Percepção de aprendizagem on-line na disciplina de Biomateriais / Perception of online learning in the biomaterials course

Com as universidades fechadas e a implementação do Ensino Remoto Emergencial, as atividades curriculares ocorreram através de plataformas digitais. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a percepção de aprendizagem on-line na disciplina de Biomateriais da Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal Fluminense no período da pandemia. O questionário COLLES (Constructivist OnLine Learning Environment Survey) foi enviado individualmente por e-mail aos cinquenta alunos, apresentando 24 declarações divididas em seis quesitos: relevância, reflexão crítica, interatividade, apoio dos tutores, apoio entre os colegas e compreensão; e para cada declaração cinco opções de resposta: quase sempre, frequentemente, algumas vezes, raramente e quase nunca. Quarenta e um alunos responderam. A soma das médias obtidas em quase sempre e frequentemente foi de 87,2% para relevância, 70% para reflexão crítica, 33,9% para interatividade, 47,6% para apoio dos tutores, 44,2% para apoio dos colegas e 89,5% para compreensão. Concluiu-se que a relevância, a reflexão crítica e a compreensão apresentaram melhores resultados, enquanto a interatividade, o apoio entre os colegas e o apoio dos tutores demonstraram necessidade de aprimoramento. E apesar das limitações do ERE, a avaliação positiva dos alunos evidenciou esta modalidade de educação on-line como uma solução plausível.

With universities closed and the implementation of Emergency Remote Teaching, curricular activities took place through digital platforms. The objective of this study was to assess the perception of online learning in the Biomaterials course at the Dental School of the Federal Fluminense University during the pandemic. The COLLES questionnaire (Constructivist OnLine Learning Environment Survey) was individually sent via email to fifty students, presenting 24 statements divided into six aspects: relevance, critical reflection, interactivity, tutor support, peer support, and comprehension. For each statement, there were five response options: almost always, often, sometimes, rarely, and almost never. Forty-one students responded. The sum of the averages obtained for almost always and often was 87.2% for relevance, 70% for critical reflection, 33.9% for interactivity, 47.6% for tutor support, 44.2% for peer support, and 89.5% for comprehension. It was concluded that relevance, critical reflection, and comprehension showed better results, while interactivity, peer support, and tutor support demonstrated a need for improvement. Despite the limitations of Emergency Remote Teaching, the positive evaluation from the students highlighted this mode of online education as a plausible solution.

Establishing Microsurgery Skills Laboratories in Low- and Middle-income Countries with Integrated Remote Teaching: A Novel Approach.

Microneurosurgical techniques remain crucial for managing neurosurgical diseases, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where other advanced treatment modalities are not available. The global distribution of these techniques is uneven due to disparities in infrastructure, equipment, and training. Medical professionals from LMICs face barriers in reaching training centers in high-income countries, as well as in accessing microsurgical techniques. To address these disparities in microsurgery training, we offer free and accessible microsurgery training model by combining the donations of microsurgery kits with a comprehensive support system that includes live-streamed, offline, and in-person assistance within LMICs.

The Evolution of Active Learning in Response to the Pandemic: The Role of Technology.

Active learning has consistently played a significant role in education. Through interactive tasks, group projects, and a variety of engaging activities, students are encouraged to forge connections with the subject matter. However, the pandemic has necessitated that educators adapt and refine their active learning techniques to accommodate the online environment. This has resulted in stimulating innovations in the field, encompassing virtual simulations, online collaboration tools, and interactive multimedia. The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly transformed the landscape of teaching and learning, particularly in higher education. One of the most prominent shifts has been the widespread adoption of active learning techniques, which have increased student engagement and fostered deeper learning experiences. In this chapter, we examine the evolution of active learning during the pandemic, emphasizing its advantages and challenges. Furthermore, we delve into the role of advances in artificial intelligence and their potential to enhance the effectiveness of active learning approaches. As we once focused on leveraging the opportunities of remote teaching, we must now shift our attention to harnessing the power of AI responsibly and ethically to benefit our students. Drawing from our expertise in educational innovation, we provide insights and recommendations for educators aiming to maximize the benefits of active learning in the post-pandemic era.

