Self-devised assistive techniques by university students with learning disabilities

Background: Access to assistive technology for disabilities is limited in low-resource settings. Therefore, existing research focuses on accessibility challenges. This article focuses on how students with learning disabilities manage learning in the absence of assistive technology, a subject that receives less scholarly attention. Objectives: This article aims to provide insights on how students with learning disabilities manage learning in the face of limited access to assistive technology. It explores conversion factors that influence access to assistive technology. Method: This qualitative study used semi structured interviews to collect data from students with learning disabilities and respective university staff members who were recruited using convenience and snowballing techniques. Data were analyzed thematically and supported by thick descriptions of experiences. Results: This study established that students have limited access to assistive technology, and they manage learning through self-devised means that are more socially than technologically or scientifically inspired such as self-affirmation, animal therapy, family support and prayer. Conversion factors, which affect ability by either enabling or constraining access to assistive technology, were identified at personal and institutional or environmental levels. Conclusion: The article concludes that even though students with learning disabilities devise unconventional assistive ways to manage learning, failure to access assistive technology is a capability deprivation that promotes inequalities.

Impact of COVID-19 ­ experiences of 5th year medical students at the university of KwaZulu-natal

Background: The global pandemic associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had a considerable effect on higher education in South Africa, with online instruction replacing traditional lectures for many students. Medical students were required to vacate their residences in March 2020 but returned to campus in July 2020 to enable them to continue with clinical teaching and learning. The aim of this study was to understand the learning experiences of 5th year medical students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) during 2020. Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted via Zoom in December 2020 with 18 students in four focus group discussions and four semi-structured interviews. These were all facilitated by an independent researcher with experience in qualitative research. All the interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed qualitatively through the identification of codes, categories and themes. Results: The following major themes emerged: A stressful and at times an overwhelming year, mental health issues, developing strategies to cope, and issues that related to teaching and learning. Conclusion: The disruptions caused by COVID-19, the lockdown, a condensed academic programme and uncertainty about their competency resulted in high levels of anxiety and stress among medical students. Participants highlighted strategies that had helped them to cope with the isolation and academic pressures. Given the large volume of work, careful thought needs to be given to what should be taught and how it should be taught to ensure that graduates have the competencies they need to practise.

Exploring Senior Phase teachers' competencies in supporting learners with specific learning difficulties: Implications for inclusive education

Teaching learners with specific learning difficulties requires competent teachers who can provide learning support. Competencies such as identifying learning difficulties, assessing learners, designing interventions such as curriculum differentiation and facilitating referral systems are crucial. However, Senior Phase teachers in South Africa seem to be challenged when it comes to providing learning support. Consequently, learners do not meet the desired learning outcomes. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore Senior Phase teachers' competencies in supporting learners with specific learning difficulties in four mainstream schools. Methods: A qualitative research approach and phenomenological research design were used. Eighteen teachers who were members of the school-based support teams, including learning support educators, were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through individual and focus group interviews, the analysis of support forms and field notes. A thematic data analysis was used to generate findings. Results: The thematic data analysis revealed discrepancies relating to participants' competencies in identifying language difficulties, short-term memory problems and contextual barriers. Also, participants differed in collaborating with peers, social workers, and the district-based support teams. Furthermore, some participants were able to design intervention programs and facilitate internal and external referral processes. Conclusion: The study concludes that teachers have different competencies in providing learning support. Therefore, the Department of Basic Education should provide a clear practical learning support strategy in the Senior Phase mainstream schools as well as continuous professional development for teachers couple with monitoring. Contribution: It is envisioned that the study will contribute to understanding teachers' competences in providing learning support for learners with specific learning difficulties in the senior phase. The study advocates for collaborative continuous professional teacher development focusing on interventions programs to support learners with specific learning difficulties in the mainstream schools

Continuing professional development system for health-care professions, Egypt

While the regulatory framework for medical education in Egypt has rapidly evolved, the progress of developing a system for continuing professional development has been slow. In 2018 the government approved legislation establishing a regulatory authority for continuing professional development and added expectations for continuing professional development as a condition of relicensure for physicians in Egypt. The new authority has deployed a provider-accreditation model that sets criteria for educational quality, learning outcomes, independence from industry, and tracking of learners. Only accredited providers can submit continuing professional development accredited activities. Despite regulatory and administrative support there have been several barriers to the implementation of the system including limited availability of funding, lack of suitable training venues and equipment for hands-on training, and resistance from the profession. As of March 2022, 112 continuing professional development providers have achieved accreditation, and deployed 154 accredited continuing professional development activities. The majority of accredited providers were medical associations (64%) and higher education institutions (18%), followed by medical foundations and nongovernmental organizations (13%) and health-care facilities (5%). One electronic learning platform has been accredited. Any entity with commercial interests cannot be accredited as a continuing professional development provider. Funding of continuing professional development activities can be derived from provider budgets, programme registration fees or appropriate sponsors. Funding from industry is limited to unrestricted educational grants. The foundations for an effective continuing professional development system have been established in Egypt with the aim of achieving international recognition.

