Search

Pre-enrolment self-assessments are a promising way to address student commitment and retention in an early stage. Such assessments aim to inform study decisions by evoking reflection and providing advice for further preparation. Though these assessments require a solid validation process, so far the consequential validity aspect tends to be ignored. To address this gap, the current study investigates self-assessment impact on study choice certainty and enrolment as well as self-assessment fairness. Prospective students (N = 662) orienting towards studying in higher online education took a self-assessment consisting of six subtests. The impact appeared in line with the assessment's purpose for 68.9% of the prospective students: their study choice certainty was adapted or remained unchanged in accordance with their obtained scores. Study choice certainty after the self-assessment related positively to enrolment probability. Additionally, the impact appeared fair (similar across subgroups), though men's study choice certainty appeared relatively robust against unfavourable scores.

The results of a reflective survey, used for program evaluation, demonstrate how EdD scholars used their learning about Improvement Science as an insightful lifeline and for practical guidance within their professional practice in an uncertain time. Scholars imparted valuable information to EdD faculty about the strains and challenges they were under. Faculty, in turn, enhanced their choice of content and approaches to teaching about how to manage actionable change and becoming a more reflective and resilient practitioner. In CPED-influenced programs such as ours, this exchange of learning is ongoing and natural, as scholars pitch up problems of practice in need of immediate progress and improvement--sharing insights into strategies (successful or failed)--with faculty. Program learning and enhancements, in light of our students' lived experience and learnings, are discussed. We conclude with guidance about tools and procedures to navigate turbulence in educational systems.

The researchers aimed to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing education through semi-structured interviews with undergraduate nursing students. The researchers explored themes related to online education, clinical placements, and mental health. Findings revealed that the sudden shift to online learning caused increased stress, and decreased confidence. Clinical placements were affected, leading to missed time and altered learning experiences. Mental health suffered as students faced stressors and challenges brought on by the pandemic. These interviews elucidate the challenges faced by nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide valuable information for future planning in nursing education during crises. [Articles in this journal were presented at the University of Calgary Conference on Postsecondary Learning and Teaching.]

Abstract Background Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women in the developed world. In order to find developing cancers in an early stage, BC screening is commonly used. In Flanders, screening is performed in and outside an organized breast cancer screening program (BCSP). However, the determinants of BC screening coverage for both screening strategies are yet unknown. Objective To assess the determinants of BC screening coverage in Flanders. Methods Reimbursement data were used to attribute a screening status to each woman in the target population for the years 2008–2016. Yearly coverage data were categorized as screening inside or outside BCSP or no screening. Data were clustered by municipality level. A generalized linear equation model was used to assess the determinants of screening type. Results Over all years and municipalities, the median screening coverage rate inside and outside BCSP was 48.40% (IQR: 41.50–54.40%) and 14.10% (IQR: 9.80–19.80%) respectively. A higher coverage rate outside BSCP was statistically significantly (P

Abstract Background We examined 15 years of key performance indicators (KPIs) of the population-based mammography screening programme (PMSP) in Flanders, Belgium. Methods Individual screening data were linked to the national cancer registry to obtain oncological follow-up. We benchmarked crude KPI results against KPI-targets set by the European guidelines and KPI results of other national screening programmes. Temporal trends were examined by plotting age-standardised KPIs against the year of screening and estimating the Average Annual Percentage Change (AAPC). Results PMSP coverage increased significantly over the period of 15 years (+ 7.5% AAPC), but the increase fell to + 1.6% after invitation coverage was maximised. In 2016, PMSP coverage was at 50.0% and opportunistic coverage was at 14.1%, resulting in a total coverage by screening of 64.2%. The response to the invitations was 49.8% in 2016, without a trend. Recall rate decreased significantly (AAPC -1.5% & -5.0% in initial and subsequent regular screenings respectively) while cancer detection remained stable (AAPC 0.0%). The result was an increased positive predictive value (AAPC + 3.8%). Overall programme sensitivity was stable and was at 65.1% in 2014. In initial screens of 2015, the proportion of DCIS, tumours stage II+, and node negative invasive cancers was 18.2, 31.2, and 61.6% respectively. In subsequent regular screens of 2015, those proportions were 14.0, 24.8, and 65.4% respectively. Trends were not significant. Conclusion Besides a suboptimal attendance rate, most KPIs in the Flemish PMSP meet EU benchmark targets. Nonetheless, there are several priorities for further investigation such as a critical evaluation of strategies to increase screening participation, organising a biennial radiological review of interval cancers, analysing the effect that preceding opportunistic screening has on the KPI for initial screenings, and efforts to estimate the impact on breast cancer mortality.

Algorithmic systems such as Learning Analytics (LA) are driving the datafication and algorithmization of education. In this research, we focus on the appropriateness of LA systems from the perspective of parents and students in secondary education. Anchored in the contextual integrity framework (Nissenbaum, "Washington Law Review, 79," 41, 2004), we conducted two survey studies (N[subscript students]=277, N[subscript parents]=1013) in Flanders to investigate how they evaluate the appropriateness of the data flows in LA systems, and how both populations differ in their evaluations. The results show that the most-used student-centered LA are perceived less appropriate than the less-used teacher-centered LA by both students and parents. The usage of personal characteristics in LA is perceived as least appropriate, in contrast to coarser class characteristics. Sharing insights of LA with institutions that are part of the traditional educational context, such as the school, is seen as the most appropriate, and more appropriate than sharing it with learning platforms or third parties (e.g., Big Tech). Overall, we found that parents evaluated the different elements of the dataflows embedded in LA as less appropriate than students. In the discussion, we argue that educational institutions should include the evaluation of both parents and students to further manage expectations and construct shared norms and practices when implementing LA in education.informa

Intuitive conceptions based on cognitive biases (teleology, anthropomorphism, and essentialism) often prove helpful in everyday life while simultaneously being problematic in scientific contexts. Nonetheless, students often have intuitive conceptions of scientific topics such as evolution. As potential approaches to enable students to self-regulate their conceptions in the context of evolution, we investigated the effectiveness of two instructional approaches that are based on metacognition and self-regulated learning: (a) a formative criteria-referenced self-assessment of one's conceptions and (b) instruction on conditional metaconceptual knowledge (metacognitive knowledge about why and in which contexts specific conceptions are appropriate or not). We conducted an experimental intervention study using a 2 × 2 factorial (plus an additional control group), pre-post-follow-up-test design in German upper secondary level biology classes (N = 730). The groups that received one or both interventions had higher conceptual knowledge (i.e., used less intuitive conceptions and/or more scientific conceptions) afterward than those whose conceptions were not addressed: The self-assessment resulted in higher use of scientific conceptions; the instruction on conditional metaconceptual knowledge additionally resulted in lower use of intuitive conceptions based on cognitive biases, more reported thought processes relating to inhibition of cognitive biases, and a better ability to identify inappropriate phrasing based on cognitive biases. No effects were found on students' self-reported metaconceptual awareness and regulation. However, the fact that students inhibited their intuitive conceptions in the post-test indicates that they were indeed metaconceptually aware of and self-regulated their conceptions. The results suggest that students can be taught to become aware of the differences between intuitive and scientific conceptions and to regulate the use of their intuitive conceptions in a scientific context.