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Practitioners of the statistics course embedded in a computer science programme at a fully online university were concerned with the high dropout rate. In the academic year 2018–19, they decided to carry out a two-phase project in order to address this issue. In the first phase, an early classifier to identify students at risk of dropping out of the 2018–19 statistics course was determined. The second phase was planned to design and implement an early intervention based on the results of the first phase. This article presents the analysis of this intervention. In the 2019–20 online statistics course, 35 students did not submit the first few quizzes before the respective deadlines. They were the target of this intervention, which gave them the chance to change their recent past by submitting the unsubmitted quizzes. Students were encouraged to change by means of an email message. The aim of the intervention was to reduce the dropout rate among the targeted students. Our analysis also includes the students' perception of the intervention collected via a set of interviews. The results show that the intervention clearly had a beneficial effect for some students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a world characterized by its cultural diversity, religion influences the beliefs, interpretations, actions and behaviors of many people. This study analyzes attitudes toward religious diversity among students of the Degree in Social Work at the University of Alicante (Spain), as well as their perceptions of the relationship between religion and Social Work. The study also analyzes associations between these students' attitudes and perceptions and their biographical and contextual variables. Thus, the study's design was of a descriptive and explanatory quantitative nature, and univariate and bivariate. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire comprised of nominal, ordinal and scale variables. 270 students participated, with an average age of 21.2 (SD = 4.57; range: 17–56), and most were women (86%). The results show that, in general, students harbor favorable attitudes toward religious diversity, especially the right to religious freedom, as well as toward public guarantees of religious freedom and equal treatment of people of all faiths. Regarding the relationship between religion and Social Work, students' perceptions vary depending on their own characteristics. These results are relevant in the context of a discipline that, from a theoretical and professional point of view, has responsibilities in terms of cultural diversity management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflecting team is a structured and guided method for peer collaborative reflection on critical incidents in teaching. The present evaluation study combining quantitative and qualitative data investigates the perceived usefulness and central insights associated with the participation in a reflecting team session. This method was implemented among three groups of teachers in Germany: student teachers, school teachers, and higher education teachers. All three groups reported high levels of perceived usefulness of the method and provided insights into their central experiences in connection with the reflecting team. Differences between the three groups in terms of perceived usefulness and central insights of peer reflection stem from participants' distinct organizational and educational contexts and show various ways of how teachers can derive benefits from the reflecting team method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we explore the drivers of students' success in a first-year university statistics course. Using a unique sample from Westminster International University in Tashkent, we discover that student engagement with their studies is reflected in their class attendance and in the use of online resources, which continue to play an important role in their academic performance. Moreover, we discovered that socio-demographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, employment, and language of instruction of prior schooling are significant in explaining student academic outcomes. These factors have important policy implications for both the university and the broader national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on statistical analysis of the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) international student data from 1998 to 2014, we provide the first detailed analysis of UK international doctoral student data (and the gaps therein). We highlight missing and ambiguous data and develop the profiles of these students, with a particular focus on gender, discipline, destination university, source of funding and country of origin. We argue that the current marketized system of international higher education coupled with a national focus on equality has largely limited the social composition of international doctoral students to those who are: academically capable; and either financially able to pay international tuition fees and subsistence in the UK (for them and their families) or capable of securing overseas funding, primarily from national governments. We conclude by reflecting on the implications of this for the internationalisation of research and knowledge production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) has been extensively adapted worldwide, work on the generalizability of the original English BRS to Asian populations remains limited. This research evaluated the psychometric properties of the English BRS through two studies with Singaporean undergraduate freshmen (Study 1 n = 839; Study 2 n = 1,068) using Rasch analyses. Seven key areas (dimensionality, item properties, person responses, targeting, reliability, item bias and rating scale functioning) were investigated for validity evidence of the BRS based on test content, response processes and internal structure. Results from both studies consistently support the English BRS as an adequately valid tool to provide invariant interval measures of resilience in Singaporean university students, although future refinements of the BRS may consider additional items at higher difficulty levels for better targeting and distinction of resilience levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education has been in a financially precarious position for many years – facing either a total transformation or elimination. Tuition increases and fewer college-age students from shifting demographics are primary reasons for the financial distress. Alternative financial stability models have assumed linear variable relationships and improperly calculate the probability of default. Stakeholders have historically relied upon models such as those developed by Edmit and the Department of Education which are inadequate at separating financially sound from unsound universities. We used an Automated Machine Learning approach utilizing multiple models to explain the relationship between metrics and the probability of default/closure allowing for more informed managerial decisions. This research, although applied to the homogeneous group of small liberal arts universities, can be applied to online and state universities and will allow the opportunity to take preventive steps to mitigate the likelihood of closing due to financial distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), one of the most influential tools of global education reform discourses in the 21st century. The study focuses on the governing role of statistical data in the discourse constructed by the international comparative assessment, referring to the global educational governance of the OECD. Disturbingly, the systematic collection and distribution of data does not merely quantify student achievement. Rather, students and participating countries are also qualified and classified. Here, OECD's PISA statistics act as a governing technology enabling