Author: cdtlsd

Scaffolding of Project-based Learning of Hardware Design via Test Automation

cdtlsd Poster , , ,

Rajesh C. PANICKER

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
College of Design and Engineering (CDE)

*rajesh@nus.edu.sg

 

Panicker, R. C. (2023). Scaffolding of project-based learning of hardware design via test automation [Poster presentation]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/scaffolding-of-project-based-learning-of-hardware-design-via-test-automation/
 

SUB-THEME

Others

 

KEYWORDS

Project-based learning, scaffolding, self-checking testbench

 

CATEGORY

Poster Presentations

 

INTRODUCTION

The technological revolution that we are witnessing is enabled by advances in hardware design, and hence designing powerful computing hardware is a popular topic. The course EE4218 “Embedded Hardware System Design” at NUS is designed to provide students with the knowledge and experience in designing a complete system that involves custom hardware and software. However, hardware design is a field with a relatively steep learning curve. Project-based learning (PBL) is a powerful technique frequently employed in engineering courses (Hadim et al, 2002). In EE4218, students learn hardware design and hardware-software co-design concepts through a project that involves developing a system that performs a classification task using a neural network, accelerated using a custom co-processor written in a hardware description language (HDL).

 

CHALLENGES IN PBL OF HARDWARE DESIGN

To ensure the success of PBL, appropriate scaffolding is crucial (Condliffe et al., 2017). This is especially the case with hardware design, where evaluating the functionality of the design after each change can take substantial time and effort. Students incur several tens of minutes, even for minor changes, if they test it directly as a full system. If the result obtained is not as intended, there is no easy mechanism to debug the mistake. This can be a demotivating factor for students, based on the qualitative comments from past student feedback. This is despite providing some scaffolding in the form of a series of four labs, with a wiki (Panicker, 2023) used as a platform for information dissemination and interaction. Though there are no user-friendly tools that exist for full-system simulation (to the best of the author’s knowledge), the co-processor (a component of the system that is the main design challenge) can be tested to a good extent via simulation of the HDL code. While students were required to test the co-processor via simulation in the past, many students did not do so given the complexity of creating an HDL testbench for this purpose. This resulted in them trying directly as a full system, with less than desirable outcomes.

 

SCAFFOLDING VIA TEST AUTOMATION

In order to provide further scaffolding, in a subsequent semester, a sample automated (self-checking) testbench (Bergeron et al, 2012) was provided. This allowed some level of automation in testing their designs in simulation before venturing into full-system testing. Students could use the provided testbench to test a simple skeleton hardware code provided and modify it to test their own hardware in an automated manner. The stimulus (inputs) and the desired response (outputs) can be stored in a text file, which is then used by the testbench to determine the functionality of the HDL code. To ensure that students make use of this self-checking testbench, it was made a mandatory requirement for the first lab itself. Testing via simulation using a testbench also allows students more options for debugging, as opposed to a full-system test. It also provides more instantaneous feedback for the students.

 

RESULTS

The use of the provided self-checking testbench before a full-system test improved the students’ ability to meet the project requirements substantially. The number of students who managed to meet the outcome of implementing a functional system with a HDL-based co-processor increased from 74% (class size: 43) to 89% (class size: 36). The qualitative comments, as well as the module learning outcome survey, also showed improvements, though these could be due to a combination of factors and not necessarily due to the intervention detailed here alone.

 

CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK

The primary outcome/student achievement from the project improved significantly after the introduction of a self-checking testbench as a scaffold. Hence, we believe the intervention is an improvement, though it does take away the students’ chance to design a testbench from scratch. Future directions include exploring options to do larger-scale, system-level testing through simulation.

 

REFERENCES

Bergeron, J., (2012). Writing testbenches: functional verification of HDL models. Springer Science & Business Media.

Condliffe, B., (2017). Project-based learning: A literature review. Working Paper. MDRC.

Hadim, H. A., & Esche, S. K. (2002, November). Enhancing the engineering curriculum through project-based learning. In 32nd Annual Frontiers in Education (Vol. 2, pp. F3F-F3F). IEEE.

Panicker, R. C., (2023). EE4218 Labs. https://wiki.nus.edu.sg/display/ee4218

 

Student Feedback on an Online Scientific Inquiry Course: Lessons Learned

cdtlsd Poster , , , ,

Reuben Manjit SINGH, Seow Chong LEE, Yuan Yuan CHEW, and Foong May YEONG
Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSOM)

*bchyfm@nus.edu.sg

 

Singh, R. M., Lee, S. C., Chew, Y. Y., & Yeong, F. M. (2023). Student feedback on an online scientific inquiry course: Lessons learned [Poster presentation]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/student-feedback-on-an-online-scientific-inquiry-course-lessons-learned/ 

SUB-THEME

Interdisciplinarity and Education

 

KEYWORDS

Multidisciplinary, nature of science, student feedback, fully online

 

CATEGORY

Poster Presentation 

 

INTRODUCTION

As part of the Common Curriculum, students enrolled in the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) read Scientific Inquiry (SI) courses. In our SI course “From DNA to Gene Therapy”, we used the notion of the Nature of Science (NOS) (McComas & Olson, 2002) to explore scientific practices from different disciplines (Schwartz et al., 2004). These included the scientific method, and the history and sociology of scientific endeavours. Our multidisciplinary course afforded students different lenses through which they could view the practices of science and could potentially ease them into subsequent interdisciplinarity courses (Diphoorn et al., 2023). Here we describe our analysis of students’ feedback to understand their perceptions on a fully online multidisciplinary course.

 

METHODS

Course information

The course HSI2003 “From DNA to Gene Therapy” was taught in semester II, Academic Year 2022/23. Yeong F. M. was the course coordinator with Lee S. C. and R. M. Singh serving as tutors. The course enrolment comprised 78 students mostly from the Faculty of Science. The course was fully online, with recorded lectures hosted on Canvas, and virtual tutorials held on MS Teams. For assessments, students were graded on individual quizzes, group assignments, and a summative essay. The quizzes were mainly content-based while the tutorial questions, group projects, and individual summative essay required students to discuss different aspects of scientific practices.

Coding of student feedback

Content analysis (Cohen et al., 2011) was performed on students’ end-of-year formal feedback. The anonymous comments were coded independently by R. M. Singh and Lee S. C. after a preliminary discussion. The codes were then categorised based on common themes.

 

RESULTS

We received 48 unique comments from students’ feedback. These were coded into 19 positive and 31 negative codes (Table 1). 72.2% of the positive codes were related to how the students found the topics approachable and interesting. These were categorised into the theme of overall course content. 27.8% pertained to self-directed learning, and were categorised into lectures. The negative codes were derived from comments on assignments and tutorials. Where assignments (51.6%) were concerned, the students felt dissatisfied at the release dates of assignments, digital platform used for group assignments, and the uneven distribution of workload within the group. For tutorials (48.4%), students disliked the online format, and preferred them to be held physically.

