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Professional Development Activities (professional + development_activity)
Selected AbstractsApproaches to learning on placement: the students' perspectivePHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2009Clare Kell Abstract Background and Purpose.,With Continuing Professional Development activity, a requirement of Allied Health Professional registration in the UK and said to be most effectively supported by practitioners who adopt a deep approach to learning, a UK university has been exploring how its pre-registration curriculum influences learner development. This paper investigates the possible influences of the clinical placement component of the curriculum that is structured as four 4-week blocks during both Years 2 and 3 of the 3-year BSc (Hons) programme. A range of placement models are used within this structure including the traditional 1:1 educator,:,student ratio and those that have a higher ratio of student(s),:,educator(s).,Methods.,This phase of the larger project used a case study design framed about students from two academic year groups on one UK undergraduate, pre-registration physiotherapy programme. Three questionnaires comprising a learning approaches inventory, a demographic questionnaire and a placement self-assessment form were posted to Year 2 and 3 students during one clinical placement. The students were invited to complete the questionnaires halfway through their placement, but in advance of the first, formal placement education feedback meeting. The need for students' self-assessment prevented follow-up data collection.,Results.,Analysis of the data from the learning approaches inventory against the demographic variables and placement assessment scores suggest that students' learning strategies depend upon the number of students, educators and assessors involved in their placement. The paper explores the possible links between placement experience, learning strategy and academic outcome. The authors question assumptions about the perceived benefits of some placement education models.,Conclusion.,Increasing the ratio of student,:,educator or educator,:,student may have a detrimental effect on students' learning development when placements are of 4-week duration. If such placement models are adopted, then students and placement educators must be adequately prepared and supported so that students' learning development towards the deep-learning autonomous professionals of tomorrow can continue through placement education. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] "I'll never play professional football" and other fallacies of self-assessmentTHE JOURNAL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS, Issue 1 2008Kevin W. Eva PhD Abstract It is generally well accepted in health professional education that self-assessment is a key step in the continuing professional development cycle. While there has been increasing discussion in the community pertaining to whether or not professionals can indeed self-assess accurately, much of this discussion has been clouded by the fact that the term self-assessment has been used in an unfortunate and confusing variety of ways. In this article we will draw distinctions between self-assessment (an ability), self-directed assessment seeking and reflection (pedagogical strategies), and self-monitoring (immediate contextually relevant responses to environmental stimuli) in an attempt to clarify the rhetoric pertaining to each activity and provide some guidance regarding the implications that can be drawn from making these distinctions. We will further explore a source of persistence in the community's efforts to improve self-assessment despite clear findings from a large body of research that we as humans do not (and, in fact, perhaps cannot) self-assess well by describing what we call a "they not we" phenomenon. Finally, we will use this phenomenon and the distinctions previously described to advocate for a variety of research projects aimed at shedding further light on the complicated relationship between self-assessment and other forms of self-regulating professional development activities. [source] Self-assessment and continuing professional development: The Canadian perspectiveTHE JOURNAL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS, Issue 1 2008FRCPC, Ivan Silver MD Abstract Introduction: Several recent studies highlight that physicians are not very accurate at assessing their competence in clinical domains when compared to objective measures of knowledge and performance. Instead of continuing to try to train physicians to be more accurate self-assessors, the research suggests that physicians will benefit from learning programs that encourage them to reflect on their clinical practice, continuously seek answers to clinical problems they face, compare their knowledge and skills to clinical practice guidelines and benchmarks, and seek feedback from peers and their health care team. Methods: This article describes the self-assessment learning activities of the College of Family Physicians of Canada Maintenance of Proficiency program (Mainpro®) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Maintenance of Certification program. (MOC) Results: The MOC and the Mainpro® programs incorporate several self-evaluation learning processes and tools that encourage physicians to assess their professional knowledge and clinical performance against objective measures as well as guided self-audit learning activities that encourage physicians to gather information about their practices and reflect on it individually, with peers and their health care team. Physicians are also rewarded with extra credits when they participate in either of these kinds of learning activities. Discussion: In the future, practice-based learning that incorporates self-assessment learning activities will play an increasingly important role as regulators mandate that all physicians participate in continuing professional development activities. Research in this area should be directed to understanding more about reflection in practice and how we can enable physicians to be more mindful. [source] Preliminary study of stress in undergraduate nursing students in SingaporeASIA-PACIFIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 2 2009Chi Ching Lim BScN Abstract Introduction: Stress experienced by nursing students may adversely affect academic achievement, personal wellbeing and long-term professional capabilities. The current study is the first to report levels and sources of stress among Singaporean students undertaking a pre-registration baccalaureate nursing degree. Methods: An exploratory survey was conducted with students from all three year levels (n=112, 65% response rate) using the Stress in Nursing Students (SINS) scale. Use of this tool also enabled a regional comparison of results with published data from a nursing cohort in Hong Kong. Perceptions of support were measured using the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). It was hypothesized that students with higher levels of social support would report less stress. Results: In comparison to other year levels, Year 3 students reported higher levels of overall, clinical, and financial stress. There were statistical differences between Year 3 and Year 1 students in relation to clinical and financial stressors, but not with Year 2, nor were relationships found across year of study and confidence and education subscales. Level of stress was lower compared to Hong Kong nursing students. There were statistically significant differences on stress associated with clinical (P<0.01) and confidence (P<0.001) domains between datasets, but no differences on subscale scores for education and financial stressors. Social support was not statistically associated with stress. Discussion: Student stress increased throughout the program and was not mediated by social support. Awareness of types and progression of stress can inform professional development activities to bolster coping, and minimize adverse psychological, academic and professional consequences. [source] Continuing professional development for veterinariansAUSTRALIAN VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 4 2005IW CAPLE Continuing professional development for veterinarians is expected to commence in the year after graduation and continue until retirement. The World Organisation for Animal Health standard for veterinary services is based on principles of an ethical, organisational and technical nature, and a mix of regulation, self-regulation and quality assurance approaches are used. Few jurisdictions have made a minimum requirement of continuing professional development, measured in hours or units, mandatory in 2004, however, there is an increasing expectation of veterinarians to keep a personal record of their continuing professional development activities. Such records might assist in defending complaints about professional misconduct, and provide a basis for planning and monitoring personal professional growth. Continuing professional development can be obtained by a variety of means through structured and unstructured learning activities. The rapid advances in communication technologies and ready access to available electronic databases at the beginning of the 21st century is rapidly changing the way students learn in veterinary schools and how they will acquire continuing professional development during their careers. Universities, governments, professional associations and special interest groups all have roles to play in the delivery of continuing professional development to the veterinary profession and to ensure a structure is in place to monitor improvements in the delivery of quality veterinary services. [source] Teachers' Education, Classroom Quality, and Young Children's Academic Skills: Results From Seven Studies of Preschool ProgramsCHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2007Diane M. Early In an effort to provide high-quality preschool education, policymakers are increasingly requiring public preschool teachers to have at least a Bachelor's degree, preferably in early childhood education. Seven major studies of early care and education were used to predict classroom quality and children's academic outcomes from the educational attainment and major of teachers of 4-year-olds. The findings indicate largely null or contradictory associations, indicating that policies focused solely on increasing teachers' education will not suffice for improving classroom quality or maximizing children's academic gains. Instead, raising the effectiveness of early childhood education likely will require a broad range of professional development activities and supports targeted toward teachers' interactions with children. [source] | ||||||||||