Kathleen Gray

In their own words: a qualitative study of the reasons Australian university students plagiarize

The ways in which universities and individual academics attempt to deter and respond to student plagiarism may be based on untested assumptions about particular or primary reasons for this behaviour. Using a series of group interviews, this qualitative study gathered the views of 56 Australian university students on the possible reasons for plagiarism within their institution. The results indicate a wide and disparate range of possible contributing reasons for plagiarism, including: institutional admission criteria; student understanding of plagiarism; poor academic skills; a range of teaching and learning factors; personality factors; and external pressures. These findings are compared with other findings about reasons for student plagiarism in Australasia. The implications of these findings are considered for universities and individual academics seeking to better engage with their students to minimize or marginalize plagiarism.

Medical students’ use of Facebook to support learning: Insights from four case studies

Background: Recent research indicates that university students are interested and active in supporting their learning by using Facebook, a popular social networking website. Aim: This study aimed to add to our understanding of how or how effectively students may be using Facebook for this purpose. Method: Researchers surveyed the extent and key features of Facebook use among 759 medical students at one university, and explored in depth the design and conduct of four Facebook study groups. Results: 25.5% of students reported using Facebook for education related reasons and another 50.0% said they were open to doing so. The case studies showed conservative approaches in students’ efforts to support their development of medical knowledge, skills and attributes in this way. Both technological affordances and group dynamics were factors contributing to groups’ mixed successes. Conclusion: These cases indicate that using Facebook as part of learning and teaching is as much of a challenge for many students as it may be for most educators.

Health outcomes and related effects of using social media in chronic disease management

Whilst the future for social media in chronic disease management appears to be optimistic, there is limited concrete evidence indicating whether and how social media use significantly improves patient outcomes. This review examines the health outcomes and related effects of using social media, while also exploring the unique affordances underpinning these effects. Few studies have investigated social medias potential in chronic disease, but those we found indicate impact on health status and other effects are positive, with none indicating adverse events. Benefits have been reported for psychosocial management via the ability to foster support and share information; however, there is less evidence of benefits for physical condition management. We found that studies covered a very limited range of social media platforms and that there is an ongoing propensity towards reporting investigations of earlier social platforms, such as online support groups (OSG), discussion forums and message boards. Finally, it is hypothesized that for social media to form a more meaningful part of effective chronic disease management, interventions need to be tailored to the individualized needs of sufferers. The particular affordances of social media that appear salient in this regard from analysis of the literature include: identity, flexibility, structure, narration and adaptation. This review suggests further research of high methodological quality is required to investigate the affordances of social media and how these can best serve chronic disease sufferers. Evidence-based practice (EBP) using social media may then be considered.

Methodological ReviewHealth outcomes and related effects of using social media in chronic disease management: A literature review and analysis of affordances☆

Whilst the future for social media in chronic disease management appears to be optimistic, there is limited concrete evidence indicating whether and how social media use significantly improves patient outcomes. This review examines the health outcomes and related effects of using social media, while also exploring the unique affordances underpinning these effects. Few studies have investigated social medias potential in chronic disease, but those we found indicate impact on health status and other effects are positive, with none indicating adverse events. Benefits have been reported for psychosocial management via the ability to foster support and share information; however, there is less evidence of benefits for physical condition management. We found that studies covered a very limited range of social media platforms and that there is an ongoing propensity towards reporting investigations of earlier social platforms, such as online support groups (OSG), discussion forums and message boards. Finally, it is hypothesized that for social media to form a more meaningful part of effective chronic disease management, interventions need to be tailored to the individualized needs of sufferers. The particular affordances of social media that appear salient in this regard from analysis of the literature include: identity, flexibility, structure, narration and adaptation. This review suggests further research of high methodological quality is required to investigate the affordances of social media and how these can best serve chronic disease sufferers. Evidence-based practice (EBP) using social media may then be considered.

