Contemporary educational methods in periodontology.

AIM: The 1st European Workshop on Periodontal Education in 2009 made recommendations regarding the scope of periodontal education at undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG) and continuing professional development (CPD) levels, defining competencies and learning outcomes that were instrumental at the time in helping to define periodontal teaching curricula. The 19th European Workshop on Periodontology and 2nd European Consensus Workshop on Education in Periodontology (Education in Periodontology in Europe) was held in 2023 to identify changes and future developments in periodontal education (including those informed by the COVID-19 pandemic) and embracing methods and formats of periodontal teaching and training. The aim of this review was to assess current knowledge regarding education methods in periodontology, including traditional face-to-face (F2F) teaching and the move to student-centred methods, virtual learning methods and use of digital technology, as well as blended teaching and learning (including teaching delivery and assessment) at UG, PG and CPD levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Systematic searches were conducted to identify relevant studies from the literature. Data were extracted and descriptive summaries collated. RESULTS: The pandemic was a major disruptor of traditional F2F teaching but provided opportunities for rapid implementation of alternative and supplementary teaching methods. Although online learning has become an integral part of periodontal education, teachers and learners alike favour some form of F2F teaching. Blended teaching and learning are feasible in many areas of periodontal education, both for knowledge and skills acquisition as well as in assessment. Student-centred methods and blended approaches such as the flipped classroom seem highly effective, and online/virtual classrooms with both synchronous and asynchronous lectures are highly valued. Learning with haptic methods and virtual reality (VR) enhances the educational experience, especially when VR is integrated with traditional methods. The quality of the teacher continues to be decisive for the best knowledge transfer in all its forms. CONCLUSIONS: Live F2F teaching continues to be highly trusted; however, all types of student-centred and interactive forms of knowledge transfer are embraced as enhancements. While digital methods offer innovation in education, blended approaches integrating both virtual and traditional methods appear optimal to maximize the achievement of learning outcomes. All areas of periodontal education (UG, PG and CPD) can benefit from such approaches; however, more research is needed to evaluate their benefits, both for knowledge transfer and skills development, as well as in assessment.

Patients' perspectives on their motivations for participating in non-clinical medical teaching and what they gain from their experience: a qualitative study informed by critical theory.

In 2019-2021, we engaged in a project aimed at developing, implementing, and evaluating an educational intervention actively involving patient-teachers in undergraduate medical education at Université Laval, Quebec, Canada. Patient-teachers were invited to participate in small group discussion workshops during which medical students deliberate on legal, ethical, and moral issues arising from medical practice. Patients were expected to bring other perspectives, based on their experience with illness and the healthcare system. Little is still known about patients' perspectives on their participation experience in such context. Informed by critical theory, our qualitative study aims to document,: (i) the motivating factors for patients' participation in our intervention; and (ii) what patients gained from the experience. Data collection was based on 10 semi-structured interviews with patient-teachers. A thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo software. Motivators for participation arose from: (i) perceived consistency between patients' individual characteristics and those of the project, and (ii) conceiving the project as a means to reach individual and social goals. What patients gained mainly refers to (1) the appreciation of a positive, enriching, motivating yet uncomfortable and destabilizing experience; (2) a deconstruction of biases against the medical field and critical thinking about their own experience; (3) new knowledge, with a potential impact on their future interactions with the healthcare system. Results reveal patients as non-neutral thinking and knowing subjects, engaged in the participation experience as active teachers and learners. They also highlight the empowering and emancipatory nature of the learning gained through patients' participation experience. These conclusions prompt us to promote transformative interventional approaches that question the pervasive power issues in medical teaching and value patients' specific knowledge in teaching and learning the Art of Medicine.

In experts' words: Translating theory to practice for teaching self-regulated learning.

INTRODUCTION: Health professions education (HPE) should help students to competently self-regulate their learning, preparing them for future challenges. This study explored the perspectives of expert self-regulated learning (SRL) researchers and practitioners on the practical integration of SRL theories into teaching. METHODS: An exploratory qualitative research study was conducted involving semi-structured interviews with acknowledged research leaders in the field of SRL and/or experienced professionals dedicated to teaching SRL strategies for complex skills in different disciplines. The data were analyzed using an iterative thematic approach guided by a six-step framework. RESULTS: Fifteen interviews were conducted with experts from six countries representing diverse contexts, cultures, and disciplines. We identified five themes related to translating theory to practice for teaching SRL in HPE: theoretical issues, cultural aspects, stakeholders' participation, teaching complexity, assessment, and feedback. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents a useful starting point for teaching SRL. The experts suggest a supportive learning environment with the guidance of competent teachers by using general and task-specific teaching and learning strategies, as well as sufficient sources and cycles of feedback, all tailored to the culture and context. These findings call for a shift in faculty development programs to foster teachers to support second-order scaffolding in HPE.

