Achieving Multidimensional Educational Goals Through Standard-Oriented Teaching. An Application to STEM Education

Socially and in relation to the individual, schools’ mission for STEM education is not limited to the teaching of knowledge and cognitive skills. Although they form an important basis for dealing with today’s challenges in a self-confident and responsible manner, they alone are not enough. Positive attitudes towards learning are additional important prerequisites for lifelong learning and participation in society. However, national educational standards still focus mainly on developing cognitive competencies. They hardly take into account multidimensional educational goals that combine both cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. At the classroom level, in everyday school life, addressing both is one of the greatest challenges. Introducing standard-oriented curricula may have the potential to shift teachers’ professional perception also to non-cognitive educational goals. We argue that, in order to foster multidimensional educational goals, they need to be more clearly addressed at the policy, teacher training, and teaching level. One important research agenda within STEM education for the next years will be to examine and discuss the connection between the implementation of standard-oriented teaching, the achievement of multiple educational goals, and teachers’ professional competence.

The Potential of Using an Eye Tracker in Architectural Education: Three Perspectives for Ordinary Users, Students and Lecturers

The aim of this paper is to discuss the potential of eye trackers as tools providing diversified support for the architectural education of future designers. The possibility to track eye movement guaranteed by this group of devices enables an extension of knowledge on the non-professional perception of architectural creations. It also allows people to monitor progress while learning and verify a project’s assumptions as well as provide lecturers with an opportunity to optimize didactic methods. The paper includes authors’ ideas for modifications of teaching methods applied at technical universities. It is a result of an analysis of research related to the perception of urban designs and architectural objects—research during which noticeable differences were observed between how experts and non-professionals perceive these structures. What also contributed to the contents of this paper was a comprehension of the wide range of eye tracking studies examining the level of acquisition of specialist professional skills. The presented ideas are also based on the analysis and adaptation of eye-tracking research conducted by scientists within other areas of life.

From Resistance to Digital Technologies in the Context of the Reaction to Distance Learning in the School Context during COVID-19

In the relationship between teachers and distance learning in the context of COIVD-19, a series of unprecedented dynamics have emerged relating to a process of open-air experimentation that is going on in the world of school. The main constructs investigated in this paper concern the professional perceptions of teachers in terms of their skills and resistances towards digital technologies. To investigate this topic, a questionnaire on distance learning was administered to a sample of 658 teachers. From a methodological point of view, factor and reliability analyses and correlation and regression analyses were conducted. From the analysis of the results, it emerged that the questionnaire measures the resistance of teachers to distance learning and focuses on three main dimensions (two positive and one negative) that link teachers’ perceptions to the resistance to distance learning. In conclusion, the theme of the acceptance of technologies in the practice of teachers is still a subject full of meaning for professional perception and vision. A second issue concerns precisely the relationship between digital technologies and users, which must no longer focus only on the relationship with students but also on the perspective of the other training actors, including teachers.

Health professionals perception and beliefs about drug- related problems on polymedicated older adults- a focus group study

Background Polymedicated older patients are at greater risk of suffering from adverse events. For this reason, the detection of both inappropriate polypharmacy and polypharmacy-associated Drug-Related Problems (DRPs) are essential to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults and to reduce healthcare costs. This work aims to explore health professionals’ perceptions and opinions about polypharmacy and the handling of medicines by polymedicated older adults. Methods Thirteen focus groups with 94 health professionals (20 community pharmacists, 40 general practitioners and, 34 nurses) were conducted in primary healthcare centers of the center region of Portugal. Participants were asked to discuss their perceptions and beliefs concerning DRPs in polymedicated older adults. The sessions were audiotaped. After the transcription and coding of focus group sessions, a thematic analysis was done. Results The following four main themes emerged from the 13 focus group sessions: poor compliance and polypharmacy- A perpetuated vicious cycle, organization of the healthcare system, interaction and communication between the health professionals, and strategies to prevent inappropriate polypharmacy. Conclusions The lack of both an efficient network of information and Interaction and communication between Health professionals makes the detection and/ or prevention of polypharmacy in older adults difficult. The implementation of new models to manage and/or prevent polypharmacy based on health professional perception and beliefs is essential to prevent DRPs and improve compliance among older adults.

Health Professionals Perception And Beliefs About Drug- Related Problems on Polymedicated Older Adults- A Focus Group Study

Background: Polymedicated older patients are at greater risk of suffering adverse events. For this reason, the detection of both inappropriate polypharmacy and polypharmacy-associated drug-related problems (DRPs) are essential to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults and to reduce healthcare costs. This work aims to explore health professionals’ perceptions and opinions about polypharmacy and the handling of medicines by polymedicated older adults.Methods: Thirteen focus groups with 94 health professionals (20 community pharmacists, 40 general practitioners and 34 nurses) were conducted in primary healthcare centers of the region center of Portugal. Participants were asked to discuss their perceptions and beliefs in relation to DRPs in polymedicated older adults. The sessions were audiotaped. After the transcription and coding of focus group sessions, a thematic analysis was done.Results: The following four main themes emerged from the 13 focus group sessions: poor compliance and polypharmacy- a vicious cycle perpetuated by the behaviour of older adults, organization of the healthcare system, communication among health professionals, and strategies to prevent inappropriate polypharmacy.Conclusion: The lack of both an efficient network of information and communication among health professionals makes the detection and/ or prevention of polypharmacy in older adults difficult. The implementation of new models to manage and/or prevent polypharmacy based on health professional perception and beliefs is essential to prevent DRPs and improve compliance among older adults.