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The Covid-19 pandemic has raised significant challenges for the higher education community worldwide. A particular challenge has been the urgent and unexpected request for previously face-to-face university courses to be taught online. Online teaching and learning imply a certain pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), mainly related to designing and organising for better learning experiences and creating distinctive learning environments, with the help of digital technologies. With this article, we provide some expert insights into this online-learning-related PCK, with the goal of helping non-expert university teachers (i.e. those who have little experience with online learning) to navigate in these challenging times. Our findings point at the design of learning activities with certain characteristics, the combination of three types of presence (social, cognitive and facilitatory) and the need for adapting assessment to the new learning requirements. We end with a reflection on how responding to a crisis (as best we can) may precipitate enhanced teaching and learning practices in the postdigital era.

Background Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach that shifts the role of the teacher to the student (student-centered) and is based on self-directed learning. Although PBL has been adopted in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, the effectiveness of the method is still under discussion. The author’s purpose was to appraise available international evidence concerning to the effectiveness and usefulness of PBL methodology in undergraduate medical teaching programs. Methods The authors applied the Arksey and O’Malley framework to undertake a scoping review. The search was carried out in February 2021 in PubMed and Web of Science including all publications in English and Spanish with no limits on publication date, study design or country of origin. Results The literature search identified one hundred and twenty-four publications eligible for this review. Despite the fact that this review included many studies, their design was heterogeneous and only a few provided a high scientific evidence methodology (randomized design and/or systematic reviews with meta-analysis). Furthermore, most were single-center experiences with small sample size and there were no large multi-center studies. PBL methodology obtained a high level of satisfaction, especially among students. It was more effective than other more traditional (or lecture-based methods) at improving social and communication skills, problem-solving and self-learning skills. Knowledge retention and academic performance weren’t worse (and in many studies were better) than with traditional methods. PBL was not universally widespread, probably because requires greater human resources and continuous training for its implementation. Conclusion PBL is an effective and satisfactory methodology for medical education. It is likely that through PBL medical students will not only acquire knowledge but also other competencies that are needed in medical professionalism.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions were shut down all over the world, which impacted over 60% of students and caused a massive disruption of the education system. The goal of this paper was to identify the critical success factors for E-learning during COVID-19 using the multi-criteria Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) techniques to enhance the educational process. Data were generated by interviewing 69 E-learning managers in educational institutions during COVID-19 based on defined evaluation criteria and E-learning approaches through several channels. We found that technology management, support from management, increased student awareness to use E-learning systems, and demanding a high level of information technology from instructors, students, and universities were the most influential factors for E-learning during COVID-19. Among the five learning systems, blended learning was the most suitable learning system to practice. These results demonstrated that, regardless of how extraordinary the technology is in an educational institution, the readiness of E-learning execution played a large role in boosting the educational process during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Adult learning theories play a pivotal role in the design and implementation of education programs, including healthcare professional programs. There is a variation in the use of theories in healthcare professional education programs and this is may be in part due to a lack of understanding of the range of learning theories available and paucity of specific, in-context examples, to help educators in considering alternative theories relevant to their teaching setting. This article seeks to synthesize key learning theories applicable in the learning and teaching of healthcare professionals and to provide examples of their use in context. Method and results: A literature review was conducted in 2015 and 2016 using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC academic databases. Search terms used identified a range of relevant literature about learning theories, and their utilization in different healthcare professional education programs. The findings were synthesized and presented in a table format, illustrating the learning theory, specific examples from health and medical education, and a very brief critique of the theory. Outcome: The literature synthesis provides a quick and easy-to-use summary of key theories and examples of their use to help healthcare professional educators access a wider range of learning theories to inform their instructional strategies, learning objectives, and evaluation approaches. This will ultimately result in educational program enhancement and improvement in student learning experiences.

STEM education has received increasing attention in recent years. However, developing valid and reliable assessment of interdisciplinary learning in STEM has been a challenge. This study is a comprehensive review of assessment of interdisciplinary STEM education during the last two decades. A total of 49 empirical research articles were collected from an initial library of 635 articles focusing on interdisciplinary STEM education. A two-dimensional framework was developed to examine the literature. The first dimension concerns the nature of disciplines being assessed and includes three categories: monodisciplinary, interdiscipline, and transdiscipline. The second dimension concerns the learning objectives and includes four aspects: knowledge, skill, practice, and affective domain. The results show that most assessments focused on assessments of monodisciplinary knowledge, monodisciplinary affective domains, and transdisciplinary affective domains. Although many programs aimed to improve students’ interdisciplinary understanding or skills, their assessments did not align with their aims. Based on the review, future directions are proposed for developing assessments for interdisciplinary STEM educational programs.

