Context: Tutors in problem-based learning (PBL) tutorials have a complex role to play in facilitating students' learning. This includes providing support for students' acquisition of content knowledge and skills in critical thinking, coaching of group processes and modelling of reflective practice. Few studies which investigate the key role of tutors in the PBL tutorial process are qualitative in design.
Methods: This study explores the nature and technique of facilitation provided by PBL tutors from the students' viewpoint. Data were obtained from written responses to an open-ended question asking students about the effectiveness of their PBL tutor(s) and from in-depth interviews carried out with two randomly selected students.
Results: Three main themes arose from the inductive analysis of qualitative data: (i) role confusion by tutors; (ii) tutor management of sensitive issues, and (iii) facilitation 'style'. The theme of tutors' facilitation style was dominant and three sub-categories were apparent. These were: (i) managing the learning in PBL tutorials; (ii) facilitating group processes, and (iii) guiding group discussion.
Conclusions: Findings highlight the need for tutors to regularly review the PBL tutorial processes and group dynamics within the tutorial setting. These findings have implications for tutor training and programmes of ongoing professional development for PBL facilitators.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2009.03293.x | DOI Listing |
Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol
February 2025
Université Paris-Saclay, Université Evry, IBISC, 91020 Evry-Courcouronnes, France.
Predicting the 3D structure of RNA is a significant challenge despite ongoing advancements in the field. Although AlphaFold has successfully addressed this problem for proteins, RNA structure prediction raises difficulties due to the fundamental differences between proteins and RNA, which hinder its direct adaptation. The latest release of AlphaFold, AlphaFold3, has broadened its scope to include multiple different molecules such as DNA, ligands and RNA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Psychol
January 2025
Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway.
This study investigates the role of teacher mediation in facilitating children's communication during problem-solving, play-based coding activities with Kubo, a screen-free coding toy, in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings. Following an initial observation involving nine kindergarten teachers and 36 children, a workshop was held to identify elements that teachers considered relevant for facilitating children's use of verbal and non-verbal communication. Key mediation elements, such as multimodal communication, planning, time, humor, and reflective questioning, were identified during the workshop and applied in a subsequent observation with the same participants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Aims: This article explores antibiotic resistance as a critical public health issue in Bangladesh, emphasizing its growing threat to the nation's healthcare system. As a developing country, Bangladesh faces unique challenges in managing this crisis, with antibiotic resistance posing significant risks due to its multidimensional problems to both individual health and the broader population.
Methods: We searched for relevant pieces of literature that discuss the antibiotic resistance problem both from a global and national perspective.
J Pain Res
January 2025
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People's Republic of China.
Purpose: To develop a training program on cancer pain management for pharmacists and to evaluate the effectiveness of the training.
Methods: The program developed a well-structured curriculum and subsequent evaluation of training effectiveness, guided by the Kirkpatrick four-tier evaluation model, including reaction, learning, behavior, and results. The training approach incorporated mentoring, study groups, and problem-based learning to create an immersive and impactful learning experience.
Cureus
December 2024
Private Practice, General Vascular Surgery Medical Group, Inc., San Leandro, USA.
Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have shown significant potential in the medical field, although many applications are still in the research phase. This paper provides a comprehensive review of advancements in augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR) for surgical applications from 2019 to 2024 to accelerate the transition of AI from the research to the clinical phase. This paper also provides an overview of proposed databases for further use in extended reality (XR), which includes AR, MR, and VR, as well as a summary of typical research applications involving XR in surgical practices.
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