Development of Teaching Digital Skills: possibilities in Distance Education

The objective of this investigation is to understand how online distance education can contribute to promoting the development of digital skills, in particular, teaching digital skills. Contemporary society increasingly demands the use of digital technologies in the various areas of life, including in the teaching and learning process, even more evident in the pandemic context of COVID-19, which caused the suspension of face-to-face classes worldwide and imposed a new educational model, facilitated by digital technologies and based on online education methodologies, designated as emergency remote teaching. Among the many challenges, teachers had to adapt and reformulate their pedagogical practices and teaching methodologies in a virtual learning environment, often without having fundamental digital skills to promote quality learning. Through a narrative bibliographic review of an exploratory nature and qualitative methodology, studies, programs and models were identified that could be used as a reference to enable training propositions for the development of teaching digital skills, a key factor for pedagogical innovation.

LearnIT2teach: Teacher training and online learning for newcomers in times of crises

How teachers creatively adopted and adapted to the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak is at the heart of the findings presented in this chapter. With the support of the Avenue-LearnIT2teach project, English Second Language (ESL) teachers in Canada enabled the rapid response of many Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) programs to site closures, resulting in an unprecedented uptake of online learning (OL) in a matter of weeks. The project rapidly changed course to support LINC teachers to adopt blended learning (BL) courseware and adapt teaching practices to the new OL reality. This chapter discusses the impact of the project's efforts to meet the surge in demand in teacher training and learner courseware for these online immigrant settlement and language learning programs. The project's rapid response to onsite LINC program closures during the COVID-19 crisis is reviewed. As a result of the disruptions to in-person program delivery, the focus of the project has shifted from blended learning (BL) to online learning (OL) by adapting its formal and informal professional development (PD) offerings. Findings with respect to the surge in demand for teacher training, course development, and mentoring are presented. Feedback from teachers on the "front lines" further illustrates teachers' OL uptake. The chapter also addresses the impact of formal and informal PD provided by a committed team of mentors as well as the importance of teacher presence in online program delivery. Implications and recommendations with respect to rapid responses in situations of crises conclude the chapter. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved.

Acceptance of Mobile Learning Technology by Teachers: Influencing Mobile Self-Efficacy and 21st-Century Skills-Based Training

This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the acceptance of mobile learning technology for 21st-century skills-based training among teachers in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. This study adopted the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, which included constructs such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, social influence, mobile self-efficacy, student self-efficacy, behavioural intention, 21st-century skills-based training, and creative thinking skills. A survey was conducted with 619 teachers from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan who participated in a two-week mobile learning-based training session. The data were analysed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that all hypotheses were supported, indicating a positive relationship between the constructs and the acceptance and use of mobile learning technology for 21st-century skills-based training. This study's findings suggest that by emphasising factors such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, social influence, mobile self-efficacy, and student self-efficacy when designing mobile learning interventions, teachers will be more likely to accept and use mobile learning technology for 21st-century skills-based training and contributed to sustainability by providing increased access to quality education.

A Case Study of a Multi-Institution Replication of a Comprehensive GTA Teacher Training Program

A comprehensive graduate teaching assistant (GTA) training program in mathematical sciences designed at one institution is being adapted and replicated at two peer institutions. Using a case study approach, this paper outlines the development of the program components, which include a first-year teaching seminar, peer mentoring and support from a peer TA Coach, a Critical Issues in STEM Education seminar, and K–12 outreach to inform understanding of the pipeline. Additionally, adaptations due to institutional context and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic are described. Implications for components of the comprehensive program, based on GTA-provided feedback, are discussed. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Primus: Problems, Resources & Issues in Mathematics Undergraduate Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Implications of online faculty professional development through innovative and collaborative approaches in the new normal

