The impact of interprofessional task-based training on the prevention of surgical site infection in a low-income country

Background Training is considered instrumental in reducing surgical site infection. We developed training based on authentic tasks, interprofessional learning, and reflective learning for implementation in a low-income country where such training opportunities are rare. This study evaluated the results of training in terms of participants’ acceptance, participants’ knowledge acquisition, and their self-perceived behavior change. Methods We included 145 participants in the voluntary training program, comprising 66 technologists (45.5%), 43 nurses (29.7%), and 36 doctors (24.8%) from Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan. We measured “satisfaction” using a questionnaire at the end of the training, “knowledge” through pre-and post-intervention assessments, and “self-perceived behavior change” using a questionnaire and interviews 8 weeks post-training. Results Pre- and post-test scores showed a significant increase in knowledge. Participants were favorable to the training and eager to participate. They positively applied in practice what they had learned about preventing surgical site infection. Our qualitative data analysis revealed two categories of themes, representing the upsides of the training as it stood, and existing factors or downsides that hindered the effective transfer of learning to practice. Conclusion Participants were very enthusiastic about the training format. The knowledge test showed a gain in knowledge. Moreover, participants acknowledged that their behavior toward the prevention of surgical site infection in the operating rooms had changed. The use of authentic tasks from daily clinical practice, as well as the interprofessional approach and reflection, were considered to promote the transfer of learning. Although promising, our findings also pointed to obstacles limiting the application of evidence-based knowledge, such as a shortage of supplies and conventional practices.

A Toolkit for the Investigation of Greek EFL Teachers’ Assessment Literacy

The role of assessment in a learner-centred environment is considered to be significant for both learners and teachers. Most of the time, however, it is used in traditional ways and ignores learners’ individual needs. Based on the results of a survey conducted in 2019, in which a questionnaire was administered to a hundred and twenty EFL teachers, the present study aims to investigate Greek EFL teachers’ responses to communicative testing techniques and their awareness of assessment methods and principles. The aforementioned survey revealed that the majority of EFL teachers in the Greek educational context use traditional tests to assess their students and, although they are aware of alternative assessment methods and the benefits they offer, they fail to employ them. Thus, a 106-item tool was created in order to help teachers design, develop, and critically evaluate tests, as well as reflect on their assessment techniques to promote the use of alternative assessment and supplement the teachers’ theoretical knowledge and experience. Ninety-three EFL teachers evaluated themselves and rated their practices through the toolkit to find out the type of assessors that they are. The findings revealed that a lot of the participants are aware of the key principles of assessment and try to assess the four skills in a communicative and authentic way to a great extent, but most of them are mainstream assessors. The findings can be used to help design samples of authentic tasks for all skills and assessment-related teacher training material.

Development of a Vertically Integrated Pharmacy Degree

Whilst curriculum revision is commonplace, whole degree transformation is less so. In this paper we discuss the rationale, design and implementation of a unique pharmacy program by a research-intensive faculty. The new Monash pharmacy curriculum, which had its first intake in 2017, was built using a range of key innovations that aimed to produce graduates that demonstrate key conceptual understanding and all the skills required to deliver world-best patient outcomes. The key elements of the re-design are outlined and include the process and principles developed, as well as key features such as a student-centred individualised program of development arranged around specific, authentic tasks for each skill and earlier enhanced experiential placements where students become proficient in entrustable professional activities. It is hoped the dissemination of this process, as well as the lessons learnt in the process, will be useful to others looking to transform a health curriculum.

Improving Integrity in CS1 Course Using Formative Assessment and Version Control Tools

There are many grey areas in the interpretation of academic integrity in the course on Introduction to Programming, commonly known as CS1. Copying, for example, is a method of learning, a method of cheating and a reuse method in professional practice. Many institutions in India publish the code in the lab course manual. The students are expected to practice the programs in the manual and write them in the final examination without looking at the reference code. Many institutions apportion some marks for copying the program from the manual to record books. The system thus, inherently encourages copying. The student listens to the program’s explanation in the lecture, practices the same program in the lab, writes the same program in the record book and again studies the same program for the final examination conducted at the end of the semester. This process facilitates students, to some extent, to understand the concepts. However, a significant disadvantage of this system is that most students do not acquire the ability to write programs for authentic tasks. In the context of very rigid laboratory protocols that exist in CS1 courses across most of the Institutes in India, an additional lab protocol that focuses on students’ integrity can potentially improve the quality of learning. This article presents a method of using technology tools to improve integrity without disturbing the existing system.

Integration of Videoconferencing in ESP and EAP Courses

This chapter is devoted to the use of videoconferencing technology and other social media tools for creating a community of practice communication within which authentic tasks and activities in multicultural ESP and EAP classes can be carried out. It describes theoretical background for effective use of these media based on the results of INVITE project and other research in the area, it mentions the importance of international institutional cooperation and the chapter shares examples of good practice pointing at their advantages. Samples of end-of-course feedback reflecting students´ worries at the beginning of the course, their personal and professional achievements at the end of the course are included as well.

The Importance of Task-Based Learning and Focus on Form in Teaching Phraseology

A controversial issue for teachers of German as a foreign language is the balance between content and form. This also applies to vocabulary work in the field of phraseology. The modeling of language competence in the communicative approach is based on the understanding of language as a means of communication. Accordingly, the primary claim of communicative language didactics is to go beyond the description of structures of the foreign language and to place appropriate, situated linguistic action at the center of teaching. Against this theoretical background, content-oriented approaches such as Task-Based Learning have emerged in foreign language didactics, which emphasize the communicative aspect of language and place the didactic emphasis on situated, authentic tasks. Nevertheless, this emphasis did not lead to the suppression of form-based approaches which consider precision in language mastery by focusing on formal aspects through exercises to be necessary and desirable.This paper examines the question of the importance of exercises and tasks in phraseology-based vocabulary work. Against the theoretical background of the approaches of Task-Based Learning (TBL) and Focus on Form (FoF), possibilities for the integration of content-oriented and form-focussing teaching concepts for the promotion of phraseological competence are shown by means of concrete examples. Furthermore, the question of their balance in teaching is discussed.

MENGHADIRKAN TEKS-TEKS AUTENTIK DALAM KELAS BIPA DARING

Indonesian that taught as the foreign language in BIPA (Indonesian for Foreigners) classes and its authenticity are inseparable. Authenticity is related to the originality. In the context of BIPA learning, the authenticity can be presented in class activities related to contexts and real experiences, for examples students are asked to shop at the market, practice to bargain, practice to use public transportations, practice how to introduce themselves, interview native speakers, and many other authentic tasks. However, what makes it challenging today is that BIPA students cannot come directly to Indonesia and the learning process should be conducted online. Nonetheless, the authenticity can be still presented in authentic texts, not only in written but also in spoken. In addition, texts have complete thinking structures and understandings. Before presenting them in the class, teachers should understand the texts, situation context, culture context, authenticity, and types of text. The author also analyzes Graduate Competency Standards (SKL) of BIPA to identify types of text based on student’s level. Keywords: texts, situation contex, culture contex, authenticity, types of texts