Formative assessment: higher education students' perceptions of self-directed learning skills/strategies / Evaluación formativa: percepciones de los estudiantes de educación superior respecto a las habilidades/estrategias de aprendizaje autodirigido

Formative assessment is conceived as a complex activity that requires the awareness of teachers and students. Hence the interest in delving deeper into this issue from the students' perspective. This research aimed to analyze the perceptions of Nursing and Accounting and Auditing students regarding self-directed learning skills/strategies as part of the formative assessment process. To collect data, the instrument Student perceptions on formative assessments was used, developed, validated and published by Lim YS. 2019, which consists of four components. This instrument was applied to students from different majors at a public university, within the framework of the development of the research projects Innovative bimodal teaching for the development of competencies in university students and Bimodal teaching system for the development of learning and knowledge technologies. For the purposes of this study, the third component referring to the self-directed learning skill/strategy was taken into consideration. The research was carried out at a public university in the province of Manabí, Ecuador. The instrument was applied to students of the Nursing and Accounting and Auditing Degree, whose teachers participate in the Curriculum, Innovation, Education and Training Research Program. It is concluded that regardless of the degree, study modality and levels, formative assessment is seen by students as the space that allows the development of skills that improve critical and constructive performance.

La evaluación formativa se concibe como una actividad compleja que requiere de la sensibilización de docentes y estudiantes. De ahí el interés por profundizaar en esta problemática desde las perspectiva de los estudiantes. Esta investigación planteó como objetivo analizar las percepciones de los estudiantes de Enfermería y Contabilidad y Auditoría respecto a las habilidades/estrategias de aprendizaje autodirigido como parte del proceso de la evaluación formativa. Para la recolección de los datos se hizo uso del instrumento Percepciones de los estudiantes sobre las evaluaciones formativas, desarrollado, validado y publicado por Lim YS. 2019, que consta de cuatro componentes. Este instrumento fue aplicado a estudiantes de diferentes carreras de una universidad pública, en el marco del desarrollo de los proyectos de investigación Enseñanza bimodal innovadora para el desarrollo de competencias en estudiantes universitarios y Sistema de enseñanza bimodal para el desarrollo de tecnologías del aprendizaje y el conocimiento. Para efectos de este estudio, se tomó en consideración el tercer componente referido a la habilidad/estrategia de aprendizaje autodirigido. La investigación se llevó a efecto en una universidad pública de la provincia de Manabí, Ecuador. El instrumento fue aplicado a estudiantes de la Carrera de Enfermería y Contabilidad y Auditoría, cuyos docentes participan en el Programa de Investigación Currículo, Innovación, Educación y Formación. Se concluye que independientemente de la carrera, la modalidad de estudio y niveles, la evaluación formactiva es vista por los estudiantes como el espacio que permite el desarrollo de habilidades que mejora el desempeño crítico y constructivo.

Acquiring musculoskeletal skills with curriculum-based reinforcement learning.

Efficient musculoskeletal simulators and powerful learning algorithms provide computational tools to tackle the grand challenge of understanding biological motor control. Our winning solution for the inaugural NeurIPS MyoChallenge leverages an approach mirroring human skill learning. Using a novel curriculum learning approach, we trained a recurrent neural network to control a realistic model of the human hand with 39 muscles to rotate two Baoding balls in the palm of the hand. In agreement with data from human subjects, the policy uncovers a small number of kinematic synergies, even though it is not explicitly biased toward low-dimensional solutions. However, selectively inactivating parts of the control signal, we found that more dimensions contribute to the task performance than suggested by traditional synergy analysis. Overall, our work illustrates the emerging possibilities at the interface of musculoskeletal physics engines, reinforcement learning, and neuroscience to advance our understanding of biological motor control.

Social skills programme for adolescents with depression: initial outcomes of a hospital based study in Sri Lanka.