An initiative of the Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (formerly the Center for the Advancement of Pharmaceutical Education) (CAPE), the CAPE Educational Outcomes are intended to be the target toward which the evolving pharmacy curriculum should be aimed. Their development was guided by an advisory panel composed of educators and practitioners nominated for participation by practitioner organizations. CAPE 2013 represents the fourth iteration of the Educational Outcomes, preceded by CAPE 1992, CAPE 1998 and CAPE 2004 respectively. The CAPE 2013 Educational Outcomes were released at the AACP July 2013 Annual meeting and have been revised to include 4 broad domains, 15 subdomains, and example learning objectives.

Provision of feedback forms an integral part of the learning process. Receipt of feedback enriches the learning experience, and helps to narrow the gap between actual and desired performance. Effective feedback helps to reinforce good practice, motivating the learner towards the desired outcome. However, a common complaint from learners is that the receipt of feedback is infrequent and inadequate. This paper briefly explores the role of feedback within the learning process, the barriers to the feedback process, and practical guidelines for facilitating feedback.

Background Considering the positive influence of simulation from previous literature may encourage educators to regard it as a valuable teaching strategy in nursing schools. This literature review aims to investigate whether the use of simulation improves undergraduate nurses’ self-confidence during clinical practice. Methodology This study employed a literature-based design. Five academic databases, including CINAHL, EBSCO, ProQuest, PubMed and Medline, were utilised to extract relevant studies using appropriate keywords and Boolean operators. Studies published in the last 15 years (2005–2020) were included in the search. Studies were retrieved using the Exclusion and Inclusion criteria. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) was used to critically appraise the studies. Results A total of 15 primary research studies were extracted for review. Four major themes emerged from the review: Improved self-confidence to carry out clinical tasks, Increased ability to work in teams, Improved self-confidence to perform community work and Improved self-confidence in communicating with patients and team members. Conclusion Clinical simulation is a useful tool in increasing the self-confidence of nursing students to perform clinical tasks, make clinical judgements, communicate with patients and team members and improve their teamwork. To improve the quality of care received by patients, it is recommended that clinical simulations be integrated into the nursing curriculum in Saudi Arabia. Increasing the confidence of students has been shown to be associated with greater confidence in performing clinical tasks.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global health issue and has had a major impact on education. Consequently, half way through the second semester of the academic year 2019/2020, learning methods were delivered through distance learning (DL). We aimed to evaluate the student perspective of DL compared to classroom learning (CL) in the undergraduate dentistry study program at the Faculty of Dentistry Universitas Indonesia. Methods An online questionnaire was sent at the end of the semester. A total of 301 students participated in the study. Results Duration of study influenced student preference. Higher number of first-year students preferred DL compared to their seniors ( p  < 0.001). Students preferred CL for group discussion, as DL resulted in more difficult communication and gave less learning satisfaction. Only 44.2% students preferred DL over CL, although they agreed that DL gave a more efficient learning method (52.6%), it provided more time to study (87.9%) and to review study materials (87.3%). Challenges during DL included external factors such as unstable internet connection, extra financial burden for the internet quota and internal factors such as time management and difficulty to focus while learning online for a longer period of time. Conclusion Despite some challenges, dental students could adapt to the new learning methods of full DL and the majorities agreed blended learning that combined classroom and distance learning can be implemented henceforth. This current COVID-19 pandemic, changes not only the utilization of technology in education but the pedagogy strategies in the future.

  La genética es un tema especialmente difícil de explicar y de aprender según los expertos por varios motivos, entre ellos el desinterés generalizado del alumnado, así como la naturaleza abstracta y compleja de los procesos moleculares implicados. Con el fin de afrontar dichas dificultades, se diseñó, se implementó y se evaluó una gincana para analizar si permitía consolidar los conocimientos de genética expuestos de manera teórica previamente. El presente trabajo es un estudio de caso de un grupo de alumnos de entre 15-16 años que respondieron un cuestionario test antes y después de realizar la gincana para determinar si esta permite que el alumnado logre los objetivos de aprendizaje para los que fue diseñada. La gincana permite que el alumnado logre la mayoría de los objetivos planteados y por tanto se puede considerar como una actividad centrada en el alumnado y efectiva como actividad de consolidación de los conceptos teóricos sobre genética. Además, tuvo muy buena aceptación y fue bien valorada por parte del alumnado. Abstract: Genetics is an especially difficult subject to explain and learn according to experts for several reasons, including the general disinterest of students, as well as the abstract and complex nature of the molecular processes involved. To face these difficulties, a gymkhana was designed, implemented and evaluated to analyze whether it allowed to consolidate the knowledge of genetics previously exposed in a theoretical way. The present work is a case study of a group of students aged 15-16 who answered a test questionnaire before and after performing the gymkhana to determine if it allows students to achieve the learning objectives for which it was designed. The gymkhana allows students to achieve most of the objectives set and therefore can be considered as an activity focused on students and effective as an activity for the consolidation of theoretical concepts on genetics. In addition, it had a very good acceptance and was well valued by the students.