scholarly journals Virtual clinical examinations: are they the new ‘normal'?

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S125-S125
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Barakat ◽  
Hannah Slevin ◽  
Reshmi Nijjar ◽  
Kavitha Ramamurthy ◽  
Latha Hackett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Test Quality ◽  
Online Delivery ◽  
North West ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Virtual Test ◽  
The North ◽  
Financial Costs ◽  
The Face ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Online Format

AimsThe North West School of Psychiatry run a yearly structured clinical examination to help Core Psychiatry Trainees develop their training competencies and prepare for the MRCPsych Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies (CASC). Historically, this has been face-to-face with logistical difficulties, high cost, low trainee uptake and challenging in recruiting examiners. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent shift to virtual consultations and examinations, the team implemented an innovative virtual Skills test. The main aims were to improve the test's quality and the trainee uptake, adapt the test delivery to a Health Education England (HEE) online platform, and establish cost-effectiveness in the post-COVID world.MethodA working group was formed to develop the Skills test, and in May 2019, the test was delivered face-to-face, implementing 5 cycles of 8 stations over 3 days. The same group adapted the test for online delivery, and in August 2020, 3 cycles of 8 stations were delivered. Feedback was collected, with adaptations made for a second Skills Test in December 2020.Result96.4% of trainees rated their overall experience and the test organisation in the 2019 test as excellent or good (82.1% and 85.7 excellent, respectively). 93.5% of examiners rated their overall experience and the test organisation as excellent or good (45.1% excellent for both). In the August test, 95.8% of trainees rated their overall experience as excellent or good (58.3% excellent). 100% of trainees rated the test organisation and the online format as excellent or good (70.8% and 50% excellent, respectively). Although 100% of examiners rated the overall experience, the test organisation and online format as excellent or good, some felt the stations were not long enough to allow for technical issues. In the December test, higher proportions of trainees rated the overall experience (80%), organisation of the test (80%) and online format (70%) as excellent.ConclusionThe virtual test is shown to be a viable and successful alternative to the face-to-face test in preparing trainees for their CASC, and trainees felt it was excellent preparation for the new online CASC format. It had some clear advantages, such as saving on consumables, reducing the financial costs of running the test, improving the test quality, and increasing the trainee uptake. It is more eco-friendly and reduces fuel emission, raising the question of how the test should be delivered after the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals 55 Are Virtual Journal Clubs A Viable Alternative in The Covid-19 Era?

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_6) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Morris ◽  
H Jenny ◽  
C Park ◽  
A Scarborough ◽  
V Antoniou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Journal Club ◽  
Virtual Model ◽  
Online Journal ◽  
North West ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The North ◽  
Journal Clubs ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Set Up

Abstract Introduction During the COVID-19 pandemic, face to face journal clubs have been curtailed due to Governmental guidance for social distancing. We present an example of a virtual journal club set up for Orthopaedic senior house officers (SHOs) & trainees in the North West Thames (NWT) Deanery from April to August 2020. Method Our aims were to establish a regular online journal club for orthopaedic trainees in NWT that successfully met the objectives of the more established face to face meetings. Assessment of each session was evaluated using a post attendance survey created using an established online generator. Results 64.4% (16/25 participants) had not attended a virtual journal club before, with 100% (33/33) reporting that they would attend another virtual journal club. 39.4% (13/33) of attendees agreed or strongly agreed that they could participate in sessions over more conventional meetings. 24.2% (8/33) of participants reported experiencing technical issues during the sessions. 90.9% (30/33) of respondents reporting the virtual model to be more convenient than standard journal clubs. Conclusions The potential benefits of significantly increased accessibility increased visiting expert contribution whilst still adhering to government guidelines; weighed against marginally less effective teaching nonetheless results in an overall benefit.

scholarly journals EP.TU.19Are virtual journal clubs a viable alternative in the Covid-19 era?

