Search

Background: A large part of the population in Germany makes use of naturopathic, complementary and integrative medical treatments. There are now numerous scientific studies that provide evidence of efficacy for certain indications. At German medical faculties, selected procedures and their application are taught within the cross-sectoral unit called QB 12 and some elective courses, with a focus on specific aspects are offered. So far, however, there has been no structured curriculum that longitudinally anchors teaching across medical studies and enables all students to consider naturopathic and complementary medical options for patient care later on and to integrate them effectively into the diagnostic and treatment process. Objective: The aim of this position paper is to show the relevance of this topic for medical education, to clarify terminology and to present core competencies and possible implementation options for training. Method: The Integrative Medicine and Perspective Pluralism Committee of the German Association for Medical Education developed this position paper in a multi-stage consensual process, in cooperation with the Forum of University Work Groups on Naturopathic Treatment and Complementary Medicine. Results: First, different umbrella terms were discussed and an existing definition of integrative medicine and health was chosen for subsequent use. Building on this step, the status of education and its scientific foundation in Germany was considered in an international context. In the next step, a competency profile for medical training, consisting of seven areas of competency, was developed and described in detail with regard to naturopathic, complementary and integrative medicine. Implementation options were identified using possible starting points in the curriculum and using established examples of best practice. Conclusion: Despite different priorities at each faculty, it was possible to find an agreement on the development of competencies and anchoring them in medical education on the basis of a common definition of terms. Currently, the implementation in the mandatory and elective areas is very heterogeneous. As part of the current revision of the Medical Licensure Act, there are many possible starting points for the integration of naturopathic and complementary medical teaching content, especially in interprofessional and general practice courses. The implementation and accompanying research of targeted teaching settings should lay the foundations for a long-term and binding integration into medical education. Overall, it is clear that medical education in the field of naturopathy and complementary and integrative medicine has the potential to develop comprehensive core medical competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Better training in scientific skills, such as the ability to conduct research independently, has been one of the main drivers of reform in medical education. The aim of this article is to report on the scientific term paper module in the modular curriculum of medicine (MCM) at the Charité. This module is an established example of undergraduate medical students conducting their own scientific investigations. Project outline: A faculty-wide, outcome-oriented process resulted in a four-week module for writing a scientific term paper in the 6th semester of the MCM as part of a longitudinal science curriculum. Acquired competencies were assessed through a written term paper and an oral presentation. Two student cohorts (winter terms 2013 and 2014) were surveyed on how they rated the module concept, organizational aspects and the quality of support. We further analysed the chosen topics of the papers as well as student assessment results. Results: The student evaluation (return rates of 193 and 197, 71% and 77%) showed high overall satisfaction with the module. This result was evident in the high rating of the module concept and organizational aspects, a positive attitude towards scientific research, and strong motivation to pursue further scientific research. There was a wide spectrum of term paper topics with a focus on literature reviews. Most of the student work was assessed as good or very good. Conclusion: The scientific term paper module has proven itself as a curricular concept for students to perform own scientific research in the MCM, with strong acceptance and good performance by students. This project report can serve as basis and guidance for development and further improvements to promote scientific competencies in undergraduate medical education in other faculties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the implementation of curricula for Liberia's first-ever psychiatry training programme in 2019 and the actions of the only two Liberian psychiatrists in the country at the time in developing and executing a first-year postgraduate psychiatry training programme (i.e. residency) with support from international collaborators. It explores cultural differences in training models among collaborators and strategies to synergise them best. It highlights the assessment of trainees' (residents') basic knowledge on entry into the programme and how it guided immediate and short-term priority teaching objectives, including integrated training in neuroscience and neurology. The paper describes the strengths and challenges of this approach as well as opportunities for continued growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Spanish context, Sports Sciences education is evolving to emphasize competency-based learning, crucial for adapting to the dynamic global landscape and labor market. This opinion article highlights the shift towards integrating generic and specific competencies, essential for automation and artificial intelligence, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8's focus on sustainable economic growth and employment. Despite the recognized importance of these competencies for economic sustainability and job readiness, the literature on this framework, particularly within the context of physical activity and Sports Sciences in Spain, remains underexplored. This paper is structured to first address the current state of the problem, followed by a conceptualization of competencies, including types of competencies. It then analyzes professional competencies within the realm of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences in Spain, moving towards the implementation and evaluation of these competencies in the classroom setting. By bridging the gap between educational outcomes and market demands, this work calls for ongoing research and pedagogical innovation to equip future professionals with the necessary skills for success. This approach not only prepares students for the future labor market but also contributes to the broader economic and sustainable development goals envisioned by SDG 8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) engage students in the epistemic, or knowledge building, components of science through three-dimensional learning. Each scientific domain has its own epistemic aspects that result from different social groups going about science in different ways to conceptualize different bodies of knowledge; education researchers recommend that these be included in science education. While the Science & Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts of the NGSS apply to all sciences, they can be combined in ways that reflect the domain-specific aspects of the life sciences. In this paper, we define and describe simplified epistemic themes, or ways of knowing, within the life sciences for educators to use as a guide when creating lessons and units. Then, we outline example Practice-Crosscutting Concept pairs and groups that curriculum developers can use in learning performance statements to reflect these ways of knowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to