scholarly journals The Strategic Teamwork for Effective Practice Mentor Development Program (STEP-MDP): Expanding capacity for clinical and translational science by investing in research staff

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-177
Author(s):  
Christine Denicola ◽  
Lisa Altshuler ◽  
Gabrielle Denicola ◽  
Sondra Zabar
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Effective Practice ◽  
Research Staff ◽  
Research Teams ◽  
Program Step

IntroductionResearch staff are critical to productive translational research teams, yet their professional development is rarely formally addressed.MethodsWe created Strategic Teamwork for Effective Practice Mentor Development Program (STEP-MDP) to promote skills development and build a community of practice. We ran and evaluated the STEP-MDP for 32 participants, which consisted of workshops focusing on team communication and mentorship/coaching skills.ResultsWe found that STEP-MDP had a long-term positive impact on participants and their teams.ConclusionThis program facilitated the professional development of research staff.

The Association Between NRMN STAR Grantsmanship Self-Efficacy and Grant Submission

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 559-566
Author(s):  
Harlan P. Jones ◽  
Jamboor K. Vishwanatha ◽  
Edward L. Krug ◽  
Eileen Harwood ◽  
Kristin Eide Boman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Sex Education ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Grant Writing ◽  
Academic Rank ◽  
Training Institution ◽  
Federal Grant

Background: Eliminating the NIH fund­ing gap among underrepresented minori­ties (URMs) remains a high priority for the National Institutes of Health. In 2014, the National Research Mentoring Network1 Steps Toward Academic Research (NRMN STAR) program recruited postdoctoral, early-stage and junior faculty to participate in a 12-month grant writing and professional development program. The expectation of the program was to increase the number of grant submissions and awards to URM re­searchers. Although receiving a grant award is the gold standard of NRMN STAR, instill­ing confidence for postdocs and early-stage faculty to submit an application is a critical first step. Based on our previous study, a sustained increase in trainee self-efficacy score over a 24-month period was observed after completing NRMN STAR.Methods: The current study sought to determine the association between self-efficacy score and grant submissions among two cohorts of trainees. Grantsmanship Self-Efficacy was measured using a 19-item questionnaire previously described by and used in our own work, which was originally adapted from an 88-item Clinical Research Appraisal Inventory.2 A binary variable was created to identify trainees who submit­ted an initial or revised proposal vs those who abandoned their proposal or were still writing. Trainees were assessed prior to and following program completion with subsequent assessments at 6 and 12 months beyond participation.Results: As of June 20, 2019, 12 of the 21 (57%) trainees had submitted a grant proposal (eg, NIH, other federal or non-federal grant). For every point increase in 12-month post assessments, Grantsmanship Self-Efficacy scores across all domains had a 44% higher prevalence of submitting a grant after controlling for race, sex, education  level, academic rank, research experience, duration of postdoctoral training, institution type, and NRMN STAR cohort.  Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that NRMN STAR had a positive impact on trainees’ confidence in grant writing and professional development activities, which resulted in higher grant submis­sion rates.Ethn Dis. 2021;31(4):559-566; doi:10.18865/ed.31.4.559

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of Computer-Based Learning in Developing Academic Skills for Children with Intellectual Disabilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-99
Author(s):  
Faris Algahtani
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Educational Program ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Academic Skills ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

Aim: The study aimed to investigate the effect of using a computer-based program in developing academic skills (reading, writing and arithmetic) for children with mild intellectual disabilities as compared to the conventional teaching instructions. Methods: The study was conducted in intellectual institutions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A randomized controlled trial design was adopted in the study to determine the impact of the intervention. The study sample was composed of boys (n = 19) and girls (n = 21) aged 6 – 10 years who were selected purposively, and randomly assigned to the experimental group and control group. The two-division experimental group one for boys (n = 8) and the other for girls (n = 12) in the experimental group was studied by using an academic skills development program or a computer-based program. Results: The results indicated that there is a positive impact of the academic skills development program, which was applied to the experimental group to improve academic skills. The reason for the absence of gender differences in academic skills for the educational program is the similarity of the educational environment and the activities used in the educational program in terms of skills, activities, training methods, similar abilities and intellectual preparations for the genders, and for their interaction with the program itself. In addition, the program corresponds to the developmental characteristics of both genders, and there are no impediments to the application of the program in both genders.

