Computer-Assisted or Instructor-Led Reading Instructions of Portuguese Words with Orthography Difficulties

This article presents the findings of a study comparing a computer-assisted teaching program to traditional instructor-led teaching for elementary school children. The study evaluated reading and writing skills and employed a group design. Results showed that both teaching approaches were effective in improving reading performance, with slightly better gains in the instructor-led version. Both conditions facilitated learning transfer to new words with spelling difficulties, although the computer-assisted condition demonstrated higher generalization in final tests. Motivational and attentional factors, easily addressed by instructors but challenging in computer programs, were highlighted. The instructor-led condition's personalized feedback and differential consequences potentially contributed to the observed differences in learning gains. Individual differences in learners' input and performance were emphasized, suggesting the need for program adaptations. The advantages of computer-assisted teaching, such as scalability and individualized pacing, were discussed, along with the need for further refinements and automation. Strategies for enhancing teaching sequence flexibility and reducing the instructor's decision-making burden were proposed. The study contributes valuable insights into computer-assisted reading instructions for children with spelling difficulties, emphasizing their benefits and areas for improvement. The research underscores the importance of designing effective technology-mediated interventions and provides guidance for future developments in this field. (AU)

Educators' consideration of learner motivation in ophthalmology education in medical school: Influences on teaching practice and course design.

BACKGROUND: Ophthalmology education in medical school has historically neglected the impact of autonomous motivation on student learning and wellbeing. This study aimed to understand ophthalmology educators' consideration and application of student motivation in ophthalmology medical education. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Lead ophthalmology educators from Australian and New Zealand medical schools participated in an online semi-structured in-depth interview. Interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Codes were generated and aligned into overarching themes. FINDINGS: Six educators participated in the study. Five main themes arose from the transcripts: the lack of explicit consideration of student motivation, implicit consideration of motivation in curriculum design and in teaching practices, the impact of innovation on motivation and the relationship between teacher and student motivation. Participants also commented on trends in ophthalmology education including generalists' confidence in managing ophthalmic disease, the role of fundoscopy in medical education and time pressure on ophthalmology in medical schools. CONCLUSION: There has only been an implicit instead of explicit consideration of motivation in ophthalmology education in medical school, which leaves an unfulfilled potential for teaching practices to impact the affective along with cognitive and metacognitive aspects of learning. This study highlights the need for motivation to be explicitly incorporated into the development of teaching practices and curriculum reform.

The experiences of social and health care and health sciences educators of implementing hybrid teaching in higher education: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Educators in the social and health care and health sciences fields play a key role in developing the competencies of health professionals and experts. The increase in hybrid education in higher education provides flexible education but also causes additional stress for educators. In order to develop educators' competencies in hybrid teaching, it is necessary to understand educators' experiences of that. In this study, hybrid teaching means synchronous face-to-face and distance teaching. OBJECTIVES: The study aims to describe the experiences of social and health care and health sciences educators of hybrid teaching in higher education. DESIGN: We employed a qualitative descriptive research design. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 21 social and health care and health sciences educators were interviewed. METHODS: The data was collected through semi-structured interviews in seven group interviews and an individual interview from February 2022 to April 2022. The data was analysed using inductive content analysis. RESULTS: Educators felt that hybrid education brought flexibility to their teaching activities and have implemented it successfully. Moreover, educators shared that implementing hybrid teaching requires them to have pedagogical competence and technology skills, ensuring interaction with students and creating a safe learning environment. Their positive attitude towards digital pedagogy is essential. Educators recognised the need to ensure students' digital skills in hybrid education. Moreover, challenges related to assessment were also identified. Educators experienced increased workload due to pressures, psychological strain and distribution of attention. They felt that they needed support and adequate resources to implement it. CONCLUSIONS: The results have societal value in enhancing educators' continual professional development, developing high-quality evidence-based teaching and student skills, and assessing and applying different digital solutions to hybrid education.

Ethics education: Nurse educators' main concern and their teaching strategies.