The effect of schools suspending face-to-face instruction during the COVID-19 outbreak has been challenged. To meet the current difficulties, instructors must be creative in their instructional strategies. As a consequence, students must be prepared for both synchronous and asynchronous learning. In the new normal, teachers need to be more motivated and self-reflective, and teaching and learning (TL) should be supported by a variety of technological resources. Thus, the aim of the study was to determine the implications of online faculty professional development via innovative and collaborative approaches in the new normal. As an intervention, it used an actual series of trainings. The survey questionnaire was used to assess the online faculty professional development series as well as an evaluation tool to determine its advantages and drawbacks. This qualitative method of study discovered that there is a genuine need for regular faculty professional development as well as the introduction of various technological resources and information and communication technology tools to enable teaching and learning for our students during this pandemic, and to make teachers more motivated and reflective to teach. The research used thematic analysis to identify topics that would reflect the implications of professional development. With series of online faculty professional development at PCC, the implications are relevant to the improvement of the outcomes-based teaching and learning, outcomes-based assessment, and the achievement of student-centered mode of instruction (Level 3). It is further recommended that a regular faculty professional development will be conducted to PCC to further enhance the teaching and learning process and for professional growth purposes of teachers. © 2023 Author(s).

COVID-19: Adapting to change, general surgery at a district general hospital in the United Kingdom

The Coronavirus pandemic has caused major change across the world and in the National Health Service. In order to cope and help limit contagion, numerous institutions recognised the need to adjust clinical practice quickly yet safely. In this paper, we aim to describe the changes implemented in a general surgery department at a district general hospital in the United Kingdom. Across the surgical specialties, frameworks, protocols and guidelines have been established locally and nationally. The aerosol generating procedures involved in general surgery required us to alter our daily activities. Modifications to patient management were necessary to try and reduce viral spread. Staff wellbeing was heavily promoted in order to help maintain the frontline workforce. A holistic approach was required.

Pre-Service Science Teachers' Understanding of Socio-Scientific Issues Instruction through a Co-Design and Co-Teaching Approach Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

This qualitative case study explores the development of pre-service science teachers' (PSTs) understanding of Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI) instruction. The study utilized a conceptual framework of SSI-based instruction and a three-phase approach involving co-designing solutions, co-designing curriculum materials, and co-teaching classes. Primary data sources included PSTs' interviews and reflective journals, while artifacts, field notes, and curriculum materials served as secondary data sources. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data of six PSTs in a teacher preparation program. We found that the PSTs' understanding of SSI instruction was enhanced in 12 features of three core aspects: design elements, learner experiences, and teacher attributes. "Engaging in higher-order practices" was the most prominent feature, observed across all three phases. The three-phase approach played a crucial role in promoting PSTs' understanding of SSI instruction, with each phase guiding their understanding in distinct ways. Particularly, the co-designing solutions phase facilitated the development of PSTs' "awareness of the social considerations associated with the issue". While the co-designing curriculum materials phase was effective in promoting their understanding of "scaffolding for practice: providing scaffolding for higher-order practices. "The co-teaching classes phase played a crucial role in facilitating their understanding of "willingness to position oneself as a knowledge contributor rather than the sole authority".

Guest editorial: The peer-led library

In an autoethnographic-inspired approach to their Library Student Ambassador Program, Pham and Muralles explore in their case study "Reimagining Peer Support and Engagement,” the growth and development of their program at California State University, East Bay and share recommendations and reflections from their ambassadors. Scripa and Spencer discuss the challenges and successes the team at the Pellissippi State Community College Libraries have had in launching their Pellissippi Ambassadors for Library Success program in "Introducing peer-to-peer reference services in a community college library.” Peer learning as a high impact practice As I and the authors within this issue agree, peer-led programs demonstrate key connecting points to high impact teaching and learning practices, allow opportunities for student employees to engage in career and professional formation activity, enhance a library's ability to engage with and provide outreach to underserved or underrepresented communities and break down traditional power structures, or barriers, that can be created by our traditional service models. In their article, "Shifting to a High Impact Practice-centered Student worker staffed Research Desk: a Hispanic Serving Institution Perspective,” Elizabeth DeZouche and Denise Santos discuss how their changes to the traditional desk model not only provided student consultants with a meaningful role but also helped them bridge the gap to their campus's mostly Hispanic, first-generation population.

Helping Language Teachers in Lithuania take their First Action Research Steps During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Strategy

This paper reports on the experiences of the authors teaching action research workshops as professional development for language teachers in Europe during the Covid-19 pandemic. It describes work carried out for Action Research Communities for Language Teachers, which is funded under the Training and Consultancies programme of the European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe as part of its aim to promote quality language education in Europe. The paper focuses on the necessary pivot from face-to-face to online action research workshops and project development in a difficult global context for a group of teachers in Lithuania. It outlines the challenges experienced by the authors and teacher participants, the lessons learned in online teaching of action research, and the positive outcomes for language teachers in setting out on their action research journeys. The paper contributes to the literature on action research in language education and professional development during Covid-19.