OBJECTIVE: This quasi-experimental study aimed to describe the outcome of a social skills intervention for adolescents with depression followed up at an outpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit. Twenty adolescents with depression attending a tertiary care facility in Colombo, Sri Lanka were recruited, who participated in two social skills training programmes (6 months apart), in addition to pharmacological treatment. Outcome of the programme was measured by a self-administered questionnaire that assessed perceived changes in social skills, before and after the intervention. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used to determine the statistical significance of improvement in social skills. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 80% (n = 16) female adolescents. Median scores (inter-quartile range) for social skills before and after the first social skills programme were 31.5 (21.0-36.0) and 33.0 (28.25-40.25) respectively, indicating a significant improvement in social skills following intervention (p = 0.011, r = 0.57). A similar improvement was observed after the second programme (n = 10), reporting higher median scores for social skills after intervention (29.5 vs. 37.5, p = 0.005, r = 0.89). A significant improvement was also observed in perceived ability to cope with depressive thoughts after intervention (p = 0.032), indicating that social skills training can be a useful adjunct to pharmacological interventions, in the management of depression in adolescents.

Effect of a simulation game on nursing students' reflective thinking skills: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effect of a simulation game called "The Ward" on reflective thinking skills of senior nursing students. METHODS: A convergent mixed methods parallel research design was conducted between February-April 2018. The sample for this study was a convenience sample (n = 23) of senior nursing students. Student Information Form, Reflective Thinking Scale and a structured interview form were used as data collection tools. During study, simulation game was played once a week for seven weeks. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean) were used for analyzing data, t test for dependent groups tests were applied to determine differences within group and qualitative data was analyzed with content analysis. RESULTS: After playing the simulation game, nursing students' reflective thinking scores (pre-test = 39.70 ± 5.15; post-test = 67.39 ± 8.13) increased significantly (p < 0.05). It was found students noticed their shortcomings and mislearnings by comparing their existing knowledge in setting of teamwork and cooperation created by the game, and consequently students' motivation increased or decreased. The teamwork and collaboration created with in the simulation game caused students to gain self-confidence, to expand their perspectives, to develop effective decision-making skills, to increase their motivation, to discover their own incomplete knowledge, skills or mislearnings. CONCLUSIONS: These results support that the simulation games can be used to improve reflective thinking level of students. This finding shows that nursing education curriculum needs to be restructured using new methods such as simulation games aimed at improving students' reflective thinking skills. In this direction nurse educators should be involved with policy making and policy makers to develop strategies to ensure that graduated nursing students should gain reflective thinking skills. In addition nurse executives should encourage using simulation and simulation games in service training to improve nurses' reflective thinking skills and life long learning.

Interactive Notebooks Improve Students' Understanding of Developmental Neurobiology, Attitudes Toward Research, and Experimental Design Competency in a Lecture-Based Neuroscience Course.

Recent efforts to engage postsecondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students in the rigors of discovery-driven inquiry have centered on the integration of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) within the biology curricula. While this method of laboratory education is demonstrated to improve students' content knowledge, motivations, affect, and persistence in STEM, CUREs may present as cost- and/or resource-prohibitive. Likewise, not all lecture courses have a concomitant laboratory requirement. With these caveats in mind, we developed the NeuroNotebook intervention, which provided students enrolled in a standalone Developmental Neurobiology course with an immersive, semester-long "dry-lab" experience incorporating many of the same elements as a CURE (e.g., collaboration, use of experimental design skills, troubleshooting, and science communication). Quantitative and qualitative assessment of this intervention revealed positive pre-/post-semester gains in students' content knowledge, attitudes toward the research process, and development of science process skills. Collectively, these data suggest that interventions such as the NeuroNotebook can be an effective alternative to a "wet-lab" experience.

An Interactive, Case-Based Workshop on the Patient Experience for Internal Medicine Residents.

Introduction: The technological revolution has narrowed the information gap between physician and patient. This has led to an evolution in medicine from paternalistic to patient-centric, with health care systems now prioritizing patient experience to achieve higher satisfaction scores. Therefore, it is imperative to start early in educating trainees on how to best address the holistic needs of the patient while also delivering high-quality care. Methods: We implemented a 1-hour workshop that was repeated weekly over 8 weeks to capture all internal medicine residents in our program. During the workshop, we reviewed the historical evolution of patient care from paternalistic to patient-centered, presented the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey questions, and discussed evidence-based strategies for physicians to improve their patients' experience utilizing four case-based scenarios. Results: Over the 8-week period, a total of 195 residents participated in the workshop. One hundred thirty-nine residents (71%) completed the pre- and postsession survey. Results demonstrated significant knowledge improvement (p < .001) in all of the topics discussed. Additionally, the majority of residents felt the workshop would be useful in their clinical practice and found the clinical scenarios useful. Discussion: Given the evolution towards patient-centered care, it is important to take a proactive approach in providing residents with the tools to best address their patients' needs. Early understanding of patient satisfaction surveys and the impacts they have on hospital metrics can help trainees in their careers as practicing physicians.

