Introduction to the Swiss way of teaching veterinary pathology in the twenty-first century: application of e-learning modules

The teaching of pathology within the veterinary medical curriculum extends through the entire training period and has a dual role. General pathology deals with principles of disease processes as a basis for understanding the reactions of a multi-cellular organism to adverse effects; organ pathology builds on the principles of general pathology and explains the malfunctions of individual organs. Pathology is heavily image dependent and best taught in a highly interactive manner. The Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich (IVPZ), has been actively developing concepts for teaching pathology in the new veterinary curriculum, which demands more active participation from students, with 20% of their study time devoted to individual study using traditional materials (books, articles, etc.) and e-learning modules. The Swiss Virtual Animal Pathologist is designed to cover and support the central elements of the Veterinary Pathology curriculum of the Vetsuisse Faculty. The needs of students and staff of the participating institutions for an interactive learning platform to supplement the existing face-to-face lectures and tutorials are the highest priority of this initiative.     

数字病理在动物病理学实验课程中的应用

实验课教学是提高人才培养的一个重要环节。为提升动物病理学实验课教学水平,建立了动物病理数字切片库。利用“动物病理学国家级精品共享课”资源,通过“动物病理学在线考试系统”创立了课堂与网络相结合的教学模式,通过案例教学实现了理论课和实验课的有机结合,提高了学生的学习兴趣,同时调动了其学习的主动性,培养了其动态学习、思维能力。     

高等职业院校《动物病理学》课程教学改革与实践

《动物病理学》是畜牧兽医专业的核心课程,该课程的学习效果极大地影响着学生对后续课程的学习和理解。以近年来内蒙古乌兰察布职业学院"深化内涵建设和加大课程建设"为契机,将多年来的教学经验加以总结,就如何优化理论教学、改革实践教学、改进教学方法等方面进行了探讨。     

Integrated Case-Based Applied Pathology (ICAP): a diagnostic-approach model for the learning and teaching of veterinary pathology

Integrative Case-Based Applied Pathology (ICAP) cases form one component of learning and understanding the role of pathology in the veterinary diagnostic process at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney. It is a strategy that focuses on student-centered learning in a problem-solving context in the year 3 curriculum. Learning exercises use real case material and are primarily delivered online, providing flexibility for students with differing learning needs, who are supported by online, peer, and tutor support. The strategy relies heavily on the integration of pre-clinical and para-clinical information with the introduction of clinical material for the purposes of a logical three-level, problem-oriented approach to the diagnosis of disease. The focus is on logical diagnostic problem solving, primarily using gross pathology and histopathological material, with the inclusion of microbiological, parasitological, and clinical pathological data. The ICAP approach is linked to and congruent with the problem-oriented approach adopted in veterinary medicine and the case-based format used by one of the authors (PJC) for the teaching and learning of veterinary clinical pathology in year 4. Additionally, final-year students have the opportunity, during a diagnostic pathology rotation, to assist in the development and refinement of further ICAPs, which reinforces the importance of pathology in the veterinary diagnostic process. Evidence of the impact of the ICAP approach, based primarily on student surveys and staff peer feedback collected over five years, shows that discipline-specific learning, vertical and horizontal integration, alignment of learning outcomes and assessment, and both veterinary and generic graduate attributes were enhanced. Areas for improvement were identified in the approach, most specifically related to assistance in the development of generic teamwork skills.     

Veterinary education in the era of information technology

SUMMARY A major innovation in the delivery of the veterinary curriculum is being implemented at The University of Melbourne using the subject of systematic bacteriology and mycology as a pilot project. Students receive course information as interactive, multimedia databases. These consist of text and an associated library of catalogued digital images, movies and sounds. The databases employ a hypermedia information system to achieve efficient integration within and between subjects. The new delivery method encourages greater autonomy and more active learning roles for students than occurs in traditionally taught courses. Students will use their databases as the principal resource of information for undergraduate studies. A unique feature of this system for delivering the curriculum is that students will modify and expand their databases during the course. The ultimate aim is for students at graduation to receive, on disc, a copy of their own databases, adapted by themselves to their particular future professional needs. As graduate veterinarians they will continue to use their databases as a major resource for information and learning, thus providing continuity from undergraduate to continuing postgraduate education.     

《家畜育种学》课程形成性考核体系的探索与实践

《家畜育种学》是动物科学专业的主干课程之一,传统的课程考核体系“一考定终身”模式已不适应现在高校课程的建设和人才培养的需求。课程形成性考核体系可以把对学生学习过程的考核给予高度重视,充分发挥考核的评定、监督、反馈和引导等功能,达到教学和考核相长,使学生真正理解课程的概念、方法和原理,夯实其理论课程学习的基础、全面提高人才培养质量。     

Surveys concerning the needs for and evaluation of distance learning in veterinary epidemiology

Distance learning courses in veterinary epidemiology, taught in French and spread over half a year, were organized in 2003 and 2004. They were the subject of surveys concerning need, evaluation, attaining learning objectives, and satisfaction, the results of which will be used to improve the course scheduled to take place in 2005.     

