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Background: The U.S. Boards of Nursing (BONs) collect annual report data from their nursing programs as part of their approval process. This paper highlights the 2020 and 2021 annual report data on the effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on all nursing programs in 17 BONs in 2020 and 19 in 2021. Method: Nursing programs answered 16 questions on the effect of COVID-19 on their programs. Because BONs require annual report data, all programs in the participating states answered the questions, which included 798 programs in 2020 and 929 in 2021. Results: Major disruptions in nursing education occurred during the pandemic. Clinical experiences and didactic classes were greatly affected, though alternative strategies were used. Student and faculty attrition rates were particularly high in 2021. Conclusion: The authors call for a national forum where nurse leaders analyze what happened and make recommendations for future crisis events. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(5):312–319.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Students' tendencies to seek feedback are associated with improved learning. Yet, how soon this association becomes robust enough to make predictions about learning is not fully understood. Such knowledge has strong implications for early identification of students at‐risk for underachievement via digital learning platforms. Objectives: We sought to understand how early in the academic year students' end‐of‐year learning outcomes could be predicted by their performance and feedback‐seeking behaviours within a digital learning platform. We analysed data collected at different time points in the academic year and across different cohorts of students within the context of high school advanced placement (AP) Statistics courses. Methods: High school students enrolled in AP Statistics spanning three academic years between 2017 and 2020 (N = 726; Mage = 16.72 years) completed 3 or 4 homework assignments, each 2 and 3 months apart. Results and conclusions: Across the three cohorts, and even as early as the first assignment, a model consisting of demographic variables (gender, race/ethnicity, parental education), assignment performance, and interaction with the digital score report explained significant variation in students' final course grades (R2 = 0.314–0.412) and AP exam scores (κ = 0.583–0.689). Students' assignment performance was positively associated with end‐of‐year learning outcomes. Students who more frequently checked their digital score reports tended to receive better learning outcomes, though not consistently across cohorts. Implications: These findings further an understanding of how students' early performance and feedback‐seeking behaviours within a digital learning platform predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Students' early academic performance predicts end‐of‐year success.Students' self‐regulated learning behaviours are another predictor of academic success.Clickstream data have been used as an indicator of the application of self‐regulated learning strategies, particularly behaviours associated with seeking feedback.Indicators of feedback‐seeking behaviours reflected via clickstream data have been shown to predict student learning.Yet, how soon associations between early performance and such indicators of self‐regulated learning as feedback‐seeking are robust across different groups of learners, different learning circumstances, and different types of learning outcomes has yet to be more fully understood. What this paper adds: We investigated whether performance and feedback‐seeking behaviours predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes at different points during the academic year across multiple cohorts of learners (2017–2018, 2018–2019, and 2019–2020) and using two different learning outcomes (class grades, AP exam scores).One cohort was affected by COVID‐19 during the 2019–2020 academic year, allowing us to examine whether differences emerge amidst unprecedented circumstances.We used assignment scores and online feedback‐seeking to predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes.Assignment scores were positively associated with end‐of‐year grades.First assignment performance predicted AP exam scores.Use of feedback (an indication of self‐regulated learning behaviours) tended to predict learning outcomes, though not consistently across cohorts. Implications for practice and/or policy: The findings from this study could improve understanding of how digital learning platform measurements predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes though also highlight the importance of context differences.Such findings hold implications for early identification of at‐risk students and appreciation for differences between learners and contexts.These findings also contribute to a growing understanding of the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on student engagement and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rape survivors face stigma when disclosing their experiences. We hypothesized that a rape survivor who formally reports their rape would experience more stigma than one who does not, and that this effect will be stronger when the perceiver is a man or low in support for sexual consent. Across two studies using self-report, observational, and psychophysiological measures, we found that a reporting survivor was seen more negatively than an identical survivor who did not report their rape. Men and those low in support for sexual consent also responded more negatively to the survivor. Implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A technological trend influencing society is the provision and adoption of digital books. Digital books are used in education in the form of electronic textbooks (e-textbooks). The research question examined in this manuscript is which students' characteristics and attitudes influence their adoption or non-adoption of e-textbooks? The study explores these characteristics and attitudes of students who have made the decision to become either an e-textbook user or nonuser. The empirical analysis is conducted using 1191 student responses to a questionnaire distributed in a mid-sized university in the western United States. Among these 1191 responses, 530 of the students had used an e-textbook and 661 had not used an e-textbook. The e-textbook user and nonuser groups are studied in three different ways. The first is by examining the counts and percentages for five respondent characteristics. The second way is through statistical tests (i.e., t-tests and multiple analysis of variance) on these characteristics across the groups. The results from these analyses did not identify any meaningful differences in characteristics across the user and nonuser groups. The third way was a content analysis performed on an open-ended question (i.e., What factors influenced you on whether to use an e-textbook?) on the questionnaire. The student e-textbook attitudes discovered from the content analysis showed that for e-textbook users, the cost or price of an e-textbook had a significant influence on e-textbook adoption. Two other attitudes influencing e-textbook users' adoption were usability, both positive and negative. The key attitude of nonusers regarding e-textbook adoption is negative e-textbook usability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to develop an Academic School Climate Scale measuring students' perceptions of the learning environments at their schools. With a pilot sample of 1,265 students and validation sample of 14,773 students in Grades 4–12 in schools across the U.S., results of EFA and CFA supported a bifactor model with a general factor and three subscales: High Standards, Teacher Support of Student Learning, and Peer Support of Learning. We found scalar invariance by gender and race, and metric invariance by grade band. Correlations of the Academic School Climate Scale with open classroom climate and school climate indicated concurrent validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, Black women's use of infertility treatments is relatively low, despite elevated or similar rates of infertility compared with White women. Ethical concerns about infertility treatments have been identified as a potential sociocultural factor contributing to these treatment-seeking disparities. Despite documented differences, the substance of these ethical concerns is unclear. Clarifying the nature of these concerns contributes to our understanding of the social forces that shape the contexts of infertility care. Using an intersectional and comparative analysis of semi-structured interviews with Black or African American and White women enrolled in U.S. graduate programmes, this paper investigates the nature and substance of ethical concerns about medicalized infertility treatments. Three central themes emerged: (i) ethical concerns were not binary; (ii) ethical concerns varied by modality, but not by race, and focussed primarily on infertility treatments involving third parties; and (iii) substantive non-ethical concerns were concentrated among Black women and were driven by discomfort with or preferences against treatments involving third-parties. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for researchers, providers, and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The sudden growth in online instruction due to COVID‐19 restrictions has given renewed urgency to questions about remote learning that have remained unresolved. Web‐based assessment software provides instructors an array of options for varying testing parameters, but the pedagogical impacts of some of these variations has yet to be examined. Objectives: The current study examines whether question order affects student performance on online college math assessments. Drawing on the literature of testing and math anxiety, we hypothesized that difficult questions near the beginning of an assessment would have a destructive effect on student confidence, which would in turn have a deleterious effect on their performance. Methods: We employed an observational 'big data' methodology, analysing 23,468 final exams completed by students in 10 different courses over eight semesters at a Math Emporium in a large technical university in the eastern United States. Students were freshmen and sophomores enrolled in non‐engineering math courses. We regressed the final score on the difficulty level of the first and second questions, controlling for several other factors. Results and Conclusions: We found that several factors—day of the week, amount of time before the deadline, number of minutes spent on the exam—have more of an impact on score than question order. This pattern was consistent across sexes. Takeaways: Our findings contradict some previous studies, which have found that difficult early questions degrade student performance, and that this affect is more pronounced in females. This work enriches our understanding of how students respond to online assessment. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Previous studies have had mixed results about the effect of question difficulty ordering on student performance.Furthermore, few studies have examined this issue for computer assessments. What this paper adds: We employ a novel methodology with a uniquely large data set.Our findings indicate that difficulty ordering has no effect on student performance. Implications for practice: Math instructors can use the random ordering feature of computer assessment generating tools because question order does not affect performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of speech-language pathology--related specialists (SPs) and speech-language pathology (SLP) students toward stuttering. Furthermore, we identified the factors that influence changes in the attitudes of SLP students and SPs in various countries. Method: Using a search formula, the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases were used to conduct primary and secondary screening for analysis. All previous studies included in the systematic review focused on SPs or SLP students and were published in English. Studies were collected and screened independently by the first and second authors and then discussed between them. Twenty-two studies with varying research designs and sample sizes were included in the systematic review. Finally, information on authors, publishing year, participant, country or region, assessment materials, and the results were extracted and organized before analysis. Results: Twenty-two articles from eight countries and one region (Middle East) were extracted. The results showed that SLP students and SPs in different countries have different attitudes toward stuttering depending on their education, experience, geographic location, cultural status, and societal development, but stereotypes of people who stutter (PWS) persist (e.g., nervous), and the attitudes toward the clinics appear to be more negative in Western countries. Conclusions: Negative attitudes toward PWS remain among both SLP students and SPs. Thus, the factors that may influence the attitudes of SLP students and SPs should be taken into account in academic and clinical education in fluency disorders, and the education content must be structured to improve the quality of education and the attitude toward PWS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While vaccines have reduced the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine hesitancy threatens the re-emergence of childhood infectious diseases. Purpose: This randomized controlled study evaluated an online vaccine education program to advance vaccine acceptance among middle-school students. Methodology: Study participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group who viewed the VEP videos or to a comparison group who viewed a science-based video unrelated to vaccines. Results: Knowledge scores improved in both groups and more favorable shifts in vaccine-related beliefs and attitudes occurred in the intervention than in the comparison group. Conclusions: This program can be feasibly delivered via an online platform to middle school students, resulting in shifts in vaccine-related knowledge, beliefs and attitudes. Implications: Delivering evidence-based content to instruct about vaccine effectiveness and safety is an area in which school nurses have demonstrated an important role as a resource for patient education to promote vaccine advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rates of depression among the college-aged population are alarming, particularly in light of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. It is important for providers who care for this population to have proper screening and referral processes to meet growing student needs. The purpose of this literature review was to examine current best practices for depression screening among college students. Comprehensive searches of PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane databases were completed with the assistance of a medical librarian. A total of 775 studies were screened, and 17 articles were included in the review. Evidence supports universal-based depression screenings; use of screening methods to include brief and online screenings; use of validated screening tools, including the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) -2 and PHQ-9; and the importance of a proper referral process and adequate access to treatment measures. An appropriate depression screening and referral process within campus health centers is critical to meet the needs of college students. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 62(6), 13–17.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Because there are conflicting perspectives on the factor structure of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) Questionnaire among college students, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the instrument in a sample of U.S. college students. Methods: We conducted secondary analysis of data collected from 1,138 undergraduate students from a large metropolitan university in the southeastern United States. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis did not support the original 4-factor structure. Based on exploratory factor analysis, three factors were retained and rotated using Varimax rotation, which accounted for 96% of the item variance. Coefficient alphas for the factors were: social/psychological health, 0.84; physical health, 0.81; and environment, 0.77. Sexual minorities had significantly lower scores on all factors than those who identified as heterosexuals. Conclusions: In this sample of college students, the WHOQOL-BREF was three-dimensional, and a significant amount of the item variance was explained. Lower quality of life scores of nonWhites and sexual minority college students point to a critical need that should be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research has shown the role of identity on future health professionals' confidence and competence in addressing the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of their patients. While there has been some work in increasing the sexual health literacy of future providers via various curricular approaches and comprehensive clinical-based training, there are research gaps on how social differences around identity impact future healthcare professionals' knowledge and practices around SRH. Objectives: This article presents research findings on the experiences of US undergraduate students attending a campus that provides training in the health sciences and health professions. Our study aims to understand the perspectives of these students as they pertain to their future career choices in healthcare, with a focus on how their past experiences learning about sex, sexuality, and reproduction impact their current and future professional trajectories. Methods: We present a qualitative analysis from 40 in-depth interviews with U.S. undergraduates. The interview questions were designed in collaboration with undergraduate researchers interested in sexual health education. These student researchers collected all the interview data and worked with senior researchers to analyze some of these data. Results: The themes that emerged from the interviews were around experiences with what students perceived as "fractured" sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge they received as children and adolescents. This