present the development of a longitudinal curriculum for medical students that is rooted in the particularity of the medical sciences and that aims to build and strengthen medical students' scientific skills and use thereof in clinical practice. Methods: The curriculum development was initiated based on students' feedback on the initial curriculum. To improve and expand the curriculum appropriately, a needs assessment, a literature review to define science specific to the medical sciences and practice, and an analysis of national and international curricula were performed. The curriculum development followed the PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act). Results: The curriculum extends across the entire medical study programme from semesters 1 to 10. It consists of the seminar series on basic conduct and the epistemological groundings of science, scientific methods in medical research and health sciences, statistics and the scientific internship. Up to the sixth semester, the focus is on the acquisition of skills and abilities to work on and carry out a concrete research project; starting in semester seven, the critical evaluation and application of research results in everyday clinical practice are introduced. The curriculum is taught by epidemiologists, anthropologists, statisticians and public health scholars. Starting in semester seven, seminars are generally taught together with clinicians as tandem teaching. The curriculum is regularly assessed and adjusted. Conclusions: The Brandenburg Scientific Curriculum can be seen as a model of a longitudinal curriculum to teach scientific thinking and acting. One that is at the same time highly integrated in the medical curriculum overall. A central coordination point seems to be necessary to coordinate the teaching content and to ensure that teachers are interconnected. Furthermore, a complex curriculum in scientific methodology requires a set of teachers from a range of disciplinary backgrounds. To ensure equally high-quality education, the variability of research projects and faculty must be taken into account by establishing generally applicable evaluation criteria and fostering faculty development, and providing all students supporting courses throughout the research project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The OPEN Hackathon of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) 2020 set out to address challenges and potential solutions for medical education at the School of Medicine to kick off the 2020/21 winter semester. The event lasted 36 hours, during which medical students, teachers and staff members had the opportunity to tackle current problems in education and to develop co-created, customized solutions through creative teamwork for the School of Medicine at the TUM. The resulting solutions are now being realized and implemented in teaching. This paper describes the process and organization of the hackathon. Furthermore, the result of the evaluation of the event are described. In this paper, we aim to present the project as a valuable pioneer in the field of developing medical-educational topics within the framework of innovative methodological formats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spectrum of educational programs in building science is wide and diverse. Whereas the academic landscapes across the world vary significantly, general discourse postulates certain rather broad characterizations. For instance, some schools, especially in the Anglo-Saxon context, are suggested to target a selective, private, and high-tuition approach. Others, particularly in the European context, have a more broad, public, and affordable nature. Even though highly simplistic and perhaps even misleading, this distinction has been frequently accompanied by the implicit assumption that true excellence (the so-called world-class) education in general and building science education in particular is possible only in the former settings. In this paper, we report on a specific academic degree program, namely the Master in Building Science and Technology (BST) program, which may be argued to cast doubt on this assumption. Initiated at TU Wien, Austria, BST was offered over a period of almost two decades. In this paper, we briefly present the genesis of this program, its features, its accomplishments, and its termination. Thereby, our primary objective is to inform similar and future initiatives, particularly across Central Europe, where many public universities exist, the building industry has a substantial presence, and the education of a future generation of technically competent, environmentally conscious, and socially responsible building planners and engineers is of essence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communicative competencies are of great importance to the medical profession, hence the teaching of them has been continuously expanded in recent years at many German medical schools. While individual courses on communicative competencies have already been established in the curricula, there remains, in part, a lack of longitudinal anchoring over the entire course of medical study. In 2008 theMedical FacultyMannheimbegan implementing a longitudinal curriculum for communicative competencies. This paper outlines the general and phase-specific success factors in this process and gives practical recommendations and tips based on the personal experiences of the authors and the existing literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: While peer teaching has been found to be an effective technique during simulation, no peer teaching training curriculum (PTTC) has been developed for simulation‐based learning. The objective of this study, therefore, was to develop, implement, and evaluate a PTTC during a high‐fidelity trauma simulation. Methods: When developing the PTTC, we combined several validated learning models for teaching and learning procedural skills. We then implemented it over 6 days in two phases: instructional (learning how to teach) and experiential (practicing teaching). Our research team conducted a qualitative evaluation to evaluate the effectiveness of the PTTC. We analyzed written self‐reflections from 20 second‐year medical students who completed the PTTC. Using an iterative inductive approach to data analysis, our research team first individually coded the reflection papers. We then met to define and categorize the codes into themes. Finally, we compared these themes to the PTTC's objectives to evaluate the curriculum's effectiveness. Results: The following themes emerged from the data: 1) learning through teaching; 2) self‐actualization as an educator; and 3) role of physician as leader, advocate, and educator. The students described how the peer teaching experience improved their own procedural knowledge and skills. They also reported an increase in their leadership and communication skills as they effectively provided guidance and feedback to their peers, which led to their self‐actualization as an educator. This self‐actualization inspired the peer teachers' professional identity formation as leaders and educators in medicine. Conclusions: Based on these themes, we found our PTTC to be an effective curricular design. Our results reinforce previously described benefits to both peer teachers and learners in regard to medical knowledge and skills acquisition and furthers the academic emergency medicine community's understanding of how students' involvement as peer teachers in simulation‐based education impacts their professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic leadership in undergraduate and graduate medical education requires a specific set of leadership and managerial skills that are unique to academic leadership positions. While leadership development training programs exist for traditional leadership roles such as department chairs, executives, and