Reflections on the 2017 HEA STEM conference: graduate employability challenges and solutions

Professor Marshall, in her conference opening remarks, asked ‘What is a university for?’ She then discussed the need for higher education to develop graduates who can offer solutions to global challenges, but that this needs to include not only core skills for each discipline but also wider graduate skills that employers require. Professor Wakeham, in his keynote, questioned whether our current approach to employability development is working, for STEM undergraduates, highlighting the poor employment rates for STEM UK graduates. In this Conference Reflection article, we will respond to the issues raised above by considering what the overarching challenges are for universities trying to teach employability and graduateness. Drawing on the conference keynotes, employer-led reports and using the reviews of Shadbolt and Wakeham, we will consider what problems and issues exist and what solutions are being devised, reflecting on the successes and difficulties reported on at the Manchester conference

Breaking the coding barrier: transition from Level 1 to Level 2 programming

In this research we have investigated the use of a visual-based programming language at HE Stage 1 for beginner programmers. We conducted a survey of Stage 2 programming students to ascertain their retrospective views on their preparedness for text-based programming in year 2 having completed visual-based programming studies in year 1 (quantitative and qualitative data). Using whole cohort datasets from the Open University (UK) – an open entry distance learning HEI – we analysed the assessment scores of students at Stage 1 and Stage 2. Finally, we investigated the efficacy of offering a bridging course to programming students between Stages 1 and 2. We found that a majority of survey respondents did find visual-based programming prepared them well for higher level studies except for the syntax aspects of text-based programming. The assessment data, however, showed that doing badly at year 1 visual programming does not indicate that students will do badly in year 2 using text-based programming. Data analysis of the bridging course attendance showed that students who were most likely to benefit from attending did not do so, and those that did attend did not gain any immediate benefits in the Stage 2 performance. In our efforts to conduct the research for this project we found that OU student assessment data is hard to acquire. Additionally, we found that analysing student results across multiple qualifications, pathways and study rates is resource intensive

How high is the coding barrier? A quantitative analysis of student transitions from stage 1 to stage 2 programming

In this presentation we will report an on-going project designed to investigate how well Sense (a development of Scratch) prepares students for Stage 2 programming studies at the Open University UK. The discussion here will focus on the quantitative analysis of assessment grades achieved at Stage 2 on a Java-based module compared to those achieved at Stage 1 on the Sense-based module. In addition we discuss whether lack of progress at Stage 2 can be linked to a student’s performance in programming at Stage 1

Elective cancer surgery in COVID-19-free surgical pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An international, multicenter, comparative cohort study

PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19–free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19–free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19–free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19–free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score–matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19–free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19-free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS: Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19-free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19-free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score-matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19-free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Randomized controlled trial of a coordinated care intervention to improve risk factor control after stroke or transient ischemic attack in the safety net: Secondary stroke prevention by Uniting Community and Chronic care model teams Early to End Disparities (SUCCEED)

BACKGROUND: Recurrent strokes are preventable through awareness and control of risk factors such as hypertension, and through lifestyle changes such as healthier diets, greater physical activity, and smoking cessation. However, vascular risk factor control is frequently poor among stroke survivors, particularly among socio-economically disadvantaged blacks, Latinos and other people of color. The Chronic Care Model (CCM) is an effective framework for multi-component interventions aimed at improving care processes and outcomes for individuals with chronic disease. In addition, community health workers (CHWs) have played an integral role in reducing health disparities; however, their effectiveness in reducing vascular risk among stroke survivors remains unknown. Our objectives are to develop, test, and assess the economic value of a CCM-based intervention using an Advanced Practice Clinician (APC)-CHW team to improve risk factor control after stroke in an under-resourced, racially/ethnically diverse population. METHODS/DESIGN: In this single-blind randomized controlled trial, 516 adults (≥40 years) with an ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack or intracerebral hemorrhage within the prior 90 days are being enrolled at five sites within the Los Angeles County safety-net setting and randomized 1:1 to intervention vs usual care. Participants are excluded if they do not speak English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, or Korean or if they are unable to consent. The intervention includes a minimum of three clinic visits in the healthcare setting, three home visits, and Chronic Disease Self-Management Program group workshops in community venues. The primary outcome is blood pressure (BP) control (systolic BP <130 mmHg) at 1 year. Secondary outcomes include: (1) mean change in systolic BP; (2) control of other vascular risk factors including lipids and hemoglobin A1c, (3) inflammation (C reactive protein [CRP]), (4) medication adherence, (5) lifestyle factors (smoking, diet, and physical activity), (6) estimated relative reduction in risk for recurrent stroke or myocardial infarction (MI), and (7) cost-effectiveness of the intervention versus usual care. DISCUSSION: If this multi-component interdisciplinary intervention is shown to be effective in improving risk factor control after stroke, it may serve as a model that can be used internationally to reduce race/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in stroke in resource-constrained settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01763203

Getting a leg up over the coding barrier: pre-start programming bootcamps for Stage 2 students

In this presentation we will explain how a programming bootcamp has been implemented at the Open University UK for students on Computer Science qualifications who are transitioning from Stage 1 to Stage 2 studies. In addition the on-going quantitative analysis of both data on how students engaged with different elements of the bootcamp programme as well as data on their performance at Stage 2 will be discussed. We would be pleased to hear from conference delegates who have run skills bootcamps in any of the STEM disciplines