An Emergency Switch to Distance Learning in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experience from an Internationally Accredited Undergraduate Pharmacy Program at Qatar University

© 2020, The Author(s). The world is experiencing an unprecedented public health emergency owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. To control virus spread, many countries temporarily suspended classes. In this context, the availability of e-tools and distance learning platforms in higher education institutions has proven very useful to facilitate the emergency switch to distance learning to ensure continuity of the educational process. We discuss here the experience of the College of Pharmacy at Qatar University in responding to suspension of classes using available educational technologies. Furthermore, we provide some reflection points for optimal implementation of technology-enhanced learning into distance education for future academic years.Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library

Investigating the use of a lecture capture system within pharmacy education: Lessons from an undergraduate pharmacy program at Qatar University

© 2020, The Author(s). Video lecture capture is one of the most attractive e-tools that has been introduced to support students learning and assist with grasping difficult concepts. A variety of benefits is offered through this system introduced at our institution nearly a decade ago. We evaluated lecture capture viewings for professional undergraduate pharmacy courses in the Fall and Spring semesters over three academic years and analyzed data for one cohort of students. Each course within the pharmacy program was analyzed and viewing figures downloaded through the Echo360 management system. The average number of views per lecture, per semester was summarized. We observed that junior students viewed lecture capture most frequently with the number of views highest at the beginning of the academic year (Fall semester). Analysis of 18 courses which occurred 48 times over the three academic years studied, showed that 21 course occurrences had an average number of views per lecture equal to or higher than the number of students enrolled in the course, indicating that only 44% of courses had on average, at least, one student viewing each lecture recording. Of particular note, year 1 students had the highest percentage of courses viewed by a number equal to or higher than students enrolled (9 occurrences out of 16 or 56%), followed by year 2 students (9 occurrences out of 21 or 43%), and finally year 3 students (3 occurrences out of 11 or 27%). This pattern of lecture recording viewing was further underscored by longitudinally following-up the class of 2020 (24 students) over three academic years. To ensure optimal use of the system by both students and faculty for a multitude of learning and teaching styles and methods, we propose to implement professional development sessions for faculty to showcase the advantages of the lecture capture system and maximize the benefits from its availability. Further quantitative and qualitative studies are warranted to fully grasp the motivations for use, attitudes and perceptions towards the system

Applications of social theories of learning in health professions education programs: A scoping review

IntroductionIn health professions education (HPE), acknowledging and understanding the theories behind the learning process is important in optimizing learning environments, enhancing efficiency, and harmonizing the education system. Hence, it is argued that learning theories should influence educational curricula, interventions planning, implementation, and evaluation in health professions education programs (HPEPs). However, learning theories are not regularly and consistently implemented in educational practices, partly due to a paucity of specific in-context examples to help educators consider the relevance of the theories to their teaching setting. This scoping review attempts to provide an overview of the use of social theories of learning (SToLs) in HPEPs.MethodA scoping search strategy was designed to identify the relevant articles using two key concepts: SToLs, and HPEPs. Four databases (PubMed, ERIC, ProQuest, and Cochrane) were searched for primary research studies published in English from 2011 to 2020. No study design restrictions were applied. Data analysis involved a descriptive qualitative and quantitative summary according to the SToL identified, context of use, and included discipline.ResultsNine studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Only two SToLs were identified in this review: Bandura's social learning theory (n = 5) and Lave and Wenger's communities of practice (CoP) theory (n = 4). A total of five studies used SToLs in nursing programs, one in medicine, one in pharmacy, and two used SToLs in multi-disciplinary programs. SToLs were predominantly used in teaching and learning (n = 7), with the remaining focusing on assessment (n = 1) and curriculum design (n = 1).ConclusionsThis review illustrated the successful and effective use of SToLs in different HPEPs, which can be used as a guide for educators and researchers on the application of SToLs in other HPEPs. However, the limited number of HPEPs that apply and report the use of SToLs suggests a potential disconnect between SToLs and educational practices. Therefore, this review supports earlier calls for collaborative reform initiatives to enhance the optimal use of SToLs in HPEPs. Future research should focus on the applicability and usefulness of other theories of learning in HPEPs and on measuring implementation outcomes.Systematic Review Registration:https://www.researchregistry.com/browse-the-registry#registryofsystematicreviewsmetaanalyses/registryofsystematicreviewsmeta-analysesdetails/60070249970590001bd06f38/, identifier review registry1069