scholarly journals Professional development of school library staff in Trinidad and Tobago

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone J. Primus
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Trinidad And Tobago ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
School Library ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Collaborative Problem Solving ◽  
Virtual Community Of Practice ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
The Impact

Using a qualitative case study approach, this study explored the impact of participation in a virtual community of practice on the professional development of secondary school library staff in Trinidad and Tobago. Participants engaged in forum discussions, Web meetings, and online collaborative problem solving over a 12-week period. Preliminary findings suggest that participation in a virtual community of practice impacted participants in four areas: technical, social, cognitive, and tangible. School library practitioners and administrators could use this research to help them develop an informal ongoing professional development program.

Global Awareness Dialogue Project: Exploring Potential for Faculty Transformation Through a Professional Development Series

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 318-336
Author(s):  
Roxanna M. Senyshyn ◽  
Paula Smith
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Global Awareness ◽  
Faculty Professional Development ◽  
Diverse Classroom ◽  
Learning Framework

This article examines a faculty professional development program aimed at engaging faculty in an ongoing discussion about global awareness and the practices surrounding teaching and learning in a linguistically and culturally diverse classroom. The program is modeled on two key components: the engagement of undergraduate students and faculty in a structured dialogue outside the classroom and the contributions of experts to faculty discussions to locate and contextualize best practices. The initiative’s potential to affect faculty perspectives is explored through a transformative learning framework. Short-term and long-term assessments show that participants were motivated to improve and implement new instructional practices.

Does Research-Based Professional Development Make a Difference? A Longitudinal Investigation of Teacher Learning in Technology Integration

2009 ◽  
Vol 111 (5) ◽  
pp. 1195-1241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chrystalla Mouza
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Learning ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Design Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Continual Learning

Background/Context Although there is a growing body of literature on the characteristics of effective professional development, there is little direct evidence on the extent to which these characteristics influence teacher learning and practice. In particular, few studies exist to date that demonstrate the impact of technology-focused professional development on teacher learning and practice. Even fewer studies have examined teacher learning for more than a year to understand the sustainability and growth of professional development gains. Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the long-term impact of research-based professional development on teacher learning and practice with respect to technology. Analysis is based on data collected from 7 urban teachers 2 years after their participation in a yearlong, technology-focused professional development program. Follow-up data are compared with data collected by the author during the teachers’ participation in professional development to (1) investigate the sustainability and growth of teachers’ learning, (2) identify the conditions that facilitated or hindered teachers’ capacity to further develop their thinking, knowledge, and practice with regard to technology, and (3) map the trajectory of teachers’ learning over a 3-year period. Research Design The study employed a qualitative multiple case study design. Data were collected from multiple sources that included teacher interviews, surveys, classroom observations, and collection of artifacts. Two outcomes were defined as critical measures of long-term learning: sustainability and growth. Findings/Results Results indicated that participation in research-based professional development fostered sustained changes in teachers’ educational technology knowledge, ability to design and implement technology-supported experiences for students, and beliefs toward teaching and learning with technology. In two cases, these changes became the basis for continual learning and led to ongoing professional growth. Further, findings revealed three factors that influenced teacher learning over time: (1) student characteristics, (2) access to resources, and (3) social support and opportunities for collaboration with peers. Conclusions/Recommendations Findings of the study suggest that participation in professional development that is grounded in the currently accepted best practices can impact teacher learning and practice. They also offer insights into the process by which teachers modify their knowledge, practices, and beliefs and the conditions that influence learning over time. Further, they provide new lenses for analyzing teacher learning that suggest looking more closely into the interactive relationship between practices and beliefs, as well as the ways in which classroom experience influences continual learning and change.

scholarly journals Nurse leaders’ perceptions of the impact of their participation in a reflective practice program

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 38
Author(s):  
Mélanie Lavoie-Tremblay ◽  
Guylaine Cyr ◽  
Gilbert Primeau ◽  
Thalia Aube
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Nurse Leaders ◽  
Nursing Leaders ◽  
Development Tool ◽  
Clinical Nursing ◽  
The Impact

