The quality of clinical learning environments (CLEs) impact learners' experience and competence development. Objective instruments have been developed to evaluate CLEs from the perspective of medical ...and nursing students. No such instruments have been used in Radiography.
Radiography students' perspectives of CLEs were investigated using the validated Undergraduate Clinical Education Environment Measure (UCEEM). Undergraduate (UG) (n = 365) and graduate entry (GE) radiography students (n = 45) from an Irish university were invited to participate. CLEs consisted of 25 public and 10 private hospitals. The UCEEM contains 25 items under two overarching dimensions, experiential learning and social participation, with four subscales: opportunities to learn in and through work and quality of supervision; preparedness for student entry; workplace interaction patterns and student inclusion; and equal treatment.
Two hundred and fifteen students participated (response rate 52.4%; n = 185 UG, n = 30 GE), most of whom were based in public hospitals (87.4%). The mean UCEEM score was 107.5 ± 17.7 (optimal range: 90–125). Experiential learning and social participation were scored 74.2 ± 12.5 (optimal range: 60–85) and 33.37 ± 6.29 (optimal range: 30–40), respectively. Private hospitals ranked slightly higher than public hospitals for ‘opportunities to learn in and through work and quality of supervision’ (p = 0.018). Items ranked highest related to ‘equal treatment’ and ‘opportunity to put theory into practice’. Clinical supervision-related items were scored highest by first-year students.
High UCEEM scores indicate radiography students' positive perceptions of their CLEs, particularly regarding equality and experiential learning. Findings support the expansion of radiography placement to include public and private hospitals.
The UCEEM is a theoretically robust, validated tool which appears suitable for evaluating radiography CLEs. This study provides valuable baseline data for comparison of Radiography CLEs.
The radiography profession is built upon strong educational foundations which help ensure graduate radiographers have the required knowledge, skills, and competence to practise safely and ...effectively. Changing clinical practices, service needs, technological developments, regulatory changes, together with our growing professional evidence-base, all contribute to the need for our curricula to responsive and continually reviewed and enhanced. This study aims to explore similarities and differences in training curricula and follows a 2012 global survey on radiography education and more recent surveys undertaken by the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS).
An online questionnaire, based on previous EFRS education and clinical education surveys, which comprised of open and closed questions and consisted of sections designed to ascertain data on: type, level and duration of education programmes leading to an initial or pre-registration qualification in radiography/medical radiation practice, pre-clinical skill development and clinical placement within programmes. The survey was distributed via social media channels and through an international network of professional societies. Descriptive statistics are reported for most analyses while open questions were analysed thematically.
Responses were received from 79 individuals from 28 identified countries across four continents. This represented a total of 121 different pre-registration/entry level programmes offered across these institutions. While dedicated diagnostic radiography programmes were most common (42/121), almost one-third of programmes (40/121) offered two or more areas of specialisation within the curriculum. The average of total hours for clinical placement were 1397 h for diagnostic radiography programmes; 1300 h for radiation therapy programmes; 1025 h for nuclear medicine programmes; and 1134 h for combined specialisation programmes, respectively. Institutions provided a range of physical and virtual systems to support pre-clinical skills development.
Around the world, radiography programmes vary considerably in terms of their level, duration, programme type, pre-clinical and clinical training, use of simulation, and also in terms of class sizes, student/staff ratios, and graduate employment prospects. The ability of graduates to work independently in areas covered within their programmes varied considerably. While some changes around simulation use were evident, given the impact of COVID-19 it would be beneficial for future research to investigate if pre-clinical and clinical education hours or use of simulation resources has changed due to the pandemic.
The heterogeneity that exists between radiography programmes presents a significant challenge in terms of the mutual recognition of qualifications and the international movement of the radiographer workforce.
The objectives, instrumentation, methods and data leading up to launch of the NASA Living With a Star (LWS) Space Environment Testbed (SET) payload onboard the Air Force Research Laboratory ...Demonstration and Science Experiments (DSX) spacecraft are described. The experiments characterize the space radiation environment and how it affects hardware performance. The payload consists of a compact space weather instrument and a carrier containing four board experiments.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a major effect on teaching and learning. This study aimed to describe a range of teaching, learning, and assessment strategies related to radiography education which have ...become more common due to the pandemic through a narrative literature review.
Educational change in radiography was accelerated by the disruption caused by the pandemic. Changes included the site and mode of teaching and conducting of assessment. While some of the digital transformation trends were introduced before the pandemic, others were further amplified during this period of time. Alternative solutions such as virtual reality technology, gamification, and technology-enhanced learning were especially salient and have the potential to mitigate challenges brought about by the pandemic. The use of technology in the clinical setting, in assessment, and to facilitate feedback, are important tools for improving learners' clinical skills performance. Collectively, these digital technologies can maximise learning and support mastery of knowledge, skills and attitudes.
The pandemic has cast a new light on existing methodologies and pedagogies in education. This review suggests that digital technology is shaping teaching and learning within radiography education and also that educators cannot ignore this digital shift. With the digital trajectory, it would be highly useful to transform approaches to education within radiography to support learning as radiography education moves towards the new normal era.
Digital technology in education can help improve the learning experience for learners but educators need to be equipped with the technological skills and be adaptable to these changes. Continual sharing of experiences and knowledge among radiography educators is essential. Safety nets need to be in place to ensure digital inclusiveness and that no learner gets left behind due to the digital divide in education.
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