The design and implementation of an undergraduate health professional degree elective course on scientific writing, peer assessment, and critical appraisal

Background and purpose: Strong writing skills are critical to the pharmacy profession. This paper describes the design, delivery, and impact of a course intended to develop pharmacy students' scientific writing, peer assessment, and critical appraisal skills. Educational activity and setting: The course was offered in the final year of an undergraduate pharmacy program with students whose first language is not English. In this course, students write two structured pharmacy review articles (PRA) based on assigned scientific research articles and peer assess each others' written PRAs. Students also critically appraise scientific research articles on a weekly basis, complete one pre-journal club written reflective critique based on a assigned scientific research article, and moderate one journal club session. Findings: Course rubrics were developed and validated by the course coordinators. A survey administered to students enrolled in the course identified that 85% of the students perceived that they gained adequate writing skills in the course. More than 70% of the students indicated they had the necessary skills to evaluate their peers' written assessments, and 93% felt comfortable providing and receiving feedback from peers. More than 90% of the students indicated that writing PRAs and the peer assessment improved their critical and analytical skills. This course improved students' scientific writing, peer assessment, and critical appraisal skills. Further practice is required to reinforce the skills learned and to strengthen the writing skills of students

Using Assessment Design Decision Framework in understanding the impact of rapid transition to remote education on student assessment in health-related colleges: A qualitative study.

Maintaining integrity and validity with online assessment is a significant issue that is well documented. Overt policies encouraging educators to adopt e-Learning and implement digital services coupled with the dramatic change in the education system in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19, has furthered the demand for evidence-based approaches for the planning and delivery of assessments. This study employed the Assessment Design Decision Framework (ADDF), a theoretical model that considers key aspects of assessment design, to retrospectively investigate from a multi-stakeholder perspective the assessments implemented following the rapid transition to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with faculty and students from the Colleges of Pharmacy, Medicine and Health Sciences. After inductive and deductive thematic analysis three major themes were identified. These reflected on the impact of sudden transition on assessment design and assessment plan; changing assessment environment; and faculty-student assessment related interactions which included feedback. The use of a comprehensive validated framework such as ADDF, to plan assessments can improve validity and credibility of assessments. The strengths of this study lie in the innovative adoption of the ADDF to evaluate assessment design decisions from both an educator and student perspective. Further, the data yielded from this study offers novel validation of the use of ADDF in circumstances necessitating rapid transition, and additionally identifies a need for greater emphasis to be attributed to the significance of timeliness of the various activities that are advocated within the framework

Assessment of Educational Inhaler Technique Interventions Among Community Pharmacists: A Systematic Review.

Community pharmacists are the last point of contact before patients are provided with an inhaled asthma device and are expected to adequately educate and train patients on its use. Evidence has shown that pharmacists lack the knowledge and skills required to appropriately counsel patients on these devices. The aim of this systematic review was to focus on evaluating the effects of educational interventions on community pharmacists knowledge of inhaler technique. A literature search was conducted using the databases Pubmed and Embase with no applied time restrictions. The databases were searched from inception to December 2018. Articles were eligible for inclusion if they reported outcomes evaluating the improvement in pharmacists knowledge of inhaler technique after an educational intervention and provided details of the intervention. Pharmacists working in settings other than community pharmacies and inhaler devices used for conditions other than asthma were excluded. Five studies met the eligibility criteria. Workshops and one-on-one instruction were the main educational strategies used in these studies to augment the pharmacists knowledge of asthma inhaler devices. A checklist was utilized by all studies to evaluate the pharmacists improvement of inhaler technique after an educational intervention. All studies showed an improvement in inhaler technique of pharmacists post-intervention. Studies identified in this systematic review have shown that an educational intervention produced positive outcomes related to the pharmacists knowledge on the steps involved in using asthma inhaler devices. However, the study findings focused on short-term retention of knowledge of inhaler technique and did not address the application of these results in clinical practice.The publication of this article was funded by the Qatar National Library

Quantitative analysis of lecture-capture archive viewing by pharmacy students during the emergency switch to remote learning

