Development of a self-report instrument for measuring in-class student engagement reveals that pretending to engage is a significant unrecognized problem.

Student engagement during classes includes behavioural, cognitive and emotional components, and is a pre-requisite for successful active learning environments. A novel approach to measuring student engagement was developed, involving triangulation of real-time student-self report, observation by trained observers and heart rate measurement. The self-report instrument was evaluated in four separate cohorts (n = 123) at Monash University and the University of North Carolina.

Student Engagement with a Flipped Classroom Teaching Design Affects Pharmacology Examination Performance in a Manner Dependent on Question Type.

To investigate the relationship between student engagement with the key elements of a flipped classroom approach (preparation and attendance), their attitudes to learning, including strategy development, and their performance on two types of examination questions (knowledge recall and providing rational predictions when faced with novel scenarios). This study correlated student engagement with the flipped classroom and student disposition to learning with student ability to solve novel scenarios in examinations. Students who both prepared for and attended classes performed significantly better on examination questions that required analysis of novel scenarios compared to students who did not prepare and missed classes.

A Simulated Learning Environment for Teaching Medicine Dispensing Skills.

Objective: To develop an authentic simulation of the professional practice dispensary context for students to develop their dispensing skills in a risk-free environment.

Design: A development team used an Agile software development method to create MyDispense, a web-based simulation. Modeled on virtual learning environments elements, the software employed widely available standards-based technologies to create a virtual community pharmacy environment.