Digital teaching: Developing a structured digital teaching competency framework for medical teachers.

AIM: To explore the core competencies needed on part of the medical and dental teachers to carry out effective digital teaching for their students. METHODS: It was a qualitative study which employed phenomenological approach. The data were collected from 12 teachers who were purposively selected for semi-structured interviews. They were all expert digital teachers. The data were transcribed verbatim, coded and analyzed thematically. Textural and structural description of the themes helped to develop a new competency framework. RESULTS: The data yielded 47 selective codes with 15 sub-themes and five themes. The emergent themes included general digital competencies, specific digital teaching competencies, mastery of the subject matter, mastery of pedagogical strategies and proficiency in using innovative digital technologies for teaching. The themes 1, 2 and 5 relate to digital competencies only whereas the themes 3 and 4 are generic competencies which apply to both digital and non-digital teaching. These generic competencies form the basis of all kinds of teaching, hence equally important for digital teaching. CONCLUSION: Medical teachers should possess diverse digital competencies. The competency framework that emerged in the current research encompasses the essential attributes that should be included in any future training program aiming at the digital capacity building of the teachers. This will keep them primed for effective digital teaching. Given its crucial importance, the digital teaching competency should be considered as a cross-cutting competency that applies to almost all of the famous eight roles of medical teacher.

Scaling up numbers and competency of graduating medical and dental students in Nigeria: Need to improve medical trainers' competency in teaching.

Background: With the increasing medical brain drain in Nigeria, there is a need to train and graduate more doctors to fill in the gaps created to mitigate the effects. To meet this goal, the trainers need to evolve and have the competency to deliver quality training for many more enrollees in medical schools. Aim: This study aimed to gather information about the perception of medical teachers' need to obtain certification in medical education and what this will achieve in scaling up the competency and number of graduating medical doctors. Subjects and Methods: Medical teachers in Nigeria participated in this mixed (quantitative and qualitative) study. Four hundred medical consultants and teachers were randomly selected and sent a semi-structured pre-validated questionnaire; also, a panel discussion was conducted with six medical teachers with other special assignments in universities and postgraduate colleges. Quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 24, differences in proportions were calculated using the Chi-square test, and P values <0.05 were considered significant. Results: Two hundred and thirty-eight (59.5%) participants completed the form, 63 (26.5%) had practiced for <5 years, and 114 (47.9%) had >10 years of practice experience. A majority of 168 (70.6%) were physician lecturers in federal or state universities, and 15.5% had obtained certifications of any kind in medical education. Over 80% perceived that medical education training should not be a prerequisite to teach, but a similar percentage believed that faculty medical education training can help scale up the training competency and the number of graduating medical doctors. Conclusion: To scale up the number and competency of graduating medical doctors, medical teachers need to acquire core teaching competency. The respondents and discussants believe that when these core teaching competencies have been fully developed, it will be easier to increase the number of medical students' enrollees, teach them their curriculum through innovations, and graduate them with improved competencies.

A Clinical Teaching Blended Learning Program to Enhance Registered Nurse Preceptors' Teaching Competencies: Pretest and Posttest Study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical nursing education provides opportunities for students to learn in multiple patient care settings, receive appropriate guidance, and foster the development of clinical competence and professionalism. Nurse preceptors guide students to integrate theory into practice, teach clinical skills, assess clinical competencies, and enhance problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Previous research has indicated that the teaching competencies of nurse preceptors can be transferred to students' clinical learning to enhance their clinical competencies. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a clinical teaching blended learning (CTBL) program with the aid of web-based clinical pedagogy (WCP) and case-based learning for nurse preceptors and to examine the effectiveness of the CTBL program on nurse preceptors' clinical teaching competencies, self-efficacies, attitudes toward web-based learning, and blended learning outcomes. METHODS: A quasi-experimental single-group pretest and posttest design was adopted. A total of 150 nurse preceptors participated in the CTBL program, which was conducted from September 2019 to December 2019. A set of questionnaires, including the clinical teaching competence inventory, preceptor self-efficacy questionnaire, attitudes toward web-based continuing learning survey, and e-learning experience questionnaire, was used to assess the outcomes before and after the CTBL program. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, the participants had significantly higher total mean scores and subdomain scores for clinical teaching competence (mean 129.95, SD 16.38; P<.001), self-efficacy (mean 70.40, SD 9.35; P<.001), attitudes toward web-based continuing learning (mean 84.68, SD 14.76; P<.001), and blended learning outcomes (mean 122.13, SD 14.86; P<.001) after the CTBL program. CONCLUSIONS: The CTBL program provides a comprehensive coverage of clinical teaching pedagogy and assessment strategies. The combination of the WCP and case-based approach provides a variety of learning modes to fit into the diverse learning needs of the preceptors. The CTBL program allows the preceptors to receive direct feedback from the facilitators during face-to-face sessions. Preceptors also gave feedback that the web-based workload is manageable. This study provides evidence that the CTBL program increases the clinical teaching competencies and self-efficacies of the preceptors and promotes positive attitudes toward web-based learning and better blended learning outcomes. The health care organization can consider the integration of flexible learning and intellect platforms for preceptorship education.

Training School Teachers to Deliver a Mindfulness Program: Exploring Scalability, Acceptability, Effectiveness, and Cost-effectiveness.