BACKGROUND: To practice nursing ethics, students must first understand the ethical concepts and principles of their profession, but despite this knowledge, students face challenges in implementing ethical principles in clinical settings. The educational performance of nurse educators is critical in resolving these challenges. This study focused on the lived experiences of nurse educators. OBJECTIVE: To address the main concern of educators when teaching ethics to undergraduate nursing students and how they deal with it. RESEARCH DESIGN: We conducted this qualitative content analysis in Iran in 2020. We used individual semi-structured interviews to collect, record, and transcribe data, as well as Graneheim and Lundman method to analyze them. PARTICIPANTS: and research context: We used purposive sampling to select 11 nurse educators who either were currently in the position of ethics educators or had taught ethics from Iranian universities of medical sciences. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: The present study received the code of ethics No. IR.MODARES.REC.1399.036. Participants were aware of the study's purpose and signed a consent form to participate in the study. We considered data confidentiality and the voluntary principle in data collection. FINDINGS: Nurse educators' main concern was how to sensitize students to ethical principles in clinical settings, so they tried to involve students in the teaching process, to repeat and practice ethical principles and concepts, simplify and simulate ethical principles and concepts, and provide opportunities for students to gain clinical experiences. DISCUSSION: To sensitize students to ethical nursing care, nurse educators try to institutionalize ethical principles using different teaching methods, including students' involvement in teaching, experiential learning through simulated situations, practice, repetition, and provision of opportunities for practice and experience. CONCLUSION: Improving students' cognitive ability and objectifying moral concepts and principles for students will institutionalize moral values in them that are fundamental for their moral sensitization.

Implementing and optimizing a communication curriculum in medical teaching: Stakeholders' perspectives.

OBJECTIVE: The relevance of communication in medical education is continuously increasing. At the Medical Faculty of Hamburg, the communication curriculum was further developed and optimized during this project. This article aims to describe the stakeholders' perceived challenges and supporting factors in the implementation and optimization processes. METHODS: The initial communication curriculum and its development after a one-year optimization process were assessed with a curricular mapping. A SWOT analysis and group discussions were carried out to provide information on the need for optimization and on challenges the different stakeholders faced. RESULTS: The curricular mapping showed that the communication curriculum is comprehensive, coherent, integrated and longitudinal. In both the implementation and the project-related optimization processes, support from the dean, cooperation among all stakeholders and structural prerequisites were deemed the most critical factors for successfully integrating communication content into the curriculum. CONCLUSION: The initiative and support of all stakeholders, including the dean, teachers and students, were crucial for the project's success. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Although the implementation of a communication curriculum is recommended for all medical faculties, their actual implementation processes may differ. In a "top-down" and "bottom-up" approach, all stakeholders should be continuously involved in the process to ensure successful integration.

Validación de la Escala de Eficacia Docente para la Escritura en el Contexto Educativo Español / Validation of the Teacher Efficacy Scale for Writing in the Spanish educational context

Este estudio se centra en adaptar y validar la escala Teacher Efficacy Scale for Writing al contexto educativo español. Participaron en el estudio 452 profesores de Lengua Castellana y Literatura de la Educación Obligatoria. Se analiza un modelo factorial de dicha escala constituido por 2 factores, eficacia general y eficacia personal, constituido este último por dos subfactores. Asimismo, se compara el ajuste factorial del modelo propuesto frente al modelo tradicional bidimensional y se analiza la invarianza de este en base al género y nivel educativo en el que imparten docencia los participantes. Los resultados obtenidos confirman un buen ajuste de los datos al modelo factorial propuesto y la invarianza factorial del mismo según las características de los participantes. Por tanto, la Escala de Eficacia Docente para la Escritura se puede considerar una herramienta de rápida aplicación, válida y fiable para determinar la eficacia docente hacia la escritura en el profesorado español.

In this study, we adapt and validate the Teacher Efficacy Scale for Writing to the Spanish educational context. The study participants comprised 452 teachers of Spanish language and literature from compulsory education. We analyse a factorial model of the scale with two factors, personal efficacy and general efficacy, and two sub-factors within the personal efficacy factor. We also compare the fit of the proposed factorial model to the traditional 2-factor model and analyse the factorial invariance of the model with respect to participants’ gender and educational level. Our results confirm that the proposed factorial model has a good fit to the data as well as its factorial invariance with respect to the sample characteristics. The Escala de Eficacia Docente para la Escritura is a valid, reliable, easy-to-use instrument for assessing teacher efficacy for writing in Spanish teachers.