Online teaching and learning: Experiences of students in a nursing college during the onset of COVID-19

Background: The world has entered the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Utilisation of technology is inevitable. For the past years, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has halted normal operations, including in the physical classroom for nursing students. Students and facilitators had to move to a remote way of teaching and learning, utilising online teaching and learning. However, students and facilitators were not ready to use online teaching and learning. This not only resulted in numerous challenges, but also became an eye-opener for best practices and intervening strategies. Objectives: To explore and describe experiences of students in a nursing college with regard to online teaching and learning during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was adopted. A purposive, nonprobability sampling approach was used to select participants from second year, third year and fourth year. First-year student nurses were excluded because they did not commence with classrooms at that time. Results: Seven themes emerged, namely knowledge, confidence, training, equipment, clinical exposure, course extension and flexibility, and all themes had subthemes. Conclusion: It is evident that students had more negative experiences during online teaching and learning than positive experiences.

Levels of health literacy and English comprehension in patients presenting to South African primary healthcare facilities

Background: Health literacy is a relatively new concept in the South African primary healthcare (PHC) sector as well as globally, and limited new literature is available on the topic. In this study, we focused on investigating, describing and comparing health literacy scores calculated using three different tools to assess a patient's level of English comprehension. Health literacy is defined as the degree to which patients have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions. South Africa is a linguistically and culturally diverse country, yet English is often used as the main language for imparting health education in PHC facilities. Patients often do not comprehend the health education received. Primary healthcare workers need to determine the health literacy levels of their patients before imparting health education. The REALM-R (SA 1, 2 and 3) tools are adapted from the original REALM-R to test health literacy levels of South African PHC patients. The Learning Ability Battery (LAB) is a tool used to determine English comprehension levels.Aim: The aim of this was to investigate, describe and compare health literacy and English comprehension levels of PHC patients using three locally adapted REALM-R (SA) tools and the LAB. Setting: This study was conducted at five PHC facilities in the City of Tshwane, Gauteng. Methods: A prospective, quantitative and comparative design was chosen for this study. In general, a descriptive design was applied for the presentation of the results. The sample size was 200 patients from five different PHC clinics. Data were collected using REALM-R (SA 1, 2 and 3) to determine the health literacy levels and the LAB to determine the English comprehension levels. Results: Majority of the patients scored high using the REALM-R (SA) tools. For the LAB, 68% scored 11­40 out of 50. Only 8% scored 41­50 out of 50. A significant difference was found between the actual school grade achieved and the school grade according to the LAB. Conclusion: The results of the study indicated that although patients are able to read and pronounce medical words as such used in the REALM-R (SA) tools, it does not necessarily mean that they are able to comprehend the meaning of the words as indicated by the results of the LAB. Currently, the REALM-R (SA) tools only test health literacy levels based on word recognition and pronunciation. It is recommended that a word comprehension section be added to determine patients' understanding of the words

Optimising the learning environment for undergraduate students in the department of family medicine at sefako makgatho health sciences university

Background: An important determinant of a medical student's behaviour and performance is the department's teaching and learning environment. Evaluation of such an environment can explore methods to improve educational curricula and optimise the academic learning environment.Aim: The aim is to evaluate the educational environment of undergraduate students in the Department of Family Medicine as perceived by students.Setting: This descriptive quantitative study was conducted with one group of final-year students (n = 41) enrolled in 2018, with a response rate of 93% (n = 39). Students were in different training sites at SMU.Methods: Data were collected using the Dundee Ready Educational Environmental Measure (DREEM) questionnaire. Total and mean scores for all questions were calculated.Results: The learning environment was given a mean score of 142/200 by the students. Individual subscales show that 'academic self-perception' was rated the highest (25/32), while 'social self-perception' had the lowest score (13/24). Positive perception aspects of the academic climate included: student competence and confidence; student participation in class; constructive criticism provided; empathy in medical profession; and friendships created. Areas for improvement included: provision of good support systems for students; social life improvement; course coordinators being less authoritarian and more approachable; student-centred curriculum with less emphasis on factual learning and factual recall.Conclusion: Students' perceptions of their learning environment were more positive than negative. The areas of improvement will be used to draw lessons to optimise the curriculum and learning environment, improve administrative processes and develop student support mechanisms in order to improve students' academic experience

Perceptions of the impact of an advanced training programme on the management skills of health professionals in Gauteng, South Africa

