Education Commons^™

Osces’ Impact On Occupational Therapy Student Learning: Insights From Second- And Third-Year Focus Groups, Craig R. St. Jean, Karin Werther, Mary R. Roberts

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are widely used in health programs to assess clinical skills. We present results of a qualitative study investigating occupational therapy students’ perceptions of OSCEs’ impact on their learning and readiness for clinical practice.

Method: Six second and six third year students in the University of Alberta’s Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program were interviewed in separate focus groups. Independent reviewers applied thematic analysis to the focus group transcripts to identify, analyze, and report themes in the data.

Results: Five themes were constructed from the data: from learning to action, transition …

An Slp Graduate Student’S Analysis Of Language In Children With Speech Sound Disorders, Madeline Janney, Donna Thomas

Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

Purpose

Students in allied health professional (AHP) programs are instructed in evidenced-based evaluation practices and participate in interprofessional education and practice in order to identify disorders (e.g., speech, language, gross motor, fine motor) and provide effective treatment. The purpose of this paper is to present a small-scale research study of one graduate student in an AHP program that trains speech-language pathologists.

Method

A graduate student used retrospective methodology to examine the language skills of nine children with speech sound disorders (SSD) to determine if language impairment (LI) co-existed. The student learned and used a method of language sample analysis known …

Utilization Of Summative Assessment In Physical Therapy Education To Establish Foundations Of Clinical Science Knowledge, Katherine Grevelding, Ken Kosior

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Abstract

Purpose: Doctor of Physical Therapy [DPT] students’ ability to apply, integrate, and synthesize foundations of clinical science knowledge is vital to success in clinical practice. The aim of this case study was to explore summative examination quantification of foundational clinical science knowledge as a benchmark toward competence-based education in the first year of a DPT program. Methods: First year DPT students from a private New England University took the Physical Therapy Foundations of Clinical Science [PT-FCS] exam at the end of the second semester following completion of foundational clinical sciences coursework. The PT-FCS exam is a multiple-choice exam comprised …

Assessment And Diagnostic Practices Relating To Autism Spectrum Disorder In The United States And Mexico, Maria Valdez, Jessica R. Stewart, Wan-Lin Chang, Ruth Crutchfield, Ralph Carlson

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The present study examined and compared professional assessment and diagnostic practices relating to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Mexico and the United States (U.S.). This information is of great importance because there is an extremely limited amount of information pertaining the assessment and diagnostic practices for ASD in Mexico and little is known about how these practices compare to those in the U.S. Methods: Archival data from a survey investigating ASD in the U.S. and Mexico was used for this study. Participants included 29 professionals from the U.S. and 7 professionals from Mexico. Professionals were from a variety of …

Telepractice-Based Assessment Of Children Who Are Deaf/Hard-Of-Hearing: Focus On Family-Centered Practice, Kristina M. Blaiser, Lauri Nelson, K. Todd Houston

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Ongoing assessment and progress monitoring is considered best practice to serve children who are Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) yet logistics related to provider shortages, distances between families, and illness make regular assessment difficult if not impossible. In the last ten years, telepractice has become a more commonly used service delivery model for serving children who are DHH and their families, however, many providers lack the training needed to adequately assess this population (Behl & Kahn, 2015). With explicit planning of the assessments and tools needed on both sides of the camera, providers can create a shared framework to collect the information needed …

The Tasting Party Assessment: Can Educators Reliably Evaluate Preschoolers’ Willingness To Try New Foods In Group Settings?, Laura L. Bellows, Savannah Hobbs, Susan L. Johnson

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Food neophobia, defined as an unwillingness to consume novel and unfamiliar foods is common in young children. Assessment of neophobia or willingness to try new foods can be a challenge with this audience. With the increase in nutrition interventions focused on the young child, valid and reliable measures to assess willingness to try new foods that can be administered in groups by classroom teachers and Extension educators are needed. The Food Friends: Fun with New Foods (FWNF) program aims to increase children’s willingness to try new foods in childcare settings. The Tasting Party assessment was developed as the primary tool …

Simulation-Based Training Improves Student Assessment Of Oral Feeding Skills In Preterm Infants, Courtney K. Broadfoot, Julie M. Estis