the comparisons; through PISA's statistics, the OECD has largely fostered the test-driven education reform trends worldwide. In this study, statistical data are examined as political instruments visualizing intangible concepts, constructing definitions of good practice and improvement, and fabricating the individuals whose knowledge and skills are normalized. In conclusion, it is necessary to rethink the new sociopolitical instrument – PISA's statistics – not as a master rationale to reform the educational system of each country, but as a mere reference point based on the system's distinctiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underrepresented minority (URM) faculty hold about 10% of tenured positions, despite URM comprising more than 30% of the United States population; thus, disparities remain in the recruitment, development, retention and promotion of diverse faculty in large part because of a lack of mentoring. Research suggests that mentoring from senior URM faculty will lower URM faculty attrition rates and lead to success in tenure and promotion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a mentoring program for new URM faculty in the areas of teaching, advising, research, service, and mastery of subject matter. New URM faculty were matched with URM mentors and received monthly virtual mentoring. Results demonstrated substantial growth in each area post-program, with statistically significant outcomes in the areas of teaching and advising. Faculty reported substantial benefits including sharing experiences, relationship building, lessened feelings of isolation, and increased knowledge of tenure and promotion expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To support students' motivation towards constructive and persistent study efforts, their learning environment needs attention. To develop knowledge about occupational therapy students' perceptions of the learning environment and assess whether identified differences between education programs were stable or changed across the 3 years of study. Norwegian occupational therapy students completed the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) while in their first, second, and third years of study. Differences between programs were analysed with multivariate and univariate analysis of variance. Among the first-year students, perceptions of the learning environment differed significantly between the six programs on five out of six scales. Apart from a continued difference on overall study satisfaction, the initial differences were no longer significant 1 year later. Differences on three scales (emphasis on independence, appropriate workload, and generic skills) were present in the third year of study. Students' perceptions of the learning environment became more similar over time, during the first 2 years of study, possibly reflecting that the students have become more accustomed to the student role and to the culture and requirements of the education programs. However, differences between study sites re-occurring in the third year suggest that group-based comparisons of learning environment perceptions across time may be inconclusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competence in statistics is a fundamental component of a biological scientist's toolbox. However, anxiety often affects undergraduate students' development of this competence and research has shown that perceived self-efficacy for statistics is correlated to academic performance. Self-efficacy may be promoted by reducing anxiety , and also allowing students to practice their skills in groups to model approaches used and obtain peer feedback. We undertook action research to investigate how a change in teaching method to team-based learning (TBL) affected our students. The first iteration of the teaching with Year 2 students led us to change our delivery to allow more time for teamworking for the next iteration with Year 1 students. We found that some measures of self-efficacy were correlated with a post-TBL summative test performance of Year 1 and Year 2 students. However, Year 1 students were less positive about TBL. This corroborated quantitative findings revealing that they had lower collective efficacy than Year 2 students, despite teams performing as well during formatively assessed TBL. We draw on self-efficacy theory to better understand why students perceive and report differing learning experiences, and to make recommendations for designing teaching and learning that helps build their self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quantitative study was undertaken to investigate the accessibility of an undergraduate foundation statistics module for business and management students over four consecutive years, before and after the adoption of a flipped classroom teaching approach for a large cohort (∼ 500 students per year). Students' module feedback questionnaires, exam scores, basic student demographics and online engagement and attendance data were analysed. Those taught using the flipped classroom approach found the module significantly more interesting and the proportion of students who perceived the module to be difficult was roughly half that under the traditional teaching approach. However, there was no evidence of a difference in exam performance, class attendance or online engagement under the two teaching approaches. Perceptions of the flipped classroom differed according to gender, nationality and reported prior maths training, but the flipped classroom appears to enhance the student experience by making a traditionally difficult subject feel more accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the impact of a peer-tutoring program on academic performance among first-year students. The sample consisted of 102 first-year students from four-degree programs at a Spanish University. The academic performance was measured through the official student Academic reports. The assignment of the students to the experimental group (N = 51) and control group (N = 51) was done randomly. The intervention consisted of 20 highly structured individual weekly tutoring sessions delivered by senior and doctoral students, previously trained in three training sessions. The results show moderate effects' size and statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental group in the total academic course, as well as in the fall and spring semesters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study assesses the prevalence of physical, psychological, sexual, and cyber forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) among female college students, and associated mental health and academic outcomes. Participants: Participants (n = 6,818) were randomly selected female students attending one of eight campuses of a University System in the Southwest. Their mean age was 25, and 45% identified as Hispanic/Latina. Data collection concluded in November of 2015. Methods: Students completed anonymous online surveys of behavioral-specific measures assessing victimization and potential impacts. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple regression analyses were employed. Results: Since enrollment, 31% had experienced IPV. Significant correlations were observed between severity of IPV and extent of PTSD, depression, school disengagement, and academic impacts. Higher levels of psychological, sexual, and cyber violence were associated with increased PTSD and depression symptoms. Conclusion: IPV is a significant indicator of mental health and academic impacts, meriting attention from Institutions of Higher Education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, students’ thinking modes and representation types in linear algebra are investigated through statistical implicative analysis techniques. Specifically, our research question considers the implicative relationships between students’ thinking modes and representation types of linear algebra. The participants were 74 undergraduate linear algebra students enrolled in the department of mathematics education of a government university located in western Turkey. The data was collected using six paper-and-pencil tasks, relating to a context of linear equations, matrix algebra, linear combination, span, linear independency-dependency and basis. A document analysis technique was used to analyze the data within a theoretical lens of thinking modes and representation types. To delineate similarity diagrams, hierarchical trees, and implicative models (which will be detailed in the paper), an R version of Cohesion Hierarchical Implicative Classification software was used. According to the results, students’ analytic structural thinking modes on linear combination and span and linear independency significantly imply the use of algebraic and abstract representations. The results also confirm that the notions of linear combination and span and linear dependency/independency are core elements for theoretical thinking and are needed for learning linear algebra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of quality in Higher Education is multidimensional. Higher Education administration, programs, procedures and evaluation provide the context for the application and diffusion of quality metrics. Our research intends to provide a holistic discussion on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to quality in Higher Education. The analysis of recent literature resulted in the construction of two research tools. The first one is related to a structured agenda for a qualitative interview targeted at Higher Education administrators. The second is related to a quantitative research model that analyses the relations of various quality factors. We provide a mapping of quality perceptions as discussed in previous work and we construct a theoretical model for the affordances of scholars to this perception. The research design includes interviews with academic administrators and teaching staff involved in the creation of academic programmes and courses. The main contribution is an analytic discussion of their perceptions about quality that updates significantly contemporary literature in interesting dimensions. Three-dimensional value space with twenty factors is presented. The outcomes of this research work are used as input for our quantitative study. In fact, a list of 20 quality factors is exploited in three main dimensions of learning analytics namely: content, process and engagement. Key Performance Indicators are highlighted for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to draw attention to the phenomenon of the academic diversity of students studying at universities and to articulate a research agenda for studying this phenomenon and its relationship with the university administration. We conducted a review of the existing literature and statistical data about Russia, which has allowed us to identify a range of possible reasons for why academic diversity is on the rise at universities and to offer a set of basic conditions for determining its level. The article first analyzes academic diversity as a contextual variable together with the organizational characteristics of the universities. We demonstrate its importance for university administration. The author also provides a range of theoretical frameworks that can be used to analyze university administration in the context of high academic diversity. A more detailed study of administrative practices at universities is needed as a follow-up to this article. The results of this study may be used to expand the existing research agenda in higher education as well as to analyze and plan measures at specific universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of an analytical study that explores the development patterns of universities that participate in the Russian Academic Excellence Initiative (the 5–100 Project) in terms of their financing structure, their priority development areas, and the trends for key performance indicators. By using statistical methods, including cluster analysis, we have attempted to establish the development patterns of universities that are participating in the project from various angles. Our analysis was based on data from the Monitoring Study of the Performance of Institutions of Higher Education conducted by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation as well as planned and actual indicators from the development road maps of the participating universities. The cluster analysis of universities was conducted at two main turning points during the project: the launch of the project in 2013 and the launch of its second phase in 2015. We have also factored in performance data from the last year available for analysis (2016). As a result, we were able to identify patterns in the financing structure of the universities participating in the 5–100 Project and patterns in their actual development while taking into account the main indicators from their development road maps. We were also able to identify four comprehensive development patterns on the basis of the results of the cluster analysis. In addition, the identified development patterns were compared with trends in how universities have been advancing through the rankings. The obtained results can be used in future studies of the performance of universities participating in the 5–100 Project and similar excellence initiatives in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Swedish register data from 2003 to 2012, this study attempts to explain over-education and upward mobility among tertiary graduates. Rarely used explanatory factors are central in the analyses, such as 'still in study' and 'field of education'. Tertiary graduates in low-wage jobs are regarded as over-educated. The results of this work suggest that the general increase in graduates correlates well with the increase in over-educated graduates. Many of those who were categorised as over-educated were students, and graduates from some specific fields were particularly vulnerable to working in low-wage jobs. Sixty per cent of the graduates found more suitable jobs, while up to 40 per cent stayed in jobs related to lower wages. Graduates from fields associated with higher risks of over-education were also less likely to experience upward mobility. The increasing occurrence of over-education among graduates may not only result in a substandard utilisation of human capital (and absence of social mobility), it also seems that the presence of large numbers of over-educated graduates in low-paid work may have implications for unskilled workers, through displacement effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logged tracking data for online courses are generally not available to instructors, students, and course designers and developers, and even if these data were available, most content-oriented instructors do not have the skill set to analyze them. Learning analytics, mined from logged course data and usually presented in the form of learning dashboards, can inform instructors and students about how students are doing in a course, for example, questions answered correctly or incorrectly, pages visited, exercises completed, and assessment scores. However, these dashboards do not provide data on what students are doing when interacting with course materials. This dearth of information severely limits the amount of feedback that online course instructors can give to students on how to best maximize their time online to meet their learning outcomes. Using logged data from an online French course, the research presented here offers a sample of preliminary statistical visualizations created using data from students interacting with a course video and its attendant questions. By developing a methodology that can be applied to other similar datasets, these types of visualizations could be automatically generated for all stakeholders to obtain a fuller