In August 1767 King Louis XV of France appointed Madame du Coudray, a 52-year-old midwife, to teach midwifery "throughout the whole extent of the Realm." In so doing he acknowledged the "science and experience" and "high degree of perfection" that she had obtained in midwifery. Over the next 20 years Madame du Coudray…

Concerns about the theory-practice gap and discussion regarding the role of the preregistration programme in preparing registered health care practitioners, are two recurring themes in the literature. This study was carried out in a higher education institution in England and was conducted over a twelve month period. It examined how well the…

The aim of the International Society for Technology, Education, and Science (iHSES) conference is to offer opportunities to share ideas, discuss theoretical and practical issues, and connect with the leaders in the fields of "humanities," "education" and "social sciences." It is organized for: (1) faculty members in…

Background: Medical specialties, including surgery, obstetrics, anesthesia, critical care, and trauma, have adopted simulation technology for measuring clinical competency as a routine part of their residency training programs; yet, simulation technologies have rarely been adapted or used for psychiatry training. Objective: The authors describe…

This study had two aims: firstly, to determine whether participation in a peer support scheme called Study Buddy Support (SBS) improves pass rates of "at risk" students, and secondly, to examine the advantages of this model over hierarchical models where senior students tutor junior years. Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery students in a…

This paper presents a study which explored creative pieces made by student midwives during an educational session on spirituality in relation to midwifery. Background: Exploration of methods of teaching relating to midwifery has been limited, specifically relating to effective learning about spirituality. There is a current expectation in the UK…

Case studies are an important vehicle for student learning in problem-based learning curricula and higher education. "WebCaseStudy.com" was designed to support student learning through case studies in a simulated community of practice. This paper reports on the process of capturing community of practice knowledge for case studies to…

Supervision of midwives is a statutory responsibility, which provides a mechanism for support and guidance to every practising midwife in the United Kingdom. To be eligible for appointment as a supervisor, midwives are required to undertake a preparation programme successfully. Because of the changing nature of the professional role and education,…

Discusses formats to teach preventive medicine in obstetrics and gynecology (including learning objectives, lectures/seminars, and rounds/office practice) and evaluation methods (oral examinations, computerized question banks, objective structured clinical examinations). Offers examples from specific programs at American medical schools, including…

The changing face of midwifery practice and education in Australia is challenging the previously accepted notions of the birth experience, the options of care that are available for women and their families, and the role of the midwife in that experience. The role of the midwifery educator is also challenged by the move away from a predominantly…

The literacy training strategy of the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire has gained a great deal of recognition over the past 15 years. In Freire's method, the context of the learner's life is carefully studied to find the critical issues in the formulation of dialogue between teacher and learner. A basic vocabulary then is generated to insure power…

Five of the medical schools in the University of London collaborated in administering one multiple choice question paper in obstetrics and gynecology, and results showed differences in performance between the five schools on questions and alternatives within questions. The rank order of the schools may result from differences in teaching methods.…

This qualitative study explored health sciences students' perceptions of their experiences in online problem based learning (PBL) and focused on their views about learning and group process in the online environment. Participants were novices to online learning and highly experienced in PBL, therefore, they could reflect on past face-to-face PBL…

This paper summarizes ongoing theoretical work and the findings of a recent research project in nursing and midwifery education to understand the problems encountered with using scientific knowledge in actual health care practice and to address these problems with educational program redesign. Case studies and mini-studies are used to investigate…

England's preregistration undergraduate degree in nursing and midwifery programs were subjected to a comprehensive evaluation that included the following data collection activities: in-depth field studies of 26 of 32 three- and four-year undergraduate nursing and midwifery programs; individual interviews with 129 lecturers, 54 students, 52…