Since 2003, a university healthcare centre in Quebec (Canada) has offered its nursing leaders access to a long-term professional development program focusing on skills in Reflective Practice (RP). This program is based on teaching nursing leaders to interpret and reframe difficult, emotionally-charged situations they encounter on a regular basis, so they can improve their interpersonal interactions with their colleagues, patients, and patients’ families. This article describes the results of a qualitative study conducted in 2018 with 18 nursing leaders who participated for at least three years in the RP program. Participants were asked to describe their understanding of the RP approach, key learnings from the program, and parts of the training they found most valuable. They were also asked to define or share the program’s impact on their professional practice and leadership skills. It was found that the participants view RP as a useful tool for understanding and improving their interactions with others, and that it had led to concrete improvements in their interpersonal and leadership skills. Several of the positive changes described by participants are rarely described in other studies about the use of RP as a professional development tool in a clinical nursing setting.  The results suggest that when nurse leaders have participated for several years in an RP program, they experience different benefits than front-line staff with less long-term participation.

scholarly journals 2068

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. 43-43
Author(s):  
Christine Marie Denicola ◽  
Lisa Altshuler ◽  
Sondra Zabar
Keyword(s):  
Translational Research ◽  
Peer Coaching ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Research Staff ◽  
Research Teams ◽  
Coaching Skills ◽  
Long Term Impact

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Skillful research staff members are critical to productive translational research teams and yet their ongoing professional development is rarely formally addressed. Through the Strategic Teamwork for Effective Practice-Mentor Development Program (STEP-MDP), we aimed to both create a community of practice (COP) for research staff and build the skills needed to enhance research team performance. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We selected 16 participants of 32 staff-level applicants from among the NYU Schools of Medicine, Social Work and Nursing for the first STEP-MDP cohort. Participants included research assistants, coordinators, managers, and directors. We delivered 3, two-hour workshops, scheduled 3 weeks apart, focused on team communication, identifying team areas for improvement, and mentorship/coaching skills. Peer-Coaching Teams (PCTs) were created by pairing participants at the same position level, and PCTs worked together at each session to explore and practice learned skills. Sessions featured brief didactics, group-based learning and exercises based on participants’ real issues. A variety of active learning techniques such as brainstorming, role-playing, problem solving, and peer coaching were used. Practical core readings, worksheets, and summary cards were provided. PCTs met between sessions to practice coaching skills, and troubleshoot problems. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Participants (n=16) completed a 37-item retrospective pre/post self-assessment of team behaviors and skills, and a STEP-MDP evaluation survey at the end. We saw pre-post improvements in each of 5 self-assessment domains: Communication (4 items, pre-mean 2.66, post mean 3.36, p≤0.001), Leadership (8 items, pre-mean 2.76, post mean 3.55, p≤0.001), Empowerment and Motivation (12 items, pre-mean 2.86, post mean 3.51, p≤0.001), Coaching (6 items, pre-mean 2.40, post mean 3.58, p≤0.001), and Community (3 items, pre-mean 2.33, post mean 3.76, p≤0.001). On average, PCTs met twice (range 2–4 times) between workshop sessions. Learners valued the PCTs, and 1 commented on the value of working with peers in PCTs, having no one in a similar position within his immediate work environment. Participants’ written comments strongly endorsed the value of the workshops for their work, with the coaching skills session seen as the most valuable. Some participants worry that skills will decrease over time without continued reinforcement. All but 1 participant reported that they planned to continue with the PCT. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: The number of applicants to our program suggests a need and motivation for staff to participate in the STEP-MDP. Participants’ reported improved skills and sense of community. To maintain the COP and address worry about degradation of skills we are planning to remind PCTs to meet once a month and will follow-up with them 3 and 6 months post intervention to evaluate their continued development. This spring a second cohort will receive the training. We believe developing these core teamwork skills will lead to more collaborative, efficient, and innovative research. We have implemented a successful program targeting critical members of research teams with potential to facilitate expansion of institutional capacity for translational research. It will be important to understand the long-term impact of the program on individuals, on team science, on research, and ultimately on the health of the public.

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