Learning recursively: integrating PBL as an authentic problem experience [Plenary presentation]

[Abstract]: Problem based learning (PBL) is widely recognised as a desirable approach to education of future professionals. One strong basis for its appeal is the use of authentic problems of practice, which make the relevance of what is being learned apparent to the learners and encourage development of attitudes and skills that will be central to continuing professional growth beyond graduation. However, the change from traditional lecture-based courses to PBL presents challenges to educators and the institutions in which they work. In many respects, the implementation of PBL can be itself an experience in PBL for the educator. This presentation will address some of the challenges associated with integrating PBL in a university setting from the perspective of those who design and teach courses using PBL, which will be understood as a spectrum of practices rather than a single approach that must be replicated in every instance

Leveraging Multimodal Learning Analytics to Understand How Humans Learn with Emerging Technologies

Major education and training challenges are plaguing the United States in preparing the next generation of the future workforce to meet the demands of the 21st Century. Several calls have been released to improve education programs to ensure learners are acquiring 21st century knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs). As we embark on the digital and automation ages of the 21st century, it is essential that we move away from traditional education programs that define and measure KSAs as static constructs (e.g., standardized assessments) with little consideration of the actual real-time deployment of these processes, missing critical information on the degree to which learners are acquiring and applying 21st century KSAs. The objective of this dissertation is to use 1 book chapter and 2 journal articles to illustrate the value in leveraging emerging technologies and multimodal trace data to define and measure scientific thinking, reflection, and self-regulated learning--core 21st century skills, across contexts, domains, tasks, and populations (e.g., medical versus undergraduates versus middle-school students). Chapters 2-4 of this dissertation provide evidence of ways to leverage multimodal trace data guided by theoretical perspectives in cognitive and learning sciences, with a special focus in self-regulated learning, to assess the extent to which learners engaged in scientific thinking, reflection, and self-regulated learning during learning activities with emerging technologies. Overall, results from these chapters illustrate that it is necessary to utilize methods that capture learning processes as they unfold during learning activities that are guided by theoretical perspectives in self-regulated learning. Findings from this research hold significant broader impacts for addressing the education and training challenges in the United States by collecting multimodal trace data over the course of learning to not only detect and identify how learners are developing KSAs such as scientific thinking, reflection, and self-regulated learning, but where these data could be fed into an intelligent and adaptive system to repurpose it back to trainers, teachers, instructors, and learners for just-in-time interventions and individualized feedback. The intellectual merit of this dissertation focuses predominantly on the importance of utilizing rich streams of multimodal trace data that are mapped onto different theoretical perspectives on how humans self-regulate across tasks like clinical reasoning, scientific thinking, and reflection with emerging technologies such as a game-based learning environment called Crystal Island. Discussion is incorporated around ways to leverage multimodal trace data on undergraduate, middle-school, and medical student populations across a range of tasks including learning about microbiology to problem solving with a game-based learning environment called Crystal Island and clinically reasoning about diagnoses across emerging technologies

Validation of Metacognitive Awareness Inventory in Academic Stage of Undergraduate Medical Education

Medical students are expected to improve critical thinking, clinical reasoning and problem solving skills. These cognitive attributes need to be supported with metacognitive skills. Students with better metacognitive ability will be able to synergize their learning with self-reflection strategies to achieve learning target. One of the tools to assess students’ metacognitive skills is Metacognition Awareness Inventory (MAI). This study is aimed to validate Indonesian MAI in the academic stage of undergraduate medical education and was done on May-June 2014 at faculty of medicine Universitas Malahayati Bandar Lampung. This study used cross-sectional design consisted of 3 stages: language adaptation, pilot study and validation study. Validation study involved 1200 medical students. Factor analysis was conducted to identify factors of MAI. Language adaptation and pilot study produced Indonesian MAI which contains the same number of items. There were 757 MAI questionnaires eligible for analysis. Extraction of the 51-item MAI using principal component analysis (PCA) produced 5 factors which were cognitive preparation, supervision, management, strategy and evaluation. The Cronbach alpha value for the whole Indonesian MAI was 0.904. Indonesian MAI complies to construct validity criteria, specifically content validity and internal consistency. MAI is useful as an instrument to assess metacognitive ability in the academic stage of undergraduate medical education