Planning for a potential paediatric bronchiolitis surge: How Inter-Professional Education (IPE) was used to build a practice-ready clinical team

Introduction: Bronchiolitis is the most common cause for paediatric respiratory hospital admissions in young children in the UK.1 Following the relaxation of international SARS-Cov-2 lockdown measures a potential national surge in cases was predicted, highlighting a need for more collaborative working across core specialities.2 This prompted the use of the principles of Inter-Professional Education (IPE) to prepare and deliver an intervention to improve outcomes for these patients.3 Objectives: * To plan, deliver and evaluate an educational intervention focussed on improving the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to care for a sick child with bronchiolitis * To utilise the principles of IPE to improve competence and confidence across core specialities involved in the care of a sick child with bronchiolitis Methods: A team from the Adult Intensive Care Unit (AICU) and the Paediatric High Dependency Unit (PHDU) from the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading delivered an inter-professional teaching session focussed on caring for the sick child with bronchiolitis. The patient journey was utilised as a framework to teach the core knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to clinically manage a child from the Emergency Department (ED) to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Each session included a lecture about bronchiolitis - describing pathophysiology and how to recognise the deteriorating child;a skills and drills tutorial - highlighting the need for weight-based calculations for high flow nasal oxygen, intravenous fluids and drugs;and a practical simulation scenario - focussing on the stabilisation and management of a sick child awaiting retrieval to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Result(s): 135 healthcare professionals from a range of adult and paediatric disciplines involved in the care of children across the patient journey attended one of fourteen teaching sessions delivered between September to December 2021. Attendees completed a feedback questionnaire. One hundred and twenty-two (90%) reported an extremely high degree of satisfaction overall, with many saying they would recommend the teaching sessions to others. Areas of personal and professional development were highlighted across the following main themes: gaining theoretical knowledge;understanding key equipment;performing drug calculations;preparing for intubation and ventilation;assessing the need for chest physiotherapy techniques;and more collaborative team-working. Free text comments demonstrated that the attendees felt the teaching sessions: built confidence through the sharing of new or improved knowledge and skills;facilitated a safe space to practice using simulation;and provided the opportunity to learn about and from each other. Many of the attendees also commented on areas they wanted to reinforce and further develop in daily clinical practice as a direct result of the sessions. Conclusion(s): On-going evaluation is taking place as the teaching sessions continue throughout the year, facilitating the inclusion of additional inter-professional groups from across core specialities. These sessions have been used as a template for the development of further planned IPE with a more varied range of paediatric clinical cases and presentations. These will continue to build on the transferable knowledge and skills that increase competence and confidence in caring for the sick child whilst developing a more collaborative practice-ready workforce.

The Role of Anti-racist Pedagogy and Practices in Professional Development Schools

The recent events of the COVID-19 pandemic, the revision of the National Association for Professional Development Schools' Nine Essentials to be more explicit in their anti-racism/social justice efforts, and the continued racially motivated attacks on Black and Indigenous People of Color, led to questioning and challenging Professional Development Schools (PDS) work because elements of social justice and equity were not always explicit. Literature supports that PDSs can be a site for helping pre-and in-service teachers develop an anti-racist stance. Embedded professional development, coursework, and field experiences in PDSs that enact culturally relevant, culturally sustaining, and equity-based pedagogies can help teachers breach the disconnect between theory and praxis, understand their own biases, disrupt deficit ways of thinking, and design learning experiences to meet the needs of P-12 learners. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Online teachers from offline worlds: Lessons learned

This chapter describes the professional development experience implemented at a Colombian university at the onset of COVID-19 to help alleviate concerns resulting from transforming face-to-face to emergency remote courses. After a review of the literature, we implemented a program for faculty that focused on three key points: (1) exploring the types of technology available for each modality and how to successfully integrate them into the teachers' practice;(2) clarifying the concepts around each modality and how they are implemented;and (3) supporting educational and emotional needs to help faculty and their students during this time. Feedback from faculty was positive although some professors felt overwhelmed at the beginning of the process. In addition, many professors took active roles to help their colleagues promoting emergent learning communities. Future implications show that despite having institutional professional development to meet immediate needs in crisis situations, it also could be useful to tap into the knowledge and experiences of the institution's faculty. Furthermore, continuing professional development for online teaching and learning is essential, thus allowing sufficient time for faculty to learn, adopt, and adapt to new technological tools. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved.

