnaire of which 91% had received access to mock questions but only 92% of those who had access used them. Common themes were identified; the benefits of using mock questions were ‘knowledge’, ‘examination style’ and ‘identification of weaknesses’. Furthermore, most participants chose ‘Year 3 Calculations exam’ (62%) as the most useful summative examination for which to use mock questions. Conclusion: Mock questions have a place in improving the performance of pharmacy students in examinations. The study results showed that the majority of participants who used mock questions found them to be useful in promoting learning, revealing specific areas of learning difficulties, improving awareness of examination structure, practicing their ability to apply knowledge to questions under examination conditions and to motivate students to revise more using better strategies.

The Oral Language Proficiency of Indonesian English Teachers

This study reports an observation of the competencies of Indonesian secondary English teachers. An intensive observation over a two-week workshop session was performed involving 38 English teachers, with this group comprising 18 SMP English teachers and 20 SMA English teachers. Three aspects of the observation were identified for this study: competence in oral English, competence in written discourse, and the ability to motivate students in the classroom. This study revealed that English teachers lacked practice in speaking, resulting in an insufficient mastery of the oral use of English. In written discourse, the teachers showed a lack of mastery with rhetoric and the linguistic aspects of writing. In terms of strategies to motivate students in the classroom, the teachers generally lacked self-confidence

Building a veterinary evidence manifesto

Ingrid Torjesen reports from EBMLive, where Vet Record ran a workshop session to explore what vets can learn from the human medical world when it comes to driving evidence-based practice.

Workshop Session

Abstracts of the Dies Natalis Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Pelita Harapan XVII 2018 Workshop Session