Educational gaming in the health sciences: systematic review
- Authors: Blakely, Gillian , Skirton, Heather , Cooper, Simon J. , Allum, Peter
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Advanced Nursing Vol. 65, no. 2 (2009), p. 259-269
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- Description: Title.Educational gaming in the health sciences: systematic review. Aim. This paper is a report of a review to investigate the use of games to support classroom learning in the health sciences. Background. One aim of education in the health sciences is to enable learners to develop professional competence. Students have a range of learning styles and innovative teaching strategies assist in creating a dynamic learning environment. New attitudes towards experiential learning methods have contributed to the expansion of gaming as a strategy. Data sources. A search for studies published between January 1980 and June 2008 was undertaken, using appropriate search terms. The databases searched were: British Education Index, British Nursing Index, The Cochrane Library, CINAHLPlus, Medline, PubMed, ERIC, PsychInfo and Australian Education Index. Methods. All publications and theses identified through the search were assessed for relevance. Sixteen papers reporting empirical studies or reviews that involved comparison of gaming with didactic methods were included. Results. The limited research available indicates that, while both traditional didactic methods and gaming have been successful in increasing student knowledge, neither method is clearly more helpful to students. The use of games generally enhances student enjoyment and may improve long-term retention of information. Conclusion. While the use of games can be viewed as a viable teaching strategy, care should be exercised in the use of specific games that have not been assessed objectively. Further research on the use of gaming is needed to enable educators to gaming techniques appropriately for the benefit of students and, ultimately, patients.
Exploring learning goals and assessment approaches for Indigenous health education : a qualitative study in Australia and New Zealand
- Authors: Delany, Clare , Doughney, Lachlan , Bandler, Lilon , Harms, Louise , Andrews, Shawana , Nicholson, Patricia , Remedios, Louisa , Edmondson, Wendy , Kosta, Lauren , Ewen, Shaun
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Higher Education Vol. 75, no. 2 (2018), p. 255-270
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- Description: In higher education, assessment is key to student learning. Assessments which promote critical thinking necessary for sustained learning beyond university are highly valued. However, the design of assessment tasks to achieve these types of thinking skills and dispositions to act in professional practice has received little attention. This research examines how academics design assessment to achieve these learning goals in Indigenous health education. Indigenous health education is an important area of learning for health practitioners to help address worldwide patterns of health inequities that exist for Indigenous people. We used a constructivist qualitative methodology to (i) explore learning goals and assessment strategies used in Indigenous health tertiary education and (ii) examine how they relate to higher education assessment ideals. Forty-one academics (from nine health disciplines) involved in teaching Indigenous health content participated in a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis revealed learning goals to transform students’ perspectives and capacities to think critically and creatively about their role in Indigenous health. In contrast, assessment tasks encouraged more narrowly bounded thinking to analyse information about historical and socio-cultural factors contributing to Indigenous health. To transform students to be critical health practitioners capable of working and collaborating with Indigenous people to advance their health and well-being, the findings suggest that assessment may need to be nested across many aspects of the curriculum using a programmatic approach, and with a focus on learning to think and act for future practice. These findings accord with more recent calls for transformation of learning and assessment in health education. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.
New and emerging roles in out of hospital emergency care: A review of the international literature
- Authors: Cooper, Simon J. , Grant, Julie
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Emergency Nursing Vol. 17, no. 2 (2009), p. 90-98
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- Description: Aims The aim of the literature review was to identify new and emerging out of hospital emergency care roles and to describe their activity and impact. Background Demographic changes, increased demands for health services, altered working practices, and health system economic pressures have led to the development of a disparate set of new health care roles. Data sources MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL databases, and the two search engines Google and Google Scholar were searched for contemporary studies in the identified study area. Review methods All publications identified through the search were assessed for relevance. Those that discussed new roles were included (n = 34) and empirical studies (n = 14) analysed in detail. Results Emergency care and paramedic practitioner roles (ECP & PP) are having an impact on patient care, including an average 25% reduction in the conveyance rate to hospital, improved inter-professional working, immediacy of treatment and referral, and high patient satisfaction. Limited economic data suggests savings of between £31 (USD 55) and £37 (USD 65) per case when ECPs replace standard ambulance responders. Concerns have been expressed about patient safety, recruitment and training levels, regulatory and role implementation issues. Conclusion Further work is required to fully understand the patient safety, clinical practice, professional role and financial implications of these new roles.
The effect of human amnion epithelial cells on lung development and inflammation in preterm lambs exposed to antenatal inflammation
- Authors: Papagianis, Paris , Ahmadi-Noorbakhsh, Siavash , Lim, Rebecca , Wallace, Euan , Polglase, Graeme , Pillow, J. Jane , Moss, Timothy
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PloS one Vol. 16, no. 6 (2021), p. e0253456-e0253456
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- Description: Lung inflammation and impaired alveolarization are hallmarks of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). We hypothesize that human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs) are anti-inflammatory and reduce lung injury in preterm lambs born after antenatal exposure to inflammation. Pregnant ewes received either intra-amniotic lipopolysaccharide (LPS, from E.coli 055:B5 4mg) or saline (Sal) on day 126 of gestation. Lambs were delivered by cesarean section at 128 d gestation (term ~150 d). Lambs received intravenous hAECs (LPS/hAECs: n = 7 30x10.sup.6 cells) or equivalent volumes of saline (LPS/Sal, n = 10 or Sal/Sal, n = 9) immediately after birth. Respiratory support was gradually de-escalated, aimed at early weaning from mechanical ventilation towards unassisted respiration. Lung tissue was collected 1 week after birth. Lung morphology was assessed and mRNA levels for inflammatory mediators were measured. Respiratory support required by LPS/hAEC lambs was not different to Sal/Sal or LPS/Sal lambs. Lung tissue:airspace ratio was lower in the LPS/Sal compared to Sal/Sal lambs (P<0.05), but not LPS/hAEC lambs. LPS/hAEC lambs tended to have increased septation in their lungs versus LPS/Sal (P = 0.08). Expression of inflammatory cytokines was highest in LPS/hAECs lambs. Postnatal administration of a single dose of hAECs stimulates a pulmonary immune response without changing ventilator requirements in preterm lambs born after intrauterine inflammation.