Online vs. face-to-face discussions in a web-based research methods course for postgraduate nursing students : A quasi-experimental study

Background: Web-based technologies are increasingly being used to create modes of online learning for nurses but their effect has not been assessed in nurse education. Objectives: Assess whether participation in face-to-face discussion seminars or online asynchronous discussion groups had different effects on educational attainment in a webbased course. Design: Non-randomised or quasi-experimental design with two groups – students choosing to have face-to-face discussion seminars and students choosing to have online discussions. Setting: The Core Methods module of a postgraduate research methods course. Participants: All 114 students participating in the first 2 years during which the course teaching material was delivered online. Outcome: Assignment mark for Core Methods course module. Methods: Background details of the students, their choices of modules and assignment marks were collected as part of the routine course administration. Students’ online activities were identified using the student tracking facility within WebCT. Regression models were fitted to explore the association between available explanatory variables and assignment mark. Results: Students choosing online discussions had a higher Core Methods assignment mark (mean 60.8/100) than students choosing face-to-face discussions (54.4); the difference was statistically significant (t = 3.13, df = 102, p = 0.002), although this ignores confounding variables. Among online discussion students, assignment mark was significantly correlated with the numbers of discussion messages read (Kendall’s taub = 0.22, p = 0.050) and posted (Kendall’s taub = 0.27, p = 0.017); among face-to-face discussion students, it was significantly associated with the number of non-discussion hits in WebCT (Kendall’s taub = 0.19, p = 0.036). In regression analysis, choice of discussion method, whether an MPhil/PhD student, number of non-discussion hits in WebCT, number of online discussion messages read and number posted were associated with assignment mark at the 5% level of significance when taken singly; in combination, only whether an MPhil/PhD student (p = 0.024) and number of non-discussion hits (p = 0.045) retained significance. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that a research methods course can be delivered to postgraduate healthcare students at least as successfully by an entirely online method in which students participate in online discussion as by a blended method in which students accessing web-based teaching material attend face-to-face seminar discussions. Increased online activity was associated with higher assignment marks. The study highlights new opportunities for educational research that arise from the use of virtual learning environments that routinely record the activities of learners and tutors

THE ROLE OF STEM CELL ANTIGEN-1(Sca-1) IN MUSCLE AGING

Muscle aging is associated with a decrease in the number of satellite cells and their progeny, muscle progenitor cells (MPCs) that are available for muscle repair and regeneration. However, there is an increase in non-immuno-hematopoietic cells (CD45 negative) in regenerating muscle from aged mice characterized by high stem cell antigen -1(Sca-1) expression. In aged regenerating muscle, 14.2% of cells are CD45neg Sca-1pos while 7.2% of cells are CD45neg Sca-1pos in young adult muscle. In vitro, CD45neg Sca-1pos cells over express genes associated with fibrosis, potentially controlled by Wnt2. These cells are proliferative, non-myogenic and non-adipogenic, and arise in clonally-derived MPCs cultures from aged mice. Both in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that CD45neg Sca-1pos cells from aged muscle are more susceptible to apoptosis than their MPCs, which may contribute to depletion of the satellite cell pool. Therefore, with age, a subset of MPCs takes on an altered phenotype, which is marked by high Sca-1 expression. This altered phenotype prevents these cells from participating in muscle regeneration or replenishing the satellite cell pool, and instead may contribute to fibrosis in aged muscle

The Digital Revolution in Qualitative Research: Working with Digital Audio Data Through Atlas.Ti

Modern versions of Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) are enabling the analysis of audio sound files instead of relying solely on text-based analysis. Along with other developments in computer technologies such as the proliferation of digital recording devices and the potential for using streamed media in online academic publication, this innovation is increasing the possibilities of systematically using media-rich, naturalistic data in place of transcribed 'de-naturalised' forms. This paper reports on a project assessing online learning materials that used Atlas.ti software to analyse sound files, and it describes the problems faced in gathering, analysing and using this data for report writing. It concludes that there are still serious barriers to the full and effective integration of audio data into qualitative research: the absence of 'industry standard' recording technology, the underdevelopment of audio interfaces in Atlas.ti (as a key CAQDAS package), and the conventional approach to data use in many online publication formats all place serious restrictions on the integrated use of this data. Nonetheless, it is argued here that there are clear benefits in pushing for resolutions to these problems as the use of this naturalistic data through digital formats may help qualitative researchers to overcome some long-standing methodological issues: in particular, the ability to overcome the reliance on data transcription rather than 'natural' data, and the possibility of implementing research reports that facilitate a more transparent use of 'reusable' data, are both real possibilities when using these digital technologies, which could substantially change the shape of qualitative research practice.CAQDAS, Recording Technology, Online Publication

Between the margins

Non-conventional education exists in all communities. Community education, also known as Community learning & development refers to an individuals or organization's programs to promote learning and social development work with individuals and groups in their communities using a range of formal and informal methods. These provisions are often rooted around the culture, language and identity of their local area or region and are therefore able to provide a specific and specialized provision that can use the embedded knowledge of its students

Prognostic Value of Computed Tomography : Measured Parameters of Body Composition in Primary Operable Gastrointestinal Cancers

Professor Graeme Murray, Department of Pathology, University of Aberdeen provided us access to the colorectal cancer pathology databases from which the colorectal component of the research was based. Conflict of interest There are no conflicts of interest.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The voice of experienced Elective Home Educating (EHE) parents: The risk of missing home-educated children in the education policy response to school closure and lessons for adapting home learning

Written evidence submitted by the Centre for Social Mobility, University of Exeter regarding: The effect of cancelling formal exams, including the fairness of qualifications awarded and pupils’ progression to the next stage of education or employment. Written evidence submitted by Joanna Merrett, Malcolm Richards and Anna Mountford-Zimdars (The Centre for Social Mobility). The Centre for Social Mobility at the University of Exeter is a joint practitioner-academic centre set up to advance social mobility through robust research and evidence-based policy and practic