Nurturing child social-emotional development: evaluation of a pre-post and 2-month follow-up uncontrolled pilot training for caregivers and educators.

BACKGROUND: Social-emotional capacities contribute to children's mental health by helping them navigate their own and others' emotional states and forge healthy relationships. Caregivers and educators are critical socialization agents in early and middle childhood, but gaps remain in the systematic integration of social-emotional research into caregiver and educator trainings. The aim of this pilot study was to test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a social-emotional training designed to promote caregivers' and educators' capacities to support social-emotional development in children ages 3-8 years. METHODS: Fifty adults (n = 24 caregivers of children ages 3-8 years, n = 26 educators working with children ages 3-8 years) participated in a virtual training over 3 weeks. Participants completed pre-training, post-training, and 2-month follow-up questionnaires evaluating their knowledge of social-emotional concepts, use of training strategies, mental health, and satisfaction with the training. Caregivers also reported children's social-emotional capacities and mental health. RESULTS: On average, caregivers and educators completed 83% of the virtual training sessions and reported high satisfaction with the training. Further, preliminary evidence indicated that caregivers' and educators' knowledge of social-emotional concepts increased pre- to post-training and was maintained at the 2-month follow-up. Increases in caregivers' and educators' knowledge and greater use of training strategies were associated with improvements in children's social-emotional capacities and caregivers' and educators' own mental health. CONCLUSIONS: These pilot results support the feasibility of infusing evidence-based social-emotional content into caregiver and educator training initiatives aimed at nurturing child social-emotional development and mental health. The results inform future evaluation of the short- and long-term benefits of this training with a full-scale randomized controlled trial design.

Educators apply new teaching strategies despite initial attributions of autistic students' controllability of their behaviors.

Autistic children are less likely to be jointly engaged with a play partner than nonautistic children, negatively impacting social communication development. Promoting joint engagement during play can be an important target for educators of autistic students, but educator perceptions of autistic students may affect their interactions with students. This secondary data analysis investigated educator perceptions of the behaviors of their autistic students, their relationship on educator behavior, and their relationship on the implementation of an intervention promoting joint engagement. Participants included 66 autistic preschool students, and twelve educators from six preschools. Schools were randomized to educator training or a waitlist. Before training, educators rated their students' controllability over autism related behaviors. To observe educator behavior, they were filmed playing for ten minutes with students, before and after receiving training. Ratings of controllability were positively correlated with cognitive scores, and negatively correlated with ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) comparison scores. Furthermore, educator ratings of controllability predicted joint engagement strategies used by educators during play. Educators tended to use strategies promoting joint engagement for students perceived as more able to control their autism spectrum disorder behavior. Among educators that received JASPER (Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation) training, ratings of controllability did not predict changes in strategy scores after training. Educators were able to learn and implement new joint engagement strategies despite their initial perceptions.

Establishing the Need for Standardized Clinical Educator Training Programs for Medical Laboratory Professionals.

BACKROUND: There is minimal, if any, training for clinical educators in medical laboratory professions. This leads to challenges with teaching, assessment and workload/training balance. Hence, the need for standardized clinical educator training. METHOD: A survey was developed, validated and deployed to medical laboratory professionals. Responses were analyzed using SPSS. Responses from two open-ended questions-is clinical educators' training important and how is this training beneficial?-were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Most participants indicated that clinical educator training is important (99.4%). However, 72.4% received no formal training prior to training student. Themes from the importance of training include: Equip clinical educators, body of knowledge, standardize training and quality of training. Themes that emerged from the benefits of clinical educators training involve Training content, logistics, professional behavior and technical skills. CONCLUSION: Clinical educators' training is crucial and valuable. Standardized training on pedagogy and other success strategies are warranted for successful clinical experiences.

Higher-Order Executive Function in Middle School: Training Teachers to Enhance Cognition in Young Adolescents.