deans, there are fewer models of leadership training specifically geared for academic leadership positions such as program and clerkship directors, and designated institutional officials. There are academic programs at the national level, but there is sparse literature on the specific decisions required to create such programs locally. With growing regulatory and accreditation requirements as well as the challenges of balancing the clinical and educational missions, effective leadership is needed across the spectrum of academic medicine. To meet this need for the military health care system in the United States, we used Kern's six-step framework for curriculum development to create a 1-week academic leadership course. This paper describes the process of development, implementation, outcomes, and lessons learned following the initial 3 years of courses. Specific discussions regarding who to train, which faculty to use, content, and other elements of course design are reviewed. The course and process outlined in the paper offer a model for other organizations desiring to establish an academic leadership course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic leadership in undergraduate and graduate medical education requires a specific set of leadership and managerial skills that are unique to academic leadership positions. While leadership development training programs exist for traditional leadership roles such as department chairs, executives, and deans, there are fewer models of leadership training specifically geared for academic leadership positions such as program and clerkship directors, and designated institutional officials. There are academic programs at the national level, but there is sparse literature on the specific decisions required to create such programs locally. With growing regulatory and accreditation requirements as well as the challenges of balancing the clinical and educational missions, effective leadership is needed across the spectrum of academic medicine. To meet this need for the military health care system in the United States, we used Kern's six-step framework for curriculum development to create a 1-week academic leadership course. This paper describes the process of development, implementation, outcomes, and lessons learned following the initial 3 years of courses. Specific discussions regarding who to train, which faculty to use, content, and other elements of course design are reviewed. The course and process outlined in the paper offer a model for other organizations desiring to establish an academic leadership course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper, prepared to present at the 2018 joint Canadian Association of Geographers (CAG) and International Geographical Union (IGU) regional conference, is to suggest three strategies, framed as proposals, that geography and geography education can deploy to "save the world." The first proposal is to expand explicit instruction in spatial thinking to close gender‐based achievement gaps. The second proposal is to apply research from the learning sciences to develop persuasive geography curricula and instructional materials. The third proposal focuses on ways social media and geospatial technologies can be employed in civic education, an idea termed "spatial citizenship." The paper suggests a re‐envisioning of geography education with an enhanced focus on teaching for, in, and about a world that fully appreciates difference and acts on that appreciation. Key Messages: Explicit instruction in spatial thinking can address gender inequalities and close achievement gaps in STEM subjects.Geographers should use research‐based cognitive strategies to strengthen geography curricula and instructional materials.Geographic and geospatial thinking, along with social media and geospatial technologies, can develop active, participatory, and emancipated individuals, an idea termed spatial citizenship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent trend in human-computer interaction has facilitated content production, such as innovation and information growth through intelligent systems, enabling unqualified users to describe a machine's behaviour through visual programming. However, the difficulty could become similar to the standard coding techniques as the number of elements to be managed increases. Entrepreneurial education is defined as a collection of formalized lessons that advise, train, and educate all people who want to participate in socio-economic development through a project that promotes knowledge of entrepreneurship to advance the business. Hence, in this paper, the Human-computer interaction-based Entrepreneurship learning platform (HCI-ELP) has been proposed to boost student quality of life by enhancing self-confidence and changing the learning timeframe. HCI provides several promising implications for integrating knowledge management approaches, taking advantage of computer-supported interactive learning from entrepreneurship learning platforms. The suggested approach recommends collaboration to learn for students' opinions on learning developed through a questionnaire's tasks. Thus, the experimental results show that HCI-ELP achieves the highest performance rate to 97.66% and enhances student interaction in completing the task to improve curriculum development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Competency-based education and assessment are globally trending, also embraced by recently announced National education policy 2020, India. Medical programs are rapidly transforming to produce competent health professionals, to satisfy public health requirements. This paper describes Delphi study with a participatory approach, to develop a competency matrix required for training of eye care professionals.Methods: Scoping review of literature formulated the baseline architecture of competency framework identifying two core competencies for management of refractive error, namely, "visual function assessment" and "optical technology management." The Delphi technique was employed for the development of a competency matrix with detailed knowledge, skills, and attitude (KSA) definitions for all competency elements. A heterogeneous group including optometry practitioners, academicians, researchers, association representatives, and industry representatives accomplished the objective in four rounds.Results: Delphi study resulted in defining two competency clusters (CC): "CC1: Refraction" with 10 units and 43 elements and "CC2: Dispensing optics" with 8 units and 54 elements. KSA components of each of competency elements were identified and mapped with applied optics curriculum in the optometry program.Conclusion: Participation of all stakeholders of the educational system is essential and beneficial for nurturing of the competent workforce in healthcare. It helps build a curriculum not only having theoretical knowledge and skills but also the attitude and behavioral component of measurable competencies that satisfies the needs of the local healthcare system. This study has evolved a comprehensive competency matrix highlighting essential competencies required for the effective management of refractive error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem addressed in this theoretical paper is that of learners and educators as agents of social transformation in dysfunctional schools of South Africa. While 80% of South African schools are said to be dysfunctional, learners and educators in these schools can be activated to challenge and actively struggle against any form of social oppression that dehumanises and renders them failures. Educators can work in collaboration with learners to conscientize the latter so that they are able to question different forms of inequalities and discrimination implicit in the curriculum offered at school, which excludes their cultural learning experiences. This paper argues