knowledge shaped essential aspects of their identity as young adults and future healers. Data indicated unique processes implicated in how past as well as present socialization experiences learning about sex, sexuality, and reproduction positions undergraduates in health professions to see young adulthood as a journey of "catching up" on sexual knowledge but also as an ongoing experience of anticipation and planning influencing their career-building journey. Conclusions: The importance of sexual health literacy among healthcare professionals cannot be overstated, as it is vital in providing patient-centered and non-judgmental sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care and services. To date, there is a shortage of studies looking at the impact of sexual health knowledge on healthcare professionals. More research is needed on educational strategies that could be implemented at the intra-personal level to assist college-aged young adults in healthcare career tracks to "catch up" or "fill in the gaps" in their sexual education journey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many transgender individuals face inequities, discrimination, and sometimes even a lack of transgender-specific knowledge in health care settings. Educational curricula can address such disparities and help future health professionals to become more knowledgeable, confident, and well-prepared for addressing the needs of transgender individuals. This systematic review aims to summarize current training interventions about care of transgender individuals for health and allied health students, and to analyse the effects of the respective intervention. A total of six databases (Pubmed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and SciSearch) were screened for original articles published between 2017 and June 2021. Search terms and eligibility criteria were pre-specified, and after a structured selection process 21 studies were included into further analysis. Extracted data contained information on general study properties, population, design, program format and outcomes of interest. A narrative synthesis was used to summarize detected results. Study quality was assessed for each individual study. A self-developed 18-item checklist combining criteria of two prior published tools was used to assess overall quality of quantitative studies. For qualitative studies a 10-item checklist by Kmet et al. [HTA Initiat, 2004] was applied. Eligible studies were designed for multiple health or allied health profession students, and varied widely regarding program format, duration, content, and assessed outcomes. Almost all (N = 19) interventions indicated improvements in knowledge, attitude, confidence and comfort levels or practical skills concerning care for transgender clients. Major limitations included the lack of long-term data, validated assessment tools, control groups and comparative studies. Training interventions contribute to prepare future health professionals to deliver competent and sensitive care and which may improve the prospective experienced health care reality of transgender individuals. However, currently there is no common consensus about best practice of education. Additionally, little is known about whether detected effects of training interventions translate into noticeable improvements for transgender clients. Further studies are warranted to assess the direct impact of specific interventions in the light of the respective target populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how the #MeToo movement, and backlash against it (#HimToo), influence rape myth acceptance (RMA) and negative affect among female sexual trauma survivors and controls. We randomly assigned college women (N = 389) to three social media conditions that either promoted RMA (#HimToo), challenged RMA (#MeToo), or did not address rape myths (general social media (GSM)). The findings demonstrated that women in the #HimToo condition reported more RMA, whereas women in the #MeToo and GSM conditions reported less negative affect. The results highlight that the way we talk about rape on social media influences momentary affect and RMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Policy, societal, and system changes are prompting nursing programs to expand population health content in curricula. This study examined the current state of community, public, and population health (CPPH) education in nursing curricula throughout the United States. Method: This descriptive study examined CPPH education in nursing programs nationally. A survey was developed and distributed to nursing programs from January to May 2021. Results: CPPH content integration occurred across all program levels, and the majority of the participants were involved in the development of CPPH-specific curriculum. Programs experienced reductions in CPPH curriculum due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), lack of experienced faculty, budget constraints, and an emphasis on acute care. Conclusion: The continuation of CPPH education in current nursing curricula is critical. National and academic nursing organizations must continue to monitor CPPH content in nursing curricula to assure a competent CPPH nursing workforce. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(5):282–291.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers set the tone for their classrooms, but what teacher beliefs shape students' sense of belonging? We investigate how teachers' mindsets—or their beliefs about learning and school—relate to adolescents' individual and collective reports of classroom belonging. Our pre-registered analyses include a multilevel design of how 1,200 US middle school students (ages 11–13; 50% female; 49% low income; 40% White, 30% Latinx, 13% Black, 9% Asian) and their teachers responded to surveys on educational mindsets. We find teachers' growth mindset and confidence in teaching positively relate to students' math class belonging—explaining between 30 and 40% of belonging among classes. Our data suggest a teacher's own sense of school belonging is unrelated to the belonging students feel in class, suggesting teachers' broad feelings of belonging may not influence students' specific classroom feelings of belonging as anticipated. These findings reinforce the notion that what teachers think and believe influence how students feel when in class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research has shown the role of identity on future health professionals' confidence and competence in addressing the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of their patients. While there has been some work in increasing the sexual health literacy of future providers via various curricular approaches and comprehensive clinical-based training, there are research gaps on how social differences around identity impact future healthcare professionals' knowledge and practices around SRH. Objectives: This article presents research findings on the experiences of US undergraduate students attending a campus that provides training in the health sciences and health professions. Our study aims to understand the perspectives of these students as they pertain to their future career choices in healthcare, with a focus on how their past experiences learning about sex, sexuality, and reproduction impact their current and future professional trajectories. Methods: We present a qualitative analysis from 40 in-depth interviews with U.S. undergraduates. The interview questions were designed in collaboration with undergraduate researchers interested in sexual health education. These student researchers collected all the interview data and worked with senior researchers to analyze some of these data. Results: The themes that emerged from the interviews were around experiences with what students perceived as "fractured" sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge they received as children and adolescents. This knowledge shaped essential aspects of their identity as young adults and future healers. Data indicated unique processes implicated in how past as well as present socialization experiences learning about sex, sexuality, and reproduction positions undergraduates in health professions to see young adulthood as a journey of "catching up" on sexual knowledge but also as an ongoing experience of anticipation and planning influencing their career-building journey. Conclusions: The importance of sexual health literacy among healthcare professionals cannot be overstated, as it is vital in providing patient-centered and non-judgmental sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care and services. To date, there is a shortage of studies looking at the impact of sexual health knowledge on healthcare professionals. More research is needed on educational strategies that could be implemented at the intra-personal level to assist college-aged young adults in healthcare career tracks to "catch up" or "fill in the gaps" in their sexual education journey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of holistic admissions in higher education has been demonstrated to increase the diversity of incoming student classes; yet, in occupational therapy (OT) research, admissions processes remain under-explored. This