Identifying group metacognition associated with medical students' teamwork satisfaction in an online small group tutorial context.

BACKGROUND: Collaborative learning is an essential pedagogy in medical education, within which small group learning constitutes an integral component. Online small group teaching has been widely applied and blended with in-person sessions in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. This study examined whether group metacognition was associated with teamwork satisfaction in an online small group teaching curriculum for medical students. METHODS: We enrolled medical students of the 2nd and 4th years during the 2021 fall semester after they participated in 3 consecutive sessions of online small group tutorials (SGTs), which have been implemented in our medical school for more than 20 years. The students completed a group metacognitive scale (GMS) and a teamwork satisfaction scale (TSS) after the sessions. We analyzed whether group metacognition in 4 dimensions (knowledge of cognition, planning, evaluating, and monitoring) could be connected with medical students' teamwork satisfaction using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). RESULTS: A total of 263 medical students participated in this study. Both GMS and TSS exhibited good reliability and validity. Three of the 4 dimensions of group metacognition (cognition, planning, and evaluating) positively correlated with teamwork satisfaction (path coefficients 0.311, 0.279, and 0.21; p = 0.002, 0.002, and 0.043, respectively) following the online SGT curriculum, whereas the monitoring dimension did not (path coefficient 0.087; p = 0.357). The model achieved an adjusted R square of 0.683. CONCLUSION: We discovered that group metacognition correlated positively with better teamwork satisfaction, supporting the importance of group metacognitive competency for online collaborative learning.

Construction and implementation of a laparoscopic skill training course based on a smartphone application and virtual reality.

BACKGROUND: To develop a laparoscopic training course that combines a smartphone application (APP) and virtual reality (VR), and initially evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of its implementation. METHODS: The Exploring Laparoscopy (Ex-Lap) app was developed to meet training demands. The course was designed by integrating the app with a VR simulator (LapSim®) and animal organ perfusion simulators. From January 2021 to December 2023, 91 participants were enrolled in the study and then divided into 5 separate batches to undergo the first stage of the course. The performance of the participants was evaluated by rating scale, the overall Training and Assessment of Basic Laparoscopic Techniques (TABLT) scores, and pass rates. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0, employing Kruskal-Wallis tests, Chi-squared analysis, and Fisher's exact test, depending on the data type. RESULTS: The Staged Training and Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (STALS) course was developed, consisting of three stages. The overall pass rates for the first stage across the five batches ranged from 85 to 100%, with no significant difference (P = 0.387). No significant differences were found in the scale scores or TABLT scores for the training tasks among students from different batches (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The STALS course is applicable in residency training, demonstrating satisfactory teaching effectiveness and replicability.

Medical Students' Readiness for Prescription Communication Skills Training: A Needs Assessment Study.

Background and objectives The quality of doctor-patient communication plays a crucial role in determining positive medical outcomes. Medical educators may be able to develop effective programs to orient the students toward learning communication skills with the aid of assessment of the attitude of medical students toward such learning. Recently, the National Medical Commission's updated syllabus strongly emphasized on the value of training in prescription communication skills (PCS), in pharmacology. Our study utilizes the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) to explore medical students' attitudes toward learning PCS in a private medical college, aiming to address the dearth of data in the Indian context. Methodology This cross-sectional study assessed the attitudes of 131 second-year medical students at Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences toward PCS training. Validated, 26-item CSAS was used to measure their attitudes which include 13 items of Positive Attitude Scale (PAS) and 13 items of Negative Attitude Scale (NAS), and data analysis was conducted using independent t-tests to explore potential associations based on socio-demographic factors. Results The study scale showed an acceptable internal consistency of 0.71 (Cronbach's alpha) with 0.92 and 0.76 for PAS and NAS, respectively. The overall mean PAS score and NAS score were 54.2±6.9 and 34.7±6.3, respectively, indicating that the majority of students recognized the significance of communication skills for their future medical practice. Male students had significantly lower PAS scores (52.1±7.4) compared to female students (55±6.6) (p=0.02). Students with a rural background had significantly higher PAS scores (56.2±6.1) (p=0.01) compared to those with an urban background (53.2±9.8). No significant association was seen with demographic parameters like schooling background, presence of doctors in the family, and mother tongue they spoke. Conclusion The study revealed that second-year medical students had a strong inclination toward learning PCS. Therefore, greater emphasis should be placed on providing adequate training in PCS to the students to ensure effective doctor-patient interactions.

