军校五年制学员营养学PBL教学模式的构建及效果评价

目的:探讨PBL教学模式在营养学教学中的作用及不足,并评价其教学效果。方法:采用随机抽样的方法,选取第四军医大学2012级五年制营养学专业学员(114名)实施PBL教学,2011级五年制临床专业学员(159名)实施传统教学;从四个方面(考试成绩、教学满意度、学员解决未知问题的方式、学习兴趣及积极性)综合评价PBL教学效果。结果:与传统教学组相比较,PBL教学组的考试成绩、教学满意度、学员解决未知问题的方式以及学习兴趣均显著升高。结论:PBL教学模式不仅提高了学员的考试成绩,还提高了学员的学习能力与素质,有必要进一步优化并大力推广。     

Student reactions and learning: evaluation of a biochemistry course that uses web technology and student collaboration

Many academic institutions across the country are incorporating computer and Internet technology into their classrooms. Rensselaer has developed a studio classroom that incorporates student collaboration and Internet technology. The purpose of this research was to examine student reactions and learning in an undergraduate biochemistry course taught in a studio classroom. Student reactions to the course, the technology, and working in groups were positive. Students liked using the technology, felt it helped them to learn the material, and thought working in groups was beneficial for learning. Pre-test and post-test grades on a standardized examination indicated a significant increase in learning. In addition, positive reactions to using the technology in the course, as well as student confidence to do well in the course, were significantly related to improved course performance.     

Blending problem-based learning with Web technology positively impacts student learning outcomes in acid-base physiology

World Wide Web (Web)-based learning (WBL), problem-based learning (PBL), and collaborative learning are at present the most powerful educational options in higher education. A blended (hybrid) course combines traditional face-to-face and WBL approaches in an educational environment that is nonspecific as to time and place. To provide educational services for an undergraduate second-year elective course in acid-base physiology, a rich, student-centered educational Web-environment designed to support PBL was created by using Web Course Tools courseware. The course is designed to require students to work in small collaborative groups using problem solving activities to develop topic understanding. The aim of the study was to identify the impact of the blended WBL-PBL-collaborative learning environment on student learning outcomes. Student test scores and satisfaction survey results from a blended WBL-PBL-based test group (n = 37) were compared with a control group whose instructional opportunities were from a traditional in-class PBL model (n = 84). WBL students scored significantly (t = 3.3952; P = 0.0009) better on the final acid-base physiology examination and expressed a positive attitude to the new learning environment in the satisfaction survey. Expressed in terms of a difference effect, the mean of the treated group (WBL) is at the 76th percentile of the untreated (face-to-face) group, which stands for a "medium" effect size. Thus student progress in the blended WBL-PBL collaborative environment was positively affected by the use of technology.     

Introductory biology courses: a framework to support active learning in large enrollment introductory science courses

Active learning and research-oriented activities have been increasingly used in smaller, specialized science courses. Application of this type of scientific teaching to large enrollment introductory courses has been, however, a major challenge. The general microbiology lecture/laboratory course described has been designed to incorporate published active-learning methods. Three major case studies are used as platforms for active learning. Themes from case studies are integrated into lectures and laboratory experiments, and in class and online discussions and assignments. Students are stimulated to apply facts to problem-solving and to learn research skills such as data analysis, writing, and working in teams. This course is feasible only because of its organizational framework that makes use of teaching teams (made up of faculty, graduate assistants, and undergraduate assistants) and Web-based technology. Technology is a mode of communication, but also a system of course management. The relevance of this model to other biology courses led to assessment and evaluation, including an analysis of student responses to the new course, class performance, a university course evaluation, and retention of course learning. The results are indicative of an increase in student engagement in research-oriented activities and an appreciation of real-world context by students.     