The epoch of adolescent brain development is an ideal time to train complex thinking skills, and middle schools provide an ideal environment to train and foster this acquisition. Unfortunately, few teachers are equipped with enough knowledge of the science of learning and evidence-based methodology, to ensure all students are given sufficient opportunity to develop their cognitive capacity to the fullest. Using our evidenced-based higher-order executive function training program, we trained current teachers to provide cognitive training to their students. The results of this study demonstrate the efficacy of teacher-implemented intervention for immediate improvement in high-level executive function capacities such as gist-reasoning and interpretive statement production. More importantly, we found evidence of far transfer via students' improved academic performance in all standardized test content areas (Reading, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies) when compared to their untrained peers. Our findings support the importance of providing intensive professional development that afford educators with a greater understanding of the brain, how we learn, and the importance of evidence-based programs to advance and instill high-level executive function in all students.

A novel approach to training educators to conduct school-based adolescent e-cigarette education and prevention: Using the Tobacco Prevention Toolkit.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Emerging tobacco products, especially e-cigarettes, present a challenge for educators tasked with providing adolescent tobacco prevention education, as they typically have insufficient time to stay uptodate with the latest information on all tobacco products. To equip educators to implement e-cigarette and other prevention materials, we developed a novel, experiential training of the Tobacco Prevention Toolkit, comprising three components: (1) information session, (2) website navigation demonstration, and (3) hands-on curriculum demonstration allowing educators to present and practice Toolkit lessons. METHODS: We evaluated this experiential training using a post-training survey, conducted with 486 participants (75% female) from 21 separate trainings. Surveys included demographic questions, training evaluation questions, and 4 open-ended questions administered via Qualtrics. Quantitative data were analyzed for frequencies via R statistical software. Qualitative data were analyzed using grounded theory. RESULTS: Training participants overwhelmingly agreed or strongly agreed that their knowledge of e-cigarettes increased as a result of the training; they were satisfied with the overall training; and they indicated intention to use the Toolkit in the future. Participants favored the enthusiastic presenters, the information about e-cigarettes, the website navigation, and the curriculum demonstration features of the training. Participants requested more time for various components of the training, more in-depth information about e-cigarettes, and more direction for Toolkit implementation. CONCLUSIONS: This novel, experiential training increased educator-reported knowledge of tobacco products and was overwhelmingly well-received, suggesting that such training can be important for effective dissemination of other e-cigarette prevention and intervention curricula.

Academia-industry collaboration to provide interdisciplinary experiential learning opportunities in public health professions education and improve health of female factory workers.

Background: The community medicine department of our medical school, in addition to addressing its mandate to prepare undergraduate students for primary care and graduate students for careers in public health, administers several community-based interventions. An international organization involved with improving health of female factory workers globally invited us to partner in their efforts locally. We used the Precede-Proceed model to design an intervention to deliver the desired project outcomes. Activities: : Recognizing that this partnership with industry would provide a learning opportunity to our Master's degree program students, we involved them in a needs assessment survey in order to make an educational diagnosis to identify the influencing and reinforcing factors. Our faculty and students interfaced with a multidisciplinary team including mid-level factory managers, health-care staff, and peer health educators within the textile industry. Outcomes: : Through this industry-academia collaboration, our health professions training institution was able to provide supplementary experiential learning opportunities to students in our Master's degree in Community Medicine program by involving them in all the project stages from planning based on health needs assessment, to module design, implementation, and program evaluation along with interdisciplinary teams from the textile industry. Students then reflected on their learning experience using a modified Kolbe's experiential learning cycle to improve their performance when they replicated the intervention with the next factory under the same project. Conclusion: The use of PRECEDE-PROCEED model in the industry-academia collaboration and Kolb's framework provided supplementary experiential learning opportunities for deliberate practice, receiving feedback, and reflecting on their learning to our Master's in Community Medicine degree students.

Developing a Practical Medical Educator Training Program: Meeting A Need in Faculty Development.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Faculty who teach in medical schools typically do so because of their knowledge and expertise in their field, yet few receive training in best practices in teaching. Educator development programs that help faculty enhance their teaching skills while continuing to fulfill their existing professional responsibilities can help address this gap. Such programs may be developed and implemented locally by individuals within the institution. This guide is intended for individuals who are interested in developing educator training programs but who lack experience in program development. The article describes practical strategies for designing, implementing, and evaluating a collaborative program to teach skills and best practices in medical education. Key themes in program design, program implementation, and program evaluation and dissemination include appropriate goal setting, setting clear expectations, strong communication, and the benefits of diversity in collaboration. Educator training programs provide enhanced teaching skills and opportunities for career advancement for participants at all career stages, which in turn benefits the institution and the medical profession.

