INTRODUCTION: In health professions education, it is widely recognised that concept mapping helps students organise their knowledge. This study aimed to investigate the quality of first-year dental students' cognitive structures and the factors that influence it. Two approaches (qualitative and descriptive) to analysing student concept maps are described in this article. The qualitative approach emphasises the distinct morphologies (structures) that are considered to indicate the level of understanding. The descriptive approach provides information on the content's richness in terms of concepts and key concepts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 31 first-year dental students participated in this study. In an introductory session, students drew their first concept map (CM) using Cmaptools software. Then, students created and submitted individualised CMs for four course topics. Qualitative and descriptive approaches to analysing concept maps are valuable because they highlight what students have learned and how they organise and structure knowledge through CMs. To determine students' cognitive structures and explore the evolution of their representations over the four course topics, two examiners analysed the CMs' morphology and content. RESULTS: Students presented various cognitive structures for the same topic. The quality of concept maps seemed to be influenced by the topic, as well as by familiarisation with making CM. CONCLUSION: Concept mapping revealed the organisation of students' knowledge. This study explored the structural (morphology) and content analyses of CMs. The quality of the CMs seems to be affected by the nature of the topic.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the practice-representation links among Health Care Professionals (HCP)s practising Therapeutic Patient Education (TPE). Understanding these links might actually help to address the challenges of TPE implementation, particularly the patient-centred dimension. METHODS: A qualitative study using individual interviews was conducted with HCPs practising in French-speaking Belgium or in France. Data analysis was carried out in two steps: to draw up a typology of educational practices (including variations) and, in line with the Social Representation Theory, to identify possible related social representations. RESULTS: The typology, based on HCP-Patient power distribution, was built from 26 interviews. Four types and nine subtypes were identified. Besides the power distribution, practice (sub)types were also specific regarding communication modes, consideration for patients' representations, motivational approach, personalization, complexity of methods and learning contents, and practice reflexivity. Practices were seldom constant. Three variations were highlighted: within a subtype, between different subtypes, and between education and technical care. Both practice subtypes and variations were related to specific decisive representations. DISCUSSION: Representations related to practices and those related to practices variations offer new perspectives for TPE implementation. There is no panacea for achieving more patient-centred approaches; tailored strategies based on practice subtypes are needed.
Health Personnel , Patient Education as Topic , Humans , Health Personnel/education , Qualitative Research , Attitude of Health Personnel
Abstract This quantitative study examines how pre-service teachers' personal motivations are related to engagement. Subjects were pre-service teachers (n=764) enrolled in nine Chilean universities. Multiple linear regression analysis and path analysis were conducted. Controlling for demographic and academic variables, we show a motivational variables model that significantly predicts engagement. Results indicate strong, positive relationships between engagement and expectancy/value components of motivation for professional training, task value of motivation for academic reading, and intellectual curiosity. Although weaker predictors of engagement, motivation to become a teacher and motivation to teach were still statistically significant and mediated other variables. Overall, the model shows good fit. The results of the present study call for, at least within the Chilean context, the careful consideration that "motivation to become a teacher" or "motivation to teach" may not be enough to explain the teacher training engagement.
Resumen Este estudio cuantitativo examina la relación entre diversas variables motivacionales y el compromiso académico en futuros docentes. Los participantes correspondieron a futuros profesores (n=764) de nueve universidades chilenas. Se realizaron análisis de regresión lineal múltiple y análisis de ruta. Se controlaron las variables demográficas y académicas y se propuso un modelo causal con variables motivacionales que predicen significativamente el compromiso académico. Los resultados muestran una relación fuerte y positiva entre el compromiso y los componentes de expectativa / valor de la motivación para la formación profesional, el valor de la tarea para la lectura académica y la curiosidad intelectual. Aunque las variables motivación para llegar a ser profesor y la motivación por enseñar resultaron predictores débiles del compromiso, fueron estadísticamente significativas y mediaron otras variables motivacionales. En general, el modelo muestra un buen ajuste. En conclusión, los resultados del presente estudio alertan de que, al menos dentro del contexto chileno, la consideración de las variables "motivación para convertirse en maestro" o "motivación por enseñar" pueden no ser suficientes para explicar el compromiso académico durante la formación inicial de los docentes.
Universities , Faculty , Teacher Training , Motivation
Background. Two decades after "patient education" was defined by the World Health Organization, its integration in health care practices remains a challenge. Perceptions might shed light on these implementation difficulties. This systematic review aims to investigate links between perceptions and patient education practices among health care professionals, paying particular attention to the quality of practices in order to highlight any associated perception. Method. PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched using the following search terms: "perceptions," "patient education," "health care professionals," and "professional practices." PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were used. Results. Twenty studies were included. Overall findings supported the existence of links between some perceptions and practices. Links were either correlational or "causal" (generally in a single direction: perceptions affecting practices). Four types of perceptions (perceptions of the task including patient education, perceptions about the patient, perceptions of oneself as a health care professional, and perceptions of the context) were identified as being linked with educational practices. Links can although be mediated by other factors. Results concerning links should, however, be considered with caution as practices were mostly assessed by prevalence measurements, were self-reported and concerned exclusively individual education. When analyzing the quality of practices, the two retained studies highlighted their changing nature and the central role of perceptions with respect to the individual patient. Conclusions. This literature review led us to specify the quality criteria for further research: covering the entire spectrum of patient education, operationalizing variables, exploring specific practices, measuring the quality of practices, developing designs that facilitate causation findings, and considering a bidirectional perspective.
Attitude of Health Personnel , Patient Education as Topic , Humans
First year experience in higher education has been extensively investigated in the literature. Yet, two limitations can be identified out of the literature. The majority of the studies focused on single factor analysis, restraining the multifactorial understanding of adjustment's determinants. Moreover, the temporal unfolding of the first year at the university has mainly been disregarded, limiting the dynamic framing of adjustment process. To overcome these limitations, the current study used a longitudinal qualitative design in order to grasp the dynamic complexity of adjustment process. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in two steps with 17 freshmen from Science department. The aims were to unfold the constructs at play in student's adjustment process and the dynamic interplay between them over time. The analyses were grounded into Nicholson's theoretical framework of transition cycle and the material was analyzed through thematic and sequential analysis. Four themes (readiness, reaching personal drives, fighting an overwhelming program and becoming a self-regulated learner) and four different events (starting up, click, exhaustion and deficiencies accumulation) were identified in the material disclosing the dynamic nature of adjustment process. An overall reflection on the findings is proposed in the conclusion.