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic caused the sudden suspension of face-to-face classes in many higher institutions worldwide. To leverage preparedness of higher education in similar emergencies preventing on-campus classes, we aimed to understand some of the factors that facilitated the rapid switch to remote learning. Methods: We quantitatively analyzed how rapid switch to remote learning following pandemic (Spring 2020) impacted access to lecture-recording archives by undergraduate pharmacy students. The number of views per lecture for each course were mapped to the time of the day, weeks of the term and number of weekly assessments. Data were compared between Spring 2019 and 2020 in addition to analyzing differences before and after remote learning (Spring 2020). Findings: Weekly lecture-recording views after the suspension of in-person classes in Spring 2020 were higher compared to Spring 2019 (452 versus 291 views). Driven by viewing of the previous year's archives (Spring 2019), the number of weekly views soared in weeks 11-13 (Spring 2020) compared to before coinciding with the sudden switch to online learning although all scheduled assessments in this period were postponed. This was confirmed by comparing views of Spring 2019 archives at two time points - November 2019 and September 2020. All courses studied had higher views per lecture in September 2020 compared to November 2019. Conclusion: Our study underscores the benefits of embedding lecture-capture systems to support student's learning and leverage preparedness of universities to respond to emergencies preventing face-to-face classes

The Visibility of Disabilities within Pharmacy Program Recruitment Material.

Targeted recruitment of students with disabilities is a novel area in pharmacy education and may help to attract qualified students in light of decreasing applicant numbers. The aim of this study was to explore the visibility of disabilities within online recruitment material for pharmacy programs and to determine the location of targeted information available to prospective students with disabilities. The top 50 ranked programs offering a professional pharmacy degree under the Pharmacy and Pharmacology QS subject rankings were identified and included if recruitment material was published in English. Online recruitment material was reviewed for presence of persons with disabilities in photos, presence or description of persons with disabilities in videos, information specific to disabilities on the program website (e.g. technical standards), and information specific to disabilities on the university website (if not located on the program website). A total of 41 international program websites met the inclusion criteria. No programs included pictures or videos featuring persons with disabilities. A total of 18 (44%) of programs had disability information on the program website and an additional 18 (44%) of programs included information on the university website. There were 5 (12%) of programs that did not include any information about disabilities on the program or university website. Recruitment material for pharmacy degree programs should be current, inclusive, and reflective of student populations eligible to be admitted. This study found a distinct underrepresentation of students with disabilities and information pertaining to disabilities within recruitment material for a sample of international pharmacy programs

Awareness of disabilities in pharmacy program recruitment material: are we doing enough?

Introduction: Targeted recruitment of students with disabilities is a novel area in pharmacy education and may help to attract qualified students in light of decreasing applicant numbers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the visibility of disabilities within online recruitment material for pharmacy programs and to determine the location of targeted information available to prospective students with disabilities. Methods: The top 50 ranked programs offering a professional pharmacy degree under the Pharmacy and Pharmacology QS subject rankings were identified and included if recruitment material was published in English. Online recruitment material was reviewed for presence of persons with disabilities in photos, presence or description of persons with disabilities in videos, information specific to disabilities on the program website, and information specific to disabilities on the university website (if not located on the program website). Results: For inclusion, 41 out of 50 pharmacy schools met the criteria. No institutions displayed visual student disabilities in pictures or videos of recruitment material. Overall, the majority of institutions (88%) provided information for prospective students with disabilities. The type of information offered was highly variable across institutions. Of the top 50 pharmacy schools in the USA, 85% have information on student disability through the pharmacy homepage and 75% of institutions in Europe provided information through the university homepage. Interestingly, 62.5% of schools in Asia did not provide student disability information. Conclusions: Recruitment material for pharmacy degree programs should be current, inclusive, and reflective of student populations eligible to be admitted. This study found a distinct underrepresentation of students with disabilities and information pertaining to disabilities within recruitment material for a sample of international pharmacy programs.( *This study has now been published. Hussain FN, Smith A, Wilby K. The Visibility of Disabilities within Pharmacy Program Recruitment Material. INNOVATIONS in pharmacy. 2020;11(3). doi: https://doi.org/10.24926/iip.v11i3.3339.

An Emergency Switch to Distance Learning in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experience from an Internationally Accredited Undergraduate Pharmacy Program at Qatar University

The world is experiencing an unprecedented public health emergency owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. To control virus spread, many countries temporarily suspended classes. In this context, the availability of e-tools and distance learning platforms in higher education institutions has proven very useful to facilitate the emergency switch to distance learning to ensure continuity of the educational process. We discuss here the experience of the College of Pharmacy at Qatar University in responding to suspension of classes using available educational technologies. Furthermore, we provide some reflection points for optimal implementation of technology-enhanced learning into distance education for future academic years.Other Information Published in: Medical Science Educator License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0See article on publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40670-020-01079-9</p