80 A Brief Overview, Comparison and Practical Applications of Machine Learning Models

This is a hands-on workshop offered as a pre-conference training opportunity for researchers interested in applying machine learning techniques to animal science datasets with the purpose of classifying, clustering, performing linear and non-linear regressions or selecting a subset of features relevant to further studies. The objective of this workshop is to provide the audience with a way to formulate a problem such that it will be solvable by machine learning techniques and apply an exploratory analysis of various machine learning algorithms on different datasets. The workshop is structured in a hands-on format and includes a brief overview of basic notions about machine learning, a description of relevant models and evaluation metrics followed by a practical session. The practical session requires each attendee to bring their own laptop and have already installed the Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis (Weka) workbench for machine learning available from https://www.cs.waikato.ac.nz/ml/weka/ and all freely available machine learning models. The Weka installation of freely available machine learning models can be achieved by using the Weka Package Manager available from the Tools menu in the main application. Detailed information will be provided before the beginning of the workshop at the following URL: http://animalbiosciences.uoguelph.ca/~dtulpan/conferences/asas2021_mlworkshop/

909 Modern Integrated Surgical Teaching for Junior Doctors: Local Workshops and Online Webinars

Introduction Reforms in the postgraduate and undergraduate curriculum have resulted in a lack of surgical teaching. By tailoring educational objectives to learning needs of junior doctors, we assessed the perceptions and knowledge transfer of our 2-phase surgical teaching programme. Method A perception questionnaire was distributed amongst junior doctors to establish confidence levels in surgical topics. Junior doctors were invited to attend (1) a local surgical techniques workshop and (2) an online national webinar. Perception questionnaire and knowledge tests were delivered before and after each session. Result 87.5% (n = 14) participants were not confident assessing an unwell surgical patient when on-call. Mean confidence gain before and after the practical session was 4.18 (W = 91.0, p = 0.0002). 106 participants attended the online webinar. 61.3% (n = 65) were quite confident in assessing a sick surgical patient and 56.6% (n = 60) were quite confident managing a sick surgical patient. The majority (97.2%, n = 103) deemed the session to be useful to very useful. Mean knowledge gain before and after the session was 32.8% (t = 4.67, p = 0.009). Conclusions Improvement in confidence and knowledge in surgical topics amongst juniors can be feasible by implementing blended learning tools, such as online webinars.

Teaching With an EEG Simulator and It´S Learning Process Was Evaluated at Biomedical Laboratory Science Students

Methods based on simulation pedagogy are widely used to practice hands on skills in safety environment. The usability of an EEG-simulator on clinical neurophysiology course was evaluated. Second year biomedical laboratory science students (N=35) on this course was included in the study. They were divided into three groups. Two groups used the EEG simulator with different feedback modes and one group without use of the simulator. Results was expected to reveal a correlation between user experience and learning outcomes. This study made used of a mixed method study design. During the study students were asked to keep a learning diary throughout the course on their experience. Diaries were analyzed qualitatively based on content analyses. Quantitative analyses based on an UX questionnaire that measures classical usability aspects (efficiency, perspicuity, dependability) and user experience aspects (novelty, stimulation) and the students’ feelings to use simulator. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSSTM software. The quantitative and qualitative analyses showed that the use of EEG-simulator which was evaluating teaching-learning process have an extra benefit in clinical neurophysiology education and students felt that simulator is useful in learning. The simulation debriefing session should be followed by a full theoretical and practical session. Students compare their learning from the simulator with that of the actual placement which fosters the reflective practice of learning again deepening the understanding of the EEG electrode placement and different wave patterns.

Effectiveness of structured handouts lectures and oral discussion on the performance of science students in the basic biochemistry course

<p>The aim of this article was to investigate the effect of structured handouts lectures and oral discussions on the academic performance of biochemistry students. The biochemistry course of science Bachelor students was implemented through structured handouts lectures using the lecturer and the mobile as information sources , oral discussions and practical sessions. The opinion of the students about the instruction methods was investigated through a questionnaire. The academic performance of the students was compared to the performance of a previous student batch who studied the course through traditional lectures and practical sessions only. The obtained results were analyzed using the SPSS program and the t-test percent. According to the university regulations the pass mark was set as 60. 85.9% was the percentage of pass students who studied the course through the structured handouts , oral discussion and practical session while the percentage of the pass students who studied the course through traditional lectures and practical sessions was 78.8%. However, the difference between the two percentages was insignificant (p- value= 0.25). The questionnaire analysis showed that 63.2% of the students believed that the structured handouts lectures and the oral discussions were excellent and 79.4% of the students advised the course coordinator to adopt this teaching method for the future batches.<b> </b>structured handouts lectures and oral discussions improved the performance of biochemistry students and they advised to adopt the method for future batches of biochemistry. </p>

Practical pregraduate teaching in Human Anatomy: A review

There is a general agreement in all fields of sciences that practical pre-graduate education in human anatomy is absolutely necessary. It constitutes an inseparable partner with theoretical learning on the path to knowledge. As such is it critical to (1) establish the set of specific objectives for each practical session (PS), and (2) define more precisely the outcomes (i.e., knowledge, skills and attitudes) that are expected by students. The principle for efficiency of practical sessions (PSs) is that they should take place immediately after didactic sessions of the corresponding topic(s). In this way, students could best reinforce their learning. Considering that the morphology of the human body can be learned by means other than direct observation/dissection of anatomical donors, media, models and imaging have also gained popularity as “anatomy learning tools” in recent years. Imaging is a perfect complement for teaching in the dissecting room, but always in correlation with the reality of bodydonor sections, prosections and dissections of the same region. Anatomical models and computer programs express the reality of the human body, however, anatomical variations and many other qualities (i.e., surgical skills, ethics, pathology, professionalism) can only be appreciated via hands-on use of an anatomical donor to science. Therefore, the anatomical donor remains the Gold Standard for anatomy teaching, especially topographical Anatomy.