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Advancements in medical technology have contributed to increased rates of preterm birth. Prematurity places infants at high risk for feeding difficulties, however. Early identification and assessment of preterm infant dysphagia is critical to maximize nutrition and hydration, feeding safety, and growth and development. The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of a simulation-based training toolto increase non-health care and entry-level clinical student sensitivity to signs of feeding distress in preterm infants. Data were collected from 60 students (20 masters-level Speech-Language Pathology, 20 undergraduate nursing, 20 undergraduate non-health care) in a pre-test/post-test design. All participants completed a …

Assessing Outcomes Of Simulation In Communication Sciences And Disorders, Erin S. Clinard

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Assessment is an ongoing process that is necessary at every stage of designing, implementing, and evaluating simulation-based learning experiences (SBLEs). Designing and aligning a high-quality assessment process provides instructors and researchers with valuable data to understand if students have met the desired simulation learning objectives, where students are in their learning, and opportunities to enhance the SBLE. This reflection discusses the importance of assessing student learning outcomes as well as the effectiveness of all simulation-based learning experiences (SBLEs) in communication sciences and disorders (CSD). While the benefits and effectiveness of simulation have been demonstrated in other health professions, simulation research …

Beliefs And Self-Efficacy Of Parents Of Young Children With Hearing Loss, Sophie E. Ambrose, Margo Appenzeller, Alexandra Mai, Jean L. Desjardin

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

The purpose of this study was to learn more about the beliefs and self-efficacy of parents of young children with hearing loss. Seventy-two parents completed the Scale of Parental Involvement and Self-Efficacy - Revised (SPISE-R), which queries parents about their child’s hearing device use and their perceptions of their own beliefs, knowledge, confidence, and actions pertaining to supporting their child’s auditory access and spoken language development. Two beliefs were identified that related to parents’ action scores and one belief was identified that related to children’s hearing device use. Knowledge and confidence scores were significantly correlated with action scores and children’s …

Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceptions Of Osce: A Qualitative Descriptive Analysis, Nancy E. Krusen, M. Nicole Martino

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) are commonly used across health professions educational programs to evaluate student clinical competencies. OSCE are multiple, brief stations representing common practice scenarios. The purpose of the study was to evaluate student perceptions of OSCE. The researchers implemented 17 OSCE stations with 40 second year occupational therapy students to assess clinical competencies prior to fieldwork. Applying a qualitative descriptive methodologic approach, researchers analyzed station rating data, Qualtrics survey Likert-type items, and Qualtrics survey open-ended responses. Number of station rating responses varied widely, due to perceived time press. Station rating responses confirmed the more robust 80% response …

Handwriting Performance Of Typical Second-Grade Students As Measured By The Evaluation Tool Of Children's Handwriting - Manuscript And Teacher Perceptions Of Legibility, Diane M. Long, James Conklin

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The purpose of the study was to describe scores achieved by typical second-grade students on the Evaluation Tool of Children’s Handwriting – Manuscript and to compare scores with teacher perceptions.

Method: As part of a larger study, the ETCH-M was administered to 74 second-grade students. Teachers scored classroom samples of handwriting assignments using a researcher-developed scale and scores were compared to ETCH-M scores to determine cutoff values for good versus poor handwriting.

Results: Mean scores for total word legibility, total letter legibility, and total numeral legibility were 88.82%, 84.30%, and 89.26%, respectively. Cutoff scores below 82% …

The Assessment Of Swimming And Survival Skills: Is Your Programme Fit For Its Purpose?, Paolo Di Paola

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Assessment of swimming and survival skills is a crucial part of any swimming and lifesaving programme. Unfortunately, quite often, it is also the weakest part of the programme itself. Inadequate skills assessment and verification might lead to ineffective skills acquisition and development, to a false sense of safety and over confidence in the water that can be extremely dangerous. Assessor experience and observation skills, assessment methodology, and criteria are all closely inter-linked and their interaction will somehow determine the assessment outcomes. Our paper analyses some of the current issues in these areas of the assessment process, such as assessor’s lack …

The Role Of Using Formative Assessments In Problem-Based Learning: A Health Sciences Education Perspective, Kristi W. Kelley, Julaine M. Fowlin, Andrew A. Tawfik, Max C. Anderson