phenomenological study aimed to explore the process of OT admissions from the perspective of students, faculty, and staff at a single OT program with the goal to create a more inclusive, equitable, and holistic process. Focus groups were conducted with first-year students, and an online survey was sent to faculty to explore perspectives on the admissions process, necessary qualities for an OT graduate student, and suggestions for increasing inclusion and equity in the admissions process. Several key themes emerged: the cost of applying, lack of uniformity across different institutions' admissions requirements, and preconceived notions of institutions; flexibility in admissions requirements, connections with the institution, and the need to recruit more diverse participants. Findings of this study are consistent with the literature regarding the use of holistic processes in graduate education, recommending less focus on student academic achievements and increased view of the student as a multifaceted individual with numerous talents. As a result, recommendations can be made to change admissions processes at this institution and in OT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic illnesses are conditions that last one year or more and require ongoing medical attention, limit activities of daily living, or both (Raghupathi & Raghupathi, 2018). Over 40% of school-aged children have at least one chronic health condition (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). Children with chronic illnesses may need accommodations to their learning environment and can be protected by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Some of the most common chronic illnesses impacting students include respiratory disorders, bleeding disorders, sickle cell anemia, and diabetes. The purpose of this article is to discuss common chronic health conditions and how physical educators and coaches can provide an environment in which children with chronic illnesses are safe and successful while participating in physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Valuable safeguards against fast‐spreading conjectures about learning in times of fear and uncertainty are evidence‐based approaches to the assessment of the impact of sudden and unforeseen disruptions on learning practices. The present research focused on physics learning in such times because conceptual and computational literacy in physics is critical to the development of a scientifically and technologically literate society. Objectives: The present research aimed (a) to offer an objective assessment of whether performance differences in a physics course of the general education curriculum existed between the face‐to‐face medium (familiar mode of instruction) and the online medium (unfamiliar mode of instruction) for both male and female students, and then (b) to develop a response to the evidence collected to ensure a quality education for all parties involved. The research intended to fill two critical gaps in the extant literature: mixed findings concerning students' performance in the face‐to‐face and online mediums as well as scarce coverage of specific domains of knowledge that are critical to STEM learners. Methods: Students' performance was examined as a function of the type of assessment (formative and summative), instructional mode (online and face‐to‐face), and gender. An understudied student population of STEM students of Middle Eastern descent without prior formal exposure to online instruction was targeted. Results and Conclusions: In both formative and summative assessments, male students performed better online than face‐to‐face, whereas the performance of female students was either higher online or equivalent between instructional mediums. The evidence collected suggested that consideration be given to remedies that foster academic success in the face‐to‐face instructional medium, particularly for male students. Takeaways: An evidence‐based approach to learning dismantled emotion‐driven expectations regarding the impact of the online medium on physics learning, and encouraged new perspectives about instruction. Lay Description: What is already known?: Ongoing debates on the impact of the pandemic on students' learning shape decisions regarding future reliance on the online medium for instruction. What this paper adds: The extant literature is mixed concerning performance in the face‐to‐face and online mediums, including particular domains of knowledge critical to STEM learning.This study focused on physics learning in an understudied population of STEM students who were unaccustomed to online instruction.Performance was higher online than face‐to‐face, but gender differences emerged. Implications for practice: Lessons learned focused on the flexibility of online learning and on the need to develop materials to enhance learning in males enrolled in face‐to‐face or hybrid/blended classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School principals play an invaluable role in schools', teachers', and students' success; therefore, it is of particular importance that we learn, through empirical research, about the factors related to recruiting and selecting school principals. This study critically reviewed 64 empirical literature studies that were published in the United States over the past 2 decades on the topic of principal recruitment and selection. The present study examined the characteristics of the individuals who apply and are selected to join the principal workforce, as well as the characteristics of the schools and/or districts that attract potential candidates. The topics identified in the review are gender, race, qualifications, and intrinsic motivation at the individual level, as well as school locale, student characteristics, financial incentives, working conditions, superintendents, and hiring practices at the organizational level. Though hiring is a two-way interactive process, the literature to date has paid little attention to the process and practices that lead to recruiting and hiring effective school leaders. This paper concludes with a discussion about the trends that are recognizable in the existing work on principal recruitment and selection, and the practice and policy implications of the study's review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports how high failure rates in the first quantitative course that college business majors take were significantly reduced by implementing course-embedded remediation. More specifically, this paper details our process for identifying students at risk, placing them in special sections of the first quantitative course, and adding an additional hour of application of course concepts which resulted in a statistically significant increase in pass rates. The study focused on the learning environment, the attitude of the student, the utility of the material and the role of the professor for this special course. We feel this research is timely, as many colleges in the United States consider removing entrance exams as a means of evaluation into higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on scientific modelling practices in science education has provided a fruitful discussion on how learners tend to view models vs. how and what they should think about them. One approach is to teach students that models are abstractions so that they do not view them as a copy of phenomena they represent. Although teaching students that models are abstractions is a successful strategy in modelling instruction, we still do not know how students engage in and work towards the process of abstraction while they develop a model to understand scientific ideas. This qualitative study examines how a group of undergraduate and graduate students in an upper-level ecosystem ecology course at a research university in the southeastern part of the United States engage in a task that requires constructing an abstract representation of how biogeochemical cycles work by using a specific approach to modelling, namely synthesis modelling. Data corpus entailed paired interviews with ten students and their artefacts. The findings centred upon four episodes regarding how students engage in abstraction through a synthesis approach to modelling as they make sense of the system of biogeochemical cycles: working with surface similarities, abstracting ideas, abstracting structures, and checking on model-source fit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In healthcare administration as well as a variety of health professions, interprofessional education (IPE) has become more widespread. Faculty in health professions programs work together to prepare students for collaborative practice in the workforce and the pursuit of the best outcomes for patients. With this, much of the focus of IPE is on clinical practices. The purpose of this article is to share the experience of three faculty members as they developed an under-graduate interprofessional health policy course. Students from three health programs experienced a braided model of policy content and student feedback is discussed, as well as faculty lessons learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pen-pal clubs (PPC) are used worldwide for students to learn about different cultures and other