Online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic: exploring science/STEM teachers' curriculum and assessment practices in Canada.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated school closures globally, resulting in an abrupt move to online/distance teaching or emergency remote teaching (ERT). Teachers and students pivoted from face-to-face engagement to online environments, thus impacting curriculum, pedagogy, and student outcomes across a variety of disciplines. In this paper, the authors focus on science/STEM teachers' experiences with online teaching and learning in a Canadian context during the pandemic. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through an online questionnaire administered to 75 Grade 1-12 science/STEM teachers in a Canadian province in May-July 2020. Through the TPACK framework and self-efficacy theory, the authors explore i) curriculum planning and implementation in online settings, ii) assessment practices and their effectiveness, and iii) student outcomes, as observed by the teachers. Results indicate that teachers used a variety of platforms, and choice of platform was mainly due to user-friendliness and interactivity, or administrative decision making. Despite teachers organizing online lessons during ERT, gaps were identified in teachers' TPACK framework and self-efficacy, thus impacting their curriculum development, pedagogical approaches, and assessment practices. In general, teaching strategies included pre-recorded videos and self-directed learning in which teachers assigned specific tasks for students to perform independently. Teachers prioritized subject content and covering curriculum objectives over creative and student-centered pedagogical approaches. Assessment techniques employed were viewed by teachers as unauthentic and generally ineffective. Moreover, teachers reported difficulties addressing student needs and abilities, resulting in challenges providing equitable and inclusive online teaching. Finally, online teaching was viewed negatively by most teachers, in terms of student engagement and outcomes.

Assessment of Preparedness for Remote Teaching and Learning to Transform Health Professions Education in Sub-Saharan Africa in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study With a Case Study Approach.

BACKGROUND: The current COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all aspects of society worldwide. To combat the pandemic, measures such as face mask-wearing, hand-washing and -sanitizing, movement restrictions, and social distancing have been introduced. These measures have significantly disrupted education, particularly health professions education, which depends on student-patient contact for the development of clinical competence. The wide-ranging consequences of the pandemic are immense, and health professions education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa have not been spared. OBJECTIVE: This paper describes a protocol for assessing the preparedness of selected health professions education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa for remote teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A mixed-methods design with a case study approach will be used. The awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and reinforcement model of change was selected as the conceptual framework to guide the study. Eight higher education institutions in 6 sub-Saharan countries have participated in this study. Data will be collected through electronic surveys from among whole populations of academic staff, students, and administrators in undergraduate medicine and nursing programs. Qualitative and quantitative data from each institution will be analyzed as a case study, which will yield an inventory of similar cases grouped for comparison. Quantitative data will be analyzed for each institution and then compared to determine associations among variables and differences among programs, institutions, or countries. RESULTS: Our findings will provide information to higher education institutions, particularly those offering health professions education programs, in Africa regarding the preparedness for remote teaching and learning to influence efforts related to web-based teaching and learning, which is envisaged to become the new normal in the future. CONCLUSIONS: This study has not received any funding, and any costs involved were borne by individual consortium members at the various institutions. Ethics approval from the institutional review board was obtained at various times across the participating sites, which were free to commence data collection as soon as approval was obtained. Data collection was scheduled to begin on October 1, 2020, and end on February 28, 2021. As of this submission, data collection has been completed, and a total of 1099 participants have been enrolled. Data analysis has not yet commenced. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/28905.

Equity factors during the COVID-19 pandemic: Difficulties in emergency remote teaching (ert) through online learning.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Emergency Remote Teaching through Online Learning (ERT-OL) has become the prevalent form of learning at many universities worldwide. At the same time, voices around the world have pointed to difficulties in online learning in general and to concerns regarding educational equity in particular. The current study sought to increase knowledge about specific hindering elements in ERT-OL and about the relationships between these elements from the standpoint of the following equity factors-socioeconomic status, language, and juggling among students who are also parents or working. To this end, the study analyzed 154 open-ended textual statements concerning the difficulties perceived by students at a university in Israel. The qualitative thematic analysis generated a map of hindering elements categorized in terms of a) processes: technology, pedagogy, content, situation and individual characteristics, and b) outcomes: cognitive, affective, social, and physical. The map revealed a mesh of intricate mediating and moderating links whose effect can intensify for each equity factor. On the positive side, seeds of mitigating strategies emerged as well. The study advances knowledge regarding ERT-OL hindering elements and their relationships and provides a better understanding of how these debilitating relationships may be exacerbated when equity factors are considered. Researchers and teachers interested in ERT-OL or in "normal" online learning in the future can use the map as a research and teaching framework to identify inequities and prevent further gaps.