 

Table 1
Positive and negative student feedback classified by themes

Positive and negative student feedback classified by themes

 

DISCUSSION

As this was the first run of our course, it is informative to analyse students’ feedback. Indeed, their positive comments on the content are surprising. Nonetheless, they imply that multidisciplinary, and potentially, interdisciplinary content could be well-accepted by both science and non-science students if the contents were packaged and delivered appropriately. However, these are inadequate for good student learning experiences. It appears that post-pandemic, while students prefer didactic lectures to remain online for self-directed learning, they want group-based tutorials to be face-to-face due to constraints in the online environment. For instance, students were able to keep their cameras off during tutorials, and this led to a lack of facial and body cues that reduced engagement and hampered collaboration. Also, as students did not meet face-to-face, there was low level of accountability among group members. Based on the feedback, we have planned solutions for the subsequent semesters to address various issues (Table 2). By accounting for students’ feedback as part of our continuous improvement cycle, we hope to provide better student learning experiences in subsequent semesters.

 

Table 2
Issues identified and potential solutions

Issues identified and potential solutions

 

REFERENCES 

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2011). Research Methods in Education (7th ed.). Routledge.

Diphoorn, T., McGonigle Leyh, B., Knittel, S. C., Huysmans, M., & Goch, M. V. (2023). Traveling concepts in the classroom : experiences in interdisciplinary education. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, 12 (S1), 1–14. Retrieved from https://www.ojed.org/index.php/jise/article/view/4844

McComas, William F, & Olson, J. K. (2002). The nature of science in international science education standards documents. In W. F McComas (Ed.), The Nature of Science in Science Education, Science & Technology Education Library, vol 5 (Issue 1996, pp. 41–52). Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47215-5_2

Schwartz, R., Lederman, N. G., & Crawford, B. a. (2004). Developing views of nature of science in an authentic context: An explicit approach to bridging the gap between nature of science and scientific inquiry. Science Education, 88(4), 610–45. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.10128

 

Teaching Surface Anatomy by Surgeons and Anatomists

cdtlsd Lighting Talks , , , ,

Eng-Tat ANG1*, Jaya B.1, Satish R. L.1, Norman LIN2, James LEE2, Sean LEE2,
GAO Yujia2, Victor LOH3, and Benjamin GOH2

1Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSOM)
2Department of Surgery, YLLSOM
3Department of Family Medicine, YLLSOM

*antaet@nus.edu.sg

 

Ang, E-T, Jaya B., Satish R. L., Lin, N., Lee, J., Lee, S., Gao, Y., Loh, V., & Goh, B. (2023). Teaching surface anatomy by surgeons and anatomists [Lightning talk]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/teaching-surface-anatomy-by-surgeons-and-anatomists/
 

SUB-THEME

Interdisciplinarity and Education

 

KEYWORDS

Surface anatomy, surgery, collaboration, teaching

 

CATEGORY

Lightning Talks

 

WHAT PROBLEM WAS ADDRESSED?

Not knowing enough surface anatomy is challenging for the clinical students as they further their medical education. Despite efforts by the anatomists to sensitise preclinical students to this important skillset via the clinical applications of medical sciences (CAMS), the surgeons are reporting that there is still a gap. These medical students are not confident in locating important landmarks (e.g. pubic tubercle) and organs. They would also appear to be unprofessional in their general handling of patients. Is this the result of poor alignment of teaching objectives and nomenclatures? This has to be dealt with because it will lead to frustrations for both teachers and students.

 

WHAT WAS TRIED?

For the first time at the National University of Singapore (NUS), surgeons and anatomists decided to collaboratively teach surface anatomy to the Medical Year 3 (M3) students as they begin their surgical rotations at the National University Hospital (NUH) (NUS-IRB 2023-2). This is fundamentally different from the existing CAMS (NUS) and initiatives like body painting (Diaz & Woolley, 2021). Importantly, standardised patients (SP) were involved, and therefore the level of authenticity is heightened. Students were instructed to surface mark bony landmarks, organs (e.g. liver in the abdomen), and glands (e.g. thyroid in the neck) respectively. The students-to-teacher ratio was kept small (9:1) in order to facilitate more interactions. Four sessions each lasting 2-3 hours (with time allocated for practice) were rolled out between 2022-2023. Pre- and post- session quizzes to ascertain knowledge gain were done. Lastly, a survey was carried out to gauge the level of satisfaction with the interventions.

 

WHAT LESSONS WERE LEARNED?

The surface anatomy knowledge expected of the clinical students was not fulfilled by the CAMS in the pre-clinical years. Most notably, the nomenclatures used by anatomists were not properly aligned with that of the surgeons. Students were confused by these discrepancies e.g. myopectineal orifice in the groin. Overall, the students (n = 72) felt that the module was useful in clarifying these doubts, and boosted their confidence dealing with the SP. 100% of the participants rated the programme between 8-10/10 for effectiveness and gain of knowledge (pre-post-test) (p < 0.05). We also observed that while some surgeons like to defer the teachings to the anatomists, others prefer to take the lead. There were also considerable variations in teaching styles (e.g. humour). All things considered, with the learning objectives and nomenclatures standardised, the venture was much appreciated by the M3 students. The improved conversations between surgeons and anatomists made the learning of surface anatomy more constructive and meaningful for the students. However, this conclusion is limited by the fact that this was a mono-institutional research. Therefore, the idea needs to be expanded.

 

REFERENCE

Diaz, C. M., & Woolley, T. (2021). “Learning by doing”: a mixed-methods study to identify why body painting can be a powerful approach for teaching surface anatomy to health science students. Med Sci Educ, 31(6), 1875-87. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-021-01376-x

 

Overseas Experiential Learning in the City that Never Sleeps

cdtlsd Lighting Talks , , ,

Norman VASU* and Lydia CHEE Qian Ting
NUS College (NUSC)

*nvasu@nus.edu.sg

 

Vasu, N., & Chee, L. Q. T. (2023). Overseas experiential learning in the city that never sleeps [Lightning talk]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/overseas-experiential-learning-in-the-city-that-never-sleeps

SUB-THEME

Communities and Education

 

KEYWORDS

Experiential learning, sense-making, designing for reflection

 

CATEGORY

Lightning Talks 

 

ABSTRACT

This Lightning Talk explores the pedagogical underpinnings of designing for reflection and sense-making to an interdisciplinary group of undergraduate students on an overseas experiential learning programme. Experiential learning here is understood through Kolb’s (1976, 2015) four-stage cycle. We argue that an inordinate amount of contact hours has to be devoted to group and individual reflection and sense-making when designing for experiential learning. Based on our study, in effect, 8.5 hours of experience requires 8.9 hours of reflection and sense-making. With rounding, that suggests that for every hour of experience, educators should design for an equivalent hour of contact hour dedicated to sense-making.