Transforming science communication through storytelling.

Science communication is an important skill. It is easier for nonacademic audiences to remember stories that resonate with their imagination rather than facts and figures. To help early-career researchers develop their skills, the EU-LIFE Science Communications Working Group (SCWG) developed a training course based on the experience from previous workshops held at a research institute in Denmark. The stories crafted in the workshops proved impactful, with some integrated into broader campaigns and featured in science magazines. The initiative holds potential for transformative change, helping researchers promote their findings and increasing awareness of emerging research topics among the public. Recently, the initiative has been customized for a summer school aimed at medical doctors pursuing a PhD, marking a step forward in the SCWG's mission to equip researchers with essential communication skills.

Coping Strategies of Patients With Advanced Lung or Colorectal Cancer Over Time: Insights From the International ACTION Study.

OBJECTIVE: A comprehensive understanding of coping strategies of patients with advanced diseases can contribute to providing supportive care that meets patients' needs. However, insight into how coping of this population develops over time is lacking. We examined coping strategies of patients with advanced cancer over time and identified distinct trajectories and their predictors. METHODS: Data from 675 patients of the control group from the ACTION cluster-randomized trial were analyzed. Patients with lung or colorectal cancer from six European countries (Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia and the United Kingdom) completed questionnaires at baseline, 12 and 20 weeks. Measures included Denial, Acceptance, and Problem-focused coping (COPE, Brief COPE inventory; scores 4-16 per scale). We used linear mixed models to analyze the data and latent class mixed models to identify stable (within patient change < 2) coping strategies. RESULTS: At baseline, patients reported low use of Denial (6.6) and greater use of Acceptance (12.6) and Problem-Focused coping (12.2). These scores did not significantly change. We found four distinct trajectories for the use of Denial, three for Acceptance and five for Problem-Focused coping strategies. Stable trajectories were found in 513 (77%) patients for Denial, 645 (96%) for Acceptance and 602 (91%) for Problem-Focused coping. All coping strategies were stable in 447 (68%) patients and two were stable in 181 patients (28%). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the use of coping strategies was rather stable in the majority of patients with advanced cancer. However, for each of the coping strategies subgroups of patients reported fluctuating coping trajectories.

Improvement in coping skills from culturally-adapted digital CBT for Spanish-speaking Hispanics with substance use disorder: Secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Developing adaptive coping skills for avoiding substance use is a proposed treatment mechanism of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for substance use disorder (SUD). However, the generalizability of research on treatment mechanisms of CBT for SUD is limited by the underrepresentation of racial/ethnic minorities in clinical trials. In a secondary analysis of clinical trial data, we tested whether a culturally-adapted digital CBT program for Hispanics ("Spanish CBT4CBT") improved the quality of coping skills for avoiding substance use. We also tested whether coping skills' quality was associated with reductions in primary substance use. METHODS: Participants were Spanish-speaking Hispanic adults seeking outpatient treatment for SUD (n = 85; 68 % male; primary substance type: 36 % cannabis, 33 % alcohol, 26 % cocaine, 5 % other). They were randomized to 8 weeks of outpatient treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU + Spanish CBT4CBT and assessed for 6 months after treatment. The study conducted separate analyses for the full sample (n = 85) and for those who engaged in at least 5 treatment sessions ("treatment exposed"; n = 64). Daily substance use and coping skills' quality were assessed repeatedly during the treatment and follow-up periods. Bayesian mixed models for repeated measures tested hypotheses. RESULTS: Among treatment-exposed participants, those receiving TAU + Spanish CBT4CBT improved the quality of coping skills more than TAU alone during the treatment period (b = 0.77; 95 % CI[0.08, 1.47]), but this difference was not detected during the follow-up period. In the full sample and treatment exposed subsample, participants with higher quality coping skills during the study reported less primary substance use (b = -0.67; 95 % CI[-1.08, -0.26]). Among treatment-exposed participants only, within-person increases in the quality of coping skills were associated with reductions in future primary substance use (b = -0.18; 95 % CI[-0.36, -0.01]). CONCLUSIONS: Spanish-speaking Hispanics with SUD may improve the quality of their coping skills more when they are sufficiently exposed to a culturally-adapted digital CBT program during outpatient treatment. Coping skills' quality may be a mechanism of CBT for SUD among Hispanic populations. Spanish-speaking Hispanics' access to treatments that target mechanisms of behavior change may be expanded by digital therapeutics.