The Effect of Active Learning Methodologies on the Teaching of Pharmaceutical Care in a Brazilian Pharmacy Faculty

BackgroundIn recent years, pharmacists have been involved in expanded patient care responsibilities, for example patient counseling in self-medication, medication review and pharmaceutical care, which require graduates to develop the necessary competences. Consequently, reorientation of pharmacy education has become necessary. As such, active learning strategies have been introduced into classrooms to increase problem-solving and critical thinking skills of students. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance and perceptions of competency of students in a new pharmaceutical care course that uses active learning methodologies.MethodsThis pharmaceutical care course was conducted in the first semester of 2014, in the Federal University of Sergipe. In the pharmaceutical care course, active learning methods were used, consisting of dialogic classroom expository, simulation and case studies. Student learning was evaluated using classroom tests and instruments that evaluated the perception of competency in pharmaceutical care practice. Furthermore, students'' satisfaction with the course was evaluated.ResultsThirty-three students completed the four evaluations used in the course (i.e., a discursive written exam, seminars, OSCE, and virtual patient); 25 were female (75.75%), and the median age was 23.43 (SD 2.82) years. The overall mean of student scores, in all evaluation methods was 7.97 (SD 0.59) on a scale of 0 to 10 points, and student performance on the virtual patient method was statistically superior to other methods. With respect to the perception of competency in pharmaceutical care practice, a comparison of pre- and post-test scores revealed statistically significant improvement for all evaluated competences. At the end of the semester, the students presented positive opinions of the pharmaceutical care course.ConclusionsThe results suggest that an active learning course can enhance the learning of pharmaceutical care competences. In future studies it will be necessary to compare active learning to traditional methods.     

Developing a flexible learning activity on biodiversity and spatial scale concepts using open‐access vegetation datasets from the National Ecological Observatory Network

Biodiversity is a complex, yet essential, concept for undergraduate students in ecology and other natural sciences to grasp. As beginner scientists, students must learn to recognize, describe, and interpret patterns of biodiversity across various spatial scales and understand their relationships with ecological processes and human influences. It is also increasingly important for undergraduate programs in ecology and related disciplines to provide students with experiences working with large ecological datasets to develop students’ data science skills and their ability to consider how ecological processes that operate at broader spatial scales (macroscale) affect local ecosystems. To support the goals of improving student understanding of macroscale ecology and biodiversity at multiple spatial scales, we formed an interdisciplinary team that included grant personnel, scientists, and faculty from ecology and spatial sciences to design a flexible learning activity to teach macroscale biodiversity concepts using large datasets from the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). We piloted this learning activity in six courses enrolling a total of 109 students, ranging from midlevel ecology and GIS/remote sensing courses, to upper‐level conservation biology. Using our classroom experiences and a pre/postassessment framework, we evaluated whether our learning activity resulted in increased student understanding of macroscale ecology and biodiversity concepts and increased familiarity with analysis techniques, software programs, and large spatio‐ecological datasets. Overall, results suggest that our learning activity improved student understanding of biological diversity, biodiversity metrics, and patterns of biodiversity across several spatial scales. Participating faculty reflected on what went well and what would benefit from changes, and we offer suggestions for implementation of the learning activity based on this feedback. This learning activity introduced students to macroscale ecology and built student skills in working with big data (i.e., large datasets) and performing basic quantitative analyses, skills that are essential for the next generation of ecologists.     

Toward meaningful learning in undergraduate medical education using concept maps in a PBL pathophysiology course

Problem-based learning (PBL) is now an established method in undergraduate medical education that aims to develop reasoning skills based on clinical problems. More recently, the use of concept mapping in medical education aims to improve meaningful learning. At the New University of Lisbon, we have been using PBL as a major educational method in a pathophysiology course. In 2003-2004, we started to use Inspiration, a computer-based concept mapping tool, with a single tutorial PBL group. A total of 36 maps were constructed related to short cases, already used in the PBL course, in which a certain number of key nodes were hidden to allow the students to fill in the gaps. The results obtained appear to indicate that the use of concept maps stimulated meaningful learning within a PBL course.     