Background. South Africa's health sector spans the private and the public sectors. Within the sectors, health managers take on strategic leadership roles without formal training in management or leadership ­ a trend more common in the public sector than the private sector. Health managers are selected based on their clinical skills rather than their leadership or management skills.Objective. To compare self-rated competencies in management and leadership before and after training of the participants; to assess participants' experience of the training programme; and to evaluate the management and leadership skills of the participants after training.Methods. A cross-sectional, descriptive analytical method and 360° interviewing were used in this study. Participants were evaluated ~18 months after completion of the training programme. A 360° evaluation (360° E) of six of the 12 leadership/management competencies was done with the supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates of the participants.Results. All participants rated themselves as improved in 12 managerial and leadership competencies. The 360° E affirmed five of these competencies as improved, with the ability to create and implement a marketing plan rating poorly.Conclusion. Training in management leads to improvement in both leadership and managerial skills of health professionals

Fieldwork practice for learning: lessons from occupational therapy students and their supervisors

Background. Fieldwork practice forms a vital part of occupational therapy (OT) education and contributes significantly to competent practice and students' clinical reasoning. Students' learning is positively or negatively influenced by their fieldwork experience. Objective. To explore the views and experiences of final-year OT students, site-based clinicians and university-based academic supervisors to identify strategies that influenced students' learning during fieldwork practice. Methods. This descriptive qualitative study used a purposeful sampling technique. Data collection strategies included focus group discussions with clinical and academic supervisors and semistructured interviews with final-year students. Each set of data was analysed according to the research questions. The researcher analysed the data into themes, which were corroborated by a supervisor. Data source and analyst triangulation ensured trustworthiness of the study. Results. Two themes, i.e. difficulties experienced by students during fieldwork and supervision strategies that they found beneficial for learning, are described. Guidance and mentoring from experienced therapists helped students to link observations from assessments and intervention plans. Observations of treatment sessions, peer learning and practice in the skills laboratories were beneficial for learning, competence and confidence. Guided questions from supervisors to enhance reflexive practice and peer learning strengthened the students' confidence and ability to give feedback to their peers. The students also benefited from sessions that allowed them the freedom and space to work autonomously. Conclusion. This study provides insight into the difficulties that students experienced when engaging with fieldwork and offers some strategies that have been found to advance their learning

Using Fourth-Year Medical Students' Reflections to Propose Strategies for Primary Care Physicians; Who Host Students in Their Practices; to Optimise Learning Opportunities

Setting and subjects: Fourth-year medical students at the University of Pretoria are required to work with a primary healthcare practitioner for two weeks. After the preceptorship; reflective photo-story reports on the students' experiences and personal and academic growth are submitted.Objectives: To identify whether the objectives of the preceptorship were met and to describe the experiences of students; the reflective reports were qualitatively analysed. A second purpose of the analysis was to propose strategies that could be implemented by the primary healthcare practitioners to optimise the learning experience of students in their practices.Design: A qualitative approach to analyse the narratives of the photo-story reports was used. Main and subthemes were identified from the topics that were thought about. Quotes from the narratives were selected to support the themes. Each of the quotes was then scrutinised to ascertain if evidence of learning had taken place.Results: The main themes were identified as: the impact that the visit had had on the student; the emotions that they had experienced; working with the physician; interacting with patients and the clinical care of patients. Learning was achieved under conditions that made the students feel comfortable; confident; happy and inspired; required their active participation; challenged them; inspired them to see the advantage of learning; and when feedback was given to themConclusion: Strategies for use by practitioners to optimise the learning experience of students in their practices were proposed. These included active student participation; reflection; the creation of a positive environment; student participation in challenging experiences; active learning and quality time spent with patients

Medical Student Participation in Community-based Experiential Learning: Reflections From First Exposure to Making the Diagnosis

Background: Fifth-year medical students from the University of Pretoria participated in a four-week rotation in the primary care clinics of a large metropolitan centre. An academic service-learning (ASL) approach was introduced into this rotation to improve the integration of theoretical learning and clinical practice through relevant community service and structured reflection.Methods: Students wrote semi-structured reflective journals as a means to gaining greater insight into their learning experiences. These reflections were analysed qualitatively with a view to improving the community-based curriculum.Results: Four major themes were identified: expectations and the reality of primary care; service and learning; becoming a doctor; and making a difference.Conclusion: While students gained a deeper insight into their development as clinicians; using an ASL approach also assisted the faculty in making an informed educational diagnosis of the curriculum

Moving Beyond Description: Research that Helps Improve Teaching and Learning

This paper is premised on the assumption that education research; in order to be relevant; needs to generate explanations that have educational significance and applicability. It argues that much of the health sciences education research showcased at conferences falls short of generating explanations that have practical applicability because the reported studies do not move beyond description. The paper suggests ways in which health professions educators might move beyond description in order to generate explanations of teaching and learning that can be used to inform `best practice' in education. The paper commences with a discussion of the role of theory in education research. Three forms of theory are identified personal theoretical assumptions; theory from literature; and generation of theory from research. The paper highlights the limitations of rearch without theory and the role that theory might play in generating understandings of teaching and learning. Practical ways to ensure theoretical rigor in education research are suggested