that township and rural school educators and learners can become social agents for change if they are exposed to critical pedagogy which fosters emancipatory methods of teaching and learning. Consequently, structural factors surrounding the South African education system must be addressed if learner performance in dysfunctional schools is to improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of contemporary environmental issues demands a more holistic and interdisciplinary response. However, despite broad recognition of the educational benefits of interdisciplinary learning contexts, a review of the relevant literature reveals that research interest in the potential of such approaches remains fairly limited and exerts little influence on established pedagogical practices. The paper contributes to the research on interdisciplinary approaches by augmenting empirical understanding of how art can help to promote creative engagement with ecological issues. After describing the process and outcomes of a collaborative ecological art project involving engineering students, the paper reviews some interesting findings from the post-project survey asking about the students' studio work experience. The paper concludes with a discussion of art's potential role in promoting creative engagement in interdisciplinary learning contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematical writing recently has been defined as writing to reason and communicate mathematically. But mathematics instructional resources lack guidance for teachers as to how to implement such writing. The purpose of this paper is to describe how methods of design‐based research were used to develop an instructional resource when one does not currently exist. Thirty‐four participants—including teachers, mathematics coaches, mathematics curriculum developers, literacy coaches, a mathematician, and academics in elementary mathematics education, mathematics education, writing education, and science education—participated in a multi‐step process to recommend, revise, and confirm instructional guidelines for elementary mathematical writing. The development process began with thirty‐two recommendations from science writing and language arts writing. Through multiple cycles of feedback, five instructional guidelines and related considerations and techniques for implementation of elementary mathematical writing emerged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The model curriculum known as HannibaL is an integrated, professionally-based adaptive curriculum that began at the Hannover Medical School (MHH) during the 2005/06 academic year. HannibaL turns medical students into competent physicians through its patient-based interdisciplinary instruction. This paper provides an overview of the curriculum's creation, educational content and philosophy and reflects on the experience that has been gathered. Also described are organizational and quality assurance measures which were also employed to implement the model curriculum. Method: The central ideas and processes are reported in a primarily narrative manner in an attempt to present the information coherently. The aspects discussed are setting up the model curriculum, central features of teaching and exams with their underlying educational premises; organization and evaluation are also covered in the context of the research literature on curriculum and faculty development. Developing the teaching and learning culture of the model curriculum is also explored. Results: The basic objectives were realized, including the design of learning spirals and intensifying the inclusion of patients and practical elements at the beginning of study. However, plans to allow students more freedom to pursue their own learning and research interests have not yet been satisfactorily implemented. Key areas to support teaching have been expanded (teacher training for instructors, student advising, course evaluations). Conclusion: The model curriculum and its aims are widely recognized and supported not only by medical students and instructors, but also external committees and experts. As a consequence, HannibaL will be developed further in upcoming years to implement the objectives which have not yet been met and to master new challenges faced by medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examined students' engagement in an implementation of a Workplace Simulation Project (WSP). The WSP was designed to actively engage students in learning disciplinary content by inviting engineers from industry to have a physical presence within the school building to collaborate with teachers and students to complete projects which simulate the tasks authentic to their work. We focus on the first year implementation of the program that partnered a high school in the rural Midwest with an engineering unit of a government organization. Using a multiple methods study design, we analyzed disciplinary and interdisciplinary pre and posts test along with students' interviews to determine learning gains as well as students' interpretations of creative and critical thinking as experienced in the project and their knowledge of the engineering design process. Effect sizes showed that students in the WSP group had notable gains over the control group participants. Additionally, students' knowledge of core elements of the design process were identified in inductive analyses of the interviews. Findings from this study will provide usable knowledge about effective ways to support systems and design thinking and ways to support expert‐novice collaboration to ensure success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Green Chemistry Initiative (GCI) is a student-led group founded in 2012 with the primary mission of promoting green chemistry education at the University of Toronto. In order to achieve this, the GCI's activities have included undergraduate curriculum development, arrangement of an external speaker seminar series, and organization of an annual three-day symposium along with biweekly trivia challenges. To broaden education beyond the Department of Chemistry, a successful YouTube video campaign articulating the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry in an accessible manner has also been undertaken (acquiring over 40,000 views), in addition to monthly blog posts and conference/outreach presentations. Descriptions of these activities are discussed in this paper, along with the resulting impact they have had. Through such efforts, undergraduate and graduate students are showing a growing understanding of the relevance of green chemistry in today's world, with the GCI serving as a platform for similar groups to build upon across Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing diversity in U.S. society encourages the need for culturally competent healthcare professionals to provide optimal services to a diverse population. This increasing diversity also brings greater awareness to health disparities among distinct subgroups of the U.S. population. Addressing health disparities in the USA will require a multidimensional approach from various sectors, including the field of education. Developing health disparities curricula can help cultivate conscious future health practitioners. Faculty development programs can be integral in equipping faculty to develop curricula on and teach students about health disparities. With a growth in online learning and in the number of adult learners within the health professions field, it is important to design online curricula to prepare students to engage with diverse populations with varied healthcare needs. The purpose of this paper is to describe faculty efforts to teach and evaluate health disparities-related education in an online graduate course on cultural competence in Public Health practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informed consent is a