Student engagement and perceptions of blended-learning of a clinical module in a veterinary degree program.

Blended learning has received much interest in higher education as a way to increase learning efficiency and effectiveness. By combining face-to-face teaching with technology-enhanced learning through online resources, students can manage their own learning. Blended methods are of particular interest in professional degree programs such as veterinary medicine in which students need the flexibility to undertake intra- and extramural activities to develop the range of competencies required to achieve professional qualification. Yet how veterinary students engage with blended learning activities and whether they perceive the approach as beneficial is unclear. We evaluated blended learning through review of student feedback on a 4-week clinical module in a veterinary degree program. The module combined face-to-face sessions with online resources. Feedback was collected by means of a structured online questionnaire at the end of the module and log data collected as part of a routine teaching audit. The features of blended learning that support and detract from students’ learning experience were explored using quantitative and qualitative methods. Students perceived a benefit from aspects of face-to-face teaching and technology-enhanced learning resources. Face-to-face teaching was appreciated for practical activities, whereas online resources were considered effective for facilitating module organization and allowing flexible access to learning materials. The blended approach was particularly appreciated for clinical skills in which students valued a combination of visual resources and practical activities. Although we identified several limitations with online resources that need to be addressed when constructing blended courses, blended learning shows potential to enhance student-led learning in clinical courses

Mucins as contrast agent targets for fluorescence-guided surgery of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to resect due to its unique challenges, often leading to incomplete tumor resections. Fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS), also known as intraoperative molecular imaging and optical surgical navigation, is an intraoperative tool that can aid surgeons in complete tumor resection through an increased ability to detect the tumor. To target the tumor, FGS contrast agents rely on biomarkers aberrantly expressed in malignant tissue compared to normal tissue. These biomarkers allow clinicians to identify the tumor and its stage before surgical resection and provide a contrast agent target for intraoperative imaging. Mucins, a family of glycoproteins, are upregulated in malignant tissue compared to normal tissue. Therefore, these proteins may serve as biomarkers for surgical resection. Intraoperative imaging of mucin expression in pancreatic cancer can potentially increase the number of complete resections. While some mucins have been studied for FGS, the potential ability to function as a biomarker target extends to the entire mucin family. Therefore, mucins are attractive proteins to investigate more broadly as FGS biomarkers. This review summarizes the biomarker traits of mucins and their potential use in FGS for pancreatic cancer

Decision-Making Supported by Virtual-World Systems Vis-à-Vis Enterprise Systems’ Uncertainty and Equivocality

The book presents the possibilities and realities of virtual worlds in education through the application of 3D virtual worlds to support authentic learning, creativity, learner engagement and cultural diversity in higher education

The lived experiences of graduate students : transforming university education in an online space

Reflective of a global trend, there has been a notable increase in online learning enrolments in the Australian higher education sector. Online learning has a critical place in widening access and participation to higher education particularly for those from backgrounds historically underrepresented in Australian universities, including regional and remote students. However, both retention and completion rates for online and distance students are considerably lower in comparison with oncampus students. Among the barriers are a lack of social interaction, technical skills, costs and access to the Internet.Of all of these issues, it is the lack of social interaction that can be seen as themost severe barrier to online learning enjoyment, effectiveness and the possibility of a student taking another online class in the future. In this chapter, Di thus draws on the 'lived experiences' of a cohort of graduates who completed an online graduate programme through Federation University School of Education, to identify ways to improve social presence between online learners and teacher educators. After achieving ethics approval, and through a hermeneutic phenomenological lens influenced by Heidegger, she conducted in-depth, individual interviews. She sought insights into the students' positive experiences, frustrations, barriers (both structural and individual) and challenges encountered during their online learning experiences, as well as professional practice ideas for improved learning experiences in the online environment. She analysed and interpreted the interview data using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology, and the findings have deepened her understanding of online pedagogical practices and transformed her own online education practices. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019. All rights are reserved