Constructivism in Education

In light of the broad, multidimensional, and contestable nature of constructivism, a central debate concerns the object of construction. What do we mean when we say that a learner is constructing something? Three general categories, with overlaps in between, are: the construction of meaning, the construction of knowledge, and the construction of knowledge claims. To construct meaning is to make sense of something by understanding both its parts and overall message. To construct knowledge is to obtain what philosophers traditionally call “justified true belief.” There are three conditions in this formulation of knowledge: belief, truth, and justification. Beliefs are intentional, meaningful, and representational, directing a person to attain truth and avoid error with respect to the very thing that person accepts. As for the notions of truth and justification, there are three major theories of truth, namely the correspondence theory, coherence theory, and pragmatic theory; and seven main types of justification, namely perception, reason, memory, testimony, faith, introspection, and intuition. Finally, to construct a knowledge claim is to indicate that one thinks that one knows something. The crucial difference between knowledge and a knowledge claim is that the latter has not acquired the status of knowledge. There are two main implications for teaching and learning that arise from an epistemological exploration of the concept of constructivism: First, educators need to be clear about what they want their students to construct, and how the latter should go about doing it. Informed by learner profiles and other contingent factors, educators should encourage their students to construct meanings, knowledge, and knowledge claims, individually and collaboratively, throughout their schooling years. Second, educators need to guard against some common misconceptions on constructivism in the schooling context. Constructivism, contrary to popular belief, is compatible with direct instruction, teacher guidance, structured learning, content learning, traditional assessment, and standardized testing. In sum, there are no pedagogical approaches and assessment modes that are necessarily constructivist or anticonstructivist. A variety of teaching methods, resources, and learning environments should therefore be employed to support students in their constructing process.

Standardised Holographic Patients: An Evaluation of Their Role in Developing Clinical Reasoning Skills

In 2019, two standardised holographic patients viewed through a mixed-reality (MR) HoloLens headset were used in a structured learning activity to develop clinical reasoning skills among second-year nursing students (N=99, 94%). Quantitative results indicated that all students felt that being able to closely view holographic patients enhanced their learning experience. Qualitative results showed that the best feature of the MR technology was being able to clinically assess the patient in a safe facilitated environment. Further analysis revealed that students were at the ‘beginning’ or ‘developing’ skill level of the vpLCJR. These findings confirm that using standardized holographic patients offers a dynamic and effective experience for students and helps students to develop clinical reasoning and judgement skills. The technology also allows educators to determine a student’s development of clinical judgement skills and tailor learning experiences to further develop these skills.

Interdisciplinary Ethics Certificate Program for Graduate Medical Education Trainees

ABSTRACT Background Ethics education is an essential component of developing physician competency and professionalism. Although prior studies have shown both a wide interest and a need for ethics education during residency, structured learning opportunities are not widely available at the graduate medical education (GME) level. Objective Through the Vanderbilt Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, we developed a 1-year certificate program offering a Distinction in Biomedical Ethics, open to all active trainees in GME programs at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. This certificate program provides advanced education in biomedical ethics and can be completed without additional cost to the trainee or time away from training. Methods This certificate program has been offered each academic year since 2017–2018. The program curriculum includes case-based seminars, a rotation on the Ethics Consultation Service, participation on the hospital ethics committee, and a capstone project. Outcomes were assessed using a post-course evaluation. Results During the first 4 years of the program, 65 trainees participated from 19 different specialties. Course evaluations were obtained from 58 participants (89.4% response rate) and were strongly favorable in most domains. All participants agreed that this program enhanced their knowledge of biomedical ethics and they would use something they learned in their future practice. Most participants (57 of 58, 98.3%) would recommend this course to a friend. Conclusions We designed and implemented a Distinction in Biomedical Ethics program to provide advanced training in clinical Bioethics, which has been favorably received by participants.

P-OGC31 Robotic Upper GI Surgery: Is it Feasible, Safe and Can it Improve Patient Outcomes?