foundational concept in modern medicine. Despite physicians' ethical and legal obligations to obtain informed consent, no standard curriculum exists to teach residents relevant knowledge and skills. This paper presents a qualitative study of residents at one academic medical center. The authors conducted focus groups with trainees in the Departments of Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Ob/Gyn and analyzed their responses using rigorous qualitative methods. Four themes emerged: First, participants agreed that informed consent and decision-making capacity were relevant in many clinical situations. Second, participants varied widely in their understandings of consent. Third, current resident training was insufficient. Fourth, more training was needed. These results add to the growing literature that ethics education in residency is desired and useful. The findings will help educators craft instruments assessing the prevalence and degree of deficiencies related to informed consent competencies and aid in the development of a model curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of universities worldwide have created new courses and degrees or modified existing ones, as a response to the increasing interest by companies to hire sustainability literate graduates. However, many of such courses have been developed with a focus on ‘hard’ technocentric or managerial issues. The examples that have been published in academic journal have tended to be descriptive, and in only a limited number of cases have they been based on theories of teaching and learning. This paper presents the process of designing and delivering a new course on organisational change management for sustainability for the BA Environment and Business degree at the University of Leeds. The course was developed based on holism and a constructivist position to help deal with the complexities of sustainability and organisational change management. The course objective was to educate students as sustainability change agents by dealing with the complexities of sustainability and ‘soft’ issues in organisational change management. The process had three key elements: (1) the learning outcomes; (2) the course delivery; and (3) the course assessment (including feedback). During the process a number of challenges had to be overcome. The paper provides a more complete, systematic, robust, and focused approach to education for sustainable development, specifically on course design and delivery, by using theories of teaching and learning and linking the course aims, delivery, and assessment. The paper integrates education for sustainability development and corporate sustainability into a relatively new discipline, organisational change management for sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gender perspective involves visualizing the phenomena of reality in the context of differences between men and women in all areas. The aim of the present paper is to propose incorporating the gender perspective in the curriculum of business administration professional degrees. An analysis of the relevant literature led to understanding such issues as university and gender, gender in the university curriculum, gender perspective in national development plans including education in Mexico and gender studies in organizations. A review of relevant publications in Mexico addressing the issue of gender studies in organizations, led to classifying them by lines of research. Finally the issues that should be added to the curricula of these disciplines are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework that serves as a guide to develop a curriculum and instructional strategy that is systems oriented and student-centric. Design/methodology/approach -- The framework is based on the theories in the field of education by prominent researchers. The framework is divided into four sub-systems, input, process, output, and feedback. While the input, process, and output sections discuss basic elements critical in students' learning, the feedback section suggests how the learning environment can be controlled and corrected based on student learning outcomes. Findings -- The paper presents a framework for the student to graduate transformation process in institutions of higher education based on fundamental premise that this process is an ecosystem consisting of several interlinked and interacting sub-systems. A key driver of the transformation process should be a feasible set of expected competencies that the global market place for talent expects of college graduates. These market-valued competencies can be used to define the success of the curriculum, course design, and instructional techniques and determine the sufficiency of the resource allocation by the institution of higher education to specific academic and supporting programs. Originality/value -- The framework that is based on integration of well-grounded theories in the field of education. Thus it adds value to the development of curriculum that is needed by the education institutions to excel and compete in the global and dynamic academic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In recent years knowledge and capabilities to manage corporate sustainability have become a significant component of different career paths in companies, consultancies, and even in non-profit and public institutions. As an answer to this worldwide trend of a new profession ever more universities and business schools have taken the initiative to increase their teaching activities in corporate social responsibility and sustainability management. As most courses do not have a long track record and as only a limited number of management-oriented continuous education studies exists so far we still know little about how managers could be educated most effectively to become change agents for corporate sustainability. This paper examines a case study and provides insight into ten years of MBA education for sustainability management at the Centre for Sustainability Management, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany. Based on data from a recent alumni survey we analyze the corporate practice experiences of the first 85 successful MBA students and the medium term effects of the first master program in sustainability management. Based on the analysis we propose a competence matrix to structure basic components of postgraduate education in sustainability management. The paper unveils that extant research is needed to consider the practical experiences MBA graduates make when applying acquired knowledge and to link these insights to curriculum development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

One of the problems that has to be faced by university teachers is the large number of students that start doing a degree without actually knowing the professional profile they will have after finishing it, as well as without knowing what the profession they are being trained for actually consists in. Furthermore, one can usually find definitions of professional identities which only take into account the technical and legal aspects while overlooking emotional and social components. University provides us with an appropriate space for the development of that identity on the basis of a comprehensive concept of training. However, at the same time, the compartmentalized structures of the degrees, which are subdivided into different subjects, mean an obstacle for the implementation of that development. Hence, we decided to create a team of university teachers specialized in different subjects in order to suggest a proposal to be implemented in the classroom. This proposal is intended to put an end to the rigidity of a structure organized by subjects through the design and implementation of a number of joint activities whose ultimate aim is the acquisition of competences. This paper presents our personal