 

This presentation is based on the experience of conducting NUS College’s (NUSC) Summer Study Trip Experience Programme (SSTEP), an interdisciplinary experiential learning programme with a four-week overseas component for undergraduates. SSTEP was a specially curated course to New York City (NYC) for 14 students to arrive at an appreciation and understanding of NYC as a Global City.

 

To achieve this, the programme was designed for students to have fireside chats with industry leaders, engage with guest professors, and experience field visits to important cultural sites. Throughout the course of the programme, students were expected to reflect on their learning, and conduct an independent study of a topic (of their choice) related to the theme of the programme.

 

With regard to reflection, students were provided three 30-minute individual consultations with the lecturer accompanying the trip, weekly end-of-the-week three-hour seminars at the City University of New York (CUNY) on the topic of the week, seminars for 1.5-days at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), and weekly 1.5-hour group reflection seminars. Besides these formal reflection points, students were also provided with questions ahead of site visits to better aid their sense-making of their site visits.

 

Interestingly, despite these various reflection points while on the trip, students requested for more contact hours through immediate post-event discussions.

 

Through the experience of the SSTEP programme, it is clear that while the experiential element in experiential learning is important, formal learning through seminars and consultations remains firmly a key component of the process. Future research based on this finding should consider if this demand for formal learning leads to more reflection, or whether the demand for more contact hours stems from a particular orientation towards a more guided form of learning.

 

REFERENCES

Kolb, D. A. (2015). Experiential learning. Pearson Education.

Kolb, D. A. (1976). Learning style inventory. McBer.

 

Harnessing the Potential of Generative AI in Medical Undergraduate Education Across Different Disciplines—Comparative Study on Performance of ChatGPT in Physiology and Biochemistry Modified Essay Questions

cdtlsd Paper Presentations , , , , ,

W. A. Nathasha Vihangi LUKE1*, LEE Seow Chong2, Kenneth BAN2, Amanda WONG1, CHEN Zhi Xiong1,3, LEE Shuh Shing3 , Reshma Taneja1,
Dujeepa SAMARASEKARA3, Celestial T. YAP1

1Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSOM)
2Department of Biochemistry, YLLSOM
3Centre for Medical Education, YLLSOM

*nathasha@nus.edu.sg

 

Luke, W. A. N. V., Lee, S. C., Ban, K., Wong, A., Chen, Z. X., Lee, S. S., Taneja, R., Samarasekara, D., & Yap, C. T. (2023). Harnessing the potential of generative AI in medical undergraduate education across different disciplines—comparative study on performance of ChatGPT in physiology and biochemistry modified essay questions [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/harnessing-the-potential-of-generative-ai-in-medical-undergraduate-education-across-different-disciplines-comparative-study-on-performance-of-chatgpt-in-physiology-and-biochemistry-modified-es/ 
 

SUB-THEME

AI and Education

 

KEYWORDS

Generative AI, artificial intelligence, large language models, physiology, biochemistry

 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentations

 

INTRODUCTION & JUSTIFICATION

Revolutions in generative artificial intelligence (AI) have led to profound discussions on its potential implications across various disciplines in education. ChatGPT passing the United States medical school examinations (Kung et al., 2023) and excelling in other discipline-specific examinations (Subramani et al., 2023) displayed its potential to revolutionise medical education. Capabilities and limitations of this technology across disciplines should be identified to promote the optimum use of the models in medical education. This study evaluated the performance of ChatGPT, a large language model (LLM) by Open AI, powered by GPT 3.5, in modified essay questions (MEQs) in physiology and biochemistry for medical undergraduates.

 

METHODOLOGY

Modified essay questions (MEQs) extracted from physiology and biochemistry tutorials and case-based learning scenarios were encoded into ChatGPT. Answers were generated for 44 MEQs in physiology and 43 MEQs in biochemistry. Each response was graded by two examiners independently, guided by a marking scheme. In addition, the examiners rated the answers on concordance, accuracy, language, organisation, and information and provided qualitative comments. Descriptive statistics including mean, standard deviation, and variance were calculated in relation to the average scores and subgroups according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. Single factor ANOVA was calculated for the subgroups to assess for a statistically significant difference.

 

RESULTS

ChatGPT answers (n = 44) obtained a mean score of 74.7(SD 25.96) in physiology. 16/44(36.3%) of the ChatGPT answers scored 90/100 marks or above. 29.5%, numerically 13/44, obtained a score of 100%. There was a statistically significant difference in mean scores between the higher-order and lower-order questions on the Bloom’s taxonomy (p < 0.05). Qualitative comments commended ChatGPT’s strength in producing exemplary answers to most questions in physiology, mostly excelling in lower-order questions. Deficiencies were noted in applying physiological concepts in a clinical context.

 

The mean score for biochemistry was 59.3(SD 26.9). Only 2/43(4.6%) obtained 100% scores for the answers, while 7/43(16.27%) scored 90 or above marks. There was no statistically significant difference in the scores for higher and lower-order questions of the Bloom’s taxonomy. The examiner’s comments highlighted those answers lacked relevant information and had faulty explanations of concepts. Examiners commented that outputs demonstrated breadth, but not the depth expected.

nathasha luke et al, - Distribution of scores

Figure 1. Distribution of scores.

 

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Overall, our study demonstrates the differential performance of ChatGPT across the two subjects. ChatGPT performed with a high degree of accuracy in most physiology questions, particularly excelling in lower-order questions of the Bloom’s taxonomy. Generative AI answers in biochemistry scored relatively lower. Examiners commented that the answers demonstrated lower levels of precision and specificity, and lacked depth in explanations.

 

The performance of language models largely depends on the availability of training data; hence the efficacy may vary across subject areas. The differential performance highlights the need for future iterations of LLMs to receive subject and domain-specific training to enhance performance.

 

This study further demonstrates the potential of generative AI technology in medical education. Educators should be aware of the abilities and limitations of generative AI in different disciplines and revise learning tools accordingly to ensure integrity. Efforts should be made to integrate this technology into learning pedagogies when possible.

 

The performance of ChatGPT in MEQs highlights the ability of generative AI as educational tools for students. However, this study confirms that the current technology might not be in a state to be recommended as a sole resource, but rather be a supplementary tool along with other learning resources. In addition, the differential performance in subjects should be taken into consideration by students when determining the extent to which this technology should be incorporated into learning.