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_7) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Morris ◽  
Heloise Jenney ◽  
Chang Park ◽  
Alexander Scarborough ◽  
Vaki Antoniou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Journal Club ◽  
Virtual Model ◽  
Online Journal ◽  
North West ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The North ◽  
Journal Clubs ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Set Up

Abstract Introduction During the COVID-19 pandemic, face to face journal clubs have been curtailed due to Governmental guidance for social distancing. We present an example of a virtual journal club set up for Orthopaedic senior house officers (SHOs) & trainees in the North West Thames (NWT) Deanery from April to August 2020. Methods Our aims were to establish a regular online journal club for orthopaedic trainees in NWT that successfully met the objectives of the more established face to face meetings. Assessment of each session was evaluated using a post attendance survey created using an established online generator. Results 64.4% (16/25 participants) had not attended a virtual journal club before, with 100% (33/33) reporting that they would attend another virtual journal club. 39.4% (13/33) of attendees agreed or strongly agreed that they could participate in sessions over more conventional meetings. 24.2% (8/33) of participants reported experiencing technical issues during the sessions. 90.9% (30/33) of respondents reporting the virtual model to be more convenient than standard journal clubs. Conclusion The potential benefits of significantly increased accessibility, increased visiting expert contribution whilst still adhering to government guidelines; weighed against marginally less effective teaching nonetheless results in an overall benefit

Creating and Using Multiple Media in an Online Course

2011 ◽  
pp. 1923-1938
Author(s):  
Maurice W. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Mail ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Web Pages ◽  
Online Delivery ◽  
Musical Sound ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
History Of ◽  
Multiple Media ◽  
Online Format

The adaptation of a traditional, face-to-face course to an online format presents both challenges and opportunities. A face-to-face fundamentals course treating the science of musical sound and the methods used to code and transform musical sound using digital computers was adapted for online delivery. The history of the course and the composition of its audience are discussed, as are the decisions to create movies, web pages, electronic mail, and a paper textbook for the course. Practical choices for technology, which reflect the conflicting benefits of choosing simple versus more sophisticated technology, are outlined and the reactions of the students to these choices are discussed. An anecdotal comparison between an online and a face-to-face course section is offered, along with ideas for future development.

scholarly journals Closing the Achievement Gap in a Large Introductory Course by Balancing Reduced In-Person Contact with Increased Course Structure

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. ar8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sat Gavassa ◽  
Rocio Benabentos ◽  
Marcy Kravec ◽  
Timothy Collins ◽  
Sarah Eddy
Keyword(s):  
Achievement Gap ◽  
Research University ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Underrepresented Students ◽  
Closing The Achievement Gap ◽  
Course Structure ◽  
Hybrid Course ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Face ◽  
Online Format

Hybrid and online courses are gaining attention as alternatives to traditional face-to-face classes. In addition to the pedagogical flexibility afforded by alternative formats, these courses also appeal to campuses aiming to maximize classroom space. The literature, however, reports conflicting results regarding the effect of hybrid and online courses on student learning. We designed, taught, and assessed a fully online course (100% online) and a hybrid-and-flipped course (50% online 50% face-to-face) and compared those formats with a lecture-based face-to-face course. The three formats also varied in the degree of structure; the hybrid course was the most structured and the face-to-face course was the least structured. All three courses were taught by the same instructor in a large Hispanic-serving research university. We found that exam scores for all students were lowest in the face-to-face course. Hispanic and Black students had higher scores in the hybrid format compared with online and face-to-face, while white students had the highest performance in the online format. We conclude that a hybrid course format with high structure can improve exam performance for traditionally underrepresented students, closing the achievement gap even while in-person contact hours are reduced.