views about the professional identity of those degrees relating to Economics and Business, suggesting a comprehensive team work proposal which integrates different views on different subjects in order to design activities which may help students to achieve a better understanding of their future profession. This paper includes a summary of the designed activities, the evaluation tools and the results of their implementation during the first years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of any robotic system requires input from engineers from a variety of technical fields. This paper describes a project-based module, Biologically-Inspired Robotics, that is offered to Electronics and Computer Science students at the University of Southampton, U.K. The overall objective of the module is for student groups to investigate the interface between robotics and biology and develop a system (either hardware or software) to illustrate biological principles. This paper discusses the details of the implementation and delivery of the module, together with evaluation feedback. A number of the robotic systems developed by project groups are presented in order to illustrate the diversity and quality of the systems that have been developed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes the second and third phases of a comprehensive mechatronics curriculum development effort. They encompass the development of two advanced mechatronics courses ("Simulation and Modeling of Mechatronic Systems" and "Sensors and Actuators for Mechatronic Systems"), the formulation of a Mechatronics concentration, and offshoot research activities in the mechatronics area. The first phase involved the design of an "Introduction to Mechatronics" course and the infusion of mechatronic activities throughout the curriculum and in outreach activities and has been described in a companion paper "A 10-Year Mechatronics Curriculum Development Initiative: Relevance, Content, and Results--Part I" (IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, vol. 53, no. 2, May 2010). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the first phase of a Mechatronics Curriculum Development effort--the design of an "Introduction to Mechatronics" course, the infusion of mechatronics activities throughout the curriculum and in outreach activities, and assessment results. In addition, the relevance and impact of such a curriculum on the education of engineers in relation to the evolving global economy is discussed. The second and third phases of this effort included development of two advanced mechatronics courses and the formulation of a mechatronics curriculum, which will be addressed in a companion paper, "A 10-Year Mechatronics Curriculum Development Initiative: Relevance, Content, and Results--Part II" (IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, vol. 53, no. 2, May 2010). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments recognize that workers in the twenty-first century need to keep pace with increasingly technical employment environments in order to remain competitive in the global market. The Australian government has developed a set of policies to address impending shortfalls in high-level technicians and paraprofessionals across many professions. As a result, a new fledgling qualification, the associate degree, has been established within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) to facilitate qualification upgrading for the existing workforce. This paper describes Australian associate degrees and highlights their similarities and differences to foundation degrees in the United Kingdom and associate degrees in the United States. In Australia, universities and higher education (HE) institutes have limited experiences catering to vocational training, since vocational education (VE) has been reserved for specialist technical and further education (TAFE) colleges. Interestingly, the AQF intends that associate degree qualifications can cut across sectors. This discussion paper details the development of an associate degree in information technology (IT) at Victoria University, where two education sectors, one vocationally-focused and one academically-focused, are collaborating to effect the degree. Eight areas of competency are identified as needed by graduates of the proposed IT program. Two models for the cooperation in curriculum development are proposed. Regardless of the model chosen, the collaboration provides the opportunity for the achievement of a program that would dovetail vocational skills with supporting academic competencies to meet the needs of information technology workers wishing to upskill. Under discussion are issues such as staffing and administration, program sustainability and context of delivery, industry partnerships, and their impact upon differing cohorts of students with variability in experience. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article provides a survey of Australian drama education documents. The purpose of this selective tracing of the genealogy of Australian drama education is to set the scene for the current context while also acknowledging the strength and foresight of Australian drama education pioneers and predecessors. This article had its genesis in a discussion paper, originally titled Sharing the Blank Page: if there's going to be a National Drama Curriculum, what might it look like? It was prepared for a round table forum on drama curriculum at gener8, the 2008 National Drama Education Conference, Adelaide, May 10, 2008. That round table was well attended and generated considerable discussion, prompting not only this article but this special curriculum edition of NJ. This paper has been reworked significantly since then. I acknowledge all the contributors to the round table forum and the input of critical readers to the reshaping of the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a new cross-curricular design for an engineering communication course based on four themes: (1) ethics, accountability, and professionalism; (2) intellectual property; (3) design, creativity, and invention; and (4) globalization. It is believed that the thematic structure creates both dynamic and contemporary contexts for writing and research along with enough freedom to pursue individual student interests. The result is a higher degree of intrinsic motivation for the assignments. The course is a collaborative effort between an English department and a school of engineering designed to both imp rove curriculum and provide more, assessment data for engineering accreditation. Among the criteria from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) is the "ability to communicate effectively." Along with satisfying this criterion, the course discussed in this paper details how to capture data in support of an additional four of ABET's criteria known as "a-k." 'After highlighting these ABET criteria and giving an overview of the structure of the course, the paper details each theme, including their respective readings and assignments. This new course was taught for the first time in the 2006-2007 academic year, and the paper closes by weighing the outcomes and implications of adopting a similar format. The current version of the syllabus and reading list for this course are included in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a paper on the initiative on curriculum development of the community-oriented medical education curriculum in Pakistan. The paper describes the procedure used in developing the curriculum, training of faculty, and the main features of the curriculum. The medical colleges, stakeholders, Pakistani Ministry of Health, World Health Organization, the Community-Oriented Medical Education project collaborated in designing the curriculum. Emphasis was given on conducting undergraduate medical education at primary and secondary healthcare facilities.

