Mapping session learning objectives to exam questions: How to do it and how to apply the results.

Background: The undergraduate pre-clerkship Population Health courses for University of Manitoba medical students underwent a mapping exercise to improve alignment between session learning objectives and the multiple choice questions (MCQs) used for learner assessment.Methods: Each learning objective was mapped to all related MCQs in the exam bank. Learning objectives not linked to any specific MCQs were identified. All MCQs in the exam bank were mapped back to the learning objectives and all MCQs not corresponding to a learning objective were identified. In total, 536 MCQ were mapped to 358 learning objectives.Results: Mapping results were shared with course leadership and instructors to affect practical changes in the Population Health courses, such as revisions and improvements to session learning objectives, and targeted development of new MCQs. Following the implementation of changes post-mapping exercise, our findings indicate a significant improvement in student satisfaction with the Population Health courses, although they did not have a discernable impact on exam performance.Conclusions: The mapping exercise required an initial investment of resources, but produced an MCQ database that can be regularly maintained to ensure alignment between learning objectives and assessment, thereby contributing to ongoing curriculum quality and improvement, and improved exam reliability and validity.

What Goes Around: the process of building a community-based harm reduction research project.

BACKGROUND: Often, research takes place on underserved populations rather than with underserved populations. This approach can further isolate and stigmatize groups that are already made marginalized. What Goes Around is a community-based research project that was led by community members themselves (Peers). CASE PRESENTATION: This research aimed to implement a community-based research methodology grounded in the leadership and growing research capacity of community researchers and to investigate a topic which community members identified as important and meaningful. Chosen by community members, this project explored how safer sex and safer drug use information is shared informally among Peers. Seventeen community members actively engaged as both community researchers and research participants throughout all facets of the project: inception, implementation, analysis, and dissemination of results. Effective collaboration between community researchers, a community organization, and academics facilitated a research process in which community members actively guided the project from beginning to end. CONCLUSIONS: The methods used in What Goes Around demonstrated that it is not only possible, but advantageous, to draw from community members' involvement and direction in all stages of a community-based research project. This is particularly important when working with a historically underserved population. Purposeful and regular communication among collaborators, ongoing capacity building, and a commitment to respect the experience and expertise of community members were essential to the project's success. This project demonstrated that community members are highly invested in both informally sharing information about safer sex and safer drug use and taking leadership roles in directing research that prioritizes harm reduction in their communities.

Youth Perspectives on Sexual Health Workshops: Informing Future Practice.

Newcomer and street-involved youth provided their perspective on the design and content of a sexual education workshop. Following the workshop, focus group discussions were held with 80 youth from four youth-serving agencies. Youth expressed increased levels of confidence and empowerment, consistent with recent criticism that a focus on specific behaviors as intervention outcome measures may miss important psychosocial changes in participants. Some youth views on cultural adaptation of workshops were not consistent with current views expressed by some adult educators, highlighting the need to ensure a youth perspective is captured during intervention development. Finally, the dichotomous views that youth expressed regarding workshop activities emphasizes a research gap related to how best to adapt interventions to different cognitive capacities, literacy levels, and learning styles. Information of this kind is relevant in terms of knowledge translation from youth to program planners and educators.

Community organization feedback about an undergraduate medical education service learning program Rétroaction d'un organisme communautaire sur apprentissage en milieu de travail d'un programme d'études médicales de premier cycle.

BACKGROUND: In 2016, Service Learning (SL) became a curricular requirement for undergraduate medical education (UGME) students at the University of Manitoba. Students partner with a community-based organization for two years to engage in non-clinical activities in community settings. Significant feedback has been collected from students re: their SL experiences. This project specifically collected feedback from community organizations involved with SL. METHODS: In June 2019, an electronic survey was distributed to the 36 community organizations involved with SL. RESULTS: Twenty-seven organizations completed the survey. Feedback was grouped into two main themes: 1) Logistics and 2) The SL Experience. About half (52%) of respondents indicated it was "easy" to schedule students for SL; however, students' busy schedules and differences between hours of organization programming and students' availability were highlighted. Most respondents described students as "engaged" (70%); respondents indicated SL raised students' understanding of power and privilege (56%) and systemic oppression (63%). CONCLUSIONS: Community organizations shared valuable insights to inform the SL program. Results identified specific aspects of the SL program to address moving forward, such as sharing learning objectives with community partners. Ensuring processes are in place to obtain feedback from community partners is an essential step to improve SL programs, and to strengthen reciprocal community-university partnerships.

