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Increasing knowledge, skills, and empathy among direct care workers in elder care: a preliminary study of an active-learning model.

PURPOSE: We describe the development of a 24-hr curriculum for nonclinical direct care workers in elder care that features active-learning strategies and consumer-directed approaches. DESIGN AND METHODS: Our curricular design was based on adult education theory and a survey of 70% of the community's service providers. Training was completed by 88 participants, 90% of whom had no prior formal training in elder care. Questionnaires measured participant knowledge, attitudes, and perceived improvements in understanding, empathy, and skills. A subgroup of participants and employers provided additional feedback through focus groups. RESULTS: Participants significantly improved their scores on knowledge and attitude measures. In addition, direct care workers and employers gave the training high marks and identified ways in which the course helped increase workers' competence, empathy toward elders, and self-esteem. Lack of time and funds for training were two major barriers to broader participation. IMPLICATIONS: This active-learning curriculum represents a frugal yet effective way to train current and future direct care workers.

Aged↗

The impact of active learning on nursing students' clinical success.

Active, cooperative learning is a method to teach the critical thinking skills necessary for the transfer and use of classroom-acquired knowledge in the clinical setting. Yet many nursing educators continue to use teacher-centered educational approaches while identifying an array of barriers for the voiced preference for student-centered education. Using holistic, active cooperative learning strategies (faculty role modeling, student interactive and group learning, and group testing) within a didactic class, the authors found differences in the average clinical grade (87.03) when compared to the average clinical grade for students who had been taught using a lecture approach (84.19).

Adult↗

[Introduction of active learning and student readership in teaching by the pharmaceutical faculty].

We have introduced improvements and new approaches into our teaching methods by exploiting 4 active learning methods for pharmacy students of first year. The 4 teaching methods for each lesson or take home assignment are follows: 1) problem-based learning (clinical case) including a student presentation of the clinical case, 2) schematic drawings of the human organs, one drawing done in 15-20 min during the week following a lecture and a second drawing done with reference to a professional textbook, 3) learning of professional themes in take home assignments, and 4) short test in order to confirm the understanding of technical terms by using paper or computer. These improvements and new methods provide active approaches for pharmacy students (as opposed to passive memorization of words and image study). In combination, they have proven to be useful as a learning method to acquire expert knowledge and to convert from passive learning approach to active learning approach of pharmacy students in the classroom.

Education, Pharmacy↗

[Autonomic tone and energy metabolism in students during productive learning activities].

Energy expenditures, autonomic functions, the severity of autonomic dysfunctions and personality traits were examined in 41 male students aged 18 to 23 years during their routine daily learning activities and after taking an exam in normal physiology. According to the characteristics of the baseline autonomic tone, all the examinees were divided into 3 groups: 1) those with elevated sympathetic tone EST; 2) those with elevated parasympathetic tone (EPT) and 3) an intermediate group with normal tone (NT). The EPT students showed the lowest energy exchange during routine daily learning activities. Examination-induced stress causes an elevation of mainly aerobic process in EST and EPT students. Anaerobic process increase in NT students at examinations. The parameters of autonomic functions due to examination stress also vary in students with different autonomic control. The students with EPT and worst marks showed significant changes in the measured parameters while these changes were significantly lower in EST students, but the changes in autonomic functions were much more profound in EST students who got good marks.

Adolescent↗

An active-learning approach to basic clinical skills.

Within the context of comprehensive changes in the preclinical curriculum at Northwestern University Medical School, the authors sought to create an active-learning approach to teaching the basic clinical skills of communication, physical examination, and diagnostic reasoning. This approach is built upon the premise that repetitive practice using a structured database, which is emphasized in traditional curricula, is necessary but not sufficient for students' early development as clinicians, as it marginalizes essential areas of discourse and restricts students' understanding of the scope of the medical encounter. Accordingly, this clinical skills curriculum incorporates small-group, patient-instructor, and peer-observation formats to encourage critical thinking and reflection. The clinical skills units have been among the most popular aspects of Northwestern's new curriculum. Preliminary data suggest that the overall attitudes, knowledge, and clinical proficiency of students completing this curriculum compare favorably with those of students who progressed through the preclinical curriculum before the active-learning approach was introduced.

Clinical Competence↗

Active learning in a Year 2 pathology curriculum.

PURPOSE: Team-based learning (TBL) has been successfully used in non-medical curricula, but its effectiveness in medical education has not been studied extensively. We evaluated the impact of TBL on the academic performance of Year 2 medical students at Wright State University by comparing this active learning strategy against a traditional method of case-based group discussion (CBGD). METHODS: A prospective crossover design assigned 83 Year 2 medical students to either CBGD or TBL for 8 pathology modules in the systems-based curriculum. The effectiveness of both learning methods was assessed by performance on pathology-based examination questions contained in end-of-course examinations. The highest and lowest academic quartiles of students were evaluated separately. Students' opinions of both methods were surveyed. RESULTS: No significant differences in whole group performance on pathology-based examination questions were observed as a consequence of experiencing TBL versus CBGD. However, students in the lowest academic quartile showed better examination performance after experiencing TBL than CBGD in 4 of 8 modules (P = 0.035). Students perceived that the contributions of peers to learning were more helpful during TBL than CBGD (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that TBL and CBGD are equally effective active learning strategies when employed in a systems-based pre-clinical pathology curriculum, but students with lower academic performance may benefit more from TBL than CBGD.