This paper takes aim at one specific, as well as basic, need in teamwork and interdisciplinary projects — ethics and its implications for professional practice. A preliminary study suggests that students majoring in industrial technology degree programs may not have adequate opportunity to formally study and engage in ethical aspects of technology vis-à-vis the practices of the profession. It is reasonable to assume that the ethical dilemmas faced by an industrial technologist would parallel those of engineers and managers. To address this issue, this paper identifies a domain of knowledge that would constitute a necessary background in ethics for industrial technologists, examines various resources for teaching, and makes recommendations from a pedagogical point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a widely-acknowledged shortage of software developers, and reports of a gap between industry needs and software education, the possible gap between students' needs and software development education has not been explored in detail. In their university education, students want to take courses and carry out projects that clearly relate to their lives and their goals. This paper reports on a quantitative study of 297 software development students. The analysis of the results suggests that software development education has a predominantly social relevance to students and also has moderate personal and professional relevance. The following approaches are recommended to improve students' views of the relevance of software development education: use various learning environments; pay special attention to female students, students who did not have IT as a school subject, and students who rate their own academic performance as low; update educators on the latest developments; design programs to appeal to students and to meet societal demands. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The new standards for K-12 science education suggest that student learning should be more integrated and should focus on crosscutting concepts and core ideas from the areas of physical science, life science, Earth/space science, and engineering/technology. This paper describes large-scale, urban elementary-focused science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ( STEM) collaboration between a large urban school district, various STEM-focused community stakeholders, and a research-focused private university. The collaboration includes the development of an integrated STEM curriculum for grade K-5 with accompanying teacher professional development. This mixed-methodology study describes findings from focus group interviews and a survey of teachers from Title I elementary schools. Findings suggest the importance of the following critical features of professional development: (a) coherence, (b) content focus, (c) active learning, (d) collective participation, and (e) duration to the success of large-scale STEM urban elementary school reform [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conditions for drama in compulsory education vary from country to country. The situation in Queensland, Australia, is interesting as Drama was introduced as an arts subject in the compulsory school curriculum (P-10) in 2002. This paper uses a case study approach, to describe and analyses the context and conditions for this specific curriculum development project. Findings suggest that curriculum development is unlikely to be a predictable and linear process, and to some extent, curriculum documents are reflecting changes that have already occurred. The author proposes a list of considerations which may be of benefit to drama educators in a range of curriculum contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Despite the existence of a large variety of competency frameworks for medical graduates, there is no agreement on a single set of outcomes. Different countries have attempted to define their own set of competencies to respond to their local situations. This article reports the process of developing medical graduates' competency framework as the first step in the curriculum reform in Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). A participatory approach was applied to develop a competency framework in Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). Following literature review, nominal group meetings with students and faculty members were held to generate the initial list of expectations, and 9 domains was proposed. Then, domains were reviewed, and one of the domains was removed. The competency framework was sent to Curriculum Reform Committee for consideration and approval, where it was decided to distribute electronic and paper forms among all faculty members and ask them for their comments. Following incorporating some of the modifications, the document was approved by the committee. The TUMS competency framework consists of 8 domains: Clinical skills; Communication skills; Patient management; Health promotion and disease prevention; Personal development; Professionalism, medical ethics and law; Decision making, reasoning and problem- solving; and Health system and the corresponding role of physicians. Development of a competency framework through a participatory approach was the first step towards curriculum reform in TUMS, aligned with local needs and conditions. The lessons learned through the process may be useful for similar projects in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversity in the context of curriculum planning (students' social, cultural, political affiliation and economic, does not only have a direct influence to teachers' ability in carrying out the curriculum, but also school capacity to provide learning experience for the learners, as well as students' ability to achieve optimum results. In practice, however, curriculum planners often neglect this diversity. Teachers with their authorized capacity feel 'safe' to be non-active in which they are not supposed to accommodate those diversities. Neither they are to be involved in determining the philosophical views, theories, vision, documentary development, socialization and curriculum implementation, nor to work on standardized regulations that have been nationally and universally stated. This paper is aimed at sharing the information dealing with appropriate approach that has to be done to accommodate the diversity of social, cultural, political affiliation and economic with the standard national curriculum toward the accomplishment of new curriculum in Vocational Bina Nusantara Mandiri School Pariaman. Data were collected through field survey, observation, and interview with teachers as well as school community who contributed to curriculum development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings of four Grade 6 teachers' involvement as facilitators of a participatory action research (PAR) project conducted in three South African primary schools. Based on the results of Phase One research which indicated that Grade 6s learn about sexuality, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) from multiple sources, the Phase Two project designers developed a toolkit to help Life Orientation (LO) teachers consult learners on what they know and how they want to be taught. In each school, a curriculum development group comprising the participating teacher, learners, parents and an HIV and Aids specialist worked to enhance the official HIV and Aids curriculum using the information gathered each week by the teacher. This dialogue between the study participants represents the culmination of what we describe as the project's 'cascading participation' research model, a term denoting the multiple levels of participant involvement in the study. Although theories of participation often depict a binary relationship between those with power and those without it, the implementation of this project shows how the official curriculum, cultural norms and low parent involvement can exert pressure at different levels to diminish teachers' ability to facilitate social and educational change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After more than two decades of research on the design and development of implantable biomedical microsystems, it is time now to organize research achievements in this area in a consolidated and pedagogical form. This paper introduces a new graduate course in advanced biomedical circuits and systems. Designed for graduate students with electrical and biomedical engineering backgrounds, this course provides a general overview of the multidisciplinary field of implantable biomedical microsystems. In addition to some introductory material on physiology and biology where needed, this course comprises extensive contents and in-depth discussions on both system- and circuit-level aspects of the design of implantable microsystems. Moreover, this course also deals with issues surrounding design for implantability and testability. Wireless interfacing, signal processing, microelectrode array fabrication, and circuit design for implantable neural recording microsystems are studied extensively. Various design aspects of neural stimulation microsystems, cochlear implants, and visual prostheses are also reviewed briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In 2010 the Gezira Family Medicine Project (GFMP) was initiated in Gezira state, Sudan, designed as an