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Practitioners in the field of pharmacy are often confronted with ill-structured problems. Specifically, pharmacists are tasked with making patient-specific recommendations that are both safe and effective, which requires combining knowledge from the biomedical, behavioral, and pharmaceutical sciences. Given the dynamic nature of pharmacy as a profession, the field has begun to explore learning strategies that go beyond mere content coverage to strategies that better support higher-order learning outcomes. One of these approaches is problem-based learning (PBL). While studies have focused on how to support PBL to improve learning outcomes, the role of assessment is often overlooked. Further exploration is thus …

Toward The Development Of A Quick, Reliable Assessment Tool For Reflective Journals, April Garrity, Casey Keck, Janet L. Bradshaw, Keiko Ishikawa

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Reflective practice, including reflective writing, can facilitate enriched learning, especially when implemented as part of a service-learning (SL) experience. Reflection is a central component of service-learning (SL) experiences. Students’ reflective abilities are often measured through reflective journaling; however, assessment of students’ reflective journals is not always efficient and straightforward. The goal of the present study was to establish a simple, reliable, and relatively quick tool for use by busy college instructors seeking to encourage students’ deep learning through reflective writing. A total of 258 reflective journals from 43 graduate students in speech-language pathology were evaluated by three raters using a …

Design Of An Osce To Assess Clinical Competence Of Occupational Therapy Students, Nancy E. Krusen, Debra Rollins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are a series of controlled, timed stations in which students demonstrate clinical skills. OSCEs are commonly used within health professions education to demonstrate competence, prepare for clinical education, and conduct program evaluation. The body of literature addressing the use of OSCEs in occupational therapy (OT) is growing; however, there are no available guidelines for developing an OSCE specific to the profession. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of an OSCE for OT students prior to fieldwork placement. Twelve OT practitioners participated in a modified-Delphi method to generate possible OSCE scenarios. The …

Perceptions Of Assessment In Norwegian Occupational Therapy Students, Tore Bonsaksen, Astrid Gramstad, Gry Mørk, Susanne G. Johnson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In addition to securing minimum standards of learning among students, assessment is increasingly used as a tool to improve students’ learning. Assessment quality is measured as part of the Course Experience Questionnaire; however, the original ‘appropriate assessment’ scale has demonstrated ambiguous psychometric properties. The current study aimed to gain knowledge about occupational therapy students’ perceptions of assessment, and this was achieved by examining the factor structure and internal consistency of the six items on the ‘appropriate assessment’ scale. Students from six Norwegian universities (n = 187, response rate 61.3 %) completed the scale and reported demographic information. The factor …

Using Curriculum Mapping And Visualization To Maximize Effective Change, Kelli Schutte, Chris Mccullick, David Line

Administrative Issues Journal

This paper shares the process of developing a fully integrated assessment framework and model for a mapping curriculum. The foundational aspects of this model are the development of layered outcomes that occur at each level of the curriculum and the linking of courses together to ensure building blocks that are progressive within a program. The presented framework not only measures this integrated nature but also allows for assessment that is both summative and formative. A view of the different aspects of curriculum application—from knowledge building, application of knowledge, and transferability of knowledge to new contexts—is a focus of the course …

Examining The Relationship Of Textbooks And Labs On Student Achievement In Eighth Grade Science, Don Jones, Marie-Ann Mundy, Lavonne Fedynich, Anacita Sugalan

Administrative Issues Journal

One of the most important objectives of teachers, parents, school administrators, and students is to improve student scores on standardized tests, such as the State of Texas Assessment for Academic Readiness (STAAR) in eighth-grade science. This quasi-experimental study examined the science achievement scores between schools that used different textbooks and labs when delivering instruction. This study utilized a quantitative approach, using archival data and survey design. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multiple regression were used to analyze the data while controlling STAAR eighth-grade reading scores to reveal significant differences between classes. The sample and population for this study were predominantly …

The Assessment Of Swimming And Survival Skills: Is Your Programme Fit For These Purposes?, Paolo Di Paola Ba

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Experience Facilitating Problem-Based Learning (Pbl) On Physician Assistant Student Outcomes, Susan Hawkins, Anthony Goreczny, Nicole E. Brown

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Abstract

Purpose: The impact of prior problem-based learning (PBL) facilitation experience (measured by length of time facilitating) on student learning and student outcomes is unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate relationships of facilitator experience in problem-based learning on student outcomes. This study utilized both modified essay questions (MEQ) in the form of patient management assessments and multiple choice question (MCQ) assessments to evaluate different aspects of student acquisition and application of knowledge. Method: This study examined scores from six multiple choice question examinations and six patient management assessments (PMA), one each from six 5-week units …