Social Work Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic—Challenges and Future Developments to Enhance Students' Wellbeing

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, educational systems were forced to adapt to the new reality of online learning, causing practical academic specializations, such as social work (SW), to be severely affected. To highlight the perspectives of SW students during the pandemic, we used a mixed sociological approach that combined exploratory qualitative research (using the focus-group technique) with cross-sectional quantitative research. Participants who had both on-site and online SW studies before and after the COVID-19 outbreak were included in the study. The study was conducted during a period when almost all educational activities were held online. We aimed to investigate students' perceptions of the educational process during the pandemic, how their wellbeing was affected, and their perspectives on educational and professional development. Students identified advantages of online learning, such as discovering online learning tools, and disadvantages, mainly marked by concerns about their career path once practical activities were heavily limited by institutional measures and policies. Our conclusions suggest that in a post-pandemic context, universities should provide continuous feedback, integrate students' opinions into policies, offer material and technical support, facilitate access to high-quality resources, enrich the SW curricula with resilience programs, and organize peer-to-peer mentoring activities.

Innovative Digital Practices and Globalization in Higher Education. Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development (AHEPD) Book Series

We are moving toward a future in which digital practices are becoming more ubiquitous. Also, there is evidence to suggest that innovative digital practices are changing the face of 21st-century learning environments. Critical to 21st-century teaching and learning success is continued emphasis on learner preferences, shaped by innovative digital technology-driven learning environments alongside teacher awareness, knowledge, and preparedness to deliver high-impact instruction using active learning pedagogies. Thus, the purposeful and selective use of digital learning tools in higher education and the incorporation of appropriate active learning pedagogies are pivotal to enhancing and supporting meaningful student learning. "Innovative Digital Practices and Globalization in Higher Education" explores innovative digital practices to enhance academic performance for digital learners and prepare qualified graduates who are competent to work in an increasingly global digital workplace. Global competence has become an essential part of higher education and professional development. As such, it is the responsibility of higher education institutions to prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to compete in the digital and global market. Covering topics such as design thinking, international students, and digital teaching innovation, this premier reference source is an essential resource for pre-service and in-service teachers, educational technologists, instructional designers, faculty, administrators, librarians, researchers, and academicians.

Designing for digital transformation of residency education - a post-pandemic pedagogical response.

BACKGROUND: The forced transition to emergency remote teaching (ERT) during the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted health professions education worldwide. In Sweden, the need for alternative solutions for the training of junior doctors became urgent, as many of the mandatory onsite courses required for residents to qualify as specialists were canceled. The purpose of this study was to understand course leaders' perceptions and experiences of using digital technologies, such as video conferencing, to teach medical residents (ST) during the pandemic and beyond. METHODS: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with seven course leaders responsible for residency courses during the first year of the pandemic to capture their perceptions and experiences. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis, drawing on the technology affordances and constraints theory (TACT) as a framework to explore pedagogical strategies and new teaching practices emerging from the forced use of digital technologies for remote teaching. RESULTS: The data analysis revealed affordances of, as well as constraints to, teaching specialist medical training during the pandemic. The findings show that the use of digital conference technologies for ERT can both enable and inhibit social interactions, the interactive learning environment and the utilization of technological features, depending on the individual course leaders' goals of using the technology and the situated context of the teaching. CONCLUSIONS: The study reflects the course leaders' pedagogical response to the pandemic, as remote teaching became the only way to provide residency education. Initially, the sudden shift was perceived as constraining, but over time they found new affordances through the enforced use of digital technology that helped them not only to cope with the transition but also to innovate their pedagogical methods. After a rapid, forced shift from on-site to digital courses, it is crucial to utilize experiences to create better preconditions for digital technology to facilitate learning in the future.

Translating School Faculty Experiences Using PBIS into Recommendations for Practice.

