Developing a national dental education research strategy:priorities, barriers and enablers

Objectives: This study aimed to identify national dental education research (DER) priorities for the next 3-5 years and to identify barriers and enablers to DER. Setting: Scotland Participants: In this two-stage online questionnaire study we collected data with multiple dental professions (e.g. dentistry, dental nursing, dental hygiene) and stakeholder groups (e.g. learners, clinicians, educators, managers, researchers, academics). Eighty-five participants completed the Stage 1 qualitative questionnaire and 649 participants the Stage 2 quantitative questionnaire. Results: Eight themes were identified at Stage 1. Of the 24 DER priorities identified, the top three were: role of assessments in identifying competence; undergraduate curriculum prepares for practice; and promoting teamwork. Following exploratory factor analysis, the 24 items loaded onto four factors: teamwork and professionalism, measuring and enhancing performance, dental workforce issues, and curriculum integration and innovation. Barriers and enablers existed at multiple levels: individual, interpersonal, institutional structures and cultures, and technology. Conclusion: This priority setting exercise provides a necessary first step to developing a national DER strategy capturing multiple perspectives. Promoting DER requires improved resourcing alongside efforts to overcome peer stigma and lack of valuing and motivation

Using mirror and other internal surveys in order to improve student experience

This article is the first stage of a project which considers how best to use the data collected from mirror surveys and other internal student surveys to enhance the student experience, with a subsidiary aim of thereby enhancing National Student Survey (NSS) scores. The second stage, which is underway at present, combines the theoretical basis and debate explored in this article with detailed statistical analysis of internal and external survey results, to provide a greater evidential basis for decision-making and strategic planning. The research was supported as a 2011-12 Learning Development Project, at City University London, and is intended to inform educational discussion and strategy. The interim findings discussed below are readily transferable to other disciplines and other universities. Universities have put a great deal of effort into improving student satisfaction, but not always with measurable results. Throughout the existence of the NSS, universities have experienced significant variance between student satisfaction as represented by internal measures and the levels of satisfaction reported in the NSS. This has been the case even when the internal measures take the form of mirror surveys, i.e. surveys which mirror or closely resemble the questions on the current version of the NSS. Although general morale factors and events beyond a university’s control may play a strong role in the scores, they do not necessarily explain the differences, especially where the internal questions are based on those from the NSS. Both measures may be an accurate representation of student satisfaction but measuring subtly different factors, or other influences may be operating. By examining this issue, this project aims to enable better planning for the future and the development of appropriate, tailored responses to issues. The interim findings reflect examples of best practice and next steps for the strategic use of such data, including free-text comments

Toward a Systematic Evidence-Base for Science in Out-of-School Time: The Role of Assessment

Analyzes the tools used in assessments of afterschool and summer science programs, explores the need for comprehensive tools for comparisons across programs, and discusses the most effective structure and format for such a tool. Includes recommendations

Development of bambangan (Mangifera pajang) carbonated drink

Mangifera pajang Kostermans or bambangan is a popular fruit among Sabahan due to its health and economic values. However, the fruit is not fully commercialized since it is usually been used as traditional cuisine by local people. Thus, development of bambangan fruit into carbonated drink was conducted to produce new product concept. The objectives of this study were to conceptualize, formulate, evaluate consumer acceptance, and determine physicochemical properties and nutritional composition of the accepted product. Method used in conceptualising the product was based on questionnaire. The consumer acceptance was evaluated based on descriptive and affective tests with four product formulations tested. The physicochemical properties on carbon dioxide volume, colour, pH, total acidity, total soluble solid (TSS) and viscosity were highlighted, meanwhile nutritional composition on fat, protein, carbohydrates and energy content were determined. About 77% respondents gave positive feedback, and 69% respondents decided this product is within their budget. The formulation of 5% bambangan pulp, 70% water, 25% sugar and 0.2% citric acid was highly accepted in descriptive and affective tests with 4.4 and 6.39 mean scores, respectively. The physicochemical properties and nutritional composition of the acceptance product were in optimum value except for colour, total acidity and TSS. Overall, this study showed that the product has high potential to be commercialized as new product concept, and heritage of indigenous people can be preserved when this fruit is known regionally