skillsets without the need for travel. Many medical students are interested in global health opportunities abroad but costs, scheduling, and other barriers allow few to participate in such experiences. It is important that medical students have nuanced global medical perspectives and can contribute to the global medical community. Objective: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that an international medical student PPC improves medical students' perspectives of cultural competency and global health engagement. Methods: In 2021, a novel medical student PPC was established that began between an American and Japanese medical school. Following a shareholders meeting, it was decided that the number of medical schools involved globally be expanded through previous institutional affiliations and online presences. In total, the club connected 50 American medical students and 52 medical students from 17 high- and middle-income countries. The primary form of communication was online; pen-pals were encouraged to communicate monthly using provided topics, although frequency and way of communication was their discretion. In February 2022, American PPC members were emailed a qualitative survey to assess the PPC's impact. Results: The survey was completed by 42% of American PPC members, 95% of which were 22-26 years. Participants were preclinical medical students, 60% whom were female and the majority either white (47%) or Asian (43%). Overall, the PPC positively influenced American medical students' perception of global medicine, medical education, and their cultural competency after joining the PPC compared to prior (P = 0.004). Conclusion: PPCs encourage medical students to think from a global perspective and foster open-mindedness within varying social and cultural contexts. Having a global communication platform for students during medical school education may be an additional way to train aspiring global leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examined the extent to which educators believe students with complex support needs (CSN) participate in and benefit from practices associated with school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS). We conducted a survey of 622 teachers in the United States and analyzed responses according to the implementation or absence of SWPBIS at the respondent's school. Our findings show (a) teachers working in SWPBIS schools have more knowledge of how to handle challenging behavior among students with CSN, (b) students with CSN who are taught in SWPBIS schools are more involved in SWPBIS-associated practices and the general education classroom, and (c) teachers believe students with CSN should be involved in SWPBIS-associated practices. Implications for practice and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low HPV vaccination rates among US Hispanics/Latinos remain a public health issue. This cross-sectional study investigated the perceived barriers and recommended sources related to HPV vaccination among 209 Hispanic/Latino college students in the United States. From a self-report questionnaire, barriers were insufficient provider recommendations and not having a regular care provider. Doctors, parents, and nurses were identified as the most effective sources for recommending HPV vaccination. Uncertain effectiveness was more likely to be reported as a barrier to HPV vaccination by participants who identified as Catholic. Participants born outside the U.S. were more likely to report "no recommendation received" and "not knowing where to get vaccine." Health care providers can promote HPV vaccination by acknowledging familial allegiances of Hispanic/Latino college students. The role of religion and cultural beliefs in HPV vaccination among Hispanics/Latinos underscores the need for further research in this area. Universities could be a place of HPV awareness initiatives, as having more formal education does not translate into having more HPV knowledge. To decrease HPV vaccination barriers, the home-based vaccination program could potentially impact HPV vaccine uptake among Hispanic/Latino populations and should be further explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Arts-based training programs can aid in building observational skills, communication, team building, and leadership through targeted analysis of works of art. Furthermore, arts-based training programs are unique in that they highlight non-technical skills (NTS). The goal of this study was to investigate the extent to which NTS were developed through an arts-based training program among entry-level occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) students. This study used a mixed methodological approach to analyze retrospective data. Quantitative analysis of the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) assessment was conducted. Qualitative analysis was completed through analysis of the participants’ reflection papers. Quantitative results (n = 69) from the KIMS show significance (p = 0.011; 0.013), and qualitative analysis (n = 32) resulted in five central themes: evolution of thinking, holistic approach, diverse perspective, lived reality of context, and development of NTS (collaboration, self-awareness, mindful of others, creativity, and effective communication). Quantitative and qualitative findings suggest arts-based training programs can improve students’ ability to reduce their bias through implementation of a mindfulness lens. Results and recommendations from this study can be used as an example for occupational therapy academic programs to implement an evidence-based teaching methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A growing body of research demonstrates that adapting the popular entertainment activity "escape rooms" for educational purposes as an innovative teaching method can improve the learning experience. Escape rooms promote teamwork, encourage analytical thinking, and improve problem solving. Despite the increasing development and use of escape rooms in health sciences programs and academic libraries, there is little literature on the use of this method in health sciences libraries with health professions students. Case Presentation: Staff at a health sciences library collaborated with faculty to incorporate escape rooms into library instruction in a variety of settings (in-person, hybrid, online) and formats (team, individual) with health professions students from various disciplines (optometry, pharmacy, medicine). The escape rooms described in this paper offered unique experiences for students through active learning. Discussion: Important considerations when planning escape rooms for health sciences library instruction include deciding on team-based or individual design, calculating potential costs in time and money, deciding on an in-person, hybrid, or online format, and determining whether grades should be assigned. Escape rooms can be an effective strategy for library instruction in the health sciences, working in multiple formats to bring game-based learning to a variety of health professions students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered public health vulnerabilities worldwide, particularly in the hard-hit USA. US public health professionals, regardless of role, may need to exercise leadership in both planned and unexpected situations. This model of practice outside of traditional roles, known as Public Health 3.0, requires adaptive leadership – a systems approach to making progress on complex challenges. Educational programs should improve students' adaptive leadership competency to prepare them for the public health workforce. This paper aims to provide an educational framework for implementing adaptive leadership instruction for undergraduate students. Design/methodology/approach: This paper used experiential and traditional instructional strategies and adaptive leadership competencies to develop a semester-length leadership course for undergraduate students in health, nursing, social science, business and education. Adaptive leadership principles were learned and practiced, preparing students for systemic challenges through the lens of Public Health 3.0. Competencies were assessed pre- and post-semester. Findings: Of 248 students, 72% were health professions majors. Students reported pre-post scores on 29 measures of competency, interest, learning and behavioral change. Quantitative evaluations identified statistically significant improvement in all domains. Additional quantitative feedback indicated improvement on the three Kirkpatrick levels of evaluation assessed (reaction, learning and behavior). Originality/value: Tiered evaluation methods indicated that this leadership course enhanced participants' self-reported adaptive leadership learning and competency, as well as intention and ability to translate learning into practice. A broad spectrum of competency development is needed for students entering practice in the Public Health 3.0 era, particularly related to pandemic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U.S. organizations seek to provide interns with positive socialization experiences such that their internships may lead to job offer acceptances. This study presents a process model examining how developmental relationships shape