Assessment of Noise Levels of Equipment Used in the Practical Dental Teaching Activities

Introduction. Practical activities in dentistry are characterized by a high noise level that can have adverse effects on the hearing health of professors, students, and teaching staff. The objective of our study was to make an assessment of the noise level during the practical fixed prosthodontics activities in the Faculty of Dentistry of Casablanca. Materials and Methods. We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study to measure the noise level in the practical room of fixed prosthodontics. The measurements were obtained during 4 sessions over a duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes, each with the use of a SdB + sound level meter at 4 different locations. Results. The results showed the following: an average value of 69.35 dB (A) for the first practical session (south), an average value of 71.07 dB (A) for the 2nd practical session (east), an average value of 70.36 dB (A) for the 3rd practical session (west), and an average value of 72.06 dB (A) for the 4th practical session (center of the room). Discussion and Conclusion. The results obtained are similar to the results found in previous studies in other countries. These results are below the thresholds of the legislation and international standards. However, we have recorded punctual peaks that exceed the recommended level, requiring the introduction of the means of prevention and the measures of safety against the noise as well at the level of the practical activity classroom and the realization of more in-depth studies concerning the evaluation of the daily exposure of the professors, students, and teaching staff to noise.

“Speedy Biochemistry” As a New Teaching Method in Preclinical Curriculum

Previous conventional practical session was reported to be less effective in achieving its objectives. Therefore, “Speedy Biochemistry” was introduced to assist students to apply knowledge they have learnt in the classroom. This setting promotes teamwork and application of knowledge in problem solving which can be achieved through active learning. Active learning has piqued the interest of the academic community in giving more benefits to the students. Steps on how to conduct the “Speedy Biochemistry” among Year-1 medical students were illustrated and collection of their feedback was recorded. “Speedy Biochemistry” can be a good active learning session to enhance and improve medical students’ interest in learning and their self-learning abilities in Biochemistry.

Usefulness of an Intrapartum Ultrasound Simulator (IUSim™) for Midwife Training: Results from an RCT

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> We conducted a randomized study to determine whether a training session on a dedicated simulator (IUSim™) would facilitate the midwives in learning the technique of transperineal intrapartum ultrasound. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Following a 30-min multimedia presentation including images and videos on how to obtain and measure the angle of progression (AoP) and the head-perineum distance (HPD), 6 midwives with no prior experience in intrapartum ultrasound were randomly split into 2 groups: 3 of them were assigned to the “training group” and 3 to the “control group.” The midwives belonging to the former group were taught to measure the 2 sonographic parameters during a 3-h practical session conducted on IUSim™ under the supervision of an expert obstetrician. In the following 3 months, all the 6 midwives were asked to independently perform transperineal ultrasound during their clinical practice and to measure on the acquired images either the AoP or the HPD. The sonographic images were examined in blind by the teaching obstetrician who assigned a 0–3 score to the image quality (IQS) and to the measurement quality (MQS). <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 48 ultrasound images (24 patients) from 5 midwives were acquired and included in the study analysis. A midwife of the “training group” declined participation after the practical session. Independently from the randomization group, the image quality score (IQS + MQS) was significantly higher for the HPD compared with the AoP (2.5 ± 0.66 vs. 1.79 ± 1.14; <i>p</i> = 0.01). In the training group, the MQS of either AoP (2.66 ± 0.5 vs.1.46 ± 1.45. <i>p</i> = 0.038) and the HPD (2.9 ± 0.33 vs. 1.87 ± 0.83 <i>p</i> = 0.002) was significantly higher in comparison with the control group, while the IQS of both measurements was comparable between the 2 groups (1.91 ± 1.24 vs. 2.25 ± 0.865; <i>p</i> = 0.28). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The use of a dedicated simulator may facilitate the midwives in learning how to measure the AoP and the HPD on transperineal ultrasound images.

Proposal for a practical session in a university subject to develop the transversal competence of "Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship"

In a dynamic and globalized business world such as the current one in which our professional and personal life is developed, it is crucial to focus on the development of the cross-cutting competence "Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship" of future professionals, already from their formative stage in University. Taking advantage of the intrinsic creativity of the early age of students with concerns about entrepreneurship, we consider it appropriate to help develop and enhance this competence in the first university course of the Degree in Business Administration and Management, specifically in the subject of Introduction to the Business Management. We think it is the best way to motivate students in their training as future entrepreneurs. We propose to do a practical session in which a recognized professional in the field of commercial management, representing business lines of leading brands in their sector (home fashion), conduct a practical workshop in which students are placed in situation of knowing how to face a new business model to diversify and expand its distribution field. The object of study and work would be limited in this case to the creation of an own line of articles, complementary to the lines of which the professional is a representative, and to arrange with the online sales logistics platform the sale and distribution of the new product line. With this we hope that the students can, in an active way, experiment and develop their innovative and entrepreneurial capacity, using and reinforcing their creativity.