 

REFERENCES

Kung, T. H., Cheatham, M., Medenilla, A., Sillos, C., De Leon, L., Elepaño, C., Madriaga, M., Aggabao, R., Diaz-Candido, G., Maningo, J., & Tseng, V. (2023). Performance of ChatGPT on USMLE: Potential for AI-assisted medical education using large language models. PLOS Digital Health, 2(2), e0000198. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pdig.0000198

 Subramani, M., Jaleel, I., & Krishna Mohan, S. (2023). Evaluating the performance of ChatGPT in medical physiology university examination of phase I MBBS. Advances in Physiology Education, 47(2), 270–71. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00036.2023

 

Student Practicums as Community Engagement: Linking Knowledge with Application Beyond the Classroom

cdtlsd Lighting Talks , , , , ,

Kevin S. Y. Tan
Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Centre (CTPCLC)

*kevintan@nus.edu.sg

 

Tan, K. S. Y. (2023). Student practicums as community engagement: Linking knowledge with application beyond the classroom [Lightning talk]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/student-practicums-as-community-engagement-linking-knowledge-with-application-beyond-the-classroom/

 

SUB-THEME

Communities and Education

 

KEYWORDS

Community, practicum, experiential, interpersonal, reflexivity

 

CATEGORY

Lightning Talks

 

ABSTRACT

The teaching of community development is best informed by adopting an interdisciplinary approach in the classroom, due to the multi-layered and complex nature of all societies and the cultures that exist within them. Therefore, in order to prepare students to be competent community developers or even potential community leaders, it is important that their learning is not restricted to didactic and insulated social environments that are removed from interactions with persons beyond the confines of a university’s ‘safe spaces’. This is because the practice of community development often requires one to employ effective interpersonal skills and acquire a reflexive awareness of the lived experiences of persons from diverse social environments. One useful approach is by recognising the parallels between community engagement and the practice of ethnography, a qualitative research method often employed by anthropologists. This is because ethnographic work necessitates a real-world contextualisation of any community that is being studied.

 

When framed as a teaching and learning tool, ethnography can be an effective facilitator of linking knowledge and application, similar to Baker’s (2019, pp. 105-119) insights on how “interactional ethnography” enabled teachers to rethink and expand repertoires for interpreting and teaching literature by examining classroom discourses. Additional examples include the use of reflexive ethnographic writing for the uncovering of hidden issues within childcare settings (Blaisdell, 2015, pp. 83-91); the pragmatic application of “focused ethnography” (Kelly, 2022) among non-profit organisations to explain specific phenomenon; and the employment of “ethnographic sensibility” (Vanhala et al., 2022, 180-193) for uncovering the various dimensions of climate change governance research.

 

In a Singaporean context, student practicums run by the Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Centre (CTPCLC) share similar potential in the use of ethnographic approaches to community-based research. Consequently, this Lightning Talk will highlight the importance and relevance of such student practicums by discussing brief cases of how they provided a form of experiential and reflexive learning that simply cannot be replaced by classroom settings

 

REFERENCES

Baker, W. D. (2019). Transforming classroom discourse as a resource for learning: Adapting interactional ethnography for teaching and learning. In E. Manalo (Ed), Deeper Learning, Dialogic Learning, and Critical Thinking: Research-based Strategies for the Classroom (pp. 105-180). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429323058-7

Blaisdell, C. (2015) Putting reflexivity into practice: experiences from ethnographic fieldwork. Ethics and Social Welfare, 9(1), 83-91. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17496535.2015.994977

Kelly, L. M. (2022). Focused ethnography for research on community development non-profit organisations. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 23(2). https://dx.doi.org/10.17169/fqs-22.2.3811

Vanhala, L., Johansson, A., & Butler, A. (2022). Deploying an ethnographic sensibility to understand climate change governance: Hanging out, around, in, and back. Global Environmental Politics, 22(2), 180-93. https://doi.org/10.1162/glep_a_00652

 

Doing But Not Creating: A Theoretical Study of the Implications of ChatGPT on Paradigmatic Learning Processes

cdtlsd Paper Presentations , , , , , ,

Koki MANDAI1, Mark Jun Hao TAN1, Suman PADHI1, and Kuin Tian PANG1,2,3 

1*Yale-NUS College
2Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
3School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technology University (NTU), Singapore

*m.koki@u.yale-nus.edu.sg

 

Mandai, K, Tan, J. H. M., Padhi, S., & Pang, K. T. (2023). Doing but not creating: A theoretical study of the implications of ChatGPT on paradigmatic learning processes [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/doing-but-not-creating-a-theoretical-study-of-the-implications-of-chatgpt-on-paradigmatic-learning-processes/

SUB-THEME

AI and Education

 

KEYWORDS

AI, artificial intelligence, education, ChatGPT, learning, technology

 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

 

CHATGPT AND LEARNING FRAMEWORKS

Introduction

Since the recent release of ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, multiple sectors have been affected by it, and educational institutions are not only affected by this trend but are also more deeply impacted compared to other fields (Dwivedi et al., 2023; Eke, 2023; Rudolph et al., 2023). Following the sub-theme of “AI and Education”, we conduct a systematic investigation into the educational uses of ChatGPT and its quality as a tool for learning, teaching, and assessing, mainly in higher education. Research is carried out using comprehensive literature reviews of the current and future educational landscape and ChatGPT’s methodology and function, while applying major educational theories as the main component for the construction of the evaluative criteria. Findings will be presented via a paper presentation.

 

Theoretical Foundations and Knowledge Gaps

Current literature on the intersections of education and artificial intelligence (AI) consists of variegated and isolated critiques of how AI impacts segments of the educational process. For instance, there is a large focus on the general benefits or harms in education (Baidoo-Anu & Ansah, 2023; Dwivedi et al., 2023; Mhlanga, 2023), rather than discussion of specific levels of learning that students and teachers encounter. Furthermore, there seems to be a lack of analysis on the fundamental change and reconsideration of the meaning of education that may occur due to the introduction of AI. The situation can be described as a Manichean dichotomy, as one side argues for the expected enhancements and improved efficiency in education (Ray 2023; Rudolph et al., 2023), while the other side argues for the risks of losing knowledge/creativity and the basis of future development (Chomsky, 2023; Dwivedi et al., 2023; Krügel et al., 2022/2023).

 

By referring to John Dewey’s reflective thought and action model for the micro-scale analysis (Dewey, 1986; Gutek, 2005; Miettinen, 2000) and a revision of Bloom’s taxonomy for the macro-scale analysis (Elsayed, 2023; Forehand, 2005; Kegan, 1977; Seddon, 1978), we consider the potential impact of ChatGPT over progressive levels of learning and the associated activities therein. These models were mainly chosen due to their hierarchical framework that allows for easy application in evaluation compared to other models, although this does not indicate that these models are superior to others; the evaluative criteria we aim to construct will be comprehensive, thus what our research provides is a possible base for future improvements. Moreover, we also incorporate insights from multiple perspectives that are not limited to educational theory, such as from the fields of policy and philosophy with the diverse backgrounds in our research team.