Background Robotic surgery has been increasingly applied in different specialties. The Rosemere Cancer Foundation funded the Da Vinci robot for Upper GI services at our tertiary Upper GI Cancer Centre which serves a population of approximately 1.5 million people. In 2017, two of our UGI surgeons performed the first robotic GIST excision in the UK successfully. The patient was discharged 5 days later after an uneventful recovery. We have subsequently performed increasingly complex benign and malignant Robotic UGI procedures. Our primary and secondary aims looked at the length of stay (LOS) in critical care and the complete hospital admission. Methods Two UGI Consultants observed cases in established centres in Netherlands and Germany. Following this, they undertook 60 hours of simulation practice, online modular training and 3 sessions of wet lab training. Their initial 10 resections were completed under proctorship. A database was designed collecting information from the notes, November 2017 till July 2021 prospectively. This database was compared against a retrospective database on the same outcomes for non robotic cases over the same time period, performed by the same surgeons. LOS was statistically assessed using Mann-Whitney U test. Results As of July 2021, we have completed 73 cases. These are 25 benign and 48 cancer cases. The M:F was 1.5:1 and the median age was 66 years (22-84 years). The primary and secondary outcomes are illustrated below. Conclusions Robotic Upper GI surgery is safe and feasible with good short term outcomes. There is a reasonable learning curve and therefore a structured learning programme is needed before embarking. The main advantage from preliminary data suggests a reduction in the LOS in critical care. The cost-effectiveness in complex benign surgeries remains to be determined with increase volume of cases. P-OGC31 Figure 1

A structured professional development curriculum for postdoctoral fellows leads to recognized knowledge growth

Postdoctoral training enables research independence and professional readiness. National reports have emphasized professional development as a critical component of this training period. In response, many institutions are establishing transferable skills training workshops for postdocs; however, the lack of structured programs and an absence of methods to assess outcomes beyond participant satisfaction surveys are critical gaps in postdoctoral training. To address these shortcomings, we took the approach of structured programming and developed a method for controlled assessment of outcomes. Our program You3 (You, Your Team, Your Project), co-designed by postdoctoral fellows, focused on discussing specific management and leadership skills agnostic of ultimate career path(s) in a structured manner. We then measured outcomes in a controlled manner, by systematically comparing perceived knowledge and growth as indicators of awareness and confidence in participants against that of non-participants as the control group. You3 participants self-rated greater growth in targeted competencies compared to non-participants independent of the number of years of training. This growth was shown by multiple criteria including self-reporting and associative analysis. Correspondingly, You3 participants reported greater knowledge in 75% of the modules when compared to controls. These data indicate that structured learning, where postdocs commit to a curriculum via a cohort-structure, leads to positive outcomes and provides a framework for programs to assess outcomes in a rigorous manner.

SBAs in Sport, Exercise, and Musculoskeletal Medicine

‘Multiple Choice Questions in Musculoskeletal, Sport & Exercise Medicine’ is a compilation of 400 multiple choice questions (MCQs), where the format is that of single best answer from a choice of five options. The book closely follows the curriculum of the ‘Membership of Faculty of Sport & Exercise Medicine’ (MFSEM) examination, with some questions being clinically oriented and others being knowledge based. This book is not intended to be a substitute for extensive clinical reading but instead to complement the learning process. Questions in this book have been carefully curated by 92 reputable subject matter experts across ten countries and are intended to provide a structured learning experience. The book is comprised of 46 chapters, where the first 23 ask questions and the next 23 provide answers. The answer to each question has a short explanation with a reference, which is intended to stimulate discussion, research and further learning. There is a total of 33 high quality images (MRI scans, plain radiographs, ECGs, ultrasound scans and photographs), 18 tables and 5 diagrams in the book.

Being accountable to Aceh: gender-related lessons learned by New Zealand NGOs from the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004

<p>The Indian Ocean Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 prompted a level of international disaster response that was unprecedented. In Aceh, Indonesia, the worst hit region, thousands of international non-governmental organisations (INGOs), including some New Zealand based NGOs, arrived in the area to carry out relief and reconstruction work. A common criticism of the international response is that it has resulted in the marginalisation of Acehnese women. The criticism comes despite at least fifteen years of gender mainstreaming into the policies and practices of development organisations and the widespread acceptance that attention to gender issues is essential for sustainable and equitable development. It also comes at a time when there is ever-increasing demand for NGO accountability to donors and beneficiaries and a recognition that NGOs should continuously be learning to improve future practice and ensure they are meeting their stated goals. Post-tsunami Aceh posed a number of context-specific challenges to the implementation of gender policies, including the enormous extent of the devastation, the history of violent conflict and the rule of Sharia law. This research investigates the particular challenges and experiences workers of NZ-based NGOs faced in implementing their gender policies in the aftermath of the tsunami in Aceh, and how those NGOs responded to the challenges and experiences to ensure lessons have been learned. It also investigates whether any obstacles to learning lessons exist within those organisations. Qualitative research is used including gathering primary data from semi-structured interviews with individuals from five NZ NGOs that worked in Aceh and with representatives of NGOs willing to comment on their organisational responses. Additional comments on the issues are also obtained from two NZAID (New Zealand Agency for International Development) staff. The findings show that while participants faced numerous gender-related challenges in their work in Aceh, approximately three years after the tsunami none were able to point to any specific gender-related lessons learned. The findings also reveal that participating NGOs tend to draw learning from their international affiliates and from the NZ NGO community rather than having structured learning systems within their own organisations. A number of barriers to learning within organisations are also identified. These results, while not necessarily representative of the wider NZ NGO community, reveal the difficulties of trying to implement gender policies in a particular emergency context and contribute to an understanding of how NZ NGOs are involved in a process of continuous learning to incorporate their own experiences to ensure lessons are learned and improve their accountability.</p>