picture of how students behave in online courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between statistics anxiety and instructor immediacy among 113 social work undergraduate students enrolled in a Social Work Research method course at a large, fully accredited publicly funded university. It is hypothesized that students who report receiving higher immediacy would report lower ratings of statistics anxiety. Data were collected through the use of a survey questionnaire. Statistics anxiety was measured with the Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale, and instructor immediacy was assessed with the Instructor Immediacy Scale. Respondents ranged in age from 20 to 54 years (Mean age = 25.23, SD = 6.86), of whom 82.3% were female. Canonical correlations analysis yielded two functions with squared canonical correlations of () of .349 and .026 for each successive function. The full model was statistically significant using the Wilks’ λ = .633 criterion,F(12, 210) = 4.483,p = .001, accounting for 36.7% of the shared variance between instructor immediacy variables and the statistics anxiety dimensions. Increased use of immediacy by an instructor can help to reduce students’ levels of statistics anxiety. Knowledge of the particular dimensions of statistics anxiety can enable instructors to implement the most effective intervention for the reduction of such anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Quantitative research enjoys heightened esteem among policymakers, media, and the general public. Whereas qualitative research is frequently dismissed as subjective and impressionistic, statistics are often assumed to be objective and factual. We argue that these distinctions are wholly false; quantitative data is no less socially constructed than any other form of research material. The first part of the paper presents a conceptual critique of the field with empirical examples that expose and challenge hidden assumptions that frequently encode racist perspectives beneath the façade of supposed quantitative objectivity. The second part of the paper draws on the tenets of Critical Race Theory (CRT) to set out some principles to guide the future use and analysis of quantitative data. These ‘QuantCrit’ ideas concern (1) the centrality of racism as a complex and deeply rooted aspect of society that is not readily amenable to quantification; (2) numbers are not neutral and should be interrogated for their role in promoting deficit analyses that serve White racial interests; (3) categories are neither ‘natural’ nor given and so the units and forms of analysis must be critically evaluated; (4) voice and insight are vital: data cannot ‘speak for itself’ and critical analyses should be informed by the experiential knowledge of marginalized groups; (5) statistical analyses have no inherent value but can play a role in struggles for social justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the impact of counsellor training on emotional intelligence (EI) in 45 undergraduates and 58 postgraduates. Significant improvements were recorded by students on completion of both programmes, suggesting that these were attributable to training which enhanced intra- and interpersonal aspects of emotional functioning. As a group, postgraduates were older than undergraduates, and at the outset of the study, EISAQ scores were comparable; however, at follow-up, undergraduates recorded significantly higher EISAQ scores. Students’ EI was not significantly related to their age, and these findings indicate the potential for effective EI-skills training which is unrelated to quantity of life experiences. It is hoped that this study contributes to a growing quantitative evidence base from which the counselling profession can evaluate its training profile. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this study was to explore associations between self-esteem, general self-efficacy, and the deep, strategic, and surface approaches to studying. Norwegian occupational therapy students (n = 125) completed questionnaires measuring study approaches, self-esteem, and general self-efficacy. Regression analyses were used to explore the direct relationships between self-esteem, general self-efficacy and the approaches to studying, after controlling for age, gender, prior higher education, and time spent on independent studying. General self-efficacy displayed positive associations with deep and strategic approaches to studying and a negative relationship with a surface approach to studying. Self-esteem was not significantly associated with approaches to studying. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Students in psychology generally have difficulties to successfully accomplish mandatory courses in statistics. Group peer-tutoring is a pedagogical strategy to support them with a peer that has already successfully mastered the content of such a course. In order to specifically tailor group peer-tutoring to the needs of students and to sustain tutees’ participation, it is important to understand how they conceptualize tutoring. The aim of this study was to provide an empirical investigation of psychology students’ conceptualization regarding cross-year group peer-tutoring in statistics. A multivariate concept mapping analysis generated a relevant three-cluster structure (Tutoring setup,Tutor knowledge, interpersonal skills, and relational dynamicsandStudent role and commitment to the course) that underlies students’ cognitive structure regarding group peer-tutoring. The implications of the results for selecting and training peer-tutors are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a “cartoon-style” handout with a “traditional-style” handout in a self-study assignment for preclinical medical students. Methods:Third-year medical students (n = 93) at the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, took a pre-learning assessment of their knowledge of intercostal chest drainage. They were then randomly allocated to receive either a “cartoon-style” or a “traditional-style” handout on the same topic. After studying these over a 2-week period, students completed a post-learning assessment and estimated their levels of reading completion. Results:Of the 79 participants completing the post-learning test, those in the cartoon-style group achieved a score 13.8% higher than the traditional-style group (p = 0.018). A higher proportion of students in the cartoon-style group reported reading ≥75% of the handout content (70.7% versus 42.1%). In post-hoc analyses, students whose cumulative grade point averages (GPA) from previous academic assessments were in the middle and lower range achieved higher scores with the cartoon-style handout than with the traditional one. In the lower-GPA group, the use of a cartoon-style handout was independently associated with a higher score. Conclusions:Students given a cartoon-style handout reported reading more of the material and achieved higher post-learning test scores than students given a traditional handout. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: Medical education provides students with abundant learning opportunities, each of which is embodied with messages concerning what is expected from students. This paper analyses students? exposure to instances of unprofessional behavior, investigating whether they judge such behavior to be unprofessional and whether they also participate in unprofessional behavior. Methods: The survey developed in the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago was the basis of this questionnaire that was answered by 276 students from two medical schools in Brazil and Portugal. Results: Unprofessional behavior was observed frequently by students in both universities, and the mean participation rates were similar (26% and 27%). Forty-five percent of students? participation in unprofessional behavior was explained by academic year, prior observation, and judgment. Discussion: The results indicate that once students have observed, participated in or misjudged unprofessional behavior, they tend to participate in and misjudge such behavior. The frequency with which students judged behaviors they had observed or participated in as ?borderline? or unprofessional could mean that they are experiencing moral distress. Conclusion: Proper discussion of unprofessional behavior should foster a broad debate to encourage empowered students, faculties, and physicians to co-create a more professional environment for patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at constructing and validating a measurement to assess students’ responses to faculty incivility (FI). A mixed-method approach was implemented. A qualitative method was used to analyze responses to FI as described by college students. The results foregrounded four categories—exit, voice, loyalty, andneglect—in line with the theoretical EVLN model for describing reactions to stressful conditions (such as, but not limited to, incivility). The students’ descriptions were formulated as short items. Following the qualitative results, a quantitative method was used to validate the developed EVLN questionnaire and to assess the relationships between student characteristic variables (mainly, religious affiliation), experiences of FI (active FI and passive FI), and the four EVLN responses. Data were gathered from 744 undergraduate college students, yet only those who experienced FI to some extent were selected to assess reactions to FI. According to the structural equation modeling results, FI was positively linked solely to theexitresponse. In addition, the findings indicated that merely the active FI subfactor was linked to theexitfactor. Interpretation of these results, their congruence within the context of the theoretical frameworks, limitations, and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: To examine the relationship between reflection, gender, residency choice, word count, and academic achievement among medical students. Methods: A modified version of the Reflection Evaluation for Learners’ Enhanced Competencies Tool (REFLECT) was developed and used for this study (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.86 with an intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] of 0.68). This was applied to writing samples about professionalism in gross anatomy from first-year medical students between 2005 and 2011. Four analysts reviewed and scored written reflections independently. Composite reflection scores were compared with gender, residency choice, length of written reflection, NBME® Gross Anatomy and Embryology Subject Examination scores, and final gross anatomy course. Results: Total of 319 written reflections were evaluated. Female students who pursued medicine specialties had the highest composite reflection scores (87 [27.2%]). Word count frequently correlated with reflection score (p < 0.0001). Students who performed well on the NBME® Gross Anatomy and Embryology Subject Examination tended to achieve high anatomy course grades (p < 0.0001). There was no statistically significant relationship between composite reflection scores and NBME® Gross Anatomy and Embryology Subject Examination scores (p = 0.16) or anatomy course grades (p = 0.90). Conclusions: This study suggests there are likely no correlations between reflective capacity and academic performance on tests of medical knowledge administered early in the medical curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study analyses the self-assessment behaviour and efficiency of 163 undergraduate business students from Hungary. Using various statistical methods, the results support the hypothesis that high-achieving students are more accurate in their pre- and post-examination self-assessments, and also less likely to overestimate their performance, and, if they do so, the mean overestimation is lower than in the case of lower achieving students. The study did not find a strong difference in the tendency to self-overestimation between sexes, but in their pre-examination prediction, women seem to overestimate significantly more than men. An overall tendency among the students to overrate their own examination performance is also detected, as is a tendency to increase the accuracy of self-assessment after sitting the examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The use of the borderline regression method (BRM) is a widely accepted standard setting method for OSCEs. However, it is unclear whether this method is appropriate for use with small cohorts (e.g. specialist post-graduate examinations). Aims and methods:This work uses an innovative application of resampling methods applied to four pre-existing OSCE data sets (number of stations between 17 and 21) from two institutions to investigate how the robustness of the BRM changes as the cohort size varies. Using a variety of metrics, the ‘quality’ of an OSCE is evaluated for cohorts of approximatelyn = 300 down ton = 15. Estimates of the standard error in station-level and overall pass marks,R2coefficient, and Cronbach’s alpha are all calculated as cohort size varies. Results and conclusion: For larger cohorts (n > 200), the standard error in the overall pass mark is small (less than 0.5%), and for individual stations is of the order of 1–2%. These errors grow as the sample size reduces, with cohorts of less than 50 candidates showing unacceptably large standard error. Alpha andR2also become unstable for small cohorts. The resampling methodology is shown to be robust and has the potential to be more widely applied in standard setting and medical assessment quality assurance and research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background and Purpose: The number of degree-awarding programmes in medical education is steadily increasing. Despite the popularity and extensive investment in these courses, there is little research into their impact. This study investigated the perceived impact of an internationally-renowned postgraduate programme in medical education on health professionals’ development as educators. Methods: An online survey of the 2008–12 graduates from the Centre for Medical Education, University of Dundee was carried out. Their self-reported shifts in various educational competencies and scholarship activities were analysed using non-parametric statistics. Qualitative data were also collected and analysed to add depth to the quantitative findings. Results: Of the 504 graduates who received the online questionnaire 224 responded. Participants reported that a qualification in medical education had significantly (p < 0.001) improved their professional educational practices and engagement in scholarly activities. Masters graduates reported greater impact compared to Certificate graduates on all items, including ability to facilitate curriculum reforms, and in assessment and feedback practices. Masters graduates also reported more engagement in scholarship activities, with significantly greater contributions to journals. These qualifications equally benefited all participants regardless of age. International graduates reported greater impact of the qualification than their UK counterparts. Conclusion: A postgraduate medical education programme can significantly impact on the practices and behaviours of health professionals in education, improving self-efficacy and instilling an increased sense of belonging to the educational community. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the use of an objective structured clinical examination for Internal Medicine residents (IM-OSCE) as a progress test for clinical skills. Methods: Data from eight administrations of an IM-OSCE were analyzed retrospectively. Data were scaled to a mean of 500 and standard deviation (SD) of 100. A time-based comparison, treating post-graduate year (PGY) as a repeated-measures factor, was used to determine how residents’ performance progressed over time. Results: Residents’ total IM-OSCE scores (n = 244) increased over training from a mean of 445 (SD = 84) in PGY-1 to 534 (SD = 71) in PGY-3 (p < 0.001). In an analysis of sub-scores, including only those who participated in the IM OSCE for all three years of training (n = 46), mean structured oral scores increased from 464 (SD = 92) to 533 (SD = 83) (p < 0.001), physical examination scores increased from 464 (SD = 82) to 520 (SD = 75) (p < 0.001), and procedural skills increased from 495 (SD = 99) to 555 (SD = 67) (p = 0.033). There was no significant change in communication scores (p = 0.97). Conclusions: The IM-OSCE can be used to demonstrate progression of clinical skills throughout residency training. Although most of the clinical skills assessed improved as residents progressed through their training, communication skills did not appear to change. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Open book assessment is not a new idea, but it does not seem to have gained ground in higher education. In particular, not much literature is available on open book examinations in mathematics and statistics in higher education. The objective of this paper is to investigate the appropriateness of open book assessments in a first-year business statistics course. Data over two semesters of open book assessments provided some interesting results when compared with the closed book assessment regime in the following semester. The relevance of the results is discussed and compared with findings from the literature. The implications of insights gained for further practice in the assessment of mathematics and statistics is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Finance threshold concepts are the essential conceptual knowledge that underpin well-developed financial capabilities and are central to the mastery of finance. In this paper we investigate threshold concepts in finance from the point of view of students, by establishing the extent to which students are aware of threshold concepts identified by finance academics. In addition, we investigate the potential of a framework of different types of knowledge to differentiate the delivery of the finance curriculum and the role of modelling in finance. Our purpose is to identify ways to improve curriculum design and delivery, leading to better student outcomes. Whilst we find that there is significant overlap between what students identify as important in finance and the threshold concepts identified by academics, much of this overlap is expressed by indirect reference to the concepts. Further, whilst different types of knowledge are apparent in the student data, there is evidence that students do not necessarily distinguish conceptual from other types of knowledge. As well as investigating the finance curriculum, the research demonstrates the use of threshold concepts to compare and contrast student and academic perceptions of a discipline and, as such, is of interest to researchers in education and other disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Previous studies on empathy in Korean medical students were conducted on small populations or with different scales of measurement, resulting in low representativeness and generalisability of the findings. Aim: To evaluate empathy in Korean medical students throughout the country and to make suggestions to improve empathy. Methods: The Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) (Korean) was used, and the impact of sex, age, the medical school admission system, and grade of the respondents was investigated. Results: We analyzed 5343 questionnaires and found a mean empathy score of 105.9 ± 12.8. Females and post-baccalaureate students had higher scores as compared with their counterparts. There was a significant difference between the admission systems after controlling for gender. Students from higher grade levels had lower scores than those from the lower grade levels. Conclusions: The JSE score of Korean medical students was lower than that of students in Western countries. The difference of gender and medical school admission system should be considered, and capability to apply empathy to clinical practice should be focused upon in medical training. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Graduates with well-developed capabilities in finance are invaluable to our society and in increasing demand. Universities face the challenge of designing finance programmes to develop these capabilities and the essential knowledge that underpins them. Our research responds to this challenge by identifying threshold concepts that are central to the mastery of finance and by exploring their potential for informing curriculum design and pedagogical practices to improve student outcomes. In this paper, we report the results of an online survey of finance academics at multiple institutions in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. The outcomes of our research are recommendations for threshold concepts in finance endorsed by quantitative evidence, as well as a model of the finance curriculum incorporating finance, modelling and statistics threshold concepts. In addition, we draw conclusions about the application of threshold concept theory supported by both quantitative and qualitative evidence. Our methodology and findings have general relevance to the application of threshold concept theory as a means to investigate and inform curriculum design and delivery in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ethical dilemmas from a national purposive sample of Turkish counsellors (N = 172) were collected using critical incidents technique. Content analysis was performed with open coding guided by the classification of American Counseling Association code of ethics. Incidents regarding confidentiality and privacy (56.4%), with 37.1% involving incidents of reporting child sex abuse, had the highest percentage of prevalence. Dilemmas involving conflicts with school principals ranked second (16.3%), while incidents regarding dual relationships and boundaries (14%) ranked third. Implications for the development of a research-based and culturally sensitive code of counselling ethics in Turkey are discussed, and recommendations for future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation studied attainment in students with mental health difficulties who were taking modules by distance learning with the UK Open University in 2012. Students with mental health difficulties who had no additional disabilities were less likely than nondisabled students to complete the modules that they had taken and less likely to pass the modules that they had completed. However, they were just as likely as nondisabled students to obtain good grades for the modules that they had passed when the effects of age, gender, prior qualifications, and financial assistance had been taken into account. Students with mental health difficulties who had additional disabilities were less likely than nondisabled students to complete the modules that they had taken, less likely to pass the modules that they had completed, and less likely to obtain good grades for the modules that they had passed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The educational environment may influence students' attitudes towards medical specialties, which in turn can affect specialty career choices. The present study sought to establish if perceptions of the educational environment in a psychiatry rotation influenced attitudinal changes towards psychiatry in medical students and impacts decisions about psychiatry as a career choice. Methods: The modified Attitudes to Psychiatry Scale, Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure, and questions specific to career choice in psychiatry were administered to 100 undergraduates in a psychiatry rotation. Results: Significant improvements in attitudes toward psychiatry were highly correlated with the educational environment, particularly