in-service training model. The project is a collaboration project between the University of Gezira, which aims to provide a 2-year master's programme in family medicine for practicing doctors, and the Ministry of Health, which facilitates service provision and funds the training programme. This paper presents the programme, the teaching environment, and the first batch of candidates enrolled. Methods In this study a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect baseline data at the start of the project from doctors who joined the programme. A checklist was also used to assess the health centres where they work. A total of 188 out of 207 doctors responded (91%), while data were gathered from all 158 health centres (100%) staffed by the programme candidates. Results The Gezira model of in-service family medicine training has succeeded in recruiting 207 candidates in its first batch, providing health services in 158 centres, of which 84 had never been served by a doctor before. The curriculum is community oriented. The mean age of doctors was 32.5 years, 57% were males, and 32% were graduates from the University of Gezira. Respondents stated high confidence in practicing some skills such as asthma management and post-abortion uterine evacuation. They were least confident in other skills such as managing depression or inserting an intrauterine device. The majority of health centres was poorly equipped for management of noncommunicable diseases, as only 10% had an electrocardiography machine (ECG), 5% had spirometer, and 1% had a defibrillator. Conclusions The Gezira model has responded to local health system needs. Use of modern information and communication technology is used to facilitate both health service provision and training. The GFMP represents an example of a large-volume scaling-up programme of family medicine in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the emerging field of clinical and translational science (CTS), where researchers use both basic and clinical science research methodologies to move discoveries to clinical practice, establishing standards of competence is essential for preparing physician-scientists for the profession and for defining the field. The diversity of skills needed to execute quality research within the field of CTS has heightened the importance of an educational process that requires learners to demonstrate competence. Particularly within the more applied clinical science disciplines where there is a multi- or interdisciplinary approach to conducting research, defining and articulating the unique role and associated competencies of a physician-scientist is necessary. This paper describes a systematic process for developing a competency-based educational framework within a CTS graduate program at one institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents and analyses the integration with progression of education for sustainable development in Chalmers University of Technology's MScEng programme in Mechanical Engineering. The program has an aim and structure that emphasises employability, integration of general engineering skills, authentic engineering experiences with a focus on holistic view of the complete lifecycle of products and systems. The realisation of these aims stress the need of an integrated and adaptable sustainable development education for mechanical engineering. To reach this goal, we applied a combined top-down and bottom-up education development process that started with the formulation of program vision and program level learning outcomes. Faculty meetings and workshop were used to formulate the course learning outcomes and to map the program level outcomes to courses in which the outcomes are satisfied followed this. The strategy integrated specific sustainability topics in courses where it is appropriate and to have a separate course in sustainable development to ensure that general aspects of sustainable development are included and that a team of faculty takes full responsibility for this. Design-build-test project courses are shown to be suitable arenas for integrating teaching and learning of sustainable development. Results from a student survey on perceptions of the relevance and quality of sustainability education are discussed. Finally, continuing challenges in the area are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the study of threshold concepts is a growing area of research, their identification has not proven to be an easy process. However, identification matters because of the potential impact of threshold concepts on the learning experiences of students. A dialogue amongst lecturers and/or students is common to the literature on identification of threshold concepts. This dialogue, with the inclusion of educational developers, has been called 'transactional curriculum inquiry' (Cousin in Researching learning in higher education, Routledge, New York, ). Diverse methods across a variety of disciplines have explored the identification of threshold concepts, including semi-structured interviews, analysis of exam responses and observation of classroom behaviour. A selection of these methods and disciplines is discussed in order to highlight two main challenges inherent in the identification process: first, the involvement of the wider professional and/or public community, and second, a lack of agreement amongst research participants about the threshold concepts within disciplines. This paper proposes that the transactional curriculum inquiry process should be extended to involve parties beyond the educational realm (e.g. the professional community) and that the use of consensus methodology offers the potential to facilitate agreement across the transactional process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

new trends in education have caused a shift in the way all stakeholders involved in education understand the teaching-learning process. This has led ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) to be taken into account and used massively by teachers and students thereby improving their academic environments and the quality of education. Research projects now look at educational computing like a branch that can solve the little changing traditional education alternatives, thus giving the possibility to open universities to virtual learning environments and convert the information technologies in sharing and collaboration platforms that can amplify the possibilities of knowledge. The prototype shown in this paper is an effort by a group of researchers to facilitate the adaptation of ICT in the curriculum, and serves as a motivation for the entire university community in regard to the benefits we can draw from adopting such ICT approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from a discipline-based curriculum to a more integrated one is one of the key aspects to encourage a competence-based learning.. An integrated curriculum approaches the teaching-learning processes from an interdisciplinary perspective, closer to professional practices rather than to academic tasks. In this paper we present, firstly, an international tour around the realities of integrated curricula. Secondly, we describe the design implemented in the degree of Social Education at the University of the Basque Country. This design is a real model to move from the current situation (organized according to the logic of the subjects) into another in which these intersections of curricula are made possible. Finally, we perform an initial assessment of the results, trying to point out the practical difficulties involved in the development of the model and the ways for their resolution, as well as the impressions the participants have about the process. In this sense we will like indicate that, first, we must bear in mind that the difficulties to overcome in a process of this type are numerous, diverse, and its resolution is not always in our hands. And, second, stronger obstacles in our experience are being in the one hand, deal with the effects of our own relational history in the center and on the other, seek consensus between different thoughts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A laboratory course on the theory, fabrication, and characterization of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices for a multidisciplinary audience of graduate students at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, has been developed. Hands-on experience in the cleanroom has attracted graduate students from across the university's engineering and science campuses, including students from the Nano-Science and Micro Systems program, itself an interdisciplinary program. This course has been offered yearly for the last four years (since 2007) at the University of New Mexico. In one project from the class, a MEMS actuator is fabricated. This paper details the theory, fabrication steps, and characterization of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) comb drive actuator that relies on fixed-fixed beams for its restoring force. Discussions include force generation by comb drives and a linear and nonlinear description of the restoring force applied by the fixed-fixed beams. Course assessment data is given from 79 students from three semesters, based on which the effectiveness of the laboratory project is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]