Performance on tests of economic literacy: A comparison of face-to-face with online instruction

First Monday ◽  
2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank P. Albritton Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Student Achievement ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
College Level ◽  
Economic Literacy ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Online Delivery ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Considerable Research ◽  
Online Format

Does taking a college level course in the principles of economics improve economic literacy? While there is debate on whether courses in the principles of economics as taught at colleges and universities improve general economic literacy, more and more of these courses are being taught online. There has been considerable research in other subjects as to whether there is a difference in student performance dependent upon whether the courses was taken in a traditional face–to–face format or online. However, in the critically important subjects dealt with in the principles of economics, there has been discussion but little research conducted about whether online delivery is equivalent in terms of student achievement to the traditional face–to–face delivery. The purpose of this paper is to determine if there is a difference in the performance of students, as measured by economic literacy, between students taking a course in the principles of economics using a face–to–face versus online format. The data was collected using an online questionnaire over two semesters at a community college and analyzed using SPSS, version 12.

Legacies of Slavery in North-West Uganda: The Story of the ‘one-Elevens’

Africa ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Leopold
Keyword(s):  
Northern Uganda ◽  
East African ◽  
Southern Sudan ◽  
North West ◽  
The Core ◽  
The North ◽  
Rebel Groups ◽  
The Face ◽  
History Of ◽  
The One

AbstractThis article outlines the history of a people known as ‘Nubi’ or ‘Nubians’, northern Ugandan Muslims who were closely associated with Idi Amin's rule, and a group to which he himself belonged. They were supposed to be the descendants of former slave soldiers from southern Sudan, who in the late 1880s at the time of the Mahdi's Islamic uprising came into what is now Uganda under the command of a German officer named Emin Pasha. In reality, the identity became an elective one, open to Muslim males from the northern Uganda/southern Sudan borderlands, as well as descendants of the original soldiers. These soldiers, taken on by Frederick Lugard of the Imperial British East Africa Company, formed the core of the forces used to carve out much of Britain's East African Empire. From the days of Emin Pasha to those of Idi Amin, some Nubi men were identified by a marking of three vertical lines on the face – the ‘One-Elevens’. Although since Amin's overthrow many Muslims from the north of the country prefer to identify themselves as members of local Ugandan ethnic groups rather than as ‘Nubis’, aspects of Nubi identity live on among Ugandan rebel groups, as well as in cyberspace.

scholarly journals Determinants of Success and Sustainability of Farmer Organizations in the North West Region of Cameroon

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Patience Mugah Nji ◽  
Fon Dorothy Engwali
Keyword(s):  
Capital Accumulation ◽  
Impact Factors ◽  
Community Members ◽  
North West ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The North ◽  
Farmer Organizations ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Skilled Personnel ◽  
Farmer Organisations

Aims: This article seeks to evaluate the determinants or factors that contribute to the success of Farmer Organizations and their sustainability. Study Design: The research method was based on field surveys. Duration of Study:  The study was carried out between August 2018 and October 2019. Methodology: Sample: Data was collected through face-to-face interviews and 299 respondents (255 Farmer organisations members, and 44 community members) were selected using the multi-stage cluster and purposive sampling techniques. Data from the study was analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Results revealed that the main problems witnessed by Farmer Organisations which slow down their growth include capital accumulation (86.4%), unavailability of loan (79.5%), and lack of skilled personnel (65.9%) and high illiteracy level of members (43.2%). While mismanagement of group funds by leaders (13.6%), government interference (29.5%), was of low impact. Factors that contribute to the success and sustainability of farmer organisation among others are good group leadership skills (90.2%) members, meeting the needs of the members (84.3%), assist in community development (58.8%) other factors include origin of group, assistance, communication and members involvement in decision making, membership participation, guiding principles and regulations, type of activity and profitability. Conclusion: For farmer organizations to be successful and sustainable  government agencies and NGOs in the sector should help  the farmer organizations by  providing financial assistance, farm inputs and seeds, provide post harvest infrastructures, regular extension services and the Farmer organizations should be market and advocacy oriented.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting e-Government Adoption by Dairy Farmers: A Case Study in the North-West of Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 206
Author(s):  
Alba Vázquez-López ◽  
Manuel Marey-Perez
Keyword(s):  
National Level ◽  
Electronic Government ◽  
Web Pages ◽  
Dairy Farmers ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
North West ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The North ◽  
The Government

