Pedagogical tools designed to promote engagement and active learning in the biomedical sciences and allied health disciplines

Perceiving students, science students especially, as mere consumers of facts and information belies the importance of a need to engage them with the principles underlying those facts and is counter-intuitive to the facilitation of knowledge and understanding. Traditional didactic lecture approaches need a re-think if student classroom engagement and active learning are to be valued over fact memorisation and fact recall. In our undergraduate biomedical science programs across Years 1, 2 and 3 in the Faculty of Health at QUT, we have developed an authentic learning model with an embedded suite of pedagogical strategies that foster classroom engagement and allow for active learning in the sub-discipline area of medical bacteriology. The suite of pedagogical tools we have developed have been designed to enable their translation, with appropriate fine-tuning, to most biomedical and allied health discipline teaching and learning contexts. Indeed, aspects of the pedagogy have been successfully translated to the nursing microbiology study stream at QUT. The aims underpinning the pedagogy are for our students to: (1) Connect scientific theory with scientific practice in a more direct and authentic way, (2) Construct factual knowledge and facilitate a deeper understanding, and (3) Develop and refine their higher order flexible thinking and problem solving skills, both semi-independently and independently. The mindset and role of the teaching staff is critical to this approach since for the strategy to be successful tertiary teachers need to abandon traditional instructional modalities based on one-way information delivery. Face-to-face classroom interactions between students and lecturer enable realisation of pedagogical aims (1), (2) and (3). The strategy we have adopted encourages teachers to view themselves more as expert guides in what is very much a student-focused process of scientific exploration and learning. Specific pedagogical strategies embedded in the authentic learning model we have developed include: (i) interactive lecture-tutorial hybrids or lectorials featuring teacher role-plays as well as class-level question-and-answer sessions, (ii) inclusion of “dry” laboratory activities during lectorials to prepare students for the wet laboratory to follow, (iii) real-world problem-solving exercises conducted during both lectorials and wet laboratory sessions, and (iv) designing class activities and formative assessments that probe a student’s higher order flexible thinking skills. Flexible thinking in this context encompasses analytical, critical, deductive, scientific and professional thinking modes. The strategic approach outlined above is designed to provide multiple opportunities for students to apply principles flexibly according to a given situation or context, to adapt methods of inquiry strategically, to go beyond mechanical application of formulaic approaches, and to as much as possible self-appraise their own thinking and problem solving. The pedagogical tools have been developed within both workplace (real world) and theoretical frameworks. The philosophical core of the pedagogy is a coherent pathway of teaching and learning which we, and many of our students, believe is more conducive to student engagement and active learning in the classroom. Qualitative and quantitative data derived from online and hardcopy evaluations, solicited and unsolicited student and graduate feedback, anecdotal evidence as well as peer review indicate that: (i) our students are engaging with the pedagogy, (ii) a constructivist, authentic-learning approach promotes active learning, and (iii) students are better prepared for workplace transition.

Society by Numbers : Studies on Model-Based Explanations in the Social Sciences

The aim of this dissertation is to provide conceptual tools for the social scientist for clarifying, evaluating and comparing explanations of social phenomena based on formal mathematical models. The focus is on relatively simple theoretical models and simulations, not statistical models. These studies apply a theory of explanation according to which explanation is about tracing objective relations of dependence, knowledge of which enables answers to contrastive why and how-questions. This theory is developed further by delineating criteria for evaluating competing explanations and by applying the theory to social scientific modelling practices and to the key concepts of equilibrium and mechanism. The dissertation is comprised of an introductory essay and six published original research articles. The main theses about model-based explanations in the social sciences argued for in the articles are the following. 1) The concept of explanatory power, often used to argue for the superiority of one explanation over another, compasses five dimensions which are partially independent and involve some systematic trade-offs. 2) All equilibrium explanations do not causally explain the obtaining of the end equilibrium state with the multiple possible initial states. Instead, they often constitutively explain the macro property of the system with the micro properties of the parts (together with their organization). 3) There is an important ambivalence in the concept mechanism used in many model-based explanations and this difference corresponds to a difference between two alternative research heuristics. 4) Whether unrealistic assumptions in a model (such as a rational choice model) are detrimental to an explanation provided by the model depends on whether the representation of the explanatory dependency in the model is itself dependent on the particular unrealistic assumptions. Thus evaluating whether a literally false assumption in a model is problematic requires specifying exactly what is supposed to be explained and by what. 5) The question of whether an explanatory relationship depends on particular false assumptions can be explored with the process of derivational robustness analysis and the importance of robustness analysis accounts for some of the puzzling features of the tradition of model-building in economics. 6) The fact that economists have been relatively reluctant to use true agent-based simulations to formulate explanations can partially be explained by the specific ideal of scientific understanding implicit in the practise of orthodox economics.

Detection of Chlamydiaceae DNA in veterinary specimens using a family-specific PCR

Aims: The aim of this work was to develop a rapid molecular test for the detection of the Chlamydiaceae family, irrespective of the species or animal host. Methods and Results: The method described herein is a polymerase chain reaction targeting the 16S rRNA gene of the Chlamydiaceae family, and the results demonstrate that the test reacts with five reference Chlamydiaceae but none of the 19 other bacterial species or five uninfected animal tissues tested. The results also indicate the enhanced sensitivity of this test when compared with conventional culture or serology techniques. This is demonstrated through parallel testing of six real clinical veterinary cases and confirmatory DNA sequence analysis. Conclusions, Significance and Impact of the Study: This test can be used by veterinary diagnostic laboratories for rapid detection of Chlamydiaceae in veterinary specimens, with no restriction of chlamydial species or animal host. The test does not differentiate chlamydial species, and if required, speciation must be carried out retrospectively using alternate methods. However, for the purpose of prescribing therapy for chlamydiosis, this test would be an invaluable laboratory tool.

Applying pure mathematics: mathematics in the natural sciences

The book of nature is written in the language of mathematics. This quotation, attributed to Galileo, seemed to hold to an unreasonable1 extent in the era of quantum mechanics.

Attributes of clinical role models as described by senior veterinary students in Australia

Role models incite admiration and provide inspiration, contributing to learning as students aspire to emulate their example. The attributes of physician role models for medical trainees are well documented, but they remain largely unexplored in the context of veterinary medical training. The aim of the current study was to describe the attributes that final-year veterinary students (N=213) at the University of Queensland identified when reflecting on their clinical role models. Clinical role model descriptions provided by students were analyzed using concept-mapping software (Leximancer v. 2.25). The most frequent and highly connected concepts used by students when describing their role model(s) included clients, vet, and animal. Role models were described as good communicators who were skilled at managing relationships with clients, patients, and staff. They had exemplary knowledge, skills, and abilities, and they were methodical and conducted well-structured consultations. They were well respected and, in turn, demonstrated respect for clients, colleagues, staff, and students alike. They were also good teachers and able to tailor explanations to suit both clients and students. Findings from this study may serve to assist with faculty development and as a basis for further research in this area.

Fluoroquinolone-resistant extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli, including O25b-ST131, isolated from faeces of hospitalized dogs in an Australian veterinary referral centre

To determine rates of carriage of fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) among dogs in a specialist referral hospital and to examine the population structure of the isolates. Fluoroquinolone-resistant faecal E. coli isolates (n232, from 23 of 123 dogs) recovered from hospitalized dogs in a veterinary referral centre in Sydney, Australia, over 140 days in 2009 were characterized by phylogenetic grouping, virulence genotyping and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The RAPD dendrogram for representative isolates showed one group B2-associated cluster and three group D-associated clusters; each contained isolates with closely related ExPEC-associated virulence profiles. All group B2 faecal isolates represented the O25b-ST131 clonal group and were closely related to recent canine extraintestinal ST131 clinical isolates from the east coast of Australia by RAPD analysis. Hospitalized dogs may carry fluoroquinolone-resistant ExPEC in their faeces, including those representing O25b-ST131.

Ecological dynamics of emerging bat virus spillover

Viruses that originate in bats may be the most notorious emerging zoonoses that spill over from wildlife into domestic animals and humans. Understanding how these infections filter through ecological systems to cause disease in humans is of profound importance to public health. Transmission of viruses from bats to humans requires a hierarchy of enabling conditions that connect the distribution of reservoir hosts, viral infection within these hosts, and exposure and susceptibility of recipient hosts. For many emerging bat viruses, spillover also requires viral shedding from bats, and survival of the virus in the environment. Focusing on Hendra virus, but also addressing Nipah virus, Ebola virus, Marburg virus and coronaviruses, we delineate this cross-species spillover dynamic from the within-host processes that drive virus excretion to land-use changes that increase interaction among species. We describe how land-use changes may affect co-occurrence and contact between bats and recipient hosts. Two hypotheses may explain temporal and spatial pulses of virus shedding in bat populations: episodic shedding from persistently infected bats or transient epidemics that occur as virus is transmitted among bat populations. Management of livestock also may affect the probability of exposure and disease. Interventions to decrease the probability of virus spillover can be implemented at multiple levels from targeting the reservoir host to managing recipient host exposure and susceptibility.

Ecological dynamics of emerging bat virus spillover

Viruses that originate in bats may be the most notorious emerging zoonoses that spill over from wildlife into domestic animals and humans. Understanding how these infections filter through ecological systems to cause disease in humans is of profound importance to public health. Transmission of viruses from bats to humans requires a hierarchy of enabling conditions that connect the distribution of reservoir hosts, viral infection within these hosts, and exposure and susceptibility of recipient hosts. For many emerging bat viruses, spillover also requires viral shedding from bats, and survival of the virus in the environment. Focusing on Hendra virus, but also addressing Nipah virus, Ebola virus, Marburg virus and coronaviruses, we delineate this cross-species spillover dynamic from the within-host processes that drive virus excretion to land-use changes that increase interaction among species. We describe how land-use changes may affect co-occurrence and contact between bats and recipient hosts. Two hypotheses may explain temporal and spatial pulses of virus shedding in bat populations: episodic shedding from persistently infected bats or transient epidemics that occur as virus is transmitted among bat populations. Management of livestock also may affect the probability of exposure and disease. Interventions to decrease the probability of virus spillover can be implemented at multiple levels from targeting the reservoir host to managing recipient host exposure and susceptibility.

Exploring the post-genomic world: Differing explanatory and manipulatory functions of post-genomic sciences

Richard Lewontin proposed that the ability of a scientific field to create a narrative for public understanding garners it social relevance. This article applies Lewontin's conceptual framework of the functions of science (manipulatory and explanatory) to compare and explain the current differences in perceived societal relevance of genetics/genomics and proteomics. We provide three examples to illustrate the social relevance and strong cultural narrative of genetics/genomics for which no counterpart exists for proteomics. We argue that the major difference between genetics/genomics and proteomics is that genomics has a strong explanatory function, due to the strong cultural narrative of heredity. Based on qualitative interviews and observations of proteomics conferences, we suggest that the nature of proteins, lack of public understanding, and theoretical complexity exacerbates this difference for proteomics. Lewontin's framework suggests that social scientists may find that omics sciences affect social relations in different ways than past analyses of genetics.

CFD tools in engineering design studies and medical sciences

In the recent time CFD tools have become increasingly useful in the engineering design studies especially in the area of aerospace vehicles. This is largely due to the advent of high speed computing platforms in addition to the development of new efficient algorithms. The algorithms based on kinetic schemes have been shown to be very robust and further meshless methods offer certain advantages over the other methods. Preliminary investigations of blood flow visualization through artery using CFD tool have shown encouraging results which further needs to be verified and validated.

University Students' Approaches to Learning, Self-Regulation, and Cognitive and Attributional Strategies : Connections with Well-Being and Academic Success

This dissertation empirically explores the relations among three theoretical perspectives: university students approaches to learning, self-regulated learning, as well as cognitive and attributional strategies. The relations were quantitatively studied from both variable- and person-centered perspectives. In addition, the meaning that students gave to their disciplinary choices was examined. The general research questions of the study were: 1) What kinds of relationships exist among approaches to learning, regulation of learning, and cognitive and attributional strategies? What kinds of cognitive-motivational profiles can be identified among university students, and how are such profiles related to study success and well-being? 3) How do university students explain their disciplinary choices? Four empirical studies addressed these questions. Studies I, II, and III were quantitative, applying self-report questionnaires, and Study IV was qualitative in nature. Study I explored relations among cognitive strategies, approaches to learning, regulation of learning, and study success by using correlations and a K-means cluster analysis. The participants were 366 students from various faculties at different phases of their studies. The results showed that all the measured constructs were logically related to each other in both variable- and person-centered approaches. Study II further examined what kinds of cognitive-motivational profiles could be identified among first-year university students (n=436) in arts, law, and agriculture and forestry. Differences in terms of study success, exhaustion, and stress among students with differing profiles were also looked at. By using a latent class cluster analysis (LCCA), three groups of students were identified: non-academic (34%), self-directed (35%), and helpless students (31%). Helpless students reported the highest levels of stress and exhaustion. Self-directed students received the highest grades. In Study III, cognitive-motivational profiles were identified among novice teacher students (n=213) using LCCA. Well-being, epistemological beliefs, and study success were looked at in relation to the profiles. Three groups of students were found: non-regulating (50%), self-directed (35%), and non-reflective (22%). Self-directed students again received the best grades. Non-regulating students reported the highest levels of stress and exhaustion, the lowest level of interest, and showed the strongest preference for certain and practical knowledge. Study IV, which was qualitative in nature, explored how first-year students (n = 536 ) in three fields of studies, arts, law, and veterinary medicine explained their disciplinary choices. Content analyses showed that interest appeared to be a common concept in students description of their choices across the three faculties. However, the objects of interest of the freshmen appeared rather unspecified. Veterinary medicine and law students most often referred to future work or a profession, whereas only one-fifth of the arts students did so. The dissertation showed that combining different theoretical perspectives and methodologies enabled us to build a rich picture of university students cognitive and motivational predispositions towards studying and learning. Further, cognitive-emotional aspects played a significant role in studying, not only in relation to study success, but also in terms of well-being. Keywords: approaches to learning, self-regulation, cognitive and attributional strategies, university students