BACKGROUND: There is growing research support for the use of mindfulness training (MT) in schools, but almost no high-quality evidence about different training models for people wishing to teach mindfulness in this setting. Effective dissemination of MT relies on the development of scalable training routes. OBJECTIVE: To compare 4 training routes for school teachers wishing to deliver MT differing in intensity and potential scalability, considering teaching competency, training acceptability, and cost-effectiveness. METHODS: Schools were randomized to an existing route comprising an 8-session instructor-led personal mindfulness course, combined with 4-day MT program training, or 1 of 3 more scalable, lower intensity, alternatives: an instructor-led personal mindfulness course combined with 1-day MT program training, a self-taught personal mindfulness course (delivered through a course book) combined with 4-day MT program training, and a self-taught personal mindfulness course combined with 1-day MT program training. RESULTS: Attrition from training was substantial across all routes. The instructor-led course was more effective than the self-taught course in increasing teachers' personal mindfulness skills. Even the most intensive (existing) training route brought only 29% of the teachers commencing training, and 56% of those completing the study protocol, to the required minimum competency threshold (an advanced beginner rating on an adapted version of the Mindfulness-based Interventions Teaching Assessment Criteria). The differences in levels of competency achieved by existing training compared with the more scalable alternatives were modest, with economic evaluation suggesting that the existing route was both more expensive and more effective than lower intensity alternatives, but with no statistically significant differences between routes. CONCLUSIONS: This research questions the move toward abbreviating teacher training to increase scalability and suggests instead that many teachers require additional support to ensure competency from first delivery of MT in the classroom.

A web-based clinical pedagogy program to enhance registered nurse preceptors' teaching competencies - An innovative process of development and pilot program evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Registered Nurse Preceptors guide students to integrate theory into practice, assess clinical competencies, and enhance problem-solving skills. Researches have indicated that the teaching competencies of nurse preceptors can be transferred to students' clinical learning. OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study are to develop a web-based clinical pedagogy (WCP) program for Registered Nurse Preceptors and conduct pilot program evaluation. DESIGN: A three-step process was applied to integrate the theoretical framework, evidence from the systematic review, and content validity by the experts and pilot test with the Registered Nurse Preceptors in the content and technical development of the program. The WCP program has unique features including use of dashboard, interactive videos, consultation with experts, discussion forum and backend data analysis. RESULTS: A committee of six content experts evaluated the comprehensiveness, appropriateness, and relevancy of the program. The item-Content Validity Index (CVI) score ranged from 0.83 to 1.00 and the scale-CVI score was 0.87, which indicated that the WCP program had a strong content validity. Ten nurse preceptors were invited to use the WCP program. Preceptors shared that the website was easy to use and navigate. They commented that the videos in each module are beneficial for nurses to understand the real situation in the clinical setting. This feature also makes the website more interactive. Feedback from preceptors was subsequently used to further refine the program. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The WCP program is an evidence-based program that provides a comprehensive coverage on clinical teaching pedagogy and assessment strategies. The unique web-based technology and interactive features provide a platform for nurse preceptors to discuss clinical encounters with peers and consult experts. The flexible and resource-rich nature of web-based learning encourages nurses to use it for continuing education.

Reinforcement of the Framework for Experiential Education in Healthcare in Serbia: Post-Implementation Project Review within Pharmacy Education.

Background: The Erasmus+ project "Reinforcement of the Framework for Experiential Education in Healthcare in Serbia" (ReFEEHS) has been undertaken with the aim to: (i) reinforce and modernize experiential education (ExEd) in the health sciences curricula, (ii) introduce interprofessional education (IPE), and (iii) promote teaching competency development of academic staff and teacher practitioners/clinician educators. The aim of this paper is a post-implementation review of the project activities and outcomes with the emphasis on the impact and sustainability in pharmacy education. Methods: Project Logical framework matrix has been employed as planning, monitoring and evaluation tool which summarizes the main project objectives, project outcomes, relevant activities, indicators of progress, sources of verification, assumptions and risks. Results: The key project outcomes are: (i) update of competency-based curricula and development of quality assurance framework for students professional practice placements; (ii) development and introduction of interprofessional teaching and learning activities through joint curriculum delivery; and (iii) development and implementation of Teaching Certificate in Health Professions Education (TCinHPE) study program. The short-term impact of project activities and outcomes has been assessed based on the feedback received from relevant stakeholders, as well as self-evaluation of participants enrolled in new/updated curricula. Sustainability of project results is necessary in order to achieve long-term impact envisioned as increased level of professional competency of health science students; increased level of teaching competency of academic staff and teacher practitioners; improved patient healthcare and harmonisation with the EU practice and policies. Conclusions: The project outcomes contributed to building capacity at the Serbian universities involved in terms of collaboration between the healthcare professions and, in curriculum and academic staff development. It is expected that improved curricula will positively impact professional competency development of pharmacy students, graduates employability and increased workforce mobility. Meeting the quality standards of the European Higher Education Area will contribute to visibility of Serbian universities and their internationalisation, which is one of the strategic aims of improvement.

Roadmap for a competency-based educational curriculum in epileptology: report of the Epilepsy Education Task Force of the International League Against Epilepsy.

Teaching competency in the diagnosis and clinical management of epilepsy is of utmost importance for the ILAE. To achieve this mission, the Task Force for Epilepsy Education (EpiEd) developed a competency-based curriculum for epileptology, covering the spectrum of skills and knowledge for best medical practice. The curriculum encompasses seven domains, 42 competencies, and 124 learning objectives, divided into three levels: entry (Level 1), proficiency (Level 2), and advanced proficiency (Level 3). A survey of the currently existing ILAE-endorsed teaching activities identified a significant gap in education of basic knowledge of epileptology (Level 1). To bridge this gap, a web-based educational tool is being developed. A virtual campus will be constructed around the curriculum, integrating the various educational activities of the ILAE. This paper describes the development of the curriculum and future tasks necessary to achieve the educational goal of the ILAE.