Exploring Content Validity Of Shore Handwriting Screening And Newly Developed Score Sheet With Pre-Kindergarten Students, Denise K. Donica, Erin Francsis

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Limited tools exist to measure handwriting readiness skills of pre-kindergarten students. This study was a preliminary exploration of content validity of the Shore Handwriting Screening (SHS) and the newly developed Score Sheet with the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition (BOT-2) in 4- and 5-year-old pre-kindergarten students. Because socioeconomic status (SES) is known to impact handwriting skills, data from two different socioeconomic groups were collected.

Method: Students from a Lower SES group (n = 36) and a Higher SES group (n = 14) completed the SHS and fine motor composite of the BOT-2. Pearson’s correlation was used to …

The Purpose And Value For Students Of Pbl Groups For Learning, Vicki J. Skinner, Annette Braunack-Mayer, Tracey A. Winning

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Groups are central to problem-based learning (PBL) and educational and professional outcomes relevant to clinical education. However, PBL groups in practice may differ from theoretical conceptions of groups. Therefore, this study explored students’ understandings of the purpose and value of PBL groups for their learning. We conducted a naturalistic study with novice (first-year) students at two dental schools (Australia, Ireland), using observation and interviews analyzed thematically. Students constructed PBL learning as individual knowledge gain, and group purpose as information gathering and exchange; few students acknowledged the learning potential of group processes. Group value depended on assessment and curriculum context. Findings …

Major Difference: An Examination Of Student Writing Performance By Major And Its Implications For Business Communication, Lucia S. Sigmar, Geraldine E. Hynes

Administrative Issues Journal

This study analyzes the writing performance levels of 352 students to determine the extent to which business students are achieving written communication competency and whether differences exist among the business majors. Although most students met or exceeded expectations in format and content on a common writing task, students were weakest in grammar and mechanics, with almost half scoring below expectations across all majors. The findings indicate no statistically significant differences in writing competency among majors. This study also suggests that business communicators can serve as “collegial consultants” in a cross-disciplinary effort to improve student writing.

The Promises And Realities Of Evidence-Based Practices: Perceptions From Assessment Personnel, Jessica A. Rueter, Cynthia G. Simpson

Administrative Issues Journal

Assessment personnel are those individuals who work in the capacity of evaluation of students with disabilities, including, but not limited to, educational diagnosticians, educational examiners, psychometrists, and instructional specialists. These professionals are responsible for identifying strengths and weaknesses and for providing teachers with evidence-based recommendations that can be implemented in the classroom to improve performance of students with learning deficits. This qualitative study examines 19 educational diagnosticians’ perceptions related to the barriers and supports that impacted their ability to provide evidence-based recommendations for students who are learning disabled. Three categories of barriers to issuing successful evidence-based recommendations emerged as a …

Assessment Training In Principal Preparation Programs, Bettye Grigsby, Winona Vesey

Administrative Issues Journal

The role of the administrator has evolved over the past 30 years from manager to instructional leader. As instructional leaders, administrators are now responsible for student achievement on high-stakes state-mandated assessments. Therefore, it is imperative principal preparation programs provide the necessary training instructional leaders need to analyze and interpret assessment data and make informed decisions toward school improvement. This descriptive study analyzes four syllabi components to determine the extent to which testing and measurement are covered in each course: objectives, classroom sessions, resources, and activities. Based on responses from 30 universities across the United States, less than 30% of principal …

Pedagogical Design For A Cross-Functional Course In The Accelerated Mba Program, Bhanu Balasubramnian, Tanja Steigner, Kevin R. Coulson

Administrative Issues Journal

The sub-prime financial crisis exposed weaknesses in the financial risk management of several prominent firms. A deficient risk management is mainly attributed to the lack of integration of finance with other business disciplines. In this paper, we describe a tested implementation of a cross-functional project that improves students’ understanding of firm-value creation and risk management. While this approach can be implemented in any MBA program, we focus specifically on accelerated MBA programs with tight time constraints. Our methods are different from most other integrated courses in several ways. Our cross-functional project bridges the knowledge gaps of students in the area …