How parenting styles affect the development of language skills and reading comprehension in primary school students.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study examined how parenting styles influence children's language skills and reading comprehension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six hundred and eighty-five Chinese-speaking third graders (Mage = 9.23 years, SD = .66; 341 girls) were randomly recruited from eight primary schools. We measured students' primary caregivers' parenting styles, parental education, family income, migration status, number of children's extracurricular books in the home and family cohesion at Wave 1 (i.e. grade 3). We also assessed students' reading motivation, language skills (i.e. vocabulary knowledge and syntactic awareness) and reading comprehension at Wave 2 (i.e. grade 4). RESULTS: The structural equation model analysis revealed that parenting styles indirectly affect language and reading comprehension development, with authoritative and authoritarian parenting exerting different influences on the two outcomes. Specifically, authoritative parenting was positively related to the number of children's books, which in turn was directly, or indirectly through reading motivation, associated with children's language skills and reading comprehension. In contrast, authoritarian parenting was negatively related to family cohesion, which was associated with children's reading motivation, and consequently, their language skills and reading comprehension. The multigroup analysis showed that the indirect pathways varied slightly across parental migration statuses. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These findings enhance the global understanding of the pathways linking parenting styles to children's language skills and reading comprehension, suggesting that educators and researchers should not overly emphasize the direct role of parenting styles in children's academic performance.

A Hypothesis-Driven, Near-Peer Physical Diagnosis Module on Streptococcal Pharyngitis Within the Pediatrics Clerkship.

Introduction: In busy clinical settings, there is limited time to teach physical examination (PE) and procedural skills, particularly when the traditional head-to-toe PE approach is time-consuming. Near-peer teaching of a more efficient approach, the hypothesis-driven PE (HDPE), increases students' learning opportunities. We developed a near-peer HDPE module to improve medical student confidence, knowledge, and skills for diagnosing and managing streptococcal pharyngitis. Methods: During this 1-hour module, residents taught the diagnostic approach for a patient with sore throat and facilitated small groups for practicing PE and throat swab skills. We assessed students using pre- and postmodule surveys including Likert-scale confidence scores (1 = not at all confident, 5= extremely confident), multiple-choice knowledge questions, and a skills rubric. A control group was surveyed at clerkship conclusion. Results: Of the 71 pediatric clerkship students who participated, 69 (97%) completed premodule surveys and 65 (91%) completed skills assessments. Twenty-eight (39%) completed postmodule surveys and skill assessments. After participation, students' survey responses and rubrics indicated significant increase in confidence (Mdn pre = 2 [IQR = 1,2], Mdn post = 4 [IQR = 4,5]; p < .001), knowledge (M pre = 40%, M post = 77%; p < .001), and skills (M pre = 5.3, M post = 7.5; p < .01). Participating students also had significantly higher confidence (p < .005) and knowledge (p < 0.01) compared to the control group. Discussion: This near-peer HDPE module improved students' knowledge, confidence, and skills related to streptococcal pharyngitis diagnosis and management and achieved compliance for a required clerkship skill.

Motor deficits and brain pathology in the Parkinson's disease mouse model hA53Ttg.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons and the accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates. The A53T missense point mutation occurs in autosomal dominant familial PD and has been found to promote the aggregation of α-syn. To investigate the role of the A53T mutation in PD, researchers have developed various mouse models with this mutation. Objective: We therefore conducted a comprehensive characterization of the tg(THY1-SNCA*A53T)M53Sud mouse model (hA53Ttg mice) for its motor and pathological features. Methods: hA53Ttg mice were tested for motor impairments in a series of motor tests at 2, 4 or 6 months of age. Human α-syn and α-syn pSer129, as well as GFAP and Iba1 signal were labeled and quantified in the cortex, hippocampus, and brainstem. Neurofilament light chain (NF-L) levels were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma. Ex vivo analyses were performed at the age of 2, 4, 6, and 10 months. Results: Behavioral tests revealed early muscle weakness and motor impairments that progressed with age. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated elevated levels of human α-syn and α-syn pSer129 in all evaluated brain regions. α-syn pSer129 labeling further revealed fiber-like structures in the cortex of older animals. Neuroinflammation was observed in an age-dependent manner. Biochemical evaluation revealed elevated NF-L levels in the plasma and CSF. Overall, our findings highlight the value of hA53Ttg mice in modeling PD-associated pathologies that closely resemble those observed in PD patients. Conclusion: Our results thus suggest that hA53Ttg mice are a useful tool for studying the underlying mechanisms of PD.

