Description:
Clinical simulation is an essential component of health professional education. Digital technologies can provide students with near-reality, interactive virtual simulation learning experiences on static and mobile appliances. Clarification is needed, however, regarding the various types of virtual simulation and the different program components. We drew on published literature to define virtual simulation modalities and to offer definitive terminology to clarify the nomenclature and composition of virtual simulation. Reporting should include description of ‘Fidelity’ ‘Immersion’ and ‘Patient’ to add clarity and utility to research in the field.
Description:
Tempting as it is to assume that today‟s student is an experienced user of internet resources with effective information-seeking skills, this assumption could be problematic. The students in this qualitative study seemed largely overconfident in their ability to seek and use information in an academic environment and either unmotivated or too time poor to take efforts to improve these skills. The researcher used Think-Aloud Protocols to observe the information-seeking behaviours of eight undergraduate creative arts students who were seeking information for an assessment task. A constructivist approach informed the analysis and interpretation of the data and the nature of the recommendations. While many of the participants were confident in their use of technology most demonstrated neither particularly effective search skills, nor discernment in their evaluation of search results. Furthermore, despite the majority of participants having received library skills training, there was little evidence of any impact on their information-skills. This study highlighted the need for skills development activities that are authentic, relevant, and embedded within course-related learning and assessment activities. Librarians and academics need to collaborate in teaching information-skills in such a way that students see them as relevant to course content; and that result in effective learning for students.
Description:
While digital technology is an integral feature of contemporary education, schools are often presumed to constrain and compromise students' uses of technology. This paper investigates students' experiences of school as a context for digital technology use. Drawing upon survey data from three Australian secondary schools (n=1174), this paper considers the various ways in which students use digital devices and applications in school and for school. After highlighting trends and differences across a range of digital devices and practices, the paper explores the ways in which students perceive school as a limiting and/or enabling setting for technology use. The findings point to a number of ways that schools act to extend as well as curtail student engagement with technology. This paper concludes by considering the possible ways that schools might work to further support and/or enhance students' technology experiences.
Description:
Nursing students are required to develop clinical knowledge, skills and attitudes for professional practice. However, objectivity and parity of students' clinical assessments has been questioned. In the last decade, more objective techniques have been developed, with increased use of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations. We reviewed objective clinical assessment measures used in preregistration nursing courses to determine utilization and the validity and reliability of assessment techniques. A systematic search was made of quantitative research publications between 2000 and May 2011, identifying 16 studies that were subsequently reviewed. The validity and reliability of studies varied, with six studies judged as high quality, using various methodologies. This paper describes methods of instrument development and reports on their application in preregistration nursing programs.
Description:
Education policies and practices developed for urban populations are not always effective when implemented in regional and remote locations. Despite government policy initiatives that may provide for collaboration across communities, a singular issue is that a diversity of solutions may be required rather than a 'one size fits all' approach. This article presents a potential solution to this problem through engaging collaboration and co-creation to optimise educational opportunities in initial teacher education in Australia. Qualitative analysis of a collaborative and co-created process of enhancement, lesson development and reflection brings together the every-day problem-solving processes used by pre-service teachers and classroom students with those used by research scientists and community experts. A consequence of such a process that benefits regional and remote communities is the development of collaborative networks founded in co-creation of educational opportunities and based on daily life in local communities.
Description:
Grit is the capacity to persevere, to have passion, and be committed to achieve goals long-term regardless of adversity or challenge. Grit provides an insight into why some nursing students succeed academically or clinically, while others do not. This quantitative cross-sectional correlational study measured levels of grit among nursing students undertaking a three-year bachelor's degree program. All students (n = 2349) within the program were invited to complete a questionnaire which included the short grit scale (Grit-S) which measured each student's level of perseverance and passion. Overall, it was highlighted that increased levels of grit correlated with an increase in the student's year of study, greater perceived clinical and academic performance, not using television as a motivator for entry to nursing, being lower on the socio-economic spectrum, and being older in age. Grit was found to develop exponentially as students entered second and third years, suggesting that a balance of constant academic and clinical challenge was an impetus for many to achieve in the face of adversity, and is reminiscent of the journey of the koi fish. This paper culminates in a call for educators to consider the inclusion of creative grit forming challenges that focus on developing a student's sense of open-mindedness within first year of undergraduate nursing programs.