Using focus groups to engage veterinary students in course redesign and development

Students' perceptions about the quality of teaching have been shown to influence their approaches to learning and studying. The literature suggests that understanding student perceptions is critical to making informed decisions about curriculum development so that courses meet objectives, enhance engagement, and, ultimately, improve learning. However, the assessment of students' perceptions of their courses and the quality of teaching is frequently limited to an end-of-term course evaluation survey. While these course evaluations may be useful in providing a summative assessment, they do not typically provide insight into the reasons and influences that underlie student ratings. Achieving this type of understanding can be accomplished through qualitative methodology, which is a process of investigation used to reveal the depth, complexity, and nuances of perceptions and experiences. In the current article, we report the use of focus groups as a method of gaining in-depth understanding of student perceptions for course redesign. We present the redesign of the Art of Veterinary Medicine II course, a second-year core offering within the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine curriculum at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Canada. A series of student focus groups were held to gain greater insight into student perceptions of the course objectives, format, and content. Findings were then considered in the redevelopment of the course to better engage students and their various learning styles. Summative course evaluations as well as informal feedback before and after the focus groups indicate a notable improvement in student experiences and perceptions of the course format and content following the focus-group informed course redesign.     

ALTERNATIVES FOR IMPROVING VETERINARY MEDICAL STUDENTS' LEARNING OF CLINICAL SONOGRAPHY

With the widespread clinical use of sonography there is a need to introduce the topic into the curriculum. A new problem-based course in clinical sonography without lectures was developed to emphasise experiential learning, and engage students actively in individual and collective acts of discovery. Four different approaches were used to deliver the new course to 141 veterinary medical students over four semesters. The physical principles of sonography were taught by computer-assisted instruction and a practical class, clinical examinations were introduced during a session with a tutor, and finally each student wrote an essay on a sonographic topic of their choice. To evaluate the new course, students' responses to a questionnaire were analyzed. Students gained reasonable understanding of the physical principles of sonography and had some confidence in conducting a sonographic examination of an animal. Of most use to student learning was discussion with the teachers. Surprisingly, half the students thought the topic should also be taught by lectures. The students learned the material and acquired the sonographic skills through processes which required more independence and self-responsibility than traditional teaching methods. The teachers' interaction with students on an individual basis, as they encountered individual problems, was the most important resource in learning about sonography. The continued request for lectures suggests an insecurity in some students caught between two different paradigms of teaching and learning (experiential, problem-based learning versus lectures).     

Teaching animal welfare science, ethics, and law to veterinary students in the United kingdom

Teaching veterinary students about animal welfare science, ethics, and law has been identified as a priority of the veterinary curriculum. Suggested content for such a course, the stage at which it should be taught, and possible methods of teaching and assessing the subject have been outlined. Critically, such a course needs to address the quantification of the impact of humans on animals (welfare science), the analysis of our moral obligations (welfare ethics), and knowledge of minimum welfare standards (welfare legislation). A mixture of both teaching methods and assessment techniques is needed to ensure that sufficient skills and knowledge and a deeper understanding are achieved.     

The Utrecht model of teaching veterinary medicine and the role of veterinary parasitology

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, established a new curriculum for teaching veterinary medicine in 1995 with the main objectives to improve the problem-solving and communication competences of the students and their scientific education. Because it is accepted that graduates cannot get a starting competence in all fields of the veterinary profession, a differentiation of education focused on animal species and life-long learning is emphasised. Major characteristics of this curriculum are a high degree of horizontal and vertical integration of the various disciplines, the preference for teaching in small working groups and the training for self-learning. This curriculum is described in some detail. Parasitology is not taught as a coherent subject but is integrated into various subjects, presented in an interdisciplinary approach. The number of contact hours is variable depending on optional courses and the differentiation tracks taken but it amounts for a minimum of approximately 90 contact hours for each student during the full curriculum. A major disadvantage of the curriculum is that examination of parasitology is within integrated subjects. Thus, students that perform poorly on parasitology may still pass. An advantage is the extended presence of parasitology in the last year of clinical training and the improved interdisciplinary interaction between parasitologists and clinicians. The curriculum has been changed again in 2001; study paths focused on animal species and other subjects start already in the first year, and approximately 25% of the first 4 years of the curriculum will be within these study paths.     

Assessment of incidental learning of medical terminology in a veterinary curriculum

The objective of this study was to determine whether students in a veterinary curriculum at Mississippi State University would gain an understanding of medical terminology, as they matriculate through their courses, comparable to that obtained during a focused medical terminology unit of study. Evaluation of students' incidental learning related to medical terminology during the 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 academic years indicated that 88.7% and 81.9% of students, respectively, scored above 70% on a medical terminology exam by the end of the first year of the curriculum. For the 2004/2005 academic, 67.6% increased their percentage of correct answers above 70% from the first medical terminology exam to the third. For the 2005/2006 academic year, 61.1% of students increased their score above 70% from the first to the third exam. Our data indicate that students can achieve comprehension of medical terminology in the absence of a formal terminology course.     

