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Past research on face-to-face instructional delivery demonstrates that students' participation is positively related to their achievement in a course (Rocca, 2010), and that participation mediates the relation between attendance and achievement (Kim et al., 2019). Given that blended learning is on the rise in higher education (Johnson et al., 2016), it is of growing interest to explore whether this positive association between participation and achievement holds in the context of blended learning. Here we investigated whether students' participation was: (1) predictive of their overall grade in the course; and (2) differentially predictive of their grades on three different types of assessments: tests (test and quiz), written assignments (argumentative letter and critical essay), and oral activities (debate). The results of our regression analyses showed that participation grades were predictive of learning achievement in the course with respect to overall grade (R[superscript 2]=0.364; [beta]=0.365), test grade (R[superscript 2]=0.164; [beta]=0.327), and written grade (R[superscript 2]=0.212; [beta]=0.278). Participation was not predictive of oral grades as a whole; however, further analyses showed that students' participation predicted the individual (vs. group-based) component of the oral grade (R[superscript 2]=0.045; [beta]=0.113). Thus, our findings demonstrate that students' participation grades are predictive of their grades on assessments that are independent but not group-based, at least in the context of the blended course investigated in this study.

Previously we identified that biomedical science students commonly misunderstand "creativity," mistaking it for "freedom." In the present study, we describe and evaluate a workshop designed to increase students' awareness of creativity as a highly sought-after employability skill and cognitive process applicable to scientific endeavors. To achieve this, we developed and introduced students to a process called the "Diamond Model," utilizing a case study to contextualize and signpost the creative processes of divergent and convergent thinking. This model was introduced to students in the first workshop of a 12-week undergraduate biochemistry unit (subject) within the Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Monash University, Australia. Students completed pre- and post-workshop surveys to gauge the impact of the workshop on their conceptions of creativity and Bloom's taxonomy of learning. In addition, reflective journals were completed by a small subset of students (n = 9) following the workshop. Following the workshop, over 65% of students indicated that their conception of creativity had changed. Thematic analysis of students' survey responses and reflections indicated that this change in the conception of creativity included broadening their definition of creativity, increased awareness of creativity as a skill and science as a creative process, and that creativity can be applied to different areas of life. Students attributed the signposting of creative elements as a contributing factor to their increased awareness. These results indicate the positive impact the workshop and our novel Diamond model had on student conception of creativity, highlighting the importance of explicit communication and signposting in skill development.

Workplace learning is fundamental in contextualizing theoretical concepts into practice, making it opportune for professionals to learn emerging concepts. With genomic testing transitioning from the research space into healthcare, there are more opportunities to engage with workplace learning related to genomic medicine. We therefore aimed to unearth how genomics was being learnt in the workplace and the opportunities and factors that influenced these learning experiences. Qualitative secondary analysis was applied to a purposive sample of interviews with non-genetic physicians who had reflected on their genomic medicine practice and education. Thematic analysis, guided by Billett's co-participation at work theory, was conducted to identify workplace learning opportunities related to genomic medicine and any influencing factors. A coding framework was developed and iteratively refined until consensus was reached. Various workplace learning opportunities related to genomic medicine were identified from interviews with 29 physicians. Engagement occurred through established clinical work practice, contextual affordances, and agentic pursuits. Barriers and facilitators influenced participants' experiences and access with opportunities. Some participants recognized these learning opportunities as "informal"; however, most did not. Opportunities to engage with workplace learning beyond formal training are essential to ensure the medical workforce has the knowledge and confidence to engage with practice-related developments. However, 'work' activities were not often recognized as 'learning' opportunities. With continued efforts to integrate genomics and other innovations into routine healthcare and help reduce the theory-practice gap, this study adds to our understanding of how workplace learning occurs and offers a platform on which to build a robust model for continuing education.

This study reports on an investigation into the experiences of faculty engaged in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Common challenges that emerged across the interviews included competing priorities, and a lack of background knowledge and research skills relevant to their SoTL work. These challenges were often overcome by working alongside colleagues, as well as receiving support provided by the institutional teaching and learning centre. The findings of this study offer insights into how institutions can best support and encourage SoTL research among faculty, and thereby enhance the quality of teaching.

