Browsing by Author "Dhingra, Swati"

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    Grand Challenges as Educational Innovations in Higher Education: A Scoping Review of the Literature
    (2020-11-09) Nowell, Lorelli; Dhingra, Swati; Andrews, Kimberley; Gospodinov, Julia; Liu, Cathy; Alix Hayden, K.
    Grand challenges are complex problems that are common to much of society, affect large populations, and may have several possible solutions. Incorporation of grand challenges into higher education courses can facilitate the development of collaborative problem-solving skills while providing relevant and practical opportunities to experience the dynamics involved in real-world work. Although grand challenges are becoming more commonly used in higher education, to date, there has been no synthesis of how grand challenges are incorporated and the learning outcomes of engaging in grand challenge work. In this scoping review, we examined and mapped the state of evidence for the use of grand challenges in higher education. We conducted the review according to the Johanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and considered quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies as well as literature reviews, program descriptions, and opinion papers published in English without limitations on year of publication. We used a data extraction tool to synthesize and present our findings in a tabular form with accompanying narrative summaries. The results reveal a growing global interest in the use of grand challenges in higher education while highlighting a lack of rigorous empirical evidence on the impact on student learning.
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    The initial validation of an Evidence-informed, competency-based, Applied Compassion Training (EnACT) program: a multimethod study
    (2024-06-21) Sinclair, Shane; Dhingra, Swati; Bouchal, Shelley R.; MacInnis, Cara; Harris, Daranne; Roze des Ordons, Amanda; Pesut, Barbara
    Abstract Introduction Compassion is positively associated with improved patient outcomes, quality care ratings, and healthcare provider wellbeing. Supporting and cultivating healthcare providers’ compassion through robust and meaningful educational initiatives has been impeded by a lack of conceptual clarity, inadequate content coverage across the domains of compassion, and the lack of validated evaluation tools. The EnACT program aims to address these gaps through an Evidence-informed, competency-based, Applied, Compassion Training program delivered to healthcare providers working in various clinical settings. In this study, we describe the development and initial validation of the program, which will inform and be further evaluated in a forthcoming Randomised Controlled feasibility Trial (RCfT). Method A multimethod design was used to explore learner needs, experiences, and outcomes associated with the program. Pre- and post-training surveys and qualitative interviews (1 month post training) were conducted among twenty-six healthcare provider learners working in acute care and hospice. Quantitative measures assessed professional fulfillment/burnout, self-confidence in providing compassion, learner satisfaction, and compassion competence. Qualitative interviews explored learners’ experiences of the program, integration of learnings into their professional practice, and program recommendations. Results Learners exhibited relatively high self-assessed compassion competence and professional fulfillment pre-training and low levels of burnout. Post-training, learners demonstrated high levels of compassion confidence and satisfaction with the training program. Despite high levels of reported compassion competence pre-training, a statistically significant increase in post-training compassion competence was noted. Thematic analysis identified five key themes associated with learners’ overall experience of the training day and integration of the learnings and resources into their professional practice: (1) A beginner’s mind: Learner baseline attitudes and assumptions about the necessity and feasibility of compassion training; (2) Learners’ experiences of the training program; (3) Learner outcomes: integrating theory into practice; (4) Creating cultures of compassion; and (5) Learner feedback. Conclusion Findings suggest that the EnACT program is a feasible, rigorous, and effective training program for enhancing healthcare provider compassion. Its evidence-based, patient-informed, clinically relevant content; interactive in class exercises; learner toolkit; along with its contextualized approach aimed at improving the clinical culture learners practice holds promise for sustaining learnings and clinical impact over time—which will be further evaluated in a Randomized Controlled feasibility Trial (RCfT).