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a behaviorally based framework that seeks to improve student outcomes in schools. This framework is implemented at differing levels of intensity within a school based on students' unique needs. Special education teachers and school psychologists are integral pieces of PBIS implementation. Within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, these service providers may face unique challenges in implementing PBIS principles in schools, particularly due to new or adapted role demands and increased feelings of burnout. The current study examined special education teachers' and school psychologists' perceptions of their schools' practices related to PBIS in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic within five dimensions of understanding and school-based support, as well as overall satisfaction with PBIS in their school. Opportunities for professional development and the presence of PBIS teams emerged as major contributors to faculty satisfaction; however, only about half of participants indicated access to these resources. Special education teachers indicated higher levels of satisfaction with their administrative support and school communication practices when compared to school psychologists. Best practices and reflections from interview participants are discussed.

Building Compassionate Experience Through Compassionate Action: Qualitative Behavioral Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The acceleration of technology-based primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic outpaced the ability to understand whether and how it impacts care delivery and outcomes. As technology-based care continues to evolve, focusing on the core construct of compassion in a primary care context will help ensure high-quality patient care and increased patient autonomy and satisfaction. The ability to successfully operationalize the use of technology in patient-clinician interactions hinges on understanding not only how compassionate care is experienced in this context but also how clinicians can create it. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to understand whether and how compassionate behaviors are experienced in technology-based primary care interactions and identify the individual and contextual drivers that influence whether and how these behaviors occur. METHODS: We conducted a series of qualitative one-on-one interviews with primary care physicians, nurses, and patients. Qualitative data were initially analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach to identify preliminary themes for each participant group independently. We then looked across participant groups to identify areas of alignment and distinction. Descriptions of key behaviors that participants identified as elements of a compassionate interaction and descriptions of key drivers of these behaviors were inductively coded and defined at this stage. RESULTS: A total of 74 interviews were conducted with 40 patients, 20 nurses, and 14 primary care physicians. Key behaviors that amplified the experience of compassion included asking the patient's modality preference, using video to establish technology-based presence, sharing the screen, and practicing effective communication. Participants' knowledge or skills as well as their beliefs and emotions influenced whether or not these behaviors occurred. Contextual elements beyond participants' control influenced technology-based interactions, including resource access, funding structures, culture, regulatory standards, work structure, societal influence, and patient characteristics and needs. A high-yield, evidence-based approach to address the identified drivers of compassion-focused clinician behavior includes a combination of education, training, and enablement. CONCLUSIONS: Much of the patient experience is influenced by clinician behavior; however, clinicians need a supportive system and adequate supports to evolve new ways of working to create the experience of compassionate care. The current state of technology-based care operationalization has led to widespread burnout, societal pressure, and shifting expectations of both clinicians and the health system more broadly, threatening the ability to deliver compassionate care. For clinicians to exhibit compassionate behaviors, they need more than just adequate supports; they also need to receive compassion from and experience the humanity of their patients.

Training for virtual care: What do the experts think?

Introduction: Virtual care has expanded during COVID-19 and enabled continued access to healthcare services. As with the introduction of any new technology in healthcare delivery, the preparation of healthcare providers for adopting and using such systems is imperative. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore experts' ascribed opinions on healthcare providers' continuing professional development (CPD) needs in virtual care. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of key informants representing Canadian provincial and national organizations with expertise in virtual care delivery. Results: Three main areas of knowledge, skills, and abilities that would be most helpful for healthcare providers in preparing to adopt and use virtual care were identified. The use of technology necessitates knowledge of how to integrate technology and virtual care in the practice workflow. This includes knowing how to use the technology and the privacy and security of the technology. Providers need to be able to adapt their clinical skills to virtual care and build rapport through good communication with patients. Virtual care is not appropriate for all visits, therefore providers need to understand when an in-person visit is necessary with respect to the nature of the appointment, as well as contextual factors for individual patients. Finally, providers need to adapt their examination skills to virtual care. Discussion: Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual care will have a continuing role in enhancing continuity of care through access that is more convenient. Key informants identified barriers and challenges in adopting and using virtual care effectively, fundamental knowledge, skills and/or abilities required, and important topics and/or educational experiences to guide CPD program development on virtual care for healthcare providers.