Twelve tips for maximizing the potential of reflective writing in medical education.

Reflective writing (RW) is a popular tool in medical education, but it is being used in ways that fail to maximize its potential. Literature in the field focuses on why RW is used - that is to develop, assess, and remediate learner competencies - but less so on how to use it effectively. The emerging literature on how to integrate RW in medical education is haphazard, scattered and, at times, reductionist. We need a synthesis to translate this literature into cohesive strategies for medical educators using RW in a variety of contexts. These 12 tips offer guidelines for the principles and practices of using RW in medical education. This synthesis aims to support more strategic and meaningful integration of RW in medical education.

Do we teach critical thinking? A mixed methods study of faculty and student perceptions of teaching and learning critical thinking at three professional schools.

INTRODUCTION: Critical thinking (CT) is an essential set of skills and dispositions for professionals. While viewed as an important part of professional education, approaches to teaching and assessing critical thinking have been siloed within disciplines and there are limited data on whether student perceptions of learning align with faculty perceptions of teaching. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors used a convergent mixed methods approach in required core courses in schools of education, government, and medicine at one university in the Northeast United States. Faculty surveys and student focus groups (FG) addressed definitions, strategies, and barriers to teaching CT. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Sixty-four (51.6%) faculty completed the survey, and 34 students participated in FGs. Among faculty, 54.0% (34/63) reported explicitly teaching CT; but students suggested teaching CT was predominantly implicit. Faculty-reported strategies differed among schools. Faculty defined CT in process terms such as 'analyzing'; students defined CT in terms of viewpoints and biases. Our results reveal a lack of explicit, shared CT mental models between faculty and students and across professional schools. Explicit teaching of CT may help develop a shared language and lead to better understanding and application of the skills and dispositions necessary to succeed in professional life.

Physiology quiz competition: the game of education or entertainment?

Questioning is an important activity in teaching. In medical colleges, on-stage quiz competitions are appreciated by students as well as faculty as they are an engaging way to connect with the discipline. We organized the Physiology Quiz Competition to assess the concepts of functional mechanisms of various organ systems. It was an academic tool for teaching and learning for 200 first-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) course students. It was conducted in four rounds: multiple choice question-based round 1 (R1), explanatory-type round 2 (R2), rapid-fire round 3 (R3), and image-based round 4 (R4). The postquiz feedback questionnaire included 23 total questions; 10 questions used a 5-point Likert scale, another 10 questions had dichotomous options, and the remaining 3 questions were used to collect general information about all rounds. Data were collected and analyzed. The outcome of academic learning was reported by 26% of students regarding R1, 30.5% regarding R2, 18.5% regarding R3, and 25% regarding R4 round. R4 and R3 were reported by 44.5% and 23% of students and R2 and R1 by 16% of students as a source of entertainment. A total of 67% of students found the quiz to be an excellent teaching and learning method. All students endorsed the quiz as innovative and interesting. In conclusion, the Physiology Quiz Competition can be used for edutainment as an innovative teaching and learning method, especially for first-year medical students.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The Physiology Quiz Competition is a method of teaching and learning that provides education with entertainment in a medical college. It increases students' interest in the subject of Physiology and helps them to understand and learn the subject effectively.

Photovoice: An active learning tool with community nursing students.

OBJECTIVE: To assess nursing students' experiences of using photovoice as a pedagogical approach to active learning in the community. METHODS: A descriptive design with a cross-sectional mixed-method questionnaire was used with 108 students following an educational activity, in which their communities were photographed and the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable populations was reflected. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Seventy eight percent of the students felt that photovoice was an interesting and useful tool for nurses, 89% affirmed it helped stimulate reflection on social and health inequities in times of pandemic, 82% described that it developed many emotions and feelings and 86% would like to disseminate their photographs directly to stakeholders, citizens, and politicians. Three themes were identified in the data: "stimulate critical reflection", "develop emotional skills", and "encourage action". CONCLUSIONS: Photovoice is a successful active learning pedagogical approach that engages nursing students to develop critical awareness while connecting with their communities, with the real world. It fosters students' sensitivity and motivation and encourages them to take action. Teachers need to introduce new scaffolds for active learning, such as photovoice, to provide innovative academic support that nurtures and develops the next generation of nurses appropriately.

Assessing satisfaction in simulation among nursing students: psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Simulation Experience - Italian Version scale.

