Ann Ooms

Content-Focused Technology Inquiry Groups: Preparing Urban Teachers to Integrate Technology to Transform Student Learning.

Abstract This paper examines the process of establishing and sustaining content-focused technology inquiry groups, a teacher professional development model where groups of teachers with similar content and grade areas identify problems of practice and inquire into technology-supported solutions. Through a longitudinal case study of an urban arts-humanities technology inquiry group, this research reveals three phases of group development: (a) defining the group, (b) identifying content-focused technology inquiries, and (c) initiating content-focused technology inquiries. The main advantage of the first year of participation for teachers was their use of technology to solve content-related problems in their classrooms. Challenges included a shifting content focus for the inquiry group, time availability for participants’ inquiries, and the availability of technological innovations that matched the participants’ problems of practice.

Providing learning support to nursing students: a study of two universities.

In universities where significant numbers of nursing students come from non-traditional backgrounds, and where an equally significant proportion of students have English as a second language, provision of learning support is essential to ensure success and progression, and to prevent attrition. This paper presents an evaluative study of the support services provided to undergraduate nursing students in two universities in the United Kingdom (UK). Both universities have significant numbers of students from non-traditional backgrounds and who have English as a second language, and both institutions have in place a large array of student support mechanisms. The aims of the study were to identify all existing student support mechanisms across the two universities, to illuminate the profile of students who enter pre-registration programmes at the two universities (age, gender, educational background) and to measure the perceptions of students of the use and usefulness of the support mechanisms provided by their university. Survey method evaluative research was the chosen research approach. Findings showed that the support services that appear to have the greatest impact on student success in their nursing programme are the programme leaders/module teachers, small study skills groups (known as APPL and L2L) and, for the 50% of students who required it, academic literacy and numeracy support sessions. For students who have English as a second language and with non-traditional entry qualifications, numeracy and academic literacy support is particularly valued.

Promoting Social and Academic Integration into Higher Education by First-Year Student Nurses: The APPL Project.

The Academic, Personal and Professional Learning (APPL) model of support for student nurses was developed and implemented as a pilot project in the Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences of a university in response to a number of internal and external drivers. The common theme across these drivers was the enhancement of the social, academic and professional integration of students into the university and the nursing profession. This article describes the APPL model and presents the findings of an evaluative research study of the pilot that was undertaken during 2006–2007. This is a unique study for two reasons. First, the evaluative study employed a rarely used research approach in education – Appreciative Inquiry (Ai); and second, the APPL project set out to promote academic and social integration in first‐year students by bringing together academic, professional and personal support, and peer learning. The intention was to explore the research question: What is the impact of the APPL groups on students and their learning? The findings of the research are presented and discussed, conclusions drawn and recommendations made. The research design was that of a descriptive case study. Multi‐modal data‐collection methods were employed and qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analysed from students (n=73). Methods included a questionnaire and a focus group. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS; qualitative data were analysed using an adaptation of the Framework Method. The APPL group meetings are perceived by students to have a positive impact on their social, academic and professional integration into university. A number of recommendations are made to enhance and embed the APPL model in the wider model of student support.

Students' Perceptions of Foundation Degrees.

In 2008 there were 87,339 people enrolled on foundation degrees (FDs) in the UK (Foundation Degree Forward, 2009), and educational institutions in the UK offered 1700 different foundation degrees in over 25 subjects, with nearly 900 more in development (Action on Access, 2010). In addition, student views are seen to be of importance, as demonstrated by the National Student Survey and the notion of the student as consumer. This paper reports on a study of the views of students undertaking FDs in one university. A mixed-methods evaluation approach was used. Data were collected from students through questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. This was an ambitious project that yielded a vast amount and range of qualitative and quantitative data across multiple cohorts of seven different foundation degrees. Overall, students’ perceptions are positive, although some findings vary from one foundation degree to another. Across all subjects, students were agreed on their positive rating on five of the key elements of FDs. There was also agreement that employers did not, on the whole, value the foundation degree qualification. This paper presents the findings of this study and conclusions are drawn that add to the literature about FDs that will be of relevance to those involved in the development and delivery of FDs.

