An instructional intervention to encourage effective deep collaborative learning in undergraduate veterinary students

In recent years, veterinary education has received an increased amount of attention directed at the value and application of collaborative case-based learning. The benefit of instilling deep learning practices in undergraduate veterinary students has also emerged as a powerful tool in encouraging continued professional education. However, research into the design and application of instructional strategies to encourage deep, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary undergraduates has been limited. This study focused on delivering an instructional intervention (via a 20-minute presentation and student handout) to foster productive, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary education. The aim was to instigate and encourage deep learning practices in a collaborative case-based assignment and to assess the impact of the intervention on students' group learning. Two cohorts of veterinary students were involved in the study. One cohort was exposed to an instructional intervention, and the other provided the control for the study. The instructional strategy was grounded in the collaborative learning literature and prior empirical studies with veterinary students. Results showed that the intervention cohort spent proportionally more time on understanding case content material than did the control cohort and rated their face-to-face discussions as more useful in achieving their learning outcomes than did their control counterparts. In addition, the perceived difficulty of the assignment evolved differently for the control and intervention students from start to end of the assignment. This study provides encouraging evidence that veterinary students can change and enhance the way they interact in a group setting to effectively engage in collaborative learning practices.     

Confidence as a barrier to the use of problem-based learning in veterinary undergraduate students

Problem-based or case-based learning is a popular method of instruction in clinical degrees such as veterinary science, nursing, and medicine. It is difficult, however, for students to adapt to this learning method, and this difficulty has been well described. The present study surveyed first-year undergraduate veterinary students at the University of Nottingham about the challenges they faced upon beginning problem-based learning sessions. A surprisingly large percentage of students (36% of females and 38% of males) reported a lack of confidence in speaking in front of the other students as a concern they experienced during their first term. Conversely, only 10% of the female students (and none of the male students) reported overconfidence as a problem. This is in contrast to the perceptions of the staff members who facilitated the sessions who reported that 14% of the students exhibited underconfidence and 14% exhibited overconfidence. The difference between the female and male students' responses as well as the difference between the perceptions of students and those of facilitators is statistically significant (G-test p<.05).     

Teaching veterinary clinical pathology to undergraduate students: an integrated European project

BACKGROUND: Veterinary clinical pathology is a relatively new and emerging discipline in Europe that has gained momentum with the recent establishment of a specialty college. In this situation, veterinary faculties may face challenges in understanding and defining what clinical pathology is and how it can best be integrated into existing curricula. In addition, many schools in Europe may not yet have available a critical mass of suitably qualified faculty capable of teaching in all areas of clinical pathology. OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this report is to describe the goals, procedures adopted, teaching material produced, and proposed future activities of a major European initiative designed to develop a veterinary clinical pathology curriculum. METHODS: Four working subgroups were formed to establish a list of course objectives and topics and prepare a series of lectures. These contents were reviewed and discussed several times at a series of general meetings. RESULTS: An undergraduate course on veterinary clinical pathology was designed with course objectives, a list of topics and a CD-ROM consisting of 24 lectures. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this project could be useful in the establishment or improvement of training programs in veterinary clinical pathology at the undergraduate level in Europe and in other places around the world. The provision of teaching resources for faculty could help to instill in veterinary students a strong understanding of the discipline and promote development of advanced training programs and career opportunities in clinical pathology in Europe.     

The use of ultrasound in monitoring reproductive physiology of beef cattle.

Real-time, B-mode ultrasonography provides the opportunity to improve the methods of evaluation of ovarian function and diagnoses of pregnancy in beef cattle. Determination of the sex of a fetus early in pregnancy (d 55 to 85) and verification of embryo viability by monitoring fetal heartbeat are unique methods involving ultrasound scanning. These techniques and a method for evaluating the technique of artificial insemination can be used to improve reproductive management of cattle. The way in which ultrasound technology may have its greatest impact is as a tool for improving on the method of palpation per rectum for monitoring ovarian function and pregnancy in beef cows and heifers. Determination of fetal sex and monitoring embryo mortality are less likely to be applied regularly in herd management, but these procedures will be valuable in conducting research in reproductive physiology of beef cattle.     

母猪肠道微生态与繁殖生理研究进展

动物胃肠道微生物具有很强的代谢活性,对宿主的营养物质利用和生理代谢功能具有重要调控作用,可影响动物的生产性能和机体健康。为了适应胎儿的生长发育,妊娠期间母体的肠道菌群组成和代谢活性发生显著变化。笔者结合自己近年来的研究成果,对国内外母猪肠道微生态与繁殖生理方面取得的研究进展进行综述,以期为研发提高母猪繁殖性能的调控技术提供思路。     

研究性教学在草类植物种子学教学中的应用

研究性教学是一种以问题为导向、以学生为主体,旨在提升学生创造性与实践能力的教学新模式,是满足当前社会对创新人才培养需求和学生全面发展内在需求的一种重要途径.本文以兰州大学草类植物种子学课程的本科教学为例,从教学内容的优化、研究性教学专题的选择、教学模式的创新、教学方法以及教学考核等角度,系统论述了研究性教学在草类植物种子学教学中的应用;并进一步基于研究性教学在实际应用中可能存在的问题进行了分析和讨论,给出了相应参考建议.     

Coxiella burnetii associated reproductive disorders in domestic animals-a critical review

The bacterium Coxiella burnetii has been detected in the fetal membranes, birth fluids and vaginal mucus, as well as in the milk and other excretions of several domestic mammals. The finding of C. burnetii in association with abortion, parturition and in the postpartum period has led to the hypothesis that C. burnetii causes a range of reproductive diseases. This review critically evaluates the scientific basis for this hypothesis in domestic mammals.The review demonstrates a solid evidence for the association between C. burnetii infection and sporadic cases of abortion, premature delivery, stillbirth and weak offspring in cattle, sheep and goats. C. burnetii induced in-herd epidemics of this complete expression of reproductive failure have been reported for sheep and goats, but not for cattle. The single entities occur only as part of the complex and not as single events such as generally increased stillbirth rate. Studies show that C. burnetii initially infects the placenta and that subsequent spread to the fetus may occur either haematogenous or by the amniotic-oral route. The consequences for the equine, porcine, canine and feline conceptus remains to the elucidated but that infection of the conceptus may occur is documented for most species. There is no solid evidence to support a hypothesis of C. burnetii causing disorders such as subfertility, endometritis/metritis, or retained fetal membranes in any kind of domestic animal species.There is a strong need to validate non-pathology based methods such as polymerase chain reaction for their use in diagnostic and research in relation to establishing C. burnetii as the cause of abortion and to adapt an appropriate study design and include adequate control animals when linking epidemiological findings to C. burnetii or when evaluating effects of vaccination in production herds.     

Reproductive physiology in Zebu cattle. Unique reproductive aspects that affect their performance

This article describes the reproductive physiology of Zebu cattle and specific strategies that, when used in concert with an understanding of the physiologic differences between Zebu and other cattle, can improve reproductive performance.     

新形势下的草业科学专业本科教学改革的设想

针对我国加入世界贸易组织、国家西部大开发战略的实施和生态环境保护与建设工程开展的新形势，结合新疆农业大学草业科学本科教育工作的问题，提出草业科学的高等教育改革的初步设想：改变现有培养目标；改造现有课程设置；加强实践教学环节，提高学生的实际操作能力；调整课程时间安排，将生产实习与毕业实习合二为一；增加具有地方特色的教材；注重少数民族学生的教学工作等。     

图层式思维在点的合成运动教学中的应用初探

点的合成运动不仅是理论力学运动学部分的重难点内容,也是工程应用领域相关技术人员应掌握的关键理论知识。本文尝试将图层式思维引入到点的合成运动教学过程中,通过拆分—重组—叠加三步分析流程,将绝对运动、相对运动与牵连运动形象具体地呈现出来,便于学生准确快速地确定动点的绝对、相对、牵连速度与加速度,这一思维方式有助于学生对该部分内容的理解和掌握。