Description:
Grit is the capacity to persevere, to have passion, and be committed to achieve goals long-term regardless of adversity or challenge. Grit provides an insight into why some nursing students succeed academically or clinically, while others do not. This quantitative cross-sectional correlational study measured levels of grit among nursing students undertaking a three-year bachelor's degree program. All students (n = 2349) within the program were invited to complete a questionnaire which included the short grit scale (Grit-S) which measured each student's level of perseverance and passion. Overall, it was highlighted that increased levels of grit correlated with an increase in the student's year of study, greater perceived clinical and academic performance, not using television as a motivator for entry to nursing, being lower on the socio-economic spectrum, and being older in age. Grit was found to develop exponentially as students entered second and third years, suggesting that a balance of constant academic and clinical challenge was an impetus for many to achieve in the face of adversity, and is reminiscent of the journey of the koi fish. This paper culminates in a call for educators to consider the inclusion of creative grit forming challenges that focus on developing a student's sense of open-mindedness within first year of undergraduate nursing programs.
Description:
In exploring school surveillance of students’ online activities, this chapter considers four main questions, namely, who seeks to control student Internet use, how are everyday online activities monitored by schools as well as students, why are they monitored, and what is the impact of such surveillance. Ultimately it is argued that surveillance data from filtering software, transaction logs, video-style surveillance technologies, webcams, and social networking sites can be labelled as unsocial media to the extent that the meanings created and the methods used are coercive, invasive, voyeuristic, overzealous, misleading, or bullying.
Description:
This paper explores the pedagogical and social potential of emerging technologies, in particular the iPod, in facilitating the learning of young Australians with severe intellectual and social disabilities. The study, which was carried out in a segregated educational setting in Victoria, Australia, sought to establish whether the intrinsic portable, multi-media capabilities of the iPod particularly lent themselves to a practical application for students with severe disabilities. It was concluded that such new technology has considerable power and potential as an emerging pedagogy with students with severe intellectual and physical disabilities.
Description:
This paper explores the pedagogical and social potential of emerging technologies, in particular the iPod, in facilitating the learning of young Australians with severe intellectual and social disabilities. The study, which was carried out in a segregated educational setting in Victoria, Australia, sought to establish whether the intrinsic portable, multi-media capabilities of the iPod particularly lent themselves to a practical application for students with severe disabilities. It was concluded that such new technology has considerable power and potential as an emerging pedagogy with students with severe intellectual and physical disabilities.
Description:
Universities are challenged to seek methods to improve student learning. Leading edge technologies, such as podcasts, that put the focus on learner-chosen activities may be one way to accomplish this. This study explored student perceptions of podcasting as a learning and teaching tool in a first semester information systems course within an Australian university. Students were provided with a short podcast to supplement face-to-face lectures. Students were then surveyed to determine their perceptions of the impact of this podcast on their learning. A high number of respondents agreed that they used the podcast, that it increased their understanding of the lecture material and that it assisted their learning in the unit overall. The findings in this preliminary study lend support to the concept that podcasting can enhance learning when used as a supplement to traditional teaching methods.
Description:
Universities are challenged to seek methods to improve student learning. Leading edge technologies, such as podcasts, that put the focus on learner-chosen activities may be one way to accomplish this. This study explored student perceptions of podcasting as a learning and teaching tool in a first semester information systems course within an Australian university. Students were provided with a short podcast to supplement face-to-face lectures. Students were then surveyed to determine their perceptions of the impact of this podcast on their learning. A high number of respondents agreed that they used the podcast, that it increased their understanding of the lecture material and that it assisted their learning in the unit overall. The findings in this preliminary study lend support to the concept that podcasting can enhance learning when used as a supplement to traditional teaching methods.
