Reviews

Steve McDowell and Phil Race, 500 Computing Tips for Trainers, London: Kogan Page, ISBN: 0–7494–2675–6. Paperback, 160 pages, £15.99

Reviews

P. Race, 500 Tips on Group Learning, London: Kogan Page, 2000. ISBN: 0–7494–2884–8. Softback, vii + 135 pages, £15.99

Practical tips for teaching mindfulness to children and adolescents in school-based settings

Mindfulness derives from Buddhist practice and is described as “the process of engaging a full, direct, and active awareness of experienced phenomena that is spiritual in aspect and that is maintained from one moment to the next” (Van Gordon, Shonin, Zangeneh, & Griffiths, 2014). In a previous issue of Education and Health, we briefly reviewed research findings and discussed the growing interest amongst educational stakeholders into the applications of mindfulness for improving both the health and learning environment of school-aged children (Shonin, Van Gordon, & Griffiths, 2012). For example, mindfulness has been shown to improve levels of anxiety, depression, somatic distress, self-esteem, and sleep quality in schoolchildren with and without a psychiatric history (Biegel, Brown, Shapiro, & Schubert, 2009; Burke, 2010). Mindfulness has also been shown to improve childrens’ problematic responses to social stress (e.g., thought rumination, intrusive thoughts, emotional arousal, etc.) (Mendelson et al., 2010) as well as teacher-rated classroom social competant behaviours (Schonert-Reichl & Lawlor, 2010). Additionally, there is preliminary evidence to suggest that mindfulness can enhance metacognition and executive functioning in schoolchildren (Flook et al., 2010)

Dos and don’ts of teaching courses overseas

Most students cannot afford to spend a semester, or a whole academic year, getting study abroad experience. Therefore, faculty and universities are offering short term, faculty led courses in other countries. Many universities around the world are requiring their students to get this international experience but, at the same time, there are many misconceptions about what these short study abroad courses should accomplish from academic, pedagogical and educational perspective. There isn’t a lot of literature on how to structure, organize and conduct these courses at different international locations

Twelve tips for teaching brief motivational interviewing to medical students

Background: Shifting from paternalistic to patient-centred doctor-patient relationships has seen a growing number of medical programs incorporate brief motivational interviewing training in their curriculum. Some medical educators, however, are unsure of precisely what, when, and how to incorporate such training. Aims: This article provides educators with 12 tips for teaching brief motivational interviewing to medical students, premised on evidence-based pedagogy. Methods: Tips were drawn from the literature and authors’ own experiences. Results: The 12 tips are: (1) Set clear learning objectives, (2) Select experienced educators, (3) Provide theoretical perspectives, (4) Share the evidence base, (5) Outline the “spirit”, principles, and sequence, (6) Show students what it looks like, (7) Give students a scaffold to follow, (8) Provide opportunities for skill practice, (9) Involve clinical students in teaching, (10) Use varied formative and summative assessments, (11) Integrate and maintain, and (12) Reflect and evaluate. Conclusions: We describe what to include and why, and outline when and how to teach the essential components of brief motivational interviewing knowledge and skills in a medical curriculum

Experiments in Arts Engagement: Case Studies

This set of seven case studies provides real-world examples and practical tips to enrich lessons identified in prior report, "Emerging Lessons and Implications from the Exploring Engagement Fund." The nine featured arts organizations vary by size, discipline, and geography. All pursue projects to engage participants from communities of color and low-income groups

Picking your profile: an academic guide to learning styles

This guide provides a brief overview on different learning styles, along with the best way to approach study for each type

Ten Quick Tips for Using a Raspberry Pi

Much of biology (and, indeed, all of science) is becoming increasingly computational. We tend to think of this in regards to algorithmic approaches and software tools, as well as increased computing power. There has also been a shift towards slicker, packaged solutions--which mirrors everyday life, from smart phones to smart homes. As a result, it's all too easy to be detached from the fundamental elements that power these changes, and to see solutions as "black boxes". The major goal of this piece is to use the example of the Raspberry Pi--a small, general-purpose computer--as the central component in a highly developed ecosystem that brings together elements like external hardware, sensors and controllers, state-of-the-art programming practices, and basic electronics and physics, all in an approachable and useful way. External devices and inputs are easily connected to the Pi, and it can, in turn, control attached devices very simply. So whether you want to use it to manage laboratory equipment, sample the environment, teach bioinformatics, control your home security or make a model lunar lander, it's all built from the same basic principles. To quote Richard Feynman, "What I cannot create, I do not understand".Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure