Culture in the School: Assessment and the content of education

After obtaining more than 200 examinations used in 36 primary schools with 12-year-old children, a standard examination was made mixing questions of different subjects. This examination was taken by a group of university students and most of them failed outright. How is it possible to consider a 12-year-old a failure when university students are unable to succeed? What is wrong, the elaboration of examinations for 12-year-old children or the academic level of university students? What are the criteria for selecting the content of the curriculum? The paper concludes that schools follow traditions that are difficult to justify and reveals a lack of definition in the way we train teachers and, therefore, in the role that they develop in their work. Après avoir collecté plus de 200 examens utilisés dans 36 écoles primaires avec des enfants de douze ans, un examen type a été élaboré en utilisant des questions relatives à des matières différentes. L'examen a été testé avec un groupe d'étudiants universitaires qui ont tous échoué. Comment peut-on considérer comme un échec scolaire le cas d'un élè ve de douze ans qui ne réussit pas un examen que même des étudiants universitaires sont incapables de passer? Où est le problème, est-ce dans l'élaboration des examens pour enfants de douze ans, ou est-ce dans le niveau culturel des étudiants universitaires? Quels sont les critères de sélection des contenus du curriculum? Le présent article arrive à la conclusion que de nombreux procédés utilisés dans les écoles sont axés sur des traditions difficilement justifiables, et qu'ils révèlent un manque de définition de l'identité dans laquelle nous formons les enseignants, et donc dans le rôle que ceux-ci développent dans leur travail. Tras obtener más de 200 exámenes realizados en 36 colegios de primaria con niños de 12 años, se elaboró un examen-tipo, en el que se mezclaban preguntas correspondientes a las distintas materias de enseñanza. El examen se pasó a un grupo de estudiantes universitarios que fracasó claramente al contestarlo. ¿Cómo es posible considerar como fracasado escolar a un niño de 12 años por no ser capaz de contestar un examen que tampoco son capaces de contestar los alumnos universitarios? ¿Dónde está el error, en la forma en que se elaboran los exámenes de los alumnos de 12 años, o en el nivel cultural de los alumnos universitarios? ¿Con qué criterios se seleccionan los contenidos del curriculum? El artículo llega a la conclusión de que muchos de los procedimientos en curso en nuestras escuelas están basados en tradiciones que no tienen justificación, y que revelan una falta de definición de la identidad profesional que formamos en los profesores, y por tanto del papel que los profesores juegan en su trabajo. Nach Erhalt von 200 Prüfungen für zwölfjährige Schüler von 36 Schulen, erarbeitete man eine Prüfung mit Fragen aus den verschiedenen Schulfächern. Dieser Prüfung unterzogen sich 125 Studenten, von denen nur sieben den Test bestanden. Dieses Ergebnis wirft natürlich wichtige Fragen über die Legitimität unseres Lehrsystemes auf. Wie kann man einem Schulkind im Alter von zwölf Jahren Schulversagen attestieren, da es Fragen nicht beatworten kann, an denen Universitätsstudenten scheitern? Nach welchen Kriterien wird der Stoff ausgewählt, der in den Schulen gelehrt wird? Der Artikel schlägt vor, die Studie der häufigsten Verständnisprobleme zu vertiefen, um den Unterricht in den verschiedenen Fächern zu verbessern. Unter anderem zeigt der Artikel auch, dass Lehrer durch ihre Prüfungen mehr Wert auf das Auswendiglernen als auf andere intellektuelle Aktivitäten der Schüler legen.     

Evaluation of a new equation for estimating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol through the comparison with various recommended methods

IntroductionThe accurate estimation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) is crucial for management of patients at risk of cardiovascular events due to dyslipidemia. The LDL is typically calculated using the Friedewald equation and/or direct homogeneous assays. However, both methods have their own limitations, so other equations have been proposed, including a new equation developed by Sampson. The aim of this study was to evaluate Sampson equation by comparing with the Friedewald and Martin-Hopkins equations, and with a direct LDL method.Materials and methodsResults of standard lipid profile (total cholesterol (CHOL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and triglycerides (TG)) were obtained from two anonymized data sets collected at two laboratories, using assays from different manufacturers (Beckman Coulter and Roche Diagnostics). The second data set also included LDL results from a direct assay (Roche Diagnostics). Passing-Bablok and Bland-Altman analysis for method comparison was performed.ResultsA total of 64,345 and 37,783 results for CHOL, HDL and TG were used, including 3116 results from the direct LDL assay. The Sampson and Friedewald equations provided similar LDL results (difference ≤ 0.06 mmol/L, on average) at TG ≤ 2.0 mmol/L. At TG between 2.0 and 4.5 mmol/L, the Sampson-calculated LDL showed a constant bias (- 0.18 mmol/L) when compared with the Martin-Hopkins equation. Similarly, at TG between 4.5 and 9.0 mmol/L, the Sampson equation showed a negative bias when compared with the direct assay, which was proportional (- 16%) to the LDL concentration.ConclusionsThe Sampson equation may represent a cost-efficient alternative for calculating LDL in clinical laboratories.     

ePedagogy as a threshold concept: a reflection on a programme for Science Teaching Assistants

Abstract

A Science Teaching Assistant (TA) Programme, at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), focused on preparing promising lecturers. A key component of this programme was the contribution by the Centre for Innovative Education and Communication Technologies (CIECT), which promoted the pedagogical adoption of eTools to assist development of Science TAs. A questionnaire enabled TAs to reflect on the eTools and CIECT’s sessions. The authors reflect on academic developer roles in higher education. Within CIECT’s contribution, ePedagogy was identified as a threshold concept that the TAs found challenging, but that could lead to transformed and improved teaching and learning.     

The Use of Clinical Reasoning Skills in the Setting of Uncertainty: A Case of Trial Femoral Head Migration

Clinical skills and medical knowledge enable physicians to overcome the uncertainty of emergent and rare clinical scenarios. Recently, a growing emphasis on evidence-based medicine (EBM) has flooded medical curricula of universities across the globe with guideline-based material, and while it has given teachers and students new tools to improve medical education, clinical reasoning must be reaffirmed in its capacity to provide physicians with the ability to solve unexpected clinical scenarios. Anatomical education in medical school should have two main objectives: to acquire anatomical knowledge and to develop the skill of applying that knowledge in clinical scenarios. The authors present a clinical scenario in which an unexpected and rare complication occurred during a routine elective hip replacement surgery. The general surgeon presiding over the case, also an anatomy professor, solved the problem using clinical reasoning and anatomical knowledge. It was a clear example of how clinical reasoning is key in approaching unprecedented, rare, or unknown complications. The intention of this scenario is to remind colleagues and medical schools that, although EBM is the standard, educators must uphold sound clinical reasoning to best prepare health care providers for their careers.     

The mediating role of social relationships in the association of adolescents’ individual school self-concept and their school engagement,belonging and helplessness in school

It is well known that teachers frequently observe a decline in the scholastic motivation of many adolescent students, which in turn is often associated with a decline in students’ individual school self-concept. In contrast, less is known about the association between students’ individual school self-concept and school engagement, or the related concepts of school belonging and helplessness in school. The current study explored social relationships as mediators in the association between individual school self-concept and adolescents’ school engagement, belonging to school and helplessness in school in a large sample of 7th and 8th grade students (N?=?1088; M_Age?=?13.7) in secondary schools in Brandenburg, Germany. The results of two structural equation models showed that the teacher–student relationship mediated the association between individual school self-concept and school engagement, belonging to school and helplessness in school, respectively. In contrast, the student–student relationship did not mediate any of these associations.