Improving How Evolution Is Taught: Facilitating a Shift from Memorization to Evolutionary Thinking

In North America, public understanding and acceptance of evolution is alarmingly low. Moreover, acceptance rates are declining, and studies suggest that even students who have taken courses in evolution have the same misunderstandings as the general public. These data signal deficiencies in our educational system and provide a “call to arms” to improve how evolution is taught. Many studies show that student education can be improved by replacing lecture-based pedagogy with active learning approaches—where the role of students changes from passive note taking to active problem solving. Here, we describe changes made to a second-year undergraduate evolution course to facilitate a shift to active learning and improve student understanding of evolution. First, lectures were used only sparingly and were largely replaced by problem-solving activities. Second, standard textbooks were replaced by “popular” books applying evolutionary thinking to topics students encounter on a daily basis. Lastly, predefined laboratory exercises were replaced by student-designed and implemented research projects. These changes led to increased student engagement and enjoyment, improved understanding of evolution and ability to apply evolutionary thinking to biological problems, and increased student recognition that evolutionary thinking is important not only in the classroom but also in their daily lives.     

PBL教学法在细胞生物学讨论课中的应用

目的：探讨PBL教学法在临床医学专业本科生细胞生物学讨论课中的应用效果。方法：以2011级第四军医大学临床医学专业本科生为对象,随机分为PBL教学组和传统教学组,通过考试与问卷调查的方式,对应用PBL教学法的细胞生物学讨论课的教学效果进行分析与比较。结果：PBL教学组课后随堂测试成绩和学生满意度均明显高于传统教学组,PBL教学法能激发学生的学习兴趣、提高学习效率、培养学生分析与解决问题能力和团结协作的能力。结论：PBL教学法有利于提高教学效果和学生综合素质,值得在细胞生物学教学中推广和应用。     

Comparing biology majors from large lecture classes with TA-facilitated laboratories to those from small lecture classes with faculty-facilitated laboratories

The teaching faculty for this course sought to address their own concerns about the quality of student learning in an impersonal large lecture biology class for majors, the difficulties in getting to know each student by name, and difficulties in soliciting answers and reactions from the students during the lecture. Questions addressed by this study were, Do active-learning activities in a small and personal lecture setting enhance student learning more than active-learning activities in large impersonal lectures? and Are students more satisfied with an educational experience in a small and personal lecture setting? Based on faculty perceptions of how they best relate to their students, the prediction was that the students in the experimental group with small lecture classes and increased direct contact with the teaching faculty would learn physiological principles better than the students in the control group in the large impersonal lecture portion of the course. One of the laboratory sections of this large enrollment biology course was randomly selected to be taught with separate small lectures by the teaching faculty. In addition, the teaching faculty participated in the laboratory with these students during their experiments correlated with the lecture material. The students in both groups were compared by pre- and posttests of physiological principles, final course grades, and class satisfaction surveys.     

互助学习在科技学院护理专业组胚教学中的尝试

目的探讨互助学习在医学专业科技学院教学中的应用效果。方法对我校科技学院2009级护理专业组胚实验教学中实施互助学习,课程结束后对学生进行成绩分析及问卷调查。结果通过互助学习学生成绩显著提高,语言表达能力、合作能力、分析解决问题能力相应增强。结论互助学习能激发学生学习兴趣,提高学习能力和实验技能,改善学生的综合素质,为科技学院学生因材施教寻找到有效教学模式。     

组织学与胚胎学PBL教学对学生创新能力的培养

中国医科大学组织学与胚胎学教研室承担了CMB03-#793项目,连续五年在临床医学七年制日文班实施了PBL（problem based learning）的教学模式,根据其教学特点确立了组织学与胚胎学（组胚）PBL教程,编写了＂组织学与胚胎学PBL病例集＂并制作了多媒体课件。学生在PBL中受到启发,激发了主动学习积级性,也制作了多媒体课件。同学课下查阅文献,准备资料。讨论病例分组进行,同学主持。大家踊跃发言,举证说明,用学得的知识,联系组胚理论去解释生命现象并和疾病相联系。我们对实施过PBL教学的几个年级的学生257人进行了追踪问卷调查,结果看出得到明显提高的依次是学生的主动学习的能力,独立查阅资料的能力、拓宽知识面、对相关领域感兴趣、分析解决问题的能力及对知识的理解能力。提高的相关指标就是创新思维的基础和前提。学生拓宽了知识面、开阔了视野,自然就会产生兴趣迸发出学习的生机去主动思维,也就有了分析解决问题的能力。由此产生不同以往的看法和想法,有了新的认识、新的观点和新的所为,丰富的想像力就会迸发出创造力,这些就是创新的萌芽。这是PBL教学带给学生的新的理念。刷新理念将会产生更多的创新。     