interns' experiences and outcomes. Utilizing a sample of 6,802 recent graduates from across 200 U.S. colleges and universities who completed an internship, the study found that supervisor support indirectly influences an intern's decision to accept a job offer through learning and intern satisfaction. Findings further show that interns benefit from developmental relationships such as mentors since mentor status buffered the decrements in learning when supervisor support was low. This study contributes to the growing internship literature that draws upon early socialization and newcomer adaptation by examining the critical role developmental relationships play in the experiences of interns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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INTRODUCTION E-cigarette use among youth and young adults remains of public health concern. Pod-based e-cigarettes, including JUUL, significantly changed the e-cigarette landscape in the US. Using an online survey, we explored the socio-behavioral correlates, predisposing factors, and addictive behaviors, among young adult pod-mod users within a University in Maryland, USA. METHODS In total, 112 eligible college students aged 18--24 years, recruited from a University in Maryland, who reported using pod-mods were included in this study. Participants were categorized into current/non-current users based on past- 30-day use. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze participants' responses. RESULTS The mean age of the survey participants was 20.5 ± 1.2 years, 56.3% were female, 48.2% White, and 40.2% reported past-30-day (current) use of pod-mods. The mean age of first experimentation with pod-mods was 17.8 ± 1.4 years, while the mean age of regular use was 18.5 ± 1.4 years, with the majority (67.9%) citing social influence as the reason for initiation. Of the current users, 62.2% owned their own devices, and 82.2% predominantly used JUUL and menthol flavor (37.8%). A significant proportion of current users (73.3%) reported buying pods in person, 45.5% of whom were aged <21 years. Among all participants, 67% had had a past serious quit attempt. Among them, 89.3% neither used nicotine replacement therapy nor prescription medications. Finally, current use (adjusted odds ratio, AOR=4.52; 95% CI: 1.76--11.64), JUUL use (AOR=2.56; 95% CI: 1.08-6.03), and menthol flavor (AOR=6.52; 95% CI: 1.38-30.89) were associated with reduced nicotine autonomy, a measure of addiction. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide specific data to inform the development of public health interventions targeted at college youth, including the need for more robust cessation support for pod-mod users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents qualitative findings about the search behaviors and research habits of students interviewed at six college and university campuses in the US. Our findings suggest that students’ strategies are influenced by both their non-academic search experiences as well as the broader academic context of their research tasks. Their behaviors suggest an on-going negotiation of these influences, evidenced by the ways they incorporate Google into their research strategy while still closely adhering to faculty instruction for using library resources. Students bring a strong sense of self-reliance to the research process, yet they still experience many barriers and pain points accessing library resources. We have included recommendations for librarians and faculty who, by better understanding the journey of an academic researcher, can work in concert to reduce the barriers and increase the success of students’ research efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women and racially minoritized college students report frequent experiences of being targets of gender and race-based microaggressions in the classroom context. However, while much research has focused on reports of experiences by targets, less is known about how observers would evaluate and make sense of these microaggressive experiences. Thus the present study used vignettes based on real-life situations to ascertain how 272 college students (76% White, 52% ciswomen) in the United States interpreted gender-based and intersectional microaggressions occurring in the classroom. Thematic analysis revealed that microaggressions were deemed acceptable when participants believed: (1) the situation humorous, (2) the instructor did not cause the situation, or (3) the stereotype/statement to be true. Microaggressions were evaluated negatively when: (1) the topic was deemed sensitive, (2) the classroom was perceived as unsuitable, or the instructor was seen as: (3) making students uncomfortable, (4) being defensive, or (5) teaching misinformation. The findings highlight the complexity involved in observers evaluating and interpreting gender-based and intersectional microaggressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Informational graphics and data representations (e.g., charts and figures) are critical for accessing educational content. Novel technologies, such as the multimodal touchscreen which displays audio, haptic, and visual information, are promising for being platforms of diverse means to access digital content. This work evaluated educational graphics rendered on a touchscreen compared to the current standard for accessing graphical content. Method: Three bar charts and geometry figures were evaluated on student (N = 20) ability to orient to and extract information from the touchscreen and print. Participants explored the graphics and then were administered a set of questions (11–12 depending on graphic group). In addition, participants' attitudes using the mediums were assessed. Results: Participants performed statistically significantly better on questions assessing information orientation using the touchscreen than print for both bar chart and geometry figures. No statistically significant difference in information extraction ability was found between mediums on either graphic type. Participants responded significantly more favorably to the touchscreen than the print graphics, indicating them as more helpful, interesting, fun, and less confusing. Discussion: Accessing and orienting to information was highly successful by participants using the touchscreen, and was the preferred means of accessing graphical information when compared to the print image for both geometry figures and bar charts. This study highlights challenges in presenting graphics both on touchscreens and in print. Implications for Practitioners: This study offers preliminary support for the use of multimodal, touchscreen tablets as educational tools. Student ability using touchscreen-based graphics seems to be comparable to traditional types of graphics (large print and embossed, tactile graphics), although further investigation may be necessary for tactile graphic users. In summary, educators of students with blindness and visual impairments should consider ways to utilize new technologies, such as touchscreens, to provide more diverse access to graphical information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current health system workforce in the United States does not reflect the population it serves, particularly among its leadership ranks. Healthcare management education programs can help to shift this paradigm by implementing systematic diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts to effectively recruit, retain and support students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Recognizing the potential role of alumni as a resource in supporting these efforts, we conducted an exploratory survey of early graduates of five graduate programs' early careerists. Our findings suggest that despite visible DEIB efforts, nearly half of graduates do not feel that their programs adequately prepared them for the DEIB challenges they face in the field. More positively, our findings suggest that alumni play a significant role in supporting students, and other alumni generally, and are a willing and potentially untapped resource for programs in advancing DEIB efforts. Specific examples include mentoring, guest speaking, and networking both generally to share insights from their "real world" experiences and through intentional efforts to connect alumni with students, or other alumni, with similar lived experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: An estimated 38 million people are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) worldwide. Pharmacists are well positioned to provide care to patients with HIV, but gaps in HIV education among pharmacists exist. Recognizing the need to educate and prepare future pharmacists, a 2-credit advanced HIV elective course was created for Doctor of Pharmacy students at Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in the United States, and Masters of Clinical Pharmacy students from University of Western Cape School of Pharmacy in South Africa. Methods: Course topics included diagnosis and treatment of HIV in children and adults, management of common comorbidities, pre-exposure prophylaxis, pharmacogenetic applications, and antiretroviral drug-drug interactions. Course effectiveness was evaluated using student examination results. Student