The scholarship of teaching and learning: A scoping review protocol

The diversity of scholars, teachers, and practitioners in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is a strength but also makes it a complex field to understand and navigate, and perhaps even more complex to contribute to, despite its youth. Beyond the ongoing efforts to define and theorize the field, SoTL needs a rigorous inventory taking and analysis that documents its highly traveled questions, topics, methods, and areas where more work needs to be done, as well as who is doing the work. We describe here our protocol for conducting a scoping review to map the range and nature of published SoTL projects. A scoping review is a first step in gathering information on areas that warrant deeper exploration. It will also allow SoTL to more fully and accurately be represented as a practice, an act of inquiry, and a type of research into teaching and learning

Perceptions and Nursing Demands and Experiences in the Midst of an International Crisis (PANDEMIC): A Qualitative Study of Nurse Educators’ Experiences

The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruption to nurse educators’ work, both within higher educational institutions and in clinical practice learning environments. In this study, we explored the experiences of nurse educators in academic and clinical settings during COVID-19 and the impact the pandemic has had on their work. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 nurse educators from six different countries and used thematic analysis to gain a comprehensive understanding of nurse educators experiences during the pandemic. The participants’ experiences were classified into stages that reflected the intensity of the pandemic and resulted in four themes: (a) the calm before the storm, (b) battening down the hatches, (c) weathering the storm, and (d) silver linings. Understanding challenges and supporting nurse educators throughout the pandemic is essential to maintaining appropriate nursing education in both academic and clinical settings. Résumé La pandémie de COVID-19 a perturbé le travail des infirmières enseignantes à tous les niveaux, à la fois dans les établissements d’enseignement supérieur et dans les environnements d’apprentissage de la pratique clinique. Dans le cadre de ce projet, nous nous sommes attardés aux expériences des infirmières enseignantes en milieux universitaire et clinique pendant la COVID-19 ainsi que l’impact de la pandémie sur leur travail. Nous avons mené des entrevues semi-structurées avec 15 infirmières enseignantes de 6 pays différents et utilisé une analyse thématique pour dégager une compréhension globale des expériences des infirmières enseignantes pendant la pandémie. Les expériences des participantes, déclinées en étapes qui reflétaient l’intensité de la pandémie, ont abouti à quatre thèmes : (a) le calme avant la tempête, (b) la fermeture des écoutilles, (c) la résistance à la tempête, et (d) les bons côtés. Comprendre les défis et soutenir les infirmières enseignantes tout au long de la pandémie furent essentiels au maintien de la formation en sciences infirmières à la fois en milieu universitaire et en milieu clinique

Mentorat par les pairs dans la résidence en médecine: une revue systématique

Background: Medical residents may experience burnout during their training, and a lack of social support. This can impact their overall wellbeing and ability to master key professional competencies. We explored, in this study, the extent to which peer mentorship promotes psychosocial wellbeing and the development of professional competencies in medical residency education. Methods: We searched six databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Academic Research Complete, ERIC, Education Research Complete) for studies on peer mentoring relationships in medical residency. We selected any study where authors reported on outcomes associated with peer mentoring relationships among medical residents. We applied no date, language, or study design limits to this review. Results: We included nine studies in this systematic review. We found that medical residents received essential psychosocial supports from peers, and motivation to develop academic and career competencies. Medical residents in peer-mentoring relationships also reported increased overall satisfaction with their residency training programs. Conclusions: Peer-mentoring relationships can enhance the development of key professional competencies and coping mechanisms in medical residency education. Further rigorous research is needed to examine the comparative benefits of informal and formal peer mentoring, and identify best practices with respect to effective design of peer-mentorship programs.Contexte : Les résidents en médecine peuvent ressentir un épuisement professionnel durant leur formation, et un manque de soutien social. Ceci peut affecter bien-être global et leur capacité à maîtriser des compétences professionnelles essentielles.  Au cours de cette étude, nous avons examiné dans quelle mesure le mentorat par des pairs favorisait le bien-être psychosocial et l’acquisition de compétences professionnelles chez les médecins résidents. Méthodologie : Nous avons cherché dans six bases de données (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Academic Research Complete, ERIC, Education Research Complete) des études sur le mentorat par des pairs pendant la résidence en médecine.  Nous avons retenu toutes les études dont les auteurs avaient présenté des résultats associés aux relations de mentorat par des pairs chez les résidents en médecine, sans limite de date, la langue ou le devis. Résultats : Nous avons inclus 9 études dans cette revue systématique. Nous avons découvert que les médecins résidents recevaient un soutien psychosocial essentiel de la part des pairs et que ceux-ci les motivaient à acquérir des compétences universitaires et professionnelles.  On a aussi constaté que les médecins résidents qui bénéficiaient d’un mentorat par des pairs étaient, de façon globale, plus satisfaits de leur programme de résidence. Conclusions : Le mentorat par des pairs peut favoriser l’acquisition de compétences professionnelles clés et de mécanismes d’adaptation au cours de la résidence en médecine.  Il faudrait mener d’autres recherches rigoureuses pour comparer les avantages du mentorat informel à ceux du mentorat structuré et cerner les pratiques exemplaires de conception de programmes efficaces de mentorat par des pairs

Innovative Certificate Programs in University Teaching and Learning: Experiential Learning for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars

In response to a growing need for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to strengthen their teaching and learning skills, our university recently established innovative certificate programs that purposively incorporate experiential learning opportunities for deeper growth and development. Drawing on prior research and local needs assessments, we developed programs aimed to meet the identified needs of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. In this paper we describe how we planned, developed, and implemented these new certificate programs to engage graduate students and postdoctoral scholars from across our institution. Further, we discuss how these programs provide experiential learning opportunities for all participants