Using Self-Assessment and Reflection to Develop Self-Efficacy in Occupational Therapy Assistant Fieldwork Students

Many occupational therapy students navigate the transition to the Level II fieldwork experience effortlessly, while others require support due to a lack of perceived self-efficacy. This perception dramatically impacts fieldwork performance and challenges academic fieldwork coordinators to support students struggling to believe in their own capabilities. This study utilized a quantitative quasi-experimental research design with a purposive sample of 16 occupational therapy assistant students to determine if an educational intervention increased perceived self-efficacy and overall confidence. Data collected from the Student Confidence Questionnaire (SCQ) pre, and post-intervention provided insight into the students’ report of perceived self-efficacy and overall confidence during the Level II fieldwork experience. This questionnaire assessed the domains of professional competence, communication, adaptability, innovation, risk-taking, supervision, and clinical practice (Derdall et al., 2002). The educational module included an introduction to the key concepts of self-efficacy, self-assessment, and reflection, seven weekly reflective practice journal assignments centered around domains of the SCQ, and feedback using a reflective practice rubric to scaffold the development of self-efficacy. A statistically significant increase occurred in self-efficacy and overall confidence after the intervention across all seven domains of the post-test SCQ. The results indicated that the educational module created an influential impression on the development of self-efficacy and overall confidence during the Level II fieldwork experience. Level II fieldwork performance was not measured. Considering that many students struggle with perceived self-efficacy this educational intervention provides a potential solution to support fieldwork students challenged by a lack of belief in their own capabilities

Instructional Scaffolding in STEM Education: Strategies and Efficacy Evidence

science education; educational technology; learning and instructio

How exemplary teachers promote scientific reasoning and higher order thinking in primary science

There is an emerging interest in the development of STEM capabilities to drive Australia’s future economy and workforce. As a consequence, the focus on the teaching of higher order thinking and scientific reasoning has intensified. Despite these efforts, Australia’s level of achievement on international benchmarking tests has not improved. The aim of this PhD research was to investigate how exemplary teachers develop higher order thinking and scientific reasoning in primary science. The study drew on video data from the EQUALPRIME international research project, which explored quality primary science education in different cultures (ARC Discovery Project DP110101500). This qualitative research examined how Year 4 teachers in two contextually different schools scaffolded, supported and created opportunities for higher order thinking and scientific reasoning during the teaching of a physical science topic. Teacher beliefs, pedagogical strategies and contextual factors were viewed through the multiple theoretical lenses of social constructivism, sociocultural theory and social semiotic theory. The central data source was video which was subjected to micro-ethnographic analysis. These data were supplemented with interviews and classroom artefacts, and from these, case studies were compiled. Using a cross-case analysis and an interpretivist approach, assertions were drawn from which the research questions were answered. The study identified that the teaching of these skills was a complex multifaceted process influenced by the combination of teacher beliefs and contextual factors. Based on safe and supportive learning cultures, the teachers employed inquiry-based approaches and a combination of language- and body-based pedagogies that built students’ thinking and reasoning in parallel with conceptual development, across the unit. Outcomes of the research will contribute to new and deeper understanding of effective scaffolding, support and promotion of higher order thinking and reasoning in primary science which can inform enhancements to pre‐service and in‐service teacher professional learning

Facilitating Facilitators: Enhancing PBL through a Structured Facilitator Development Program

With increasing adoption of the problem-based learning (PBL) model, creative approaches to enhancing facilitator training and optimizing resources to maintain effective learning in small groups is essential. We describe a theoretical framework for the development of a PBL facilitator training program that uses the constructivist approach as the program’s guiding philosophy. The structured, pedagogically sound program was designed for a multidisciplinary pool of basic and social/administrative scientists, clinical faculty, practicing pharmacists, and post-graduate residents enrolled in a teaching certificate program. The training program employs the PBL experience, along with interactive technology, case-based and debriefing sessions with small groups and experienced facilitators. Proposed models for assessment of the facilitator training program include evaluation of inter-rater variability between facilitators with respect to student performance in PBL