Impact of Early Admission Surveys on Physicians' Communication Skills on Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) Scores: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

Introduction Effective communication between doctors and patients is one of the 19 core questions on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. Positive patient experiences, as reflected in HCAHPS scores, are associated with higher quality of care, reduced mortality, and fewer readmissions. These scores also influence a hospital's financial bonuses or penalties from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Methods This quality improvement (QI) initiative evaluated how early surveys of patients' feedback on doctors' communication skills during admission impacted discharge communication scores. The approach involved promptly sharing patients' feedback with physicians and focusing on improving communication skills for those with less-than-perfect scores. Results This QI initiative involved 41 patients. By surveying patients early during admission and addressing communication issues for those with less-than-perfect scores, the percentage of patients achieving a perfect score on all survey questions increased from 18 (43.9%) at admission to 34 (82.9%) at discharge. The largest improvement was seen in perfect scores for doctors' explanations of patients' conditions, which rose from 59% at admission to 90% at discharge. Conversely, the increase in perfect scores for doctors' respectful treatment was smaller, rising from 88% at admission to 98% at discharge. Conclusion Surveying patients about their doctors' communication skills early in admission to identify those with less-than-perfect scores and improving communication for this group resulted in a 39% increase in satisfaction with doctors' communication.

Psychometric properties of the SocioEmotional Skills Instrument for Teachers using network approach: English and Spanish version.

The importance of socioemotional teaching skills has been highlighted for its link with better academic, social, emotional, and behavioral results of students, as well as for its contribution to the work wellbeing, mental health, and prosperity of teachers. However, there are few instruments that measure these skills in teachers in the context of their professional practice. The purpose of this research was to analyze the psychometric properties of the socioemotional Skills Instrument for Teachers (SEMS-IT). An instrumental design and a sample of 853 Chilean secondary school teachers were used. To evaluate the dimensional structure of the instrument, a portion of the sample (n = 468) underwent a network estimation method with exploratory graph analysis (EGA) using a Gaussian GLASSO model. Then, in order to confirm the structural consistency and stability of the items, the analysis was replicated in a second sample (n = 385), where these results were additionally contrasted with those of the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The EGA findings confirmed a structure of four dimensions and 19 items in total: (a) cognitive management of teacher emotion (four items), (b) teacher empathic concern (four items), (c) teacher-student relationship (four items), and (d) adverse classroom climate (seven items), with a 7-point Likert scale response format. The CFA showed good and acceptable fit indicators, X2 (171) = 354.546 (p < 0.001), Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.971, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.966, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.061, and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) = 0.062. In conclusion, a tool for the assessment of teachers' socioemotional skills, valid for school-based educational research, is provided. Implications of the findings at the theoretical and practical levels are discussed, as well as limitations and future projections for future research.

Using interactive computer play in physical therapy and occupational therapy clinical practice: an explanatory sequential mixed methods study.

Introduction: This study explored the extent to which an interactive computer play system, Bootle Blast, supports motor learning in a clinical context and examined clinicians' perceptions of their therapeutic role in the system's use as an intervention tool. Methods: In this observational sequential explanatory mixed methods study, five children with cerebral palsy [mean age 9.4 years (SD, 0.5), Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels I-III] used Bootle Blast during a single video-recorded therapy session with their treating clinicians (physical therapists, occupational therapists, and therapy assistants). Children played one Bootle Blast mini game independently (without clinician involvement) before clinicians carried out therapy sessions with the game as per usual care. The type and extent of motor learning strategies (MLS) delivered by Bootle Blast and clinicians were rated from video recordings by a trained assessor using the 22-item Motor Learning Strategies Rating Instrument. Semi-structured interviews with clinicians were conducted to gain insights into MLS use and clinicians' perceived role during Bootle Blast use. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed independently by two researchers using thematic analysis. Quantitative and qualitative data were merged and reported using narrative and joint display approaches. Results: Bootle Blast provided eight MLS, with clinicians adding or enhancing another eight. Four themes reflected clinicians' perspectives: (1) Bootle Blast disguises therapy as play, (2) clinicians give Bootle Blast the human touch; (3) home use of Bootle Blast is promising; and (4) Bootle Blast is not always the right fit but some shortcomings could be addressed. Agreement was found for nine MLS and disagreement for four MLS when quantitative and qualitative findings were merged. Discussion: Bootle Blast delivers several MLS as part of game play and clinicians can enhance and provide additional MLS to suit the child's needs/abilities. Further game refinements that were identified in this study may optimize its clinical use.