Adult↗

Incorporating active learning into a traditional curriculum.

During the past three academic years, "self-learning exercises" (SLEs) have been incorporated into the Medical Physiology course for first-year students at the Morehouse School of Medicine. Roughly 20-30% of the material covered in the course is presented to the students in the form of these exercises, instead of in lectures. The exercises are intended to help the students develop skills in active learning and problem solving. Formal analysis of student performances on multiple-choice exam questions showed that the SLEs did not significantly impair learning evaluated by this traditional means. Student feedback was strongly negative the first year and prompted a number of revisions in the format of the SLEs, which seem to have made them more palatable, without negating their emphasis on active learning and application of material.

Adult↗

Journaling; an active learning technique.

Journaling is a method frequently discussed in nursing literature and educational literature as an active learning technique that is meant to enhance reflective practice. Reflective practice is a means of self-examination that involves looking back over what has happened in practice in an effort to improve, or encourage professional growth. Some of the benefits of reflective practice include discovering meaning, making connections between experiences and the classroom, instilling values of the profession, gaining the perspective of others, reflection on professional roles, and development of critical thinking. A review of theory and research is discussed, as well as suggestions for implementation of journaling into coursework.

Data Collection↗

Dopamine receptor-mediated mechanisms involved in the expression of learned activity of primate striatal neurons.

To understand the mechanisms by which basal ganglia neurons express acquired activities during and after behavioral learning, selective dopamine (DA) receptor antagonists were applied while recording the activity of striatal neurons in monkeys performing behavioral tasks. In experiment 1, a monkey was trained to associate a click sound with a drop of reward water. DA receptor antagonists were administered by micropressure using a stainless steel injection cannula (300 microm ID) through which a Teflon-coated tungsten wire for recording neuronal activity had been threaded. Responses to sound by tonically active neurons (TANs), a class of neurons in the primate striatum, were recorded through a tungsten wire electrode during the application of either D1- or D2-class DA receptor antagonists (total volume <1 microl, at a rate of 1 microl/5-10 min). Application of the D2-class antagonist, (-)-sulpiride (20 micrograms/microl, 58 mM, pH 6.8), abolished the responses of four of five TANs examined. In another five TANs, neither the D2-class antagonist nor the D1-class antagonists, SCH23390 (10 micrograms/microl, 31 mM, pH 5.7) or cis-flupenthixol (30 micrograms/microl, 59 mM, pH 6.6) significantly suppressed responses. In experiment 2, four- or five-barreled glass microelectrodes were inserted into the striatum. The central barrel was used for extracellular recording of activity of TANs. Each DA receptor antagonist was iontophoretically applied through one of the surrounding barrels. SCH23390 (10 mM, pH 4.5) and (-)-sulpiride (10 mM, pH 4.5) were used. The effects of iontophoresis of both D1- and D2-class antagonists were examined in 40 TANs. Of 40 TANs from which recordings were made, responses were suppressed exclusively by the D2-class antagonist in 19 TANs, exclusively by the D1-class antagonist in 3 TANs, and by both D1- and D2-class antagonists in 7 TANs. When 0.9% NaCl, saline, was applied by pressure (<1 microl) or by iontophoresis (<30 nA) as a control, neither the background discharge rates nor the responses of TANs were significantly influenced. Background discharge rate of TANs was also not affected by D1- or D2-class antagonists applied by either micropressure injection or iontophoresis. It was concluded that the nigrostriatal DA system enables TANs to express learned activity primarily through D2-class and partly through D1-class receptor-mediated mechanisms in the striatum.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

Active Learning in Nursing Education (ALINE).

ALINE is a pedagogical model developed to aid nursing faculty transition from passive to active learning. Based on the constructionist theory, ALINE serves as a tool for organizing curriculum for online and classroom-based interaction and positioning the student as the active player and the instructor as the facilitator of nursing competency.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗

Active learning in service delivery: an approach to initial clinical placements.

In their first clinical placement and using an active learning approach, students provided an extension to existing service provision. Therapist-led teams of six students carried out assessment, therapy and advice. Carefully structured preparation, supervision and feedback enabled them to discover and develop effective approaches for themselves. The learning experience and service provision were evaluated and modifications introduced over a three year period. Feedback from students and service users confirmed that the project had provided both effective learning and a valuable contribution to the local service.