Development of a Cancer Self-management Education Programme for Women with Breast Cancer at the End of Primary Treatment.

Breast cancer survivors have specific healthcare needs. As a result of their disease and treatment, they have to adapt to different physical and psychosocial late effects. Unfortunately, several studies have documented insufficiency in the survivorship healthcare system. The aim of this paper was to describe the process of development and testing of a novel Cancer Self-management Education programme (CSME programme) to improve patient-reported self-management and self-efficacy for patients with breast cancer who were at the end of primary treatment. The development of the educational programme was inspired by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) circle and based on person-centred principles. It was conducted at a Danish university hospital. Nine oncology healthcare providers, two external experts in patient education and five patients were involved in the development and testing of the education programme. Implementation of dialogue-based tools was used as an educational learning instrument in the SCME programme. The PDSA approach to the development of the CSME programme resulted in a person-centred programme that could improve self-management and self-efficacy in the survivorship phase of patients with breast cancer.

Self-paced online learning modules for pharmacy practice educators: Development and preliminary evaluation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a series of six, self-paced online practice educator development modules and to describe the preliminary program evaluation conducted for them. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: Six online learning modules were developed. In the preliminary program evaluation, a mixed methods approach was used to investigate whether module content was effective in conveying useful information to practice educators and was reaching those at a geographic distance from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada. User demographic data, module completion results, user evaluation survey responses, and content expert reviews of the modules were collected and analyzed for quality assurance and program evaluation. FINDINGS: The preliminary evaluation results indicated a positive response. The evaluation survey results showed that most practice educators found their understanding of the subject had increased from their personal baseline after completing the module. From the total of 197 users that had registered for the Practice Educator Resource Centre and self-declared their geographic location, 56% were categorized as being within the Lower Mainland, while 44% were located outside of this area, at a geographic distance from UBC. DISCUSSION: This early data indicated the modules were reaching practice educators across BC. Continual evaluation will be needed to support the preliminary positive practice educator user experience. SUMMARY: The self-paced online practice educator modules are an accessible and possibly effective means of providing skills and training to new and current pharmacy practice educators.

Foundational Elements of Applied Simulation Theory: Development and Implementation of a Longitudinal Simulation Educator Curriculum.

Simulation-based education has gained popularity, yet many faculty members feel inadequately prepared to teach using this technique. Fellowship training in medical education exists, but there is little information regarding simulation or formal educational programs therein. In our institution, simulation fellowships were offered by individual clinical departments. We recognized the need for a formal curriculum in educational theory. Kern's approach to curriculum development was used to develop, implement, and evaluate the Foundational Elements of Applied Simulation Theory (FEAST) curriculum. Needs assessments resulted in a 26-topic curriculum; each biweekly session built upon the previous. Components essential to success included setting goals and objectives for each interactive session and having dedicated faculty, collaborative leadership and administrative support for the curriculum. Evaluation data was collated and analyzed annually via anonymous feedback surveys, focus groups, and retrospective pre-post self-assessment questionnaires. Data collected from 32 fellows over five years of implementation showed that the curriculum improved knowledge, challenged thinking, and was excellent preparation for a career in simulation-based medical education. Themes arising from focus groups demonstrated that participants valued faculty expertise and the structure, practicality, and content of the curriculum. We present a longitudinal simulation educator curriculum that adheres to a well-described framework of curriculum development. Program evaluation shows that FEAST has increased participant knowledge in key areas relevant to simulation-based education and that the curriculum has been successful in meeting the needs of novice simulation educators. Insights and practice points are offered for educators wishing to implement a similar curriculum in their institution.

Conduction, Evaluation, and Future Considerations for an Obesity Educator Training Program in Korea.