O ensino dos estudos da deficiência: contribuições para a formação em psicologia / La enseñanza de los estudios de la discapacidad: contribuciones a la formación en psicología / Teaching disability studies: contributions to training in psychology

Resumo Esta pesquisa objetivou identificar as contribuições do ensino dos estudos da deficiência (disability studies) para a formação em psicologia na perspectiva das/os participantes de uma disciplina intitulada "Psicologia e Pessoas com Deficiência". O lócus da pesquisa foi um curso de Psicologia de uma universidade pública do sul do Brasil. As informações foram obtidas por meio de questionário sociodemográfico e entrevista semiestruturada com quatorze pessoas que cursaram a disciplina e analisadas a partir da técnica de análise temática. Os resultados indicaram que a disciplina contribuiu para: a apropriação do modelo social da deficiência e das contribuições dos estudos feministas da deficiência; a identificação das pessoas com deficiência como sujeitos políticos; a ampliação da percepção das barreiras sociais; a apropriação de alguns elementos da legislação brasileira sobre a deficiência. Destaca-se a relevância de os estudos da deficiência serem incluídos no currículo para a formação em psicologia na perspectiva dos direitos humanos.

Resumen Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo identificar las contribuciones de la enseñanza de los estudios de la discapacidad a la formación en psicología desde la perspectiva de los estudiantes en una disciplina titulada "Psicología y Personas con Discapacidad". El lugar de la investigación fue un curso de Psicología en una universidad pública del sur de Brasil. La información se obtuvo mediante la aplicación de un cuestionario sociodemográfico y una entrevista semiestructurada a catorce personas que asistieron al curso y se analizaron mediante la técnica de análisis temático. Los resultados indicaron que la disciplina contribuyó a: la apropiación del modelo social de la discapacidad y los aportes de los estudios feministas; la identificación de personas con discapacidad como sujetos políticos; la ampliación de la percepción de barreras sociales; la apropiación de algunos elementos de la legislación brasileña sobre discapacidad. Se destaca la relevancia de la inclusión de los estudios sobre discapacidad en el currículo de formación en Psicología desde la perspectiva de los derechos humanos.

Abstract This research aimed to identify the contributions of teaching disability studies to training in psychology from the perspective of participants in a discipline entitled Psychology and People with Disabilities. The locus of the research was a psychology course at a public university in southern Brazil. Information was obtained through the application of a sociodemographic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with fourteen people who attended the course and analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. The results showed that the knowledge obtained in the discipline contributed to: the appropriation of the social model of disability and the contributions of feminist disability studies; the identification of disabled people as political people; the expansion of the perception of social barriers and; the appropriation of some elements of the Brazilian legislation on disability. Finally, it emphasizes the relevance of disability studies being included in the curriculum for training in psychology from the perspective of human rights.

Efectividad de una intervención educativa dirigida a adultos mayores con riesgo suicida / Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention in Aged Adults at Suicidal Risk

Introducción: El suicidio ha constituido desde siempre uno de los grandes enigmas de la humanidad, plantea cuestiones filosóficas, sociales, psicológicas, religiosas y morales. La conducta suicida constituye en Cuba un problema de salud en aumento. Objetivo: Valorar la efectividad de una intervención educativa sobre conducta suicida en el adulto mayor en riesgo. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio preexperimental, prospectivo, durante el período comprendido desde noviembre 2017 a marzo 2019 en el consultorio 1 del policlínico "Mario A. Pérezˮ de Sagua la Grande. La población de estudio estuvo constituida por todos los adultos mayores dispensarizados como riesgo suicida. La muestra quedó integrada por 42 pacientes seleccionados por criterios de inclusión, exclusión y salida. Resultados: Predominó en la muestra el grupo de edad de 60-64 (40,5 por ciento), y las mujeres (59,5 por ciento), el indicador de riesgo desesperanza (61 por ciento) y depresión menor (30,9 por ciento). Al diagnóstico, la información global del tema no era aceptable y posteriormente se constató 97,6 por ciento de información global adquirida. Se aplicó una intervención educativa, validada por los especialistas como factible y pertinente, la cual abarcó 8 encuentros. Conclusiones: La intervención educativa aplicada resultó efectiva al elevar el nivel de información de los adultos mayores con riesgo suicida. El equipo básico de salud es un pilar fundamental para evitar esta conducta, aplicando el enfoque de riesgo en la población(AU)