Oikeustieteen ensimmäisen vuoden opiskelijoiden haasteet opiskelussa

The aim of this dissertation was to explore factors which affect first-year law students study success. A modified Biggs s 3P model was used as the theoretical framework. The model includes both personal and contextual factors in student learning. The participants were first-year law students from the academic years 2005-2008, and the data were collected through interviews, open-ended question and electronic questionnaires. Study I explored first-year law students spontaneous descriptions of their learning activities at the beginning of their studies as well as fast study pace law students who had already finished their first year. Even though, law students are selected through a demanding entrance examination, some of the beginner students mentioned using only one or very few learning activities, which were mainly non-generative strategies. On the other hand, it was typical for the fast study pace students to mention generative strategies and elements of organised effort in studying. Study II analysed the relationship between approaches to learning and study success in terms of earned study credits and grade point average among first-year law students in three years. Organised students and students applying a deep approach earned the highest number of credits and the highest grades, whereas students applying a surface approach and unorganised students applying a deep approach received the lowest number of credits and the lowest grades. The study confirms previous findings that organised students constitute the largest cluster among first-year law students. Study III explored factors affecting the study pace of law students during their first academic year. The factors mentioned by the students were classified into four categories of self-regulation: motivation, behaviour, cognition and context. The group of fast study pace students turned out to have good skills in all areas of self-regulation. Respectively, the slow study pace group showed more individual variation, and had weaknesses in one or more areas of self-regulation. In addition, students experienced, that other activities such as working affected their study pace, this could be constitute a fifth category. However, the slow and fast study pace students felt differently about work. According to the slow study pace students, work impeded their studying because it took up too much time. For their part, the fast study pace students were able to allocate their time effectively and felt working to be useful and a counterbalanced to their studying, as well as an opportunity to apply knowledge in practice. Study IV analysed differences in law students perceptions of their teaching-learning environments after three learning periods. The students perceptions were compared with pharmacy and veterinary students perceptions of their teaching-learning environments. The results showed that the law students experienced their teaching-learning environment more negatively than the pharmacy and veterinary students. The law students experienced that alignment, teaching for understanding, staff enthusiasm and support, along with constructive feedback were areas that could be developed at the Faculty. Together the four studies indicate that both law students learning skills and the teaching-learning environment could be further developed. The results imply that managing in the demanding teaching-learning environment of law requires student to effectively employ qualitative learning activities: organised studying and a deep approach to learning and good self-regulation skills. In addition to student counselling, it is important for students study success to direct the teaching-learning environment towards a more learning-focused than content-focused approach to teaching.

Detection of clinical mastitis with the help of a thermal camera

Increasing dairy farm size and increase in automation in livestock production require that new methods are used to monitor animal health. In this study, a thermal camera was tested for its capacity to detect clinical mastitis. Mastitis was experimentally induced in 6 cows with 10 mu g of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The LPS was infused into the left forequarter of each cow, and the right forequarters served as controls. Clinical examination for systemic and local signs and sampling for indicators of inflammation in milk were carried out before morning and evening milking throughout the 5-d experimental period and more frequently on the challenge day. Thermal images of experimental and control quarters were taken at each sampling time from lateral and medial angles. The first signs of clinical mastitis were noted in all cows 2 h postchallenge and included changes in general appearance of the cows and local clinical signs in the affected udder quarter. Rectal temperature, milk somatic cell count, and electrical conductivity were increased 4 h postchallenge and milk N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity 8 h postchallenge. The thermal camera was successful in detecting the 1 to 1.5 degrees C temperature change on udder skin associated with clinical mastitis in all cows because temperature of the udder skin of the experimental and control quarters increased in line with the rectal temperature. Yet, local signs on the udder were seen before the rise in udder skin and body temperature. The udder represents a sensitive site for detection of any febrile disease using a noninvasive method. A thermal camera mounted in a milking or feeding parlor could detect temperature changes associated with clinical mastitis or other diseases in a dairy herd.