 

Purpose and Significance of the Present Study

This study sought to answer questions regarding the viability of ChatGPT as an educational tool, its proposed benefits and harms, and potential obstacles educators may face in its uptake, as well as relevant safeguards against those obstacles.

 

Furthermore, we suggest a possible base for a new theoretical framework in which ChatGPT is explicitly integrated with standard educational hierarchies, in order to provide better instruction to educators and students. This study aims to safely pioneer a baseline for policy considerations on it as an education tool made to either ameliorate or deteriorate. As a result, ChatGPT can be ratified in educational institutions with accompanying developmental policies to be considered and amended in governmental legislatures for wider educational use.

 

Potential Findings/Implications

The expectations from the existing literature suggest that in keeping with intuitions regarding higher-level learning, ChatGPT itself seems to be limited to do—that is, it is only able to process lower to mid-level learning comprising repetitive actions like remembering, understanding, applying, and analysing (Dwivedi, 2023; Elsayed 2023). Some literature also positions ChatGPT as less useful directly in higher-level processes of creation like evaluation and creation of new knowledge, and can even be said to hinder them (Crawford, 2023; Rudolph, 2023). Even within the lower-level process, there is a high concern for overreliance that will potentially lead to dullness of the learners (Halaweh, 2023; Ray, 2023). Yet under the lens of educational theories that this paper so far applied, there seems to be a possibility that ChatGPT may be able to assist higher-order skills such as creativity and related knowledge acquisition. As the net benefit of ChatGPT on education may more or less depend on external factors such as educational fields, the personality of the user, and the environment that we have yet to take into account of, it requires further research to determine its optimal usage in education. Still, this attempt may be one of the first steps to construct an evaluative criteria for the new era of education with AIs.

 

REFERENCES

Baidoo-Anu, D. & Ansah, L. O. (2023). Education in the era of generative artificial intelligence (AI): Understanding the potential benefits of ChatGPT in promoting teaching and learning. SSRN. https://ssrn.com/abstract=4337484

Crawford, J., Cowling, M., & Allen, K. (2023). Leadership is needed for ethical ChatGPT: Character, assessment, and learning using artificial intelligence (AI). Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 20(3). https://doi.org/10.53761/1.20.3.02

Chomsky, N, et al. (2023). Noam Chomsky: The False Promise of ChatGPT. The New York Times. www.nytimes.com/2023/03/08/opinion/noam-chomsky-chatgpt-ai.html

Dewey, J. (1986). Experience and education. The Educational Forum, 50(3), 241-52. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131728609335764

Dwivedi, Y. K. et al. (2023). “So what if ChatGPT wrote it?” Multidisciplinary perspectives on opportunities, challenges and implications of generative conversational AI for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management, 71, 1-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2023.102642

Eke, D. O. (2023). ChatGPT and the rise of generative AI: Threat to academic integrity? Journal of Responsible Technology, 13, 1-4, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrt.2023.100060

Elsayed, S. (2023). Towards mitigating ChatGPT’s negative impact on education: Optimizing question design through Bloom’s taxonomy. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2304.08176

Forehand, M. (2005). Bloom’s taxonomy: Original and revised. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

Gutek, G. L. (2005). Jacques Maritain and John Dewey on education: A reconsideration. Educational Horizons, 83(4), 247–63. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42925953

Halaweh, M. (2023). ChatGPT in education: Strategies for responsible implementation. Contemporary Educational Technology, 15(2), ep421. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13036

Kegan, D. L. (1977). Using Bloom’s cognitive taxonomy for curriculum planning and evaluation in nontraditional educational settings. The Journal of Higher Education, 48(1), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.2307/1979174

Krügel, S., Ostermaier, A. & Uhl, M (2023). ChatGPT’s inconsistent moral advice influences users’ judgment. Sci Rep 13, 4569. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-31341-0

Krügel, S., Ostermaier, A. & Uhl, M. Zombies in the loop? Humans trust untrustworthy AI-advisors for ethical decisions. (2022) Philos. Technol. 35, 17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-022-00511-9

Mhlanga, D. (2023). Open AI in Education, the Responsible and Ethical Use of ChatGPT Towards Lifelong Learning SSRN, https://ssrn.com/abstract=4354422

Miettinen, R. (2000). The concept of experiential learning and John Dewey’s theory of reflective thought and action, International Journal of Lifelong Education, 19(1), 54-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/026013700293458

Ray, P. P. (2023). ChatGPT: A comprehensive review on background, applications, key challenges, bias, ethics, limitations and future scope. Internet of Things and Cyber-Physical Systems, 3, 121-154, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iotcps.2023.04.003

Rudolph, J., Tan, S., Tan, S. (2023). ChatGPT: Bullshit spewer or the end of traditional assessments in higher education? Journal of Applied Learning & Teaching, 6(1), 1-22. https://journals.sfu.ca/jalt/index.php/jalt/article/view/689

Seddon, G. M. (1978). The properties of Bloom’s Taxonomy of educational objectives for the cognitive domain. Review of Educational Research, 48(2), 303–23. https://doi.org/10.2307/1170087

 

Does Promoting Diversity of Opinion in Collaborative Learning in Conservation Enhance Student Learning?

cdtlsd Paper Presentations , , , , ,

Ian Zhi Wen CHAN
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science (FOS)

ianchan@nus.edu.sg

 

Chan, I. Z. W. (2023). Does promoting diversity of opinion in collaborative learning in conservation enhance student learning? [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/does-promoting-diversity-of-opinion-in-collaborative-learning-in-conservation-enhance-student-learning/

SUB-THEME

Communities and Education 

 

KEYWORDS

Diversity, collaborative learning, learning outcomes, learning objectives, conservation

 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

 

ABSTRACT

The use of pedagogical techniques to promote collaborative learning has wide-ranging social, psychological, and academic benefits for students (Panitz, 1996; Laal & Ghodsi, 2012). Academically, the successful implementation of collaborative learning results in increased student motivation, improved learning, and generally enhanced classroom results. However, there exist many potential pitfalls along the process of forming and working in groups which can detrimentally affect learning (Bitzer, 1999), such as differing motivation levels amongst group members and potentially disruptive interpersonal conflict. It is important for educators to be aware of these hazards to manage them well.

 

One area that would benefit from further study is how diversity in groups affects learning outcomes. In the literature, diversity is often seen as a challenge to be overcome (Ashman & Gillies, 2013) or a problem to be solved through collaborative learning as a form of social intervention, e.g. see the Jigsaw method (Aronson, n.d.) and Loes et al. (2018). Anecdotally, educators typically try to achieve a balance—too little diversity may lead to less robust discussions and groupthink, whereas too much could cause excessive conflict (Barkley et al., 2014). Yet, how the presence (or absence) of diversity in groups affects eventual academic outcomes such as the achievement of learning outcomes is generally not well researched—as an exception, see Curşeu et al.’s (2018) study on the benefits of gender diversity. In this study, I ask whether assigning students to work in groups with diverse views on a divisive topic in Conservation Biology enhances their learning.

 

Today over 42,000 plant and animal species are threatened with extinction. Conservation action is crucial to protect them but many academics and practitioners disagree fundamentally on what kind of action should be taken. Together with the emotional and evocative nature of the problem, this has led to heated arguments, even in the literature. In an attempt to update Soulé’s (1985) original “Traditional Conservation”, Kareiva and Marvier (2012) put forth new ideas which became known as “New Conservation”. These ideas did not sit well with Soulé (2014) who said, “[…] it does not deserve to be labelled conservation” (p. 895), prompting replies from Marvier (2014) “New Conservation is True Conservation” and others. Over the past two years, I have observed a similar (if less vocal) divide amongst my students in the course LSM4262 “Tropical Conservation Biology”, and I ask whether assigning students with differing views on this divisive topic to the same group will enhance their learning over the course of a semester.

Students’ opinions on three issues in conservation—people-centredness, the role of science, and the role of capitalism—can be broadly used to identify whether they prefer “Traditional Conservation”, “New Conservation”, “Market ecocentrism” or “Critical social science”.
Figure 1. Students’ opinions on three issues in conservation—people-centredness, the role of science, and the role of capitalism—can be broadly used to identify whether they prefer “Traditional Conservation”, “New Conservation”, “Market ecocentrism” or “Critical social science”. Adapted from The Future of Conservation (n.d.).

 

At the beginning of this semester (Semester 1, AY2023/24), I will use my students’ opinions on three issues to identify their preferred approach to conservation (Sandbrook et al., 2019; Figure 1). As far as possible, students will be distributed into groups of four students—each with a different preference—and these groups will go through the same learning activities (e.g. class discussions) and assessments (e.g. preparing and presenting a case study) as the cohort from the previous year which was randomly sorted into groups. I will compare these two cohorts based on: (i) their academic performance as assessed by me using rubrics designed to evaluate their improvement in the course’s learning outcomes, and (ii) student self-reported learning using pre- and post-surveys and reflection assignments. These results are intended to inform educators designing collaborative learning activities on whether intentionally introducing diversity to groups can enhance student learning.

 

REFERENCES

Aronson, E. (n.d.). History of the Jigsaw. Retrieved from https://www.jigsaw.org/history/.

Ashman, A. F., & Gillies, R. M. (2013). Collaborative learning for diverse learners. In C. E. Hmelo-Silver, C. A. Chinn, C. K. K. Chan, & A. M. O’Donnell (Eds), The international handbook of collaborative learning (pp. 297-313). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203837290.ch17

Barkley, E. F., Cross, K. P., & Major, C. H. (2014). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty. John Wiley & Sons.

Bitzer, E. M. (1999). Pitfalls and bridges: Co-operative and collaborative learning in higher education. South African Journal of Higher Education, 13(1), 11-17. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA10113487_892

Curşeu, P. L., Chappin, M. M., & Jansen, R. J. (2018). Gender diversity and motivation in collaborative learning groups: the mediating role of group discussion quality. Social Psychology of Education, 21(2), 289-302. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-017-9419-5

Kareiva, P., & Marvier, M. (2012). What is conservation science? BioScience, 62(11), 962-69. https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2012.62.11.5

Laal, M., & Ghodsi, S. M. (2012). Benefits of collaborative learning. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 31, 486-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.12.091

Loes, C. N., Culver, K. C., & Trolian, T. L. (2018). How collaborative learning enhances students’ openness to diversity. The Journal of Higher Education, 89(6), 935-60. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2018.1442638

Marvier, M. (2014). New conservation is true conservation. Conservation Biology, 28(1), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12206

Panitz, T. (1999). Benefits of cooperative learning in relation to student motivation. In Theall, M. (Ed.) Motivation from within: Approaches for encouraging faculty and students to excel, New directions for teaching and learning. Josey-Bass Publishing.

Sandbrook, C., Fisher, J. A., Holmes, G., Luque-Lora, R., & Keane, A. (2019). The global conservation movement is diverse but not divided. Nature Sustainability, 2(4), 316-23. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0267-5

Soulé, M. E. (1985). What is conservation biology? BioScience, 35(11), 727-34. https://doi.org/10.2307/1310054

Soulé, M. E. (2013). The “new conservation”. Conservation Biology, 27(5), 895-97. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12147

The Future of Conservation (n. d.). About the debate. Retrieved from https://futureconservation.org/about-the-debate.

 

Teaching Service – NUS Communities and Engagement Pillar: Reflections on a Journey in Progress

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ZHENG Liren1, ONG Mui Hong2, Alex E. Y. LEE1, Esther GOH Chor Leng1, KANG Chul Hee3, SIM Qin Ying4, Anne CHONG Suet Lin5, Kenneth CHONG6, KOH Hui Li7, Pamela YEH8, Raiza RIFAAIE9, and CHENG Yuan Wen1

1*Department of Social Work, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)
2NUS Provost’s Office
3Yonsei University
4Communities and Engagement Pillar, NUS Provost’s Office
5Course Lead, GEN2061
6Course Lead, GEN2060
7Course Lead, GEN2062
8Course Lead, GEN2070
9Course Lead, GEN2050

*z.liren@nus.edu.sg

 

We acknowledge the support, guidance, and oversight from Professor Peter Ho,
Vice-Provost (Undergraduate Education & Technology-Enhanced Learning), NUS

 

Zheng, L., Ong, M. H., Lee, A. E. Y., Goh, E. C. L., Kang, C. H., Sim, Q. Y., Chong, A. S. L., Chong, K., Koh, H. L., Yeh, P., Rifaaie, R., & Cheng, Y. W. (2023). Teaching service – NUS Communities and Engagement pillar: Reflections on a journey in progress [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. Zheng, L., Ong, M. H., Lee, A. E. Y., Goh, E. C. L., Kang, C. H., Sim, Q. Y., Chong, A. S. L., Chong, K., Koh, H. L., Yeh, P., Rifaaie, R., & Cheng, Y. W. (2023). Teaching service – NUS Communities and Engagement pillar: Reflections on a journey in progress [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/teaching-service-nus-communities-and-engagement-pillar-reflections-on-a-journey-in-progress/

SUB-THEME

Communities and Education 

 

KEYWORDS

Service-learning, general education, communities, volunteering, social services

 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

 

ABSTRACT

In 2021, the National University of Singapore (NUS) embarked on a journey to re-think General Education (GE) for all undergraduates and prepare them for a fast-changing world. One of the new initiatives was to include a Communities and Engagement (C&E) Pillar. C&E aims to deepen a sense of social responsibility and social action among students through service learning.