BACKGROUND: The Satisfaction with Simulation Experience scale is a 5-point Likert scale that measures students' satisfaction in medium and high-fidelity simulation scenarios. This study aims at investigating the psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Simulation Experience - Italian Version scale. METHODS: A multi-centre cross-sectional study was conducted. The scale was administered to a sample of 266 undergraduate nursing students from two Italian universities after attending a medium- and high-fidelity simulation session in November 2022 and March 2023. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and item-total correlation were sorted out to assess internal consistency and reliability. The test-retest method was used as a measure of scale stability over time as well as the confirmatory factor analysis to verify construct validity. RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha value was 0.94 for the overall scale, indicating excellent reliability, and it was 0.84 or higher for each subscales, indicating good reliability. A large correlation coefficient of 0.60 or higher was found between each item and its subscale and between each item and the overall scale score. A medium test-retest correlation coefficient was found for most items (r > 0.30). The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the factorial structure found in the original study. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfaction is an important teaching and learning quality indicator along with the achievement of learning outcomes in simulation. The Satisfaction with Simulation Experience - Italian Version scale showed good reliability and validity; therefore, it could be a useful tool to assess simulation impact in Italian nursing students. The extensive utilization of the Satisfaction with Simulation Experience scale, along with its various validated versions, could facilitate assessing satisfaction in simulation across diverse contexts and enable comparisons of findings across studies in different countries.

Learning to produce and transcribe cardinal vowels: speech and language therapy students' perception of task difficulty.

Learning vowel transcription skills is crucial to function as a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT). However, vowel transcription is commonly regarded as particularly difficult and therefore often avoided. Despite the importance of accurate transcriptions, little is known about all the factors that influence the process of learning vowel transcription, which usually includes the learning of the Cardinal Vowel (CV) system. There are only a few studies that investigate how CVs are learnt and what factors lead to successful learning. The current study reports students' perceived difficulty of producing and transcribing CVs as a first step to identify how perceived difficulty affects phonetic learning. Perceived difficulty ratings for the production and transcription of 12 CVs collected from 155 students studying towards a qualification as an SLT were analysed. The results show that the classificatory features correlate with the perceived task difficulty of production and transcription. Implications for teaching are outlined.

Sociomaterial perspective as applied in interprofessional education and collaborative practice: a scoping review.

Learning and working together towards better health outcomes today have become more complex requiring an investigation on how interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaboration (IPC) practices could be sustained and further developed. Through a sociomaterial perspective, we can better understand IPE and IPC practices by foregrounding the material aspect of learning and working together and examining its relationship with humans and their interactions. This article aimed to examine existing literature that discusses the application of sociomaterial perspectives in IPE and IPC. A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's framework to explore the extent within the current body of knowledge that discuss how sociomaterial perspective is applied in IPE and IPC practices. A systematic database search was performed in September 2021 to retrieve literature published from 2007 onwards, with forty-three papers meeting the inclusion criteria. These papers included research articles, book chapters, conference papers and commentaries, with the majority originating from Europe. The thematic analysis revealed the following themes: (1) power as a sociomaterial entity shaping IPE and IPC; (2) inclusion of non-health professionals in reimagining IPE and IPC practices, and (3) the critical understanding of sociomateriality. The findings suggest that a sociomaterial perspective can allow for the reimagination of the contemporary and future practices of interprofessionalism.

How workplace learning is put into practice: contrasting the medical and nursing contexts from the perspective of teaching and learning regimes.

Health professions education places significant emphasis on learning in the clinical environment. While experiences of workplace learning have been extensively investigated, practices of workplace learning explored through field work have been less utilized. The theoretical framework of teaching and learning regimes acknowledges aspects of power and conflict in its consideration of what guides teachers and learners in their practice of workplace learning. This study aimed to explore practices of workplace learning in the two adjacent healthcare professions; medicine and nursing. We adopted an ethnographic qualitative design. Field observations and follow-up interviews were performed in three clinical departments and the data set comprised 12 full days of observations and 16 formal follow-up interviews. Thematic analysis was performed deductively according to the theoretical framework. Four teaching and learning regimes were found in the data. In the medical context, workplace learning was either practiced as reproduction of current practice or through stimulation of professional development. In the nursing context, workplace learning was either based on development of partnership between student and supervisor or on conditional membership in a professional community. The medical and nursing contexts demonstrated varying underpinnings and assumptions relating to teaching and learning. The respective practices of workplace learning in the medical and nursing context appear to hold substantial differences which might have implications for how we understand practices of workplace learning. We further conclude that the theoretical framework of teaching and learning regimes in this study proved useful in exploring workplace learning.