CONTEXTE: Depuis 2016, l'apprentissage par le service (AS) est une des exigences du programme d'études pour les étudiants en médecine de premier cycle à l'Université du Manitoba. Dans ce cadre, les étudiants participent à des activités non cliniques en collaboration avec un organisme communautaire. De nombreux commentaires ont déjà été recueillis auprès des étudiants sur leur expérience d'AS. Dans le cadre de ce projet, nous avons sollicité une rétroaction des organismes communautaires participant au programme. MÉTHODES: En juin 2019, un sondage en ligne a été distribué aux 36 organismes communautaires participant à l'AS. RÉSULTATS: Vingt-sept organismes ont répondu au sondage. Les commentaires ont été regroupés en deux thèmes principaux : 1) la logistique et 2) l'expérience de l'AS. Environ la moitié (52 %) des répondants ont indiqué qu'il était « facile ¼ de recruter des étudiants; toutefois, ils ont souligné l'horaire chargé de ces derniers et le décalage entre l'horaire des activités des organismes et la disponibilité des étudiants. La plupart des répondants ont décrit les étudiants comme étant « engagés ¼ (70 %); les répondants ont indiqué que l'AS a permis de sensibiliser les étudiants aux problèmes de pouvoir et de privilège (56 %) ainsi qu'à l'oppression systémique (63 %). CONCLUSIONS: Les commentaires des organismes communautaires ont été très utiles aux responsables du programme d'AS. Les résultats ont mis en évidence des aspects à travailler, comme le partage des objectifs d'apprentissage avec les partenaires communautaires. La mise en place de processus permettant d'obtenir la rétroaction des partenaires communautaires est une étape essentielle à l'amélioration des programmes d'AS et au renforcement des partenariats entre la communauté et l'université.

Grupos focales de discusión: estrategia para la investigación sobre salud sexual con adolescentes con experiencia de vida en calle en Medellín, Colombia / Discussion focus groups: a strategy for research on sexual health with adolescents who have lived on the streets of Medellin, Colombia / Grupos focais de discussão: estratégia para a investigação sobre saúde sexual com adolescentes com experiência de vida na Rua em Medellín, Colômbia

RESUMEN La intención de este artículo es evidenciar la importancia de los grupos focales de discusión como estrategia metodológica para la recolección de información en el trabajo con adolescentes institucionalizados con experiencia de vida en calle y, al mismo tiempo, mostrar su valor en el abordaje de la salud sexual con esta población, en tanto que permite una interacción flexible y reflexiva entre investigadores y participantes, así como de los participantes entre sí. El valor de esta estrategia metodológica es sustentado en este artículo mediante testimonios y resultados obtenidos durante su implementación en el estudio llevado a cabo con adolescentes institucionalizados entre 2013 y 2014 en Medellín. Se espera con este reducir las creencias de profesionales con respecto a las limitaciones de la estrategia para abordar temáticas relacionadas con la salud sexual de este grupo poblacional. Los resultados se articulan en cuatro categorías: conocimientos y percepciones sobre VIH e ITS, salud sexual y reproductiva (SSR), el lenguaje en la SSR, y acceso y uso de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC). De esta manera se deja de manifiesto el aporte y potencial de la estrategia para el abordaje del tema y para el acercamiento e interacción con adolescentes con experiencia de vida en calle.

ABSTRACT This paper aims to show the importance of discussion focus groups as a methodological strategy for the compilation of information in studies with institutionalized adolescents who have lived on the streets. At the same time, it aims to show the value of this technique in approaching the topic of sexual health with this population, since it allows for flexible and reflexive researcherparticipant and participant-participant interaction. The value of this methodological strategy is supported in this article through accounts and results obtained during the implementation of a study conducted with institutionalized adolescents between 2013 and 2014. We expect these results will reduce the beliefs of professionals regarding the limitations of the strategy to address issues related to the sexual health of this type of population. The results are divided into four categories: knowledge and perceptions of HIV and STIs, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), the language used in SRH, and access to and use of information and communications technology (ICT). Thus, this paper clearly shows the contribution and potential of the strategy for addressing the issue, approaching and interacting with adolescents who have lived on the street.

