The pedagogical value of testing: how far does it extend?

Information is generally more memorable after it is studied and tested than when it is only studied. One must be cautious to use this phenomenon strategically, however, due to uncertainty about whether testing improves memorability for only tested material, facilitates learning of related non-tested content, or inhibits memory of non-tested material. 52 second-year Pharmacy students were asked to study therapeutic aspects of gastroesophageal reflux disease and peptic ulcer disease. One group was given 30 min to study. Another was given 20 min to study and 10 min to complete a 10-item test. Two weeks later a 40-item test was delivered to both groups that contained (a) the 10 learning phase questions, (b) 10 new questions drawn from the studied material, (c) 10 new questions about therapeutics in different disease states, and (d) 10 new questions drawn from more general pharmaceutical knowledge (e.g., basic physiology and drug characteristics). Moderate to large retrieval-enhanced learning effects were observed for both questions about material that was tested (22.9% difference in scores, p < 0.05, d = 0.60) and questions about material that was studied without being tested (18.9% difference, p < 0.05, d = 0.75). Such effects were not observed for questions that were not part of the study material: therapeutic questions that addressed different disease states (1.8% difference, p > 0.7, d = 0.08) or generic pharmaceutical questions (7.4% difference, p > 0.2, d = 0.32). Being tested made it more likely that students would report reviewing the material after the initial learning session, but such reports were not associated with better test performance. The benefit of mentally retrieving information from studied material appears to facilitate the retrieval of information that was studied without being tested. Such generalization of the benefit of testing can increase the flexibility of test-based pedagogic interventions.

Real Patient Participation in Workplace-Based Assessment of Health Professional Trainees: A Scoping Review.

The aim of this scoping review is to outline the existing landscape of how real patients participate in the workplace-based assessment of trainees across diverse healthcare professions. In 2019-2020, the authors searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, and Web of Science databases for studies that included descriptions of experiences whereby patients received care from a health professional trainee and participated in workplace-based assessments of that trainee. Full-text articles published in English from 2009 to 2020 were included in the search. Of the 8770 studies screened; 77 full-text articles were included. Analysis showed that strategies for patient participation in workplace-based assessment varied widely. Aspects studied ranged from validation of an assessment tool to evaluation of the impact of an educational intervention on trainees' performance. Assessment of patient satisfaction was the most common approach to patient involvement. The majority of studies were conducted in North America and in the context of physician training. Formal patient participation in the assessment of health professional trainees appears heterogeneous across health professions. Gaps in the literature are evident; therefore, this review points to an inclusive approach to workplace-based assessment to ensure patient feedback of the trainees who care for them is represented.

Interrupting the cycle of bullying witnessed or experienced by nursing students: An ethical and relational action framework.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of bullying experienced by nursing students continues to be a substantial concern for the profession, especially for nurse educators. It is also an issue in other health care professional programs. OBJECTIVES: To explore how educational institutions address bullying experienced by nursing and other health care professional students, with the goal of creating a set of procedures for reporting bullying if students witness or experience it during their education. DESIGN: Qualitative Description. Our central question was "What processes and resources do faculty members use when students disclose an experience related to bullying?" SETTINGS: Educational institutions in Western Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Nine faculty members and one staff member with a student service role from nursing and other health care profession programs. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: We found significant variation in interviewees' conceptions of bullying and the policies, processes, and resources for addressing bullying within programs. We adopted an existing definition of bullying; designed a set of procedures focused on reporting mechanisms; and developed a guiding framework entitled Addressing Bullying in Nursing Education: An Ethical and Relational Action Framework. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing and other health care professional programs should ensure they have 1) clear and transparent procedures to report bullying 2) education about bullying for students and faculty.

Bridging the gap: An evaluation of self-paced online transition modules for advanced pharmacy practice experience students.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A three module online self-paced educational resource was developed for entry to practice students transitioning from the classroom to their inpatient practicums. The objective of this study was to determine the benefits of the transition modules on students' self-perceived competency as related to onsite performance and reduction in anxiety during their inpatient practicum. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: Evaluations of the three transition modules were conducted in two phases via electronic surveys distributed to final year advanced pharmacy practice students and focus group members including faculty, pharmacy practice educators, and pharmacy residents. FINDINGS: Based on our findings, the modules addressed common learning needs. While 69.7% of student respondents from Phase II of the evaluation found the modules to have positively impacted their onsite performance, only 24.7% believed the modules reduced their anxiety. DISCUSSION: The study indicates that students found the modules to be relevant to inpatient practice and of appropriate difficulty. Although most students perceived the modules to enhance performance on practicum, student anxiety levels appeared to remain unchanged. SUMMARY: Based on feedback and results, it may be beneficial to expose students to transition modules earlier in the curriculum in tandem with other inpatient preparatory activities. The results from this study may be of interest or benefit other universities and healthcare educators pursuing work on transition activities.

Student and faculty member perspectives on lecture capture in pharmacy education.

OBJECTIVES: To examine faculty members' and students' use and perceptions of lecture recordings in a previously implemented lecture-capture initiative. METHODS: Patterns of using lecture recordings were determined from software analytics, and surveys were conducted to determine awareness and usage, effect on attendance and other behaviors, and learning impact. RESULTS: Most students and faculty members were aware of and appreciated the recordings. Students' patterns of use changed as the novelty wore off. Students felt that the recordings enhanced their learning, improved their in-class engagement, and had little effect on their attendance. Faculty members saw little difference in students' grades or in-class engagement but noted increased absenteeism. CONCLUSION: Students made appropriate use of recordings to support their learning, but faculty members generally did not make active educational use of the recordings. Further investigation is needed to understand the effects of lecture recordings on attendance. Professional development activities for both students and faculty members would help maximize the learning benefits of the recordings.

Curricular integration in pharmacy education.

This article reviews the concepts of curricular integration and integrative learning. These concepts have reemerged in contemporary higher education reforms and are crucial in pharmacy programs where students are expected to acquire the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for competent practice in a complex environment. Enhancing integration requires negotiating obstacles, including institutional traditions of disciplinary structures and disciplinary differences in understandings of knowledge and approaches to teaching and learning; investing the time and effort to design and implement integrated curricula; and using learning-centered pedagogical strategies. Evidence supporting the value of such efforts is not compelling, as much because of insufficient research as lackluster findings. Future avenues of scholarly inquiry are suggested to evaluate curricular integration, distinguishing between the curriculum espoused by planners, the curriculum enacted by instructors, and the curriculum experienced by students.

Job location decisions of pharmacy graduates in British Columbia.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the factors influencing pharmacy graduates' selection of their first professional job location. METHODS: A survey was conducted of the 2007 graduating class of the University of British Columbia, examining hometown location, community and workplace factors, personal relationships, financial factors, and leisure activities. Responses were analyzed to determine whether community size or demographic characteristics affected the degree to which each factor influenced the job location decision. RESULTS: The majority of graduates moved from their hometowns to larger communities, mainly to the largest city in British Columbia. Most of those taking jobs in rural and remote communities grew up in or near those communities, and were more influenced by community size and anticipated working conditions, and less influenced by access to cultural and social activities, than their urban counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: The admission of students from rural and remote communities is modestly effective in ensuring a supply of pharmacists for these areas.