Being accountable to Aceh: gender-related lessons learned by New Zealand NGOs from the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004

<p>The Indian Ocean Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 prompted a level of international disaster response that was unprecedented. In Aceh, Indonesia, the worst hit region, thousands of international non-governmental organisations (INGOs), including some New Zealand based NGOs, arrived in the area to carry out relief and reconstruction work. A common criticism of the international response is that it has resulted in the marginalisation of Acehnese women. The criticism comes despite at least fifteen years of gender mainstreaming into the policies and practices of development organisations and the widespread acceptance that attention to gender issues is essential for sustainable and equitable development. It also comes at a time when there is ever-increasing demand for NGO accountability to donors and beneficiaries and a recognition that NGOs should continuously be learning to improve future practice and ensure they are meeting their stated goals. Post-tsunami Aceh posed a number of context-specific challenges to the implementation of gender policies, including the enormous extent of the devastation, the history of violent conflict and the rule of Sharia law. This research investigates the particular challenges and experiences workers of NZ-based NGOs faced in implementing their gender policies in the aftermath of the tsunami in Aceh, and how those NGOs responded to the challenges and experiences to ensure lessons have been learned. It also investigates whether any obstacles to learning lessons exist within those organisations. Qualitative research is used including gathering primary data from semi-structured interviews with individuals from five NZ NGOs that worked in Aceh and with representatives of NGOs willing to comment on their organisational responses. Additional comments on the issues are also obtained from two NZAID (New Zealand Agency for International Development) staff. The findings show that while participants faced numerous gender-related challenges in their work in Aceh, approximately three years after the tsunami none were able to point to any specific gender-related lessons learned. The findings also reveal that participating NGOs tend to draw learning from their international affiliates and from the NZ NGO community rather than having structured learning systems within their own organisations. A number of barriers to learning within organisations are also identified. These results, while not necessarily representative of the wider NZ NGO community, reveal the difficulties of trying to implement gender policies in a particular emergency context and contribute to an understanding of how NZ NGOs are involved in a process of continuous learning to incorporate their own experiences to ensure lessons are learned and improve their accountability.</p>

PERCEPTIONS OF BORDER AREA LECTURERS AND STUDENTS REGARDING THE USE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND SMARTPHONE APPLICATIONS IN LEARNING ENGLISH

This study aimed at exploring the use of computer technology and smartphone applications in the learning of English. A case study design using questionnaires and interview data was expected to reveal lecturers and students' perceptions comprehensively. The data obtained were analyzed with quantitative and qualitative data analysis in descriptive statistics and coding. This study indicated that computer technology and smartphone applications in learning English could smoothly run if the internet network was stable and there was a sufficient data quota. In its use, both lecturers and students needed to coordinate well regarding the English learning platform used. Both lecturers and students needed to prepare, implement structured learning, and pay attention to learning evaluation.

IMPLEMENTASI MODEL PEMBELAJARAN FLIPPED CLASSROOM PADA MATA KULIAH SENSOR TRANDUSER DALAM PEMBELAJARAN DARING

The Covid-19 pandemic period has changed the learning process that was previously face-to-face in class, into online learning. In online learning, a strategy is needed in the delivery of learning material so that it can be optimally accepted by students. Flipped classrooms are an alternative learning model that can support the optimization of material delivery during the online learning process. The purpose of this study is to implement the flipped classroom learning model in online learning that is collaborated with the bloom taxonomy, to achieve learning objectives. The research method used is an implementation of the flipped classroom model and distributing questionnaires to collect data on the results of the implementation. The results obtained were positive responses from students in the implementation of online learning using the flipped classroom learning model, students were given instructions and directions in implementing the flipped classroom model from preparation outside the classroom to inside the classroom. The new habit that students apply during the implementation of the flipped classroom is to prepare discussion materials, so that during the live session, the atmosphere in online learning becomes more dynamic with questions and responses from students, the application of the flipped classroom model collaborates with the level of the bloom taxonomy domain (C1-C6) so that a structured learning process is formed so that it supports the learning objectives that have been set in the semester learning plan. The results of the questionnaire distribution also showed that more than 50% stated that they were good and agreed, if the flipped classroom learning model was implemented in the learning process.