Student nurse selection and predictability of academic success: The Multiple Mini Interview project

BACKGROUND With recent reports of public enquiries into failure to care, universities are under pressure to ensure that candidates selected for undergraduate nursing programmes demonstrate academic potential as well as characteristics and values such as compassion, empathy and integrity. The Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) was used in one university as a way of ensuring that candidates had the appropriate numeracy and literacy skills as well as a range of communication, empathy, decision-making and problem-solving skills as well as ethical insights and integrity, initiative and team-work. OBJECTIVES To ascertain whether there is evidence of bias in MMIs (gender, age, nationality and location of secondary education) and to determine the extent to which the MMI is predictive of academic success in nursing. DESIGN A longitudinal retrospective analysis of student demographics, MMI data and the assessment marks for years 1, 2 and 3. SETTINGS One university in southwest London. PARTICIPANTS One cohort of students who commenced their programme in September 2011, including students in all four fields of nursing (adult, child, mental health and learning disability). METHODS Inferential statistics and a Bayesian Multilevel Model. RESULTS MMI in conjunction with MMI numeracy test and MMI literacy test shows little or no bias in terms of ages, gender, nationality or location of secondary school education. Although MMI in conjunction with numeracy and literacy testing is predictive of academic success, it is only weakly predictive. CONCLUSIONS The MMI used in conjunction with literacy and numeracy testing appears to be a successful technique for selecting candidates for nursing. However, other selection methods such as psychological profiling or testing of emotional intelligence may add to the extent to which selection methods are predictive of academic success on nursing.

Providing writing and language support for students who have English as a second language – a pilot study

This paper reports on a pilot project which provided writing support for registered nurses undertaking Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and for pre‐registration nursing students. Both groups of students have English as a second language (ESL). The aims of the project were to extend the scope of the available writing support within the faculty for ESL students through the provision of one‐to‐one sessions and workshops. In addition, workshops were provided for lecturers to improve their understanding of the barriers faced by ESL students. Literature indicates that communication with tutors and the need for clear feedback are important factors for ESL students. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from questionnaires completed by participants after teaching sessions and were analysed against pre‐agreed success criteria. Findings indicate that students were very positive about the effectiveness of the sessions in helping them improve their academic writing. Additionally, three themes emerged from the student data: reasons for using the ELS support service; what they liked most about the ELS service and suggestions for improvements to the service. Data from staff show that the sessions have given staff a greater insight into the problems faced by ESL students.

Rationale and Design of an Online Educational Program Using Game-Based Learning to Improve Nutrition and Physical Activity Outcomes Among University Students in the United Kingdom

Abstract Objective: To assess the impact of an online game-based educational program on nutrition knowledge and dietary and physical activity habits among university students in the United Kingdom. Design: Randomized controlled trial with pre- and postintervention comparisons. Setting: Two higher education settings in London, UK. Subjects: Current undergraduate and postgraduate students of two universities (n = 88) aged 18–34 years are randomly allocated to an intervention (n = 44) or a control group (n = 44). Intervention: The intervention group will receive access to an educational website and online quizzes with gamification elements, including information about healthy eating and physical activity. The control group will receive no information. Duration of the intervention will be 10 weeks. Measures of Outcome: Primary outcome is nutrition knowledge. Secondary outcomes include dietary and activity habits. Nutrition knowledge and dietary and activity habits will be assessed using questionnaires. Weekly steps will be counted using pedometers. Assessment of anthropometric and metabolic risk factors will take place. Analysis: Quantitative analysis will investigate changes in nutrition knowledge between the two groups of the study population. Linear regression analysis will be used, if the data follow the normal distribution (otherwise binomial regression analysis), to examine whether field of study, residence status, body mass index (BMI), and demographic factors affect nutrition knowledge. Associations between changes in knowledge and dietary and physical activity behavior will be assessed by correlations. Conclusions/Implications: The study will provide insights with regard to the design and use of online game-playing as a cost-effective approach to improve nutritional knowledge among university students.

Learning about population-health through a community practice learning project: An evaluation study

Increasing student nurse numbers requiring community placement learning opportunities has led to insufficient numbers of community nurses being available to support student nurses in the community. Although the study presented in the article is based in the UK this issue is reported widely in the literature across the globe. Universities in many countries have had to find innovative ways of providing community health learning opportunities for student nurses. This article reports on how one university in the UK has approached this challenge through students engaging in a population-based study in the community through group work. A research study was undertaken into this innovation which found that the student nurses engaged well with the project and with their groups and undertaking the project had positive value and impact on them and their understanding of population-health. Issues that arose for them largely focused on unequal participation in the group work by some with many participants perceiving that they had done more work on the group project and presentation than others in their group. However, working in this way was perceived to be a good learning experience for the majority of participants.