 

To achieve these outcomes, NUS utilises service-learning as a form of teaching and learning in C&E. Service-learning has been found to be associated with positive outcomes in development of empathy, civic consciousness, social skills, and academic achievement. Well-designed service-learning increases the likelihood that students will engage with the communities they encounter, engage in dialogue and problem-solving, and become part of the solution to a variety of social issues.

 

Research suggests that university leadership is key to a successful service-learning programme, and this support contributes to better outcomes for both the students and the community. To that end, NUS has invested considerable leadership, manpower, and financial resources into a structured service-learning programme that ensures positive learning outcomes for students while also meeting real community needs identified by relevant agency partners.

 

NUS C&E Type A courses offer a structured programme with equal focus on both classroom learning and service work. The classroom learning is anchored by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences’ (FASS) Department of Social Work (SW), while the service work component is helmed by the NUS Provost’s Office (PVO). These courses require students to undergo e-learning lectures and tutorials in preparation for service-learning prior to being deployed to their respective agencies for service-work. When nearing the completion of service-work, students return for a final tutorial to consolidate their learning and reflections, in addition to academic assignments. Operational matters such as liaison with social service agencies, placement of students, managing issues and challenges on the ground are led by staff from PVO.

 

This model differs from volunteering through students’ own initiatives. It requires strong leadership from the university, tight collaboration between SW and PVO, with SW contributing its professional knowledge of community engagement and PVO its operational expertise.

 

This paper presents the development and initial evaluation results of the two pilot trials (Pilot 1a, N = 208, Pilot 1b, N = 561) of the C&E Pillar Type A service-work courses.

 

The stages of development of the C&E pillar will be discussed, including preparation for pilots 1a and 1b. The presentation will outline the strategies that NUS has taken to create and manage the service partnerships with ministries, agencies, and their community partners to create five courses spanning the three key sectors of support for disadvantaged school children, families in rental neighbourhoods, and senior citizens. Efforts to develop engaging lessons for students to prepare them with the necessary knowledge and skills for service-learning will also be discussed.

 

Student surveys were conducted before, during, and after their service-work was completed to understand their experiences of service-learning. These surveys focused on evaluating students’ motivations for volunteering as well as their satisfaction levels for their service-learning experience. In addition, students were also invited to focus group discussions for further in-depth discussion on their learning and experience. In addition, a survey with agency supervisors is being conducted to understand their experience of the various aspects of working with NUS. Supervisors will also be invited to a focus group discussion for the research team to collect further data to evaluate our collaborations.

 

While data collection is still ongoing, preliminary findings revealed students’ gains in their exposure to real world issues through service learning and especially the opportunities to observe the challenges faced by service beneficiaries, allowed students to be grounded in their thinking about social issues and how they could contribute to alleviating them.

 

Going forward, NUS will be deploying a large volunteer force into the social service sector in unprecedented numbers. This requires tight coordination to synergise processes between NUS and the various external stakeholders. Supporting the large number of students deployed and managing their expectations while out in the field would also require considerable effort from faculty and teaching staff from NUS. These challenges require constant deliberation and calibration to achieve the desired outcomes for NUS students and for Singapore.

 

REFERENCES

Communities and Engagement Pillar. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2023, from https://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/academic-information-policies/undergraduate-students/general-education/communities-and-engagement-pillar

Celio, C. I., Durlak, J., & Dymnicki, A. (2011). A Meta-analysis of the Impact of Service-Learning on Students. Journal of Experiential Education, 34(2), 164–81. https://doi.org/10.5193/JEE34.2.164

Gordon, C. S., Pink, M. A., Rosing, H., & Mizzi, S. (2022). A systematic meta-analysis and meta-synthesis of the impact of service-learning programs on university students’ empathy. Educational Research Review, 37, 100490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100490

Holmes, K., Paull, M., Haski-Leventhal, D., MacCallum, J., Omari, M., Walker, G., Scott, R., Young, S., & Maher, A. (2021). A continuum of University student volunteer programme models. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 43(3), 281–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2020.1804658

Jacoby, B. (2015). Service-learning essentials: Questions, answers, and lessons learned (1st ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Service learning and greater flexibility for incoming undergraduates at NUS. (n.d.). Service Learning and Greater Flexibility for Incoming Undergraduates at NUS. Retrieved June 12, 2023, from https://news.nus.edu.sg/service-learning-and-greater-flexibility-for-incoming-undergraduates-at-nus/

 

The Role of Mentoring, Supervision, Coaching, Teaching and Instruction on Professional Identity Formation: A Systematic Scoping Review

cdtlsd Paper Presentations , , , , ,

Jun Kiat LUA1,2*, Rachelle Qi En TOH1,2, Kai Kee KOH1,2, Ruth Si Man WONG1,2, Elaine Li Ying QUAH1,2, Aiswarya PANDA1,2, Chong Yao HO1,2, Nicole‐Ann LIM1,2, Yun Ting ONG1,2, Keith Zi Yuan CHUA1,2, Victoria Wen Wei NG1,2, Sabine Lauren Chyi Hui WONG1,2, Luke Yu Xuan YEO1,2, Sin Yee SEE1,2, Jolene Jing Yin TEO1,2, Yaazhini RENGANATHAN1,2, Annelissa Mien Chew CHIN3 and Lalit Kumar Radha KRISHNA1,2,4,5,6,7,8

1Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSOM), National University Singapore (NUS)
2Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore
3Medical Library, NUS Libraries
4Division of Cancer Education, National Cancer Centre Singapore
5Duke‐NUS Medical School
6Palliative Care Institute Liverpool, Academic Palliative & End of Life Care Centre, University of Liverpool
7Centre for Biomedical Ethics, NUS
8PalC, The Palliative Care Centre for Excellence in Research and Education, PalC c/o Dover Park Hospice


*e0638946@u.nus.edu

 

Lua, J. K., Toh, R. Q. E., Koh, K. K., Wong, R. S. M., Quah, E. L. Y., Panda, A., Ho, C. Y., Lim, N.-A., Ong, Y. T., Chua, K. Z. Y., Ng, V. W. W., Wong, S-L. C. H., Yeo, L. Y. X., See, S. Y., Teo, J. J. Y., Renganathan, Y., Chin, A. M. C., & Krishna, L. (2023). The role of mentoring, supervision, coaching, teaching and instruction on professional identity formation: A systematic scoping review [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, 7 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/the-role-of-mentoring-supervision-coaching-teaching-and-instruction-on-professional-identity-formation-a-systematic-scoping-review/

SUB-THEME

Communities and Education 

 

KEYWORDS

Communities of practice, mentoring, supervision, coaching, professional identity formation

 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

 

BACKGROUND

The crucial role of mentoring in fostering professional identity formation (PIF) is greatly influenced by its integration with supervision, coaching, tutoring, instruction, and teaching. Yet, the impact of this comprehensive approach, the ‘mentoring umbrella’ (MU), lacks clear understanding. This is especially so in the healthcare setting which has constant interplay between various healthcare professionals, families, and patients. This systemic scoping review (SSR) thus provides an overview of the present state of knowledge and proffers new insights into better application of MU for educational purposes.