碎片化移动微学习在兽医微生物学课程教学中的应用

兽医微生物学是动物医学本科课程体系中的一门专业基础课,涉及内容广,知识更新快。有限的课堂时间无法满足学生对学科前沿知识的学习期待,传统填鸭式的教学模式不能有效发挥学生的主动性,从而影响教学质量的提高。基于智能手机的碎片化移动微学习,由于迎合了娱乐式学习和终身学习的需求,目前已广泛应用于外语类文科课程的教学过程中,但在微生物学等非文科类专业尚未全面推广。介绍了碎片化移动微学习的概念和研究现状,分析了其在兽医微生物学教学中的应用,以期为相关学科的教学改革提供参考。     

An instructional model for training competence in solving clinical problems

We examined the design of a course that aims to ease the transition from pre-clinical learning into clinical work. This course is based on the premise that many of the difficulties with which students are confronted in this transition result from a lack of experience in applying knowledge in real practice situations. It is focused on the development of competence in solving clinical problems; uses an instructional model with alternating clinical practicals, demonstrations, and tutorials; and extends throughout the last pre-clinical year. We used a "proof-of-concept" approach to establish whether the core principles of the course design are feasible with regard to achieving the intended results. With the learning functions and processes as a frame of reference, retrospective analysis of the course's design features shows that this design matches the conditions from theories of the development of competence in solving clinical problems and instructional design. Three areas of uncertainty in the design are identified: the quality of the cases (information, openness), effective teaching (student and teacher roles), and adjustment to the development of competence (progress, coherence).     

兽医公共卫生学课程思政设计与实践

全面推进课程思政建设,发挥专业课程立德树人的作用,专业课程应与思想政治课程同向同行,发挥协同育人效应。专业课程中深入发掘思政元素,是课程思政建设的重要内容,以动物医学专业“兽医公共卫生学”课程为例,对思政元素挖掘、课程教学融合、思政教学效果评价等进行了探索和实践,为农学专业课程中发掘思政元素提供参考。     

Teaching the principles of health management to first year veterinary students

A course called Health Management 1 was created as part of a new DVM curriculum at the Ontario Veterinary College. This full year course was designed to introduce students to basic concepts of health management, integrating the disciplines of epidemiology, ethology, and public health in the context of selected animal industries. The course was comprised of 60 lecture hours and four two-hour laboratories. A common definition of health management, incorporating five principles, was used throughout the course, in order to reinforce the concepts and to maintain continuity between lecture blocks. Unlike in the years prior to the introduction of the new curriculum, epidemiology was presented as a tool of health management rather than as a separate discipline. To supplement the lecture and laboratory material, a Web-based resource was created and the students were required to review the appropriate section prior to each lecture block. Small quizzes, consisting of 10 questions each within WebCT, were used to stimulate self-directed learning. Overall, the course was well received by the students. The Web resources combined with the WebCT quizzes proved to be an effective method of stimulating students to prepare for lecture.     

《动物病理》课程思政课堂教学案例

《动物病理》作为一门重要的专业基础课在畜牧兽医专业开出,在对学生的专业知识和技能进行培养的同时,融入思政元素,培养学生“懂农业,爱农村,爱农民”的从农素养,更好地为国家乡村振兴发展培养专业人才。本文从课程教学案例出发探究课程思政的实施方法与初步成效。     

Relationships between admissions requirements and pre-clinical and clinical performance in a distributed veterinary curriculum

The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to assess the relationships between knowledge-based admission requirements and pre-clinical and clinical performance in a distributed model of veterinary education that uses problem-based learning as the main instruction method in the first two years of the curriculum; second, to compare pre-clinical and clinical performance with performance on the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence (PAVE) exam. Admissions data including overall GPA, prerequisite GPA, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score on the Analytical, Analytical Writing, Quantitative, and Verbal sections), veterinary school performance data (GPA for pre-clinical and clinical years), and performance PAVE (taken at the end of second year) were analyzed for two classes (N = 155, 85.8% women and 14.2% men). Overall GPA, prerequisite GPA, and GRE Quantitative and Analytical scores were the best predictors for pre-clinical (years 1 and 2) performance (R = 0.49, 23.5% of the variance), GRE Analytical score was the best predictor for year 3 (pre-clinical and clinical) performance (R = 0.25, 6.3% of the variance), GRE Quantitative score was the best predictor for PAVE performance (R = 0.27, 7.5% of the variance), and GRE Analytical score was the best predictor for clinical performance (year 4; R = 0.21, 4.4% of the variance). PAVE scores correlated with GRE Quantitative scores (r = 0.27, p <.01) and veterinary school performance, with higher correlations in the pre-clinical years (rs = 0.67-0.36, p < .01), providing evidence of convergent validity for the PAVE exam.