Search

Despite the popularity of the flipped classroom, its effectiveness in achieving greater engagement and learning outcomes is currently lacking substantial empirical evidence. This study surveyed 563 undergraduate and postgraduate students (61% female) participating in flipped teaching environments and ten convenors of the flipped courses in which the student sample was enrolled. Results suggest that higher education students can be differentiated based on their preferences for elements of a flipped classroom, resulting in two clusters of students: those who embrace most aspects of a flipped classroom environment as well as prefer it (labelled "Flip endorsers") and those who are close to neutral on some elements of a flipped classroom environment but who especially do not endorse the pre-learning aspects (labelled "Flip resisters"). Flip endorsers were found to have more positive attitudes towards the course activities (both pre-class and in-class) and to have felt more involved and engaged in the content. These findings shed some light on the types of students who might prefer flipped classrooms, but more importantly identify those who are likely to resist a change to a flipped classroom environment. The findings also suggest that although students may find the flipped classroom more difficult, student outcomes and active participation in class activities do improve when course convenors (a) use a theoretical perspective to inform their flipped teaching strategy, (b) integrate assessment into the design of their flipped classroom, and (c) flip the entire course.

Rapid changes of the biosphere observed in recent years are caused by both small and large scale drivers, like shifts in temperature, transformations in land-use, or changes in the energy budget of systems. While the latter processes are easily quantifiable, documentation of the loss of biodiversity and community structure is more difficult. Changes in organismal abundance and diversity are barely documented. Censuses of species are usually fragmentary and inferred by often spatially, temporally and ecologically unsatisfactory simple species lists for individual study sites. Thus, detrimental global processes and their drivers often remain unrevealed. A major impediment to monitoring species diversity is the lack of human taxonomic expertise that is implicitly required for large-scale and fine-grained assessments. Another is the large amount of personnel and associated costs needed to cover large scales, or the inaccessibility of remote but nonetheless affected areas. To overcome these limitations we propose a network of A utomated M ultisensor stations for Mo nitoring of species D iversity (AMMODs) to pave the way for a new generation of biodiversity assessment centers. This network combines cutting-edge technologies with biodiversity informatics and expert systems that conserve expert knowledge. Each AMMOD station combines autonomous samplers for insects, pollen and spores, audio recorders for vocalizing animals, sensors for volatile organic compounds emitted by plants (pVOCs) and camera traps for mammals and small invertebrates. AMMODs are largely self-containing and have the ability to pre-process data (e.g. for noise filtering) prior to transmission to receiver stations for storage, integration and analyses. Installation on sites that are difficult to access require a sophisticated and challenging system design with optimum balance between power requirements, bandwidth for data transmission, required service, and operation under all environmental conditions for years. An important prerequisite for automated species identification are databases of DNA barcodes, animal sounds, for pVOCs, and images used as training data for automated species identification. AMMOD stations thus become a key component to advance the field of biodiversity monitoring for research and policy by delivering biodiversity data at an unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Clinical experiences are an essential foundation of nursing education. While there have been many significant investigations into models of clinical education and student learning, how students 'make sense' of their experiences is less well investigated. Senior nursing staff in a tertiary health service partnered with nurse researchers to explore how students can learn more about practice through structured discussions with peers to promote shared understandings. The study aimed to evaluate the contributions to student learning from structured peer discussions about patient care. Exploratory observational study of the effects of learning circle discussions on individual understanding of patient care. A metropolitan health service in southeast Queensland, Australia. 72 Bachelor of Nursing students in Years 2 and 3. Students developed concept maps about patient care prior to peer discussions, and subsequently added further concepts (in another colour of text) after those discussions. Researchers' review of student generated concept maps and coded concepts indicated a five a priori ways of knowing categories: empirical, aesthetic, ethical, personal and socio-political. Descriptive analysis of categories was then conducted. Empirical knowing was high in both groups, with more concepts included in Year 3 student maps. Aesthetic knowing was relatively high in both groups. Socio-political knowing was lower than anticipated overall. Personal and ethical forms of knowing were rarely included on the concept maps. While clinical placement is valued for developing empirical and aesthetic forms of knowing, the other forms of knowing have value for patient and family care and