Browsing by Subject "Assessment"
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Item ASSESSMENT TOOLS FOR MEASURING FACULTY KNOWLEDGE OF AND CONFIDENCE IN PROMOTING STUDENTS' HIGHER ORDER THINKING(2013-04-12) Collins, VanneisePurpose: The importance of promoting students' Higher Order Thinking (HOT) is widely recognized at all levels of education. Engaging faculty in professional development that cultivates students' HOT is essential. Professional development efforts are limited by lack of information of faculty's current knowledge about and confidence in promoting students' HOT. The purpose of this study was to identify faculty development needs that will cultivate students' higher order thinking skills across the health sciences curricula. A valid and reliable assessment was used to gather data for effective faculty development efforts. Methods: Development of two assessment tools to identify: 1) faculty's knowledge about and confidence in using instructional strategies, technologies and assessment methods to promote students' HOT, and 2) instructional strategies, technologies and assessment methods faculty are currently using in their teaching practice. The first assessment tool is an annual faculty survey. The survey was developed by a panel of faculty from all schools at UNTHSC. The survey consists of five multifaceted, self-report, Likert type questions. The survey was administered in 2010 to collect baseline data, and was subsequently deployed online each year to the teaching faculty at UNTHSC. The second assessment tool is a survey deployed after each faculty development event. The survey contains specific items targeting faculty's HOT teaching practice. Together, the two assessment tools establish a two-tiered mechanism that provides both longitudinal and ongoing monitoring and feedback to guide faculty development. Results: The faculty survey results in the past three years demonstrated how faculty's use of instructional strategy, assessment and technology evolved over time. For example, in the 2nd year, there was a drop in faculty's confidence in integrating technology with instructional strategies to promote HOT, which suggested the need to provide more faculty development to address the challenge. The findings from the faculty development event evaluation indicated faculty needs and interests for future faculty development topics. Conclusions: The two-tiered assessment framework provides both longitudinal and ongoing monitoring and feedback regarding faculty's teaching practice that promotes students' HOT. It gauges the evidence of impact of the faculty development program, identifies best practices, topics for further development and supports campus initiatives to promote students'HOT.Item BUILDING A HEALTHIER FUTURE - MAKING CHILDREN'S HEALTH DATA TALK!(2013-04-12) Ghanta, GouthamPurpose: The purpose of this project is to develop an effective workbook tool for translating and disseminating current children's health findings into public health practice. This project entails analyzing and summarizing the Community wide Children's Health Assessment and Planning Survey (CCHAPS) of families residing in six county region serviced by Cook Children's Healthcare system (Wise, Hood, Parker, Johnson, Denton and Tarrant). The current analysis using 2008 and 2012 CCHAPS data will focus on the seven identified issues of asthma, abuse, dental health, obesity, mental health, safety, and access to care. The aim of the workbook is to provide an epidemiologic description of key children's health issues and to identify promising children's health practices. Methods: We use the Community-wide Children's Health Assessment and Planning Survey (CCHAPS) data from 2008 and 2012. The survey targets parents with at least one child under fourteen years of age. The CCHAPS data will be used to develop an action oriented workbook based on knowledge management strategies and use of The Guide to Community Preventive Services (Community Guide). Results: Key findings include an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity for counties Johnson and Parker (2008 to 2012), continued high prevalence of asthma diagnosis for all counties except Hood; and a 1.2% increase in abuse in Wise. To address these key children's health problems, we identified evidence based public health (EBPH) practices using Lavis's Knowledge Management Strategy. We designed a comprehensive workbook tool that 1) describes the magnitude of each leading children's health issue; 2) identifies steps to promoting awareness and preparedness for addressing these various issues at multiple levels; and 3) recommends multi sector EBPH strategies and practices specific to improving each children's health issue. Conclusions: By developing this workbook, based on the knowledge management strategy, we will promote community action to address the different health issues identified by the CCHAPS data. We expect this workbook to motivate the community leaders, policy makers and coalition leaders to strengthen the local public health initiatives and act on the provided information on promising evidence based health practices and intervention strategies to address health issues in children in the six counties.Item Designing Multiple Choice Tests to Measure Higher Order Thinking(2012-03-15) Kominski, CarolItem EVALUATING CLINIC TO COMMUNITY REFERRAL SYSTEMS TO ADDRESS OBESITY RELATED HEALTH DISPARITIES(2014-03) Taylor, Devynn A.; Waverka, Rachael; Mallaiah, Janhavi; Nguyen, Dawn; Fox, Doug; Kitzman-Ulrich, HeatherTo evaluate referral systems between clinic and community organizations in order to identify gaps for future implementation efforts in a primarily low-income and ethnic minority community. Purpose (a): The prevalence of obesity among high-socioeconomic status youth has decreased in recent years, whereas the prevalence of obesity among their low-socioeconomic status peers has continued to increase. Several programs and resources exist to provide obesity