Digital competences of university students after face-to-face and remote teaching: Video-animations digital create content.

In today's digitally advanced society, there is a need to focus on collaborative educational approaches of a socio-community nature that incorporate technology. From this perspective, the FEJYLEN and FEJYLENVAL programs were conceived and implemented for both remote (online) and face-to-face teaching. These programs are based on an E-Learning-Service methodology, enabling the training of university students in digital skills, and facilitating the transfer of their interactive educational video-animations to early childhood education centers. The study sample consisted of 221 students enrolled in Early Childhood Education and Speech Therapy Degrees. The study had two objectives: first, to compare digital competences before and after participating in the mentioned programs; and second, to evaluate the impact of the type of teaching and university training on the acquisition of digital competences. The findings indicate that students receiving face-to-face teaching demonstrated significant improvement across all digital competences' factors with a medium-high effect size. Conversely, for students receiving remote instruction, improvements were limited to only certain skill factors. Our study reveals that face-to-face teaching is associated with higher scores in digital competencies and more efficient digital content creation. In conclusion, this research highlights the advantages of face-to-face teaching in comparison to remote instruction. This has facilitated a closer connection between the university and the realities faced by educational centers, fostering the exchange of knowledge between learning communities.

Improving Transition of Care for Pediatric Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: A Pilot Project.

Introduction Transition is the process of preparing an adolescent or young adult for the adult model of care. Poor transitions have been linked to increased medical utilization and poorer kidney outcomes. There are limited studies evaluating predictors of transition readiness or interventions in pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods We enrolled 42 non-dialysis, non-transplant patients with CKD stage 2 or higher and 14 years and older receiving care in our pediatric nephrology clinic. Data collected included demographics, clinical information, and transition readiness as measured by the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ). Patients were provided with a structured, remote curriculum with resources that addressed areas of need. Patients were followed every three to six months. Repeat TRAQ questionnaires were administered six months after enrollment. Results Our study found that younger age and male gender were risk factors for poor transition. Age was consistently a positive predictor of higher TRAQ scores in the medication, appointment, and total score domains (p < 0.05). Male gender was a risk factor for lower TRAQ scores in the appointment and communication domains (p < 0.05). Additionally, our curriculum was effective at improving scores across all TRAQ domains, with an average increase of about 25% in six months. There was no difference in patients who had a three-month follow-up as compared to a six-month follow-up (p > 0.05). Conclusion Our study finds that younger age and male gender are risk factors for poor transition. Additionally, a structured, remote curriculum is effective at improving transition readiness.

Sleep quality and screen time among university professors: impact of emergency remote teaching amidst COVID-19 crisis.

PURPOSE: Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining physical and mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented global changes, and disruptions in sleep quality have emerged as a challenge. The pandemic prompted a dramatic shift in the working landscape for university professors, necessitating emergency remote teaching (ERT). This transition substantially increased professors' screen time for academic and research endeavors. This study explores the relationship between screen time and sleep quality among university professors during the pandemic and examines associated factors, including psychological well-being. METHODS: An electronic survey, covering demographics, education, screen time, sleep quality, and mental health, was administered to professors who worked during the spring semester of 2020. Standardized measures were used to assess sleep quality and mental health. Correlations, Mann-Whitney tests, and multivariate regression explored associations between screen time, sleep quality, and other variables. RESULTS: One hundred sixty participants exhibited poor sleep quality, subthreshold insomnia, and mild depression. Increased screen time correlated with poorer sleep quality, elevated stress levels, and heightened depression severity. Evening screen users reported more insomnia than daytime users. Depression emerged as a significant predictor of poor sleep quality and insomnia, along with evening screen use. CONCLUSION: This study among university professors underscores the impact of screen time on sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants faced poor sleep, largely influenced by heightened screen time due to ERT. Considering these findings, this study emphasizes the importance of curbing daytime screen exposure and abstaining from screens in the evening, especially for university professors reliant on technology for their professional responsibilities.