Introduction: Suicide has always been one of the great enigmas of humanity: it raises philosophical, social, psychological, religious and moral questions. Suicidal behavior is a growing health concern in Cuba. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention on suicidal behavior in the elderly at risk. Methods: A prospective and pre-experimental study was carried out, during the period from November 2017 to March 2019, in the family medical office # 1 of Mario A. Pérez Polyclinic of Sagua la Grande Municipality. The study population consisted of all the older adults classified as being at suicidal risk. The sample was made up of 42 patients selected by inclusion, exclusion and exit criteria. Results: The age group 60-64 (40.5 percent) predominated in the sample, together with women (59.5 percent), the indicator of hopelessness risk (61 percent) and minor depression (30.9 percent). At diagnosis, the global information on the subject was not acceptable and, subsequently, 97.6 percent of the global information acquired was obtained. An educational intervention was applied, validated by the specialists as feasible and pertinent, which included eight meetings. Conclusions: The educational intervention applied was effective in raising the level of information of older adults at suicide risk. The basic health team is a significant tool for avoiding this behavior, applying the risk approach to the population(AU)

Examining the dimensionality of pre-service teachers' enthusiasm for teaching by combining frameworks of educational science and organizational psychology.

The aim of this study was to obtain a holistic understanding of pre-service teachers' enthusiasm for teaching (a subject) by examining its structure as well as relevant factors that may be related to it in the first phase of teacher education. For this purpose, we considered two strands of research: educational science and organizational psychology. Accordingly, the professional competence model and the job demands and resources model helped to identify factors that are associated with pre-service teachers' enthusiasm for teaching. Responses of 211 pre-service biology teachers indicated that enthusiasm for teaching can be considered as one-dimensional. Moreover, we found positive relationships between enthusiasm for teaching and academic self-concept, intrinsic career choice motives and occupational commitment. In contrast, we detected negative relations between enthusiasm for teaching and both emotional exhaustion and intention to quit. No significant relations could be found for enthusiasm for teaching and both professional knowledge and extrinsic career choice motives. Our findings highlight the importance of enthusiasm for teaching in the earliest stage of teachers' careers. Thus, our study points out relevant factors that could help to maintain high enthusiasm and to keep (pre-service) teachers healthy and in the profession.

Mental health interventions for college and university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A critical synthesis of the literature.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to compare the emotional effects of COVID-19 among three different groups, namely: health personnel, medical students, and a sample of the general population. METHODS: 375 participants were recruited for this study, of which 125 were medical students (preclinical studies, 59; clinical studies, 66), 125 were health personnel (COVID-19 frontline personnel, 59; personnel not related with COVID-19, 66), and 125 belonged to the general population. The PHQ-9, GAD-7, and CPDI scales were used to assess the emotional impact. A multinomial logistic regression was performed to measure differences between groups, considering potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Regarding CPDI values, all other groups showed reduced values compared to COVID-19 frontline personnel. However, the general population, preclinical and clinical medical students showed increased PHQ-9 values compared to COVID-19 frontline personnel. Finally, confounding factors, gender and age correlated negatively with higher CPDI and PHQ-9 scores. CONCLUSIONS: Being frontline personnel is associated with increased COVID-19-related stress. Depression is associated, however, with other groups not directly involved with the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Female gender and younger age correlated with COVID-19-related depression and stress.