Field-based physical fitness assessment in preschool children in China.

BACKGROUND: Physical fitness in the preschool years is considered a marker of current and future health. Therefore, understanding physical fitness levels of preschool children is necessary. Furthermore, the use of field-based methods to measure physical fitness is essential for assessing children in authentic venues such as schools. Hence, the main purpose of this study was to describe the physical fitness of Chinese preschool children across field-based methods considering a statement of confidence intervals for reference in physical fitness in each age and genders. METHODS: A total of 619 children (296 boys and 323 girls) aged 3-6 years old from China participated in the present study. Physical fitness was measured using the Chinese National Physical Fitness Measurement (CNPFM-Pre) battery, which included the tennis ball throw (upper-limb muscular strength), standing long jump (lower-limb muscular strength), shuttle run test (speed-agility), double-leg timed hop (coordination), sit-and-reach (flexibility), and balance beam test (dynamic balance). RESULTS: The results revealed significant differences in gender for standing long jump (SLJ; η2 = 0.012, p = 0.007), tennis ball throw (TT; η2 = 0.081, p < 0.001), sit-and-reach (SR; η2 = 0.114, p < 0.001), and one-legged stance test (OST; η2 = 0.037, p < 0.001). Age had positive effects on all physical fitness performance tests, as the shuttle run test (η2 = 0.672, p < 0.001), SLJ (η2 = 0.513, p < 0.001), TT (η2 = 0.394, p < 0.001), double-legged timed hop test (DTH; η2 = 0.445, p < 0.001), SR (η2 = 0.069, p < 0.001), balance beam test (BBT; η2 = 0.367, p < 0.001), and OST (η2 = 0.336, p < 0.001). Older preschool children performed better than their younger counterparts in all the tests. No significant interactions between age groups and gender were found. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided age- and gender-specific physical fitness performance data in Chinese preschool children. Gender differences in physical fitness tests performance already exists at the preschool age. All physical fitness component results increased with age in this cohort. These findings can help healthcare, physical education, and pediatric professionals understand the physical fitness development of preschool children at different ages and help design sports tasks for preschool boys and girls.

The effectiveness of simulation-based learning (SBL) on students' knowledge and skills in nursing programs: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Simulation-Based Learning (SBL) serves as a valuable pedagogical approach in nursing education, encompassing varying levels of fidelity. While previous reviews have highlighted the potential effectiveness of SBL in enhancing nursing students' competencies, a gap persists in the evidence-base addressing the long-term retention of these competencies. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the impact of SBL on nursing students' knowledge and skill acquisition and retention. METHOD: A comprehensive search of electronic databases, including CINAHL, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Eric, was conducted from 2017 to 2023 to identify relevant studies. The Joanna Briggs critical appraisal tools were used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. A total of 33 studies (15 RCTs and 18 quasi-experimental) met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. A descriptive narrative synthesis method was used to extract relevant data. RESULTS: The cumulative sample size of participants across the included studies was 3,670. Most of the studies focused on the impact of SBL on life-saving skills like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or other life-support skills. The remaining studies examined the impact of SBL on critical care skills or clinical decision-making skills. The analysis highlighted consistent and significant improvements in knowledge and skills. However, the evidence base had several limitations, including the heterogeneity of study designs, risk of bias, and lack of long-term follow-up. CONCLUSION: This systematic review supports the use of SBL as a potent teaching strategy within nursing education and highlights the importance of the ongoing evaluation and refinement of this approach. While current evidence indicates enhancing knowledge and skill acquisition, limited studies evaluated the retention beyond five months, constraining generalisable claims regarding durability. Further research is essential to build on the current evidence and address gaps in knowledge related to the retention, optimal design, implementation, and evaluation of SBL interventions in nursing education.