Online Learning in Medical Student Clerkship: A Survey of Student Perceptions and Future Directions.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a major impact on medical education with clerkship students abruptly removed from clinical activities in 2020 and hastily immersed in online learning to maintain medical education. In 2022, students returned to in-person clinical experiences, but synchronous learning sessions continued online with extensive use of asynchronous online resources. This change offers a unique opportunity to gather information about students' perspectives regarding the acceptability and effectiveness of online learning strategies. This study aims to explore the clerkship student experience with the integration of online learning and in-person learning into formalized educational sessions in clerkship. Methodology The authors administered an online survey to clerkship students at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, Canada in spring 2022. The survey consisted of primarily Likert-style questions to explore the perceived effectiveness of various online learning strategies. Results are reported as the proportion selecting "quite effective" or "extremely effective." Results A total of 89 students responded to the survey (57.4% of graduating class). For synchronous online learning, case-based learning was perceived as the most effective teaching strategy (61.8%), and audience response systems were the most effective strategy for improving audience engagement (70.1%). For asynchronous online learning, interactive cases (84.9%) and student-developed online study guides (83.6%) were perceived as the most effective. Students held varying perceptions regarding how online learning impacted their well-being. When considering future clerkship curricula, the majority of clerkship students preferred a blend of in-person and online learning. Conclusions This study identified that most clerkship students prefer a hybrid of in-person and online learning and that ideal online learning curricula could include case-based learning, audience response systems, and a variety of asynchronous learning resources. These results can guide curriculum development and design at other medical institutions.

Medical student´s motivational changes during the COVID-19 university lockdown: a mixed-method study.

BACKGROUND: During the crucial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face undergraduate medical education was disrupted and replaced with online teaching activities. Based on its emphasized impact on several outcomes, a deeper insight into the pandemic related effects on medical students´ motivation is aspirational. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the motivational changes that took place during the pandemic in medical students and explored, how motivation of medical students is influenced. METHODS: Using a mixed method inter-cohort study design, 4th year medical students´ motivation, assessed pre- and post-pandemic were compared. In subsequent qualitative analyses underlying variables that may have contributed to both- medical students´ motivation and pandemic related changes were identified. These variables were then systematically explored- both individually and in combination. In a final step, the results were embedded within the Self-Determination Theory. RESULTS: Students who were affected by the university lockdown reported significantly higher levels of less self-determined motivation and amotivation. The qualitative analysis identified determinants that influence medical students´ motivation. The common core of these determinants is lacking social interaction and support, with a great emphasis on the interaction with the lecturer and patients. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the crucial role of medical educators, patient contact, social interactions and personal support on students´ motivation. Students need to be strengthened in their beliefs about their abilities, the value of their task at hand and receive encouragement in their efforts. All this will result in an increased identification with the task and less detrimental outcomes.

Food consumption and remote working conditions among Brazilian Primary Schools teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic / Consumo de alimentos y condiciones de trabajo remoto en maestros brasileños de básica durante la pandemia de COVID-19

Introduction: Teaching work, which is characterized by being exhausting, with a significant workload, with synchronous and/or asynchronous remote classes. Objective: To describe associations between the working conditions of school teachers at home and their food consumption during the suspension of face-to-face classes. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study using a self-administered online questionnaire with 15,372 working teachers from Minas Gerais, Brazil. The dependent variables analyzed were the consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods. Independent variables included sociodemographic factors, remote work conditions, understanding of online technologies, computer access, and quality of Internet connection. The Poisson model with robust variance was used to determine the association between working conditions and food consumption. Results: In the analysis of the adjusted multivariate model, there was a significant association between eating habits and the following variables: gender, age, working hours (per week), feelings regarding teachers' work during the pandemic, working hours during the pandemic and quality work internet connection. Our data shows that teachers' remote working conditions are associated with worse food consumption. They also showed that working hours equal to or greater than 40 hours per week, feelings of dissatisfaction with working conditions during the pandemic, increased working hours during the pandemic and poor quality of internet connection were variables correlated with the consumption of unhealthy foods. Conclusions: Remote working conditions during the pandemic influenced primary school teachers' food choices. More studies are needed to delve deeper into issues related to teachers' working conditions and the implications for food choices(AU)