Formação em psicologia: estágios e avaliação psicológica / Psychology training: internships and psychological assessment / Formación en psicología: pasantías y evaluación psicológica

Resumo Este artigo discute a formação em Psicologia no contexto da pandemia do Covid-19. Expõe os princípios e compromissos que norteiam o processo de formação, tomando como referência as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais e os valores que garantem uma prática profissional guiada pela ética, pela competência técnica e pela busca de uma sociedade democrática e justa. A partir de aporte histórico sobre o desenvolvimento da área e da formação em Psicologia e da análise das normativas legais e orientações emitidas pelos órgãos reguladores nesse período de exceção, reflete sobre duas das atividades que estão entre as mais desafiadoras quando se fala em atividades remotas emergenciais: os estágios obrigatórios e o ensino da avaliação psicológica. Os estágios têm importância ímpar no processo de formação, uma vez que permitem a consolidação de conhecimentos, habilidades e competências a partir de experiências em situações reais de trabalho. A avaliação psicológica, por sua vez, atividade privativa do psicólogo, exige, para sua aprendizagem, contato direto com instrumentos e contextos de avaliação, e prática em situações reais. Consideradas a relevância e as exigências desses dois tipos de atividades para a formação do psicólogo, e as demandas por flexibilidade e busca de alternativas para esse período de isolamento social, se analisa os limites e possibilidades das atividades remotas, confrontando-as com as exigências necessárias para uma formação de qualidade.

Abstract This article discusses Psychology training in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It describes the principles and commitments that guide the training process, taking as reference the Brazilian Curriculum Guidelines and the values that ensure professional practice guided by ethics, technical competence and the pursuit for a democratic and fair society. Based on a historical contribution on the development of the field and of Psychology training and on the analysis of legal norms and guidelines issued by the regulatory agencies in this period of exception, we discuss two of the most challenging activities when it comes to remote activities emergency: compulsory internships and psychological assessment teaching. Internships are unparalleled in the training process, as they allow to consolidate knowledge, skills and competences based on experiences in real work situations. In order to learn how to perform psychological assessments, a private activity of the psychologist, direct contact with assessment instruments, contexts, and practice in real situations are required. Given the relevance and requirements of these two types of activities for psychologist training, and the demands for flexibility and alternatives for this period of social isolation, we analyze the limits and possibilities of remote activities, confronting them with the requirements necessary for quality training.

Resumen Este artículo analiza la formación en psicología en el contexto de la pandemia de Covid-19. Presenta los principios y compromisos que orientan el proceso de formación, tomando como referencia los Lineamientos Curriculares Nacionales y los valores que garantizan un ejercicio profesional guiado por la ética, la competencia técnica y la búsqueda de una sociedad democrática y justa. Con base en un aporte histórico sobre el desarrollo del área y en la formación en psicología y en el análisis de las normas y lineamientos legales emitidos por los organismos reguladores en este período de excepción, se reflexiona sobre dos de las actividades que se encuentran entre las más desafiantes cuando se habla de actividades remotas de emergencia: las pasantías obligatorias y la enseñanza de la evaluación psicológica. Las prácticas tienen una importancia singular en el proceso de formación, ya que permiten la consolidación de conocimientos, habilidades y competencias a partir de experiencias en situaciones laborales reales. La evaluación psicológica, actividad privada del psicólogo, requiere, para su aprendizaje, el contacto directo con los instrumentos y contextos de evaluación y la práctica en situaciones reales. Considerando la relevancia y exigencias de los dos tipos de actividades para la formación del psicólogo y las demandas de flexibilidad y búsqueda de alternativas para este período de aislamiento social, se analizan los límites y posibilidades de las actividades remotas al compararlos con los requisitos necesarios para la formación de calidad.