Perspectives on Lessons From the COVID-19 Outbreak for Post-pandemic Higher Education: Continuance Intention Model of Forced Online Distance Teaching

<p style="text-align: justify;">The response of most universities to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic was Online Distance Teaching (ODT), which was a new experience for many educators and students. The aim of the study was to investigate the response of university teachers to ODT. A questionnaire was sent to all university teachers (N = 914). We received 290 usable responses. To create a Continuance Intention Model of Forced Online Distance Teaching (CIMoFODT), Confirmatory Factorial Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were used in addition to descriptive and inferential statistics. The main findings were as follows: (i) during the closure, use of the videoconferencing system MS Teams was the only item that increased significantly, owing to mandatory use; (ii) the increase in the use of other applications (e.g., Moodle, email) was minimal; (iii) after the reopening of the university, email, Moodle, and supplementary online materials will be used for ODT; MS Teams will be used for small group teaching and individual consultations; (iv) CIMoFODT can be applied to explain the intention to continue ODT. The main conclusion is that teachers will return to traditional teaching when classrooms reopen.</p>

'Making a Difference': University Teachers' Narratives of Student Diversity

<p>An increasing diversity of students in higher education has prompted much research investigating diverse students' learning needs and experiences; however there is little research investigating teachers' experiences of student diversity. This thesis reports on a study aimed at helping to redress this imbalance. Twenty-two New Zealand university teachers were interviewed and asked what 'diversity' means to them and invited to talk about their experiences of student diversity in small-group teaching contexts. The study had two aims. The first was to examine the meanings study participants make of the notion 'diversity' and of their experiences of teaching diverse students. The second aim was to problematize the notion of 'diversity' by exploring how these teachers position themselves and are positioned within classroom relationships and institutional contexts, and by considering the narrative and discursive resources they draw on to talk about their experiences. The study was underpinned by a relational ontology and used narrative and post-structural methods of data analysis. A review of the literature on diversity in higher education identified ways that diversity is conceptualized. Because teaching diverse students involves relations of power and care, analysis of the meanings of 'power' and 'care' in the literature provided further conceptual tools for data analysis. Analysis of participants' narratives finds that 'diversity' is not an innocent concept but a powerful way of positioning people within or outside categories of difference, in relation to dominant norms, or in ways that challenge such positioning. Study participants described diversity positively when talking about it as a concept but their narratives of experience often portrayed it as problematic, and they employed various narrative strategies to reconcile the tension between these positions. Participants' narratives often conflicted with the public narratives of their universities, suggesting that the challenges participants face and the practical knowledge they have acquired teaching diverse students are not adequately recognized or valued. This study shows that there are multiple ways to 'speak and do' diversity that are embedded in relations of power and care, and constructed within and from larger social, political and educational narratives. This study challenges those in higher education to think reflexively about diversity, and offers suggestions for constructing alternative narratives of diverse educational relations.</p>

'Making a Difference': University Teachers' Narratives of Student Diversity

<p>An increasing diversity of students in higher education has prompted much research investigating diverse students' learning needs and experiences; however there is little research investigating teachers' experiences of student diversity. This thesis reports on a study aimed at helping to redress this imbalance. Twenty-two New Zealand university teachers were interviewed and asked what 'diversity' means to them and invited to talk about their experiences of student diversity in small-group teaching contexts. The study had two aims. The first was to examine the meanings study participants make of the notion 'diversity' and of their experiences of teaching diverse students. The second aim was to problematize the notion of 'diversity' by exploring how these teachers position themselves and are positioned within classroom relationships and institutional contexts, and by considering the narrative and discursive resources they draw on to talk about their experiences. The study was underpinned by a relational ontology and used narrative and post-structural methods of data analysis. A review of the literature on diversity in higher education identified ways that diversity is conceptualized. Because teaching diverse students involves relations of power and care, analysis of the meanings of 'power' and 'care' in the literature provided further conceptual tools for data analysis. Analysis of participants' narratives finds that 'diversity' is not an innocent concept but a powerful way of positioning people within or outside categories of difference, in relation to dominant norms, or in ways that challenge such positioning. Study participants described diversity positively when talking about it as a concept but their narratives of experience often portrayed it as problematic, and they employed various narrative strategies to reconcile the tension between these positions. Participants' narratives often conflicted with the public narratives of their universities, suggesting that the challenges participants face and the practical knowledge they have acquired teaching diverse students are not adequately recognized or valued. This study shows that there are multiple ways to 'speak and do' diversity that are embedded in relations of power and care, and constructed within and from larger social, political and educational narratives. This study challenges those in higher education to think reflexively about diversity, and offers suggestions for constructing alternative narratives of diverse educational relations.</p>