perceptions were evaluated using pre- and post-course self-assessments involving abilities, confidence, and attitudes toward caring for people living with HIV. Results: Student pharmacists demonstrated competency in HIV knowledge, demonstrated skills in application to clinical-based scenarios, and reported significantly improved confidence and abilities as well as positive changes in attitudes toward people with HIV. Conclusion: This course contributed to student learning across different student cohorts in an institutional program in the United States including successful execution of distance learning and clinical application for students at a program in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of pharmacy students toward marijuana use. Methods: Pharmacy students were asked to complete a survey that assess students' knowledge, attitudes, and awareness toward marijuana use. This study also compared students' awareness about the harmful effects of marijuana in comparing with alcohol and smoking tobacco. Participants were asked about the possibilities of marijuana-induced cancer and addiction. Results: Twenty-three percent of pharmacy students reported having used marijuana at some point in their lives. In comparison with tobacco and alcohol, most of the students agreed that tobacco (49%) and alcohol (42%) are more harmful than marijuana (P <.0001). More than sixty percent of students considered marijuana as an addictive substance (P <.02). A 45% of students opposed the possibility of marijuana-induced cancer. Thirty-six percent of the students agreed that marijuana should be legalized for both medical and recreational use with a similar percentage of the students (30 – 32%) believed that marijuana should be legalized for medical use only. Conclusion: With the prevalence of marijuana use and discrepancy among pharmacy students' responses regarding knowledge, attitudes, and awareness pharmacy schools need to adopt educational activities about the benefits and risks of marijuana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college-aged populations. This study examined the association of demographics (sexual orientation, gender identity, age, and race), sexual assault, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and alcohol use with suicidality, current urge to self-harm, and current suicidal intent among a diverse sample of college students (n = 2,160) from two universities. Over half of participants reported any suicidality (63.5%), 12% reported current urge to harm themselves, and 5% reported current suicidal intent. A linear regression indicated that participants who identified as a sexual minority, gender minority, consumed more drinks per week, and had more severe PTSS reported higher levels of suicidality. University also was associated with suicidality. A negative binomial regression demonstrated that participants who identified as a sexual minority and had more severe PTSS had more current urge to harm themselves. Further, a negative binomial regression demonstrated that first-generation college students, students with more severe sexual assault histories, and students with more severe PTSS had higher current suicidal intent. Findings suggest that risk factors may differ for college students' general suicidality, self-harm urges, and suicidal intent, suggesting that these may be separate constructs. More comprehensive models, incorporating multiple risk factors and multiple ways of assessing suicidality, are needed to better understand the range of college student suicidal behavior and risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose: This brief paper will provide preliminary insight into an institutions effort to help students understand the application of the scientific method as it applies to the business discipline through the creation of a dedicated, required course added to the curriculum of a mid-Atlantic minority-serving institution. In order to determine whether the under-consideration course satisfies designated student learning outcomes, an assessment regime was initiated that included examination of rubric data as well as the administration of a student perception survey. This paper summarizes the results of the early examination of the efficacy of the course under consideration. Background: A small, minority-serving, university located in the United States conducted an assessment and determined that students entering a department of business following completion of their general education science requirements had difficulties transferring their understanding of the scientific method to the business discipline. Accordingly, the department decided to create a unique course offered to sophomore standing students titled Principles of Scientific Methods in Business. The course was created by a group of faculty with input from a twenty person department. Methodology: Rubrics used to assess a course term project were collected and analyzed in Microsoft Excel to measure student satisfaction of learning goals and a student satisfaction survey was developed and administered to students enrolled in the course under consideration to measure perceived course value. Contribution: While the scientific method applies across the business and information disciplines, students often struggle to envision this application. This paper explores the implications of a course specifically purposed to engender the development and usage of logical and scientific reasoning skills in the business discipline by students in the lower level of an bachelors degree program. The information conveyed in this paper hopefully makes a contribution in an area where there is still an insufficient body of research and where additional exploration is needed. Findings: For two semesters rubrics were collected and analyzed representing the inclusion of 53 students. The target mean for the rubric was a 2.8 and the overall achieved mean was a 2.97, indicating that student performance met minimal expectations. Nevertheless, student deficiencies in three crucial areas were identified. According to the survey findings, as a result of the class students had a better understanding of the scientific method as it applies to the business discipline, are now better able to critically assess a problem, feel they can formulate a procedure to solve a problem, can test a problem-solving process, have a better understanding of how to formulate potential business solutions, understand how potential solutions are evaluated, and understand how business decisions are evaluated. Conclusion: Following careful consideration and discussion of the preliminary findings, the course under consideration was significantly enhanced. The changes were implemented in the fall of 2020 and initial data collected in the spring of 2021 is indicating measured improvement in student success as exhibited by higher rubric scores. Recommendations for Practitioners: These initial findings are promising and while considering student success, especially as we increasingly face a greater and greater portion of under-prepared students entering higher education, initiatives to build the higher order thinking skills of students via transdisciplinary courses may play an important role in the future of higher education. Recommendations for Researchers: Additional studies of transdisciplinary efforts to improve student outcomes need to be explored through collection and evaluation of rubrics used to assess student learning as well as by measuring student perception of the efficacy of these efforts. Impact on Society: Society needs more graduates who leave universities ready to solve problems critically, strategically, and with scientific reasoning. Future Research: This study was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it is resuming in late 2021 and it is the hope that a robust and detailed paper, with more expansive findings will eventually be generated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flipped classroom models encourage student autonomy and reverse the order of traditional classroom content such as lectures and assignments. Virtual learning environments are ideal for executing flipped classroom models to improve critical thinking skills. This paper provides health professions faculty with guidance on developing a virtual flipped classroom in online graduate nutrition courses between September 2021 and January 2022 at the School of Health Professions, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey. Examples of pre-class, live virtual face-to-face, and post-class activities are provided. Active learning, immediate feedback, and enhanced student engagement in a flipped classroom may result in a more thorough synthesis of information, resulting in increased critical thinking skills. This article describes how a flipped classroom model design in graduate online courses that incorporate virtual face-to-face class sessions in a virtual learning environment can be utilized to promote critical thinking skills. Health professions faculty who teach online can apply the examples discussed to their online courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss of a dedicated study area due to the transition to remote instruction during COVID-19 disproportionately affected students who had no place