Pharmacy Students Perception of the Application of Learning Management System in Patient-oriented Pharmacy Education: University of Benin Experience

Objective: To evaluate pharmacy students' perception of the application of learning management system (LMS) in their education in a Doctor of Pharmacy program in Benin City.Method: In a special ICT class; 165 pharmacy students were introduced to LMS using an open source program; Docebo after which a questionnaire with core questions in five domains; namely; sociodemographic data; access to computer and internet; problems in applying ICT facilities; perception of e-learning and LMS was administered. Students' responses to the questionnaire were analysed. Results: Although most students (84) had access to internet; only 16.1owned computers and majority (82.1) use cybercafes for internet access. Frequent electric power failure; inadequate computer facilities; skilled personnel; and slow internet speed were identified by 64.8-82.5of the students as problems in using computer facilities in the University. While willingness to pay was not considered a problem; 80.4of the students were only willing to pay not more than US$ 7.96 per semester for internet access. Over 92of them felt that LMS will make teaching and learning more exciting and effective when combined with the traditional teaching approach. Conclusion: The use of LMS will improve the teaching and learning of pharmacy students

The Protege and the Sage : Students' Perceptions of Work-Based Mentoring Experiences

Mentoring is offered as a supportive learning strategy within an educational programme for mature multi-cultural South African nurses. This paper considers the literature; describes mentoring within a nursing management course; and uses the findings to illustrate students' mentoring experience through the following three themes: (1) Mentoring as a teaching strategy: Initial considerations; (2) Mentoring as a process; and (3) Consequences of mentoring as a teaching strategy. Self-reports; based on two questions; describe the perceptions 16 post-basic students have of mentoring as a means of scaffolded learning through the voicing of their 'authentic' experiences. This study forms a component of a larger qualitative case study of a management course using action research within the critical genre. A way forward is suggested that can promote both the mentor/mentee relationship and meaningful learning. Students paid particular attention to the difficulties of choosing mentors; engaging in and 'negotiating' the process and maintaining the relationship. They recognised the value of 'special people' (not necessarily in their discipline); in their professional development and noted the need for mutual commitment to the process to achieve mutual benefits

Validation du systeme d'apprentissage multimedia interactif d'hematologie pour le groupage dans les systemes ABO et RH

Un Systeme d'Apprentissage Multimedia Interactif (SAMI) d'Hematologie (Travaux pratiques virtuels) developpe par la Faculte des Sciences de la Sante (FSS) de Cotonou et le Departement Communication; Audiovisuel; Multimedia (DCAM) de Bordeaux 2 a ete evalue.Vingt etudiants; choisis au hasard dans un groupe de 33 de 2eme annee de medecine; ont effectue; de facon autonome; les travaux pratiques virtuels (TPV) pour les groupages dans les systemes ABO et Rh ; les 13 restant ont fait les TP classiques. L'evaluation a ete theorique et pratique et les resultats en sont les suivants :Au plan global; 95des apprenants ont realise une performance allant de 80 a 100- Les performances realisees par les etudiants pour la maitrise des materiels et reactifs necessaires varient de 82 a 95en situation virtuelle et de 100en situation reelle - 85des etudiants ont obtenu une performance de 80 a 100en situation virtuelle pour la maitrise des modes operatoires et 95ont depasse 80de performance en situation reelle - Quant a l'interpretation des resultats; les performances varient de 92 a 100en situation virtuelle et de 80 a 100en situation reelle dont 100de score realise par 65des etudiants. En plus de ces acquisitions rapidement transmises par le SAMI d'Hematologie a la majorite des etudiants; seulement 30de la quantite de reactifs habituellement prevue pour les travaux pratiques classiques ont ete consommes ; les 70restant etant consommes par les 13 etudiants restant. Dans leur evaluation des TPV; les etudiants insistent sur le renforcement des exercices de l'auto evaluation et la systematisation de l'utilisation du SAMI pour tous les travaux pratiques

Problem-based learning in distance education: a first exploration in continuing medical education

The Wellcome Tropical Institute has assisted countries in the tropics to establish viable systems of continuing medical education; particularly for young doctors practising in rural areas. As part of this strategy the Institute has developed material for use in distance learning. The first attempt to apply the problem-based learning approach to written material for use by an individual learner in the absence of a tutor led to a trial in Ghana; Kenya and Pakistan to compare a conventionally designed module with a problem-based learning module on the same topic for their respective acceptability; effectiveness and efficiency. The design; implementation and results of these three comparative trials are presented