Browsing by Author "Meyers, Gwyneth"

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    An exploration of IPAC educational intervention research: What do we mean by education?
    (Infection Prevention and Control Canada, 2018) Meyers, Gwyneth; Jacobsen, Michele; Henderson, Elizabeth
    Background: Education is considered an important component of Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) practice. A shift has occurred from exploring how education plays a role in changing healthcare provider infection control practices to increased interest in the use of multimodal interventions. However, several comprehensive systematic literature reviews have identified theoretical, conceptual and methodological challenges in IPAC educational intervention research. Methods: To gain deeper insight into the challenges, a qualitative review was conducted using a content analysis of 122 papers published between 1989 and 2017. Results: IPAC educational practice and research is predominantly informed by the traditional educational paradigm of knowledge acquisition, with a commitment to quantitative research methodologies that treat education as a static tool. Limited attention is given to educational theories, teaching and learning concepts and instructional design processes. Conclusions: IPAC educational practice is constrained by implicit philosophical assumptions about education as information delivery. This paper proposes a paradigm shift from transmission educational practices to those more attuned to the concepts of teaching and learning. By making this shift, IPAC can begin to address the challenges identified in the literature and explore educational theories, contemporary active and engaged teaching and learning processes, instructional design frameworks, and using innovative educational research methodologies.