Perceived Impact of Virtual Scenario-Based Branching Simulations Among Radiology Program Students

The influx of medical technology and medical knowledge creates challenges for healthcare providers in maintaining up to date knowledge and skills for their practice. Healthcare educators are further challenged in that the goal is to encourage learners to become competent healthcare providers who are knowledgeable and skilled, self-directed, and who will think critically and ethically when faced with challenging situations. Advancing imaging technologies and new complex procedures in radiology increase the risk of harm for patients and providers as advanced imaging is often learned outside of a primary degree in radiology with real patients through on the job training. Online education has been a way for the profession to extend needed education to working technologists, however, radiology education programs need ways to improve the level of learning in online advanced modality courses. This study explored an innovative teaching method to identify which will aid in current and future demands in radiology. Based on a review of the literature on scenarios, simulations, and virtual learning environments, virtual scenario-based branching simulations were designed, built, and implemented for this study. The virtual 2D role-playing scenario in which the student played the role of a new technologist in an advanced imaging suite provided students an opportunity for experiential learning online. The branching design, in which the patient and storyline evolves with the learner’s decisions required the learner to think critically and draw upon previous knowledge to make decisions about what should be done. This changed the direction of the stories and the outcomes of the virtual patients and personnel. The simulations were designed to enhance the level of learning in magnetic resonance imaging and in computed tomography online courses. They were tested with 57 advanced modality students to determine the impact the virtual scenario-based branching design had on student satisfaction with the experience and also their perceived confidence in making critical decisions in real practice. This mixed methods case study provided an analysis of both quantitative and rich qualitative data in a concurrent design. The participant voice provided insight into how this experience positively impacted this particular group of students and it also provided support for further development of virtual scenario-based simulations in a healthcare context. The implications for these simulations are wide-ranging. From the results of this study, this innovation appeared to provide a level of learning that emulated a clinical rotation. As the education of healthcare professionals requires deliberate practice of technical and cognitive skills, these simulations do not aim to replace hands-on learning with actual patients, but they do aim to improve student satisfaction in learning and to enhance the perceived confidence in transferring their knowledge to enhance actual practice, thereby minimizing risk to patients

Adaptive and Re-adaptive Pedagogies in Higher Education: A Comparative, Longitudinal Study of Their Impact on Professional Competence Development across Diverse Curricula

This study addresses concerns that traditional, lecture-based teaching methods may not sufficiently develop the integrated competencies demanded by modern professional practice. A disconnect exists between conventional pedagogy and desired learning outcomes, prompting increased interest in innovative, student-centered instructional models tailored to competence growth. Despite this, nuanced differences in competence development across diverse university curricula remain underexplored, with research predominantly relying on students’ self-assessments. To address these gaps, this study employs longitudinal mixed-methods approaches with regard to theory triangulation and investigator triangulation to better understand how professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions evolve across varied curricula and contexts. This research emphasizes adaptive and re-adaptive teaching approaches incorporating technology, individualization, and experiential learning, which may uniquely integrate skill development with contextual conceptual learning. Specific attention is paid to professional education paths like design, media, and communications degrees, where contemporary competence models stress capabilities beyond core conceptual knowledge. Results from this study aim to guide reform efforts to optimize professional competence development across diverse academic areas

Using NANDA, NIC, and NOC (NNN) Language for Clinical Reasoning With the Outcome-Present State-Test (OPT) Model

PURPOSE. To analyze the degree to which standardized nursing language was used by baccalaureate nursing students completing Outcome-Present State-Test (OPT) model worksheets in a clinical practicum. METHODS. A scoring instrument was developed and 100 worksheets were retrospectively analyzed. FINDINGS. NANDA nursing diagnoses were correctly stated in 92% of the OPT models. Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) outcomes were explicitly stated in 22%, and implied in 72%. Interventions matched appropriate Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) activities in 61%. CONCLUSIONS. NANDA, NIC, and NOC (NNN) language was used inconsistently by students in this sample. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE. If NNN language is to advance nursing knowledge, its promotion, representation in curriculum development, and active use is necessary. Educational research is needed on the facilitators and barriers to NNN language use