In collaboration with the Office of Research and Scholarship, CETL awards Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) mini-grants that are designed to support both junior and senior faculty in research projects that explore how to enhance the teaching and learning process. Faculty recipients of these Dr. Susan J. Hillman SoTL Mini-Grants participate in research projects whose outcomes often include research posters.
-
Dental Anxiety Investigation In A University Oral Health Center
Jessica Hines, Minjin Yoo, Erica Knarr, Christine Roenitz, Kirston Barrett, Nicholas Guy, and Yang Kang
The purpose of this study was to investigate dental anxiety in a university setting, specifically the University of New England Oral Health Center. Surveys were used to gauge patient anxiety, determine the sources of their anxiety, and propose further approaches to reduce patient anxiety. This project assessed dental anxiety in 28 adult patients using the modified Norman Corah's Dental Questionnaire, and calculated the prevalence of dental anxiety in OHC patient population. Our results indicate that in general female patients demonstrate higher dental anxiety than male population. The two dental procedures related to high percentage of moderate & high stress levels are “injection” and “impression”. UNE CDM student doctors demonstrate good communication skills to manage patients with dental anxiety. In addition, socioeconomical factors play an essential role in patients’ stress level.
-
Identification Of Academically At-risk Accelerated Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Students To Support Development Of Strategies To Promote Academic Success
Debra Kramlich, Judith Belanger, Dana Law-Ham, and Nora Krevans
Some studies report higher attrition rates for ABSN students than for traditional entry-level nursing students related to both academic and non-academic factors. Student costs associated with program extension or dismissal, or the student’s inability to become licensed to practice, can be high. A descriptive correlational study of 37 ABSN students used Kaplan Admissions Test administered as a post-entry evaluation for identification of at-risk students during first week of program. Existing de-identified data gathered from the admissions test and first two semester courses analyzed to identify potential risk factors amenable to additional academic support. Several variables identified as putting a student at risk of interrupted program progression, including the writing sub-score on the admissions test. Data revealed potentially modifiable factors that put students at risk of program non-progression or dismissal.
-
Concept Mapping As A Tool To Promote Cognitive Integration
Douglas B. Spicer, Sean M. Kilgallen, Rebecca J. Rowe, and Kathryn H. Thompson
For 20 years there has been a push to integrate the basic and clinical sciences in medical school curricula. Recently, studies have suggested that cognitive integration by the student is best achieved when the relationships between basic science and clinical domains are explicitly demonstrated. Concept mapping in response to a prompt, which asks students to create relationships among clinical and basic science concepts, should provide explicit connections that lead to a deeper conceptual understanding of the material. We designed a study to test the hypothesis that concept mapping improves the ability of students to diagnostically discriminate between multiple endocrinopathies when compared to students who were provided with similar resources. We also looked to see if knowledge retention was correlated with concept mapping or the type of notes taken during studying.
-
Student Perceptions Of Integrated Vs. Separate Basic Science And Clinical Resources
Kathryn H. Thompson, Douglas B. Spicer, Sean M. Kilgallen, Rebecca J. Rowe, and Barbara J. Winterson
For 20 years there has been a push to integrate the basic and clinical sciences in medical school curricula. Recently, studies have suggested that cognitive integration is achieved when the relationships between basic science and clinical domains are explicitly demonstrated. In order to investigate methods that promote cognitive integration we performed a pilot study to develop and test different learning resources. We then surveyed students’ perceptions of these resources and analyzed how the resources affected their note taking. Our study suggests that the type of resources can influence the type of note-taking done by students, and that the process of taking integrated notes can enhance learning and retention. This was a pilot study and is limited by its small sample size. Additional research is planned to confirm and expand on these results.