 

INTRODUCTION

Mentoring is vital for facilitating the development of PIF in medical students and physicians in training (henceforth mentees), helping them “think, act and feel like physicians” (Merton, 2013). The personalised, long-term, and comprehensive support provided by mentors assists the assimilation of professional values, beliefs, standards, codes of conduct, and culture of the medical profession into their own identities (Cruess & Cruess, 2018). However, understanding of the specific roles of mentoring in PIF has been limited due to the presence of various mentoring forms (Krishna et al., 2020; Krishna et al., 2019; Radha Krishna et al., 2019) and its association with other practices such as role modelling, supervision, coaching, tutoring, teaching, and instruction (Wahab et al., 2016). Two recent developments offer potential solutions to this challenge and can provide fresh perspectives into the impact of mentoring on PIF.

 

First, recent evidence suggests that when applied longitudinally, practices such as role modelling, supervision, coaching, tutoring, teaching, and instruction create the effects currently attributed to mentoring (Buddeberg-Fischer & Herta, 2006). Krishna et al. (2019) suggests that role modelling, supervision, coaching, tutoring, teaching, and instruction are part of a broader concept that can be referred to as the MU.

 

Second, on their own or in tandem within MU, these educational approaches shape professional identity by changing the mentee’s values, beliefs and principles (henceforth belief systems). Krishna’s Ring Theory of Personhood (RToP) suggest that the four domains of the belief system are contained within the Innate, Individual, Relational, and Societal Rings of the RToP (Figure 1) (Chan et al., 2021; Ho et al., 2020; Vig et al., 2021). Exposure, reflection, and inculcation of new experiences and beliefs systems over the course of a training programme changes parts of mentees’ belief systems within the four rings of the RToP. These changes inform self-concepts of personhood or “what makes you, you” (Krishna & Alsuwaigh, 2015), which in turn reshapes personal and professional identities. It is this link that allows the RToP to be utilised to sketch changes in PIF. Critically, the RToP also captures the impact of changing roles, and obligations, within the team, family unit, professional community, and society, and offers a deeper understanding of their thought patterns, actions, and capacity to adapt to diverse influences (Alsuwaigh, 2015; Arai et al., 2017; Ho et al., 2020; Khandelwal et al., 2015; Kim & Choi, 2015; Krishna, Alsuwaigh, et al., 2014; Krishna, Yong, et al., 2014; Kuek et al., 2020).

The Ring Theory of Personhood

 

METHODOLOGY

Systematic Evidence‐based Approach (SEBA) (Figure 2) guided SSR seeks to map current understanding of the MU and its effects on PIF on mentees (Bok et al., 2020; Kow et al., 2020; Krishna et al.; Ngiam et al.). The primary research question was identified:

“What is known about the effect of mentoring, supervision, coaching, tutoring, teaching, and instruction on professional identity formation amongst medical students, residents, and junior doctors?”

 

It is hoped that insights provided will guide structuring, support, and oversight of the MU in nurturing PIF. Articles published between 1st Jan 2000 and 31st Dec 2021 in PubMed, Scopus, ERIC and the Cochrane databases were scrutinised. The included articles were concurrently summarised and tabulated, and concurrently analysed using content and thematic analysis and tabulated. The themes and categories identified were compared with the summaries of the included articles to create accountable and reproducible domains that guide the discussion.

Systematic Evidence‐based Approach (SEBA)

 

RESULTS

A total of 12201 abstracts were reviewed, 657 full text articles evaluated, and 207 articles included (Figure 3).

The three domains identified were definitions; impact on PIF; and enablers and barriers.

 

The MU shapes PIF in three stages. To begin it builds a cognitive base of essential knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes. The cognitive base informs thinking, conduct, and opinions in early supervised clinical exposure in Communities of Practice (COP). The COPs’ individualised approach to the inculcation of desired professional characteristics, goals, values, principles, and beliefs reshapes the individual’s identity, whilst the socialisation process sees to their integration into current identities.

PRISMA flowchart

 

DISCUSSION

In this SSR, we highlight the impact of the MU on PIF, shedding light on its effects on different stages of PIF development and the role of the host organisation. When implemented over time in personalised learning relationships, involving individual or small groups of learners with shared goals, abilities, and experiences, the MU offers customised, prompt, and comprehensive support to the developing professional.

 

The overlapping elements within the MU provide synergistic support in tackling the influences of societal, professional, clinical, academic, research, and personal factors, as well as the prevailing sociocultural considerations and the impact of the healthcare and educational systems, including the local hidden, informal, and formal curriculum, on PIF. This highlights the wide applicability and stage-based nature of the MU in fostering PIF.

 

CONCLUSION

This SSR underscores the crucial role of MU in the development of PIF. Additionally, it emphasises the importance of conducting long-term and comprehensive evaluations to assess the impact of MU on PIF, as PIF significantly influences the personal growth and education of mentees during their interactions with diverse healthcare communities.

 

REFERENCES

Alsuwaigh, R. (2015). How do English-speaking cancer patients conceptualise personhood? Ann Acad Med Singapore, 44. https://doi.org/10.47102/annals-acadmedsg.V44N6p207

Arai, K., Saiki, T., & Imafuku, R. (2017). What do Japanese residents learn from treating dying patients? The implications for training in end-of-life care. BMC Med Educ, 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-017-1029-6

Bok, C., Ng, C. H., & Koh, J. W. H. (2020). Interprofessional communication (IPC) for medical students: a scoping review. BMC Med Educ, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020- 02296-x

Buddeberg-Fischer, B., & Herta, K. D. (2006). Formal mentoring programmes for medical students and doctors–a review of the Medline literature. Med Teach, 28. https://doi.org/10.1080/01421590500313043

Chan, N., Chia, J., & Ho, C. (2021). Extending the ring theory of personhood to the care of dying patients in intensive care units. Asian Bioethics Rev, 14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41649-021-00192-0

Cruess, S. R., & Cruess, R. L. (2018). The development of professional identity. Vol. 17. In T. Swanwick, K. Forrest, & B. C. O’Brien (Eds.), Understanding Medical Education: Evidence, Theory, and Practice, Third Edition.

Ho, C. Y., Kow, C. S., & Chia, C. H. J. (2020). The impact of death and dying on the personhood of medical students: a systematic scoping review. BMC Med Educ, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02411-y

Khandelwal, A., Nugus, P., & Elkoushy, M. A. (2015). How we made professionalism relevant to twenty-first century residents. Med Teach, 37. https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2014.990878

Kim, S., & Choi, S. (2015). The medical professionalism of Korean physicians: Present and future.

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