Objective. Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) practice sessions are logistically challenging and resource demanding. Our objective was to examine pharmacy students' OSCE performance and perceptions about an interactive online learning module (Monash OSCE Virtual Experience (MOVE). Methods. MOVE online module consists of twenty pharmacy case scenarios with virtual patients. It was piloted with our final year pharmacy students at Monash University campuses in Australia (Parkville) and Malaysia (Sunway). A mixed methods approach consisting of: (1) reviewing user attempts and grade comparison, (2) self-administered questionnaires, and (3) focus groups was used to examine students' perception and performance. Results. More than 99% of all students attempted at least one online case scenario in preparation for their final OSCE. 81% attempted all twenty scenarios two or more times. 90% of Sunway students and 70% of Parkville students reported MOVE to be a helpful study tool for their OSCE preparation. However, raw comparison of user attempts and OSCE marks showed no direct correlation between online module attempts and assessment grades. Self-administered questionnaire and focus group results indicated that MOVE prepared students for targeted and time-bound history taking and problem-solving skills. Overall, students perceived MOVE to be a useful learning tool and less overwhelming learning experience than face to face sessions. Nevertheless, students still preferred face-to-face OSCE practice with simulated patients than online practice with virtual patients. Conclusion. MOVE was perceived by our students as a flexible and useful online learning aid for their final year OSCE preparation.
Successful problem solving is a complex process that requires content knowledge, process skills, developed critical thinking, metacognitive awareness, and deep conceptual reasoning. Teaching approaches to support students developing problem-solving skills include worked examples, metacognitive and instructional scaffolding, and variations of these techniques. In this report, we describe a classroom activity, which involves a combination of metacognitive scaffolding, problem-solving practice, and critiquing of ChatGPT-generated solutions. It was demonstrated that students engaged with the idea of metacognition as part of the problemsolving toolbox and showed appreciation for the collaborative nature of problem solving. They were also able to identify mistakes and flaws in the provided erroneous solutions, albeit to varying degrees. The results also revealed that incoming university students likely require scaffolding to develop sophisticated critical-thinking skills.
Student engagement during classes includes behavioural, cognitive and emotional components, and is a pre-requisite for successful active learning environments. A novel approach to measuring student engagement was developed, involving triangulation of real-time student-self report, observation by trained observers and heart rate measurement. The self-report instrument was evaluated in four separate cohorts (n = 123) at Monash University and the University of North Carolina. The six item self-report demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.7–0.81). The self-report showed predictive validity in that small group activities were rated as significantly more engaging than didactic lecturing. Additionally, there was significant inter-instructor variability and within-class variability, indicating good discrimination between classroom activities. This self-report may prove useful to academic teaching staff in evaluating and refining their active learning activities. Independent observation was not found to correlate with student self-report, due in part to students who were pretending to engage being rated as engaged by an observer. Strikingly, students reported that they were pretending to engage for 23% of class time, even for highly regarded instructors. Individual participants were rated as engaged for 42 of the 46 intervals for which they reported that they had “pretended to engage”, indicating that the two observers were unable to detect disengagement during periods in which students pretended to engage. Instructors should be aware that student cues such as eye contact and nodding may indicate pretending to engage. One particular self-report item; “I tried a new approach or way of thinking about the content”, correlated positively with heart rates, and a controlled study reproduced this finding during two activities that required students to try a new approach to understanding a concept. Agreement with this item also correlated with superior performance on two in-class written assessment tasks (n = 101, p<0.01). Further use of this tool and related educational research may be useful to identify in-class activities that are engaging and likely to lead to improved student attainment of learning outcomes.
In recent decades, a focus on the most critical and fundamental concepts has proven highly advantageous to students and educators in many science disciplines. Pharmacology, unlike microbiology, biochemistry, or physiology, lacks a consensus list of such core concepts.Experimental Approach: We sought to develop a research-based, globally relevant list of core concepts that all students completing a foundational pharmacology course should master. This two-part project consisted of exploratory and refinement phases.The exploratory phase involved empirical data mining of the introductory sections of five key textbooks, in parallel with an online survey of over 200 pharmacology educators from 17 countries across six continents. The refinement phase involved three Delphi rounds involving 24 experts from 15 countries across six continents.
Background and Purpose: In recent decades, a focus on the most critical and fundamental concepts has proven highly advantageous to students and educators in many science disciplines. Pharmacology, unlike microbiology, biochemistry or physiology, lacks a consensus list of such core concepts. Experimental approach: We sought to develop a research-based, globally relevant list of core concepts that all students completing a foundational pharmacology course should master. This two-part project consisted of exploratory and refinement phases. The exploratory phase involved empirical data mining of the introductory sections of five key textbooks, in parallel with an online survey of over 200 pharmacology educators from 17 countries across six continents. The refinement phase involved three Delphi rounds involving 24 experts from 15 countries across six continents. Key Results: The exploratory phase resulted in a consolidated list of 74 candidate core concepts. In the refinement phase, the expert group produced a consensus list of 25 core concepts of pharmacology. Conclusion and Implications: This list will allow pharmacology educators everywhere to focus their efforts on the conceptual knowledge perceived to matter most by experts within the discipline. Next steps for this project include defining and unpacking each core concept and developing resources to help pharmacology educators globally teach and assess these concepts within their educational contexts.
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