‘Net Generation’ medical students: technological experiences of pre-clinical and clinical students

Background: While institutions have been keen to integrate information and communication technologies into medical education, little is known about the technological experiences of the current cohort of so-called ‘Net Generation’ students. Aims: This study investigated the technological experiences of medical students and determined whether there were differences between pre-clinical and clinical students. Method: In 2006, 207 pre-clinical and 161 clinical students studying medicine at a major Australian university were surveyed. The questionnaire asked students about their access to, use of and skills with an array of technologies and technology-based tools. Results: The results show that access to mobile phones, memory sticks, desktop computers, and broadband Internet connections was high while technologies such as PDAs were used in very low numbers. A factor analysis of students’ use of 39 technology-based tools revealed nine clear activity types, including the ‘standard’ use of computers and mobile-phones, and the use of the Internet as a pastime activity, for podcasting and for accessing services. A comparison of pre-clinical and clinical students revealed a number of significant differences in terms of the frequency and skill with which these students use distinct technology-based tools. Conclusions: The findings inform current technology-based teaching and learning activities and shed light on potential areas of educational technology development.

Use of Social Web Technologies by International and Domestic Undergraduate Students: Implications for Internationalising Learning and Teaching in Australian Universities.

Much research into the use of online information and communication technologies for the internationalisation of learning and teaching has focused on established web technologies. This paper considers the possible internationalisation implications of existing uses of social software, also known as Web 2.0 technologies, which are now widely available inside and outside of formal education settings. The paper reports on two studies: the first, conducted at a large Australian university, investigated differences between international and domestic undergraduate students’ (n = 1973) use of web‐based technologies and tools; the second investigation reports on interviews with eight Australian and eight Singaporean university students about their use and perceptions of blogs and blogging. The findings from two studies provide new evidence of both cultural similarities and cultural differences in aspects of young university students’ use of social software for communication and content creation. Discussion and conclusions draw out factors to be considered in planning to implement new uses of social software among culturally and linguistically diverse students of the Net Generation, in Australia and more generally.

Exposome informatics: considerations for the design of future biomedical research information systems

The environments contribution to health has been conceptualized as the exposome. Biomedical research interest in environmental exposures as a determinant of physiopathological processes is rising as such data increasingly become available. The panoply of miniaturized sensing devices now accessible and affordable for individuals to use to monitor a widening range of parameters opens up a new world of research data. Biomedical informatics (BMI) must provide a coherent framework for dealing with multi-scale population data including the phenome, the genome, the exposome, and their interconnections. The combination of these more continuous, comprehensive, and personalized data sources requires new research and development approaches to data management, analysis, and visualization. This article analyzes the implications of a new paradigm for the discipline of BMI, one that recognizes genome, phenome, and exposome data and their intricate interactions as the basis for biomedical research now and for clinical care in the near future.

Quality Management of Academic Development Work: Implementation Issues and Challenges.

This paper summarises current ideas about the place of academic development in the twenty‐first century university. It focuses on aligning the leadership and management of academic development work with the ‘ownership’ of such work by its key stakeholders—teaching academics, university management and the wider academic development community—and with an institutional quality agenda. It offers insights taken from the authors’ experiences in one AD unit over a five‐year period, and from the diverse perspectives on its work held by various stakeholders, into critical issues that underlie efforts to improve the management of academic development. It outlines the challenges in trying to elucidate the work of academic development within a quality management framework and argues for advancing its work through clearer articulation of its principles, standards, performance tracking and intended impact. Cet article dresse un bilan des idées courantes en ce qui a trait au rôle du développement pédagogique au sein de l’université du 21e siècle. L’article établit un lien entre le leadership et la gestion des programmes de développement pédagogique, et la ‘propriété’ de ces programmes par les participants—le personnel enseignant, les administrateurs universitaires et la communauté du développement pédagogique dans son ensemble—de même que les orientations institutionnelles en matière de qualité. L’article repose sur l’expérience des auteurs, acquise au sein d’un centre de développement pédagogique durant cinq années, de même que sur l’expérience des divers partenaires en ce qui a trait aux activités du centre de développement pédagogique, et nous éclaire sur les efforts entrepris pour améliorer la gestion du développement pédagogique. L’article élabore au sujet des défis que pose le développement pédagogique dans un contexte de gestion de la qualité et soutient que le développement des activités en matière de développement pédagogique passe par une clarification des principes, des standards, du suivi de la performance et de l’impact envisagé.

