Toward ‘seeing’ critically: a Bayesian analysis of the impacts of a critical pedagogy

Critical reflection supports enactment of the social roles of care, like collaboration and advocacy. We require evidence that links critical teaching approaches to future critically reflective practice. We thus asked: does a theory-informed approach to teaching critical reflection influence what learners talk about (i.e. topics of discussion) and how they talk (i.e. whether they talk in critically reflective ways) during subsequent learning experiences? Pre-clinical students (n = 75) were randomized into control and intervention conditions (8 groups each, of up to 5 interprofessional students). Participants completed an online Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) module, followed by either: a SDoH discussion (control) or critically reflective dialogue (intervention). Participants then experienced a common learning session (homecare curriculum and debrief) as outcome assessment, and another similar session one-week later. Blinded coders coded transcripts for what (topics) was said and how (critically reflective or not). We constructed Bayesian regression models for the probability of meaning units (unique utterances) being coded as particular what codes and as critically reflective or not (how). Groups exposed to the intervention were more likely, in a subsequent learning experience, to talk in a critically reflective manner (how) (0.096 [0.04, 0.15]) about similar content (no meaningful differences in what was said). This difference waned at one-week follow up. We showed experimentally that a particular critical pedagogical approach can make learners’ subsequent talk, ways of seeing, more critically reflective even when talking about similar topics. This study offers the field important new options for studying historically challenging-to-evaluate impacts and supports theoretical assertions about the potential of critical pedagogies.

Levelling Up Primary School Students' 21st Century Skills Through Minecraft-Game-Based Learning

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Minecraft-game-based learning towards on 21st century skills among primary school students. This study employed quasi-experimental methodology. The dependent variable of this study was the 21st century skills. During Minecraft-game-based learning session, students were given the opportunity to build and recreate a world based on certain themes inside Minecraft world based on their creativity and imagination. The session involved a learning process of different skills and knowledge relevant to school and real world which was imitate inside the Minecraft world. The result shows that the intervention of Minecraft-game-based learning is effective in enhancing and retaining the 21st century skills among students. The implication of the study suggests that the functionality of Minecraft as a digital learning tool should be promoted as it involves students to work in a team to solve problems and have fun while acquiring and sharpening the students' 21st century skills.

Fluctuations in willingness to communicate of an EFL lecturer: An observation study in Indonesia

Despite the growing number of research on Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in English students, research of teachers’ WTC in English is still scarce. At the same time, the fluctuations of WTC in English in authentic classroom interactions are still under research. This study aims to observe the fluctuations in WTC of the English lecturer in the Indonesian context. The data were collected through video recordings during an online classroom learning session where participants were teaching their students. The data were then transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically by drawing from MacIntyre et al.’s (1998) Heuristic Model. From the results of the analysis, WTC fluctuations in English are divided into four factors: (1) modeling the use of English in the classroom, (2) the power of affirmation, (3) focusing on the message, and (4) showing language similarity. The implication of this study is also discussed. DOI: 10.26905/enjourme.v6i2.5983

Learning Monologues at Bedtime Improves Sleep Quality in Actors and Non-Actors

Several studies show that pre-sleep learning determines changes in subsequent sleep, including improvements of sleep quality. Our aims were to confirm this finding using a more ecological task (learning a theatrical monologue) and to investigate whether the effect is modulated by expertise. Using a mixed design, we compared polysomnographic recordings of baseline sleep (BL, 9-h TIB) to those of post-training sleep (TR, with the same TIB but preceded by the training session), in one group of actors (N = 11) and one of non-actors (N = 11). In both groups, TR appears reorganized and re-compacted by the learning session, as shown, among others, by a significant decrease of WASO%, awakenings, arousals, and state transitions and by a trend towards an increased number of complete cycles and total cycle time. Concerning memory performance, the number of synonyms produced was significantly higher in the morning relative to immediate recall. No between-groups differences emerged either for sleep or memory variables. Our data confirm pre-sleep learning’s beneficial effect on sleep quality in an ecological context. While expertise appears not to influence memory-related sleep mechanisms, results on morning recall support the recent view that sleep’s role in memory processes consists in trace “transformation” for adaptive purposes, rather than rote consolidation.

Advantages and Challenges of Fostering Cognitive Integration Through Virtual Collaborative Learning: a Qualitative Study

BackgroundThe drastic shift from face-to-face classes to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled educators to ensure the continuity of learning for health professions students in higher education. Collaborative learning, a pedagogy used to facilitate knowledge integration by helping students translate theory from basic sciences to clinical application and practice, has thus been transformed from a face-to-face to a virtual strategy to achieve the learning objectives of a multi-disciplinary and integrated module.ObjectivesThis study aimed to describe and evaluate, through focus group discussions, a virtual collaborative learning activity implemented to assist first year undergraduate nursing students to develop cognitive integration in a module consisting of pathophysiology, pharmacology and nursing practice.MethodsFourteen first year undergraduate students and four faculty involved in facilitating the virtual collaboration participated in the study. Focus group discussions were conducted to elicit the perceptions of students and staff on the virtual collaborative learning session conducted at the end of the semester.ResultsThree themes were generated from the thematic analysis of the students’ focus group scripts. These were: (1) achieving engagement and interaction, (2) supporting the collaborative process, and (3) considering practical nuances. The three themes were further subdivided into subthemes to highlight noteworthy elements captured during focus group discussions. Three themes also emerged from the focus group discussion scripts of faculty participants: (1) learning to effectively manage, (2) facing engagement constraints, and (3) achieving integration. These themes were further sectioned into salient subthemes.ConclusionThe virtual collaborative learning pedagogy is valuable in fostering cognitive integration. However, meticulous planning considering various variables prior to implementation is needed. With better planning directed at addressing the learners’ needs and the faculty’s capabilities and readiness for online learning pedagogies, and with a strong institutional support to help mitigate the identified constraints of virtual collaborative learning, students and faculty will benefit.

