This study explored the effects of collaborative writing instruction on undergraduate nursing students’ writing performance and self-efficacy beliefs within an online learning system. A single-group experimental study utilized two instruments, the NCEEC (National College Entrance Examination Center) writing grading criteria (the SRCT) and a modified writing self-efficacy questionnaire (the WSQ), was conducted. The intervention was applied in the context of a four-month freshmen semester at the beginning of a two-year vocational education program conducted in fall 2010. Two hundred and nine learners were recruited through convenience sampling from four classes at a nursing vocational university in southwestern Taiwan. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, repeated measures MANOVA, explorative factor analysis (EFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed that this instructional method effectively improved the learners’ writing performances and also influenced the latent structures of the learners’ self-efficacy from theoretical constructs toward pedagogical meanings, with the learners’ writing self-efficacy beliefs being altered by the instruction and becoming consistent with the assessment criteria. In addition, both the learners’ pre- and post-test self-efficacy levels had significant causal relationships with their individual learning progressions. These correlations between self-efficacy and writing performance suggest further teaching implications.

Objectives To examine the prevalence of and the factors associated with a number of remaining teeth (NRT) <20 among adults with disabilities. Design A community-based, cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting This study was part of a health promotion programme designed for community-dwelling adults with disabilities. Participants A total of 549 adults with disabilities, aged 20–80 years, living in the community in Chiayi County in Taiwan. Outcome measures Various parameters, including NRT, oral health behaviours (ie, oral hygiene, dietary habits and substance use), comorbidities, disability classification and capability for performing activities of daily living, were measured. Data were statistically analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results The mean NRT was 18.1 (SD=10.9); 44.8% of participants had NRT <20 (including 13.7% edentulous participants). Most participants had poor oral hygiene: 83.4% reported seldom using dental floss, 78% did not undergo regular 6-monthly dental check-ups and 77.4% seldom brushed their teeth after meal. After adjusting for potentially confounding variables, the intellectual disability group had a significantly higher risk of an NRT <20 than the physical disability group (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.30 to 4.08). Additionally, the rare use of dental floss and hypertension significantly increased the possibility of an NRT <20 (OR 1.73–2.12, 95% CI 1.15 to 3.71). Conclusions An NRT <20 and edentulism were highly prevalent among adults with disabilities, who displayed poor oral hygiene behaviours. Adults with intellectual disabilities had a greater likelihood of having an NRT <20 than did those with physical disability. In addition to unmodifiable factors, the poor use of dental floss was significantly associated with an NRT <20.

For nursing students in the vocational education system in Taiwan, English-language writing skills, whether for general or specific purposes, have long been ignored, which may jeopardize their success in medical-oriented courses and their future careers. This study designed a nursing note-writing course (NNWC) for university nursing students and explored the teaching outcomes of its implementation. The three main objectives were to (a) examine the effectiveness of the NNWC in enhancing learners’ competencies; (b) survey learners’ satisfaction with the NNWC, and (c) investigate learners’ perceptions of the NNWC. In this action research, 49 students practiced five writing tasks while guided with five teaching tools, namely an online writing platform, multiple revisions, peer-review activities, and direct and indirect teacher feedback, for a semester. External examiners included a language teacher and a nursing professional, and the data-collection instruments used included a writing competence scale and a course satisfaction questionnaire. The results showed that the learners’ writing competence significantly improved after the NNWC. They also demonstrated a fair level of satisfaction toward the NNWC. A total of 90% of the learners preferred online writing compared to traditional handwriting. The learners also indicated a preference for feedback from the teacher rather than from peers, and they perceived vocabulary capability to be crucial. ESP/ENP teachers are advised to consider the implementation of the NNWC when designing syllabi.

To test the scaffolding theory when applied to the teaching and learning of writing English as a foreign language, this cross-sectional study was conducted to collect physiological data. A total of 53 participants were randomly assigned into two groups, and brain activity was investigated during a guided-writing task using storytelling pictures. The writing task was further divided into four parts using graded levels of difficulty. The experimental group performed tasks in sequence from easy to difficult, whereas the comparison group performed the tasks at random. Outcomes included handwriting assessments and fMRI measurements. Writing outcome assessments were analyzed using SPSS, and scanned images were analyzed using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) software. The results revealed a positive learning effect associated with scaffolding instruction. The experimental group performed better during the writing tasks, and the fMRI images showed less intense and weaker reactions in the language processing region than were observed in the comparison group. The fMRI results also presented the experimental group with reduced motor and cognitive functions when writing in English. This study provides insight regarding brain activity during writing tasks in humans and may have implications for English-language instruction.