Patient-Reported Outcomes and Therapeutic Affordances of Social Media: Findings From a Global Online Survey of People With Chronic Pain

Background Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) from social media use in chronic disease management continue to emerge. While many published articles suggest the potential for social media is positive, there is a lack of robust examination into mediating mechanisms that might help explain social media’s therapeutic value. This study presents findings from a global online survey of people with chronic pain (PWCP) to better understand how they use social media as part of self-management. Objective Our aim is to improve understanding of the various health outcomes reported by PWCP by paying close attention to therapeutic affordances of social media. We wish to examine if demographics of participants underpin health outcomes and whether the concept of therapeutic affordances explains links between social media use and PROs. The goal is for this to help tailor future recommendations for use of social media to meet individuals’ health needs and improve clinical practice of social media use. Methods A total of 231 PWCP took part in a global online survey investigating PROs from social media use. Recruited through various chronic disease entities and social networks, participants provided information on demographics, health/pain status, social media use, therapeutic affordances, and PROs from use. Quantitative analysis was performed on the data using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, and cluster analysis. Results The total dataset represented 218 completed surveys. The majority of participants were university educated (67.0%, 146/218) and female (83.9%, 183/218). More than half (58.7%, 128/218) were married/partnered and not working for pay (75.9%, 88/116 of these due to ill health). Fibromyalgia (46.6%, 55/118) and arthritis (27.1%, 32/118) were the most commonly reported conditions causing pain. Participants showed a clear affinity for social network site use (90.0%, 189/210), followed by discussion forums and blogs. PROs were consistent, suggesting that social media positively impact psychological, social, and cognitive health. Analysis also highlighted two strong correlations linking platform used and health outcomes (particularly psychological, social, and cognitive) to (1) the narrative affordance of social media and (2) frequency of use of the platforms. Conclusions Results did not uncover definitive demographics or characteristics of PWCP for which health outcomes are impacted. However, findings corroborate literature within this domain suggesting that there is a typical profile of people who use social media for health and that social media are more suited to particular health outcomes. Exploration of the relationship between social media’s therapeutic affordances and health outcomes, in particular the narration affordance, warrants further attention by patients and clinicians.

EHealth Technologies in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Electronic-health technologies (eHealth) such as Web-based interventions, virtual clinics, smart-phone applications, and telemedicine are being used to manage patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to: (1) Evaluate the impact of eHealth technologies on conventional clinical indices and patient-reported outcome measures (PROs) in IBD; (2) assess the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and feasibility of using eHealth technologies to facilitate the self-management of individuals with IBD, and; (3) provide recommendations for their design and optimal use for patient care. METHODS Relevant publications were identified via a literature search, and 17 publications were selected based on predefined quality parameters. RESULTS Six randomized controlled trials and nine observational studies utilizing eHealth technologies in IBD were identified. Compared with standard outpatient-led care, eHealth technologies have led to improvements in: Relapse duration [(n = 1) 18 days vs 77 days, p < 0.001]; disease activity (n = 2); short-term medication adherence (n = 3); quality of life (n = 4); IBD knowledge (n = 2); healthcare costs (n = 4); the number of acute visits to the outpatient clinic due to IBD symptoms (n = 1), and; facilitating the remote management of up to 20% of an IBD cohort (n = 2). Methodological shortcomings of eHealth studies include heterogeneity of outcome measures, lack of clinician/patient input, lack of validation against conventional clinical indices and PROs, and limited cost-benefit analyses. CONCLUSIONS EHealth technologies have the potential for promoting self-management and reducing the impact of the growing burden of IBD on health care resource utilization. A theoretical framework should be applied to the development, implementation, and evaluation of eHealth interventions.