for academic work within the home that was free of distraction. This paper describes the creation of an online guide designed to help students re-create the library experience from home to better focus on schoolwork. It also outlines how other librarians can similarly support distance or commuter students with materials already on hand. These resources include library photographs for use as background images or screen savers on students' devices, audio that can be played as ambient noise, and stress reduction and mindfulness aids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The authors examined a tablet computer application (iPad app) for its effectiveness in helping students studying pre-algebra to solve mathematical word problems. Methods: Forty-three visually impaired students (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) completed eight alternating mathematics units presented using their traditional literacy medium or an iPad app. Twenty percent of the mathematics problems included graphics such as maps, line graphs, and bar graphs. During each session, teachers of visually impaired students rated the amount of support they provided for students and the student motivation. Results: Students answered more mathematics problems correctly when using the iPad app and, overall, teachers reported that their students were more motivated with the app than with their traditional literacy medium. Students often used the hints provided in the app when they did not solve a problem correctly the first time. Discussion: Visually impaired students and their teachers found the app and graphics to be easy to use and motivating. The built-in Scratch pad was used by almost all students who were print users. Implications for practitioners: The study results contribute to the growing body of knowledge about the potential value of tablet-type devices for use by visually impaired students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative research study investigates students' perspectives on the mandatory conversion to online classes due to COVID-19. In particular, this study explores (1) students' struggles with conversion of class to online, (2) students' likes of converted online class, (3) students' dislikes of converted online class, 4) students' happiness toward converted online classes, and (5) students' recommendations on ways to improve online classes. The study was conducted at three universities in the southeastern region of the United States. The major findings of the study are (1) almost 80 percent of students reported struggles when class was converted to online, (2) 88 percent of students reported dislikes about class being converted to online, and (3) 86 percent of students were happier when class met on campus. The top three struggles for students in converted to online classes were learning course materials, time management, and adjusting to changes in the course. The top three dislikes from students in converted to online classes were lack of interaction with professor and classmates, not being able to ask questions, and the course material was harder to learn online. Students did report some likes about class being converted to online such as more convenient, more flexible, responsive instructors, more time, and savings on gas and transportation costs. Overall, the research study found both positive and negative reactions from students when their classes were converted to online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on social psychological research on individual bias, this article uses the concept of "perceived blameworthiness" to investigate whether Black and Latino boys are perceived by teachers as being more culpable, or "blameworthy," than White boys for objectively identical, routine classroom misbehavior at school. To isolate teacher bias from true differences in behavior, I use an original video experiment involving 1,339 teachers in 295 U.S. schools. Teachers in the experiment are randomly assigned to view and respond to a video of a White, Black, or Latino boy committing identical misbehavior. I find that Black boys experience teacher blaming bias, where they are perceived as being more "blameworthy" than White boys for identical misbehavior. Results for Latino boys are directionally similar to those for Black boys but do not reach statistical significance. Findings have implications for racialized assessments of behavior across a range of evaluative contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of both formative and summative assessment in Taiwan and the United States. The focus is on the comparisons between undergraduate and graduate students and between U.S. and Taiwanese students in their attitudes toward the use of assessment in higher education. Responses from 349 undergraduate and graduate students from Taiwan and 97 undergraduate and graduate students from a large city in the United States were used for chi-square test, multivariate analysis of variance, and independent samples t-test. The two groups of students were comparable with respect to the distribution of gender and grade level. Results suggest no statistically significant difference with respect to the forms of assessment: selfassessment, peer assessment, and teacher assessment. As for the tools of assessment, attendance, class participation, homework, reading report, quizzes and exams were used more often in the classrooms in Taiwan whereas learning diary, essays, display, and projects were used more often in the United States. Students in Taiwan also agreed more to use a combination of all forms of assessments in comparison to their American counterparts. As for the contents of assessment, students in Taiwan endorsed more on the perception that assessments should include aspects of cognition, skill, and attitude. Results from this study provided information about the use of formative and summative assessment in Taiwan and the United States and student perspectives of its use. Findings from this study might be helpful for the U.S. and Taiwanese instructors to learn from each other and to meet their students’ expectations in the use of assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an assumption in education that allowing students to choose their writing topics and positions is beneficial; however, there is little research to support this belief, particularly from the students' perspectives. In the present study, we conducted 20 semistructured interviews with students at a large university in the Southwest of the United States after they completed two in-class argumentative writing assignments in a course on exceptional children, one where they chose their writing position and one where they were assigned their writing position. As a group, these 20 students (13 female, 7 male) were above average writers in their first to third year of study, and the majority of them were education majors (70%), followed by arts and sciences (25%), and design and the arts (5%). The interview protocol focused upon their shifting perspectives on the underlying motivational construct of choice related to this and other writing assignments. Taking a grounded theory approach to thematic analysis, findings indicated that having choice in writing was important because it allowed students to write about topics that they find easier, more interesting, and possess greater knowledge. Choice also allowed students to demonstrate their autonomy, which they believed, influenced their motivation and writing quality/grades. While the university students in this study generally preferred choice, a majority of them identified benefits of not choosing, including opportunities to improve writing tenacity, enhance their writing skills, and achieve new perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth are inactive in today's world. Integrating autonomy, competence, and relatedness into Physical Education objectives to provide optimally challenging tasks for students may be an effective approach to making them love physical activity. Optimal challenge, or the challenge level of the task matches the student's competence, can provide them with the greatest sense of competence, satisfaction, and/or pleasure. It presents one adaptive intrinsic goal of motivation in Self-Determination Theory. Participation in optimally challenging situations can give students a sense of mastery, enhance their conceptions of competence, and lead to enjoyment, thus, increasing intrinsic motivation. The purpose of this article is to encourage physical educators to introduce opportunities for students to experience optimal challenges and, thereby, offer students the chance to feel the rewards of being self-regulated and intrinsically motivated. This article shares one tool, miMove, that many teachers have used successfully throughout virtual teaching to engage students in more physical activity. Physical educators could use this mobile APP to better understand how students perceive their own learning and integrate student choice and learner-centered pedagogical strategies. Consequently, it offers students opportunities to explore their own understanding of content, introduces autonomy, and stimulates students' ability to connect to content authentically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]