PBL与图表相结合的教学法在《基础生物化学》课程教学中的初步实践

针对生物化学课程的特点,以改革当前传统的课堂讲授式教学模式作为突破口,采用基于问题学习（PBL）与图表结合的教学模式在《基础生物化学》中进行教学尝试。初步教学实践表明,通过PBL与图表教学法的互补结合,基本能克服《基础生物化学》教学活动中存在的两类矛盾,使传统的以＂教＂为主的教学模式,转变为以＂学＂与＂教＂相互平衡和促进的教学模式,使学生在掌握所学课程核心内容的同时又能获得学习方法、提高学习兴趣和学习主动性。     

Student exam performance in flipped classroom sections is similar to that in active learning sections,and satisfaction with the flipped classroom hinges on attitudes toward learning from videos

ABSTRACT

The flipped classroom is a teaching innovation in which instructional content is delivered out of the classroom, often via videos, and the class period is used for application of the course material. While the popularity of the flipped classroom is growing exponentially, its benefits have not been extensively studied. In this study we compared three semesters of an undergraduate Genetics course that was non-flipped, but included a significant amount of active learning, to three semesters of a flipped course with the same content. Student exam performance was not statistically different between the active non-flipped and the flipped courses, suggesting that the benefits of the flipped environment may be similar to those achieved via active learning. We also examined student attitudes toward the flipped classroom, and found 56% of students were satisfied, 39% were dissatisfied, and 5% were neutral toward the flipped classroom. Our survey revealed that the clearest defining characteristic of dissatisfied students was not a dislike of classroom active learning activities. Rather, dissatisfied students disproportionately disliked, and had difficulty learning the course material, from videos.     

Student engagement in direct instruction,undergraduate microbiology laboratories

Introductory laboratory courses are a standard component of undergraduate science programmes and historically taught using direct instruction/confirmatory lab models. Previous studies have shown that inquiry-based labs enhance student engagement in science courses. However, research on how direct instruction introductory lab courses effectively engage undergraduate students is lacking. This study, therefore, using a mixed model design, examined student engagement in an introductory direct instruction microbiology lab. Data was collected through self-report surveys, classroom observations, and interviews at a Midwestern, post-secondary institution in the USA. The findings suggest that students found the lab activities engaging. This study provides baseline data which describes student engagement and student perspectives in a direct instruction undergraduate microbiology lab course. This baseline data can be used in further research against which comparisons can be made when studying other types of lab teaching interventions.     

CBL联合PBL教学方法在创伤外科学教学中的初步探究

目的:研究以案例为中心教学法(CBL)联合以问题为中心教学法(PBL)的教学方法与传统的基于课堂的教学法(LBL)在临床医学五年制本科生创伤外科学教学中的应用效果。方法:随机选取我校临床医学五年制四年级的学员80人,随机分为CBL联合PBL教学组及LBL教学组各40人。在课程结束以后,采用记名试卷考核联合不记名问卷调查的方式,进行教学方法、教学模式、教学内容掌握程度评价。结果:实验组学员理论考核成绩优于对照组学员,有统计学差异。CBL联合PBL教学法支持率高于传统LBL教学法,并且在激发学员兴趣,提高学员学习兴趣,合作能力方面均优于对照组。结论:CBL联合PBL教学法可以在创伤外科学中实施,能取得较好的教学效果。     

Student-generated instructional videos facilitate learning through positive emotions