The study evaluated pharmacist interventions in pediatric patients within an integrated health system specialty pharmacy, focusing on adherence, adverse drug reactions, and drug utilization reviews. The interventions had a high acceptance rate of 98% and positively impacted patient care. Another study found that pharmacist-led interventions significantly reduced A1C levels and total medication expenditures in patients with uncontrolled diabetes. Integrating electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) into clinical practice, particularly in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, can enhance patient-centered care and improve treatment outcomes. Research posters presented on specialty pharmacy services aim to optimize medication programs, improve patient engagement, and evaluate the impact of pharmacist interventions on disease management programs to enhance patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. [Extracted from the article]

The traditional teaching style in higher education is didactic. However, the current literature states that student learning improves when they are active players in the process, triggering the move to implement active learning within the curriculum. In accordance, Monash University (an Australian research-intensive university) introduced the "Better Teaching Better Learning" agenda to deliver a more student-centered learning experience but its implementation has been inconsistent across its different schools. Interviews and an online survey were conducted to evaluate the teaching practices in lectures of Biomedical Science academics, identify barriers preventing them from implementing active learning in their teaching, and identify possible strategies to overcome said barriers. The two main teaching groups use a variety of teaching styles in lectures, with education-focused academics employing more active learning practices. Many academics were in the process of changing their teaching style, mainly to improve the overall student learning experience. However, complex barriers prevent them from doing so. Possible strategies were identified that would help academics adopt a more student-centered teaching style.

Creativity is a uniquely human trait and it is the force behind many modern advancements. Due to the rapid changes seen across the economy and society, creativity has become highly valued and is in increasing demand by employers. To prepare students to meet this demand, many education stakeholders (such as Monash University) have incorporated creativity into their ethos. However, preliminary analysis of the learning objectives of the Bachelor of Biomedical Science degree (program) at Monash University identified little reference to creativity, even though one of its Graduate Attributes is to become a "creative scholar." The aims of this study were to ascertain the biomedical science students' perception of creativity in the program and to evaluate the program's core units (subjects) for creative learning opportunities. The data shows that students perceived a lack of creativity in the program. However, using Bloom's taxonomy's definition of create, an evaluation of the creative learning opportunities in the core Biomedical Science units identified the presence of a variety of creative opportunities. This discrepancy between student perceptions and learning opportunities lead to the question: Why do not students recognize creative learning opportunities? From the survey responses and mapping data, three reasons were identified: students' lack of awareness of a Graduate attribute, a lack of explicit reference to creativity at the program and unit level, and students' lack of understanding of creativity.

Adolescent alcohol use has declined in many high-income countries, yet few studies have measured the impact on alcohol harm. We investigated whether declines in alcohol use among secondary school students in Aotearoa New Zealand were accompanied by declines in self-reported alcohol harm. We used data from the Youth2000 survey series (2007, N = 9098; 2012, N = 8487; 2019, N = 7311). We found alcohol use declined substantially on all indicators (lifetime, current, past month, and weekly alcohol use; past month binge drinking; typical consumption of 10 + drinks/session), with declines concentrated in the 2007–2012 period. Self-reported alcohol harm also declined markedly over the 2007–2012 period, e.g. the proportion reporting being injured declined from 22% to 16%; and/or doing something that could get them in serious trouble (e.g. stealing) declined from 19% to 12%. Despite declines, alcohol harm was common in 2012 with 33% of current drinkers reporting at least one indicator in the past 12 months. In conclusion, declines in adolescent drinking were accompanied by declines in self-reported alcohol harm. However, adolescent binge drinking remained prevalent in 2019 compared with similar countries. Addressing adolescent alcohol harm remains a pressing public health priority, and there is an urgent need to better monitor youth drinking and associated harms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes are associated with a survival benefit in several tumour types and with the response to immunotherapy.sup.1-8. However, the reason some tumours have high CD8 T cell infiltration while others do not remains unclear. Here we investigate the requirements for maintaining a CD8 T cell response against human cancer. We find that CD8 T cells within tumours consist of distinct populations of terminally differentiated and stem-like cells. On proliferation, stem-like CD8 T cells give rise to more terminally differentiated, effector-molecule-expressing daughter cells. For many T cells to infiltrate the tumour, it is critical that this effector differentiation process occur. In addition, we show that these stem-like T cells reside in dense antigen-presenting-cell niches within the tumour, and that tumours that fail to form these structures are not extensively infiltrated by T cells. Patients with progressive disease lack these immune niches, suggesting that niche breakdown may be a key mechanism of immune escape. The authors examine the immune cell infiltrates of human tumours and provide evidence for a population of CD8 T cells with stem-cell characteristics and proliferative capacity that reside in an antigen-presenting niche within tumours., Author(s): Caroline S. Jansen [sup.1] , Nataliya Prokhnevska [sup.1] , Viraj A. Master [sup.1] [sup.2] , Martin G. Sanda [sup.1] [sup.2] , Jennifer W. Carlisle [sup.2] [sup.3] , Mehmet Asim [...]