Using collaborative autoethnography to explore the teaching of qualitative research methods in medicine.

This article explores experiences of teaching qualitative research (QR) broadly, and qualitative methods (QM) more specifically in medicine, highlighting the challenges faced, and offering recommendations for overcoming them. Using collective online interviews, collaborative autoethnography (CAE) was employed to generate data comprising educator's reflective accounts of teaching QM in medical schools across two continents. Three main themes were identified through collaborative thematic analysis: making meaningful contributions from a marginalized position; finding our pedagogical feet; and recognizing the translational applicability and value of QR. We reflected on the marginalized positioning of QM in medical curricula and the underestimation of the value of QR to understanding pressing health issues. Analysis of these reflections pointed to a lack of formal training for educators and curriculum space for qualitative approaches. Our teaching pedagogies, developed through our own research experiences, self-reflection and student feedback, were primarily student-centered employing a range of novel approaches designed to foster skills and interest in the craft of QR, and introduce a greater appreciation of the significance of QR approaches to medicine. CAE further allowed us to identify some key recommendations that could help medical educators plan for teaching QM and other research methods more effectively in medicine. Future curriculum development should consider the benefits of exposing learners to a range of methods and approaches from across the qualitative-quantitative spectrum.

ChatGPT in research and health professions education: challenges, opportunities, and future directions.

ChatGPT was launched by OpenAI in November 2022 and within 2 months it became popular across a wide range of industrial, social, and intellectual contexts including healthcare education. This article reviews the impact of ChatGPT on research and health professions education by identifying the challenges and opportunities in these fields. Additionally, it aims to provide future directions to mitigate the challenges and maximize the benefits of this technology in health professions education. ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize the field of research and health professions education. However, there is a need to address ethical concerns and limitations such as lack of real-time data, data inaccuracies, biases, plagiarism, and copyright infringement before its implementation. Future research can highlight the ways to mitigate these challenges; establish guidelines and policies; and explore how effectively ChatGPT and other AI tools can be used in the field of research and healthcare professions education.

Past and Current Learning and Teaching Resources and Platforms.

For over two centuries, the educational landscape both nationally and globally has changed tremendously. The more traditional teaching and learning resources and platforms, such as traditional textbooks, chalkboards and whiteboards, overhead transparency and carousel projectors, and traditional classroom settings, have been either replaced or supplemented in the anatomical sciences by integrated and virtual eBooks, online learning management (OLM) platforms, and virtual learning and meeting apps. Virtual teaching and learning, especially proliferated with the advent and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and institutions worldwide that had already been utilizing virtual class and lab sessions in their anatomy curricula expanded virtual course offerings. Many institutions have retained virtual course offerings even after the pandemic, given the distance learning benefits. The future of anatomy education holds many promising possibilities given the voracious speed with which technology is advancing. One such promising advancement is the full, seamless incorporation of virtual three-dimensional (3D) immersive and semi-immersive learning into anatomy laboratories and classroom settings globally as well as into students' laptops and handheld devices for easy use at home or anywhere.

Student and Teacher Views on Cheating in High School: Perceptions, Evaluations, and Decisions.

Why do so many adolescents cheat despite judging that cheating is wrong? Two studies tested a new model of cheating in high school. In Study 1, 85 high schoolers in the Western U.S. reported their perceptions, evaluations, and motivations surrounding their own and hypothetical cheating. In Study 2, 83 teachers reported their views about cheating; we also analyzed course syllabi. About half of the adolescents reported unintentional cheating, and many judged their own cheating-but not hypothetical cheating-as acceptable. Decisions to cheat were responses to competing pressures, low value placed on the assignment, and other considerations. Study 2 revealed teacher-student disagreements about cheating, and minimal content about academic integrity in syllabi. The findings supported the proposed model of adolescent cheating.

Concept mapping: An aid to teaching and learning: AMEE Guide No. 157.

Concept maps are graphic representations that learners draw to depict their understanding of the meaning of a set of concepts. Concept maps can be a useful learning strategy in medical education. The purpose of this guide is to provide an understanding of the theoretical basis and instructional use of concept mapping in health professions education. The guide describes the key elements of a concept map and underscores the critical components of the implementation process, from the introduction of the activity to the use of different mapping techniques, based on purpose and context. This guide also examines the learning opportunities offered by collaborative concept mapping, including co-construction of knowledge, and provides suggestions for the use of concept mapping as an assessment for learning. Implications for the use of concept mapping as a tool for remediation are mentioned. Finally, the guide describes some of the challenges related to the implementation of this strategy.