With the objective of assessing the farmers’ situation regarding the use of the ICT and their relations with the electronic government, a case study consisting in the realization of 34 face-to-face surveys was conducted between February and March 2020 in dairy farms in the region of Galicia (Spain). The sample was selected according to one of the most important online journals in the farming sector at a national level. From the census, we chose those farms considered most representative taking into account the main criteria: the level of PAC (Common Agrarian Politics) subsidies and milk production (litres/cow and year). The results show that the majority of the farmers used the internet, but on many an occasion, they were discontented in relation to the poor connection quality in their farms. In regard to the use of the electronic government for procedures related to their farms, many of them were able to perform them through the government website; however, there were procedures which the users defined as “complex” and which had to be outsourced to authorised entities. The results also show that the farmers do want to employ the e-government, mainly because of the time and cost saving; however, the current web pages do not meet the users’ expectations. Finally, this situation, applied to a region placed among the 10 most productive regions of milk, is comparable to what happens in other regions.

scholarly journals Online Delivery and Assessment during COVID-19: Safeguarding Academic Integrity

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 301
Author(s):  
Kelum A.A. Gamage ◽  
Erandika K. de Silva ◽  
Nanda Gunawardhana
Keyword(s):  
Academic Integrity ◽  
Current Situation ◽  
Online Delivery ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Face

Globally, the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise daily despite strict measures being adopted by many countries. Consequently, universities closed down to minimise the face-to-face contacts, and the majority of the universities are now conducting degree programmes through online delivery. Remote online delivery and assessment are novel experiences for many universities, which presents many challenges, particularly when safeguarding academic integrity. For example, invigilated assessments, often considered as more secure, are not an option given the current situation and detecting any cheating would be significantly challenging. This paper reviews assessment security in the digital domain and critically evaluates the practices from different universities in safeguarding academic integrity, including associated challenges.

Long-term persistence and vicariance within the Australian Monsoonal Tropics: the case of the giant cave and tree geckos (Pseudothecadactylus)

2013 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul M. Oliver ◽  
Rebecca J. Laver ◽  
Katie L. Smith ◽  
Aaron M. Bauer
Keyword(s):  
New Caledonia ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Arid Conditions ◽  
The Face ◽  
History Of ◽  
Cape York ◽  
Rag 1

The Australian Monsoonal Tropics (AMT) are one of the largest unbroken areas of savannah woodland in the world. The history of the biota of this region is poorly understood; however, data from fossil deposits indicate that the climate was more mesic in the past, and that biodiversity has been shaped by attenuation and turnover as arid conditions expanded and intensified through the Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene. The giant cave and tree geckos (Pseudothecadactylus) are distributed across three disjunct regions of relatively high rainfall in the AMT (the north-west Kimberley, the ‘Top End’, and Cape York). We present an analysis of the diversity and biogeography of this genus based on mitochondrial (ND2) and nuclear (RAG-1) loci. These data indicate that the three widely allopatric lineages of Pseudothecadactylus diverged around the mid-Miocene, a novel pattern of relatively long-term persistence that has not previously been documented within the AMT. Two Pseudothecadactylus species endemic to sandstone scarps in the west Kimberley Region and ‘Top End’ also include divergent mitochondrial lineages, indicative of deep intraspecific coalescence times within these regions. Pseudothecadactylus is a highly relictual lineage with an extant distribution that has been shaped by a history of attenuation, isolation and persistence in the face of increasingly arid conditions. The low ecological and morphological diversity of Pseudothecadactylus also contrasts with its diverse sister lineage of geckos in New Caledonia, further underlining the relictual nature of standing diversity in the former.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document