Introducción: La labor docente se caracteriza por ser agotadora, con una importante carga horaria, con clases remotas síncronas y/o asíncronas. Objetivo: Describir la asociación existente entre las condiciones del trabajo remoto de los docentes de la educación básica y el consumo de sus alimentos durante el período de suspensión de las clases presenciales. Métodos: Es un estudio transversal mediante cuestionario en línea autoadministrado con 15.372 docentes activos en Minas Gerais, Brasil. Las variables dependientes analizadas fueron el consumo de los alimentos saludables y de los no saludables. Las variables independientes incluyeron los factores sociodemográficos, las condiciones del trabajo remoto, la comprensión de las tecnologías en línea, el acceso a las computadoras así como la calidad de la conexión a la Internet. Se utilizó el modelo de Poisson con variación robusta para determinar la asociación entre las condiciones del trabajo y el consumo de los alimentos. Resultados: En el análisis del modelo multivariado ajustado hubo una asociación significativa entre los hábitos alimentarios y las siguientes variables: el género, la edad, la jornada laboral semanal, el sentimiento sobre el trabajo durante la pandemia, la jornada laboral durante la pandemia y la calidad de la conexión a la internet. Nuestros datos demuestran que las condiciones del trabajo remoto de los docentes están asociadas con un empeoramiento en el consumo de los alimentos. También mostraron que la jornada laboral igual o superior a unas 40 horas semanales, los sentimientos de insatisfacción con las condiciones laborales, el aumento de la jornada laboral y la mala calidad de la conexión a la Internet durante la pandemia fueron variables correlacionadas con el consumo de alimentos no saludables. Conclusiones: Las condiciones del trabajo remoto durante la pandemia influyeron en las elecciones alimentarias de los docentes de la educación básica. Se necesitan más estudios para profundizar en los aspectos relacionados con las condiciones laborales de los docentes y sus implicaciones en la elección de sus alimentos(AU)

Perception of learning by anatomy teachers in the COVID-19.

The discipline of anatomy is one of the pillars of training in higher education courses in health area. Since its origin, this discipline has used the traditional method as an educational strategy. Since then, the discipline has undergone changes, including other teaching methods, such as active methodologies. With the COVID-19 pandemic, declared in March 2020 and the closure of higher education institutions, the teaching of anatomy was impacted, since it was necessary to adapt the modality of face-to-face teaching to remote teaching. The present study aims to evaluate the perception of teachers regarding students' anatomy learning in relation to the types of methodologies applied in remote teaching during the pandemic. For such, a cross-sectional study was carried out, which analyzed the answers of 101 anatomy teachers. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference regarding teachers' perception of learning in relation to the type of methodology used in remote teaching during the pandemic. There was also no difference in comparing perceptions regarding the type of methodology used before and during the pandemic. Given this, these data encourage the need for reflection in the academic community and new studies with educators and students, in order to identify factors that may improve the quality of anatomy learning.

Embracing Remote Academic Radiologists.

Over the past two years at our large academic center, we successfully developed a formal remote academic radiologist division - composed of permanent fully remote radiologists across multiple subspecialties, living geographically distant from our institution. In this article, we share our experience implementing a remote radiologist division, review the benefits and challenges of this approach, discuss expectations of academic remote radiologists as clinicians, educators, and scholars, and provide tips for success.

Como as professoras em escolas privadas vivenciaram o trabalho durante a pandemia? / How did female teachers in private schools experience their work during the pandemic?

A pandemia de COVID-19 teve consequências graves também para o mundo do trabalho. Exemplo disso, foi a pressão que as professoras de escolas privadas tiveram por rapidamente transporem as atividades de ensino para o modelo remoto. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar como as professoras de escola privada vivenciaram o seu trabalho docente durante a pandemia de COVID-19. Partindo da Psicologia Histórico-Cultural, realizamos 12 entrevistas em profundidade com professoras de escolas privadas da cidade de Natal-RN, sendo esses dados analisados quanto aos seus núcleos de significação. Encontramos cinco núcleos de significação: significações sobre o trabalho de professora; dificuldades do dia a dia de trabalho; consequências da pandemia; agravamentos gerados pela pandemia; e enfrentamentos diante dos desafios. Concluímos que a pandemia operou como um catalizador de problemas que as professoras já enfrentavam, decorrente da exploração do trabalho, machismo e neoliberalismo. Diante desse cenário, consideramos que as formas de enfrentamento e resistência passem por estratégias coletivas e que visem a superação desses processos históricos de precarização do trabalho.