Atividades pedagógicas não presenciais em tempo de pandemia: contribuições a partir da psicologia histórico-cultural / Non-attendance teaching activities in times of pandemics: contributions from historical-cultural psychology / Actividades de enseñanza no presencial en tiempo de pandemia: contribuciones de la psicología histórico-cultural

A suspensão das aulas presenciais em virtude da pandemia de Covid- 19 atingiu todos os sistemas de ensino e, a partir de então, algumas instituições têm adotado as chamadas atividades pedagógicas não presenciais (APNP). O objetivo deste artigo foi analisar, a partir da Psicologia Histórico-Cultural, as mediações relacionadas às APNP no contexto do distanciamento social. Problematizamos o uso dos termos ensino e aula, pois ambos configuram atividades relacionais, dialéticas e dialógicas, experiências coletivas que se materializam no encontro. Realizamos um caminho de análise tendo a categoria mediação como escopo para pensar os processos de aprender e ensinar. Tecemos considerações sobre o lugar da escola na contemporaneidade e sobre o conjunto de relações que permeiam o trabalho com o conhecimento, inclusive na sua forma remota. Apontamos algumas pistas para avaliar este momento em que instituições de ensino adotaram as APNP e apresentamos implicações e perspectivas sobre o retorno à situação presencial.

The suspension of in-person classes due to the Covid-19 pandemic affected all education systems and, since then, some institutions have adopted the so-called non-attendance pedagogical activities (NAPA). The aim of this article was to analyze, from the Historical-Cultural Psychology, the mediations related to NAPA in the context of social distancing. We problematize the use of the terms teaching and class, as both configure relational, dialectical and dialogic activities, collective experiences that materialize in the encounter. We carried out an analysis path having the mediation category as a scope to think about the processes of learning and teaching. We make considerations about the place of the school in contemporaneity and about the set of relationships that permeate the work with knowledge, even in its remote form. We point out some clues to assess this moment when educational institutions adopted NAPA and present implications and perspectives on the return to the presential situation.

Suspender las clases presenciales debido a la pandemia de Covid-19 afectó a todos los sistemas educativos y, desde entonces, algunas instituciones Adoptaron las actividades pedagógicas no presenciales (APNP). El objetivo de este artículo fue analizar, desde la Psicología Histórico-Cultural, las mediaciones relacionadas con APNP contextualizada por la distancia social. Problematizamos el uso de los términos enseñanza y clase, porque ambos configuran actividades relacionales, dialécticas y dialógicas, experiencias colectivas que se materializan en el encuentro. Realizamos una ruta de análisis con la categoría de mediación como ámbito para pensar sobre los procesos de aprendizaje y enseñanza. Hacemos consideraciones sobre el lugar de la escuela en los tiempos contemporáneos y el conjunto de relaciones que impregnan el trabajo con el conocimiento, incluso en su forma remota. Señalamos pistas para evaluar este momento cuando las instituciones educativas adoptaron el APNP y presentan implicaciones y perspectivas sobre el regreso a la situación presencial.

Teaching bacterial infections in pharmaceutical studies: why not 'with students' instead of 'to students'?

In pharmaceutical studies, a course of bacteriology based on case studies provided by the teacher was transformed in a course based on a combination of student/teacher co-creation of cases and peer reviewing. Our objectives were to describe the perception of students about the new format and to assess the impact of changing on the learning outcomes. For teaching evaluation, we used a questionnaire and focus groups. The assessment of learning outcome was performed by comparing the students' scores in final tests with the previous and the revised course formats. The students embraced the creation of cases in small groups with the teacher. In addition, they reported a perception of weakened hierarchy between the teacher and themselves, an increase of their self-confidence and a better ability to transfer their learning to their professional activities in community pharmacies. Lastly, their opinion about the transferability of this format in other disciplines were divided.

The Biology and Psychology of Surgical Learning.

Surgical education requires proficiency with multiple types of learning to create capable surgeons. This article reviews a conceptual framework of learning that starts with the biological basis of learning and how neural networks encode memory. We then focus on how information can be absorbed, organized, and recalled, discussing concepts such as cognitive load, knowledge retrieval, and adult learning. Influences on memory and learning such as stress, sleep, and unconscious bias are explored. This overview of the biological and psychological aspects to learning provides a foundation for the articles to follow.