warrant strategies to improve their further development. Developing strategies to support student learning of ethical and personal forms of knowing deserves further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Rising numbers of students are required to address the forecast nursing shortage. Health services are challenged to release experienced nursing staff to become supervisors in clinical supervision models and preceptorship models require significant investment in registered nurse education for effectiveness. One health service in southeast Queensland, Australia, developed an innovative clinical education model that draws upon the strengths of supervision and preceptor models, and is consistent with the Dedicated Education Unit model, without the dedicated university and prescribed attendance requirements. Using an iterative qualitative approach and learning circle methods, the aim was to determine feasibility of the model, using information gathered from clinical facilitators, who were the key implementers. Model feasibility was found to be dependent upon three key activities undertaken by the facilitators: align stakeholder expectations with the new model, clarify roles and responsibilities within clusters, and develop strategies for collecting information about student performance. The experience of implementing the model has raised further questions about how students, newly qualified nurses and registered nurses learn in localised work units and what practice pedagogies can be developed to support learning from, as well as improve practice. Highlights • The need for more nurses has increased the number of student and newly qualified nurses. • Traditional clinical supervision and preceptorship are not sustainable. • The Dedicated Education Unit does not work for health services with multiple education partners. • The Clinical Clusters Education Model provides a viable alternative to support learning for higher student numbers. • Learning circles present a useful change management strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The provision of simulation to enhance learning is becoming common practice as clinical placement becomes harder to secure within Bachelor of Nursing programs. The use of simulation videos within a blended learning platform enables students to view best practice and provides relevant links between theory and practice. Four simulation videos depicting family assessment viewed by a cohort of Australian undergraduate nursing students were evaluated. These videos were professionally developed using actors and experienced family nurses. Surveys were used to explore the students' self-assessed knowledge, confidence and learning preferences before and after exposure to blended learning resources. Students' engagement with the simulated videos was captured via the Learning Management System. Time 1 survey was completed by 163 students and Time 2 by 91 students. There was a significant increase in students' perceived knowledge of family theory Item 1 from a mean 4.13 (SD = 1.04) at Time 1 to 4.74 (SD = 0.89) (Z = −4.54 p < 0.001) at Time 2; Item 2- Knowledge of family assessment improved from mean 3.91 (SD = 1.02) at Time 1 to 4.90 (SD = 0.67) (Z = −7.86 p < 0.001) at Time 2. Also a significant increase in their confidence undertaking family assessment Item 5 from a mean 3.55 (SD = 1.14) at Time 1 to 4.44 (SD = 0.85) (Z = −6.12 p < 0.001) at Time 2. The students watched the videos an average of 1.9 times. The simulated videos as a blended learning resource increases the students' understanding of family assessment and is worth incorporating into future development of courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The aim of this review is to inform future educational strategies by synthesising research related to blended learning resources using simulation videos to teach clinical skills for health students. Design An integrative review methodology was used to allow for the combination of diverse research methods to better understand the research topic. This review was guided by the framework described by Whittemore and Knafl (2005), Data Sources Systematic search of the following databases was conducted in consultation with a librarian using the following databases: SCOPUS, MEDLINE, COCHRANE, PsycINFO databases. Keywords and MeSH terms: clinical skills, nursing, health, student, blended learning, video, simulation and teaching. Review Methods Data extracted from the studies included author, year, aims, design, sample, skill taught, outcome measures and findings. After screening the articles, extracting project data and completing summary tables, critical appraisal of the projects was completed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Results Ten articles met all the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The MMAT scores varied from 50% to 100%. Thematic analysis was undertaken and we identified the following three themes: linking theory to practice , autonomy of learning and challenges of developing a blended learning model . Blended learning allowed for different student learning styles, repeated viewing, and enabled links between theory and practice. The video presentation needed to be realistic and culturally appropriate and this required both time and resources to create. Conclusions A blended learning model, which incorporates video-assisted online resources, may be a useful tool to teach clinical skills to students of health including nursing. Blended learning not only increases students' knowledge and skills, but is often preferred by students due to its flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]