Benefits of Adaptive Learning Transfer From Typing-Based Learning to Speech-Based Learning

Memorising vocabulary is an important aspect of formal foreign-language learning. Advances in cognitive psychology have led to the development of adaptive learning systems that make vocabulary learning more efficient. One way these computer-based systems optimize learning is by measuring learning performance in real time to create optimal repetition schedules for individual learners. While such adaptive learning systems have been successfully applied to word learning using keyboard-based input, they have thus far seen little application in word learning where spoken instead of typed input is used. Here we present a framework for speech-based word learning using an adaptive model that was developed for and tested with typing-based word learning. We show that typing- and speech-based learning result in similar behavioral patterns that can be used to reliably estimate individual memory processes. We extend earlier findings demonstrating that a response-time based adaptive learning approach outperforms an accuracy-based, Leitner flashcard approach in learning efficiency (demonstrated by higher average accuracy and lower response times after a learning session). In short, we show that adaptive learning benefits transfer from typing-based learning, to speech based learning. Our work provides a basis for the development of language learning applications that use real-time pronunciation assessment software to score the accuracy of the learner’s pronunciations. We discuss the implications for our approach for the development of educationally relevant, adaptive speech-based learning applications.

Evaluating the use of narrative pedagogy in person-centred care and human factors in perioperative practice education

Background: There is an international effort to develop understanding from human factors theory and implement this in healthcare to improve person-centred care and patient safety. Aim: This project aimed to evaluate the use of narrative pedagogy to teach human factors to perioperative personnel in the workplace. Methods: Using the action research model, an interactive learning session based on lessons from serious incidents was developed and delivered to perioperative staff in an NHS Trust within a practice development programme. Data were collected in the form of questionnaires and peer reviews to evaluate the learning session, and thematically analysed. Findings: The use of narrative pedagogy to explore human factors theory empowered participants to speak up, and this influenced the workplace safety culture. Conclusion: Narrative pedagogy reconnects healthcare employees with compassionate approaches to person-centred care, and this provides powerful motivation to improve the safety culture. Further studies should focus on different applications of narrative pedagogy in workplace learning, and creative approaches to teaching human factors. Implications for practice: • Narrative pedagogy can be a conduit to develop person-centred practice • Engaging staff through interactive practice development sessions can encourage expansive learning about human factors and their application in practice • Narrative pedagogy motivates healthcare staff to improve the safety culture in practice

An Empirical Study of the Impact of Systems Thinking and Simulation on Sustainability Education

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is considered vital to the success of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Systems Thinking has been identified as a core competency necessary to incorporate into ESD. Systems Thinking orientated ESD learning tools, established methods of assessment of sustainability skills, and studies to demonstrate effectiveness of such learning tools, are all lacking. There is a wealth of experience in the System Dynamics field regarding the application of Systems Thinking and simulation to environmental problems, sustainability and systems education. Many System Dynamicists regard simulation as essential for teaching Systems Thinking. The substantial body of research into the design of effective simulation-based learning environments (SBLEs) can also inform ESD initiatives. This research describes a randomised controlled trial (n=106) to investigate whether an online sustainability learning tool that incorporates Systems Thinking and System Dynamics simulation increases understanding of a specific problem and supports transfer of knowledge to a second problem with a similar systemic structure. The effects of Systems Thinking and simulation were tested separately and in combination. The learning tool was designed for a single online learning session. Simulation was found to increase ESD learning outcomes significantly, and also to support transfer of skills, although less significantly.

Development of an Online Asynchronous Clinical Learning Resource (“Ask the Expert”) in Dental Education to Promote Personalized Learning

This article describes the development and testing of an online asynchronous clinical learning resource named “Ask the Expert” to enhance clinical learning in dentistry. After the resource development, dental students from years 3 and 4 were randomly allocated to two groups (Group A—“Ask the Expert” and L—“lecturer-led”). All the students attempted a pre-test related to replacement of teeth in the anterior aesthetic zone. Group A (33 students) underwent an online case-based learning session of 60 minutes’ duration without a facilitator, while Group L (27 students) concurrently underwent a case-based learning session of 60 minutes’ duration with a lecturer facilitating the session. An immediate post-test was conducted followed by a retention test after one week. Student feedback was obtained. There was a significant increase in the test scores (maximum score 10) for both groups when comparing the pre-test (Group A—5.61 ± 1.34, Group L—5.22 ± 1.57) and immediate post-test scores (Group A—7.42 ± 1.34, Group L—8.04 ± 1.22; paired t-test, p < 0.001). However, no significant difference was observed in the test scores when comparing Group A to Group L for both the immediate post-test as well as the retention test (Group A—5.36 ± 1.29, Group L—5.33 ± 1.39 (independent sample t-test, p > 0.05). To conclude, adequately structured online asynchronous learning resources are comparable in their effectiveness to online synchronous learning in the undergraduate dental curriculum.