It’s what you do, not the way you do it – online versus face-to-face small group teaching in first year medical school

Background Major disruptions imposed on medical education by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid shift to online teaching in medical programs, necessitated need for evaluation of this format. In this study we directly compared knowledge outcomes, social outcomes, and wellbeing of first year student small group teaching in either face to face (f2f) or online format. Methods At the end of the first course of our medical program, students were invited to participate in an online questionnaire with 10 quantitative items and 1 qualitative item. These were analysed using Factor Analysis Pattern Matrix and linear regression to group items and assess relatedness. Qualitative responses were thematized using Qualtrics software (Qualtrics, Provo, UT, USA). Summative assessment results were compared, both between current cohorts to historical cohorts. Results From a cohort of 298 students there was a 77% response rate. Overall, there were no differences in knowledge gains, either between groups or when compared to historical cohorts. Questionnaire items fell reliably into groups that related to either learning outcomes, social outcomes, or wellbeing. Independent T tests showed that format for teaching (online versus f2f) had an impact on social outcomes but no direct impact on learning outcomes. Linear regression revealed that the social outcomes have a direct impact on wellbeing and almost the double the impact on learning outcomes than mode of learning i.e.. F2f or online (β = .448 and β = .232 respectively). Conclusion In this study, we were able to show with statistical strength that social outcomes for students such as engaging with peers and facilitator, contributing to the group, and making friends have a direct impact on wellbeing and indirectly impact learning outcomes (such as motivation, satisfaction, integration of knowledge). In a rapidly changing educational landscape, in our opinion, it is vital that these aspects are a focus of design and delivery of medical education. The data from this study supports the notion that activity design and the expertise of the teacher in facilitating the small group activities, has greater impact than the mode of educational delivery itself on students’ learning processes.

EP.TU.266Anatomy teaching to prepare medical students for placements during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study on the use of online near-peer teaching

Aims Medical students have reduced small-group teaching due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Anatomy is taught thoroughly in pre-clinical years but not specifically during clinical years. We introduced online small-group near-peer anatomy teaching for students in their first clinical year to help them before starting clinical placements. We investigated the usefulness of revisiting anatomy and the effectiveness of small-group teaching in an online setting. Methods Tutors were 5th or 6th Year medical students, each teaching a group of 5 to 8 tutees anatomy relevant to their clinical placements via Microsoft Teams. Tutees completed a post-tutorial feedback form. The primary outcome was confidence on subject content before and after the tutorial. Each outcome was measured by a Likert Scale, 1 (worst outcome) to 4 (best outcome). Results 127 feedback responses were analysed, a response rate of 62.0%. Mean tutee confidence improved markedly, from 1.520(SD 0.6281) to 3.079(SD 0.5856, p &lt; 0.0001). The mean score for effectiveness of delivery and the effect of technical issues was 3.811 (SD 0.4127) and 3.667 (SD 0.7114) respectively. Analysis of free-text comments showed that the tutorials had a “really great group size” and were “interactive and well-informed”. Conclusions Clinically relevant anatomy teaching in a small-group-setting is useful in improving students’ confidence about the content covered in the placements. The use of online platforms to deliver this in small groups was successful, underwent smoothly and is something that can potentially be implemented in the curriculum.

TP8.2.5 Taking the virtual plunge: delivering an intensive curriculum at the 'St Thomas' MRCS course' in the COVID era

Aims The Covid-19 global pandemic changed the world. Disruption to teaching and training has been felt across medicine, but more acutely in craft specialities such as surgery. The Royal College of Surgeons has raised concerns and started a campaign: ‘no training today, no surgeons tomorrow’. Innovation and adaptation are required in this new normal. We assess the effectiveness of adapting an intensive face-to-face revision course covering essential skills and knowledge required for the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) examination to the virtual world. Methods Over five days interactive lectures, small-group teaching (clinical examination, communication, procedural skills), and a complete mock examination were delivered by a faculty of expert lecturers, consultants and actors live over Zoom. Feedback was collected on all aspects of the course by online survey. Sessions were marked for presentation, clarity, relevance and overall quality. Results 19 participants attended 35 sessions and six mock stations, with a total of 597 candidate sessions and 108 candidate mock stations. 94% of ratings were at least very good; 63% were excellent. Participants reported significantly improved levels of skill and knowledge (p &lt; 0.001). Most felt skills improved from fair to very good. All candidates felt the course was well organised and allowed full participation. Conclusion Increasingly, medical education is occurring in the virtual world. Whilst this poses difficulty in craft specialities, particularly for skill acquisition, our data demonstrate high participant satisfaction. Moreover, significant improvements were seen in self-assessment of skills and knowledge as a consequence of this unique course.