Conceptions of learning factors in postgraduate health sciences master students: a comparative study with nonhealth science students and between genders

Background: The students’ conceptions of learning in postgraduate health science master studies are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to compare the factors influencing conceptions of learning in health sciences and non-health sciences students enrolled in postgraduate master programs in order to obtain information that may be useful for students and for future postgraduate programs. Methods: A modified version of the Learning Inventory Conception Questionnaire (COLI) was used to compare students’ conception learning factors in 131 students at the beginning of their postgraduate studies in health sciences, experimental sciences, arts and humanities and social sciences. Results: The present study demonstrates that a set of factors may influence conception of learning of health sciences postgraduate students, with learning as gaining information, remembering, using, and understanding information, awareness of duty and social commitment being the most relevant. For these students, learning as a personal change, a process not bound by time or place or even as acquisition of professional competences, are less relevant. According to our results, this profile is not affected by gender differences. Conclusions: Our results show that the overall conceptions of learning differ among students of health sciences and non-health sciences (experimental sciences, arts and humanities and social sciences) master postgraduate programs. These finding are potentially useful to foster the learning process of HS students, because if they are metacognitively aware of their own conception or learning, they will be much better equipped to self-regulate their learning behavior in a postgraduate master program in health sciences.Supported by CTS-115 (Tissue Engineering Group of the University of Granada). The funding body did not took part in the design of the study and collection, analysis and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript

Optimization of dental CBCT exposures through mAs reduction

To investigate the effect of tube current-exposure time (mAs) reduction on clinical and technical image quality for different CBCT scanners, and to determine preliminary minimally acceptable values for the mAs and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in CBCT.status: publishe

Neonatal exposure to citalopram, a serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor, programs a delay in the reflex ontogeny in rats Exposição neonatal ao citalopram, um inibidor seletivo da recaptação de serotonina, programa retardo na ontogênese reflexa em ratos

Serotonin influences the growth and development of the nervous system, as well as its behavioral manifestations. The possibility exists that increased brain serotonin availability in young animals modulates their neuro-behavioral responses. This study investigated the body weight gain and reflex ontogeny of neonatal rats treated during the suckling period with two doses of citalopram (5 mg, or 10 mg/kg, sc, daily). The time of the appearance of reflexes (palm grasp righting, free-fall righting, vibrissa placing, auditory startle response, negative geotaxis and cliff avoidance) as well as the body weight evolution were recorded. In general, a delay in the time of reflex development and a reduced weight gain were observed in drug-treated animals. These findings suggest that serotoninergic mechanisms play a role in modulating body weight gain and the maturation of most reflex responses during the perinatal period in rats.<br>A serotonina influencia o crescimento e o desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso e sua expressão comportamental. O aumento da disponibilidade de serotonina no cérebro de ratos jovens parece modular as respostas neurocomportamentais. Neste estudo, foram investigados o ganho de peso corporal e a ontogênese dos reflexos em ratos neonatos, tratados diariamente, durante o período de aleitamento, com duas doses de citalopram (5 ou 10 mg/Kg de peso corporal, via subcutânea). Foram avaliados, o tempo de aparecimento dos reflexos (preensão palmar, endireitamento, colocação pelas vibrissas, resposta ao susto, geotáxico negativo e aversão ao precipício), e a evolução do peso corporal. Foi observado atraso no tempo de desenvolvimento de alguns reflexos e redução no ganho de peso corporal. Os achados em ratos sugerem que as alterações no ganho de peso corporal e na maturação dos reflexos são programadas, durante o período perinatal, com participação de mecanismos serotoninérgicos de modulação

The clinical skills assessment for international medical graduates in The Netherlands.

Contains fulltext : 81334.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)AIM: A need was felt to improve the quality of admission and licensing procedures for international medical graduates in The Netherlands. METHOD: A clinical skills assessment was designed as part of a new procedure to realize a high-stakes, fair, transparent, and a time-limited path of admission for international medical graduates to the Dutch health care system. Additionally, it should provide a well-founded advice about length and content of additional medical training, should this be indicated by the outcome of the assessment. RESULTS: The clinical skills assessment procedure was developed as a Dutch variant of the "Step 2 Clinical Skills examination" of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) in collaboration with the United States National Board of Medical Examiners, which has a well-documented validity and reliability. The experience with the new procedure is yet limited, but enough to warrant a report. DISCUSSION: Worldwide, a number of countries have developed such high-stake assessment procedures, but they show little uniformity and transparency. By describing the design and development of our procedure, we do not pretend to set a standard, but we hope to contribute to more fair, accurate and uniform approaches for doctors moving from one country to another

Five teacher profiles in student-centred curricula based on their conceptions of learning and teaching

Contains fulltext : 170678.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Teachers' conceptions of learning and teaching are partly unconscious. However, they are critical for the delivery of education and affect students' learning outcomes. Lasting changes in teaching behaviour can only be realized if conceptions of teachers have been changed accordingly. Previously we constructed a questionnaire named COLT to measure conceptions. In the present study, we investigated if different teacher profiles could be assessed which are based on the teachers' conceptions. These teacher profiles might have implications for individual teachers, for faculty development activities and for institutes. Our research questions were: (1) Can we identify teacher profiles based on the COLT? (2) If so, how are these teacher profiles associated with other teacher characteristics? METHODS: The COLT questionnaire was sent electronically to all teachers in the first three years of the undergraduate curriculum of Medicine in two medical schools in the Netherlands with student-centred education. The COLT (18 items, 5 point Likert scales) comprises three scales: 'teacher centredness', 'appreciation of active learning' and 'orientation to professional practice'. We also collected personal information about the participants and their occupational characteristics. Teacher profiles were studied using a K-means cluster analysis and calculating Chi squares. RESULTS: The response rate was 49.4% (N = 319/646). A five-cluster solution fitted the data best, resulting in five teacher profiles based on their conceptions as measured by the COLT. We named the teacher profiles: Transmitters (most traditional), Organizers, Intermediates, Facilitators and Conceptual Change Agents (most modern). The teacher profiles differed from each other in personal and occupational characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Based on teachers' conceptions of learning and teaching, five teacher profiles were found in student-centred education. We offered suggestions how insight into these teacher profiles might be useful for individual teachers, for faculty development activities and for institutes and departments, especially if involved in a curriculum reform towards student-centred education