The pandemic COVID-19 had serious consequences for the world of work as well. One example of this was the pressure that private school teachers were under to quickly transition their teaching activities to the remote learning model. The aim of this research was to analyze how private school teachers experienced their teaching work during the pandemic COVID-19. Based on Cultural-Historical Psychology, we carried out 12 in-depth interviews with private school teachers from the city of Natal-RN, and these data were analyzed according to their Nuclei of Meaning. We found five nuclei of meaning: meanings about working as a teacher; difficulties in daily work; consequences of the pandemic; aggravations generated by the pandemic; and confrontations with the challenges. We concluded that the pandemic acted as a catalyst for problems that women teachers were already facing, resulting from labor exploitation, sexism, and neoliberalism. Facing this scenario, we believe that the forms of confrontation and resistance go through collective strategies aimed overcoming these historical processes of precarization of work.

Teachers' experiences of remote teaching in the COVID-19 pandemic for students with intellectual disabilities in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The objective of this study is to investigate the experiences of teachers of students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) with remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to suggest solutions to address challenges. The study used an electronic questionnaire to collect field data from 150 teachers of students with IDs located in various cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study found that the most significant challenge encountered by teachers was that their students with ID found it challenging to complete online assessments in a specified amount of time and also to communicate with their peers and teachers. The findings of this study highlight the need for teachers to receive support from parents and the Ministry of Education of the KSA to improve the effectiveness of remote teaching for students with intellectual disabilities.

Assessing the Use of Telepresence-Guided Video-Based Head and Neck Ultrasound Training: A Step towards Minimizing Dependence on Human Resources?

The acquisition of ultrasound skills is an essential part of any medical student's education. University access restrictions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the need for digitization in teaching. However, teaching manual skills in online courses has proven to be challenging, not least in terms of human resources. Therefore, the aim of this study was to set up a hybrid head and neck ultrasound course consisting of a preface of video-based self-study followed by supportive instruction by a tutor in telepresence and to evaluate the quality, effectiveness, and feasibility of this teaching method. Thirty-five students were shown video tutorials on systematic ultrasound of the neck course. Learning outcomes were analyzed using self-assessment questionnaires and external assessment by an experienced ultrasonographer. All participants demonstrated statistically significant learning improvement (p < 0.001) when comparing self-assessment scores before and after training. The mean self-assessment scores increased from 13.8 to 26.6 for the telepresence-guided group, from 16.6 to 27.3 for the web-based group, and from 14.0 to 26.2 for the in-person group. The external observer assessment also showed improvement, with mean scores of 46.7, 48.1, and 46.5, respectively. Overall results did not significantly differ when comparing different instruction modalities. A telepresence-guided video-based ultrasound course is well suited to teaching ultrasound skills similar to in-person courses and allows a more resource-efficient targeting of student needs.

Burnout and motivation to study medicine among students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aim: To investigate medical students' burnout and motivation levels in each of the six years of their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify independent predictors of burnout and motivation. Methods: An anonymous cross-sectional survey was sent to the students of all six years within our school. Burnout was measured with the adapted Oldenburg Burnout Inventory questionnaire (OLBI-S) and motivation with the updated Strength of Motivation for Medical School (SMMS-R) questionnaire. Univariate analysis was performed with the Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman's correlation, while multivariable analysis with linear regression models. Results: A total of 333 medical students (52% of student body) responded. Higher burnout levels correlated with lower motivation to study medicine (rho = -0.30, p < 0.001). Burnout levels differed between the six years of medical studies, peaking in years two and four whereas being the lowest in year one (p = 0.01). Motivation levels differed significantly as well, peaking in years one and four whereas being the lowest in years five and six (p = 0.012). In the multivariable linear regression models, being a female (b = 2.22, p = 0.016), studying in the fourth year vs. first year (b = 2.54, p = 0.049), having a perceived beginner/intermediate vs. advanced/expert technology level (b = 2.05, p = 0.032) and a perceived poor school support system (b = 6.35, p < 0.001) were independently associated with higher burnout levels. Furthermore, studying in the fifth year vs. first year (b = -5.17, p = 0.019) and a perceived poor school support system (b = -3.09, p = 0.01) were independently associated with a reduced motivation to study medicine. Conclusion: Our study highlighted potential areas for intervention to decrease the rate of burnout and low motivation among medical students. However, further research is needed to unravel the full effect of the pandemic on medical students.