Education, Professional↗

The development and evaluation of an integrated community-based, patient-centred learning activity at the University of Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate the Patient Care Project (PCP), an integrated patient-centred, community-based learning activity, implemented at the University of Hong Kong since 1992. DESIGN: The PCP, a required course in the first 2 preclinical years, is structured into four learning cycles over 9 months. Each cycle consists of a patient interview followed by a debriefing group tutorial. In-depth interviews with the same patient allow students to explore the impact of disease and patients' illness experience, as well as the contribution of the wider determinants of health to their condition. The debriefing tutorial frames empirical observations into theoretical models and its format reinforces habits of problem-based learning. The programme was evaluated using survey questionnaires completed by students, patients and tutors. PARTICIPANTS: 324 first- and second-year medical students. RESULTS: Students, participating patients and tutors all rated the PCP positively in end-of-course evaluations. Specifically, 68% of students commented that the PCP had met all or most of its stated objectives, while there was nearly unanimous agreement among patients that students demonstrated understanding and empathy in the visits and interviews. Tutor appraisal of student performance also indicated the attainment of all stated aims and objectives overall. CONCLUSIONS: The PCP is a valuable contribution to community-based learning and the promotion of the patient-centred clinical method.

Curriculum↗

Mastering group leadership. An active learning experience.

Leading therapeutic groups is an underused but viable treatment role for nurses in all specialty areas. A dynamic psychoeducational group model provides structure as nurses invest and collaboratively participate to actively learn the group leader role. this article highlights the sequencing of instruction of group theory and skills with examples from a baccalaureate nursing curriculum. Samples from student journals reveal their growing assimilation of the group leader role as learners actively participated in groups, collaborated, and reflected on their learning. Examples of creatively adapted group exercises, as well as selected nursing group leader interventions, demonstrate group leadership as a skill that can increase nurses' repertoire of therapeutic responses. Therapeutic groups are both exciting and cost-effective treatment strategies for use with mentally ill clients. The skills of an accomplished group leader are transferable from within the psychiatric population to working with families, bereavement groups, and other client populations, ranging from people with diabetes to survivors of catastrophic crises. Group leadership ability complements the management and negotiation skills needed in professional nursing roles. When students and staff nurses grow in group leadership expertise, clients in various settings will be better served with this currently underused treatment option.

Curriculum↗

A new curriculum using active learning methods and standardized patients to train residents in smoking cessation.

Physicians can play a key role in smoking cessation but often fail to advise smokers effectively, mainly because they lack counseling skills. We need effective training programs starting during residency to improve physicians' smoking cessation interventions and smokers' quit rates. To achieve this goal, we developed a curriculum using active learning methods and the stages-of-change model. A randomized trial demonstrated that this program increased the quality of physician's counseling and smokers' quit rates at 1 year. This paper describes the educational content and methods of this program. Participants learn to assess smokers' stage of change, to use counseling strategies matching the smoker's stage, and to prescribe pharmacological therapy. This 2 half-day training program includes observation of video-clips, interactive workshops, role plays, practice with standardized patients, and written material for physicians and patients. Participants reached learning objectives and appreciated the content and active methods of the program.

Counseling↗

Cultural discovery: an innovative philosophy for creative learning activities.

The purpose of this article is to describe a philosophical approach for integrating general transcultural nursing concepts and skills within a first semester associate degree nursing course. The authors wished to design a learning activity that would provide meaningful experiences and stimulate critical thinking among nontraditional, culturally diverse students who must learn to care for many clients of diverse cultural backgrounds. With a focus on culture, aging, and health, this creative learner-centered approach, called Cultural Discovery, emphasizes learning outcomes in both the cognitive and affective domains. Cultural Discovery includes several components in conjunction with the Leininger Acculturation Health Care Assessment Enabler for Cultural patterns in Traditional and Nontraditional Lifeways, specifically: background reading assignments, classroom activity component, collaborative library introductory program, videotape program, interview, literature review, reflection, and written paper assignment. Implemented over an eight week period, Cultural Discovery assisted beginning nursing students to systematically conduct a basic general cultural assessment, identify some similarities and differences among individuals within cultural groups, distinguish between varying dimensions of acculturation, and discover the importance of culturally congruent nursing care.

Acculturation↗

Community needs and strengths assessments as an active learning project.

The Community Needs and Strengths Assessment Project (CNSAP) incorporated development of needs and strengths assessment research into an undergraduate Community Health course as an active learning project--one of seven principles for effective practice in undergraduate education. Community needs and strengths assessments prove useful to health educators primarily in planning programs and promoting effective public relations. Assessments also help to identify and diagnose health problems and to evaluate programs. Through the CNSAP students completed a process health educators use to identify gaps between current and required programs and to prioritize assets and resources based on community needs and strengths. The CNSAP focused on mastery of four skills required for completing a needs and strengths assessment: identifying data sources, conducting primary data collection from a target audience, analyzing data and prioritizing identified needs and strengths, and abstracting information concisely. The project, which included substantial community involvement, helped students identify needs and strengths necessary for addressing community health problems and concerns.

Adult↗