Consistency in the application of a reflective tool designed to facilitate scholarly review and development of curricula

This paper addresses the need for an objective and accessible system that assists academics in the quality review of their teaching and curricula. This is achieved via the Quality Review Instrument (QRI), which was trialled in a postgraduate research proposal course. The QRI provides a scaffold that can guide academics in the development and redevelopment of their courses, and facilitates reflection in and on the teaching process by teacher, peers and learners. At the same time, the QRI provides a robust and objective approach to evaluation of teaching for quality assurance. The comprehensive approach to review of teaching described in this paper facilitates a process that leads to the reshaping of academic and institutional practice in ways that can support and enhance the quality of teaching, learning and the student experience. The review template was constructed by the instructor and reviews of the course were completed by the instructor and two independent reviewers. Students completed the Student Evaluation of Teaching instrument (SET) and the Course Evaluation Instrument (CEI). Responses from the SET and the CEI were compared with the results of the QRI. The results demonstrated that the QRI has a high degree of reliability, even when used by reviewers with different backgrounds and different levels of experience. The instructor also rated the course in a very similar way to the two independent reviewers. The strong relationship between the student responses and the reviewers lends validity to the QRI

Cardiopulmonary function and aerobic exercise in Parkinson's: A systematic review of the literature

Background: Cardiorespiratory impairments are considered the main cause of mortality in the late stages of Parkinson's. Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve pulmonary function in asthmatic patients and in healthy people. However, effects of aerobic exercise on cardiopulmonary function in people with Parkinson's have not been investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to review the effects of aerobic exercise on cardiopulmonary function in people with Parkinson's. Method: A systematic search was conducted using MEDLINE, AMED, and CINHAL Plus, and relevant associated keywords, from January 1970 to January 2020. Inclusion criteria for the studies were: aerobic exercise as part of the intervention, pulmonary function test and/or cardiopulmonary exercise test as outcome measures. Results: In total, 329 citations were identified from the search, of which nine were included in this review. In general, aerobic exercise was found to have positive effects on cardiac function for people with Parkinson's, but there is a lack of studies on the effects of aerobic exercise on pulmonary function. Conclusion: People with early stages of Parkinson's may experience positive effects of aerobic exercise on cardiac fitness. Further research is needed in this area, particularly into the effects of aerobic exercise on pulmonary function in early stages of the disease

Multidiscipline role-play in a 3D virtual learning environment: Experiences with a large cohort of healthcare students

© 2012 McDonald, M., Ryan, T., Sim, J., James, J., Maude, P., Scutter, S., Wood, D. Three-dimensional virtual learning environments (3DVLEs), such as Second Life, have been used in education for some time. Although many writers have addressed where, how, and why 3DVLEs are applied in education, only a few articles have concentrated on the coalface of running a learning project within them. This paper looks at the experience of using Second Life to conduct a multi-discipline healthcare role-playing project with a large cohort of university students. It aims to add to the body of evidence highlighting the technical and logistical difficulties in running such a project, and attempts to offer solutions and advice on directions of problem solving. This paper will also add to best practices concerning the use of 3DVLEs in higher education

Review of transnational nursing education programme curricula: Process, findings, and recommendations

Background: The University ofWollongong (UOW) delivers two Transnational International Programmes (TNEP) in Hong Kong (HK): a 1-year undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing (Conversion) degree and a 2-year postgraduate Master of Nursing degree. A curriculum review of these programmes has been undertaken to ensure the quality of the programme remains consistently high and competitive in an international environment. Aim: The aim of the Curriculum Review Project was to utilise the experience of expert academic staff to review the TNEP curricula delivered by an Australian University in Hong Kong (HK) to ensure it met contemporary needs of students, the university, and the Hong Kong Authority. Methods: The curriculum review projects followed a qualitative research methodology. Thematic analysis was undertaken utilising Braun and Clarke's six-phase method (2006), as this method facilitated an inductive semantic approachwhere themes are strongly linked to the data and sourced fromthe explicitmeaning of the discourse within the interview (Braun and Clarke, 2006). Results: In total, therewere 6 participants who were all permanent academic staff members within the School of Nursing at the UOW. The results of this project have been reported within a strengths, weaknesses, opportunity, and threats (SWOT) framework. Participants recognised the value and challenges to both individual students and the broader nursing profession in HK. Overall, there was a perception that being involved as an academic staff member in a TNEP developed both their subject knowledge and teaching skills. Conclusions: This project has demonstrated that the TNEPmakes an important contribution to the nursing profession in HK, while also facilitating the growth and development of academic staff at UOW

A unified call to action from Australian nursing and midwifery leaders: Ensuring that Black lives matter

Nurses and midwives of Australia now is the time for change! As powerfully placed, Indigenous and non-Indigenous nursing and midwifery professionals, together we can ensure an effective and robust Indigenous curriculum in our nursing and midwifery schools of education. Today, Australia finds itself in a shifting tide of social change, where the voices for better and safer health care ring out loud. Voices for justice, equity and equality reverberate across our cities, our streets, homes, and institutions of learning. It is a call for new songlines of reform. The need to embed meaningful Indigenous health curricula is stronger now than it ever was for Australian nursing and midwifery. It is essential that nursing and midwifery leadership continue to build an authentic collaborative environment for Indigenous curriculum development. Bipartisan alliance is imperative for all academic staff to be confident in their teaching and learning experiences with Indigenous health syllabus. This paper is a call out. Now is the time for Indigenous and non-Indigenous nurses and midwives to make a stand together, for justice and equity in our teaching, learning, and practice. Together we will dismantle systems, policy, and practices in health that oppress. The Black Lives Matter movement provides us with a ‘now window’ of accepted dialogue to build a better, culturally safe Australian nursing and midwifery workforce, ensuring that Black Lives Matter in all aspects of health care