when it was perceived as providing inspiration and enabling students to recognize the merits of psychiatry and the effectiveness of treatment. However, there was a worsening trend in the stigma to psychiatry in the posting, and only the positive attitudinal change (but not educational environment) influenced a career choice in psychiatry. Conclusions: While the educational environment contributes towards positive attitudinal changes in a specialty rotation, stigma of psychiatry continues to be a limiting factor, which is, unfortunately, not clearly addressed in the curriculum. The findings support the urgent need for interventions in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: SNAPPS is a learner-centered approach to case presentations that was shown, in American studies, to facilitate the expression of clinical reasoning and uncertainties in the outpatient setting. Aim: To evaluate the SNAPPS technique in an Asian setting. Methods: We conducted a quasi-experimental trial comparing the SNAPPS technique to the usual-and-customary method of case presentations for fifth-year medical students in an ambulatory internal medicine clerkship rotation at Khon Kaen University, Thailand. We created four experimental groups to test main and maturation effects. We measured 12 outcomes at the end of the rotations: total, summary, and discussion presentation times, number of basic clinical findings, summary thoroughness, number of diagnoses in the differential, number of justified diagnoses, number of basic attributes supporting the differential, number of student-initiated questions or discussions about uncertainties, diagnosis, management, and reading selections. Results: SNAPPS users (90 case presentations), compared with the usual group (93 presentations), had more diagnoses in their differentials (1.81 vs. 1.42), more basic attributes to support the differential (2.39 vs. 1.22), more expression of uncertainties (6.67% vs. 1.08%), and more student-initiated reading selections (6.67% vs. 0%). Presentation times did not differ between groups (12 vs. 11.2 min). There were no maturation effects detected. Conclusions: The use of the SNAPPS technique among Thai medical students during their internal medicine ambulatory care clerkship rotation did facilitate the expression of their clinical reasoning and uncertainties. More intense student-preceptor training is needed to better foster the expression of uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Determine postgraduate first-year (PGY-1) trainees ability to perform patient care handoffs and associated medical school training. Methods: About 173 incoming PGY-1 trainees completed an OSCE handoff station and a survey eliciting their training and confidence in conducting handoffs. Independent t-tests compared OSCE performance of trainees who reported receiving handoff training to those who had not. Analysis of variance examined differences in performance based on prior handoff instruction and across levels of self-assessed abilities, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: About 35% of trainees reported receiving instruction and 51% reported receiving feedback about their handoff performance in medical school. Mean handoff performance score was 69.5%. Trainees who received instruction or feedback during medical school had higher total and component handoff performance scores ( p < 0.05); they were also more confident in their handoff abilities ( p < 0.001). Trainees with higher self-assessed skills and preparedness performed better on the OSCE ( p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study provides evidence that incoming trainees are not well prepared to perform handoffs. However, those who received instruction during medical school perform better and are more confident on standardized performance assessments. Given communication failures lead to uncertainty in patient care and increases in medical errors, medical schools should incorporate handoff training as required instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postgraduate medical education training programs strive to prepare their trainees optimally for independent practice. Several studies have shown, however, that new consultants feel inadequately prepared for practice, and that this increases the risk of stress and burnout. Aim: To analyze across specialties for which tasks and themes new consultants feel inadequately prepared. And, to identify themes that need improved attention in postgraduate medical education programs or after registration. Methods: 330 New consultants from all hospital specialities with accredited training programs who completed their training in the north-eastern educational region of The Netherlands between 2004 and 2010 received a questionnaire which was based on a previously validated generic task inventory. Results: 143 respondents (43%) returned the questionnaire. They felt excellently prepared for 40 tasks, well prepared for 25 tasks, marginally sufficiently prepared for 18 tasks and insufficiently prepared for 8 tasks. Preparedness scores were lowest for tasks concerning management administration and leadership, research, end-of-life care, and patient safety-related communication. Surgical specialists felt better prepared for practice than medical specialists, which could not be explained by differences in general self-efficacy. Conclusion: Although new consultants felt well prepared for medical tasks, the scores of more generic tasks indicate that the alignment between the different phases of the medical education continuum and independent practice needs improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Widening participation in Medicine is a key policy priority as it helps promote a diverse and representative workforce and improves patient care. The selection process employed can influence the socio-economic composition of the student cohort and this study therefore evaluated whether Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) performance was influenced by school type or area-level Higher Education (HE) participation rates. Methods: MMI performance for all UK applicants was recorded and consent to link performance with socio-economic data was requested using an applicant questionnaire. Station-level and total MMI scores, and offer rates were compared between applicants from non-selective, non-fee-paying schools and from selective and/or fee-paying schools; and between applicants from each quintile of area-level HE participation. Results: 793 applicants were included in the analysis. MMI performance and offer rates were slightly higher for applicants from non-selective, non-fee-paying schools and/or from lower HE participation quintiles, but the effects were small and not statistically significant. Conclusions: The MMI did not favour applicants from selective and/or fee-paying schools, or from areas with high HE participation rates. Work to evaluate whether the relationship between MMI and medical school performance is the same for all sub-groups of students is now required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the widespread teaching of evidence-based medicine (EBM) to medical students, the relevant literature has not been synthesized appropriately as to its value and effectiveness. Aim: To systematically review the literature regarding the impact of teaching EBM to medical students on their EBM knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviors. Methods: MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of science, ERIC, CINAHL and Current Controlled Trials up to May 2011 were searched; backward and forward reference checking of included and relevant studies was also carried out. Two investigators independently extracted data and assessed the quality of the studies. Results: 10,111 potential studies were initially found, of which 27 were included in the review. Six studies examined the effect of clinically integrated methods, of which five had a low quality and the other one used no validated assessment tool. Twelve studies evaluated the effects of seminars, workshops and short courses, of which 11 had a low quality and the other one lacked a validated assessment tool. Six studies examined e-learning, of which five having a high or acceptable quality reported e-learning to be as effective as traditional teaching in improving knowledge, attitudes and skills. One robust study found problem-based learning less effective compared to usual teaching. Two studies with high or moderate quality linked multicomponent interventions to improved knowledge and attitudes. No included study assessed the long-term effects of the teaching of EBM. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that some EBM teaching strategies have the potential to improve knowledge, attitudes and skills in undergraduate medical students, but the evidenced base does not demonstrate superiority of one method. There is no evidence demonstrating transfer to clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify factors that influence career choice in UK medical students. Methods: Students at seven institutions were invited to rate how important various factors were on influencing their career choices and how interested they were in pursuing different specialties. The influence of interpersonal relationship networks on career choice was also evaluated. Results: 641 responses were collected. 44% (283) were male, 16% (105) were graduates and 41% (263) were final-year students. For Dermatology ( p = 0.009), Paediatrics ( p = 0.000), Radiology ( p = 0.000), Emergency Medicine ( p = 0.018) and Cardiothoracic Surgery ( p = 0.000), there was a clear correlation between completing a clinical attachment and an interest in pursuing the specialty. Perceived characteristics of the speciality, individually and in clusters were considered important by specific subgroups of students, such as those interested in surgery. These students considered prestige ( p = 0.0003), role models ( p = 0.014), financial rewards after training ( p = 0.0196) and technical challenge ( p = 0.0011) as important factors. Demographics such as sex and age played a significant role in career choice. Interpersonal relationship networks do not have a significant influence on career intentions. Conclusions: This study shows that the career intentions of British medical students are influenced by their undergraduate experience and by the weight they place on different specialty-related factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As students are expected to develop competency in professionalism and medical ethics, faculty are also expected to facilitate medical students' learning and understanding of these areas. One of the main challenges to success in this domain has been uncertainty of whether or not faculty know the content and the methods to teach and assess these competencies. Aim: We used the Objective Structured Teaching Exercise (OSTE) format as a faculty development tool to train and evaluate faculty on how to teach professionalism and medical ethics to students in clinical settings. Methods: The process for the design, development and implementation of OSTEs consisted of five phases: (1) performing a literature review and student needs assessment, (2) developing the OSTE cases and performance checklists, (3) recruiting and training of standardized students, (4) conducting a mock training session and (5) organizing faculty development workshops using OSTEs. Results: Twenty clinical faculty members participated in one of three half-day OSTE workshops offered. Faculty confidence and attitudes about teaching professionalism increased significantly ( p < 0.05) from before participating in the workshop to afterwards. Conclusions: Faculty feedback were positive stating that the OSTE scenarios were reflective of issues they generally encounter while teaching medical students, the information and skills they learned from the workshop are important to them as clinical educators, and that the information and skills will likely have an impact on the way they teach professionalism and ethics in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student evaluations of teaching are ubiquitous and impactful on the careers of college teachers. However, there is limited empirical research documenting the accuracy of people’s efforts in interpreting teaching evaluations. The current research consisted of three studies documenting the effect of small mean differences in teaching evaluations on judgements about teachers. Differences in means small enough to be within the margin of error significantly impacted faculty members’ assignment of merit-based rewards (Study 1), department heads’ evaluation of teaching techniques (Study 2) and faculty members’ evaluation of specific teaching skills (Study 3). The results suggest that faculty and administrators do not apply appropriate statistical principles when evaluating teaching evaluations and instead use a general heuristic that higher evaluations are better. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Ward rounds represent an important task in clinical settings. Despite their importance, students show substantial deficits in ward round competencies (e.g. physical examination, drug prescription, documentation). Previously reported teaching methods such as ward round training with standardized patients or educational wards, however, are time-consuming and expensive. Aims: To assess the effects of a structured on-ward supervision program for final-year students with specially trained supervising doctors focusing on ward round competencies. Method: A total of 36 medical students were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG) and a control group (CG). During an eight-week-long training course, the intervention group (IG; n = 18) received structured ward round training while the control group (CG; n = 18) received on-ward training regarding how to take patient histories and perform physical examinations. Ward round competencies were assessed using simulated ward round scenarios with objective checklist ratings and standardized patient ratings. Results: The IG achieved significantly more predefined learning goals compared to the CG. Standardized patient ratings did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: Results provide evidence that the presented program is a feasible and efficient tool for teaching ward round skills at the bedside. Further research should focus on cost effectiveness compared to alternative models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Handouts have been a primary tool to help students learn and understand class content in lectures better. Some lecturers, however, do not provide handouts to students. Currently, little research has studied the disadvantages of lectures without handouts. We, therefore, aim to survey medical student opinions and behaviors in lectures with handouts comparing to lectures without. Methods: A cross-sectional study using questionnaires was conducted on first to fifth year medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University. Results: Study response rate was 89.5%. Less concentration in lectures without handouts was reported at 83.6%. Note-taking decreased 38.3% from 89.7% to 51.4% ( p < 0.001) with a statistically significant increase of class-skipping behavior. Absence of handouts also resulted in a rise in photocopying peer lecture notes but had no significance increase in either self-directed or peer learning. There was no association between student grade point average and handout attitudes. Conclusions: Handouts are essential in lectures for medical students. Taking them away could immensely reduce student capability to concentrate and understand dynamic lectures. Providing handouts does not spoon-feed students with information. Rather, handouts help offer qualitative improvements to lectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]