A Survey of Scholarly Literature Describing the Field of Bioinformatics Education and Bioinformatics Educational Research

Bioinformatics education can be broadly defined as the teaching and learning of the use of computer and information technology, along with mathematical and statistical analysis for gathering, storing, analyzing, interpreting, and integrating data to solve biological problems. The recent surge of genomics, proteomics, and structural biology in the potential advancement of research and development in complex biomedical systems has created a need for an educated workforce in bioinformatics. However, effectively integrating bioinformatics education through formal and informal educational settings has been a challenge due in part to its cross-disciplinary nature. In this article, we seek to provide an overview of the state of bioinformatics education. This article identifies: 1) current approaches of bioinformatics education at the undergraduate and graduate levels; 2) the most common concepts and skills being taught in bioinformatics education; 3) pedagogical approaches and methods of delivery for conveying bioinformatics concepts and skills; and 4) assessment results on the impact of these programs, approaches, and methods in students’ attitudes or learning. Based on these findings, it is our goal to describe the landscape of scholarly work in this area and, as a result, identify opportunities and challenges in bioinformatics education.     

Doulas as community health workers: lessons learned from a volunteer program

Doulas, women who primarily provide social support during childbirth, have been associated with a number of positive health outcomes. Because the primary model of practice for doulas is a fee-for-service model in which families privately hire a doula, many expectant women who could benefit from doula support are unable to access the service. The Doulas Care program, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, represents one model in which doulas provide services without charge. As a result of their extended role in the community, doulas who work with the Doulas Care program have unique educational needs. Through the use of focus groups with the program's volunteer doulas, educational needs related to overcoming barriers to being a doula working in the community were identified. Recommendations for education and training are made to improve the support doulas offer as community health outreach workers.     

Sex and relationship education and the media: an analysis of national and regional newspaper coverage in England

Newspapers are recognised as a major source of factual information. The media representation of issues related to teenage pregnancy is important to policy makers and those delivering related interventions. This is particularly so in relation to issues which may be seen as sensitive by the public, such as sex and relationship education (SRE). Despite general recognition of the importance of the media in communicating to the public, there is an absence of satisfactory tools with which to evaluate newspaper reports, particularly so in the field of SRE. In this paper we present a systematic examination of newspaper articles related to SRE from September 2000 to September 2002, in the national and regional press in England. Our analysis has highlighted some important distinctions between newspaper type, spokesperson and region. This paper concludes that a pro‐active strategy of directly contacting high circulation newspapers with a view to positively influencing the tone of relevant articles and reports would be of considerable benefit to those involved in SRE, teenage pregnancy and related interventions.     

Going Where They Are: Intentionally Embedding Librarians in Courses and Measuring the Impact on Student Learning

ABSTRACT

The concept of embedded librarians is a way for academic librarians to be intentionally and strategically inserted in the learning and teaching process through a variety of initiatives. In a mid-size university, in order to better address the research and curricular needs of students and faculty members, librarians became more intentional about embedding themselves in academic departments and online courses. To assess the impact upon student learning, the librarians are working on a pilot project utilizing a variety of methods. This article describes the first phase of this assessment project, a survey of faculty teaching course in which faculty were embedded. Finally, information on next steps to assess the embedded librarian program using student surveys, focus groups, and interviews is presented.     

Current Concerns in Validity Theory

We are at the end of the first century of work on models of educational and psychological measurement and into a new millennium. This certainly seems like an appropriate time for looking backward and looking forward in assessment. Furthermore, a new edition of the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (AERA, APA, & NCME, 1999) has been published, and the previous editions of the Standards have served as benchmarks in the development of measurement theory.
This backward glance will be just that, a glance. After a brief historical review focusing mainly on construct validity, the current state of validity theory will be summarized, with an emphasis on the role of arguments in validation. Then how an argument-based approach might be applied will be examined in regards to two issues in validity theory: the distinction between performance-based and theory-based interpretations, and the role of consequences in validation.     

My Journey With Annemarie Roeper: Lessons Learned Along the Way

For over 70 years Annemarie Roeper was able to breathe new life into many aspects of giftedness and gifted education. Capturing the magic of such a charismatic and visionary leader is a challenge. However, stories and storytelling provide a pathway into the narrative of Annemarie’s life as it evolved from young adulthood to elderhood. This article provides the lessons learned during a long-standing friendship and insights into her multidimensional personality.     

The Part-Time Student’s Experience 1996-2007: An issue of identity and marginalisation?

Tertiary Education and Management - Part-time study is one of the foci of the widening participation agenda in the UK. The experiences of part-time students, however, have received remarkably...     

Goal neglect and working memory capacity in 4- to 6-year-old children

Goal neglect is the phenomenon of failing to execute the momentary demands of a task despite understanding and being able to recall the task instructions. Successful goal maintenance is more likely to occur in adults with high working memory capacity (WMC) who can keep rules mentally accessible while performing the task. The current study predicted that goal neglect would also be related to WMC in children. It assessed thirty-seven 4-year-old and twenty-eight 6-year-old children on the goal neglect version of the Dimensional Change Card Sort, and 3 tasks that measure WMC. As predicted, children with higher WMC scores were more likely to maintain goals adequately for task performance. The findings are consistent with a 2-factor model of working memory and its development.     

Commuting,transitions and belonging: the experiences of students living at home in their first year at university

In this study, our cross-case analysis of students’ lives challenges the conventional home–university model of transition and highlights the importance of acknowledging the influence of this complex symbiotic relationship for students who attend university and live at home. We argue that as with stay-at-home holidays, or “staycations”, which are of such crucial importance to the tourism industry, so stay-at-home students or commuter students are vital to higher education and the term utilised here is “stayeducation”. Through the narratives of “stayeducation” students, we see how family and community aspects of students’ lives are far more significant than previously realised, and our study suggests that these heavily influence the development of a student sense of belonging. Drawing upon biographical narrative method, this paper introduces three first-year Business and Economics students enrolled at different universities in London and explores their journeys through their transition through home, school and early university life. Ways in which key themes play out in the transition stories of our students and the challenges and obstacles for the individual are drawn out through the cross-case analysis. Findings support the existing literature around gender, class and identity; however, new insights into the importance, for these students, of family, friendships and community are presented. Our work has implications for academic staff, those writing institutional policies, and argues for the creation of different spaces within which students can integrate into their new environment.