Aim: End‐stage kidney disease (ESKD) is increasingly becoming a healthcare concern in New Zealand and haemodialysis remains the most common modality of treatment. Frailty and health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) are established predictors of prognosis and have already been shown to be poor in the dialyzing population. Existing data show correlation between these measures in the ESKD population, however there is little evidence for those on haemodialysis specifically. Our study aimed to assess for a correlation between frailty and HRQOL in the haemodialysis population at Palmerston North Hospital, and to assess for any differences in frailty and HRQOL scores between indigenous Māori and non‐Māori subgroups. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted involving 93 in‐centre haemodialysis patients from Palmerston North Hospital, New Zealand. Baseline demographic data was measured alongside frailty and HRQOL scores, which were measured using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life tool (KDQOL‐36) and the Edmonton Frail Scale. Results: A statistically significant negative correlation was observed between frailty and all aspects of HRQOL (p <.05), with the strongest correlation observed between frailty and the physical component (r = −.64, p = <.001). Independent samples t‐test showed no statistically significant difference between scores for Māori and non‐Māori in frailty (M = 7.4, SD = 3.3 vs. M = 6.8, SD = 3.2; t (91) = −0.92, p =.80), or HRQOL (p values >.05 in all components). Conclusion: A negative correlation was observed between frailty and HRQOL. This information can be beneficial in guiding discussions around treatment modality and for future patients and useful in enabling better predictions of prognosis. No statistically significant differences in frailty and HRQOL scores were observed between Māori and non‐Māori groups, however the generalizability of this finding is limited due to the insufficient size of the study population. Summary at a glance: This prospective study aims to assess for a correlation between frailty status and health‐related quality of life in patients on Haemodialysis in New Zealand, as well as identify any differences in these measures between indigenous Māori and non‐Māori subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article, titled "Innovation and Progress for the Future of Higher Education: An Introduction to Issue 15.1," discusses the commitment of the SoTL community to innovation and progress in education. The issue of the Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (CJSoTL) showcases papers that explore innovative approaches to teaching and learning in higher education. The papers cover topics such as fiction-based learning, assessment weighting options, instructional delivery modes, authentic assessment, student-faculty collaborations, and the diversification and decolonization of the higher education curriculum. Other themes include enhancing the student experience and exploring the intersections between teaching practices and the digital landscape. The article expresses gratitude to the members of the SoTL community and welcomes new members to the editorial team. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease (ADTKD) is an increasingly recognized cause of chronic kidney disease. ADTKD pregnancy outcomes have not previously been described. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was sent to women from ADTKD families. Results: Information was obtained from 85 afffected women (164 term pregnancies) and 23 controls (50 pregnancies). Only 16.5% of genetically affected women knew they had ADTKD during pregnancy. Eighteen percent of ADTKD mothers had hypertension during pregnancy versus 12% in controls (p = 0.54) and >40% in comparative studies of chronic kidney disease in pregnancy. Eleven percent of births of ADTKD mothers were <37 weeks versus 0 in controls (p < 0.0001). Cesarean section occurred in 19% of pregnancies in affected women versus 38% of unaffected individuals (p = 0.06). Only 12% of babies required a neonatal intensive care unit stay. Conclusions: ADTKD pregnancies had lower rates of hypertension during pregnancy versus other forms of chronic kidney disease, which may have contributed to good maternal and fetal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]