The central focus of this study is a learning method in which university students produce instructional videos about the content matter as part of their learning process, combined with other learning assignments. The rationale for this is to promote a more multimodal pedagogy, and to provide students opportunities for a more learner-centred, motivating, active, engaging and productive role in their learning process. As such we designed a ‘video course’ where the students needed to produce an instructional video which could be used for university teaching. In addition to producing the video, the students needed to write a literature review of the topic of the video and a learning journal. At the end of the course the students filled a questionnaire regarding their learning and emotions during the project. Based on the students’ subjective answers, it appeared that producing a video, combined with writing the literature review can be an efficient way of learning. Most students found the project emotionally very positive and regarded it motivating to work on a video which they knew will have use in the future. This research suggests that a multimodal video project in a higher education setting enhances learning through increased motivation and positive emotions.     

Hybrid lecture-online format increases student grades in an undergraduate exercise physiology course at a large urban university

Hybrid courses allow students additional exposure to course content that is not possible in a traditional classroom environment. This exposure may lead to an improvement in academic performance. In this report, I describe the transition of a large undergraduate exercise physiology course from a traditional lecture format to a hybrid lecture-online format. A total of 658 final grades (traditional = 346, hybrid = 312) was used to evaluate the effect of course format on academic performance. The hybrid online portion was delivered using WebCT Vista, enhanced with various instructional technologies. The hybrid lecture portion was enhanced with an in-class response system. PowerPoint files were used to distribute in-class lectures in both formats of the course. Final student grades were 9.9% higher (83% of the increase due to an increase in the exam grade) when the course was administered in a hybrid format (P = 0.01), which translated to a one letter grade increase on a standard grading scale. Transition from a traditional lecture format to a hybrid format significantly enhanced student learning; presumably, this increase is due to the fact that students were able to increase their exposure to course content via access to material on WebCT.     

A fitness screening model for increasing fitness assessment and research experiences in undergraduate exercise science students

When students analyze and present original data they have collected, and hence have a cultivated sense of curiosity about the data, student learning is enhanced. It is often difficult to provide students an opportunity to practice their skills, use their knowledge, and gain research experiences during a typical course laboratory. This article describes a model of an out-of-classroom experience during which undergraduate exercise science students provide a free health and fitness screening to the campus community. Although some evidence of the effectiveness of this experience is presented, this is not a detailed evaluation of either the service or learning benefits of the fitness screening. Working in small learning groups in the classroom, students develop hypotheses about the health and fitness of the population to be screened. Then, as part of the health and fitness screening, participants are evaluated for muscular strength, aerobic fitness, body composition, blood pressure, physical activity, and blood cholesterol levels. Students then analyze the data collected during the screening, accept or reject their hypotheses based on statistical analyses of the data, and make in-class presentations of their findings. This learning experience has been used successfully to illustrate the levels of obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and lack of physical fitness in the campus community as well as provide an opportunity for students to use statistical procedures to analyze data. It has also provided students with an opportunity to practice fitness assessment and interpersonal skills that will enhance their future careers.     

LBL联合PBL教学法在临床医学专业药理学教学中的应用

LBL联合PBL的教学模式是一种"教为主导,学为主体,教与学并重"的综合教学方法。在临床医学专业的药理学教学中合理应用LBL联合PBL教学法,即采用LBL教学法讲授完理论知识后开设PBL病例讨论课。选取2011级五年制临床医学专业的学生为实验组,采用LBL联合PBL教学模式,2010级五年制临床医学专业的学生为对照组,采用传统LBL教学模式,对两组进行教学效果评估比较。结果显示与传统LBL教学法相比较,LBL联合PBL的教学法能显著提高学生的学习成绩,问卷调查分析结果显示LBL联合PBL的教学法能明显提高学生的综合能力。药理学授课中应用LBL联合PBL教学法充分调动了学生的积极性,培养了学生自主学习能力,分析问题、解决问题的能力和临床思维能力,对培养创新型医学人才具有重要意义。