'It's more like checking in with an old friend': A qualitative study of medical students' experiences with longitudinal coaches throughout medical school.

PURPOSE: Coaching in medical education facilitates learners' growth and development through feedback, goal-setting and support. This study explored how coaching relationships evolve throughout medical school and the impact of longitudinal coaching relationships on medical students' approach to feedback and goal setting in the clinical years. METHOD: In this qualitative study using a constructivist paradigm, authors purposively sampled 15 senior medical students at University of California, San Francisco, to participate in individual semi-structured interviews (October-November 2021). The authors used an inductive approach to thematic analysis. RESULTS: The authors identified four themes: First, the student-coach relationship deepened over the course of medical school. Second, students identified factors that sustained and strengthened the student-coach relationship over time: a strong foundation to the relationship, the non-evaluative nature of the relationship, coach supportiveness and responsiveness, and coach knowledge of the institutional landscape. Third, coaches provided individualized advice, assessed trajectory, and guided feedback interpretation. Lastly, students applied skills of soliciting and responding to feedback and creating learning goals, originally learned through coaching experience. CONCLUSIONS: Coaching relationships, grounded in trust, evolve to meet students' changing needs as they grow into physicians. Students apply feedback and goal-setting skills learned with the coach in clinical settings with other supervisors.

Twelve tips for teaching in virtual reality.

Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that is seeing increasing use in medical education as a means to complement or prepare students for clinical practice in a safe space. Whilst effective for learning, it can be difficult to use effectively and requires significant planning to avoid the technological tail wagging the educational dog. We have run educational sessions using the technology to teach anatomy and clinical reasoning that have been well received by students at Queen Mary, University of London. In this article, we share 12 practical tips from our experiences on how to create and deliver learning using VR.

Peer observation of student-led teaching.

INTRODUCTION: The use of near-peer teaching in medical schools is increasing internationally. Peer observation of teaching (POT) is a useful and effective method for enhancing teaching experiences and quality, but its use among student peer teachers is not well documented. The aim of the study was to explore medical student perceptions on the value and limitations of POT. METHODS: Ten medical students were trained as observers. Using a previously developed model, they observed 27 teaching sessions led by other students (observees), with a pre- and post-observation meeting. Observers and observees completed a survey and group interview to explore their experiences. Descriptive analysis of survey data and thematic analysis of qualitative data were conducted. RESULTS: Observees found feedback valuable in learning about, reflecting on, and increasing confidence in teaching practice. They felt comfortable receiving feedback and reported positively about the observers in terms of: expertise, relatability, non-intimidating presence, and awareness of the target audience. Observers reported learning more about good teaching practice. While most observers found it enjoyable, several found some aspects of giving feedback uncomfortable. Most found it difficult to establish a satisfactory dynamic, citing lack of credibility and difficulty in eliminating hierarchies. Pre-existing friendships were reported by observers as both helping and hindering the dynamic. DISCUSSION: Both observers and observees gained from the experience of POT. However, observers lacked confidence in their credibility. Further work should address how best to implement POT into the curriculum to improve teaching practice in medical students. Further training or coaching could be considered to overcome observers' concerns.[Box: see text].

Every doctor an educator?

INTRODUCTION: The education of the future health care workforce is fundamental to ensuring safe, effective, and inclusive patient care. Despite this there has been chronic underinvestment in health care education and, even though there is an increased need for educators, the true number of medical educators has been in relative decline for over a decade. PURPOSE: In this paper, we focus on the role of doctors as medical educators. We reflect on the culture in which medical education and training are delivered, the challenges faced, and their origins and sustaining factors. We propose a re-framing of this culture by applying Maslow's principles of the hierarchy of needs to medical educators, not only as individuals but as a specialist group and to the system in which this group works, to instigate actionable change and promote self-actualization for medical educators. DISCUSSION: Promoting and supporting the work of doctors who are educators is critically important. Despite financial investment in some practice areas, overall funding for and the number of medical educators continues to decline. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) schemes such as those offered by specialised medical education associations are welcomed, but without time, funding and a supportive culture from key stakeholders, medical educators cannot thrive and reach their potential. CONCLUSION: We need to revolutionise the culture in which medical education is practised, where medical educators are valued and commensurately rewarded as a diverse group of specialists who have an essential role in training the health care workforce to support the delivery of excellent, inclusive health care for patients. By reimagining the challenges faced as a hierarchy we show that until the fundamental needs of value, funding and time are realised, it will remain challenging to instigate the essential change that is needed.