Evaluation of the feasibility of a video-transmitted surgical ward round: a proof of concept study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical ward rounds are key element to point-of-care interprofessional postoperative treatment and technical and communicational aspects are relevant for the patient's safety and satisfaction. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the training opportunity of experiencing a face-to-face surgical ward round was massively hampered and thus, we developed a digital concept. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of video-transmitted ward rounds integrating surgical and communicational aspects with live streaming from wards. Further, medical students were asked for their satisfaction and their subjective learning success. METHODS: The proof-of-concept study consisted of self-reported subjective evaluation of competences in ward round skills. Qualitative feedback was collected to gain deeper insight and students' empathy was rated by using the student version of the Jefferson Empathy Scale (JES). RESULTS: One hundred three medical students participated. The students were satisfied with the video-transmitted ward round (M = 3.54; SD = 1.22). In the subjective evaluation students' ward round competencies rose significantly (p < .001, Mpre = 3.00, SD = 0.77; Mpost = 3.76, SD = 0.75). The surgeon was rated as empathic (M = 119.05; SD = 10.09). In the qualitative feedback they named helpful aspects like including an expert for communication. However, they preferred the face-to-face setting in comparison to the digital concept. CONCLUSIONS: It was feasible to implement a video-transmitted ward round within a pandemic. The format worked technically, was well-accepted and also led to a subjective rise in the students' competencies. Video-transmitted ward rounds may be integrated to support the medical education, though, they cannot replace the face-to-face setting.

Experiencias de docentes y estudiantes en la educación remota de emergencia: oportunidades para mejorar la educación del pregrado en medicina / Faculty and student experience during remote emergency education: opportunities for improving undergraduate medical education

Introducción: Los ciclos clínicos de pregrado representan los escenarios principales en los que los estudiantes de medicina consolidan los conocimientos. Sin embargo, a principios de 2020, la mayoría de los estudiantes fue confinada en sus domicilios debido a la pandemia por el SARS-CoV-2. Los procesos formativos continuaron desde los hogares por medio de la educación remota de emergencia, una modalidad de enseñanza basada en el uso intensivo de la tecnología que, a pesar de hacerse de manera improvisada, respondió a la situación educativa de urgencia. El propósito de este estudio fue indagar la experiencia educativa de estudiantes y docentes que se encontraban en los años clínicos de pregrado de la carrera de medicina con el fin de identificar las oportunidades de mejora en la enseñanza a partir de la crisis sanitaria vivida. Sujetos y métodos: Se realizó un estudio cualitativo de carácter descriptivo con la técnica de grupos focales. El análisis se basó en la reducción de datos, en la triangulación entre estamentos y en la bibliografía del tema. Resultados: Se realizaron 16 grupos focales con un total de 148 participantes. Se identificaron cuatro categorías generales: a) enseñanza y aprendizaje; b) evaluación de la práctica clínica; c) identidad profesional, y d) sugerencias en busca de mejoras en la formación de los médicos Conclusiones: Las reflexiones reconocen la necesidad de incorporar las tecnologías digitales de una manera planeada y diseñada en conjunto por expertos y docentes para adaptarlas a las necesidades de los contextos educativos, y continuar con modelos híbridos o combinados para mejorar la educación médica.(AU)