How are health research partnerships assessed? A systematic review of outcomes, impacts, terminology and the use of theories, models and frameworks

BACKGROUND: Accurate, consistent assessment of outcomes and impacts is challenging in the health research partnerships domain. Increased focus on tool quality, including conceptual, psychometric and pragmatic characteristics, could improve the quantification, measurement and reporting partnership outcomes and impacts. This cascading review was undertaken as part of a coordinated, multicentre effort to identify, synthesize and assess a vast body of health research partnership literature. OBJECTIVE: To systematically assess the outcomes and impacts of health research partnerships, relevant terminology and the type/use of theories, models and frameworks (TMF) arising from studies using partnership assessment tools with known conceptual, psychometric and pragmatic characteristics. METHODS: Four electronic databases were searched (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Plus and PsycINFO) from inception to 2 June 2021. We retained studies containing partnership evaluation tools with (1) conceptual foundations (reference to TMF), (2) empirical, quantitative psychometric evidence (evidence of validity and reliability, at minimum) and (3) one or more pragmatic characteristics. Outcomes, impacts, terminology, definitions and TMF type/use were abstracted verbatim from eligible studies using a hybrid (independent abstraction–validation) approach and synthesized using summary statistics (quantitative), inductive thematic analysis and deductive categories (qualitative). Methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs (QATSDD). RESULTS: Application of inclusion criteria yielded 37 eligible studies. Study quality scores were high (mean 80%, standard deviation 0.11%) but revealed needed improvements (i.e. methodological, reporting, user involvement in research design). Only 14 (38%) studies reported 48 partnership outcomes and 55 impacts; most were positive effects (43, 90% and 47, 89%, respectively). Most outcomes were positive personal, functional, structural and contextual effects; most impacts were personal, functional and contextual in nature. Most terms described outcomes (39, 89%), and 30 of 44 outcomes/impacts terms were unique, but few were explicitly defined (9, 20%). Terms were complex and mixed on one or more dimensions (e.g. type, temporality, stage, perspective). Most studies made explicit use of study-related TMF (34, 92%). There were 138 unique TMF sources, and these informed tool construct type/choice and hypothesis testing in almost all cases (36, 97%). CONCLUSION: This study synthesized partnership outcomes and impacts, deconstructed term complexities and evolved our understanding of TMF use in tool development, testing and refinement studies. Renewed attention to basic concepts is necessary to advance partnership measurement and research innovation in the field. Systematic review protocol registration: PROSPERO protocol registration: CRD42021137932 https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=137932. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12961-022-00938-8

Mentorship in Nursing Academia: A Mixed Methods Study

Nursing educators globally have called for mentorship to help address the nursing faculty shortage. Mentorship is perceived as vital to maintaining high-quality education programs. While there is emerging evidence to support the value of mentorship in other disciplines, the extant state of the evidence for mentorship in nursing academia is not well-established. Little is known about the current state of mentorship or the barriers and facilitators for implementing mentorship programs in Canadian nursing schools. The overarching aim of this dissertation was to explore the current state of mentorship in nursing academia. Three methodologies were employed to examine this phenomenon: 1. A systematic review of the evidence. 2. A cross sectional survey of nursing faculty. 3. Semi-structured interviews with nursing faculty members from across Canada. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze the data. The results of all three phases were integrated to develop a more robust and meaningful picture of mentorship. Within the literature there is no clear differentiation and operationalization of program and individual outcomes of mentorship nor is there discussion of the role of formal (matched) and informal (self-selected) mentorship within schools that identify mentorship programs. While generally, in the literature at an individual level, mentorship is reported to positively impact behavioural, career, attitudinal, relational, and motivational outcomes; it is important to note that the methodological quality of the mentorship studies is weak. Additionally, while outcomes can be categorized as noted above, it is also apparent that whether academics seek out their own mentors through informal and established networks or are matched with mentors in a formalized program it is difficult to untangle whether the outcomes are a result of the formal program or individual efforts. The survey and interview data revealed that the majority of Canadian nursing schools lack formal mentorship programs and those that exist are largely informal, vary in scope and components, and lack common definitions or goals. Individual perceptions of factors influencing mentorship program implementation include (a) training and guidelines; (b) quality of relationships; (c) choice and availability of mentors; (d) organizational support; (e) time and competing priorities; (f) culture of the institution; and, (g) evaluation of mentorship outcomes. Dyad, peer, group, constellation, and distance mentorship models are present and components include guidelines, training, professional development workshops, purposeful linking of mentors and mentees, and mentorship coordinators. Evaluation of mentorship, where it exists, remains mostly descriptive, anecdotal, and lacks common evaluative metrics. The results from this study confirm lack of formalized mentorship programs in Canadian schools of nursing. To ensure success in developing mentorship programs, academic leaders need to consider multiple barriers, facilitators, models and components to meet their specific needs. Further rigorous evaluation of mentorship programs and components is needed to identify if mentorship programs are achieving specified goals

Beyond Tradition: Innovative Mentorship Models for Higher Education

As higher education institutions and the people who learn, work, and live within them, continue to face challenges, it is critical to foster safe, inclusive, and respectful cultures of learning and growth. Numerous mentorship models can be meaningfully integrated into campus culture to support professional and personal learning and development across various disciplines and career stages. In this paper, I introduce several mentorship models, present some of the challenges experienced across various career stages, and discuss a variety of evidence-based mentorship models that may be introduced and strengthened in different stages and personal contexts across higher education