To reduce the prevalence of obesity and provide information on evidence-based obesity treatments, the Education Committee of the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO) has developed and launched the first Obesity Educator Training Program (OETP). After the course, we analyzed the results of a survey from 110 participants, comprising medical doctors (n=58), nutrition specialists (n=19), exercise specialists (n=14), and students (n=6). Approximately half of the participants were recruited through the Internet (48%), followed by academic leaflets, such as conference posters (21%); the reasons for participation were to learn about evidence-based treatments for obesity (47%), to receive up-to-date knowledge on obesity treatments (39%), to obtain basic information on obesity (10%), and others (4%). More than half of the participants found the date, lecture time, process, and theme of the OETP favorable. The participants indicated that there should be an in-depth course, sharing of the presented files with attendees, a longer lecture time, and a broader OETP that includes other specialties such as nursing. To improve the OETP, the educational committee of the KSSO must develop an in-depth OETP that will reflect these participant's feedback.

Innovations in Practice: 'Go-to' Educator Training on the mental health competencies of educators in the secondary school setting: a program evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Educators can play an important role in early identification and triage of youth with mental disorders. This paper reports findings of a program evaluation of the 'Go-To' Educator Training in a secondary school setting. METHODS: Pre- and posttests were administered. RESULTS: Participant mean scores on mental health competencies changed from 12 (40%) (standard deviation [SD] = 4.3) pretraining to 21 (70%) (SD = 3.3) posttraining, t(119) = 25.6, p < .0001, d = 2.3. Participant attitude mean scores improved from 49.9 (SD = 4.6) pretraining, to 51.5 (SD = 4.2), t(115) = 4.3, p < .0001, d = 0.36. CONCLUSIONS: This training is a useful intervention to help educators identify youth with mental disorders and link them to appropriate services.

A abordagem de redução de danos em espaços educativos não formais: um estudo qualitativo no estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / Harm reduction approach in non-formal educational situations: a qualitative study in the state of Rio de Janeiro / Planteamiento de reducción de daños en espacios educativos no formales: un estudio cualitativo en el estado de Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Este artigo discute as contribuições da abordagem de redução de danos para a prática educativa em saúde e drogas, em espaços não formais, a partir da análise dos fundamentos teórico-metodológicos e das atividades de um projeto desenvolvido pelo Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, com educadores de organizações não governamentais do estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, de 2006 a 2007. Orientado por uma abordagem qualitativa, o estudo analisou a trajetória e as práticas profissionais de educadores e o contexto institucional, por meio da análise documental, de entrevistas e observações diretas. Os achados revelaram que houve apropriação e ressignificação, pelos educadores, dos conceitos abordados no projeto relativos à educação para autonomia, redução de danos e vulnerabilidade, orientados por uma abordagem dialógica e crítica do processo de construção do conhecimento.

This paper discusses the contributions of the harm reduction approach towards educational practices relating to health and drugs, in non-formal situations, from an analysis on the theoretical and methodological fundamentals and activities of a project developed by the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, among educators from nongovernmental organizations in Rio de Janeiro, from 2006 to 2007. Guided by a qualitative approach, this study analyzed the educators' professional practices, the paths taken and the institutional context, by means of document analysis, interviews and direct observations. The findings revealed that the educators had appropriated and given new meaning to the concepts dealt with in the project, in relation to education for autonomy, harm reduction and vulnerability, guided by a dialogical and critical approach towards the knowledge construction process.

El artículo discute las contribuiciones del planteamiento de reducción de daños para la práctica educativa en salud y drogas, en espacios no formales, partiendo del análisis de los fundamentos teórico-metodológicos y de las actividades de un proyecto desarollado por el Instituto Oswado Cruz, con educadores de organizaciones no gobernamentales de Rio de Janeiro, de 2006 y 2007. Utilizando un enfoque cualitativo, el estudio ha analizado la trayectoria y las prácticas profesionales de educadores y el contexto institucional, por medio de análisis documental, entrevistas y observación directa. Los hallazgos han revelado que hubo apropiación y resignificación, por parte de los educadores, de los conceptos analizados en el proyecto relativos a la educación para la autonomía, reducción de daños y vulnerabilidad individual, orientados por un planteamiento dialógico y crítico del proceso de construcción del conocimiento.