Use of an Audience Response System in an Evidence-Based Mini-Curriculum

ABSTRACT

Since 2002, library faculty at the Indiana University School of Medicine have taught third-year medical students how to retrieve the best evidence from MEDLINE to address their clinical questions. In preparation for their Neurology, Medicine, and Psychiatry clerkships, students attended a review of evidence-based medicine principles and techniques for searching the literature. The session was team-taught by two faculty members, one from the Internal Medicine department and the other from the Library. The librarian reviewed important MEDLINE principles for constructing a good subject search and applying appropriate evidence-based filters. During the clerkships, students were asked to generate clinical questions arising from their patient encounters, searched MEDLINE for the best evidence, critiqued the results, and then applied them back to their patients' care. Library faculty provided individualized feedback on the student searches. A follow-up session two months later reinforced MEDLINE principles, used student searches as examples, and extended the discussion to other evidence-based, point-of-care resources. To add to the interactivity of the follow-up sessions, librarians used an audience response system to measure students' understanding of literature retrieval techniques and to gauge student preferences for information seeking on clinical topics. Overall, the sessions have been well-received by the students.     

Gender and Leadership in Academic Libraries

This study considers academic library personnel perceptions of gender and leadership associated with three obstacles – family, “double binds”, social capital – identified by Alice Eagly and Linda Carli in 2007. A survey was created that provides prompts to measure perception of these obstacles as they apply to both genders. Ninety-two library personnel from a random sample completed the survey. Findings from a t-test that describe and interpret the results are presented, along with themes coded from survey comments. Suggestions Eagly and Carli offer to improve leadership equity are adapted specifically to academic libraries.     

Effective Implementation of ePortfolios: The Development of ePortfolios to Support Online Learning

This article discusses the ePortfolio system for grades 9–12 at the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (VLACS). ePortfolio implementation at VLACS developed from an Advisory course curriculum that supports students' journey toward becoming college, career, and citizenship ready. We provide a unique perspective for implementation in that VLACS is completely online. Drawing from experiences in brick-and-mortar schools, online instruction, and research on digital portfolio programs, we utilize online portfolios to build a virtual community and engage students in their learning. The article summarizes key components to ePortfolio implementation and highlights how ePortfolios enable VLACS students to both reflect on their experience as learners and demonstrate academic and professional competencies.     

Child psychiatrists' view of father-daughter incest

Mental health clinicians, charged with treating a growing number of incestuous daughters, have little empirical data on which to base their clinical judgments. The present study explored the hypotheses of child psychiatrists on the impact of incest. The results suggest that these clinicians view incest as almost always causing serious psychological disorder. While there appears to be little agreement on the nature of acute sequela, disturbed heterosexual functioning was frequently cited as a long-term consequence. In addition, the results suggest that psychiatrists consider factors related to the make-up of the incestuous family, and not the actual sexual behavior, as most pathogenic. The implications of the present results for future research are discussed.