Description:
This paper explores the influence of home country academic culture on the performance of international students in their studies. The focus was on Indian international students studying business courses in an Australian regional university because 61% of its students are international and majority of them come from India. The paper describes a pilot study employing a narrative inquiry approach to provide a better understanding of international students' academic culture. Three main academic cultural gaps were identified from the students' narratives: (1) annual teaching versus semester teaching scheme; (2) lack of familiarity with writing assignments; and (3) lack of familiarity with the Australian accent.
Description:
The virtual classroom is a new and modern structure used now in university teaching around the world. By using the virtual classroom in Transport Law, it was soon discovered that once one overcomes the technical issues, the virtual classroom provides university tuition to students in very advantageous ways like no other traditional face-to-face class can. The virtual classroom, with its numerous functionalities, provides a level of student class participation, which is unprecedented in face-to-face classes. It also allows a greater opportunity for student attendance, as students simply have to be in front of their computer or any hand-held device, which is capable of audio-visual linkups. It is also very appealing to students, as it saves them time and money with public transport and/or parking. A much improved classroom attendance record as compared to face-to-face classes has also been noticed. The students' levels of understanding of the subject matter have also vastly improved through the mechanisms employed in virtual classroom teaching. As technology improves on a daily basis, the virtual classroom will become more and more popular as students rely on online teaching. Universities also need to understand that technology is here to stay and this means that they need to place more and more emphasis on online virtual classroom teaching eventually, it is submitted that if some of the universities do not highlight the importance of online teaching and virtual classrooms, students will simply shop elsewhere until they find a place of teaching that supports the online virtual classroom structure in the courses they wish to undertake.
Description:
The virtual classroom is a new and modern structure used now in university teaching around the world. By using the virtual classroom in Transport Law, it was soon discovered that once one overcomes the technical issues, the virtual classroom provides university tuition to students in very advantageous ways like no other traditional face-to-face class can. The virtual classroom, with its numerous functionalities, provides a level of student class participation, which is unprecedented in face-to-face classes. It also allows a greater opportunity for student attendance, as students simply have to be in front of their computer or any hand-held device, which is capable of audio-visual linkups. It is also very appealing to students, as it saves them time and money with public transport and/or parking. A much improved classroom attendance record as compared to face-to-face classes has also been noticed. The students' levels of understanding of the subject matter have also vastly improved through the mechanisms employed in virtual classroom teaching. As technology improves on a daily basis, the virtual classroom will become more and more popular as students rely on online teaching. Universities also need to understand that technology is here to stay and this means that they need to place more and more emphasis on online virtual classroom teaching eventually, it is submitted that if some of the universities do not highlight the importance of online teaching and virtual classrooms, students will simply shop elsewhere until they find a place of teaching that supports the online virtual classroom structure in the courses they wish to undertake.
Description:
This work was funded by the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (Australia and New Zealand) – 2019. The funding body had no role in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, or in writing the manuscript.
Description:
This work was funded by the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (Australia and New Zealand) – 2019. The funding body had no role in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, or in writing the manuscript.
Description:
Teaching through engaging students with excursions, artefacts, objects and practical projects is an effective way to communicate ideas about a past way of life. In Australia, we have a rich choice of destinations for many topics, but medieval history is not one of them. We don't want our medieval students to miss out on the benefit and excitement, simply because medieval action took place on the other side of the world, and for most schools a medieval incursion is more practical than a trip to Europe. If resources permit, you could contact a specialist company, such as History Up Close, which has years of experience in replicating historical material culture and presenting to schools, or you could take the do-it-yourself path and create a medieval world in the classroom with common craft materials.
Description:
Teaching through engaging students with excursions, artefacts, objects and practical projects is an effective way to communicate ideas about a past way of life. In Australia, we have a rich choice of destinations for many topics, but medieval history is not one of them. We don't want our medieval students to miss out on the benefit and excitement, simply because medieval action took place on the other side of the world, and for most schools a medieval incursion is more practical than a trip to Europe. If resources permit, you could contact a specialist company, such as History Up Close, which has years of experience in replicating historical material culture and presenting to schools, or you could take the do-it-yourself path and create a medieval world in the classroom with common craft materials.