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LEAD - Learning Enhancement and Academic Development

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/14083

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Start date: 2020Subject: search.filters.subject.General Veterinary

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    Exploring Student Experiences of an Undergraduate Certificate in Veterinary Medical Education
    (University of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress), 2023-06-01) Hughes, Kirsty; Hudson, Neil; Bell, Catriona; Tomlin, Nina; Handel, Ian; Chinnery, Sarah; Rhind, Susan
    The ability to teach is recognized as a core skill for many professionals, including veterinarians, but undergraduate opportunities to develop this skill are not always available. A complementary teaching certificate offered during the clinical years of an undergraduate veterinary program was evaluated to investigate student experiences of the program and the perceived benefits and challenges of participating. The study used a mixed methods approach with questionnaires to provide an overview of the participant experience and semi-structured interviews to gain a deeper insight into students’ experiences of the program. Two cohorts completed questionnaires comprising Likert-style and open-ended questions on the 3-year teaching certificate, the first cohort after 1 year of the program and the second cohort at completion. Interviews with participants from both cohorts were thematically analyzed to identify recurring themes. An average of 27% of students per academic year enrolled in the certificate program, most of whom completed it. Additionally, four to six students per cohort applied for Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), and 19 students have achieved this recognition. Key themes from the data included that students felt the certificate built their confidence, increased their veterinary knowledge, and helped them become better teachers, with time management and reflection the biggest challenges. The Undergraduate Certificate of Veterinary Medical Education was seen as a good teaching foundation, while working toward the AFHEA provided some insight into higher education and academic careers. A structured teaching program offers students the opportunity to develop their learning and reflection both as students and future educators.
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    Zookeepers – The most important animal in the zoo?
    (Taylor & Francis, 2021-12-13) Bacon, Heather; Vigors, Belinda; Shaw, Darren J.; Waran, Natalie; Dwyer, Cathy M.; Bell, Catriona
    Education to improve knowledge of animal welfare is not a universal component of training for zoo staff, and little is reported about the perspectives of zoo staff on the need for such education. This paper reports results from structured telephone interviews of a diverse sample of eight Chinese and eight European zoo staff about aspects of zoological animal welfare, education and zoological practices. These qualitative data were thematically analyzed and key themes generated. Similar themes emerged across regions: Zoo staff consider professional attributes including motivation and enthusiasm to be important alongside formal training, zoo staff value learning opportunities but don’t always feel supported, and contextual information including wild animal ecology was considered important content in zoo animal welfare education.