Introduction: During medical education, undergraduate clinical cycles represent the main scenarios where students consolidate knowledge. However, in the early 2020s, most students were confined to their homes due to the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic. In this situation, the digital network allowed the educational processes to continue from their homes through remote emergency education (REE), a teaching modality based on the intensive use of technology that, despite having been improvised, responded to the emergency educational situation. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the educational experience of students and teachers in the undergraduate clinical years of the medical degree in order to identify opportunities for improvement in teaching after the health crisis. Subjects and methods: A descriptive qualitative study was carried out with a phenomenological approach through the focus group technique. The qualitative analysis was based on data reduction and triangulation between strata and subject literature. Results: Sixteen focus groups were integrated with a total of 148 participants. Four categories were identified: a) teaching and learning; b) evaluation of clinical practice; c) professional identity, and d) suggestions for improvement in the training of physicians. Conclusions: The reflections lead to recognizing the need to incorporate digital technology designed by experts and teachers to adapt them to the real needs of the educational contexts and to continue with a hybrid or combined model that supports the improvement of medical education.(AU)

Use of Active Learning During Emergency Remote Teaching in COVID-19 Pandemic.

The mandatory isolation caused by COVID-19 required the adoption of emergency remote teaching, which caused difficulties for instructors, especially for those who use active learning that depends on student participation in class. This study aimed to investigate the ability of instructors to apply active learning effectively given the pandemic context. This was a cross-sectional observational study carried out in an undergraduate medical school. The sample was composed from one to three classes of 28 instructors that were observed synchronously. Each class was analyzed using a form created from an adaptation of the PORTAAL tool, aiming to evaluate quantitatively essential elements for active learning. We observed that the mean times devoted to activities and active participation of students were 54.8% and 33.1% of the total class time, respectively. Among the time spent in student interactions, the intra-group demanded the highest percentage of the class time. Additionally, 22.0% of the activities presented a high level in Bloom's taxonomy and there was a positive correlation between the percentage of activities at higher Bloom levels and the percentage of class time with student participation, intra-group or between-group interactions, supporting the use of higher-order cognitive skills in a collaborative and student-centered context. In conclusion, our findings indicate that some instructors were able to apply essential elements for an active and collaborative learning even during the emergency remote teaching.

Comparing Student Performance in Emergency Remote and Face-to-Face Collaborative Learning Courses.

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecedented shift from face-to-face (F2F) instruction to emergency remote teaching (ERT) for over one billion learners worldwide. Studies from K-12 and higher education have begun to address the impact of ERT on student learning and well-being. The lessons learned from ERT will likely shape the response to future public health emergencies and inform the design and implementation of remote courses. As such, it will be important to identify teaching practices in ERT that promoted student engagement and learning. Here, we address whether undergraduate collaborative learning courses were able to support student content knowledge outcomes at similar levels in ERT as compared to F2F classroom environments. Specifically, we tracked student performance in three different team-based undergraduate neuroscience courses. These courses were all taught by the same instructor during the academic years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. Importantly, we found that student scores on individual and team assessments as well as measures of course satisfaction were similar between ERT and F2F. Taken together, our data suggest that the virtual collaborative learning environment in these courses was not associated with a decrease in student or team performance when compared to a traditional F2F classroom.

Undergraduate Skills Training in Pandemic Times: Where Is the Future of Medical Education?

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic forced medical programs to rapidly switch to remote teaching from scratch, impacting hands-on skills training. This study compared the efficacy of a hybrid online format to a regular in-person session for a mandatory surgical skills class. METHODS: Third-year undergraduate medical students attending the surgical skills class in the winter semester of 2020/21 at the Medical University of Graz were randomly assigned to either the hybrid or in-person class, depending on their course schedule and government regulations. The hybrid class involved online videos, one-on-one peer tutoring, and an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Pre- and post-class self-assessments were conducted to evaluate their theoretical and practical knowledge of a single interrupted suture. RESULTS: The study included 85 students in the regular in-person class and 50 in the hybrid class. A pre-class assessment revealed higher self-assessments in the hybrid class for theoretical and practical knowledge, but a post-class assessment showed no significant difference. The advantages and disadvantages of both modalities were identified, providing valuable insights for future curriculum development. CONCLUSIONS: Both teaching modes were effective for undergraduate surgical skills training. This study recommends implementing positive aspects of both the hybrid and in-person formats while recognizing their respective limitations.