treatment, prevention and reductions in obesity related chronic diseases in youth. However, referral systems between these entities are often lacking. Thus, the goal of this project was to evaluate referral systems between clinic and community organizations in order to identify gaps for future implementation efforts in a primarily low-income, ethnic minority community. Methods (b): Assessment interviews were conducted with nineteen community organization members ranging from community and school-based organizational directors to clinical physicians. (Community-Based Organizations =5; Clinics =11; School-Based Organizations = 3). Four individuals were trained to administer surveys that assessed (1) access to healthcare facilities & preventative screenings (2) healthy eating (3) physical activity, (4) referral systems, and (5) chronic disease care. Results (c): Scores for each component were averaged per site, along with summing scores to create an overall indicator of clinic to community practices related to obesity-related health behaviors. The clinic to community assessments found an overall score of 62% (out of 100%) with PA screening, nutrition screening, chronic disease referral systems, and stroke care all falling below 60%. Tobacco screening (62%), chronic disease screening (68%), chronic disease education and counseling (67%), and pre-diabetes (71%) were all above 60%. Community-based organizations that provided outreach services (N=2) had very low levels of screening (0 – 1%), however both had high ratings related to chronic disease referrals (67% – 75%). Conclusions (d): To be successful in promoting health equity, we must close gaps between groups by offering better access through community organizations. Research is needed to determine how to improve the referral infrastructure between clinics, community-based, and school-based organizations to address obesity-related health disparities.Item FINDINGS FROM A THREE YEAR REVIEW OF MEDICAL STUDENT ATTITUDES TOWARD A GERIATRIC TRAINING PROGRAM AND AN EARLY PRACTICE MODEL IN THE CARE OF OLDER ADULTS(2014-03) Lane, Yolanda; Smith, Raina; Knebl, Janice; Marquez-Hall, Sandra; Eshon, ConstanceThis research study identified and evaluated the attitudes and confidence level of medical students’ knowledge, skills, and perceptions related to the health care of older adults. A survey was administered as a pre-test during first year orientation and then as a post-test after student exposure to a total of 163 hours of geriatric curriculum in Y1 and Y2. Information gained from this research could improve the development and delivery of medical education curriculum related to provision and care of older adults. Purpose (a): Between 2005 and 2030, the number of adults in the US aged 65 and older will almost double from 12% to almost 20% of the population, with those who are 80 and over, “the oldest old” expected to nearly double from 11 million to 20 million. This group, along with changes in the US Health Care System, will place increased demand on the patchwork of health care services due to the epidemic of chronic disease such as dementing disorders, arthritic conditions, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. The Reynolds Geriatric Education & Training in Texas (GET-IT) Program sought to better address the medical needs of the growing geriatric population. The two objectives of the study were: 1) Increase the content of geriatric education in the medical education curriculum; a total of 163 hours of geriatric education were added to Y1 and Y2; and, 2) Identify and evaluate the attitudes of student perceptions related to the health care of older adults in response to the geriatric curricular content. Methods (b): The study used a 52 item questionnaire Aging and Healthcare Survey Medical Students Perceptions that contains a 5-point Likert Scale for measurement. Surveys were administered twice over a three year period (2009-2011); once at orientation as a pre-test and again as a post-test at the end of Y2 after medical students were exposed to geriatric curriculum and the SAGE Program. A selected sample of surveys (n=95) were used for this review. Results (c): Only responses that contained significance at p ≤ 0.005 related to changes in student perceptions of aging and healthcare between Y1 and Y2 of medical school were included in this report. Selected Survey Items from Aging & Healthcare Study. 5= Strongly Agree; 4= Agree; 3= Neutral; 2= Disagree; 1= Strongly Disagree. Year 1 Mean. Year 2 Mean. P-value. Q14 There is not enough course content on the evaluation and care of older adults. 4.44. 2.70. < .001. Q21 I am comfortable talking with an older patient about their death. 4.20. 3.59. < .001. Q23 Physicians need to learn special skills to care for older patients. 4.23. 3.75. < .001. Q30 Learning about how to care for older patients should be a priority for people in Medicine. 2.53. 3.40. < .001. Q31 I know a lot about growing older. 2.12. 3.06. < .001. Q38 I would prefer not to provide medical care to older adults. 3.37. 2.52. < .001. Q29 Physicians need to understand issues of quality of life for an older adult. 3.03. 4.05. 0.002. Q16 As people become older, most become depressed. 3.19. 2.75. 0.004. Conclusions (d): Our findings showed some mixed results. Exposure to the geriatric curriculum had a positive impact on student’s awareness, understanding, and treating of older adults including psycho-social awareness. Students reported more confidence in and an appreciation of the need for communication with older adults in the areas medical history and quality of life issues but less confidence with older adults in areas of palliative care and end of life issues. The data obtained from the survey supports the integrative model of geriatrics curricula into undergraduate medical education.Item Peer Wise: A Peer Grading System that Promotes Active Learning(2012-12-05) Kominski, CarolItem Strategies to Assess Large Classes(2012-05-30) Kominski, Carol