RESUMO A intenção deste artículo é evidenciar a importância dos grupos focais de discussão como estratégia metodológica para a recolecção de informação no trabalho com adolescentes institucionalizados com experiência de vida na rua e, ao mesmo tempo, mostrar o seu valor na abordagem da saúde sexual com esta população, entanto que permite uma interação flexível e reflexiva entre investigadores e participantes, assim como dos participantes entre eles. O valor desta estratégia metodológica é sustentado neste artigo mediante testemunhos e resultados obtidos durante a sua implementação em estudo levado a cabo com adolescentes institucionalizados entre 2013 e 2014 em Medellín. Espreitando com isto reduzir as crenças de profissionais com respeito ás limitações da estratégia para abordar temáticas relacionadas com a saúde sexual de este grupo populacional. Os resultados se articulam em quatro categorias: conhecimentos e percepções sobre VIH e ITS, saúde sexual e reprodutiva (SSR), a linguajem na SSR, e acesso e uso das tecnologias da informação e a comunicação (TIC). Desta maneira se deixa de manifesto o aporte e potencial da estratégia para a abordagem do tema e para a proximidade e interação com adolescentes com experiência de vida na rua.

Evaluación del proceso de desarrollo del folleto educativo de salud Abre los ojos para jóvenes en situación de calle de Medellín / Evaluation of the educational booklet Abre los ojos (Open your eyes) for homeless youth in Medellín

OBJETIVOS: evaluar el proceso de desarrollo del folleto educativo en salud Abre los ojos, diseñado para jóvenes en situación de calle en Medellín. Se evaluaron tanto el proceso de su creación como su percepción posterior entre los jóvenes. METODOLOGIA: la evaluación incluyó el análisis de datos cuantitativos y cualitativos mediante entrevistas individuales y grupos focales con jóvenes en situación de calle de Medellín. De estos jóvenes, 94, con edades entre 14 y 24 años, respondieron una encuesta de percepciones sobre el material. RESULTADOS: los grupos focales fueron efectivos para recoger las ideas y sugerencias del tipo de contenido que ellos querían para el material educativo de salud y la forma de presentarlo. Después de distribuirlo, la respuesta general resultó positiva. Manifestaron que contenía información valiosa y relevante en relación con sus experiencias. Pese a no ser el objeto principal de esta evaluación, las entrevistas individuales proporcionaron resultados preliminares acerca de la posible efectividad del material educativo para incrementar el nivel de conocimiento de los participantes sobre los temas allí incluidos. CONCLUSIONel proceso colaborativo para desarrollar el contenido del material educativo, en asocio con los jóvenes, probó ser muy valioso. Mientras que los investigadores seleccionaron información sobre VIH, los jóvenes seleccionaron información de otros temas como piercing, uso de solventes y lo que significa vivir en la calle. El material educativo resultante fue bien recibido por representantes de los jóvenes en situación de calle de Medellín, diferentes a los que participaron en su diseño.

OBJECTIVE: Conduct a process evaluation of a health education resource (pamphlet), Abre los Ojos, designed for street-involved youth in Medellín. The primary foci of the evaluation were the process of developing the resource and youth's subsequent perception of the resource. METHODOLOGY: Drawing upon both qualitative and quantitative data, a process evaluation was undertaken. Ninety four street-involved youth between the ages of 14-24 years completed surveys about the resource. These semi-structured interviews were key for the information about youth perception of the resource. In addition to individual interviews, prior to resource creation, a series of focus groups were integral for the development of the resource. RESULTS: The process of consulting with the target population through the focus groups was effective in obtaining their ideas and feedback about what type of content they would like to see in a health education resource, and how they wanted that content presented. After distribution, participants described that Abre los Ojos contained information that was valuable and relevant to their experiences. While not a primary focus of this evaluation, the individual interviews were also able to provide some preliminary insight into whether Abre los Ojos was an effective means for participants to increase their knowledge of content included in the resource. CONCLUSION: The collaborative process of jointly developing the resource content in partnership with the youth proved very worthwhile. While our research team chose to include information about HIV, through focus group dialogue, the youth themselves determined the additional content themes (piercings, use of solvents, and description of life on the street). The resulting resource was well-received by members of the street-involved population who had not been involved in its design.